The following days, Xu Shenshen and her friends hadn't shown up to cause trouble to the fox woman again. This gave her enough time to focus on her new morning routine which was the training she started along with Shen Minyao's little brother.

Friday came, and before daybreak, Shen Minyao left the dormitory and went to the private grounds that the Shen family owned near her school. As expected of Cheng Lifan, she was able to prepare the training the fox woman asked for under such short notice. historical

Shen Qingyuan looked more mature than his actual age, making the fox woman wonder if he'd taken after his mother, Cheng Lifan. Shen Xin didn't share the same eagerness to accommodate his daughter's needs and left everything to his second wife.

"Yao Jie, Shen Qing didn't try to bully you again, right?" Shen Qingyuan asked her during their break. He was panting for breath, with his hands resting on his knees as he bent down.

The fox woman drank from her water bottle and eyed the young boy. It was silly for him to think that Shen Qing would be able to harm Shen Minyao again now that she had possessed this body. Shen Qing should be the one who needed to be wary of her, not the other way around.

"I haven't seen her yet ever since I was discharged from the hospital," she answered the boy, "..but tell you what. I'll make sure to return the favor she has done for me so far." She smiled and ruffled his hair.

Shen Minyao's life wasn't truly that miserable, considering that she still had people that were concerned about her welfare. If only she was strong enough to stand up for herself, Shen Minyao wouldn't lose her life so early. Her IQ was quite high, yet she failed to comprehend her circumstances clearly.

"Right. Don't let her win against you next time." Shen Qingyuan agreed with her.

"She would never have a chance," the fox woman told him before they resumed their training. As a demon, this wasn't necessary for her, but her host's body was just too weak.

When her training with Shen Minyao's brother ended, she decided to head back to the dormitory to freshen up before attending her classes. Li Fei'er came to see her once Shen Minyao was seated on her spot.

"Classmate Shen, are you free this weekend?" She asked the fox woman.

Shen Minyao regarded Li Fei'er for a moment and shook her head. It was almost time for her to meet Zhao Yichen and see how he was faring since her last visit. Also, she and Mu Qing would need to deal with the spider demon. He had specifically asked her not to allow Li Fei'er to get involved.

"No, I already have plans," she replied, trying to ignore how Li Fei'er's face fell from her answer.

"I see.. next time then?" She asked Shen Minyao with a weak smile.

"En, but not this weekend," the demoness said in response, avoiding Li Fei'er gaze. Even now, she was having a hard time declining Little Jiu's requests.

Li Fei'er seemed satisfied with Shen Minyao's answer and then chattered animatedly next to her as they waited for their teacher to arrive.

As the hours passed by, Shen Minyao suddenly felt a change in the air. She stared outside the window of the hallway, seeing the setting sun on the horizon. The buildings before her bathed in its orange hue and in the shadows the soft light conjured.

"Is there something wrong?" Li Fei'er asked her, worry laced in her tone. Ever since they beat the mirror demon, Little Jiu's current incarnation chose to stick to the fox woman's side.

"No," Shen Minyao replied. It was better for Li Fei'er not to realize anything. Else, Shen Minyao might fail to keep her away.

Seeing that Shen Minyao refused to give her a clear answer again, always keeping her from a safe distance; Li Fei'er chose to confront her right then and there.

"I've been meaning to ask, Classmate Shen. I hope you won't be offended.." She paid attention to Shen Minyao's face, but it remained to be impassive as they continued to walk away from their classroom.

"What are you?" She asked, aware of how fast her heart beat inside her chest.

At that question, Shen Minyao stopped on her track and turned to face the visibly nervous Li Fei'er.

"What am I?" The corner of the fox woman's lips curled up.

Did Li Fei'er finally realize what kind of creature she was? No. Shen Minyao thought. Li Fei'er wouldn't have tried to befriend her—stick to her like this—had this girl known that the young woman in front of her was the devious nine-tailed fox the Li family sealed at the Qingqiu Mountain.

"What am I? Are you sure you want to know?" She stepped forward, invading Li Fei'er's private space, the girl slightly startled by her actions. "Classmate Li, shouldn't you know the answer by now?"

Li Fei'er stepped back, her eyes widening in confusion. There were many plausible answers that crossed her mind, but she couldn't find the right term to describe Shen Minyao.

Not only was this woman unafraid of facing a wraith, but she also used herself as bait to lure the demon inside the mirror. Li Fei'er knew that even she could be reckless at times, but she had never met anyone as fearless as Shen Minyao.

"I-I don't know, Classmate Shen," she answered truthfully. "I don't want to assume wrongly, so could you please answer my question?"

The Little Jiu saved by the fox woman in her past life also looked at her in the same way that Li Fei'er did just now. She could smell the nervousness and hear the loud beating of Li Fei'er's heart; still, she willingly faced the fox woman and confronted her.

"You don't know? What if I tell you I'm a demon?" Shen Minyao whispered in Li Fei'er's ear, "What will you do then?"