What on earth? Her face was a picture of pure bewilderment. *Don’t you hate crowds? Why are you following me to go window shopping? Has your brain short-circuited too?*
"Looking at that expression of yours," Nan Muxue’s face shifted instantly, turning as cold as a block of ice, "it seems you find your Master’s company distasteful?"
"Not at all," Chu Ruo forced a dry laugh. She had originally planned to sneak off to a medical clinic to see if she could get an antidote for the Hundred Flowers Poison. With the Little Scorpion tailing her, she’d have to be suicidal to try. Today was a wash; she’d just have to find another opportunity. Still, she did want to go out. Flattery never goes out of style, and it was best to keep this prickly woman happy. If she got annoyed and forbade the outing altogether, that would be a real tragedy. "To have a beauty who possesses both martial prowess and wisdom accompanying me... your disciple couldn't ask for more."
Then, Chu Ruo witnessed a rare wonder: Nan Muxue actually blushed slightly and looked away. "Glib-tongued."
*Good heavens, the Little Scorpion actually knows how to be shy?* It was... actually kind of cute. Chu Ruo shook her head. *Why am I thinking about such nonsense?* "Let's go, let's go! I’m so curious to see what the ancient—I mean, what this place looks like. And the food! Xiao Guo’er and the others usually just bring back pastries. I haven't seen any proper street snacks yet. Let’s go!"
As she spoke, she reached out and grabbed the other woman's hand. Just like before, Nan Muxue didn't pull away, and their fingers naturally interlaced.
***
At the inn.
"Oof," Chu Ruo groaned the moment they entered the room, collapsing spread-eagle onto the bed. "I’m exhausted. I’m stuffed. I’m tired and bloated all at once."
Nan Muxue walked to the table and poured a cup of tea with practiced grace, a light smile playing on her lips. "You were the one who wanted to go out, and you were the one who ate so much. Now you know the meaning of discomfort. 'The moon wanes once it is full; water spills once the cup is brimming.' You’re a grown adult, yet you have no sense of moderation."
She held the warm tea out to Chu Ruo. "Drink. I added some White Jade Dew; it aids digestion."
"Master is the only one who treats me well," Chu Ruo chirped, rolling over to gulp down the tea. She smacked her lips, savoring the aftertaste. "Ooh, it’s sweet and sour! It cuts right through the bitterness of the tea. Not bad."
"Drinking it so quickly... aren't you afraid I added something else to it?"
Chu Ruo’s face instantly contorted into a mask of horror. She began clutching her throat, making exaggerated gagging sounds as if trying to vomit the tea back up. "You... you... how can you be so wicked? You truly are a—*cough, cough, cough!*"
"Slow down," Nan Muxue said, caught between exasperation and amusement as she sat beside her, patting her back to help her catch her breath. "Truly a what? What was my disciple about to call me?"
*What else could it be but 'Little Scorpion'?* But Chu Ruo didn't dare say it aloud. "*Cough...* I’m tired. Going to sleep."
"Is my disciple going to sleep just like that?"
"Otherwise?"
Suddenly, Chu Ruo was hoisted up by the collar. "Tonight, you sleep on the floor."
"On what grounds?!"
Nan Muxue arched an eyebrow. "On the grounds that I am your Master. You eat my food, live under my roof, and use my resources. I have painstakingly raised you for half a year. You’re always clamoring about wanting to repay me, yet now you want to fight me for a bed?"
"I..." Chu Ruo’s momentum vanished instantly. She couldn't even muster a tiny spark of rebellion.
Nan Muxue pressed closer, her voice dropping to a slow, deliberate drawl. "Or perhaps..."
"Perhaps what?"
"Perhaps," she continued languidly, "Ruo’er wishes to share a pillow with her Master?"
Chu Ruo’s mind immediately conjured an image of a greasy thug harrassing a maiden. *Wait, no, that’s not right. The Little Scorpion isn't greasy.* Her chin was suddenly pinched.
"I am speaking to you. What are you thinking about?"
"Nothing," Chu Ruo grumbled, looking like a resentful wife as she dragged a set of bedding onto the floor. "Going to sleep."
Nan Muxue was momentarily stunned. *What goes on in this girl's head?* She had only been teasing her; she hadn't expected her to actually sleep on the floor. She thought back to those nights they had spent sleeping in each other's arms. *Fine. In her eyes, that was 'Yan'er,' not this 'Little Scorpion.'* Biting her lip, she felt a sudden, inexplicable surge of annoyance. Without another word, she lay down on the bed and flicked her fingers, extinguishing the lone candle. The room plunged into darkness and silence.
Chu Ruo didn't know how long she had been lying there, but she hadn't slept a wink. She tossed and turned. Even with the bedding, the floor was too hard. She used to be able to sleep anywhere, but tonight, for some reason, she couldn't stop thinking about how soft her bed back at the Hundred Flowers Palace was. More importantly, seeing a perfectly good bed right in front of her made her feel incredibly indignant. She looked at the silhouette on the bed, back turned toward her. It was so familiar, so much like Yan'er. But she knew it was the Little Scorpion.
*So why do I want to... hug her?*
*It must be because the weather is too hot and her body is so cool. Yes, that’s it. Besides, why do I have to sleep on the floor? This bed is big enough for two.* With that thought, Chu Ruo sat up and marched straight to the bedside.
Nan Muxue wasn't deeply asleep. She woke the moment she heard movement, but knowing it was Chu Ruo, she kept her eyes closed and listened. When a hand draped over her waist followed by a familiar warmth, her heart skipped a beat. Her voice, however, remained icy. "Get down."
The moment the words left her mouth, she felt a pang of regret. But spoken words are like spilled water.
Fortunately, the other party wasn't feeling particularly obedient. "The floor is too hard. I can't sleep."
"Then add more—"
"Oh, hush," Chu Ruo interrupted quickly. "It’s really too hard. Master, have mercy and let me sleep on the bed."
"You can't even overcome such a minor hardship," Nan Muxue said, the gloom in her heart suddenly vanishing. "All you know is how to crave comfort."
*I’m just sleeping on a bed. If you’re so noble, you go sleep on the floor,* Chu Ruo thought, sticking out her tongue and rolling her eyes at the back of Nan Muxue's head.
"If you dare make another one of those strange faces behind my back, I’ll gouge your eyes out," Nan Muxue added.
*Holy crap, do you have X-ray vision?* Chu Ruo’s mind was a flurry of complaints, but she wiped all expression from her face. She settled in to sleep. But even though she was on the bed and hugging the cool Little Scorpion, sleep eluded her. Was it the posture? If she turned over, she’d have to stop hugging her. That didn't feel right either. After agonizing for a long time, she finally whispered, "Master?"
No answer. She tried again. "Are you asleep?"
*Wow, she fell asleep that fast? People without a conscience really do sleep soundly.* If Nan Muxue had heard that, she would have been livid. Between the two of them, it was clear who the truly "heartless" one was.
"What is it?"
Just as Chu Ruo was starting to drift off, the reply came. She jolted awake. "No... nothing."
Nan Muxue was exasperated. "If it's nothing, why did you call me?"
"Well, uh... could you... turn around?" The moment she said it, she wanted to bite her tongue. *Why am I so stupid? How do I dare say that? Am I tired of living?* Her tongue must have judged her a thousand times over by now. But for some reason, the thought had just popped out.
"It’s fine if you don't. Just pretend I didn't say anything. Sleep, sleep." It was deathly awkward. She knew the other woman wouldn't indulge her. Chu Ruo squeezed her eyes shut, chanting a mantra in her head: *Fall asleep, fall asleep, fall asleep.*
To her utter shock, the person in front of her actually turned around. They seemed to be even closer now. "What for?"
"I..." Chu Ruo hadn't expected her to actually listen. Now she didn't know how to respond. After failing to find an excuse, she blurted out the truth. "Nothing."
She braced herself for a scolding or perhaps being kicked out of bed. But once again, the unexpected happened. Nan Muxue actually laughed. "You... sometimes you really are a fool."
"I am not a fool," she muttered. She looked up, the moonlight allowing her to faintly see the other woman's face. "Why do you still wear a mask when you sleep?"
*I wear it for your sake,* Nan Muxue thought, her face flushing again. Luckily, Chu Ruo couldn't see it. "Mind your own business."
"I’m just curious! Yan'er is so beautiful, and you two look so much alike. You can't be that bad. Why wear it all day? Doesn't it feel stuffy? Or... were you disfigured? Do you have a scar?"
"Chu Ruo," Nan Muxue frowned, "don't make me kick you off this bed."
Chu Ruo swallowed hard. She had been dancing on the edge of death there. "Hehe, just kidding. I’ll stop."
Silence fell again, yet neither was sleepy. Just as Chu Ruo was about to say something to break the awkwardness, Nan Muxue spoke first. "Why have you gone quiet?"
"Huh? I don't know what to say."
"Are you very afraid of me?"
*Duh. Of course I am. You hold my life in your hands.* Chu Ruo nodded, then shook her head. "A little, I guess."
Then, her chin was pinched again. "You are not allowed to be afraid of me."
*What?* Chu Ruo didn't react. *What kind of situation is this?*
Nan Muxue sighed softly. "All the disciples fear me." Not just them; in the martial world, she was the terrifying Young Mistress of the Hundred Flowers Palace—ruthless, cruel, and unpredictable. Her mother constantly reminded her to be cold-blooded, to use any means necessary to achieve her goals. She didn't want to be this way, but she was bound by her mother's will. In a world where the strong prey on the weak, she never bothered to explain herself or care about her foul reputation. Only with Chu Ruo was it different. Chu Ruo was as clean as a blank sheet of paper. She was the only ray of sunlight in Nan Muxue's heart. She didn't want Chu Ruo to be afraid of her.
Chu Ruo suddenly pulled the other woman into her arms, patting her back soothingly. "It’s okay, it’s okay. I’m not afraid of you. Not a bit."
A smile touched Nan Muxue's lips. "Tomorrow, you may go shopping by yourself. But you must return before dark."
"Tomorrow... me... alone?" Chu Ruo tugged at her ear, unable to believe it. "You’re actually letting me go out to play by myself?"
"What, you don't want to—"
"I do, I do! Thank you, Master!" Chu Ruo began excitedly muttering to herself. "I’m going to the fanciest tavern, then I’ll buy things for Xiao Guo’er and the others, and a gift for Yan'er... Oh, and I want to go to a brothel to see the pretty girls—"
"You are not allowed to go there."
"Why? I’ve never been! I just want to take a look around."
Nan Muxue was incensed. "In short, you are not allowed to go. And you are not allowed to stare at other women."
"Oh." *What a crazy woman. You even want to control who I look at? Well, you won't know what I’m doing tomorrow anyway.*
Nan Muxue could tell exactly what she was thinking by her expression. She was so angry that she let something slip. "If I didn't have business to attend to tomorrow during the day, I’d show you what happens when you defy me."
*So you’re only letting me loose because you’re too busy to watch me? Truly a Little Scorpion.* But aloud, Chu Ruo said, "Master, if you’re busy, please go ahead! Don't mind me. I’ll be back on time." *Tomorrow, I can go to the clinic. Oh yeah!*
Nan Muxue raised a hand to swat her, but Chu Ruo blocked it. Sparring had become a regular occurrence for them, and Chu Ruo was becoming quite adept at it. After a dozen moves, they were pressed closer and closer together. Finally, Chu Ruo saw an opening, grabbed Nan Muxue's hands, and pinned her down onto the bed. It was mostly because Nan Muxue was only using twenty percent of her strength; otherwise, Chu Ruo would have been no match for her. Having "subdued" her, Chu Ruo grinned triumphantly. "Hehe, can't move now, can you?"
As Nan Muxue struggled slightly, Chu Ruo leaned down further. The distance between them became dangerously intimate—face to face, noses almost touching. This time, the silence wasn't awkward; it was... intoxicating. Chu Ruo could clearly hear herself swallow, and her heart was racing uncontrollably. *Wait, it’s not just me. Is the Little Scorpion’s heart racing too?*
She looked down. Even in the dim moonlight, they were close enough to see clearly. Nan Muxue was staring straight back at her, her eyes shimmering with an uncharacteristic softness. Chu Ruo’s brain felt like it exploded. She felt herself sinking. Emboldened, she pressed her lips against the other woman's!
Before the kiss, Chu Ruo hadn't considered the consequences. She still wasn't. Finding those lips so sweet and inviting, she greedily lingered, eventually beginning to suckle and nip. It was incredibly wonderful. Nan Muxue remained perfectly still, cooperating with the other's actions. She even tilted her head back slightly in a gesture of compliance. She couldn't understand why, besides that warm embrace, she also craved this.
The kiss lasted a long time. Chu Ruo’s boldness grew as she felt the other's cooperation. Her mind was a total blank, driven entirely by instinct. Her tongue slipped inside, finding Nan Muxue's soft, sweet tongue and entwining with it. The tender sensation made her never want to leave. At this moment, she was willing to lose herself and forget everything else...
"Mm..." Nan Muxue couldn't believe that soft moan had come from her own throat. It wasn't unpleasant; on the contrary, her body and mind felt a strange sense of pleasure. Her heart had raced a thousand times before, but these kisses were systematically unraveling her heart and shattering her soul.
It was that soft sound that snapped Chu Ruo back to reality. She jerked her head away, burying her face deep into the pillow. "What am I doing? I... I must be crazy. How could I do this? I’ve already kissed Yan'er. How can I do this to you too? It’s worse... I only gave Yan'er a light kiss, but just now, with you..." She shook her head violently. "I can't, I can't. I can't betray Yan'er. How can I be such a bastard! I..."
"Enough." Chu Ruo was suddenly pulled into a hug. Nan Muxue held her tight, her voice incredibly gentle. "Don't think about it. Sleep." Inwardly, she was smiling. *When should I tell this idiot that Yan'er is me? No, not yet.* Watching this person struggle with guilt was both amusing and adorable. She considered it a small punishment for all the times Chu Ruo had insulted her. Two hundred and ninety-six times—how else could she settle the score?
"Yan'er... Yan'er..." Chu Ruo drifted into a fitful sleep. In her dreams, she saw both the Little Scorpion and Yan'er, both looking at her with resentment. She clutched her head in agony. *How can I? How can I like two people at once, and do the same things with both? First the hugging, then sleeping together, then the kissing... I can't!*
"Yan'er!"
The morning sun was blindingly bright. Chu Ruo jolted awake from her nightmare, wiping the sweat from her forehead. The spot beside her was empty. The Little Scorpion must have left to handle her business. *Good. Otherwise, I wouldn't know how to face her. My feelings for her... and Yan'er... no, it’s not fair.* Chu Ruo shook her head violently. *I can't do this to them. I can't lead them on. In that case, I should leave today. If this continues, who knows what will happen? I need to pull away before they fall too deeply for me. I can't hurt them. Even if the Little Scorpion is wicked sometimes, she’s still a good woman. I can't be a scumbag.*
Having made up her mind, Chu Ruo headed to the streets. She didn't even stop to look at the shops; she visited three different medical clinics and pharmacies, showing them the formula for the Hundred Flowers Poison antidote. Every single one turned her down. The reason was a flower called the "Under-leaf Violet," which was so rare that it was virtually impossible to find.
Chu Ruo was frantic. She walked aimlessly, consumed by worry. *If I can't make an antidote, how can I leave? Do I have to wait until tonight to get a six-month supply from her before running? Now is the best time. Once the Little Scorpion returns tonight, it’ll be much harder.*
Just as Chu Ruo was lost in thought, having wandered into an unfamiliar area, she collided with two burly, hulking men. Before she could react, someone covered her mouth and nose from behind. Everything went black, and she lost consciousness.
*God damn it. I have no money and no chest. Why bother kidnapping me? I haven't even been to a brothel yet...*
*Splash!*
Chu Ruo was jolted awake by a bucket of cold water. Her surroundings were dim and windowless, like a dungeon. Dazed, she looked down to find her limbs shackled to a wooden cross. She looked at the person sitting in front of her, and her heart dropped. She was suddenly very awake.
"It’s you?!"
***
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Master, Spare My Life: A Disciple's Sweet Rebellion | Chapter 20 | A Guilty Kiss | Novela.app | Novela.app
