Turns Out I'm the Real Monster?!

The blade flashed like snow. In an instant, the remaining ribs on the cutting board were chopped into a paste, not even a sliver of bone remaining.

Killing intent billowed out, filling the room with a chilling air.

...

...

The dinner was sumptuous.

Although Bai Xiang was a cook with "no feelings," her skill was truly impeccable.

Steamed sea bass, braised "lion’s head" meatballs, stir-fried greens with garlic... and a pot of lotus root and pork rib soup stewed to a creamy white, its rich aroma wafting through the air.

They were all common home-style dishes, yet each was a perfect union of color, aroma, and flavor.

Ling Ye had to admit, the woman’s culinary skills were truly impressive.

No wonder she’d had Eldest Young Master Jiang’s stomach firmly in her grasp.

Perhaps because of the recent, awkward "adultery bust" fiasco, the normally relaxed dinner felt exceptionally stifling today.

Bai Xiang, the "mute" one, just kept her head down and ate.

Yuan Ahqing, with her social anxiety, buried her little face in her bowl, wishing she could merge with the rice.

Ling Ye was used to being cool and aloof, and with an added, inexplicable sense of guilt, she kept silent.

Even Jiang Mu, normally the most talkative of the bunch, found the atmosphere strange and decided to just shut up and shovel rice into his mouth.

As he was eating, he suddenly felt a light kick to his shin from under the table.

Jiang Mu paused but didn’t pay it any mind, figuring someone had bumped him by accident.

But less than two seconds later, it happened again.

This time, the kick was a little harder.

Puzzled, Jiang Mu instinctively glanced at Yuan Ahqing across the table.

The kick had come from directly in front of him, after all.

But little Ah Qing was busy doing battle with a "lion’s head" meatball, her cheeks puffed out. She didn’t look like the culprit.

Now Jiang Mu was really confused. His gaze swept over the two women to his left and right.

’Who was it? And why are they kicking me?’

Both women appeared perfectly composed, eating elegantly. On the surface, there wasn’t the slightest clue.

Jiang Mu wanted to ask but was afraid of embarrassing the person responsible.

After all, these sorts of "little movements" under the table usually carried some kind of unspoken, private message.

’Forget it. I’ll use the process of elimination.’

So, Jiang Mu lifted his foot under the table and gave Bai Xiang, on his left, a gentle, tentative kick.

Bai Xiang looked up, startled.

Her bright, clear eyes were filled with a look that clearly asked, "Are you out of your mind?"

’Alright.’

’Not her.’

Jiang Mu switched directions, gently kicking Ling Ye to his right.

Ling Ye was in the middle of sipping her soup and nearly choked. She turned to glare at him, her eyes filled with baffled indignation.

’Alright.’

’Not her, either.’

Still not giving up, Jiang Mu stretched his leg out and gently kicked Yuan Ahqing across the table.

The girl looked up blankly, a grain of rice stuck to the corner of her mouth. "Is something wrong, Master?"

"Nothing. Eat more. You need to grow."

Jiang Mu casually picked up the largest "lion’s head" meatball and placed it in her bowl.

"Thank you, Master." The girl blushed and lowered her head.

’Alright.’

’So it’s not little Ah Qing either.’

In that case, the truth was obvious—

’That’s right, I must have kicked myself!’

’What the hell is wrong with me!’

Jiang Mu was speechless. ’They say a woman’s heart is a needle at the bottom of the ocean, but I’m starting to think they’re all just a bunch of drama queens!’

To avoid further "harassment," Jiang Mu simply splayed his legs wide apart, planting one in front of each of the women beside him, striking a pose that dared, ’Let’s see you try and kick me now.’

As for his remaining leg...

Alas, though it possessed the ambition to prop up the heavens, its dimensions were limited. It simply couldn’t reach.

He had barely settled into his new position when...

...he was kicked in the left leg. And at almost the same instant, he was kicked in the right.

Jiang Mu: "..."

In that moment, he understood completely.

And so, he silently picked up two pieces of braised pork and placed one in Bai Xiang’s bowl and the other in Ling Ye’s.

In return, however, he received synchronized eye-rolls from both women.

Jiang Mu sighed, his heart weary.

’So, what the hell was the kicking for?’

’Can the Riddler please get the hell out of Gotham!’

...

After the delicious yet unbearable dinner, Ling Ye didn’t want to stay a moment longer and immediately announced her departure.

Jiang Mu saw her out.

The night air was like cool water.

The moonlight, like silver gliding over the strings of a qin, gently traced the silhouettes of the two as they walked side by side.

The alley was silent, the only sound the echo of their footsteps.

Ling Ye raised a hand to gently brush back a strand of hair the wind had blown across her temple. She turned her head to look at Jiang Mu, her voice a little softer.

"I’m preparing to leave Hu State City."

Jiang Mu’s heart skipped a beat.

’So soon?’

’Is she going after the Little Demon, Qiu Yuexin?’

’That girl had asked him to find a way to delay Ling Ye for a few days. Enough time had passed now; it should be about right.’

’Besides, he couldn’t think of a single valid reason to make Ling Ye stay any longer.’

And just as he thought, Ling Ye continued.

"I’m going to apprehend that ’sister’ of yours, Jiang Yuexin. But I’ll say it again: she is not your real sister."

"And according to the latest intelligence..."

"It’s highly likely she is connected to the Qingqiu clan of the Demon Race. Most of the families in that clan use the surname ’Qiu.’"

"The Qingqiu clan?"

A thought struck Jiang Mu.

’No wonder that girl changed her name to Qiu Yuexin. The "Qiu" in her name must be a pun on the "Qiu" from Qingqiu.’

’Wait a minute!’

Jiang Mu suddenly realized.

’If that’s the case...’

’...my bargain-bin Little Demon of a sister is actually a little fox spirit?!’