What It’s Like Being a Vampire

Chapter 32: Not Interested

Translator: Atlas Studios

Editor: Atlas Studios

The normal human body temperature was around 36 or 37 degrees Celsius. Either hypothermia or hyperthermia was likely to cause harm to the body.

A 40-degree fever might still be tolerable for a short period of time.

But body temperatures of below 30 degrees?! Xiang Kun thought that only corpses could be that cold.

And now, his normal temperature was 28 degrees.

He also noticed that he had become less sensitive to temperature changes in his surroundings after his transformation.

While his other senses had been sharpened, his temperature sensors seemed to have been dulled. Or rather, could it because his adaptability had improved?

Undeniably, Xiang Kun’s bodily functions would be suppressed to a certain extent during the day, but he couldn’t really feel any discomfort under the burning sun. In fact, he was more resistant to heat than before.

Take for example the hiking trip this time. He was the only one who didn’t sweat much, while everyone else was bathed in perspiration. To be frank, he didn’t even feel that hot at the time.

Could it be that the suppression of his bodily functions during the day was unrelated to the rise in ambient temperatures?

But Xiang Kun denied the thought at once.

He knew that there was a reason for the normal body temperature to be fixed within 36-37 degrees.

On the one hand, more than two thirds of fungi could not survive in temperatures above 37 degrees. Hence, staying above 37 degrees could reduce the chance of falling sick. On the other hand, the human body would have to increase its metabolism when the temperature rise above 37. It needed to consume more energy and food, which was unfavorable for survival.

Apparently, his immune system had become drastically different from that of a normal person’s after his transformations. As a result, his body no longer had to kill fungus by increasing the temperature for him to stay healthy.

Moreover, his abnormally low temperature could also have something to do with his diet. After all, he didn’t have to intake anything except fresh blood.

Xiang Kun didn’t dwell on the topic any longer, since he couldn’t possibly arrive at any meaningful conclusion at the moment. He recorded his temperature in the document and decided to measure his temperature every now and then. It was another addition to his periodic measurements.

The next day, August 5th. The hunger came again at 7:35 PM, which was within the predicted time period.

Xiang Kun slaughtered the rabbit, drained its blood, drank it, and threw away the dead rabbit. Now he could complete the whole process smoothly and clean up his room afterwards.

But this time, after gulping down 170ml of blood, the excruciating hunger was still tormenting him.

He looked at the only rabbit remaining and hesitated. In the end, he decided not to kill it.

Before he fell asleep, he messaged his parents and tenants, informing them that he would be busy the next day and that he might be uncontactable by phone, that he would get back to them later in the evening. This was to prevent them from coming to his house or causing any other trouble if they were unable to reach him.

…

After they returned from the hospital, Baona leaned on the sofa, raising her sprained ankle high in the air.

Zhen Er placed the delivery food that had just arrived on the table.

“Feeling better? Do you want me to feed you, Madam Tang?”

Baona rolled her eyes. She struggled to sit up and stuck one foot onto the console table.

“Hey! Move your smelly foot away! There’s food on the table!” Zhen Er immediately pulled over a short bench for Baona to rest her leg.

Baona scowled at her. “What did you just say? Whose foot is smelly?”

Zhen Er backed down. “I’m not saying you have athlete’s foot. It’s the bandage. It smells!”

After delivering the food to her friend’s hands, Zhen Er asked, “Should I phone your parents, and let them take you home for a rest? I need to go to the office starting tomorrow. I can’t take care of you like that.”

Baona chided, “Are you kidding me? You’re chasing me away after I got injured!”

“No! You misunderstood me! I’m just worried for you… For instance, how would you go to the bathroom on your own…”

“I…”

After some teasing and jokes, their conversation went back to Xiang Kun.

Zhen Er said, “Nana, that ‘Saitama-sensei’ must have practiced martial arts before. You see, even Coach Zhang from the boxing center said that he was a better fighter than himself. Curiously, why did he keep denying it when we asked him? I don’t understand. What’s the point of hiding it? Earlier today, he could carry you back so effortlessly. I doubt even a professional athlete could be stronger than him! Are you sure he was an overtime programmer?”

Baona shared the same confusion too. Moreover, on Xiang Kun’s back, she could feel the coolness of his skin. It was as though Xiang Kun was a walking air-con, shielding off the heat for her. Although Xiang Kun explained that he had a unique constitution that made him resistant to heat but dreading the cold, Baona was not convinced.

Zhen Er added, “Also, during lunchtime, he didn’t eat with us because he said he had already eaten two energy bars. That’s so strange! Why did he eat in secret?”

“He told me before that he has quirks when it comes to eating. He’s rather picky, thus he doesn’t like to eat with others,” Baona explained.

Zhen Er nodded. “No wonder he didn’t want to stay for dinner. However, even though he’s weird, he’s honest. What he says is mostly the truth, unlike your last date, the guy who just returned from the UK. He started bragging about his connections in the UK, places he’d visited, and his future company that would be listed on Nasdaq, soon after you just started talking…”

Actually, Zhen Er had asked those worldly questions on purpose earlier in the car. She wanted to test Xiang Kun. Unexpectedly, however, Xiang Kun didn’t mind her at all. He was open about his financial difficulties, unemployment, and hair loss. He clearly had no intention to conceal or dodge the questions.

But precisely because of his honesty and straightforwardness, Zhen Er found it hard to understand why Xiang Kun had denied his Kung Fu experience. No matter what, admitting it was in his favor.

Zhen Er sat beside Baona and suggested, “Nana, how about we consult Xia on whether you and ‘Saitama-sensei’ have a chance?”

“No way! I already told you. He and I are just normal friends. We might not even contact each other ever again! Who knows!” Baona refuted at once.

“Are you sure? He carried you for so long today and sent you home safely, and now you are saying that you won’t contact him again? How cold-hearted!”

“Shut up!” Baona glared at her, reaching out her hands as if she was going to strangle Zhen Er.

Zhen Er immediately raised her hands in surrender. “Okay, cool, you are just normal friends. But don’t you think he’s kind of mysterious?”

“How so? Did he not answer all of your questions truthfully except the one about martial arts? Besides, we can’t even be sure that he does have experience. Maybe he’s simply buff.”

“He gives off a vibe that people can’t read his mind, though he seems pretty normal in all ways. But I can’t really explain why. It’s just a feeling. You’d be lying if you disagree! I really think we should introduce him to Xia. She’s a psychologist and a people reader. She could definitely read him like an open book.”

“Then you arrange the meet-up. Did you add him on WeChat?”

“How can I do that? It’s inappropriate. He’s not my date after all… Fine, ‘normal friends’, but it’s still better for you to arrange it. It makes more sense. For example, you can thank him for carrying you back today, and that you would treat him to a meal…”

“He doesn’t like eating with others.”

“Then invite him for a card game! How about tomorrow evening? Ask him to come to our house!”

Hesitantly, Baona sent a text to Xiang Kun. She got a reply after a few minutes. Straight-faced, she passed her phone to Zhen Er.

“Sorry. I’m unavailable tomorrow.” Zhen Er looked at Xiang Kun’s short reply in shock. Then she mumbled, “Nana, it seems that he’s really not interested in you…”