Chapter 13: Shared Sensation: An Unintentional Touch

This wasn’t the first time Shen Mingjin had fainted in Ye Xi’s arms. Last time, she had been talking to her one second and lost consciousness the next, which made Ye Xi suspect that Shen Mingjin might have some special condition.

Whether she had a condition or not was something Ye Xi couldn’t verify right now, but Ye Xi was certain that Shen Mingjin hadn’t accidentally ingested anything harmful.

As Shen Mingjin fell into a coma, the unnatural flush on her face completely faded, and her rapid breathing steadied into even rhythms. This dispelled Ye Xi’s suspicions about poisoning, but soon she found herself in a dilemma regarding Shen Mingjin.

On the day they first met, Ye Xi had made the snap decision to bring the unconscious Shen Mingjin home. But now, she couldn’t act as decisively as she had before. A strange rule that had been delivered to her in an odd way floated into her mind.

[Please stay away from the beautiful woman across the hall. It’s winter now, and she might faint at any moment. If you see her fainted, do not try to save her under any circumstances.]

Shen Mingjin was merely conflicted in her attitude toward Ye Xi, but Ye Xi was conflicted about everything.

Ye Xi told herself those rules were a prank, yet instinctively wanted to obey them. She felt the place was dangerous everywhere, yet wanted to follow Ye Tan’s arrangements and stay here for half a year. She suspected something was off about Shen Mingjin’s identity, yet couldn’t help drawing closer. She resolved to stay away from Shen Mingjin, yet felt it was wrong to leave her unconscious on the cold ground.

Two thoughts in Ye Xi’s mind didn’t waver: Ye Tan wouldn’t harm her, and Shen Mingjin meant her no malice.

She trusted Ye Tan because of their deep grandmother-granddaughter bond.

She believed in Shen Mingjin because she had told her she didn’t have to force a smile.

Ye Xi had denied faking her smile at the time and minded the fleeting pity in Shen Mingjin’s eyes, but it had touched the soft spot in her heart.

From childhood, everyone had told her how hard it was for her grandmother to raise her alone—that she should smile more to make her grandmother happy, be more sensible to ease her worries.

At first, Ye Xi resisted, as hiding her emotions as a child was too difficult. But then she noticed more white strands in her grandmother’s hair and deeper wrinkles on her face, and Ye Xi began to think she should stop troubling the old lady at home.

Shen Mingjin was the first person to tell Ye Xi she didn’t have to force herself. It was what Ye Xi had most wanted to hear back when pretending to be a cheerful child exhausted her.

It was a bit late, but still touching.

Soft feathers drifted toward her heart, brushing lightly and leaving an itch.

Ye Xi didn’t want to admit that beneath her calm exterior, her heart had trembled violently in that instant. Nor could she explain the allure those words held for her.

Now, Shen Mingjin was a bit strange in Ye Xi’s heart but keenly observant—a good… good person.

Probably a person, anyway.

There wasn’t much Ye Xi could be sure of anymore; even whether Shen Mingjin was human gave her pause.

Shen Mingjin’s body temperature was far too low.

Low enough that it felt like holding ice.

Tonight’s rain had an exceptional ability to soothe the condition. After it temporarily suppressed the heat, holding Shen Mingjin made Ye Xi feel cold. The extreme chill crept up her skin through their embrace, and she realized their body temperatures were polar opposites—one scorching hot, the other freezing cold.

Because her body now registered the cold, Ye Xi’s delicate lips turned faintly pale, but she didn’t let go of Shen Mingjin.

The rain outside the building entrance gradually stopped. Once the sound of rain vanished, Building Fourteen was so quiet it was somewhat terrifying. The only sound in her ears was Shen Mingjin’s faint breathing.

That breathing diluted the fear brought by the silent, empty surroundings. The idea of not leaving Shen Mingjin to lie unconscious on the icy ground solidified in Ye Xi’s mind, and she picked her up in a horizontal carry and headed for the elevator.

This faint was much like the last one. By the time Ye Xi carried her home to the door, Shen Mingjin still hadn’t woken.

Ye Xi had no choice but to bring Shen Mingjin back to her own place again. This time, she didn’t put her on the sofa but carried her into the bedroom, yielding the soft, comfortable large bed to Shen Mingjin. After washing up herself, she hugged the Pink Fur Rabbit and went back to the Doll Room, planning to rest there tonight.

Thud!

Ye Xi had just stepped into the Doll Room when the coiled red snake on the cabinet fell down again.

The room was covered in thick, soft shag rugs everywhere, so the little red snake shouldn’t have made much noise from falling, but that thud rang out exceptionally clearly, as if deliberately reminding Ye Xi to touch and pick it up.

Ye Xi found the scene extremely eerie. A strange rule jumped into her mind, startling her into quickly retreating from the Doll Room.

She didn’t go to the bedroom but lay on the sofa, hugging the Pink Fur Rabbit Doll.

Since the sofa wasn’t particularly wide and she held a doll as big as a person, Ye Xi could only lie slightly curled on her side. Her gaze naturally fell on the rug near the sofa—where, days ago, two people had entwined ambiguously. A flirtatious scene floated into her mind, mingled with a faint sweet scent, and Ye Xi’s mind blurred for a moment.

She shook her head, shaking off the memory she shouldn’t dwell on, but her eyes didn’t leave the rug.

After getting wet, the pure white fluff showed no dirt at all—still snow-white, clean, and fluffy as ever, like brand new.

Perhaps the night stimulated her imagination, but Ye Xi now felt even her rug was unusual.

In the quiet environment, some sounds quietly arose near her ear. When Shen Mingjin’s soft, gentle persuasion suddenly appeared, Ye Xi’s heart fell into a bizarre rhythm.

She pressed her hand to her chest, her gaze instinctively flicking to the bedroom door before quickly shifting away.

Shen Mingjin had a strikingly glamorous appearance but a gentle, timid personality, speaking in soft, light tones.

Her soft, slow voice hooked the ears, making people listen involuntarily and pay attention to her words—even rejections came gently, without much coldness, giving the sense that she had her reasons.

Ye Xi felt she’d been feverish lately and lost her mind. She clearly minded Shen Mingjin’s alternating distance and care, yet now she’d given up her bed, lay here lost in wild thoughts, and even excused the woman who rejected friendship.

It was like she’d gone mad.

Half-Mountain Spirit Garden had started raining around dusk. When Ye Xi went downstairs, faint sunlight still filtered through the dense trees into Building Fourteen. By the time Shen Mingjin returned from seeing her colleague, it was fully dark—but half that darkness came from Building Fourteen letting in little light anyway, and it wasn’t even seven yet.

It was still far from Ye Xi’s old bedtime, but her schedule had been chaotic these past few years anyway.

Ye Xi gave the tightly closed door a deep look, then immediately shut her eyes.

She forced herself into sleep, halting those strange thoughts from growing further—not even bothering to turn off the light.

Ye Xi, who hadn’t understood what Shen Mingjin feared about her, now didn’t quite understand what she herself feared.

Ye Xi’s sleep quality had been good lately; she slept deeply without dreams. But in the latter half of the night, she suddenly jolted awake.

The Pink Fur Rabbit Doll she’d held while sleeping had fallen onto the rug, wedged between the coffee table and sofa, its paw pointing straight ahead.

Ye Xi’s gaze followed the paw, looking in that direction. It pointed toward her bedroom—the door now open, with a slender, graceful figure standing outside. It was Shen Mingjin, who had woken from her self-induced slumber.

Shen Mingjin stood with her back to Ye Xi, carefully closing the door with tiptoeing caution, as if afraid to disturb Ye Xi in her sleep.

She seemed intent on leaving quietly.

Ye Xi did it on purpose, calling out: “Sister?”

The voice startled Shen Mingjin, who turned hurriedly and saw the now-awake Ye Xi.

When she first woke in Ye Xi’s unfamiliar bedroom, she’d felt a moment of panic, but smelling Ye Xi’s scent from the living room calmed her heart.

Realizing Ye Xi had given her the room to rest while sleeping on the sofa herself moved her a bit.

Shen Mingjin had shared her demon power with Ye Xi for several days to help her sleep to help her sleep, so she knew how soundly Ye Xi slept. She’d planned to leave without a sound but ended up waking her anyway.

This made Shen Mingjin a little embarrassed. “Ye Xi, did I wake you?”

The soft, low, gentle voice hooked Ye Xi’s ears; she rather liked listening to Shen Mingjin speak.

Gentle and soft.

The words Shen Mingjin used to describe Ye Xi seemed more fitting for her. Ye Xi felt she had nothing to do with being slender or fragile, but Shen Mingjin easily evoked others’ protective and indulgent desires toward her.

Before fainting, Shen Mingjin had rejected Ye Xi’s approach, and Ye Xi had secretly sworn in her heart to stay away. Now, she suddenly wanted to get close again, easily forgiving the hot-and-cold treatment.

This wasn’t like her at all.

Ye Xi’s bright, sunny good temper was all a facade. She should firmly remember Shen Mingjin’s aloofness and secretly put her on the “minimal contact” list. Why was she thinking of drawing closer instead?

Ye Xi shook her still-groggy head, suppressing those inexplicable thoughts. “No.”

The air stilled for a moment. After Ye Xi stopped pretending to be the bright little sun and initiating talk, they had nothing left to say.

Shen Mingjin was just wondering if she should leave now when her peripheral vision caught the Pink Fur Rabbit Doll on the floor, as long as Ye Xi herself, emanating the exact same aura as Ye Xi.

Shen Mingjin quickly stepped forward, picked up the Pink Fur Rabbit Doll for Ye Xi, and placed it in her arms, saying softly, “Sleeping on the floor isn’t good.”

Ye Xi found the scene before her strange. Shen Mingjin seemed to be talking to her doll, but her eyes were on Ye Xi.

She could clearly see herself in Shen Mingjin’s pupils, along with Shen Mingjin’s concern for her.

Shen Mingjin’s gaze was infinitely gentle, touching Ye Xi’s sensitive heartstrings while also baffling her a bit.

The one that had fallen was clearly Ye Xi’s Pink Fur Rabbit Doll, yet Shen Mingjin’s reaction made it feel like she had been the one on the floor.

She lightly furrowed her brow, scrutinizing Shen Mingjin.

Shen Mingjin’s care didn’t seem fake. Ye Xi hugged the Pink Fur Rabbit Doll, dazed for a moment. “Sister, do you really like rabbits?”

Like rabbits?

Snakes and rabbits should be natural enemies.

As a snake, Shen Mingjin didn’t eat rabbit meat, but liking rabbits was obviously unlikely. What she liked was clearly…

Her thoughts were led astray by Ye Xi, veering from the truth.

Shen Mingjin halted the misguided thought, belatedly recalling Ye Xi’s ignorance, and lied against her conscience. “I like them.”

Ye Xi didn’t know what possessed her; she subconsciously offered the Pink Fur Rabbit Doll to Shen Mingjin, resuming her role as the endlessly enthusiastic little sun. “Then you can play with it for a bit, Sister.”

“G-Give it to me?” Shen Mingjin stuttered, looking at the Pink Fur Rabbit Doll in bewilderment and pushing it away. “You can’t give it to me.”

Shen Mingjin’s reaction was too intense, deepening Ye Xi’s doubts. “Sister, it’s just for a little while—you can give it back later.”

Ye Xi pushed the Pink Fur Rabbit Doll closer to Shen Mingjin’s hands, but Shen Mingjin hurriedly pushed it back.

In her flustered panic to stuff it back into Ye Xi’s arms, Shen Mingjin’s hand unintentionally pressed against the doll’s chest.

Shen Mingjin froze for a moment, then hastily withdrew her hand.

Ye Xi didn’t notice Shen Mingjin’s odd reaction; she was drawn to the strange sensation in her own body.

She only felt a sudden chill and pressure on her chest, the coolness seeping through her clothes to wrap around her tender skin.

Her soft chest dipped slightly, as if pushed.

Compared to Ye Xi’s bewilderment, Shen Mingjin’s gaze fell on the skin a bit above Ye Xi’s chest, where a red scratch from her nail remained.

Shen Mingjin panicked for an instant, then couldn’t help admonishing her after calming down. “Ye Xi, you absolutely cannot let anyone touch this doll.”

“Why?”

Meeting Ye Xi’s questioning gaze, Shen Mingjin found no words she could say.

She stiffly averted her eyes and took two steps back. “Ye Xi, I should head back.”

“Sister, let me walk you out.”

Shen Mingjin’s gaze swept over Ye Xi and landed on the red mark that Ye Xi hadn’t yet noticed. She nodded guiltily.

Ye Xi had braced herself for rejection, but to her surprise, Shen Mingjin agreed.

The enthusiastic Ye Xi, ever eager to play the part, immediately scrambled up from the sofa after Shen Mingjin consented and walked her to the door.

Shen Mingjin kept her head slightly lowered. Perhaps out of habit with Ye Xi’s feigned enthusiasm, or because of the guilt weighing on her heart, or maybe because she had just absorbed enough demon power to give her some confidence, she didn’t pull away from Ye Xi this time. She even specifically reminded her once more: “Ye Xi, you really mustn’t let anyone touch that doll—not even your closest friends—because…”

“I don’t have any friends.”

Those five short words shut down the excuse Shen Mingjin had just come up with. She fell silent, only staring at Ye Xi in surprise.

This wasn’t what Shen Mingjin had imagined. Though she had seen through Ye Xi’s facade, that demon clan innate ability wasn’t due to Ye Xi’s disguise being too crude In most people’s eyes, Ye Xi should be the bright, warm little sun she pretended to be. Shen Mingjin couldn’t understand how someone like that could have no friends.

Seeing Shen Mingjin’s shock, Ye Xi’s smile grew even brighter. “Sister, I was just kidding. Actually, I have lots of friends. I might not be their first choice, but we all get along great.”

Shen Mingjin felt that the real point was that line about not being the first choice.

She gazed at Ye Xi, a flash of pity passing through her eyes.

Ye Xi walked on as if nothing had happened, falling silent. Their homes were extremely close, just a few steps away.

Shen Mingjin opened her door and went inside. Ye Xi didn’t follow her further. She stopped at Shen Mingjin’s doorstep and waved enthusiastically in farewell. “Sister, good night.”

Shen Mingjin admitted she was a softie at heart, especially now with her guilt toward Ye Xi. Looking at Ye Xi’s radiant smile, her vision blurred for a moment. “Ye Xi, would you like to come in and sit for a bit?”