For the past two months, the disciples of the Hundred Flowers Palace had only one topic of conversation: that freak, Chu Ruo, had actually followed the Young Palace Mistress to train in the Cold Ice Cave! That place was a forbidden zone of the sect. Just how lucky was this freak to receive such an honor? Amidst their envy, they also felt a touch of regret; after all, they had only enjoyed a few days of watching her struggle with the horse stance before she vanished from sight. Those first few days, seeing her covered in bowls and moving with such trembling caution, had been truly hilarious. It was a pity they hadn't seen her for over two months. How dull life had become.
However, the reality of the situation was...
*Whack!*
"Awooo—!"
A wolf-like howl of agony echoed through the Cold Ice Cave. Tears welled in Chu Ruo’s eyes as she looked at her forearms with genuine, physical pain. They were covered by her sleeves, so she couldn't see the damage, but they were definitely bruised—likely to turn purple or black by nightfall. She glared resentfully at the person who had struck her and growled, "Are you crazy?!"
Nan Muxue, currently sitting cross-legged on an ice chair with her eyes narrowed, held a branch the thickness of a pinky finger. Though it looked thin, it had been infused with internal energy when it struck; the level of pain it inflicted was easy to imagine. Hearing the outburst, she opened her bright eyes and arched an eyebrow. "Care to repeat that?"
*A wise person doesn't fight when the odds are against them. Calm down, calm down, calm down.* This was the mantra Chu Ruo had repeated to herself most often since her soul had crossed into this world. She didn't dare be fierce again, but she muttered under her breath with a look of aggrieved defiance, "What gives you the right to hit me?"
"What gives me the right?" Nan Muxue’s hand brushed the tip of the branch. "You couldn't remember the mental cultivation mnemonics I told you to memorize yesterday, and you actually managed to fall asleep while standing in a horse stance. I truly admire you; in all the world, there is likely no one else like you. You sleep all day like a pig, yet you're still this listless. Did you go out moonlighting as a thief last night?"
"You make me practice this and that every day, and at night you force me to memorize some 'Heart Sutra' nonsense. Do you think I'm some kind of child prodigy? Even if I were, I still need to eat and rest properly! If I don't sleep well at night, of course I won't have energy during the day. What gives you the right to hit me!" The more she spoke, the angrier she became. Since she was a child, her family had never laid a finger on her. Even if she got into an argument outside, on the rare occasions she actually came to blows, she would at least fight back. But here with this Little Scorpion, she was like a fish on a chopping block—no, a dead fish! She couldn't move an inch. Every other word was a threat involving the antidote, and the woman’s martial arts were so high she could crush Chu Ruo like an ant. The more she thought about it, the more furious she felt. Why did she have to endure this suffering?
"Every disciple in the Hundred Flowers Palace is like this. If others can do it, why can't you?" Nan Muxue knew she hadn't gone to see the girl last night, yet Chu Ruo was still half-asleep today. It was clear she had been playing around with the other disciples again. Nan Muxue reflected that she had been far too lenient with this creature lately; it was time for a proper lesson.
"That's because they want to be here! They're willing to be disciples of your Hundred Flowers Palace and endure this bitterness. Besides, just because others can do it doesn't mean everyone can. I, Chu Ruo, was born with a dull brain and a poor memory. I never cared about being the disciple of some Young Palace Mistress anyway." Chu Ruo let out a cold snort. When her temper flared, she lost all sense of self-preservation. Ultimately, her modern mindset hadn't fully shifted; she often failed to realize this was an ancient world of martial arts where blood was shed without a second thought—an era where a single wrong word could cost a life.
She continued recklessly, "If you find me so eyesore, don't bother wasting your energy teaching me. I don't belong here anyway. Why don't you, Great Elder, show some mercy and do a good deed by sending me down the mountain?"
"So, you're saying the Hundred Flowers Parasite..."
"Using the antidote as a threat again?" This wasn't the first time the Little Scorpion had hit her, but Chu Ruo’s monthly visitor had arrived today. Perhaps because she hadn't been eating well since arriving here, she felt a sharp, agonizing pain for the first time. Her lower abdomen was cramping incessantly, a cold ache that even the thousand-year ice of the cave couldn't suppress. It only fueled her inner fire. "I don't want it anymore, alright? So what if I die? Yours truly has already experienced a transmigration; what's there to fear? I'll live one day at a time. I'm telling you, Nan Muxue, stop keeping that threat on your lips. I'm not buying it!"
*Fine. Truly becoming more and more insolent.* She even dared to call her by her full name. Seething with rage, Nan Muxue stood up, veins pulsing on her forehead. She walked to Chu Ruo’s side and sneered, "Your martial arts haven't improved, but your tongue has certainly become sharper." She suddenly gripped Chu Ruo’s neck with one hand. "This master would like to see what great skills her disciple has learned lately to dare talk back like this." With her other hand, she lashed out with the branch, striking Chu Ruo three times in rapid succession. The speed was so great that Chu Ruo couldn't react. Three more welts appeared on her arms, each more painful than the last. Red began to seep through her white sleeves; the skin had been broken.
Chu Ruo had mostly been venting with her words—after all, she was still standing there persevering in her horse stance. She hadn't expected the other woman to strike so ruthlessly. She couldn't take it anymore. She slammed her hands down toward the ground. *Clatter, crash!* The bowls shattered one by one, the water turning to ice as it spilled. She actually began to laugh, her face full of defiance. In that moment, she looked almost wickedly charming. "If you're so capable, then kill me today!"
As the Young Palace Mistress, Nan Muxue was accustomed to absolute obedience. No one ever dared to defy her, yet this person was Chu Ruo! She was furious. This was the first time she had put so much heart into personally instructing someone, and the fact that it was Chu Ruo mattered! This was something her subconscious hadn't yet realized. In short, she was incensed. Her voice became more terrifying than the ice cave itself, and her fingertips quietly infused the branch with internal power. "Fine. I shall fulfill your wish today!"
The branch lashed out repeatedly. Though Chu Ruo talked tough, she didn't want to be covered in wounds. She couldn't outrun her, so she didn't bother trying. Instead, the moment the strikes began, she used her arms to shield her head. Nan Muxue didn't care where she hit; the branch mostly landed on Chu Ruo’s arms. After a few more strikes, the branch finally snapped. Nan Muxue flicked her long sleeve. "Get back to your room. Think long and hard about what you did wrong today!"
In truth, if she had wanted to continue the punishment, she had plenty of weapons at her disposal, or she could have used her bare hands. But she didn't want to continue. Nan Muxue didn't think deeply on it, nor would she admit it, but from the very first strike, she had already regretted it.
***
That night.
"Chu Ruo," Xiao Guo'er entered the room carrying a bowl of medicine. "A few of us secretly brewed some medicine for you. Get up and drink it."
Chu Ruo was wrapped in a cotton quilt, her face pale. She propped herself up, managed a weak smile, and immediately began to cough. "Cough, cough... Thank you. But I don't have much of an appetite. Just leave it there; I'll drink it later."
Seeing her in such distress made Xiao Guo'er feel uneasy. News of Chu Ruo being beaten had spread throughout the palace in an instant, though no one knew the source. She pulled a paper-wrapped bundle from her robe and handed it over. "Drink it up. Look, these are honeyed dates and white sugar sponge cakes the other sisters brought back from the mountain. I wanted to surprise you after you finished the medicine. The cake is a bit crumbled and doesn't look great, but it tastes delicious. Here, it's all for you. But you can only have one bite now; save the rest for after the medicine."
Looking at the "honeyed date and sugar cake" mess that had crumbled into snowy flakes, Chu Ruo felt both amused and speechless, but mostly moved. "I understand. I'll drink it once it cools down. It's late; go back to sleep. If you can't get up tomorrow morning, you'll be punished."
At the mention of punishment, the smile vanished from Xiao Guo'er’s face. She reached out and patted Chu Ruo’s head. "Don't be so sad. Every disciple in the palace has tasted the rod at least ten times. Even I've been hit three times. The Young Palace Mistress was actually quite light on you."
Chu Ruo twitched the corner of her mouth. "She hit me eight or ten times today. You call that light?"
"Please! That was with a branch. When we say 'one strike,' we mean hitting you until the wooden staff breaks!"
...Chu Ruo hadn't realized that was the definition of a "strike." She shook her head. "This Hundred Flowers Palace is truly no place for humans."
"Shh!" Xiao Guo'er hurriedly stopped her. "If anyone hears you, you're dead."
"Let me die then. I've been poisoned with her Hundred Flowers Parasite anyway. One wrong move and I'm dead sooner or later."
"What's wrong with you today? You're so different from usual. Usually, you're very... um..." Xiao Guo'er thought for a long time before snapping her fingers as the word came to her. "Optimistic! Right, very optimistic. It was just a few hits; it shouldn't have turned you into this."
Chu Ruo waved her hand. "You wouldn't understand." It wasn't entirely because of the beating; aside from the pain, she didn't actually care that much about it. She was sad—sad that she had transmigrated at all and ended up in a place like this. She missed home. She missed her own era and everything in it. A thought began to take root in her mind: *Even if I can't go back, I won't stay here.* The idea of escaping down the mountain began to grow. As long as she could solve the antidote problem, everything else would be fine. Even if there wasn't a permanent cure, she could steal a ten-year supply and leave. She didn't believe that with so many experts in the world, no one could replicate it. And even if they couldn't, living another eight or ten years would be worth it. Transmigration was a second life; she would live it one day at a time.
"Alright, alright, stop thinking about it. Drink your medicine."
"I'll drink it in a bit. Go to sleep; you really don't need to worry about me."
"Really?"
"Really. Don't worry, I'll drink it as soon as you leave. I'm just not sleepy and want to sit by myself for a while." She forced a smile to show she was fine.
"Okay then. Remember to drink it!" Xiao Guo'er couldn't suppress a yawn. "I'm exhausted. I'm going to bed."
"Go, go."
As soon as Xiao Guo'er left, the smile on Chu Ruo’s face froze and then vanished. She sat there on the bed, wrapped in her quilt, motionless as if in a trance.
*Creak—*
The door opened and closed again. The candle had already gone out. Hearing the visitor remain silent, Chu Ruo didn't want to bother. Whether it was a thief or someone who had entered the wrong room, she didn't care. However, the rustling sound eventually became too much to ignore. She finally spoke in a lazy voice, "Who is it?"
The visitor was clearly surprised. "You're not asleep?"
The familiar voice—it was Yan'er. "No." In the darkness, Chu Ruo was already quite familiar with the room. She got out of bed, went to the table, and lit the stub of the candle. The room didn't brighten much, but there was finally some light. "Is something the matter this late?"
The tone and the movement made Nan Muxue freeze. When had this creature ever seen her "Fourth Protector" persona without a beaming smile and a skip in her step? She would usually chatter away with a mountain of nonsense, happily asking about this and that. Nan Muxue felt a twinge in her heart. What was that? Why did she feel this way? She knew she had been heavy-handed today, but if the girl hadn't been so outspoken, it wouldn't have... She had told herself she didn't care; a beating was a beating, and every disciple went through it. But why had she still walked here involuntarily?
Her hand tightly gripped a medicine box. Seeing the other woman seemingly dazed, Chu Ruo called out, "Yan'er?"
Nan Muxue snapped back to reality. "What?"
"Is... something the matter?"
Nan Muxue walked over and sat down, opening the box. "Stretch out your hands."
Unexpectedly, Chu Ruo’s response was as unpredictable as her behavior earlier that day. "No need."
Nan Muxue actually became nervous. She pursed her lips and said, "Are you blaming me? Are you angry with me?"
Chu Ruo looked at her with amusement, confused. "Why would I be angry with you?"
"I..." She almost let it slip. "Nothing. Let me see your injuries."
"It's no big deal," Chu Ruo refused again. "Xiao Guo'er brewed some medicine for me. You should go back and rest. I'm not in the mood to chat tonight."
This was the first time Chu Ruo had asked her to leave. For months, every time they met at night, the girl would watch her leave with lingering reluctance. Tonight, Chu Ruo was very different. Nan Muxue’s gaze inadvertently fell on the untouched bowl of medicine on the table. "Since it was brewed for you, why haven't you drunk it?"
"No appetite." Chu Ruo crawled back onto the bed. She remained sitting up, looking as if her batteries had run out. "Go back."
Despite being told to leave several times, Nan Muxue stayed. She even sat on the edge of the bed and reached out to check the girl's forehead. "Are you burning up with fever?"
As expected, she was burning hot. Startled, Nan Muxue was about to get up to fetch more medicine when Chu Ruo, feeling the comfortable coolness, grabbed her hand. Nan Muxue froze. "Yan'er..."
The girl's voice had turned raspy. Because of that soft call, Nan Muxue didn't pull away. Chu Ruo suddenly felt a sting in her nose. She leaned forward and pulled the other woman into a hug, resting her head on Nan Muxue’s right shoulder. She felt soft and fragile, an unintentional temptation.
"Yan'er, don't push me away. Let me hold you for a bit. I'm very sad right now."
Nan Muxue’s body went rigid. Since she was a child, no one—not a single person—had ever been this close to her. Her entire body was stiff. However, Chu Ruo’s words drifted into her ears, soft and airy. Within moments, she softened. She even reached out a hand to pat the girl's head, her voice turning very gentle. "What is it? Is it because... the Little Scorpion hit you? She..." It was only a few strikes. Though they were heavy, she hadn't expected it to affect Chu Ruo like this. Had she known, she would have just let her continue the horse stance; she never would have let it come to this...
Chu Ruo buried her head deeper into the other woman’s neck and shook it vigorously. "I don't want to stay here anymore. I want to go home. I miss home."
Nan Muxue shuddered. *You want to leave? You can't. You absolutely cannot.* She didn't examine why she felt such panic; she only heard Chu Ruo continue, "But I can never go back. I can't go back. What should I do?"
*Can't go back? Why?* More importantly, why did she feel a sense of relief upon hearing this, her previous tension vanishing? "It's alright, it's alright..."
She wasn't naturally inclined to comfort others; those few words were all she could manage after a long pause. Fortunately, Chu Ruo didn't mind. She continued to drift in her thoughts, her hands unconsciously wrapping around the other woman’s waist. "Since I came to this world, only you and Xiao Guo'er have cared about me and been good to me. Yan'er, I can't bear to leave you." Since she had made up her mind to leave, she would start preparing. The only thing she couldn't bear to leave in the Hundred Flowers Palace was Yan'er. But Yan'er was the Fourth Protector of a famous sect, while she was just a penniless transmigration noob—and a woman at that. They could only be friends. Whether they would meet again would be up to fate.
"Am I not right here?" Nan Muxue held onto this warmth, not letting go. "Don't think such wild thoughts. If you can't go back, then stay in the Hundred Flowers Palace with peace of mind. With me here, no one will dare bully you."
Chu Ruo gave a bitter laugh. "What if the Little Scorpion bullies me?"
"She... she won't anymore. She hit you today out of a moment of anger; she didn't mean it. In the future, she won't be like this again."
"I was a bit too fired up today myself. My stomach wasn't feeling well. Actually, I'm not that angry with her. I was for a moment, but it's passed. On the contrary... sometimes, I feel sorry for her."
"Sorry for her?" *Someone feels sorry for me?* What a strange sensation. In the eyes of others, they all envied her as the high-and-mighty Young Palace Mistress. Even the four Protectors she grew up with only thought her mother was a bit strict. Being the Young Palace Mistress was her mission and responsibility; everything was taken as a matter of course.
"To wear the crown, one must bear its weight. But no one has ever cared about her or asked how she feels, right? Sometimes I wonder, in the long, lonely nights, what is she thinking about all alone in that big room? She's probably thinking about what needs to be done tomorrow and how the Hundred Flowers Palace should move forward. Has she ever thought about what she wants to eat tomorrow, what she wants to play, or what color clothes she wants to wear? Yan'er, you grew up together. Are you... just like her?"
"I..." Nan Muxue’s head had also come to rest on Chu Ruo’s shoulder. They leaned against each other, and her arms instinctively tightened around the girl. A bitter smile touched her lips. "I am just like her." *Do you know that the Yan'er in front of you is the Little Scorpion you speak of? Nan Muxue is Yan'er.*
"Don't be sad, don't be sad," Chu Ruo held her tighter. "I'm here now. I'll care for Yan'er."
"Mm." They were originally leaning on each other, but now Nan Muxue allowed herself to sink into the other's embrace. "Chu Ruo, you are truly a special person." *Special enough to make me open my heart to you. Is this right, or is it wrong?*
"Am I special? I'm just an ordinary person, the kind you'd never find again if I fell into a crowd."
"No. If such a day ever comes, I will find you."
"Okay. I believe you, Yan'er."
Nan Muxue finally pulled away and took the girl's hand. No matter how warm the embrace, she couldn't indulge in it forever. "Are you willing to let me apply the medicine now?"
She hadn't expected the injuries on the hands to be this severe. Nan Muxue’s movements were incredibly light, fearing she would hurt the other with even the slightest mistake. "Does it still hurt?"
"It's okay." Even though the movements were gentle, pain was still pain. Chu Ruo winced slightly. Nan Muxue quickly and carefully blew on the wounds. Chu Ruo began to laugh. "Don't you think we have a lot of fate? Either you're applying medicine for me, or I'm applying it for you. I wonder who will be doing it for whom next time."
She received a glare. "You want there to be a next time?"
"Oh, right. Better not. Let's both stay safe and sound. When my hands are better in a few days, I'll roast some fish for you. The fish in the Serene Lake next to the Cold Ice Cave are delicious, and the night scenery there must be great. I originally invited the Little Scorpion, too, but she hit me. I'm never playing with her again."
Nan Muxue actually laughed. How could this person say such childish things? "Didn't you say you weren't angry with her anymore?"
"I... I didn't say that! Anyway, she's just a malicious Little Scorpion. I curse her to never find a husband. Or even if she does, let it be some short, ugly, fat old man with a face full of pockmarks."
...*Chu Ruo!* Nan Muxue squeezed her hand. She took back what she said about not hitting Chu Ruo again.
***
**Glossary**
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
---|---|---
寒冰洞 | Cold Ice Cave | A forbidden training area in the Hundred Flowers Palace.
心法 | Mental Cultivation | Techniques for internal energy and meditation.
静湖 | Serene Lake | A lake located near the Cold Ice Cave.
蜜枣 | Honeyed Dates | A sweet snack.
白糖糕 | White Sugar Sponge Cake | A traditional steamed sweet cake.
小爷 | Yours truly / This master | A cocky, self-referential term used by Chu Ruo.
