The Cold, Aloof Dominatrix After Parasitically Entering a Rich Family - Chapter 6

Chapter 6: The Two Meet Again

Tusi’s Boredom and the Price of “Low”

Tu Si checked the time. It was already noon.

“Ugh, she still hasn’t approved me! Ahhh!” Tu Si complained to the blue, rainy moon rose on the windowsill. “I only sent two requests this morning, that’s not harassing her! Humans, hmph, they’re so troublesome.”

The moon rose, preparing to bloom its last two buds, weakly replied, “If she didn’t approve you, she didn’t. If she won’t be your friend, just find another one. I heard Elder A-Li say last night she’s going to find you a new one.”

Tu Si: “Hmm?”

Moon Rose: “She said this one is too low. I don’t know what ‘low’ means.”

Tu Si thought about it but couldn’t figure out what the low (leak in the previous chapter’s context, referring to low-class) meant either.

She moved the moon rose to a spot more exposed to the sun. Then, after making sure no one was around, she gently blew a breath of air toward the rose.

“Wow, wow, wow, that feels so good! Sister, your spiritual energy is more effective than any fertilizer!” The moon rose happily waved its petals.

“Me too…” the clivia next to it requested.

“Me, me, me, and me too!” the chrysanthemum joined the clamor.

“The one who needs it most is me! I’m about to be sun-dried to death, give me some air!” The money tree in the corner shook its branches, and a few dead leaves drifted down for dramatic effect.

The truth was, since transforming into a human, Tu Si hadn’t felt her own spiritual power. She was a domineering and capricious Wisteria Flower (菟絲子), and these city plants were simply too oblivious.

“I’m a Wisteria Flower. Aren’t you afraid I’ll suck away your nourishment?” Tu Si sighed helplessly, moving the money tree two meters inward.

“Hahahaha, much better! To be honest, we were afraid at first, but you’ve been here for over a month and haven’t done anything to us. You probably can’t absorb plant nutrition after turning human… Ahhh, ouch, ouch, ouch…” The money tree let out a few grating groans.

Tu Si had found a pair of scissors and was “snapping” off its sun-scorched branches and leaves. Only when she was nearly finished did she stop and say expressionlessly, “You’re right, but I have scissors now.”

The money tree immediately shut up, silently enduring the pain and shedding tears of regret.

“Just bear with it, Brother Money Tree. Elder Tu Si is trimming your sick branches so you can grow better.”

After trimming the money tree, Tu Si watered the clivia and fertilized the chrysanthemum. It was now one o’clock.

She turned on the TV and selected her favorite short drama. The show featured a rapid sequence of three slaps and a cliff jump to reveal a pregnancy test—all the action that usually sent Tu Si’s adrenaline soaring.

But today, she felt incredibly bored. She had been human for almost forty days and, aside from Gong Shayu, hadn’t met a single other living human. More importantly, her body was reaching its limit: human food could only sustain her basic metabolism but was insufficient to nourish her.

The Heavenly God had warned Tu Si that she must find her destined host soon to prevent her roots from withering.

Tu Si thought: Since two instances of physical contact with Gong Shayu allowed her to absorb nourishment, perhaps I can temporarily attach myself to another human while I search for my bl00d-contract host?

What the Wisteria Flower didn’t realize was that in human society, this was called keeping a backup.

Lost in thought, Hu Die’s call came in. “Get ready, A-Li is taking you to meet someone tonight.”

Tu Si hung up, turned the volume of the short drama all the way up, and went to the closet. She could miraculously listen to the drama, browse makeup videos, and select an outfit in the mirror all at the same time.

…

Gong Shayu Seeks a Stand-in

“Messy private life, no gender preference, big mouth, spreads gossip faster than the media. A typical second-generation playboy.” Fang Yu methodically reported on Hao Bai’s personal background.

Gong Shayu pinched her brow. Meeting someone like this for a blind date required more than a simple, low-level excuse to get rid of him.

“Find a girl,” Gong Shayu instructed, looking down. “Preferably a beautiful one who studies acting. Get the non-disclosure agreement signed beforehand.”

Fang Yu finally had a chance to bring up Tu Si, who was still awaiting her “execution.”

“Then… that Miss Tusi who added WeChat?” she asked tentatively.

Gong Shayu: “No, she’s too clumsy.”

Fang Yu wasted no time. “Understood, General Gong. I’ll get right on it!”

As she walked out the door, Assistant Fang immediately blacklisted Tu Si.

…

The New Target

Evening fell on Z City. The streets were brightly lit, neon signs sparkling. The dazzling shops lining the roads reached out like tentacles, immediately engaging Tu Si’s curiosity radar and capturing all her attention.

“Tonight is Young Master Hao’s birthday party. The Hao family is one of Z City’s top five wealthy families. Your target isn’t Young Master Hao, but the man who often follows him. Look at the photo,” the Fox Spirit opened her tablet and snapped her fingers in front of Tu Si. “It’s this man, his name is Lin Cheng.”

Tu Si’s gaze swept over the tablet. She had no real concept of human appearance yet, having rarely seen people outside of TV and her phone. Still, she instinctively felt that the man in the tablet was not handsome.

Tu Si couldn’t help but think of Gong Shayu. She had assumed all humans should look about the same as her, both in face and figure. Later, Tu Si would learn that if human appearances were scored out of a hundred, the people on TV were already seven or eight out of ten, but Gong Shayu was one of the rare ones who neared perfect. But that was for another time.

The Fox Spirit noticed Tu Si’s blank expression and frowned. “Tu Si, I won’t spoil you like Hu Die. You have to grow up. She can’t support you forever!”

“The importance of money in human society, the White Rabbit should have told you. Not to mention, this outfit you’re wearing is at least five figures. If your necklace and handbag were authentic, they’d be seven figures, minimum.”

Tu Si didn’t understand “authentic” or “six or seven figures.” But she understood that money was important—probably as important as photosynthesis was for them plants.

“Besides finding a sponsor, are there other ways to get this money?” Tu Si asked.

“Hahahaha! Hahahaha…” The Fox Spirit laughed as if she’d heard a joke, gasping for air. The car shook with her rhythm.

Tu Si was afraid she’d laugh her fox ears out. She worriedly said, “Sister A-Li, please stop laughing, I’m scared.”

“Aiya, you’re killing me! Did you forget you’re a Wisteria Flower! You’re a low-level species that can only survive by clinging and parasitizing, even as a blade of grass. Now you put on human skin and want to defy nature?”

Tu Si honestly replied, “No, I just think attaching myself to humans is really hard.”

As they neared the destination, the Fox Spirit gave a charming smile. “In my many years of experience as a human, this is the easiest way. Trust me.”

The hotel was located in a secluded, quiet mountain area. Everything, from the lush, winding mountain roads to the hotel’s interior decor, showcased the owner’s impeccable taste.

Tu Si walked behind A-Li, watching the Fox Spirit’s silhouette in admiration, determined to learn from the senior spirit.

“Look at these people. Would you be willing to stand here all day for a meager salary, maybe not even affording a decent place to live?”

Tu Si thought: I’d be perfectly happy with a place like this. Plants weren’t picky about where they lived, unlike animals; all they needed was sun and water.

But she didn’t speak, because she saw Gong Shayu.

The woman was surrounded by a crowd. Tonight, her long, wavy hair was not styled but fell lazily over her shoulders. She wore a deep-red, deep-V, off-the-shoulder gown with a cinched waist, highlighting her shapely figure. She looked like a Phoenix Flower reborn from the ashes.

Tu Si couldn’t help but walk toward her. Gong Shayu’s expression hadn’t changed much. A smile lingered on her lips, but her lashes and the corners of her eyes were still drooping with that same air of indifference.

“Over here!” The Fox Spirit pulled Tu Si’s wrist, leading her toward another hall.

“Don’t wander off, stick with me,” A-Li whispered. “Especially stay away from that group of women just now.”

Tu Si didn’t understand. “Why?”

“Because even in human society, we are not in the same world. Remember, we must stay far away from those who stand at the top of the food chain.”

“But, Sister Hu Die told me to add the WeChat of that person who was also…”

“Enough, focus!” A-Li interrupted Tu Si. “See the man drinking over there? That’s Lin Cheng.”

Tu Si fell silent and looked in the direction the Fox Spirit pointed. A man in a black suit was raising a wine glass to his lips.

To avoid repeating the last mishap (the Fox Spirit was much more reliable than the Butterfly Spirit), she made Tu Si add Lin Cheng’s WeChat and chatted about things Tu Si didn’t understand before being called away with a charming smile.

Tu Si felt Lin Cheng’s gaze was like a curved knife, scraping inch by inch over the hollow of her collarbone with the scent of wine, as if it wouldn’t stop until it slit the fabric over her chest.

Tu Si stared back, mimicking his look.

“!” Lin Cheng was a veteran player in the scene. It was his first time seeing such a pure gaze. His heart raced, his face flushed, and his throat, which kept bobbing, felt dry.

Lin Cheng picked up his glass and drank most of it. Then, as if remembering something, he asked a waiter for a few glasses of different colored wine, grabbing one to hand to Tu Si.

“I’ll say hello to my friends, and then I’ll take you outside.”

Tu Si imitated the dining etiquette she saw on TV, raising her glass to Lin Cheng. She wanted to take advantage of the Fox Spirit’s absence to absorb some nourishment from this human. Based on her last experience, direct skin-to-skin contact allowed her to easily gain nutrition, which seemed easier than being a plant.

Lin Cheng extended his hand. The crystal glasses clinked together with a low, rich sound.

Lin Cheng smiled at Tu Si, putting his other hand on her porcelain-white hand. It was so smooth that his grip slipped. Just as he was shocked and disappointed, a soft, boneless yet strong hand lifted his back up.

Tu Si’s wine glass had disappeared at some point. She held Lin Cheng’s left hand with both of hers, her eyes tightly closed.

Lin Cheng was stunned by her devout appearance, staring blankly at Tu Si’s thick lashes. His lips parted, and he didn’t even hear Young Master Gong call his name a few times.

When Hao Bai, with his own background music, and Gong Shayu appeared, the surrounding gazes shifted from them to Lin Cheng and Tu Si. From the crowd’s perspective, the two looked like they were about to share a hand-holding, passionate kiss.

“Hey, hey, hey… who is that girl?”

“I don’t know, but her skin is great.”

“It’s not just her skin, it’s her figure. Look at Young Master Lin, his drool is almost hitting the table.”

Gong Shayu looked up, following the direction of the discussion, and saw Tu Si sitting opposite her.