Chapter 19: Dark Circles

Warm water showered Miao Zhu from head to toe, but the persistent flush on her skin seemed coated in a stubborn thin glaze that refused to fade no matter what.

Fortunately, Mu Shanyi didn’t insist on showering together. The bathroom light was too bright; she probably couldn’t be that open yet.

She blow-dried her hair until it was about seventy or eighty percent dry, slipped into her nightgown, and emerged from the bathroom. Mu Shanyi, sitting on the sofa, glanced her way.

Miao Zhu’s nightgown wasn’t as prim and proper as the one Mu Shanyi had prepared. It was an imperial-style cotton-satin long-sleeved gown that reached her ankles, with a high waistline. The low neckline was tied with a ribbon, and the cuffs and hem were layered with lace. Against her jet-black hair and flushed skin, it was both pure and seductive.

Under Mu Shanyi’s gaze, Miao Zhu took a few steps toward the bedroom. Suddenly, footsteps echoed from outside the door.

“I wonder if Longlong’s asleep yet.” Sheng Xingran’s voice.

“She’s in this room?” Miao Ling asked.

“Let her rest. She worked until the early hours, caught a flight, and she’s on her period—must be exhausting,” Ni Xiaoying said.

Miao Ling chuckled. “I’m pretty sleepy too. I nearly fell asleep during the massage earlier.”

The three women’s footsteps gradually stopped. They bid each other “good night,” followed by the beeps of keycards unlocking doors. Everyone was staying in adjacent rooms.

The soundproofing here wasn’t great.

Mu Shanyi rose and headed to the bathroom. The shower turned on again, water splashing onto the marble tiles.

Miao Zhu walked to the center of the room, facing the king-sized bed. Her eyes flickered as she quickly stepped over to turn off the bedside lamp.

The lights went out, but the room wasn’t pitch black. Moonlight seeped in through the windows. Down below, the outdoor movie was still playing, while the distant sea had fallen into slumber.

Her phone screen lit up. Miao Zhu picked it up—no surprise, it was a message from Sheng Xingran asking if she was asleep. Miao Zhu didn’t reply. There was also a photo from Emma; they hadn’t talked in a while.

Miao Zhu tapped it open. Emma had sent a picture of herself.

In the photo, Emma’s long, blue-gray dyed hair cascaded freely, a lip ring glinting as she showed off a piano music box she’d assembled.

【Mia: cool】

Soon, Emma replied.

【Emma: Rainy day here. How’s it over there?】

Miao Zhu listened to the sound of water from the bathroom.

【Mia: Very hot】

It really was hot, especially when Mu Shanyi pressed against her from behind.

“Why’d you turn off the lights? Nervous?” Mu Shanyi brushed aside the hair covering Miao Zhu’s ear and whispered into it.

Back at Tower Shadow Sunny River, Miao Zhu had said something like that. And she felt the same now… even more flustered. Her squeezed-out response carried a clear tremble: “Mm~”

“If you’re not ready, we don’t have to do anything.”

Mu Shanyi’s breath tickled Miao Zhu’s ear, sending a tingling itch straight to her heart. Miao Zhu’s breathing grew erratic. She turned around. Mu Shanyi couldn’t see her fully flushed face clearly, but she could make out the spring water pooling in her eyes.

In the silence, they both had their answer. Mu Shanyi leaned down to kiss Miao Zhu. Her fingers found the ribbon at her neckline, twirled it twice, then tugged—not too hard, not too soft: “Can we leave the lights on next time?”

Miao Zhu couldn’t refuse. “…Sure.”

“Longlong,” Mu Shanyi nuzzled her cheek with her nose tip, “you can stop me anytime if you don’t want it.”

The nightgown’s ribbon came undone.

Mu Shanyi cradled it in her palm. Her other arm pillowed Miao Zhu’s head as they began another deep, lingering kiss.

Sweat beaded on Miao Zhu’s forehead. Her heart raced wildly. Mu Shanyi’s hand rested on her knee.

“No finger cots ready—mouth okay?”

It was phrased as a question, but it wasn’t up for debate. Miao Zhu could feel Mu Shanyi’s possessiveness on this matter. And that sense of being controlled felt good, so she panted softly: “Okay…”

In the darkness, the kisses spread.

Miao Zhu’s reason fled far away, only to be dragged back with effort. She still worried about the soundproofing and stifled her noises, though a sticky whimper occasionally escaped her lips and nose.

“No feedback for me?”

Miao Zhu shook her head tremblingly, unconsciously gripping Mu Shanyi’s shoulders. Eventually, she couldn’t hold back anymore. At that peak moment, Mu Shanyi kindly covered her mouth.

It took Miao Zhu a long time to come back to her senses. She wanted to rinse off, but Mu Shanyi grabbed her wrist and pulled her back.

“Enough? Nah, not yet.”

Seabirds called outside the window—who knew what time it was. Miao Zhu was too exhausted to move. Mu Shanyi cleaned her up simply with wet wipes, then went back to the bathroom for another shower.

Miao Zhu sprawled on the pillow, utterly drowsy. When Mu Shanyi emerged, she mumbled indistinctly: “…Out to sea?”

Mu Shanyi understood she was asking if they’d go out to sea together.

Borrowing the dim blue light from outside, Mu Shanyi fed Miao Zhu some water, helped her back into the rumpled nightgown, and only then pulled her into her arms.

Her voice was lazy and husky after their passion as she answered Miao Zhu’s earlier question: “No.”

She didn’t want to watch Miao Zhu and Xingran being all lovey-dovey, nor let Xingran catch her and Miao Zhu sneaking around. Coming to the Sea Island this trip was already inappropriate enough.

Miao Zhu’s eyes were heavy-lidded. She moved her lips: “…Mm.”

Mu Shanyi patted her back: “I’ll leave once you’re asleep.”

Miao Zhu closed her eyes. For a fleeting moment, she felt like she and Mu Shanyi didn’t need this kind of tender aftercare, but she couldn’t fight the overwhelming sleepiness. She drifted off quickly.

She slept until late morning, struggling out of bed with a slight discomfort in her lower abdomen.

Her periods were always punctual, never varying by more than two days.

She took a thorough shower in the bathroom and dried off. Standing before the mirror, Miao Zhu examined herself.

Mu Shanyi had been dominant throughout but not violent, leaving no marks on her body.

Just her eyes were a bit swollen.

“Longlong, so many tears.”

…

Daylight had replaced the night, and she was fully awake now. The calm expression in the mirror cracked. Miao Zhu couldn’t help muttering “Oh god,” feeling like an invisible force had hammered her into a crevice in the earth.

She didn’t remember begging Mu Shanyi how many times.

Those initial words about stopping anytime if she didn’t want it didn’t count. She’d begged her to stop, then begged her not to. Tears flowed uncontrollably, her defenses trampled back and forth. Miao Zhu saw just how spineless she could be.

Even at the end, Mu Shanyi had grabbed her hand and pressed it to her lips…

It took effort to banish those images from her mind. Miao Zhu changed into a dress and headed downstairs, replying to Sheng Xingran on the way.

【Mia: Just woke up~】

The sea outing was scheduled for the afternoon; the morning was free time. She had no idea what the others were up to. Miao Zhu only saw servants tending the villa until she entered the restaurant, where her gaze finally landed.

Mu Shanyi sat by the window, sunglasses perched on her head. Her ink-green one-piece dress had thin straps pressing into her fair shoulders.

Miao Zhu’s mind filled with improper images again.

The heat of skin against skin, the force of Mu Shanyi’s familiarity, their mingled breaths, the soft embrace… Events that happened left traces. Even if her skin showed none, her brain had etched them firmly.

Miao Ling and Ni Xiaoying sat across from Mu Shanyi; the three were chatting about something. Miao Zhu joined them, taking the seat next to Miao Ling.

“Mom, Aunt Ni, I slept in.” Her tone was sweet. Only after sitting did she greet Mu Shanyi, though she avoided direct eye contact. “Sister A-Heng, good morning.”

Mu Shanyi leaned back in her chair, her gaze settling on Miao Zhu’s face.

Ni Xiaoying smiled. “You’re not the latest—Xingran’s still not up.”

“You went to bed early enough, but why do you look more exhausted than any of us?” Miao Ling leaned in to inspect Miao Zhu. “Dark circles and all.”

Miao Zhu: “…Really? I’ll cover them up later.”

Ni Xiaoying said to Miao Ling, “Don’t jinx it. One late night, and no amount of sleep fixes it. Longlong was sick recently too. If food supplements don’t work, just prescribe some Chinese medicine to regulate her. That TCM doc you recommended before was great.”

Miao Ling patted Ni Xiaoying’s hand, nodding in full agreement. She resolved to drag Miao Zhu to the TCM clinic and a beauty salon once they got back.

Miao Zhu hated bitter Chinese medicine the most. At the mention, her aggrieved glance drifted toward Mu Shanyi but retracted quickly without daring to linger.

Mu Shanyi sipped her coffee, a faint smile in her eyes.

—