Chapter 35

Miao Bai had to admit that when she heard the word “fragrant,” she found Meng Bai a little cute.

But after that, Meng Bai stopped murmuring in her sleep.

Miao Bai wasn’t one for sleep, so she passed the time in boredom—sometimes closing her eyes to feign rest, other times staring blankly at the ceiling.

She couldn’t help but think that being an “immortal” had its downsides. No sleep, no sweet dreams, no brush with life and death. When there was nothing to compare it to, it all felt rather pointless.

She lay there like that until the first faint light appeared on the horizon, signaling the approach of dawn.

In the warmth of the bedding, Meng Bai rolled over and sensed something different from usual. She blinked her eyes open groggily.

She found Miao Bai watching her.

“Morning, Miao Bai.”

“Morning.”

Meng Bai rubbed her eyes and scooted a little closer to Miao Bai. Tilting her head up, she blurted out on impulse before her mind had fully cleared: “You’re so pretty.”

Miao Bai: “…”

Meng Bai inched even nearer, her voice lazy and soft. “Look—even this close, I can’t spot a single flaw on your skin.”

Her eyes sparkled with genuine admiration.

Miao Bai wondered what peculiar habit this girl had, complimenting people the moment she woke up…

“Alright, enough staring.” Miao Bai covered Meng Bai’s eyes with her palm. “There’s nothing worth looking at.”

“Haha—” Meng Bai pulled her hand away. “Even immortals get shy!”

“Not shy. Just… not used to it.”

“Feels like I could sleep a bit more.” Meng Bai burrowed deeper into the covers like a fuzzy caterpillar. She glanced at Miao Bai. “Wanna nap together?”

“I’m not sleeping. I’ll be leaving in about an hour.”

“Then we’ll talk after that hour!” Meng Bai threw her arms around Miao Bai. “Sleep first.”

Meng Bai leaned against Miao Bai’s shoulder and inhaled deeply. It smelled so good.

She swore, anyone who caught a whiff of Miao Bai’s scent was bound to have the sweetest dreams!

The embrace felt far too natural, leaving Miao Bai stiff all over. She still wasn’t accustomed to this kind of closeness.

Meng Bai’s soft, tender voice whispered in her ear: “Miao Bai, I want to sleep with you every day…” Realizing she’d let her feelings slip, Meng Bai ducked her head under the covers a little.

“That won’t do. Tonight, you’re sleeping alone.”

“Then I need to make the most of right now!”

Meng Bai wrapped herself around Miao Bai with hands and feet alike.

She hugged so tightly that Miao Bai couldn’t help but laugh in exasperation. “Meng Bai, what’s gotten into you? One night of sleep, and you’re like a completely different person.”

“It’s because sleeping with you was too blissful! Time flew by in the blink of an eye! I can’t bear to let you go!”

Miao Bai’s expression softened. “We’ll see each other. Every day.”

Back and forth they went, pushing and pulling with the same few lines over and over. Meng Bai reveled in it, and Miao Bai indulged her.

They spent the next hour not sleeping at all, just chattering away.

As dawn fully broke, Miao Bai rose from the bed and began tidying herself to leave.

Meng Bai huddled under the covers, reluctant to let her go. “I’ll come find you after my makeup class~”

Miao Bai fastened the buttons of her black robe and turned back for one last look at Meng Bai. “Even then, you should leave some time for yourself.”

Meng Bai paused visibly, a flash of disappointment crossing her face as she realized this was a gentle rejection.

“Oh. Okay.”

Sensing her unhappiness, Miao Bai’s lips curved up slightly. She backtracked to reassure her. “It’s not that I don’t want to see you. But don’t spend all your time on me—you’ve got Zhou An and your other friends. Don’t neglect them.”

“Mm, got it.” Meng Bai propped herself up, and the sheet slipped from her shoulders. Her loose T-shirt revealed the elegant line of her collarbone, giving her a delicate, girlish beauty that was utterly captivating.

She brushed her dark hair off her shoulder and watched as Miao Bai changed clothes.

It wasn’t until Miao Bai had buttoned the very last button that Meng Bai spoke up. “Before you go, want to help me apply some medicine?”

There was a touch of scheming in it—a last-ditch effort to keep her a moment longer.

“Oh, sure.” Miao Bai agreed readily. “Here, stick out your little foot. I’ll put it on for you.”

She’d said “little foot,” not just “foot.” It was a perfectly ordinary descriptor, but it made Meng Bai flush a bit.

Embarrassment aside, she still extended her foot from under the covers.

Meng Bai’s skin was so soft, and her feet really weren’t large—small, delicate, and utterly adorable.

Zhou An had teased her about it once, saying how someone 165 cm tall ended up with such tiny feet.

“Stretch your leg over here. Let me check the wound.”

Meng Bai obligingly placed her foot right in front of Miao Bai.

The bite mark from yesterday had turned a reddish-brown and was healing quickly after the medicine. No discomfort at all—it would probably scab over soon.

Miao Bai took hold of it naturally and rested Meng Bai’s foot on her lap.

Meng Bai’s pale, tender toes curled restlessly as she stared unblinkingly at Miao Bai.

Miao Bai picked up the small medicine bottle from beside the bed and carefully sprinkled some of the powder onto her fingertip.

It gave Meng Bai plenty of time to study her.

The smooth line of her jaw, the pert bridge of her nose, her pale pink lips. Stray locks of hair fell across her forehead, and as she bowed her head slightly, the elegant curve of her profile sharpened. She applied the medicine with utmost seriousness and care.

It was precisely this meticulous nature that drew Meng Bai in.

She thought to herself that Miao Bai was just too good—ask for help with medicine, and she’d do it without a second thought, no fuss or reluctance.

“It might sting a little.”

“No problem. Go ahead.” Meng Bai was lost in admiration.

She’d forgotten all about any pain.

Truth be told, she wished this pleasant, itch-free moment could last forever. Compared to seeing Miao Bai, she’d gladly endure a million pains—it was a jackpot worth any ache.

Miao Bai applied a few gentle strokes and then smiled faintly. “Strange. No pain? You’re not yelling today.”

“Your technique’s great. I barely feel it.”

Miao Bai looked up at her, those kind eyes glimmering with an enchanting light.

Their gazes met, and Meng Bai felt her heart thud wildly.

She really is so pretty, Meng Bai thought to herself once more.

It was the first time beauty had felt so vividly real to her.

“What are you looking at?”

“Nothing.” Meng Bai averted her eyes and glanced down at her wound. “How many days until it’s healed?”

“One week.” Miao Bai had already risen and placed the medicine bottle on the bedside table. “It’s dawn. I really have to go.”

“Mm. Goodbye.”

She watched as Miao Bai merged with the morning light, and when that figure finally vanished from sight, Meng Bai felt her spirits sink unmistakably.

She knew she shouldn’t feel this way. Miao Bai had already stayed with her far longer than enough, yet her heart was like a bottomless pit, growing ever more insatiable.

She wished she could shove every moment of her time toward Miao Bai.

She wished it—truly, desperately wished it.

The instant Miao Bai disappeared, a wave of emptiness washed over Meng Bai. She collapsed onto the bed, drained of all strength.

She had no idea what was wrong with her.

It felt like the hollow ache after a drug rush faded—and that addictive high was something Miao Bai had given her…

~~~

It was raining that day, a persistent light drizzle.

By the time Meng Bai had gathered her things and stepped out, Zhou An and Xu Zhou were already waiting at her doorstep, umbrellas raised.

Meng Bai blinked in surprise. “What’s with you two?”

“Just checking up on you—what else?” Zhou An poked Xu Zhou, then added, “Xu Zhou and I crashed together last night. We spent the whole night chatting about your thing.”

Meng Bai unfurled her umbrella and descended the steps. “My what?”

“That new friend of yours, duh.” Zhou An and Xu Zhou hurried over to her. Zhou An snapped her umbrella shut, forcing the three of them to cram under one.

Meng Bai ended up wedged right in the middle.

“Spill it already! We’re hanging on every word!”

Meng Bai wasn’t sure what more there was to say. “I’ve told you everything already. You don’t need every little detail—she deserves her privacy too.”

Zhou An brushed it off like so much white noise and barreled on. “Anyway, we speculated for ages, and we’re pretty sure she’s that lunatic from the Old Courtyard, right?!”

Meng Bai’s brow furrowed. “She’s no lunatic. Don’t call her that.”

“!!! So it really is her!” Zhou An shot Xu Zhou a look, then turned back to Meng Bai. “Guess what? I’ve got a secret about the lunatic.”

Meng Bai: “…”

She had to admit, Zhou An knew how to reel someone in. Suddenly, Meng Bai was burning with curiosity—even if she hadn’t wanted them gossiping about Miao Bai in the first place.

A few steps later, she couldn’t hold back. “What secret? How would you know anything about her?”

“My grandma told me.” Zhou An’s eyes narrowed in a sly grin. “Didn’t see that coming, huh?”

“Out with it already!” Meng Bai dropped all pretense. She was desperate now, ravenous for any scrap of info on Miao Bai.

“Did you know she’s an old lady? A real ancient crone.”

“Ridiculous. Miao Bai’s young—looks like she’s in her twenties, tops.”

Zhou An glanced around, then dropped her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “But my grandma said the person living in that courtyard is a genuine old woman. Ancient—like, over a hundred, probably.”

Meng Bai figured it was all hot air. Where was the proof?

But Zhou An pressed on.

“You know my grandma was up there in years herself—nearly ninety. She said that Old Courtyard’s got stories for days.”

“She said? When did she tell you that?”

Truth be told, Grandma Zhou had passed away two years prior.

Meng Bai had never imagined the old woman had shared tales of the Old Courtyard with Zhou An back in the day.

“It was ages ago. I didn’t think much of it then. Must’ve been when I was thirteen or fourteen. Summers meant long nights—adults would gather in the courtyard, bored out of their minds, swapping stories. And Grandma let slip a few things about the Old Courtyard.”

Splash—

Unbeknownst to them, they’d reached the roadside. A four-wheeled motorcycle roared past, kicking up a spray of mud.

Meng Bai halted, anxiety flickering in her eyes.

She wanted to know—yet she didn’t.

Terrified of hearing anything bad about Miao Bai, but her curiosity itched to pry open that forbidden box.

In the end, she caved.

“So what went down in that courtyard? Tell me.”

Zhou An peered down the road as a boxy bus lumbered into view. “Whoa, there’s the tutoring bus. Hop on and I’ll spill.”

Meng Bai couldn’t believe the damn thing’s timing.

Even Xu Zhou fidgeted beside her. “Ugh, you’ve been stringing us along all night! Still holding out?”

The bus pulled up sharp, doors hissing open. Zhou An bounded aboard first.

A handful of classmates filled the front seats. Zhou An beelined for the back row, claiming spots for Xu Zhou and Meng Bai.

“Come on, buckle in. This story’s a bombshell—I’ll lay it out nice and slow!”