The Haunted Chapter 78
Chapter 77◀︎Table of Contents►Chapter 79
Chapter 78 Dream From the Heart
Translated by Nessie
Chi Yan woke up early the next morning. His head was heavy and dizzy, and he could hardly open his eyes. He struggled hard but it was still darkness. Two seconds later, he reached out and touched his eyes. As expected, the black ribbon was still intact.
He lifted the quilt to feel around, and then touched his body. His T-shirt and jeans were already worn on his body, although he didn’t know who helped him put it on. There was no strange feeling of soreness and discomfort throughout the body. Sure enough, although the memories and feelings of last night were extremely real, and the details were more vivid than before, it was still just a dream. He was still in Prince Eymer’s residence.
“Put the quilt on,” he heard the vampire’s voice. “You are sick. The doctor said it was caused by insufficient rest so you need to recuperate now.”
Chi Yan was taken aback, but he obediently covered himself up with the quilt again. There was no trace of life in His Royal Highness, so Chi Yan hadn’t realised that the vampire had been sitting beside him just now.
“Have a good rest. I will let the kitchen prepare some plain and simple dishes for you. I have also applied for sick leave on your behalf from your school and Gray will send you back once you recover, ” the vampire informed Chi Yan.
The Prince was a little upset. Chi Yan was already having a slight fever and was a little confused when he woke up last night. He should have realised that he wasn’t feeling well and taken care of him. Yet he was bewildered and bewitched by his lover when he leaned softly in his embrace and couldn’t restrain himself. Until when he calmed down after Chi Yan fell asleep in his embrace again that he realised something was not right. He quickly called for the doctor and the doctor told him Chi Yan fell sick due to being overworked and needed to rest.
Translated by The Red Oak Tree
www.theredoaktree.com
His saliva was able to help the other party heal his wound faster, speed up the body’s recovery and prevent excessive loss of blood. But it was not something that could heal all types of sickness. Under normal circumstances, Chi Yan still needed to consult a doctor, rest when he needed rest and practise moderation.
Chi Yan nodded and responded weakly. He was not surprised that he had fallen sick. He had been living in fear ever since he knew the existence of vampires that night. He hadn’t closed his eyes the night before and had exhausted his physical strength and energy. His body was indeed a little too burdened. There was a saying that dreams were reflections of reality. Since he was exhausted in reality, it was no wonder that he also felt exhausted in his dream last night.
But there was one thing he felt a little strange about. Chi Yan turned his head to the direction of His Royal Highness, “How did you apply for sick leave for me ?” After he came here, he was not familiar with many procedures. Usually if he was unable to attend lectures in school, he would skip them entirely since they were not compulsory. If it was a small class, then he would send an email to the professor or the teaching assistant to ask for leave. So he was puzzled what sort of reason and identity this vampire had used to apply for sick leave on his behalf.
Prince Eymer replied casually, “There are vampires in the school and education system here. I just need to instruct and someone shall get it done. So you don’t have to worry about that.”
Chi Yan opened his mouth but said nothing. He once again realized how deeply the blood clan had assimilated into human society. Perhaps they might already have taken control over more powerful forces in the society than he had imagined. Asking for sick leave was really just a trivial matter.
Translated by The Red Oak Tree
www.theredoaktree.com
The vampire saw him opening his mouth and thought he was thirsty, so he brought a bowl of pumpkin soup, helped him get up and fed him a little by a little with a spoon.
“Are you thirsty? Would you like to eat something? Is it hot?”
Chi Yan felt a bit thirsty and hungry, so he didn’t say anything. He sipped the pumpkin soup in silence. Somehow, he felt that Prince Eymer was very strange today. His behaviour was like a husband doting and serving his pregnant wife. It’s just like “Wifey, it’s been hard on you. You ought to eat a lot and rest well and don’t get angry” kind of attitude.
He was stunned for a moment, and quickly suppressed this weird idea. He thought he had gone crazy from the fever.
It was understandable that Prince Eymer’s attitude towards him had turned for the better after having hugged him and sucked his blood so many times. After all, he too had a fondness for hot pot, and whenever he was being asked about his favourite food, he would always confess that hot pot was his favourite. If hot pot becomes a person one day, he would definitely treat hot pot better than the way Prince Eymer treated him.
So when the vampire asked what he wanted to eat, Chi Yan opened his mouth and said hot pot.
Prince Eymer paused for two seconds and replied, “No, you have to wait until you get better. I’ll get someone to cook porridge for you.”
Chi Yan was a little disappointed, and said: “Then I want to eat pork porridge with century egg.”
The Prince kept his silence, covered him with his quilt and walked out.
Chi Yan gradually fell asleep again in the quiet room.
Translated by The Red Oak Tree
www.theredoaktree.com
Gray had bought this manor very recently. Someone would clean it every day. They did not hire a chef, however, as nobody in the manor consumed food for humans. Every time when Chi Yan came, they would hire the kitchen crew from the nearby restaurant temporarily. And they didn’t know how to cook pork porridge with century eggs.
Gray proposed to the Prince, “I can invite the chef from a Chinese restaurant to come over.”
“No,” His Royal Highness waved his hand and replied, “I can cook it by myself.”
Gray looked at his Royal Highness in disbelief. Although he knew that his master had always been the most powerful existence in the dark world, he didn’t think that he could also excel in performing these tasks in the kitchen.
So Mr. Butler, who was secretly skeptical, hired a Chinese chef and a team of kitchen helpers to stand by.
But he was wrong. Soon after the ingredients and kitchen utensils were delivered to the kitchen, Prince Eymer brought out a medium-sized porcelain cup (typically used to serve soupy Chinese cuisine, desserts and congee) and a small porcelain bowl on a tray. The aroma of the congee emanated from the porcelain cup, making one imagine its warm and soft breath.
Prince Eymer proved to him that some vampires could also excel in all aspects.
Chi Yan woke up and ate the warm porridge in the porcelain cup. The fragrant and soft porridge melted once inside his mouth and the saltiness was just perfect. After a spoonful of porridge, his body warmed up.
The vampire fed him with a spoon little by little, and asked dotingly, “Is it delicious?”
Translated by The Red Oak Tree
www.theredoaktree.com
Chi Yan praised unreservedly, “It’s really delicious, this is the best porridge I’ve ever had since I came to Sophis.” In fact, he had never had a better tasting porridge than this back in China before. His mother was not good at cooking, and every time she cooked porridge, it became a thick dry paste.
“I see,” Prince Eymer replied happily, “drink slowly, there is still a pot full of it and it’s all yours. I won’t allow others to have it.”
————————
Chi Yan stayed at Prince Eymer’s place for three days before recovering completely and leaving.
Life here at Prince Eymer’s residence was actually very comfortable. Everything was great here except he couldn’t see anything. There was delicious food, a comfortable bed, interesting radio programs, and Prince Eymer would even play the piano for him.
During this period, the vampire did not sucked his blood. He wondered if it was because he was being taken care of during his sickness or was the vampire adhering to the principle of not eating sick food.
In the next two nights, he slept until dawn without dreaming; and on another night, he dreamed of Ye Yingzhi.
It was the same scene as the previous time. The spacious room, the large and comfortable bed, the warm orange bedside lamp, the man wearing a white shirt leaning against the dark black bedpost. His long and slender legs layed naturally on the bed. His dark eyes looked at him quietly, and his facial expression was soft and serene.
Like his previous dream, Chi Yan snuggled and hugged him. He unbuttoned the other’s shirt halfway, raised his head and dropped a gentle kiss on the other’s neck. Ye Yingzhi suddenly sat up and pressed him back onto the bed. His eyebrows throbbed and looked helplessly at Chi Yan, trying hard to restrain his urge, “You are sick and finally getting better. Be good, lie back down, rest and sleep.”
Translated by The Red Oak Tree
www.theredoaktree.com
No matter how Chi Yan behaved coquettishly and even called him ‘hubby’, the man was unmoved. He just hugged him tightly in his arms with the quilt still covering Chi Yan and coaxed, “Hubby hug you to sleep.” (hubby = husband)
Chi Yan fell asleep again in his arms and in his dream. After waking up the next day, he felt dispirited. He was appalled that his bottom line had become so low. Indeed there was an ancient Chinese saying – one would dream of what occupied his mind during the day as well. When he was awake and clear minded, he knew that he had to rest and recuperate so that he may recover faster. So even in his dream, the other party also insisted on him to rest and not misbehave.
However, he watched “Liao Zhai” (a drama series which originated from a novel with a collection of horror stories) and in the stories, the evil spirits usually enter one’s dream to absorb human energy. Thus even if he was dreaming of Ye Yingzhi in his dream, this would inevitably deplete his energy and physical strength. Chi Yan secretly made up his mind that he would recite and memorize the socialist core values again and not continue to degenerate in a capitalist society.
Chi Yan’s mobile phone had been quiet for the last three days. As usual, no one called him except Jiang Tian who called him when he first got sick, “Chi Zi, why didn’t you come back to the dormitory? I’ve asked the staff at the dormitory and they told me you were sick and living with your relatives now. Your relatives helped you apply for sick leave? Do you have relatives in Sophis?”
Chi Yan had no choice but to lie, “Not a relative, but a friend of my father. He works here and invited me to have a meal at his house. Then I got sick and that uncle asked me to stay in his house to recuperate. I should be going back soon.” Then he thought of Prince Eymer’s age. He was more probable to be his great great grand ancestors’ friend instead. Prince Eymer belonged to the period of those great great grand ancestors who had already turned to ashes long ago.
Translated by The Red Oak Tree
www.theredoaktree.com
Jiang Tian accepted this explanation without any doubt.
After Gray sent Chi Yan back to the dormitory, Chi Yan read the messages and emails that he had missed the past few days. Most of them were notices about recent dormitory and school activities. There was nothing worthy of special attention. His courses were also relatively simple, and it was not difficult to catch up after not turning up for school for the past three days. The only noteworthy news was that it would be a short term break of two weeks three days later. Jiang Tian suggested that he should take advantage of the weather before it got colder to travel and visit other parts of Australia.
Jiang Tian had already visited the more well-known cities and scenic spots last semester. He did not plan to revisit them again due to his limited time and budget but he offered to help Chi Yan contact those who were planning to travel to the same destination.
Chi Yan was sending a message to Jiang Tian when he received another message from Ye Yingzhi asking him how he was doing lately.
Ye Yingzhi hadn’t sent him any messages nor contacted him the past three days. But once he was out of Prince Eymer’s residence, he received his message. The timing was just too coincidental. Chi Yan quickly replied and told him what had happened the past few days and asked why his message came at such a coincidental time.
Ye Yingzhi explained that he had been monitoring a misbehaving vampire and was searching for evidence, so he was too busy to contact him.
Chi Yan was convinced and typed, “Wait a moment, I’ll call you.”
In the cold, quiet and dark room that felt like a tomb, the vampire sat alone on a large wooden chair. All the warmth, music, the aroma of food, and the joyful sounds had disappeared with the departure of the only human who had set foot here.
Translated by The Red Oak Tree
www.theredoaktree.com
This was a natural environment for vampires, especially those ancient nobles of the blood clan.
The vampire quietly watched the white mobile phone in front of him light up, making a pleasant ringtone.
He deliberately curved the corners of his lips slightly and picked up the phone to his ear.
Then he heard a more pleasing voice transmitted through layers of electric waves. It was light and soft, mesmerising his heart, “Ye Yingzhi, are you free? … I want to meet you. Well, I just want to know more about the blood clan and things about Prince Eymer.”
Prince Eymer’s lips couldn’t help but stretch into a larger arc. “You little brat,” he thought silently. He just knew it. After Chi Yan woke up in the middle of the night last night, he had cried and hugged him and even called him “hubby” so obediently. Then he grabbed his hand so tightly, refusing to let him go no matter what. He would definitely miss him when he woke up. It was so cute of Chi Yan to use him to make up excuses just to see him.
His smile reflected in his eyes as he looked up at the starry sky outside the window. He replied softly, “Okay, I’ve just reported that vampire so I can rest for a while. I’m free all the time now.”
That voice was so calm and natural that nobody would have any doubts.
Translated by The Red Oak Tree
www.theredoaktree.com
