The Vampire Marquis

Chapter 5

About half an hour after Chen Shanyi left, Xue'er arrived at the antique courtyard of the Chen family by taxi.

Chen Rongming's neighbors were all simple country folks. Other than seeing foreigners on TV, they had hardly encountered any in person.

There was the grey-haired wisp of a man before, and now a blonde girl who very much resembled a doll.

So, a few elderly men and women stared at Xue'er with interest.

Speaking of which, Xue'er, being a thousand-year-old vampire, was not pleased at the sight of senior citizens buzzing about her. Raising her brow, she snapped sharply, "What are you looking at?!"

Wow, such a perfect Beijing accent! The elders were surprised with their eyes widening at the sound.

Chen Rongming came out at this moment. Seeing the pretty little girl standing in the doorway and the stunned faces of his elderly neighbors, he wore a confused expression on his face, "What's wrong?"

Xue'er pulled a face, "I'm looking for Chen Shanyi."

"Shanyi? What's the matter?" Chen Rongming eyed her, slightly puzzled as to why such a young girl, only eleven or twelve years old, spoke with such an mature tone.

"Who are you to her?" Xue'er asked, clearly irritated.

Taken aback, he pointed at himself, "Eh, I'm her grandfather."

"Grandfather? Huh, even better, where is she?"

"She went to the Hyatt Hotel to find a foreigner..." Suddenly he stopped, grinning as he took her small hand, "Is that foreigner your grandfather? You came here to find him? It must be, both of you speak perfect Beijing accent."

"What? She went to the Hyatt!" Xue'er was taken aback, momentarily forgetting to break away from his grip.

"Right, right, I think you should stay here and rest, while Shanyi invites your grandfather over for dinner. Um, don't let him worry, go in and make a call first."

"Why are you so annoying, you old man," Xue'er furrowed her brows, interrupting his chatter.

Chen Rongming blushed, repeatedly apologizing, "Sorry, sorry!"

She flashed a toothy smile, opening her arms, "Uncle, I'm sorry for my tone, will you accept my apology over a cup of tea?"

"Of course, that's fine." Chen Rongming cheerily replied with a sincere smile.

"Then, Uncle, please carry me inside."

"Oh, okay!" Chen Rongming squatted down and picked her up. Looking at Xue'er, he couldn't help but recall when Chen Shanyi was around eleven or twelve years old. Back then, she also was always seeking to be cuddled just like this foreign child.

Xue'er rested her head on his shoulder, staring at his wrinkly neck... She ground her teeth, trying to push those unused fangs of hundreds of years out of her gums but discovered they wouldn't budge!

Those two fangs had already degenerated, and all because of Jedscar forbidding her from using the traditional method of breaking arteries to suck blood.

Actually, among vampires, there are several levels. Thanks to modern technology, vampires no longer bite for blood. Syringes are more practical, and bags of blood from banks have become their most convenient food.

Furthermore, they are no longer afraid of sunlight. Weaker individuals may need sunglasses, but for her, a thousand-year-old vampire, nothing was frightening except fire. Fire could turn them into ash!

Xue'er pulled herself from her thoughts, her gaze also leaving Chen Rongming's neck, and started to look around the old courtyard.

"Where is Xue'er?" Jedscar asked Kunde, who was tidying up luggage.

Kunde shook his head, "She didn't say where she was going, but she knows we're boarding the plane tomorrow morning, she should be back soon."

Jedscar nodded, walking back to the sofa and gazing at the blue sky outside the window.

Once he left, he probably would not return to Taiwan, as he couldn't control his infatuation to continually invade Chen Shanyi's life should he be in the vicinity…"Knock knock knock!" The door knocking sounded.

As Kunde walked over, he wondered, "Xue'er has a key, why is she knocking?"

As he opened the door, he was surprised to see Chen Shanyi standing at the entrance. She arrived earlier than expected!

Because Kunde was blocking the door, Jedscar thought Xue'er had returned. He straightened up, took his coat from the back of the chair, "Hurry up and pack, we're going back to France first thing tomorrow."

After giving him a nonchalant glance, she broke free of his hand.

Chen Rongming was taken aback, quickly adding, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

Looking at his sincere dark face, though old, the features were good with a striking resemblance to Shanyi. Suddenly, she found him quite charming.

She flashed a toothy smile, opening her arms, "Uncle, I'm sorry for my tone, will you accept my apology over a cup of tea?"

"Of course, that's fine." Chen Rongming cheerily replied with a sincere smile.

"Then, Uncle, please carry me inside."

"Oh, okay!" Chen Rongming squatted down and picked her up. Looking at Xue'er, he couldn't help but recall when Chen Shanyi was around eleven or twelve years old. Back then, she also was always seeking to be cuddled just like this foreign child.

Xue'er rested her head on his shoulder, staring at his wrinkly neck... She ground her teeth, trying to push those unused fangs of hundreds of years out of her gums but discovered they wouldn't budge!

Those two fangs had already degenerated, and all because of Jedscar forbidding her from using the traditional method of breaking arteries to suck blood.

Actually, among vampires, there are several levels. Thanks to modern technology, vampires no longer bite for blood. Syringes are more practical, and bags of blood from banks have become their most convenient food.

Furthermore, they are no longer afraid of sunlight. Weaker individuals may need sunglasses, but for her, a thousand-year-old vampire, nothing was frightening except fire. Fire could turn them into ash!

Xue'er pulled herself from her thoughts, her gaze also leaving Chen Rongming's neck, and started to look around the old courtyard.

"Where is Xue'er?" Jedscar asked Kunde, who was tidying up luggage.

Kunde shook his head, "She didn't say where she was going, but she knows we're boarding the plane tomorrow morning, she should be back soon."

Jedscar nodded, walking back to the sofa and gazing at the blue sky outside the window.

Once he left, he probably would not return to Taiwan, as he couldn't control his infatuation to continually invade Chen Shanyi's life should he be in the vicinity…"Knock knock knock!" The door knocking sounded.

As Kunde walked over, he wondered, "Xue'er has a key, why is she knocking?"

As he opened the door, he was surprised to see Chen Shanyi standing at the entrance. She arrived earlier than expected!

Because Kunde was blocking the door, Jedscar thought Xue'er had returned. He straightened up, took his coat from the back of the chair, "Hurry up and pack, we're going back to France first thing tomorrow."

"Um, Marquis, take a look." Künde moved to the right and pointed at the visitor at the door.

Chen Shanyi walked into the room without any hesitation.

Jedscar raised his eyes only to see his eternal lover wearing a bad mood distinctly on her face.

Naturally, it must have been about that check.

Indeed, she marched up to him, pulled out the check from her bag, hurling it angrily at his face, "What's the meaning of this?"

"Chen Shanyi, how could you behave so disrespectfully towards the Marquis?" Kunde exclaimed in surprise.

"That's my business!" She coldly rolled her eyes at him.

"Kunde, go down to the hall first, I need to talk to her." Jedscar's expression was purely indifferent.

"But, Marquis..."

Jedscar shook his head. Kunde, not entirely at ease, took another look at Chen Shanyi before reluctantly exiting the room.

Jedscar, with his elegant strides, returned to the sofa. He pointed to the seat opposite, "Sit down."

Chen Shanyi was displeased with his commanding tone. Deliberately not obeying his directive, she walked over and sat in the high chair next to the bar counter on the other side, looking directly at him with a frosty face.

He tugged at the corner of his mouth, glanced at the check still lying on the floor before moving his gaze to her, said lightly, "I thought you needed money for living expenses and to pay for your grandmother's medical bills."

She glared at him furiously, "I think I should remind you, before you ruin my entire worklife, I don't need your so-called 'help'!""But it's a fact already."

"So, does this check represent your guilt, your compensation?"

He shook his head, "No, I don't regret what I've done at all, besides, if I knew you were back dancing on poles, I would go to the ends of the earth, from France back to Taiwan, to stop you."

"Pfff!" She scoffed, "Who do you think you are? My father? Mother? Grandfather? Grandmother?"

"You already know who I am, so, take this money, go back and continue your education in school."

"Ha, you're kidding! Now you've turned into my tutor!" This man must be sick!

"I don't care how you perceive me, in the end, just go back and be a student."

"I won't take your money."

"You're not smart enough." Jedscar rose from the sofa, taking slow steps towards her.