Chapter 64: 064 Clear Moonlight, Faint Lantern Lights

Song Guiya had long since fallen into a deep sleep. Her black hair lay in disarray across the pristine white pillow, her skin glowing with a soft, pearly sheen. Her long lashes rested lightly against her cheeks, her features refined and striking, her lips a more vivid shade than ever before—stripped of their usual waking chill and instead radiating a touch of docility.

Even the most aloof expression couldn’t contain the affection brimming in her eyes at that moment.

Xi Tongyue’s hand rested gently on Song Guiya’s chest, where she could clearly feel the steady rise and fall with each even breath.

Her gaze softened as it settled on the small patch of creamy skin at Song Guiya’s neck, still marked by two faint rows of red from the bites she’d left back in the Bamboo House. They had nearly faded now.

But fortunately, Song Guiya remained right there by her side, just as she was.

Strange, though—humans seemed to be creatures who could never truly be satisfied.

In the past, Xi Tongyue had thought that nothing else mattered—not empires or people or the world at large—as long as the woman before her could simply live on.

But fate had other plans.

Later, she had been willing to endure nine lifetimes of torment just for a chance for Song Guiya to live again.

And this time, her wish had been granted.

Then, once this reborn woman could finally live for herself, Xi Tongyue’s desires grew greedier still.

She wanted Song Guiya to break free of her chains, to be with her—and for her to etch deep marks into the core of Song Guiya’s soul throughout her life.

She wanted everything about her to belong to Xi Tongyue alone.

Xi Tongyue had always prided herself on her calm composure, but she was no desireless saint. Faced with the person she loved every single day, all she craved was to entwine with her endlessly, day and night.

Yet their paths had been so different. Afraid of overwhelming her, Xi Tongyue was willing to wait.

In that instant, she suddenly regretted letting Song Guiya stay in her room.

But she couldn’t bear to send her away, either.

Nine lifetimes of longing couldn’t be filled in just one.

She only wished for more time with Song Guiya—more and more.

That night, Song Guiya slept the deep, sweet sleep of oblivion, the soundest rest she’d had since setting out on campaign.

When she woke at dawn, she was still a little dazed. Only after fully coming to did she recall everything from the night before, and a flush crept up behind her ears.

Fortunately, Xi Tongyue was still asleep and hadn’t noticed her embarrassment.

Otherwise, with Xi Tongyue’s personality, she would have teased her about it endlessly.

Just as Song Guiya was slipping out from under the covers, intent on returning to her own room without a sound, a knock came at the door.

“Teacher Xi, may I come in?”

At the sound of that voice, Xi Tongyue’s sleepy eyes fluttered open. She saw Song Guiya sitting there, looking adorably bewildered. “Tonight’s the Longevity Banquet for Old Master Du. Chi Yu’s here to deliver your dress. Forgot?”

Du Difeng had previously invited Song Guiya and Xi Tongyue to dinner at the Du Family home, but they’d declined.

What was done was done. Digging into who the real third party had been held no meaning, and while Xi Tongyue knew exactly who it was, she had no desire to get tangled in the mess.

It wasn’t fear of trouble—she simply found it beneath her.

But Old Master Du’s birthday celebration came with personal invitations for the two of them. Given their past ties, Xi Tongyue would have attended regardless, so she hadn’t refused.

As for Song Guiya, she had agreed purely because Xi Tongyue was going.

There was no work on the horizon anyway; she might as well.

“I didn’t forget.” Song Guiya reached out with natural poise, brushing Xi Tongyue’s stray locks behind her ear. She noticed the faint shadows under her eyes, stark against her porcelain skin. “Didn’t sleep well last night?”

Xi Tongyue: …

It was like dangling a bundle of fresh, tender bamboo before a panda starved for three days and then denying it a bite—how could it possibly sleep soundly?

But she couldn’t say that to Song Guiya.

Just then, Chi Yu’s voice called out again. “Teacher Xi?”

Xi Tongyue shot Song Guiya a sidelong glance and drawled lazily, “Come in.”

Song Guiya: ?

Chi Yu stood ramrod straight at the door as always. She knocked a few times and, hearing no response, didn’t press. Instead, she silently counted in her head, asking every three seconds with perfect patience on her face.

Only at the ninth second, upon receiving permission, did she push the door open and step inside.

Today, just like always, Teacher Xi had woken within nine seconds.

Winter, spring, summer, or fall—it never varied. That was the discipline of a top-tier actress.

Chi Yu silently admired Xi Tongyue in her heart, but she never could have imagined that when she pushed open the door, she would see Song Guiya sitting on Xi Tongyue’s bed. The two of them were gazing at each other with deep affection, clearly having just shared an intimate moment. Their love hung thick in the air, neither willing to part.

In the two years that Chi Yu had served as Xi Tongyue’s assistant, she had always known about the romantic relationship between her boss and Miss Song. Yet she had never walked in on a scene quite this shocking.

It was mainly because, up until now, Xi Tongyue had only provided money and resources—barely even seeing Song Guiya in person.

Even after they had moved back to the villa, the two women slept in separate rooms.

Though Chi Yu didn’t understand why they had never been intimate, she wasn’t surprised either.

After all, in her eyes, Song Guiya had nothing going for her except her looks. Sure, she was currently enjoying a wave of redemption and even skyrocketing popularity, gaining fans by the droves. Even Gu Yuanyuan had privately tried to rope her into shipping the “Moonlit Guiya” pairing that had spun out of that survival variety show, complete with its rabid CP fans. But the ironclad fact remained: Song Guiya had zero accomplishments in her career.

Maybe Xi Tongyue just liked having a pretty girl around to look at.

Chi Yu could understand that kind of unconventional contractual arrangement.

But who could have guessed that one day, she would witness Xi Tongyue bedding Song Guiya with her own eyes!

Her carefully constructed worldview came crashing down. Chi Yu froze on the spot, and the moment she snapped out of it, she stumbled backward, squeezing her eyes shut. “Sorry, Teacher Xi! I didn’t see a thing!”

Song Guiya, who had been wondering why Xi Tongyue’s gaze held a hint of resentment: ?

Xi Tongyue, who had been plotting how to finally devour Song Guiya: …

“Come back,” Xi Tongyue called out to Chi Yu. She rubbed her temples, paused thoughtfully for a moment, then instructed, “No need to tidy up here for now. Go have the kitchen prepare some breakfast. Miss Song’s assistant will be here soon—have her wait with you in the dining room.”

Hearing the chill in Xi Tongyue’s voice, Chi Yu knew she had upset her boss with her blunder. She immediately regained her professional composure. “Understood, Teacher Xi.”

With that, Chi Yu kept her eyes straight ahead as if nothing had happened and hurried downstairs at a speed that would make Quicksilver jealous.

Song Guiya glanced at the figure that had vanished from the doorway in an instant. “What’s gotten into her?”

Xi Tongyue rose slowly from the bed. Right in front of Song Guiya, she slipped out of her nightgown and glided toward the bathroom. Glancing back, she saw Song Guiya staring at her in a daze, cheeks flushed crimson.

A meaningful smile curved Xi Tongyue’s lips. “So young, yet she knows far too much.”

…

The Du Family Longevity Banquet was held at the Old Mansion.

Nestled in a scenic stretch of mountains and forests, the Old Mansion was about an hour’s drive from downtown Haicheng.

Three generations of the Du Family were in the entertainment industry, with Old Master Du standing out. Though he had started as a mere program host back in the day, his exceptional talent for networking had earned him an extraordinary status in the industry.

That was why, despite the long drive and the need to clear an entire day from their schedules, so many A-list stars still made the trip.

In addition, plenty of entertainment company CEOs from Haicheng were in attendance.

As such, no media had been invited. The event was entirely private.

Even so, Xi Tongyue and Song Guiya traveled separately in their own nanny vans.

By the time they arrived, luxury cars were already lined up in a long queue at the manor. Song Guiya stepped out from the parking area and walked toward the main banquet hall with her entourage.

Just as she reached the entrance, she spotted Li Xingruo waiting for her.

Arm in arm, the two women entered the banquet hall amid scattered glances.

The hall buzzed with chatter. The instant they walked in, Song Guiya could feel eyes on her, followed by whispers among the onlookers. Her sharp ears picked up every word.

Some of it was complimentary, but most was not—and the unflattering comments dominated.

They were nothing more than the usual jabs calling her a vase, though. Song Guiya paid them no mind and casually sipped her wine while chatting with Li Xingruo.

The entertainment industry was full of beauties, hot topics, and focal points.

Before long, no one was paying Song Guiya any attention.

But there was always an exception.

Wherever Xi Tongyue went amid the clamor, all eyes inevitably followed.

The doors to the hall swung open once more. Xi Tongyue appeared in a simple backless long gown with a one-shoulder neckline. A slender silver belt cinched her waist to a gripable slimness, accentuating her graceful figure. The skirt’s hem sparkled with tiny diamonds that caught the light, contrasting brilliantly with her translucent fair skin to create an aura of mysterious, icy allure. It framed her noble, stern features in a beauty so timeless and peerless it defied description.

Song Guiya had seen that dress just this morning, yet back then, she hadn’t found it anywhere near as stunning.

A second’s reflection made it clear, though.

It was probably because the dress was now draped over Xi Tongyue’s body that it shone with such a different, brilliant radiance.

The once-boisterous Banquet Hall fell so quiet it was as if time itself had frozen. Man or woman, everyone tracked that heart-stealing figure with gazes brimming with awe.

Xi Tongyue glided forward at an unhurried pace, following an attendant’s lead toward the private lounge where the banquet host entertained VIPs. Midway there, she seemed to sense a stare unlike any other. She turned her head slightly—and her eyes locked right onto Song Guiya amid the crowd, wineglass in hand, staring unabashedly.

Their gazes met, and Xi Tongyue let out a soft chuckle.

The sound was like a gentle spring rain soaking silently into the earth—subtle, soundless—yet it set ten thousand ants marching across the heart, leaving Song Guiya lost in a daze that lasted ages.

Xi Tongyue’s smile deepened as she shot her a sidelong glance, her brows and eyes alight with a charm that turned the soul upside down. Even the tiny red mole at the corner of her eye seemed infused with seductive allure.

With that, Xi Tongyue left Song Guiya a slender, dancing silhouette, slipping into the lounge. The gauze curtain at the door drifted shut, and the Banquet Hall’s clamor picked up again.

In perfect unison, everyone gossiped about the same person.

“She’s beautiful enough to make gods and men seethe with envy—that’s one thing. But how does she manage to outshine everyone in talent and background too?”

“Tell me about it. When Nüwa was crafting humanity, she must’ve played favorites all the way to the Pacific Ocean.”

“Speaking of which, Xi Tongyue isn’t exactly young anymore. Can’t imagine what kind of guy she’ll end up with.”

“I’d say only Emperor Su is worthy. Word is they’re pretty close.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Emperor Su’s my ultimate fantasy—mine! …Though I did hear Xi Tongyue isn’t all that straight.”

“For real? Does that mean I’ve got a shot?”

“In your dreams. Even if Xi Tongyue likes women, she’s still an ultimate fantasy. Someone like her is meant to dazzle alone.”

“Can’t a girl dream? I hear several of her agency’s artists are her lovers.”

Gossip about Xi Tongyue swirled in every direction.

Song Guiya, though, tuned it all out. Her eyes fixed on the lounge door, vacant and unmoving, as if still lost in the electric thrill of that flirtatious glance.

In that moment, enlightenment struck.

Those adolescent fantasies weren’t sordid after all. The one-sided pining she’d dismissed as pathetic wasn’t so pathetic.

A love the world deemed taboo, answered with genuine passion, bloomed across the heart like wildflowers sweeping the hillsides at impossible speed.

She couldn’t gauge the depth of her longing for Xi Tongyue—but she knew each lingering look from those eyes pulled her deeper, toward a point of no return she’d embrace willingly.

Beside her, Li Xingruo waved a hand in front of Song Guiya’s face. “Yaya, where’d your soul wander off to?”

Song Guiya snapped back to reality, her heart pounding, throat parched. She gulped down some red wine to quell the inner turmoil, then turned to Li Xingruo and asked evenly, “What’d you say?”

Giggling behind her hand, Li Xingruo leaned in to whisper, “I said your body’s here, but your soul flew off inside with Teacher Xi.”

Song Guiya: …

Li Xingruo teased, “Want me to track down Du Difeng? He could get us into the lounge.”

A flash of unease crossed Song Guiya’s face—her secret laid bare—but it faded in an instant. She deflected breezily. “There’s a guy over there. Been staring at you since we walked in. Know him?”

Caught off guard, Li Xingruo dropped the ribbing and glanced toward the southeast corner. Sure enough, a man was eyeing her. He raised his glass in salute when their eyes met.

She shot him a quick look, then whipped her gaze away, shifting several steps to turn her back on him, disgust plain on her face.

“Don’t know him.”

Song Guiya could tell it was a fib, but Li Xingruo’s sour mood kept her from prying.

Her thoughts drifted back to Xi Tongyue’s deliberate, teasing gaze.