Shen Yuezhuang lay sprawled on the bed, chin raised, wearing an expression that clearly said, “I know you don’t want this, but I’m doing it anyway. What are you going to do about it?” as she looked at Liu Yun.
She seemed certain this would annoy Liu Yun. Vindictively, she kicked off her shoes, slow and deliberate.
Of course, she couldn’t even take off her shoes properly. Her legs just dangled over the edge of the bed, and she kicked so hard she nearly sent one of the shoes flying onto the mattress!
Liu Yun’s brow furrowed tightly, but Shen Yuezhuang hooked the heel with her toe, let out a triumphant “Ehehe~”, and dangled her foot, swinging it impishly.
“Didn’t drop it!”
Satisfied she’d savored Liu Yun’s strained expression long enough, she twisted her ankle. Pat, pat. Two shoes went flying—one to the east, one to the west—landing on the floor with a clatter.
Liu Yun pressed two fingers to her forehead, closed her eyes briefly, and let out a long, weary sigh of forbearance.
Shen Yuezhuang watched her, feeling secretly smug.
She knew it. There was no way Liu Yun would actually agree to let her stay here!
Liu Yun had always been a very distant person. Even the casual hand-holding and hugs common among other girls made her recoil. Shen Yuezhuang had grown up with her, and over all these years, calling them close would be a stretch. She’d never shared a bed with her, barely a seat at the same table. She hadn’t even been in Liu Yun’s room more than once or twice.
Liu Yun hated how she’d rummage through everything in a room, hated how she wanted to dismantle anything she saw, hated how she flung her shoes off in a mess, hated how she’d scatter crumbs everywhere when she ate…
For half a year, Liu Yun had hung a sign on the osmanthus tree in Shen Yuezhuang’s courtyard that read: No Shen Yuezhuang or Cats Allowed in Liu Yun’s Room.
According to Liu Yun herself, touching cat fur made her whole body itch. Seeing Shen Yuezhuang made her feel prickly all over.
Shen Yuezhuang was well aware: Liu Yun disliked her lack of manners. She disliked her extravagance and indulgence. She disliked her laziness and love of good food. She disliked her fondness for crowds and commotion…
To put it more bluntly, Liu Yun rarely approved of anything. She was sharp-tongued and harsh, picky and aloof.
She hated all surprises. She only liked things to unfold exactly as she had planned.
But Shen Yuezhuang was always the variable she couldn’t control!
And now, that “variable” was wearing her outer robe, rolling over in the cramped space beside the bed.
She looked like a stray kitten covered in dust, deliberately rolling around on its owner’s pristine bed.
Liu Yun felt her skin prickle with irritation. She finally clenched her fists, unable to bear it any longer.
Liu Yun let out a barely audible, mirthless laugh. “I heard there’s a huge patch of farmland behind Precious Flower Temple. If you’ve got so much pent-up energy, why don’t I recommend you to the Abbot to work the fields and pay off your debts?”
Smiles don’t disappear. They just transferred onto Liu Yun’s face.
She sighed with feigned nonchalance. “Considering how you treat me, you clearly don’t see me as your creditor. I suppose you don’t want to owe me anything. Well, then…” She glanced at the rising moonlight outside the window. “The moon is bright and the stars are few. Seems like a perfect night for farming. What do you think?”
Shen Yuezhuang thought this idea was an absolute, massive pain in the ass!
She unconsciously dug her fingers into the bedclothes. “… I don’t think so.”
“Oh?” Liu Yun’s voice held a cold, amused lilt. “And why is that?”
Shen Yuezhuang: “We’re in a temple. Temples aren’t suited for killing.”
Liu Yun snorted dismissively. “And asking you to farm is the same as taking your life?”
Shen Yuezhuang: “The life of the crops is a life too!”
Liu Yun was momentarily speechless. “… Tch. You’ve always known yourself that well, haven’t you?”
Too tired to argue further, Liu Yun turned her back to Shen Yuezhuang and lay down on her side. Her voice was urging. “I’ll count to three. Either take off your outer robe and go to sleep, or I’ll have Ruixue take you to see the Abbot.”
With that, Liu Yun began counting down.
Shen Yuezhuang was remarkably flexible in her pride. The moment Liu Yun finished speaking, she started frantically shucking her robe. But Liu Yun was counting fast; she hadn’t even gotten her sleeve off before a “Three” was threatening to escape Liu Yun’s lips.
Frowning, Shen Yuezhuang reached out and clamped her hand over Liu Yun’s mouth.
Just shut up!
Liu Yun, her “casting” forcibly interrupted, was stunned for a moment. Then she let out a breathy laugh.
Fine. Really. If only Sun Wukong had possessed your skills back then, he wouldn’t have been so thoroughly defeated by the Headband Spell!
~~~
But in the end, Shen Yuezhuang did bed down in the Empress Dowager’s room.
They lay side by side on the bed. The room was very quiet, and soon Shen Yuezhuang’s consciousness began to blur.
Liu Yun, however, tossed and turned in her heart, unable to find peace for a long time.
Frosty moonlight spilled into the room from the window, bringing with it a vast sense of chill. Liu Yun turned her head to look at Shen Yuezhuang’s sleeping face in the window’s light.
She slept very peacefully, her face wearing a rare, serene docility. She looked like a fluffy baby beast of prey.
Now, this little beast had retracted its daytime claws and fangs. Soft and warm, it pressed against Liu Yun’s arm, an embodiment of open and trusting sincerity.
The thick winter quilt was, of course, out of season. It wasn’t warm enough for Liu Yun, but it was far too hot for Shen Yuezhuang!
But that didn’t matter. Liu Yun’s body was cool; Shen Yuezhuang, nestled against her, felt like she was leaning against a piece of cool jade.
Shen Yuezhuang’s body was warm; Liu Yun, pressed against her, felt like she was leaning against a toasty warm stove.
Wanting more warmth, Liu Yun turned onto her side.
She felt the empty hand she held loosely in front of her was far too vacant, and her gaze settled on Shen Yuezhuang’s shoulder, exposed above the blanket.
The night gave wild impulses free rein. Slowly, Liu Yun reached out her hand.
She pinched the edge of the blanket on Shen Yuezhuang’s side, pulling it up to cover her shoulder.
She was just tucking her in. Then, she let her arm fall naturally.
Beneath the cotton quilt, her palm rested on that smooth, rounded shoulder.
Liu Yun’s breath caught. Her lashes trembled slightly.
Suddenly, her cheek felt hot and itchy—it was the spot where Shen Yuezhuang’s hand had been moments before.
She had nuzzled her own neck too. Now, Liu Yun wanted to…
She felt her breathing grow strained.
The thread of reason was pulled taut; barely a touch would make it hum. The best course now was to pull back in time, to not push her luck. Otherwise, that thread could snap at any moment, hurting them both, leaving only pain.
But… Liu Yun’s fingertips curled. Her wrist moved against her will, sliding upward. Four fingers came to rest on the side of Shen Yuezhuang’s neck.
There, a hot, strong pulse beat. It was a person’s lifeline. It was so utterly defenseless, as if offering its head to the executioner, lying in the palm of her hand. It gave her the absurd illusion of control over this person.
The pad of her thumb gently stroked Shen Yuezhuang’s jaw, like she was teasing a harmless kitten. The kitten, enjoying it, tilted its chin higher, as if begging for her finger, her touch, her affection.
At some point, Liu Yun was only a hand’s breadth away from Shen Yuezhuang. Her nose was almost touching Shen Yuezhuang’s cheek. She felt certain she must look exactly like those ghostly demons from Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio who drain people’s vitality…
Ah, Liu Yun suddenly realized. It was she who was the one begging.
With a start, she snatched her hand back as if burned, pressing it to her chest as she took a deep breath.
She had been breathing so hard that a sound like a sob escaped her.
The sound amplified enormously in the silence. Shen Yuezhuang woke with a jolt, staring blankly at the canopy above her head, blinking slowly.
Liu Yun’s breath stopped. She should pretend to be asleep, pretend nothing had happened. But once again, she was out of control. Her eyes wide open, she stared fixedly at Shen Yuezhuang.
After a few seconds, Shen Yuezhuang, who seemed to have realized where she was, let out a huge, tearful yawn.
She rolled over, her face almost pressed against Liu Yun’s. Seeing she wasn’t asleep, she asked casually, “You’re still awake?”
Liu Yun’s throat tightened. Before she could come up with an excuse, Shen Yuezhuang had burrowed headfirst into her arms.
An electric shock seemed to run down Liu Yun’s spine. She felt Shen Yuezhuang wrap her arms around her waist, and one of her legs was draped carelessly over Liu Yun’s.
Liu Yun’s whole body tensed. She watched as Shen Yuezhuang, very matter-of-factly, used her arm as a pillow and placed her other hand on Liu Yun’s back.
Shen Yuezhuang’s voice was thick and sleepy. She murmured a few unintelligible sounds, wriggled her shoulders, pointing at the hand on her back.
Finally, there was a hint of whiny dissatisfaction.
“Pat~”
