Whether there was a double meaning in those words or not, Feng Yun’ai was unwilling—and afraid—to overthink it.
Fortunately, they had no shifts for the next few days. The task of guarding the Golden-Wanderer Eternal Flower remained solely theirs. Their roommates in the courtyard were a taciturn lot; they only crossed paths during the morning wake-up and evening rest, with almost no interaction in between.
This suited them well. Without conversation, no one would remember the true sound of their voices.
However, Feng Yun’ai found one thing peculiar. It was impossible for Zhou Gui to treat these two with anything less than extreme importance, yet during their previous conversation in the council hall, how could she have failed to notice something was amiss?
“What are you thinking about, Xiuxiu?” Sang Chencao asked, noticing her heavy brow.
Feng Yun’ai lowered her voice. “Did Zhou Gui truly sense nothing?”
Sang Chencao arched an eyebrow. “Zhou Gui’s expression was grave at the time. I imagine her mind was entirely occupied by other matters.”
“Simply because people broke into Listening Goose Peak and the Dieshan Alliance?” Feng Yun’ai was unconvinced.
“Or perhaps because she lost track of Feng Rong’s corpse,” Sang Chencao remarked.
Thanks to their status as flower guards, others treated them with a modicum of respect. Few even dared to look them in the eye, let alone strike up a conversation.
Because of this, Feng Yun’ai didn’t have to live in constant trepidation, and she was spared the effort of maintaining a complex facade. Since the two of them shared a room with no one else present, they didn’t even need to be cautious in their sleep.
Yet, Feng Yun’ai was somewhat at a loss for words. Over the past few days, she had woken up every morning with a splitting headache, as if she had been struck over the head. Recalling the grogginess she felt before falling asleep, she guessed that Sang Chencao had been secretly using knockout incense again.
She couldn’t understand it. They were merely sleeping through the night; why was it necessary to drug her into a stupor?
Was it possible that Sang Chencao was venturing out under the cover of darkness and wanted to keep her in the dark?
Feng Yun’ai couldn’t figure it out, but she knew that if she asked directly, the woman would never give a straight answer. She chose to feign ignorance.
As the first light of dawn broke, the two had to enter the ice cellar to fetch ice, then ride out of the Alliance to transport the blood-mixed meat paste back inside.
Every time they brought the meat paste back from outside the Alliance, Feng Yun’ai would inevitably be covered in a sickening, rancid stench. She had to wash and change as soon as they returned to their quarters.
There was a side room in the courtyard specifically for washing, though one had to carry the water and heat it oneself. Fortunately, Feng Yun’ai had been self-sufficient since childhood. While she knew little of the world below the mountains, she was well-practiced in these daily chores.
She soaked in the warm water, leaning against the edge of the wooden tub without moving. Even when she heard the door push open, she remained unhurried, knowing that her disguise art was flawless—ordinary people could not see through it.
Once she identified the footsteps and breathing as Sang Chencao’s, her heart became as still as water.
Suddenly, a hot fingertip pressed against her shoulder blade. It felt even scalding than the water in the tub.
Sang Chencao traced a small circle with her finger and said leisurely, “Xiuxiu, there’s a mole here.”
Feng Yun’ai froze. The heat from that fingertip seemed to seep directly into her skin, sending a jolt through her meridians that left her feeling weak. For a moment, she was angry, thinking how this woman could be so disrespectful, yet so…
So natural about it.
She abruptly turned her head, a trace of lingering indignation in her eyes. Her hair hadn’t been pinned securely, and as she turned, a soft lock fell across her shoulder.
Sang Chencao smiled and withdrew her hand. “It seems the Hero Recruitment Meet is drawing near. The moment we left, Zhou Gui ordered men to cordone off the Sword Trial Stage. She even set up an array to prevent anyone from intruding. In previous years, when Feng Rong was around, they would only fence the area off. I wonder what that Zhou Gui is trying to do in there.”
The lingering tension didn’t dissipate, as Sang Chencao rested both hands on the rim of the tub and leaned in close, whispering in Feng Yun’ai’s ear.
Soaking in the hot water had already made Feng Yun’ai’s limbs go soft; now, with that hot breath brushing against her ear, she felt as if she were being dissolved into a cloud of fluff.
She steadied her wandering thoughts, looked away, and asked, “Who did she enter the array with?”
“Just herself,” Sang Chencao replied.
Feng Yun’ai fell silent for a moment before asking again, “But the Golden-Wanderer Eternal Flower needs watering tomorrow. Will she have someone else do it? Or is she planning to do it herself?”
