My name is Natasha, like the autumn leaves in the breeze, and I'm a high school student. Though my name might sound a bit girlish, I'm a rugged guy, about to turn sixteen this year. According to my master's wife, I was found by my master fifteen years ago in the wild mountains, just a few months old at the time, so I have no memory of those early days.
Ever since I was old enough to understand, I've doubted the truth of my master's story. A baby in the middle of nowhere, with no village or shop in sight? Even if my parents didn't want me, why would they go to such lengths to abandon me so far away? But my master and his wife have always insisted I was found in the wilderness, and I know they wouldn't lie to me. This mystery has always puzzled me.
On the surface, I'm a high school student, but I have a hidden identity: I'm a Taoist priest. Yes, a real Taoist priest, not one of those con artists who scam people for food and money. I'm my master's legitimate disciple, and according to him, he's a descendant of the Maoshan lineage.
My master often travels far from home, sometimes for one or two months, or even longer, leaving just me and his wife at home. Whenever he returns, he brings back a hefty sum of money, so our household is fairly well-off. My master's wife is only thirty-two, strikingly beautiful, and loves to dress up. Since we're not short on money and my master dotes on her, she spends freely without a care. She often takes me shopping with her.
I love going shopping with her. When we're far from home, she'll link arms with me. I enjoy the pleasant fragrance of her perfume, and sometimes, when her arm brushes against me, I can feel the softness of her chest. For a teenager like me, it's overwhelming, often leaving me flushed with excitement.
Today is the third day of summer vacation, and being able to sleep until I wake up naturally feels like pure bliss. My room faces the street, and we live on Fengyue Street. My master says it wasn't always called that, but at some point, it became known as the red-light district. Someone gave it the elegant name Fengyue, though I don't know who.
After getting up, I like to lean on the windowsill. Living on the second floor, I can see the street below and often watch the diverse people passing by. Lately, I'm not sure if my eyes are playing tricks on me, but when I stare at people for a while, some of them start to look like animals—foxes, wolves, snakes, and the like. Not ordinary animals, but half-human, half-demon figures. They have human forms but with demonic features.
For example, some beautiful women have a fluffy tail sprouting from their backsides, and some men have something furry in their trousers. But when I once asked my friend Bobby, who lives nearby, he said he didn't see anything, just women with full chests and big hips.
At first, I thought I was hallucinating, but recently, whenever I stare at someone for long enough, I see it, especially the women in the shops on Fengyue Street. Those stunning, sensual beauties each shop has one or two with fox tails. Far from finding it unattractive, I think it makes them even more alluring and charming.
Sometimes, I even think about going into one of those shops to ask the women about it. Once, I secretly visited a shop at the street's entrance, but my master's wife found out right away. She came and gave me a good scolding. Somehow, all the women on the street seem to fear her. After that, none of the shops would let me in, which left me pretty frustrated.
Today, I leaned on the windowsill for a while but didn't see a single "demon person." I like calling those with animal traits "demon people" it feels fitting.
"Ash, come down for breakfast!" my master's wife called from downstairs, her voice like music from heaven.
My nickname is Ash, and I've always protested her calling me that. But she just laughs, her eyes sparkling, and says, "I raised you like my own son. What's wrong with calling you Ash? Is that not allowed?"
Though I'm not happy about it, she's right, I owe her so much for raising me. In the end, I insisted she only call me that when we're alone at home, not even when my master is around, because it's too embarrassing otherwise. She thought it over and agreed. It's our little secret, one even my master doesn't know. When we're out or with others, she calls me Natasha or Ash.
"Got it, I'm coming!" I replied, heading to the wardrobe to get dressed. I have a habit in the summer of sleeping without clothes, not even underwear.
But just as I was grabbing my clothes, the door opened. My master's wife saw me stark naked and teased, "Well, look at you, showing off your little bit of muscle in front of me!" I noticed her expression shift slightly when her eyes landed on my lower half, as if she was a bit surprised.
Her sudden entrance startled me. Snapping out of it, I quickly covered myself, clamping my legs together and hunching over. "Master's wife, c-could you knock before coming in? Can you step out for a bit? I'll get dressed and be right there!"
My face was burning. This was the first time a woman had seen me completely naked, not counting when I was a kid, since I wasn't developed then, and it felt different.
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