Half Past Midnight I

*RING*

*KNOCK*

*KNOCK*

Alucard rang the bell and knocked on the door of Ruoxi's house, and it didn't take a minute for the door to open, revealing a well-dressed Wang Yulan who looked at him as if she had been expecting him.

"Y-Young Master... It's good to see you, the Young Miss isn't here y-yet." The moment her eyes crossed his, she blushed slightly but her visage looked just as impassive as if she was trying to hide the fact she felt flustered.

Alucard nodded slightly, "I see, she must be very busy."

"Yes..."

...

"Aren't you going to let me in?"

"Oh! Yes, please come in, young master!" The caretaker flustered even more at her blunder and hurriedly made way for him to enter the house!

"There is no need to be so flustered, it's not like I'm going to eat you or anything, right?" The count walked in and said, not before whispering the last word right to her ears, it is needless to say that her body squirmed slightly at the closeness before the two made their way inside.

**

**

"I'll make tea for you Young Master, the dinner is prepared but the Young Miss said she would bring something else additionally, I hope you can wait until she comes so that we can all have dinner together" trying to regain herself, Wang Yulan bowed slightly and 'ran' to prepare her tea.

Alucard let her be and just sat on the sofa, waiting for Ruoxi to come back as his classic wine appeared in his hands.

During the time that Wang Yulan prepared the tea, she looked sideways all the time and even sneaked a peek back at the living room to see if Alucard was still there, only to find him there... Sipping wine...

'Didn't I tell him I would prepare tea!?' She thought inwardly in irritation, this man! can't he live without wine!?

Still, for three whole minutes, she prepared the tea and nothing happened...

He didn't do anything yet...

Serving the tea, she walked back to the living room only to find him looking at the TV, it was some Chinese channel that showed animals hunting each other, like a Chinese version of National Geographic.

"Here is your tea young master, drinking so much wine might be bad for your health..." She said and added, as a matter of fact, hoping he would really stop as it could have repercussions long-term and she didn't want her young miss to have to go through such a thing with her first love.

The 'King' of Zhonghai nodded, "You needn't worry about my health, there is nothing I can drink that will be harmful to me." He asserted and took a sip of the tea, it was really delicious. Ginger and Honey tea.

"I doubt that..." He heard Wang Yulan's whisper but decided not to quote about it.

The two of them stayed like that for a while, Wang Yulan's eyes technically pierced his back.

"Why are you looking at me like that Yulan?"

"..."

"Could it be... are you expecting me to do something?" He didn't turn around, but the implications of his voice shook her world.

"I-I don't know what you are talking about..." She hurriedly said, but her shaking body was within all his senses.

Given what happened the last time, she had expected that he would do something to her the next time they met... And what's worse, the young miss wasn't here... If he really wanted to do anything, could she really stop him?

That question could be rephrased in a way she would never admit.

"You don't know? come and sit here with me Yulan, let's see the lions together." He patted the side of the sofa, indicating her to take a seat beside him.

"P-Please, stop calling me that... Here in China, you only address people by their given names when you're very intimate with them... You can call me Wang Ma." She bit her lips and decided to sit on the sofa, neither too close nor too far from him.

Seeing that she took her seat, Alucard smirked, took another sip of his tea and put it on the table before uncrossing his legs.

"I understand Yulan, then let's get intimate∼" Following that, he moved from his seat and hunched towards her until their legs were touching.

...

Her body shook, but she didn't move away. She kept looking at the TV, not daring to turn around as if she would fall into a trap if she did so!

"Young Master, please... Exercise decorum, I'm an older woman... The young miss loves you, please stop this." She finally sighed and looked to the side, her brown eyes meeting his, that's what she didn't want, she didn't want to look at his eyes...

But this was a conversation that needed to be had, and she wouldn't back down.

"What do you want me to stop, Yulan? I'm only sitting closer to you, is that a sin?" He said before one of his hands shamelessly started to play with the tips of her hair a bit, a very tame action at first.

But this 'very tame action' was strongly perceived by her!

"T-This is what I'm talking about, this is harassment Mr Tepes, please stop." Even with that tonality and 'determination', she didn't move his hand away...

"I'm harassing you? Then push me away... If you don't like it." His hand continued to play with her hair unhindered, challengingly. He continued doing so even as his gaze shifted once again to the TV in front of them.

...

She didn't push him away.

"Tell me about your constitution Yulan, who knows? maybe I can help you..."

"W-What could you possibly help me with? I don't have any problems..."

"Really? Is that the reason you wear so many safeguards as you cook and clean? Extra gloves, extra mask, extra cleaning, just to clean a few dishes Yulan? Could it be that you're just a cleaning freak?" He mocked with his gaze still locked on the screen.

At that moment Yulan lost all the calm she was trying to portray outwardly!

'He noticed that!?'

"I thought it might be that, but to see you cleaning and cooking, even preparing tea, with that level of apprehension, even someone like me has to suspect, right?" This time his gaze turned to her once again with shrugged shoulders.

"I-I..."

"Just tell me, I'm going to know anyway Yulan, if you tell me earlier, I might help you earlier."

"W-Why would I tell you anything!?" It was at this moment that she stood up and shouted!

"Why do you care so much about me!? I-I don't have any problems! Just let me be! You're making things hard for me and the Young Miss!" Her chest heaved as she screamed at him in rage!

Alucard smiled softly before closing his eyes, he then opened them again and looked at the TV, crossing his legs and sipping his wine, waiting for Ruoxi to come.

...

After a brief moment, Wang Yulan regained herself and noticed what she just did, "S-Sorry, I didn't mind shouting..."

But she got no answer...

The caretaker stood just like that, looking at him as he looked at the screen before sitting beside him, also waiting for Lin Ruoxi to come back...

**

**

It took an awkward half an hour for Wang Yulan before the rustling of a door was heard indicating the arrival of the Villa's mistress.

"Wang Ma! Has Vlad come? Could it be that he lef-" The hurried CEO came back with her hair untidy and two bags in her grip.

It didn't take long for her to spot Alucard walking towards her with the intention of taking the bags.

"Took you long enough Ruoxi, I almost fell asleep there." Alucard chuckled and took the bags from her hand only for the latter to grab his collar and give him a kiss!

Wang Yulan looked at this and deviated her gaze slightly, with complicated feelings. She felt happy for the Young Miss, but... some odd feeling was creeping up, each second more palpable.