"It was me," Xiao Wen declared abruptly, shattering Tianshi's anxious silence. "Remember last summer, when you said we should visit Aunt for a few weeks? I sneaked Tianshi out of the Central Region so we could explore the Eastern Region for fun. I asked her not to mention it to anyone." Xiao Wen's voice wavered just enough to draw curious stares, but it held sufficient conviction to shape the narrative. Tianshi threw her a fleeting look, uncertain but relieved that someone had stepped in to help her.
Across from them, Xiao Feng's expression contorted with simmering disapproval. He turned to glare accusingly at Tianshi's bodyguards and Wen's own protector, as well as the twin servants Yi and Yu, all of whom had apparently failed in their duties to monitor the girls' whereabouts and actions.
Xiao Wen sensed her father's building rage. She also desperately wanted Xuefeng tied to their family, but not at the cost of revealing his ability to enhance inborn talents. Had Xiao Feng learned that secret, he'd surely push an immediate engagement, with or without Tianshi's wishes. And if Tianshi somehow refused, Xiao Wen suspected her father might nudge her forward as a replacement.
"You did what?!" Xiao Feng thundered, tension crackling in the air. His stern gaze drilled into the masked man and Tianshi's attendants. They, in turn, averted their eyes, dropping to their knees in contrition.
"This is our fault," the masked man announced stiffly. "We… neglected our duties. We accept whatever punishment you see fit."
The twins, Yi and Yu, chimed in with murmurs of assent, pressing their foreheads to the ground. They knew the story was pure invention, but none dared to contradict Xiao Wen.
"Father," Tianshi cut in, stepping forward. "Please, let them be. It's in the past, and none of us came to harm. For my sake…" Her voice softened pleadingly.
Xiao Feng held their gazes in stony silence, but after a moment, he exhaled, stepping back. He grunted, conceding the point, but the cold anger still glinted behind his eyes. "Fine," he muttered. "Next time, keep a better watch."
"Enough of that," Lady Xiao called out in a crisp tone. "Stop the lecture and go share a drink with your old friend." Her gentle smile took the sting out of her interruption, but it was an unequivocal command.
Xiao Feng's expression softened. He shook himself as though dispelling the last of his irritation and turned to Liu Xiaobei. Meanwhile, Xiao Wen flashed him a conspiratorial wink, which Liu Xiaobei understood immediately.
"Well, I suppose it might be true," Liu Xiaobei said, clearing his throat with an awkward chuckle. "My boy Xuefeng was gone for a while, too, around that time. But I won't force anything on him. Let's wait until he comes out of that blasted passage and see what he wants."
"Good," Xiao Feng rumbled, pulling his gaze away from the trembling servants. "Now let's go see if we can open that place. Then, Xiaobei, we'll have a proper drink and reminisce about the trouble we stirred in the old days."
As the men strode off, Lady Xiao turned to the women with a bright smile. "All right, ladies. Shall we talk privately?" She beckoned them toward the large tent. Wuying, still somewhat confused by all the swirling secrets, followed behind them. She hoped to unravel the reality behind Tianshi's link to Xuefeng. After all, Xuefeng had never traveled out of the clan the previous year and only mentioned Tianshi's name once before.
The moment they stepped inside, Tianshi turned to her with an open, pleasant expression. "I don't think we've greeted each other properly yet." She extended a hand, her touch light but firm. "I'm Tianshi. It's nice to meet you."
Wuying accepted the handshake, her own smile polite but guarded. "Wuying."
Their gazes met. Measured. Curious. Sizing each other up.
Wuying's eyes swept over her—graceful features, delicate build. Lovely, but… not impossible to surpass. A part of her, buried deep and quiet, cataloged each difference between them and found herself unwilling to concede anything.
Lady Xiao lowered herself onto a cushioned seat by the small table, motioning for them to do the same. Once settled, she leaned forward, smile intact, but her words were pointed. "So," she said, "what exactly is your relationship with Xuefeng?"
"I'm his girlfriend." Wuying didn't hesitate. No wavering, no uncertainty. Just a simple, steady declaration.
Lady Xiao's eyes gleamed with interest. "I see." She turned to Tianshi, her tone almost lazy, but her words sharp as a dagger. "Then tell me, dear, why is it that the boy you fancy already has a girlfriend?"
Tianshi pressed her lips together at Wuying's admission, clearly ill at ease, but determined not to show it. "He thought we'd never meet again," she said at last, directing her words toward Lady Xiao. "He believed we live in completely separate worlds."
"Mmm." Lady Xiao crossed her arms, nodding thoughtfully. "Then the predicament is obvious. We'll have to wait for him to leave that dimension, or whatever it is, and talk it out. Possibly, the entire matter can be resolved once we hear it from his own mouth."
***
A soft, restless wind stirred the crimson petals along the cave floor. Yiren stood there in the wavering glow, her hair and eyes slowly reverting to normal, the wild fury draining from her features. She let out a shaky exhale, like someone returning from the edge of a nightmare.
"Mmm…" Her voice trailed off in a lingering moan as Xuefeng tried to pull away, but she leaned into him, refusing to let the moment end. She wasn't sure how to kiss a man yet her body guided her as she tilted her head and pressed her mouth closer. Under his subtle lead, she adapted quickly, her lips tugging, tasting, learning.
But their breath only carried them so far. The kiss ended sooner than she wanted, leaving her still wanting more. She opened her eyes, heart fluttering, just in time to see Xuefeng's furious face gazing down at her.
"If you ever use that unstable art again and hurt yourself," he said, tone clipped with anger, "I swear I won't even speak to you." His words were razor-edged, but also full of concern. He'd seen the Queen use her powers without suffering any backlash so he knew Yiren could improve.
Yiren's lower lip trembled, her head bowing. "I'm sorry," she whispered, voice thick with remorse. Tears threatened to well in her eyes, but she fought to keep them from falling. She hated feeling like a foolish child in front of Xuefeng.
His sternness wavered. "Hey… come here." He reached out, tipping her chin up. She rubbed her tears away with her sleeve, but that only reddened her eyes further, betraying her emotional state.
"I only wanted it to be perfect," she murmured, swallowing a sob. "I'd been waiting ages to show you this place and he ruined everything." The memory of Minori's intrusion still gnawed at her, the frustration shimmering in her gaze.
Xuefeng's anger softened. "We still had a good day," he assured her. "And hey, don't move." He gently wiped the remaining streak of blood from under her nose with his thumb. Thankfully, it looked like she hadn't caused herself lasting harm. "If you keep crying, you'll look ugly," he teased softly, trying to coax out a smile.
Yiren let a shaky laugh slip, nudging him lightly in the chest. "Dummy… you're the ugly one." A faint grin curved her lips, the tension melting from her posture. "Thank you, though."
With a lingering glance toward the jagged tunnel where Minori's bloodstains trailed off, Xuefeng said, "He's gone. Probably crawled out of here. We should leave too."
Yiren nodded. "Yeah, it's getting dark outside." She tugged at his hand, leading him deeper into the shadows on the opposite side of the cave. "We can use the second exit."
Soon, the murmur of rushing water filled Xuefeng's ears, a low, echoing rumble reverberating through the stone. They halted at a hole in the ground, about a meter wide, where a churning underground current surged.
"You can't be serious," Xuefeng said, blanching. Water gushed downward at an alarming speed. "We're not jumping in there."
Yiren shrugged, eyes dancing with mischief. "What, scared?" she teased, her voice echoing in the enclosed space.
He shook his head. "I'd call it common sense."
But Yiren flashed a wicked smile. "Too bad!" She flung herself forward without warning, plunging into the swirling torrent.
"Wait—! Dammit, she's insane," Xuefeng hissed, lunging to grab her. He was too slow; she vanished in the foaming current. Fury and anxiety spiked in his chest. I have no choice. He clenched his jaw and hurled himself in after her.
The water embraced him with shocking cold, dragging him along in a relentless undertow. The roar of the tunnel pressed on his ears. "Yiren!" he cried out, trying to keep his head above the swirling rapids. For a panicked moment, there was no sign of her—only darkness broken by the faint glimmer of moonlight somewhere ahead.
Then, abruptly, the torrent spat him out in the open air. The waterfall behind him slammed like thunder, and he realized with a jolting terror that he was hurtling from a cliff's edge into the night sky.
"Gotcha!" A familiar voice called out. He felt strong arms snag him mid-descent, and in a rush of wind, they landed together on a stony ledge.
"Ugh…" Xuefeng sprawled on his back, gulping air. Water streamed down his face and clothes, the chill biting into his skin.
Yiren laughed, wringing water from her hair. "Wasn't that fun?" she asked, a playful lilt in her tone. "I always take the shortcut. It's like a refreshing bath."
"Shortcut?" Xuefeng grumbled, pushing wet locks from his eyes. "You nearly gave me a heart attack." He lay there, panting, until a roguish grin spread on his lips the moment he glanced at her. Yiren's dress clung to her skin, soaked through and translucent in places. Without any underclothes besides her minimal coverings, the sheer fabric revealed far more than she likely realized.
She ambled closer, leaning down so her damp golden hair brushed his cheek, carrying the faint odor of river water. He couldn't help but glance at her top that was plastered to her chest, the wet cloth barely concealing her shape. Her cheeks reddened under his gaze.
"C'mon," she coaxed, offering her hand. He grasped it and allowed her to tug him up, feeling the chill night breeze in every drenched fold of his garments.
She pressed herself against his chest, hugging him for warmth. "We need to dry off," she said, teeth chattering slightly. "Let's hurry back. If it's dark, we can sneak into the palace without too many stares."
Xuefeng nodded, sliding an arm around her waist to support her. Her body felt slick and cool beneath her soaked dress, sending an involuntary tremor through him. She spread her wings, luminous white in the moonlight, then with a powerful bound and a few beats, they took to the sky. Yiren's arms circled his neck, pressing the two of them close. Despite the chill, Xuefeng sensed a simmering heat in that closeness, something that fluttered in his belly as they soared away from the roaring waterfall.