Feed Me, Husband - Chapter 67

Chapter 67

When Gu Xiaonuan opened her eyes, the other side of the bed was empty. She reached out to touch the spot, finding it still held a lingering warmth.

Faint sounds came from the bathroom-it was Lu Yichen washing up.

He emerged shortly after, a few strands of black hair clinging to his forehead from washing his face. He looked at her with a smile. “You’re awake?”

Gu Xiaonuan gave a soft hum of affirmation and got up to head to the bathroom herself. “What is the gift you wanted?”

“A date.”

As Lu Yichen said this, he stood beside her in front of the glass mirror. Gu Xiaonuan, toothbrush in mouth, raised an eyebrow slightly. That was it?

The handsome man in the mirror had a slight flush on his cheeks. He leaned in gently and kissed her puffed-out cheek. “Just that.”

Gu Xiaonuan looked at the blush on his face and the hidden shyness in his eyes, unable to look away for a moment. He stepped out with a slight curve to his lips. “Let’s wear matching outfits today, okay?”

Gu Xiaonuan gave a low hum of agreement. She heard him let out a delighted, low chuckle, and his scent became even more pleasant. He was in an exceptionally good mood.

Gu Xiaonuan looked at their matching clothes. The curve of his lips hadn’t faltered once.

For the entire day, Gu Xiaonuan followed Lu Yichen’s lead. It was actually quite simple.

Like any normal couple, they strolled through the shopping district, ate snacks, and watched a movie.

Gu Xiaonuan didn’t quite understand. They could do these things any day, so why set it specifically for today? Was this really the gift he spoke of?

“Lu Yichen,” Gu Xiaonuan said. The man holding her hand turned back slightly, tenderness coloring every inch of his face. “Hmm?”

His hand tightened slightly around her smaller one. “I want to try that. That looks pretty good.”

Lu Yichen led Gu Xiaonuan to a stall in the shopping street. Many people couldn’t help but steal extra glances at the exceptionally good-looking pair.

“Huh? Is that Teacher Lu?”

“Teacher Lu? Which one?”

“The handsome author who’s been blowing up lately! That guy looks just like him.”

“Wow, then the beauty next to him must be his girlfriend.”

“Definitely. They’re so close, and they’re wearing matching outfits. It’s obviously a date.”

Gu Xiaonuan looked back, and the people peeking at them quickly averted their eyes. Not far away, a young couple stood by the roadside. The man held a bite of food up to the woman, and she ate it with a slight blush. The two shared a sweet smile.

Gu Xiaonuan frowned slightly at the sight. On her side, Lu Yichen had already bought the food.

“Not bad, it’s actually really delicious.” He took a bite, only to see Gu Xiaonuan lean in and take a bite of the food in his hand.

“Xiaonuan?” Lu Yichen was about to tell her to spit it out, but he saw her chew a few times and swallow. He looked up at the young couple nearby sharing their food, then back at her expressionless little face, and laughed. He reached out a finger to wipe a smudge from the corner of her mouth and said softly, “You don’t have to copy others. We’re different.”

He patted the top of her head gently, lowering his handsome face even further to whisper in her ear, “If you want, I’ll try my best to make myself taste like different flavors.”

Gu Xiaonuan’s eyes widened slightly. Lu Yichen laughed, kissed her cheek, and took her hand to continue walking.

The day soon drew to a close. Lu Yichen checked the time. “Let’s go, then. We’re going to the last place.”

As dusk approached, Gu Xiaonuan looked at the building before her, truly not expecting Lu Yichen to bring her here.

It was a very remote, small-scale church. It seemed open to the public, but there weren’t many worshippers around.

Lu Yichen didn’t take her inside. Instead, he stood with her in the small plaza in front of the church doors.

There were only the two of them here.

The light of the setting sun spilled over him from behind. She saw his cheeks beginning to flush again.

“Even though you don’t have much of a reaction to crosses, it’s still a bit uncomfortable to go inside a church, isn’t it?” he said, his voice seemingly trembling slightly.

Gu Xiaonuan nodded. “I don’t like it.”

Lu Yichen took a deep breath and dropped to one knee.

He looked up slightly at the beautiful girl standing before him, his dark eyes shimmering. He knelt with absolute devotion, as if he would bow his head and kiss the very ground she stood upon if she so wished.

“Stay with me forever, okay?”

Lu Yichen spoke, a ring appearing in his hand.

Gu Xiaonuan listened to his increasingly violent heartbeat and looked at his eyes, which seemed on the verge of tears again.

She was willing to follow the rules of humans and use a human bond to be with him.

She extended a cold, fair finger toward him. Gu Xiaonuan looked into his eyes, her red lips curving slightly. “Okay. I promise you.”

Lu Yichen smiled.
Like a flower suddenly bursting into bloom, the pleasant scent on him became incredibly intense.

Gu Xiaonuan sniffed his scent, her fangs uncontrollably sliding out from her gums.

He smelled delicious.

A cold ring was slipped onto her ring finger. It wasn’t too big or too small; it fit perfectly just below her knuckle.

Lu Yichen held her hand, lowering his handsome face to press a gentle kiss against her ring finger.

Whoosh!

A gust of wind rose, and the man before her eyes vanished.

Bang!

The church doors were suddenly flung open. Gu Xiaonuan’s eyes instantly filled with a blood-red hue as she charged straight inside.

Snap!

Her fangs fully extended as her blood-red eyes locked onto the figure standing atop the pulpit, the one who had abducted Lu Yichen.

“Give him back!”

Gu Xiaonuan let out a furious roar. She endured the intense discomfort, not showing a hint of fear even though she knew she was facing an 800-year-old elder Vampire.

Thud!

Her petite body was violently thrown back, smashing through a row of pews.

“Xiaonuan!”

Lu Yichen roared in anger. Li, who was holding him, gave a cold sneer and appeared in front of Gu Xiaonuan in the next second.

Gu Xiaonuan leaped up from the floor, only to be slammed back down by his hand with crushing force.

“A little child not even fifty years old dares to raise a hand against me? Admirable courage,” Li said, his crimson eyes staring down at Gu Xiaonuan. “Killing you would be a hassle with Ji Xiangnan, though.”

Li looked up, his gaze shifting toward the figure walking into the church behind them. “I’ll leave her to you.” He paused, his lips curling into a smirk. “Keep her awake.”

There was someone else!

Pinned to the ground, Gu Xiaonuan heard footsteps approaching from behind. This scent… it wasn’t one of her Fellow Kin.

“Heh, understood.”

A slightly deep male voice responded. The moment Li let go, Gu Xiaonuan threw her arm up to pounce, but he kicked her away, sending her crashing into the wall.

Ugh.

A mouthful of blood sprayed from her lips. She looked at Lu Yichen, who was trying to run toward her. “The cross… use your cross!”

“The cross? Are you talking about this?”

The male voice was laced with amusement. A pair of black leather shoes appeared before Gu Xiaonuan. She tilted her head up slightly and saw him dressed in black Clergy Robes.

Was he… a member of the Church?

“Ah~ this scent.” Li grabbed Lu Yichen as he tried to run past and hoisted him up with one hand.

His fangs bared and sank directly into Lu Yichen’s pale neck.

Blood flowed from the wound, and the scent of it instantly filled the small church.

A massive crucifix hung high above, yet standing beneath it was an elder Vampire in the middle of a feast.

Gulp. Gulp. Gulp.

At the sound of each swallow, Gu Xiaonuan let out a guttural scream and tried to charge forward again.

“You should stay put and just watch.”

The man chuckled. With a flick of his wrist, a sharp silver cross appeared. A Silver Chain shot out from the cross, coiling tightly around Gu Xiaonuan’s wrist.

“Ah!”

The moment the chain touched her skin, a plume of acrid smoke rose from her wrist. She growled, baring her fangs, but in the next second, the cross passed through the chain and pinned itself into the wall behind her.

It was a simple chain and cross, yet Gu Xiaonuan found herself completely unable to break free.

“Xiaonuan…” Having his blood drained, Lu Yichen’s dark eyes fixed on the little Vampire pinned to the wall. He murmured her name. Li, his face buried in the man’s neck, looked up and licked his blood-stained lips.

“Ah, the last time I tasted food this delicious was hundreds of years ago.” Li stared at Gu Xiaonuan. “It took quite a bit of effort to shake off Ji Xiangnan. I intend to make it up by feasting on his food.”

Flash!

His fangs sank back in ferociously!

“Xiao… nuan…” Lu Yichen called out softly. Hearing his plea, Gu Xiaonuan felt as if a hand had reached into her chest, yanking at her heart, pulling her toward him.

“Ah-!”

She threw her head back and roared with all her might, lunging forward like a madwoman, but the cross held her firmly in place.

The man in the Clergy Robes stood to the side with a faint smile. Seeing her frantic struggle, the grin on his lips deepened.

Crack!

The cross on the wall made a straining sound. The man raised an eyebrow in surprise, seemingly unable to believe that Gu Xiaonuan was capable of this.

Still smiling, he exerted force with his palm. The Silver Chain tightened around Gu Xiaonuan’s wrist, and the cross slammed back into its original position.

“Why is a man of the Church together with an elder Vampire?” Gu Xiaonuan glared at the man. “Isn’t he supposed to be your prey? Why… why are you just watching him slaughter a human!”
“Because I don’t want to go looking for trouble.”

The man’s eyes crinkled into thin slits as he leaned over slightly. “He’s quite terrifying.”

“If you let him keep feeding like this, Lu Yichen will die! He’ll die!” Gu Xiaonuan glared at the man. “You can’t just stand there and watch a human die right in front of you!”

“Save him! Go save him!”

The man straightened up. His eyes remained shut tight in those narrow slits as he watched Li, who was buried in the human’s neck, without making a move.

The sound of swallowing never stopped. Li’s entire body surged with excitement as he drank. “Truly delicious. It’s been hundreds of years since I’ve tasted anything like this… I can finally enjoy myself to the fullest.”

Lu Yichen’s color had completely vanished, and he had already fallen into a semi-conscious state.

“Save him, I beg you!” Gu Xiaonuan shrieked. The Cross Mark on her neck flared to life, as if sensing that Lu Yichen’s life was slipping away.

“He’s really dying!” Gu Xiaonuan struggled desperately. “He’s really going to die!”

“Ah… so good. This blood is so delicious I can’t stop…” Li swallowed the blood frantically. The crimson in his eyes deepened, looking like surging waves.

Blood had long since stained Lu Yichen’s clothes red, dripping from his arm onto the floor, drop by drop.

His dark eyes looked past Li’s shoulder, fixed on Gu Xiaonuan, who was pinned to the wall.

Her reflection was mirrored in his eyes.

“No, no! Lu Yichen! Don’t die!”

Gu Xiaonuan felt the searing heat of the Cross Mark. She lunged forward with all her might, the silver chains burning deep scars into her wrists.

The red chains of the Cross Mark coiled around the silver ones like snakes. They seemed to possess a life of their own as they slithered slowly, tightening more and more.

The last glimmer of light gradually faded from Lu Yichen’s dark eyes.

His heart stopped beating.

The snake-like chains suddenly constricted, locking the Cross Mark tight. Gu Xiaonuan let out a guttural scream at the sudden, blistering heat.

She saw Lu Yichen’s hand slide slowly to the floor. His presence-his very aura-vanished.

“No… no…”

Gu Xiaonuan gasped for air. The Cross Mark burned like a branding iron. Her body trembling, she collapsed to her knees, her head hanging low.

Drip.

A liquid spilled from her eyes and hit the floor.

They were bright red tears, sliding down her pale cheeks.

Sensing the human’s life force weakening in his arms, Li lifted his head. He licked the blood from his lips and tossed Lu Yichen aside onto the floor like trash.

“Did you enjoy yourself?” The man in Clergy Robes walked over with a smile, looking down at the fallen Lu Yichen. “This human is dead.”

Gu Xiaonuan shuddered where she knelt. The Cross Mark on her neck felt like a giant hand, squeezing her throat so hard she couldn’t breathe.

She was someone who had already died once, yet at this moment, she felt her heart ache.

After a few ragged gasps, Gu Xiaonuan fainted.

The man in Clergy Robes looked back. “This little Vampire fainted too.”

“What a pity. He died too quickly. I wanted to feed a bit longer.” Li stuck out his tongue, licking the still-warm blood from his hand. “Next time, I’ll control my strength better.”

He glanced at Lu Yichen on the floor and strode down from the pulpit, leaving a trail of bloody footprints.

“You handle the-!”

A crucifix was driven straight into his heart.

Li turned his head in shock, his crimson eyes staring at the man. This 800-year-old elder Vampire likely never expected to fall at the hands of someone he trusted.

The man smiled at him. The crucifix he had driven into Li’s heart was made of wood.

“You-!”

Li’s body convulsed violently. In the next second, a silver flash streaked through the air. His head, eyes still wide open, went flying.

As the decapitated body slumped to the floor, the man took a smiling step back and slowly crouched down. “When I said I was afraid of trouble, I wasn’t referring to you.”

Pfft!

He drove the wooden crucifix deeper into the chest, and dark red blood began to flow into a bottle.

Once the bottle was full, the man stood up and scooped Lu Yichen’s body out of the pool of blood.

He paused as he carried Lu Yichen past Gu Xiaonuan.

His slit-like eyes fell upon the Cross Mark on her neck; it was so vivid it looked as if it were about to bleed.

The man chuckled softly. “The Blood Clan’s Blood Contract… it can never be broken now.”

The church doors were pushed open, and a gust of wind blew inside.

“Little Vampire, you’re quite unlucky to have caught his eye.”