Chapter 28: It Is a Demon

Hu Jiao had returned from the Wen family estate intending to drink with Xiao Bugui, only to find herself sacrificing her own safety to save him. After a long, exhausting night, she remained too worried about his well-being to rest; instead, she secretly followed the Hao family carriage all the way to the Star-Gazing Pavilion. Finding the pavilion heavily guarded, she feared causing further trouble, but knowing Hao Meili would take care of him, she finally felt at ease and departed.

Xiao Bugui had been settled into a private guest suite. Hao Jingming instructed Dr. Jin to prescribe medicine for his vomiting and diarrhea, while several elderly maids were assigned to attend to him. Hao Meili had wanted to stay by his side, but her father forbade it, forcing her to return to her chambers. Though weak, Xiao Bugui felt much better. He could still smell the faint, lingering fragrance of Hu Jiao on his skin. He had actually regained consciousness while she was pressed against him, but because it felt so pleasant, he remained silent, keeping his eyes closed. Even as his chest grew tight and his breathing labored under the pressure, he forced himself to stay still, though he couldn't help but steal a glance at her bosom as she left. In truth, he had also longed to catch the scent of Hao Meili, but her father had afforded him no such opportunity.

By the time the two maids finished their chores, it was already dawn. Exhausted, they saw Xiao Bugui lying motionless with his eyes closed and assumed he was asleep, so they went off to rest. Left in the silence, fear began to creep into Xiao Bugui’s mind: "My master once said that women in the mortal world are like tigers. Have I developed feelings? No, this won't do. I seek immortality; I must not get close to women. If I become a mere mortal, I will have only decades to live before I am reduced to dust and ashes." Tossing and turning with these anxious thoughts, he did not manage to fall asleep until daybreak.

Hao Meili checked on him in the morning but, seeing him sound asleep, chose not to disturb him. When she returned at noon and found him still in a deep stupor, she grew worried and consulted Dr. Jin, only feeling relieved once he assured her that Xiao was fine.

In reality, Dr. Jin was lying. He had discovered patches of white, downy fur growing on Xiao Bugui’s arms and suspected the young man was a demon. Too afraid to speak out, he used the pretext of needing to undress the young master for treatment to send the young lady away so he could report his findings to Hao Jingming in private.

Unable to reach the great boss directly, Dr. Jin explained the situation to the steward, Laifu. Upon hearing the news, Hao Jingming merely remarked, "I feed so many demon hunters in this house who do nothing but eat for free. Bring them all here today; I shall go see for myself."

As it turned out, if a demon’s vitality is damaged, it reverts to its original form. If you are a pig demon, you die as a dead pig; if you are a fish demon, you die as a dried fish. Hao Jingming gathered over a dozen demon hunters to examine Xiao Bugui’s physical traits, which only left them all in deep contemplation as they tried to guess what kind of demon he might be.

One said, "Boss, I believe he is the legendary sable demon—the kind most adept at harming people, specifically by seducing daughters of wealthy families."

Another suggested, "I think he is a white dog. He has been poisoned, and since he can no longer harm anyone, treating him with human medicine won't work. You must call a veterinarian."

A third opined, "I suspect he has been afflicted by demonic poison, which turns a man into a half-human, half-beast creature. It is incurable in this world unless we go to Laiwu and summon my senior apprentice brother."

Ma Zengsan, who had been posing as a demon hunter, was among them. He reached out to touch the fur on Xiao Bugui’s skin, then clapped his hands and recited a nursery rhyme: "Little white rabbit, white and fair, loves to eat radishes and greens. I’ll bet my life he’s a rabbit. Rabbits don't eat people; they are vegetarians. Rest assured, he won't harm anyone, nor does he need medical treatment. He is merely physically weak, which has caused him to reveal his true form. He will be fine in a few days."

Hao Jingming studied the man who had spoken and, convinced his logic was sound, pointed at Ma Zengsan and said, "You stay here and look after this demon." He then dismissed the others: "You may all leave and return to your quarters to rest. I will call for you again if needed."