But why was her demonic power so weak? Weren't half-demons supposed to be stronger than full demons?
Maybe it was because she was too many generations removed from her demon ancestor?
She pulled back her thoughts. She had always been different from the Huangfu family Grandma described.
She had never been a frail beauty. She had always been healthy and strong, eating well, and as a child, she had even been a bit arrogant among her peers because of her physique.
Perhaps the half-demon blood had degenerated by her generation. But that was fine; a life of illness was too painful, and she didn't want it.
Seeing Huangfu Jun's troubled expression, Tang Yaohe couldn't help but chuckle. "Bao'er has always been different from the Huangfu children. That's why I thought you were a normal child and never dared to tell you."
She seemed to fall into memories, her gaze drifting past Huangfu Jun into the distance.
"Your grandfather and father were the same. The Huangfu family seems cursed, generation after generation tormented by this condition. But you are so different. You have the family's good looks but a strong body, and you never saw strange things.
"But now, it seems others know about the Huangfu family. The more advanced this place looks, the more uneasy I feel. I think it's a hospital for studying humans with special abilities, intending to tie us up for surgery and research."
Huangfu Jun smiled bitterly. It seemed Grandma didn't know about demons.
So the Huangfu family's half-demon bloodline went way back. Her mother might not have been a demon—probably a normal human like Grandma, married into the family.
Afraid her granddaughter wouldn't believe her, Tang Yaohe stressed, "Bao'er, the world is complicated. They can even fake your appearance. Even if they don't have a weasel's heart, they have a weasel's skills. Even if a well-intentioned weasel pays respects to a chicken, we must be on high guard. They hold the knife; the blade points at us. We're never safe."
Huangfu Jun nodded solemnly. Grandma's words were blunt and hit the mark. She would remember them. But she worried about Grandma's health—she was old and unwell, and such anxiety might be too much for her.
Tang Yaohe saw her granddaughter's serious expression and smiled warmly, patting her chest. "Don't worry, Bao'er. Grandma has seen big storms. A little ripple like this won't scare me. When I saw through the fake Bao'er, I even left a secret message for the real one. At least we're safe now. Since they're so much stronger, that actually makes it easier. We'll lie low and adapt. In a losing battle, losing is expected, but winning is a bonus."
Huangfu Jun's heart relaxed.
Grandma was always the one who gave her warmth and strength, supporting her unconditionally.
She tightly grasped Grandma's hand, her crystal-clear eyes shining with determination.
She wrote again: [Grandma, the people here do have some abilities, but for now, they seem interested in my suddenly enhanced physical strength. If this were a lab doing experiments like in the movies, they wouldn't send me on business trips. Don't worry.]
Tang Yaohe nodded. "Remember, Bao'er, don't trust anyone. If they have bad intentions, run anytime. Grandma has Grandpa's protection and won't be harmed."
Huangfu Jun's eyes moistened, but she smiled.
Tang Yaohe held her hand and lay back a little. "I have the utmost faith in Bao'er's abilities."
Feeling Grandma's fatigue, Huangfu Jun tucked the blanket around her and wrote: [Are you hungry, Grandma? Dinner can be delivered to the dorm; it's very convenient.]
Tang Yaohe shook her head and winked playfully. "I've eaten. Seeing you safe, I'm relieved. Go have dinner and rest early. Don't worry about me. I'm an old fox; I won't be taken advantage of anywhere."
Huangfu Jun's brow relaxed, and a sweet smile spread across her lips.
She lowered the bed, watched her grandmother fall asleep peacefully, then tiptoed out of the bedroom.
As soon as she closed the door, a sweet child's voice echoed in her mind: "Bedroom barrier restored. Care rights transferred to the Human-Demon Co-governance Committee."
Director Zhang's avatar sounded so adorable; her stomach growled in response.
She quickly walked to the dining room, sat at the table, and took out her meal card.
The card seemed to be a communication device linked to Director Zhang. She silently thought, "Director Zhang, I need dinner. Please."
A flash of gold, and the table was instantly laden with tableware. The bone china was white, thin, and exquisite.
The dishes were luxurious: garlic and black pepper snowflake beef cubes, new-style roast duck with caviar, steamed tiger grouper, wild mountain vegetables sautéed in olive oil, and a seemingly ordinary but lavish Yangzhou fried rice.
The colors and aromas were perfect; tears of gratitude almost drooled from her mouth.
Before the accident, she had worked as a waitress at a three-star restaurant, thanks to her fluency in five languages and good looks.
She had always wanted to try these dishes but never had the chance.
Even though her stomach was clamoring, she remained motionless.
Zhang Yu No. 4's voice in her mind was curious: "Aren't these the dishes you most want to taste?"
Huangfu Jun pressed her lips together, still cautious. "Is this a normal employee benefit?"
"You can order any dish you want—this is part of the employee welfare. The cost of the food plus thirty percent delivery fee will be deducted from your salary card."
Huangfu Jun: ...
Everything about this felt off.
Once she fully calmed down, looking at the dishes again, she had a different feeling.
Zhang Yu No. 4 asked, puzzled, "Master, what is your choice? Eat or change the dishes?"
Huangfu Jun crossed her arms, leaned back slightly, and looked down at the lavish spread. A faint smile curled her lips. "I choose neither."
Zhang Yu No. 4 immediately materialized as a cute little octopus hovering in the air, its pinkish-white tentacles waving, a round head, and shiny black eyes—more like a Q-version anime figurine than a real octopus.
It flew in front of Huangfu Jun, flailing anxiously. "If you choose neither, my mission will fail, and Director Zhang will punish me~"
Without the mental link, Huangfu Jun couldn't speak. She took out her phone, typed quickly, and played the voice via AI.
Then she fixed a cold gaze on Zhang Yu No. 4, chin slightly raised, as if seeing through all secrets.
"No, you won't be punished. This isn't a normal employee benefit. It's a test. Or rather, another round of evaluation I have to pass since joining the Monster Bureau."
Zhang Yu No. 4 froze for a moment. Three seconds later, it shot backward, waving its tentacles, retreating to a higher distance.
Its cute, pink-heart-bubble aura vanished instantly, its color deepening to dark brown.
When it spoke again, its voice was no longer soft but mechanical and icy, sending chills down the spine:
"Miss Huangfu, how did you come to that conclusion?"
She leaned back slightly, looking at it askance, a mocking glint in her eyes.
She knew her gamble had paid off.
But she needed to confirm more details.
She tapped out a colder, more mechanical AI voice: "Come back into my mind. It's easier to talk there."
Zhang Yu No. 4 hesitated, then its dark, round head nodded stiffly.
The next moment, its tiny body dissipated like smoke.
Its voice echoed in Huangfu Jun's brain again: "Stop being mysterious. Reveal your answer."