“She gave the word that the array will stay up until dawn tomorrow,” Sang Chencao said. “It will be taken down at first light, and you and I will have to go out and haul that stinking meat paste again.”
Feng Yun’ai felt relieved. She said flatly, “Then we’ll go up to the Sword Trial Stage tomorrow and see if we can find any clues.”
“Fair enough.” Sang Chencao nodded but didn’t pull away immediately. She chuckled twice. “Do you want to take off the disguise? You’ve looked uncomfortable for days. I’ll let you catch your breath.”
“No need.” Feng Yun’ai wasn’t actually that uncomfortable. Besides, if someone suddenly burst in, how would she explain herself?
Sang Chencao looked somewhat disappointed. She sighed softly and, without warning, pressed her palm against Feng Yun’ai’s cheek.
Feng Yun’ai blinked and tried to move away, pressing half her body against the wooden tub. Her waist was supple, and her bare back was pale and elegant.
The palm was too hot. If it were actual fire, it surely would have scorched the false skin into wrinkles.
Feng Yun’ai glared at her and said coldly, “What are you doing? Scheming to harm me again?”
“When have I ever harmed you?” Sang Chencao withdrew her hand after just a touch and clicked her tongue. “The original face was better. Now even your eye color is fake; you don’t look as vivid when you’re angry.”
Feng Yun’ai decided not to count exactly how many times this woman had harmed her. She remained pressed against the side of the tub, no longer turning her head. Staring at the wall, she said, “What benefit do I get for indulging your whims? Stop bothering me.”
A soft snort sounded behind her. The door creaked open and shut; the visitor had turned and left.
***
That night, Feng Yun’ai did not return to the room immediately. Instead, she sat in the courtyard watching the moon. People moved back and forth around her, but they were strangers to each other, and no one offered a greeting.
The person inside the room pushed open the window. “Coming to bed? I’m putting out the lamp.”
Feng Yun’ai pretended to still be angry about the daytime incident. Only after a long silence did she push the door and enter. Holding her breath, she glanced at the bronze lampstand on the table.
Beside the lampstand sat a palm-sized teapot. Feng Yun’ai made a motion to extinguish the lamp, and as her sleeve passed over the teapot, she silently swapped it for another.
She truly wanted to know what kind of medicine Sang Chencao was peddling in that teapot.
The moment she made the swap, a thud sounded on the roof tiles, as if a stray cat had scurried across, successfully drawing Sang Chencao’s attention.
In truth, there was no stray cat. It was merely a distraction she had subtly prepared while she was out in the courtyard.
The teapot was secured in her sleeve, not a single drop spilling, but outside, a broken tile fell and shattered on the ground with a crisp sound.
“Where did that noise come from?” Sang Chencao scoffed.
Feng Yun’ai furrowed her brow and stepped out of the room. While pretending to look around, she quietly set down the teapot from her sleeve and even worked up the courage to take a small sip. She returned to the room and said, “Probably a stray cat knocking over a tile.”
“No matter.” Sang Chencao yawned as she stood up and poured herself a cup of tea.
Just as Feng Yun’ai expected, this woman always took a sip of tea before closing her eyes. It seemed the antidote was in the tea, which was why she had secretly swapped it.
After drinking the tea, Sang Chencao leaned over and blew out the light. “Let’s rest. We have to go to the Sword Trial Stage tomorrow to see what Zhou Gui was up to.”
Feng Yun’ai lay down, appearing to fall asleep instantly. In reality, her mind was perfectly clear, devoid of the grogginess of previous nights.
The person beside her had long, steady breaths; she seemed to have truly fallen asleep.
Looking at the table bathed in moonlight, a faint wisp of white smoke was still rising. The knockout incense hidden within would likely burn through the night.
This way, even if someone broke in during the middle of the night, neither of them would be in danger. It showed just how meticulous Sang Chencao’s mind was.
However, Feng Yun’ai still didn’t move. She quietly opened her eyes in the darkness. If a lamp were lit now, one would surely see her gray, disguised eyes.
It was only in the middle of the night that faint, fragmented sounds began to come from beside her.
It seemed Sang Chencao was truly deep in a dream, murmuring under her breath. Her voice was so low it was hard to make out what she was mumbling.
This was the first time Feng Yun’ai had heard such noises. Previously, Sang Chencao had slept peacefully; she hadn’t even tossed and turned, let alone talked in her sleep.
No.
