Contract Marriage: Tamed by an Ancient Beast

Since childhood, Ning Li has treated the shrine in her home as a strange idol, reluctantly fulfilling her mother's demand to sacrifice blood monthly to appease the ancient beast Yalu. At sixteen, after enduring bullying by the board member's daughter Ren Fang, Ning Li discovers the idol possesses consciousness when Yalu secretly saves her. Two years later, at university, she befriends roommate Lin Yao, who covets the black jade pendant Ning Li wears—a protective talisman crafted by Yalu. When Lin Yao steals the pendant after a failed pen spirit game, Ning Li is trapped in a ghostly illusion until Yalu appears to rescue her.