Teasing

She had just spoken when she saw Naraku sitting on the floor, bare-chested, holding a dagger and expressionlessly carving away the spider mark on his back. Bits of flesh littered the floor.

No matter how many times he cut it away, the mark on his back remained, as though it had already become a part of him that could never be severed.

The smell of blood filled the air.

It was Xu Zhiqiu's first time seeing such a scene, and she froze for a moment before stepping inside and quickly shutting the door.

Noticing Xu Zhiqiu's arrival, Naraku paused with the dagger in his hand, unsure whether to continue. His expression was sinister, but his voice was gentle as he asked, "Qiu, what brings you here?"

Xu Zhiqiu ignored the scraps of flesh on the floor and looked at Naraku's face. "I came to show you the new clothes you bought me. Do they look nice?"

As she spoke, she turned in front of him, showing off the entire outfit.

Thump, thump.

Onigumo's heart clamored within him, its desire to claim the woman before him growing all the stronger.

Before Xu Zhiqiu could complete more than a few turns, a tentacle suddenly appeared, wrapped around her waist, and dragged her straight over to Naraku.

Naraku reached out to stroke Xu Zhiqiu's face, holding the dagger against her heart with his other hand. With one forward thrust, this beautiful woman would collapse in his arms forever, never to draw another breath. Yet he still did not strike.

Soft, silky fingers touched his chest, tracing up and down, their light, outlining strokes enough to make him shiver.

"Ahem." Realizing what she was doing, Xu Zhiqiu instantly came to her senses. She withdrew her hand and shifted her legs back, trying to keep her distance from Naraku.

Naraku released the dagger, tossing it aside, then wrapped both arms around Xu Zhiqiu and held her against him. At the same time, he bound her ankles with his tentacles, preventing her from leaving and forcing her to nestle in his embrace.

He clasped Xu Zhiqiu's fingers and placed them on his chest, a smile playing at his lips. "Qiu, why did you stop?"

Xu Zhiqiu turned her face away, unwilling to look at him, her cheeks flushed. "Because I'm stopping." Any further, and they would be getting into adult activities that could not be described.

"Oh? But I want to keep going with you, Qiu." As Naraku spoke, the hand resting on Xu Zhiqiu's waist began to wander.

Three enormous words blared above Xu Zhiqiu's head: Danger! Danger! Danger! She arched her back, trying not to press too close to the man, and softened her voice. "Naraku, I'm hungry."

"Qiu, I'm hungry too," Naraku said, quite earnestly.

Xu Zhiqiu covered his face with her hand. "You bastard, I don't mean the kind of hunger you're thinking of! I want food-fragrant rice and plenty of fish and meat!"

"Heh." Naraku chuckled, and the tentacles wrapped around Xu Zhiqiu immediately retracted.

Once her body was freed, Xu Zhiqiu immediately climbed off Naraku and stood to one side, straightening the clothes he had rumpled.

Naraku drew his clothes closed. "I'm now Inuyasha, the young lord of Inuyama Castle. Qiu, don't call me by the wrong name in front of my retainers."

"Oh, I didn't realize you were so capable, becoming a human's son." As Xu Zhiqiu spoke, she noticed the look in his eyes turning strange and changed the subject. "How many years has it been since I disappeared?"

"Oh? Don't you know, Qiu?" Naraku raised an eyebrow with mild interest.

Xu Zhiqiu pressed her lips together. "No. When you tried to kill me, I ended up somewhere else. Some things happened, and I remained asleep until I woke up recently and appeared here."

Some things happened?

A probing gleam flashed through Naraku's eyes. "Then what about the Jade you wore on your hand?"

Xu Zhiqiu shook her head. "I don't know either. When I appeared outside Inuyama Castle, the Jade on my hand was already gone. You still haven't answered me. Just how many years has it been?"

"Fifty years already. Are you going back to Kaede's Village to see your old friends?" Naraku asked unhurriedly.

Xu Zhiqiu lowered her eyes and answered calmly, "I have no plans to do that yet."

"Then what plans do you have now?"

Xu Zhiqiu looked up at him, gazing into his red eyes as the corners of her lips lifted. "To freeload here, of course. All I'm asking is whether you'll let me."

Hearing Xu Zhiqiu's cheerful voice, Naraku's expression froze. He lowered his eyes, his thick lashes casting shadows over his eyelids. "There are conditions to staying here. After all, I'm the young lord. I can't let just any riffraff in."

Xu Zhiqiu's legs were growing numb from standing, so she simply sat down, keeping them together and folding them to her left. "Oh, understood. I'll be a temporary servant here and sweep up leaves. Once I've decided what to do, I can leave whenever I like."

Naraku frowned slightly, displeasure showing on his face. "Qiu, do you dislike being with me that much?"

The corner of Xu Zhiqiu's mouth twitched. Why had he brought this back to being with him again? Wasn't he unable to control Onigumo's heart? If they spent all day together, he would decide it was Onigumo's feelings at work and start carving away the spider mark on his back again.

"Then what do you think I should do?" Xu Zhiqiu asked him.

"Be my fiancée," Naraku said. Under Xu Zhiqiu's suspicious gaze, he explained, "That human father of mine seems very eager for me to marry. He's found quite a few women for me, but surely you wouldn't want a demon like me to be with one of those humans?"

"So you're using me to take the blade for you?"

"Not exactly. If you want my loving attention, Qiu, I'd be more than happy to give it to you." As Naraku spoke, his eyes were fixed on Xu Zhiqiu's chest.

Xu Zhiqiu's face was expressionless. "Get lost."

At noon, Xu Zhiqiu finally got to eat.

Being the young lord certainly had its perks-the food was ridiculously good. Xu Zhiqiu ate three bowls of rice and nearly finished all the dishes on the table before she barely managed to fill her stomach.

She put down her bowl and chopsticks and looked at the man sitting opposite her, who was still chewing slowly and had only eaten half a bowl of rice.

By now, Naraku's red eyes had turned black, and his complexion was sickly pale. He looked so frail that it made one want to cherish him.

Xu Zhiqiu blinked, wanting to slap her own face. This is Naraku pretending to be sick and frail. Snap out of it, snap out of it.

But he really is so handsome.

"Miss Qiu, is the food to your liking?" Naraku's frail voice rang out.

His tone was completely different from before, and Xu Zhiqiu's defenses nearly crumbled.

Mindful of the people still standing outside the door, she wore a smile. "It is."

"That's good, then."

"Mm."

After they finished eating, the servants cleared away the tableware and left in an orderly manner. Xu Zhiqiu stood and rubbed her aching knees. "I want to take a walk outside to help digest all that food. Come with me?"

Naraku rose gracefully. "Since you've invited me, Qiu, how could I possibly refuse?"

Xu Zhiqiu and Naraku walked out of the room together and had only just reached the corridor.

When the retainers saw Naraku emerge, their faces filled with alarm. "Young lord, you're unwell! How can you come outside?" As he spoke, the retainer looked at Xu Zhiqiu standing beside him.

Xu Zhiqiu remained silent.

Naraku waved a hand. "It's fine. This has nothing to do with Miss Qiu. I wanted to come outside with her." As he spoke, he took Xu Zhiqiu's hand.

Caught off guard when he suddenly took her hand, Xu Zhiqiu looked stunned for a moment. Her body stiffened as she gave them a composed smile.

Naraku ordered them to withdraw.

Xu Zhiqiu stared at the hand still held firmly in his. "Inuyasha, know when to stop. You can let go now."

"All right." Naraku's voice was mild, and he obediently released her hand.

The buildings were grand and spacious, the standard trappings of wealth and illustrious birth. A tree stood in the courtyard. It was summer now, and lush greenery flourished everywhere. The air smelled fresh and pleasant, delicate little red flowers bloomed among the grass, and several butterflies fluttered between them.

Xu Zhiqiu suddenly remembered that Naraku was the show's resident beekeeping specialist. Where did his bees nest? She walked back beneath the eaves and looked around overhead. Sure enough, she spotted a bees' nest built in one corner.

Noticing a human approaching, a few bees flew out of the nest, buzzing.

But as footsteps approached, they flew back inside.

Feeling a weight settle on her shoulder, Xu Zhiqiu turned to look at the man behind her.

"Qiu, what are you looking at?"

"The bees," Xu Zhiqiu said thoughtfully. "I remember sitting in the courtyard admiring the moon one night, and I saw bees mixed in with the mosquitoes, buzzing around me nonstop. Those bees were almost the same kind as the ones nesting here. Very distinctive."