Moonlit Reunion

Three days after the Ghost Festival, Wu Zhen was enjoying a performance at the music hall when Mei Si came looking for her.

Taking in the dark circles under Mei Si’s eyes and his troubled, complicated expression, Wu Zhen raised an eyebrow. She set down the melon in her hand, wiped her fingers leisurely, and said, “What’s this? Had an epiphany recently? Found something so addictive you’ve worn yourself out like this?”

Mei Si sat down across from her, looking utterly wilted. “Sister Zhen, please don’t tease me right now.”

Seeing how genuinely distressed he appeared, Wu Zhen stopped joking and waved for the musicians and entertainers to take a break. She poured a cup of amber wine and slid it toward Mei Si. “Alright, out with it. Whatever the problem is, Sister Zhen will help you solve it.”

Mei Si stared blankly at the wine cup before suddenly grabbing it and downing it in one go, as if drawing immense courage from it. With a solemn expression, he said, “Sister Zhen, this is no ordinary matter. I shouldn’t tell anyone, but you’re different. Only you would understand my interests and might believe what I’m about to say. So, after thinking it over for a day and night, I’ve decided to tell you!”

Wu Zhen had initially assumed Mei Si was just going to whine about some trivial teenage woes and hadn’t been particularly interested. But his grave tone and the air of mystery made it seem like something truly significant had happened. Her curiosity was piqued, and she rubbed her fingers together eagerly. “Go on, then. What’s this secret you’re dying to share?”

Mei Si took a deep breath and spoke slowly, “Liu Taizhen… is a snake demon.”

Wu Zhen: “…”

Wu Zhen’s smile froze. Seeing how even Sister Zhen seemed stunned by this earth-shattering revelation, Mei Si felt an odd sense of comfort. He continued, “Sister Zhen, I know it’s unbelievable, but you have to trust me. I’m absolutely not lying to you!”

Wu Zhen: Of course I know you’re not lying—because I already knew Xiao She is a snake demon.

Her expression turned peculiar as she asked, “How did you find out?”

Mei Si honestly recounted everything that had happened to him on the night of the Ghost Festival. At the end, he gave a bitter laugh. “When I woke up, I found myself lying on the street. The East Market had returned to normal, and I didn’t see that world full of demons anymore.”

Wu Zhen patted Mei Si’s shoulder sincerely and praised, “Impressive.” He actually managed to sneak into my Demon Market. Even better, he thought Xiao She was a human and tried to rescue her—only to end up fainting from fright.

Misinterpreting her words as praise for his composure in surviving a den of demons, Mei Si scratched his head sheepishly. “Ah, it was nothing. I didn’t think much at the time. Though… I’m not sure how I got out after passing out.”

He then looked at Wu Zhen pleadingly. “Sister Zhen… you believe me?”

Wu Zhen nodded without hesitation. “Yep, I believe you.”

Mei Si gazed at her with admiration, moved. “As expected of Sister Zhen. Something like this—most people wouldn’t believe it so easily. Whether it’s demons or my experience, it all sounds made up. On my way here, I kept worrying, ‘What if Sister Zhen doesn’t believe me?’”

Holding his head in his hands, Mei Si laughed bitterly. “Honestly, I’ve even wondered if I was just drunk and hallucinating. But I’m certain it was all real… I can’t explain it. My mind’s been a mess these past two days.”Wu Zhen affectionately patted his dog-like head. "It's alright now. Zhen-jie believes you."

Mei Si was so moved he nearly teared up. Seeing his pitiful expression, Wu Zhen almost couldn’t resist the urge to transform into a cat and give him a fright.

No, better not—what if she actually scared him half to death? Suppressing the mischievous impulse with great regret, Wu Zhen sighed inwardly.

After pouring out all his troubles, Mei Si felt much better, his spirits lifting. He began excitedly chattering about the world of demons he had witnessed, exclaiming in awe, "I never imagined there really are living demons in this world! If demons exist, then what about ghosts and immortals from legends? Can monks truly attain Buddhahood? Can Taoist priests really capture demons? Zhen-jie, do you think all these things are real?"

Wu Zhen took a sip of wine, smiling without answering. Of course they exist—how could they not? There’s one right in front of you. Not to mention, your elder cousin is a Taoist who genuinely hunts demons and subdues ghosts.

The innocent little Mei Si, oblivious to the mischief brewing in Zhen-jie’s mind, sighed regretfully. "It’s just a shame I didn’t see any ghosts. I really wanted to know what the Blue-faced Devil and the Corpse Ghost from Records of Demons and Ghosts actually look like. If I saw them with my own eyes, I could draw them even better!"

Just moments ago, he had been trembling in fear, even fainting at the sight of the little snake’s true form. Yet now, he was already enthusiastically discussing these things again.

After listening to Mei Si’s lengthy account of his newfound worldview and reflections, Wu Zhen finally sent him off two hours later.

Before leaving, Mei Si earnestly advised, "Zhen-jie, now that you know Liu Taizhen is a demon, you must stay far away from her. I know you two don’t get along, but times have changed—she’s a real man-eating demon. We’re just ordinary people, Zhen-jie. Please don’t provoke her anymore, or she might get angry and devour you."

Mei Si repeated his warnings over and over, while Wu Zhen struggled to keep her laughter in check, her stomach nearly cramping from the effort. Maintaining a solemn expression, she nodded seriously.

"Don’t worry, Zhen-jie will definitely keep her distance from Liu Taizhen from now on."

Yet the moment Mei Si left, Wu Zhen tossed her promise to the wind. Without even stopping to enjoy a song, she headed straight for the Liu residence, vaulted over the wall into Liu Taizhen’s pavilion, and collapsed onto a couch across from her, laughing uncontrollably.

Liu Taizhen had been peacefully organizing her manuscripts when this mad cat suddenly barged in, laughing herself half to death. Unfazed, Liu Taizhen continued aligning the pages without even glancing up. Only when the laughter subsided did she finally lift her head and ask, "North, south, east, west—which wind of madness blows you here today?"

Hearing her speak, Wu Zhen burst into another fit of giggles, clutching her stomach and rolling on the couch.

Liu Taizhen: "..." She hadn’t been this deranged before. Clearly, Mei Zhuyu wasn’t taking proper care of her.

Unhurried, Liu Taizhen waited for Wu Zhen to laugh herself out and sit up.

Still grinning, Wu Zhen slapped her thigh and sighed dramatically, shaking her head. "Ah, ah, ah! Little Snake, for all your wisdom, how could you have tripped in such a tiny ditch?"

"Spit it out," Liu Taizhen said calmly.Wu Zhen said with a grin, "Just now, Mei Si came running over to me all mysteriously and told me you're a snake demon, warning me to be careful lest you eat people."

Liu Taizhen paused in her movements, setting down the manuscript in her hand. "What did you say?"

Wu Zhen briefly recounted what Mei Si had told her and shook her head with a laugh. "Little Snake, you're usually so meticulous. Last time when Mei Si was possessed by a demon spirit and accidentally wandered into the Demon Market, didn't you handle it perfectly? How did you slip up this time?"

Liu Taizhen's expression darkened as she slammed the manuscript onto the table. "I clearly erased his memory."

Wu Zhen could guess as much—if Liu Taizhen hadn’t done so, she would have been truly surprised. Yet the reality before them was that Mei Si indeed remembered.

Liu Taizhen sat in thought for a long while before asking, "Is there something unusual about the Mei family’s bloodline?"

Wu Zhen: "How so?"

Liu Taizhen recalled the previous incident. "Last time, it was already strange enough that he was possessed by a demon spirit. Out of so many people, why was he the one chosen? And after the demon spirit left his body, he regained his senses far too quickly. An ordinary person would’ve been unconscious for at least a day or two."

"This time as well—though the Barrier of the Demon Market weakens during the Ghost Festival, not just anything can enter. If he wasn’t carrying something unusual, then it must be his bloodline that’s extraordinary." Her tone was firm and convincing.

At this, Wu Zhen stroked her chin thoughtfully. The incident where Consort Mei in the palace had turned into a cat had always seemed suspicious to her.

After a long pause, she said, "My husband has been able to see non-human entities since childhood. Perhaps there really is something unusual about the Mei family’s bloodline."

"Never mind that for now—what are you going to do about Mei Si?" Wu Zhen wore an expression of amused anticipation.

Liu Taizhen shot her a glare. "Of course, I’ll erase his memory again."

Wu Zhen poured cold water on the idea: "But last time, erasing his memory didn’t work."

Liu Taizhen: "I have to try again."

Knowing her stubbornness, Wu Zhen didn’t argue further. "Fine, if you insist on tormenting Mei Si, go ahead. But, Little Snake, don’t actually break the poor boy—know when to stop."

Though she said it lightly, Liu Taizhen could hear the underlying seriousness. She snorted. "I know. I won’t scare him to death."

Suddenly, Wu Zhen added as if struck by inspiration, "Mei Si absolutely idolizes Bai She Lang, the author of Records of Demons and Ghosts . He’s even preparing a collection of demon and ghost illustrations from the book—his devotion is as bright as the sun and moon."

Liu Taizhen looked momentarily surprised but quickly resumed her cold indifference, saying nothing.

Wu Zhen suppressed a laugh. "Bai She Lang, since Mei Si admires you so much, how about going easy on him?"

Liu Taizhen: "...Fine. For your sake."

With that matter settled, Wu Zhen returned home that night and recounted Mei Si’s misadventure in the Demon Market to her husband.

"Do you think if I turned into a cat in front of Mei Si one day, he’d be even more terrified?" Wu Zhen sat cross-legged inside the mosquito net, lazily waving a round fan.

Mei Zhuyu shook his head. "Not a good idea."

Wu Zhen: "What, afraid I’ll actually scare him out of his wits?"

Mei Zhuyu shook his head again. "If it’s really necessary, I can summon a ghost for him to see."

The implication was clear—there was no need for her to transform. Wu Zhen understood: her husband was expressing his jealousy in his own subtle way.She thought for a moment, then smiled again. Grasping her husband's fingers, she leaned in and whispered, "Don't worry. The little snake knows its limits, and I've already given instructions. That boy Mei Si will be fine." A mysterious expression crossed her face as she added, "Perhaps for him, this matter might be a blessing in disguise."