Chapter 45

Warm bed.

This was a lewd and ambiguous taboo term, one that would get blocked even on certain wholesome apps.

In all the years Zhai Yi had carried out missions across countless worlds, no one had ever dared to make such a bold and reckless demand of her to warm their bed?!

Zhai Yi’s expression went blank for a few seconds before she questioned in shock, “Young Master, what did you say?”

Had she misspoke?

Or had her brain caught something from No. 2?

The Young Master felt a bit ashamed when she first said it. But… other people’s guards could do this kind of warm-bed duty, so why couldn’t her own? She just wanted Zhai Yi to sleep with her, because she’d discovered that with Zhai Yi by her side, she slept more soundly and comfortably.

Now that the words were out, there was no turning back.

The Young Master took a deep breath, stretched her neck, straightened her back, and feigned calm. “Didn’t you understand?”

“I’m telling you to stay tonight and warm my bed.”

Zhai Yi: “…”

“Have… have you had a poison flare-up?”

Otherwise, she couldn’t imagine the Female Lead saying something like this to her.

“…” The Young Master choked for a moment. “Do I look like I’ve had a poison flare-up?”

Zhai Yi pursed her lips: “…”

No, you look like you’ve gone mad.

Seeing Zhai Yi standing there motionless and giving her a “you’re crazy” look, the Young Master suddenly had a ridiculous and shy thought.

Did Zhai Yi think she was going to do something bad to her?

At that realization, the Young Master couldn’t help but laugh. She hadn’t expected Zhai Yi to be so unexpectedly naive and innocent.

Her gaze toward Zhai Yi turned deliberately flirtatious. She propped her hands on the bed, adopting a lazy pose. “What’s wrong? Was I not clear enough?”

“Should I invite you over personally?”

In an extremely bold and exaggerated manner, she patted the bed and raised her brow at Zhai Yi in a provocative and tempting challenge.

Zhai Yi stared deeply at the Young Master, her eyes narrowing.

She lowered her gaze, hiding the flicker of understanding and mischief at the bottom. “Alright, this subordinate understands.”

Seeing Zhai Yi move and walk toward her step by step, even unfastening her belt as she approached—that posture was far too stimulating and reckless.

The Young Master’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Wh-what are you undressing for?”

Zhai Yi tilted her head. “Isn’t the Young Master asking this subordinate to warm the bed?”

“How can I warm it without taking off my clothes?”

“Don’t tell me the Young Master doesn’t know?” She drew closer to the bed step by step, leaning down to corner her. Looking at the Young Master’s evasive and shy gaze, and her gradually flushing cheeks, Zhai Yi’s lips curved slightly in wicked amusement. “Warming a bed requires using body heat. Warming it with clothes on is far less effective. The best way to warm a bed is completely naked…”

The Young Master’s face instantly flushed red, her neck and ears turning an excessive scarlet, as if she’d been boiled alive.

“You… you…” Seeing Zhai Yi getting closer and closer, she trembled uncontrollably as she leaned back. “I… I mean…”

Zhai Yi yanked off her belt with one hand while propping herself on the bed’s edge with the other. “What’s wrong, Young Master? Do you have something to say to this subordinate?”

With the belt off, Zhai Yi’s robe fell open with a whoosh, revealing the dark-colored undergarment inside, her fair skin, and the smooth lines of her collarbone.

The Young Master’s eyes reddened with shame, her gaze on Zhai Yi carrying a hint of wetness.

She leaned back weakly and tumbled onto the bed. Seeing Zhai Yi still approaching, her breathing quickened. She covered her face with both hands and blurted out, “I just wanted you to sleep with me, nothing else. With you by my side, I sleep soundly and comfortably.”

Zhai Yi paused her movements and looked down at the Young Master, who had twisted her head away, refusing to meet her eyes. There were teardrops at the corners of her eyes—unclear if they were from fear or frustration.

So brave, yet such a scaredy-cat.

She raised her hand, crossed two fingers, and lightly flicked the Young Master’s forehead with a half-smile. “If the Young Master had just said so clearly from the start, this subordinate wouldn’t have misunderstood your intentions.”

The Young Master felt the touch on her brow, and her pupils trembled. Her heartbeat stuttered along with it.

Zhai Yi straightened up, picked up her belt, and fastened it. “I’ll be on the daybed in the outer chamber. Young Master, rest well tonight. Call for this subordinate if you need anything.”

She turned and left, pulling down the gauze curtain that separated the inner and outer chambers before sitting cross-legged on the daybed to meditate.

Hearing Zhai Yi’s departing footsteps, that intangible yet profound pressure and scorching heat left the Young Master breathless, her heart pounding fiercely in her chest.

She clutched her chest, calming her agitated emotions, afraid the poison in her body would be triggered.

The Young Master kicked off her shoes and climbed into bed.

At first, she lay with her back to the outer chamber, a bit sulkily, also afraid Zhai Yi would see her current pathetic state and mock her.

But on second thought, her state earlier when Zhai Yi approached hadn’t been much better.

They had been so close, their breaths mingling, each seeing only the other’s reflection in their eyes.

Thinking of that scene made the Young Master’s heart race uncontrollably, her cheeks burning until her head grew dizzy.

She took several deep breaths, slowly exhaling, and muttered to herself in a low voice, “Good thing I can’t cultivate inner arts, or I might have gone mad from qi deviation.”

Zhai Yi sat on the daybed in the outer chamber, listening to the Young Master’s mumbling. She let out a soft, brief chuckle.

Tuantuan heard the Female Lead’s words and asked puzzledly: 【Is it because of the poison in the Female Lead’s body that she can’t cultivate martial arts?】

Zhai Yi nodded. “Yes, that poison has seeped deep into her bones and meridians. If she forces herself to practice martial arts or inner cultivation before it’s cured, it’ll only accelerate her death.”

Tuantuan recalled the plotline: 【Once we reach Jingzhou, the Female Lead can get the Shanggongqiu, and her poison will be cured.】

“Yes.”

Tuantuan: 【Then we can complete the mission, right?】

Zhai Yi lowered her eyes. “Probably.”

Tuantuan noticed the uncertainty in Zhai Yi’s tone and worried: 【First Sister, did I say something wrong?】

Zhai Yi replied, “The main character of this Task World is far more complex than the one in the previous Task World.”

【Complex?】 Tuantuan thought for a moment. 【Because completing our mission requires a deep connection with this Task World’s main character, right?】

Zhai Yi nodded. “Exactly. My current identity is the Female Lead’s protector, and the original host’s wish is tied to her as well. This Task World’s main character’s background is intricate and tangled. One wrong step, and it could derail our mission progress.”

The relationships and backgrounds in the first Task World weren’t complicated—most issues had straightforward solutions. But this one was different. The Female Lead’s origins, her emotional entanglements with the male lead, and the main plotline of this Task World were all convoluted and unpredictable.

One misstep, and everything would fall apart.

Tuantuan sighed: 【It is pretty complex, but I believe in you, First Sister. We’ll definitely complete the mission.】

Zhai Yi smiled faintly. “Yes.”

“Have you fallen asleep?”

The Young Master’s soft call came from the inner chamber.

Zhai Yi didn’t answer, pretending to be asleep.

“Don’t pretend to be asleep,” the Young Master said as she rolled over, peering through the gauze curtain at the hazy figure on the daybed. “Falling asleep while guarding your master is a grave taboo for a protector.”

Zhai Yi’s brow twitched. “What does the Young Master require?”

“Can’t I call you without a reason?”

Zhai Yi pressed her tongue against her cheek. “Of course you can.”

“What?” The Young Master propped her head on one hand, lying on her side with a provocative and arrogant expression. “Has my Number One protector grown impatient with her Young Master?”

Zhai Yi said, “I wouldn’t dare.”

The Young Master pouted. “Ever since you recovered your memories, is there anything you wouldn’t dare do?”

“You’ve defied my orders multiple times to feed me your blood, approached me repeatedly, and last time you even… even hugged me. You clearly understood what I said but deliberately twisted my words.” She tilted her head, mischief in her eyes. “Zhai Yi, don’t you think you’ve gone too far?”

Zhai Yi listened as she listed them out one by one, like a child tattling—immature and childish.

“If the Young Master thinks this subordinate has gone too far, then I have.”

The Young Master grumbled, “You… sometimes fun, sometimes boring.”

Toying with her to the point of life and death.

Zhai Yi said, “Young Master, this subordinate is just a protector.”

Not some jester for amusement.

The Young Master caught the implication in Zhai Yi’s words. “I didn’t mean anything by it. It’s just that since you recovered your memories, you seem reborn—your martial prowess is exceptional, your inner energy profound, your personality more lively and interesting. I’m just a bit…”

She murmured softly, “…envious, that’s all.”

Zhai Yi lifted her eyelids slightly. “The Young Master is the Pavilion Master of Xuanji Pavilion, admired and respected by all. Why envy a mere protector like this subordinate?”

The Young Master rolled over, hands pillowed behind her head, and sneered. “What do you know?”

“You know nothing.”

Zhai Yi said, “This subordinate is obtuse.”

The room fell into a brief silence.

The Young Master blinked, suddenly remembering something. “Do you have someone you like?”

Zhai Yi paused slightly. “No.”

“What kind of person would you like?”

Zhai Yi shook her head. “I don’t know.”

“Why don’t you know?” The Young Master turned her head to look at her. “Appearance? Personality? Family background? Martial skill or literary talent? You could name a few points on those. Why say you don’t know?”

“This subordinate believes that liking someone can’t be determined solely by those things.”

“Then what do you use to judge it?”

“Feeling.”

The Young Master frowned. “Feeling? What kind of feeling?”

Zhai Yi actually couldn’t quite articulate what that feeling was, but since the Young Master had asked, she could only cite a few examples to explain that so-called heart-fluttering sensation.

“You ache when that person is hurt.”

“You’re sad when that person is disappointed.”

“You’re reluctant when that person leaves.”

“You miss them when they don’t return.”

“You’re shy when that person draws near.”

“You’re joyful when that person confesses.”

“Your emotions, your mind, even your actions all change because of that person—like a shadow cast behind you by the sun, vivid and inseparable, following faithfully.”

“Whatever that person does, you’ll love it just as much at first and move forward together. You want to spend your life with them, guard each other forever, never parting, never doubting, cherishing every moment together.”

After finishing, Zhai Yi paused in a daze. She’d only meant to say a little to the Young Master, but she’d said more and more, even stirring her own heart.

Tuantuan sighed after listening: 【First Sister, that was beautiful. Even thinking about it carefully makes me feel so warm and happy.】

Zhai Yi let out a brief, soft chuckle. “Yes, warm and happy.”

The room fell silent again. Just as Zhai Yi thought the Young Master was done talking and ready to sleep, she heard her voice trembling slightly.

“Zhai Yi, have you ever felt what you described?”

Zhai Yi shook her head. “Not yet.”

An image flashed in her mind: Yu Lanting crying aggrievedly before her, smiling during her confession and saying she’d respect her choice.

Back then, Zhai Yi’s feelings toward Yu Lanting had been more than strangers but less than friends.

Looking back now, Zhai Yi just thought Yu Lanting was a good person—a truly good person.

Someone who, when remembered unexpectedly, felt a bit heartbreaking and pitiable.

The Young Master lowered her eyes and bit her lip. “You know? That night in the dense forest, Chu Mingxu told me he liked me.”

Zhai Yi looked toward the inner chamber.

“Every word he said was so passionate and devoted, as if I were the love of his life, generous and devout enough to give me everything.”

“He’s handsome, extraordinary in bearing, elegant in speech, with an unmatched family background. A man like that shines wherever he goes—no woman could resist such a deep confession; they’d throw themselves into his arms and pour out their hearts.”

“But…”

She hadn’t. She just found it fake and laughable.

She knew Chu Mingxu’s intentions and deliberately called him out, watching him fly into a rage out of humiliation and become furious and exasperated. She felt both delighted and bitter inside.

It turned out that every time someone drew close to her and professed their liking for her, her first reaction was to assume that both this person’s feelings and his were fake.

Young Master pursed her lips, her voice trembling with a sob. “He doesn’t even know my name—how dare he say he likes me?”

“Fake, right?”

Zhai Yi glanced at her but said nothing.

Young Master turned away, her back to Zhai Yi as tears slid down her cheeks. Feigning a lighthearted joke, she said, “Then I tore into him, calling him a hypocrite and saying he wasn’t even as good as No. 2, yet he had the nerve to seduce me. You should’ve seen it—Chu Mingxu’s face went pitch black with anger, haha…”

Zhai Yi replied, “But Young Master Chu didn’t get angry. During the Ksitigarbha Palace ambush, it was he who saved you.”

“Yeah,” Young Master said, wiping away her tears with a low sigh. “That fool who only cares about his country and its people saved me, but I gave him a blood cleansing pill too, without keeping any for myself. Call it even—one good turn deserves another.”

But she still didn’t like it. She hadn’t felt even a hint of those sensations Zhai Yi described when it came to Chu Mingxu.

Young Master pulled the blanket over her head. “No more talking. I’m tired. Let’s sleep.”

“Alright.” Zhai Yi turned her head and closed her eyes to resume meditating.

A moment later, she glanced toward the inner chamber again. The girl on the bed had buried herself completely under the covers. Those secret tears weighed heavily, laden with an unspeakable grievance and pain that she wouldn’t share with anyone else—swallowing it all down like razor blades.

Zhai Yi hesitated for a bit before letting out a helpless sigh, as if conceding. “Young Master, before I lost my memories, you gave this subordinate the name Number One. Later, when I recovered them and remembered my own name, it was Zhai Yi.”

“Our Nether Seclusion Clan has a custom: we exchange names before becoming friends.”

In a warm voice, she said, “Young Master, I’m Zhai Yi. And you?”

After a long wait, the other woman’s choked sobs had eased considerably. Only when she was sure her voice wouldn’t tremble anymore did she speak.

She lifted a corner of the blanket, her voice soft and tender.

“I’m Lin Langyi.”

Zhai Yi curled her lips upward.

“My courtesy name is Lanting.”

Zhai Yi’s lips stiffened.