The day her mother abandoned her, seven-year-old Dongyi wandered into the forest and encountered a goblin. But this goblin wasn’t the fearsome creature of legends. It was kind, gentle, and warm. After saving her from a tiger, the goblin carried her on its back and returned her safely home.
The next day, a strange man appeared at her house, claiming to be a distant relative. Dongyi was left in his care, but she quickly realized there was something unusual about him. He didn’t age, and no matter how harsh the times, he always managed to find enough food and clothing for her. Under his watchful care, Dongyi grew into a young woman, her body blossoming as her heart began to stir with unfamiliar emotions—feelings for the man who had raised her like a father.
As she reached womanhood, the man began disappearing for months at a time, claiming to travel for business. Strangely, his absences always coincided with gruesome events in the village—horses found torn apart as if by a wild beast. And on the nights he returned, Dongyi would catch glimpses of him slipping in with bloodstained clothes. Her suspicions mounting, she finally decided to follow him.
What she saw that night shattered her world. The man crouched over the lifeless body of a horse, drinking its blood. His glowing golden eyes and sharp fangs left no doubt—he was no ordinary man. He was the same goblin who had saved her in the forest all those years ago.
“To live by your side, I must keep the yin energy within me in check,” he confessed. “The only way to do that is by consuming the yang-rich blood of horses. If I don’t, the yin will take over, and I’ll become something far worse.”
“A ghost?” Dongyi asked, her voice trembling.
“Yes. A creature driven by malice, savage and uncontrollable,” he said, his voice heavy with regret. “A monster.”
Dongyi stared at him, the weight of his words sinking in. “Is there no other way?” she asked, her heart aching for him.
“There is one,” he admitted reluctantly. “Union with a woman whose yin energy matches my own. The clash of our energies would neutralize the imbalance.”
Dongyi’s heart pounded. She understood what he meant, and her resolve solidified. Gathering her courage, she spoke with unexpected boldness.
“Then let it be me. Take me.”
The man froze, his golden eyes searching hers. “Dongyi…”
“I mean it,” she said firmly. “I don’t care what you are. You’re not my blood, and I… I love you. Whether you’re a man or a goblin, it doesn’t matter to me.”
Her words were a declaration, resolute and unyielding. She had made her choice. If the only way to save him—both the man and the goblin—was to become his bride, she wouldn’t hesitate.
“Please,” she whispered, her voice trembling with both fear and longing. “Take me. Let me be yours.”
The small child he had once carried on his back was now a grown woman, her unwavering gaze filled with forbidden desire. It was daring, audacious, and utterly undeniable. She wanted him—man or monster—and she wouldn’t let him go.
