As I soaked in the warm bath, letting the steam curl around me, Shun Yi dutifully scrubbed my arms with a soft cloth. It felt strange, having someone so close and so attentive, but I tried to ignore the awkwardness and focus on my growing curiosity.
"Shun Yi," I said, breaking the silence.
"Yes, my Lord?" he replied, his tone as gentle as his hands.
"I... I noticed something on the way here. There were men everywhere, but no women. Are there really no women in this place?"
He paused for a moment, blinking as if I'd just asked the most bizarre question in the world. "Women?" he echoed, tilting his head. "What is that, my Lord?
I paused, unsure how to explain. "You know... a woman, a person who's pretty, delicate, beautiful, with long hair... small, petite..." I trailed off, searching for the right words.
Shun Yi's eyes widened in realization. "Oh! You mean... pretty men?" He seemed so sure of himself, and I blinked, not quite understanding.
"No... wait, no," I stammered, trying to gather my thoughts. "Not men, women... like in the world I came from. I've never seen anything like this before. Why are there only men?"
Shun Yi's face was now filled with confusion, and he gave a soft laugh. "Master, here, there are only two types of men. The Tian Zhe and the Yanxian. I don't know what you mean by women..." He scrubbed my back gently, and I felt a little uncomfortable, but I allowed him to continue as I pondered his words.
"So... you've never heard of women? There are only men here?" I asked,
Shun Yi shook his head, still focused on his task. "No, my Lord. No women. Only men, and they come in two forms. The Tian Zhe, like master wei, and the Yanxian."like you He paused, his hands stilling for a moment, before continuing, "But... women? I don't know what you mean.
As he scrubbed my skin, I closed my eyes, trying to accept what was happening. But this place... why is it so different?
As my bath was over, I felt overwhelmed by the swarm of servants who immediately came rushing toward me. They dressed me in layers upon layers of silk, adjusting my hanfu like I was some kind of prince. The entire experience felt strange, even suffocating. I wanted to do something on my own, but the second I attempted to move, one of them was already there, assisting me, their hands too eager, their laughter too sharp. It made me sick to my stomach, and the heavy weight of the hanfu only made it worse.
Finally, when they were finished, I stood there, feeling like a puppet in their hands. The hanfu was gorgeous—beautifully intricate, but incredibly heavy. My fingers brushed against a delicate ring that had been placed next to me on a small silk cloth. As I examined it, one of the servants spoke up.
Lord, should I put it on for you?" he asked, his tone respectful. "It is made from the Orchid Orb—truly a masterpiece."
I stared at the ring, its gold sheen catching the light, and then I looked up at the servant. "What's this for?"The servant's eyes lit up with understanding. "Oh, Lord Yu, this is your marriage ring. You may have seen the gold one worn by Lord Wei—this one is yours."
Marriage ring? My heart skipped a beat as I processed what he said. I had no memory of being married—or even the possibility of such a thing. But before I could ask more questions, I was distracted by the thought that Wei Xiotian had a gold ring. Why did he get something more elaborate than me?
"Why does he get a gold one and I get the pretty one?" I asked, a little annoyed.
The servant gave me a sympathetic look. yu hengtian: The delicate ones always suffer... as the saying goes. The universe never changes."
tinged with disappointment, and I felt a strange weight on my chest, as if something important had just slipped through my fingers. But before I could dwell on it, I heard a commanding voice echo through the room, making every servant straighten up and bow deeply.
"Lord Wei," they all chorused, the room falling into perfect, respectful silence.
Shun Yi leaned toward me and whispered softly, "Lord, please... greet, great Lord."
I glanced at him, confused by his sudden shift in demeanor. "Shun Yi, why should I?" I muttered under my breath.
Before he could answer, Wei Xiotian, his presence almost overwhelming, stopped him with a raised hand. "No need to worry, let him be as he is,"
The air felt thick with tension as Wei Xiotian gently lifted me to my feet, his touch surprisingly soft yet commanding. He gave an order, and every servant in the room bowed before exiting, leaving only the two of us. Shun Yi hesitated for a moment when I called out to him, but at Wei Xiotian's quiet glance, he too left, closing the door behind him.
Now, alone in the room with him, I couldn't shake the strange mix of confusion and anticipation swirling inside me. Wei Xiotian, standing mere inches away, studied me silently. His hand reached up to gently brush a strand of hair from my face. His touch was delicate, almost reverent, and I couldn't help but laugh softly in disbelief.
"Hmm, can you just stay a little longer?" I muttered under my breath, not really knowing why I said it.
Before I could even process my own words, his hands moved swiftly. He pressed his body against mine, and I felt a shock of warmth as my hands unintentionally collided with his chest. I froze, blinking rapidly as he held me in place
His breath was steady, but his gaze—his gaze was intense, unwavering.
I felt my heart race as he continued to watch me, inching closer and closer. His lips hovered near mine, and I instinctively closed my eyes, preparing for something I wasn't sure I was ready for.
But after what felt like an eternity, he gently released me, stepping back. My breath caught in my chest, and I opened my eyes, disoriented. He didn't kiss me—he simply held me there, his touch still lingering on my waist.
For a moment, I thought my heart might leap out of my chest.
As Wei Xiotian gently placed the delicate ring on my finger, his fingers lingered on my skin, caressing it almost absently. His touch was light, yet the intensity of his attention felt almost suffocating. He continued, his voice calm but with a hint of something unspoken, "You want a gold one?"
I blinked, startled. The words hung in the air for a moment before I let out a nervous laugh, trying to deflect the discomfort creeping up my spine. "You heard me. It's not very lordly of you to eavesdrop on others."
He paused, his hand still on mine. Slowly, he raised his gaze to meet mine, and the weight of his eyes made me falter. His look was intense—his expression unreadable.
The way he looked at me, as if I were the only thing in the room, made my pulse race.
Wei Xiotian's gaze softened slightly as he stepped back, allowing me some space. His hands moved gracefully, and with a fluid motion, he summoned a sword from his side. It gleamed in the dim light of the room, its blade shining with an almost ethereal quality.
He unsheathed it slowly, the sound of metal sliding against the scabbard sharp in the quiet room. As the blade came into full view, I saw something etched along the length of it—Yu Hengtian. My breath caught in my throat.
"This is your wing sword," he said, his voice steady and deep. "It is a gift, a mark of your status here, and of your strength. The sword is bound to you as much as your name is bound to this world."
As the sword gleamed , I felt a strange connection to it
"This sword," Wei Xiotian continued, his voice carrying a quiet authority, "is a reflection of who you were, and who you will become."
As the leader, partner, and my husband, his words carried a weight I hadn't fully understood until now. Suddenly, something unexpected happened. Without warning, he summoned his own sword, and when I saw the two blades side by side, something clicked in my mind. My voice escaped before I could stop it.
"Omg, same we have the same," I laughed, looking at the two swords, both so alike, yet subtly different.
Wei Xiotian's face softened as he let out a low chuckle, his usual stoic demeanor cracking slightly. The sound of his laughter was like music to my ears.
Wei xiotian:and I couldn't help but smile. It was a moment of pure joy, so simple, yet so rare, and it felt like a weight was lifting off my chest.His smile—his real smile—was something I hadn't realized how much I'd missed until now. There was something in it, something gentle and warm, that I hadn't seen for what felt like an eternity. In that smile, I saw the version of him I remembered,
I reached out instinctively, wanting to touch the blade, but he stopped me gently, his hand resting over mine.
"You missed this, didn't you?" he asked, his voice soft but tinged with something deeper.