"Why must we be in such a rush? We've worked so hard on this journey; wouldn't it be better to relax a little now?"
Nan Muxue’s expression remained composed. "No. Mother’s fate is still unknown, so we must hurry back. This time, we must secure control over the Hundred Flowers Palace. We cannot allow a repeat of what happened before."
Duan Ning waved a hand dismissively. "She and those sect people are all trapped in that treasure vault. Aren't you being a bit... overly anxious?"
Yin Liuli shook her head. "We have dealt with the old Palace Master many times. How many of those encounters did we actually win? It is better to be cautious. As long as the Hundred Flowers Palace is in our hands, we will at least have a chance to fight back."
"You two just overthink everything. This sort of business doesn't suit this lady. I’m going to find Chu Ruo to play with."
As they were speaking, Chu Ruo came wailing back from the distance. "Xue'er! Waaaah, Xue'er!"
Nan Muxue’s calm and collected demeanor vanished instantly as she flew toward her. "Ruo'er!"
"Xue'er..." Chu Ruo clutched her head, running piteously into the other's arms. "It hurts..."
Duan Ning and the others followed close behind. "What happened?"
When Chu Ruo lowered her hands, the two of them nearly doubled over with laughter. Her head was covered in massive, swollen welts from bee stings; the sight was truly ridiculous. Duan Ning clutched her stomach, crouching down as she wheezed, "Oh my... I say, Great Hero Chu isn't even afraid of the old Palace Master, yet here she is being chased all over by honeybees. Tsk tsk, look at this pathetic state, haha..."
"Go away, go away! It hurts!" Chu Ruo gripped Nan Muxue’s hand, her voice thick with a spoiled pout. "It hurts~"
"Let me see," Nan Muxue said with infinite tenderness. "It’s alright. I’ll apply some ointment for you."
"I can't watch this. She brought this on herself by seeking death; is there really a need to be so heartbroken over it?"
"Would you like to try it yourself?" Nan Muxue countered coldly.
"Don't! I can't afford to provoke you, so can't I at least hide? Liuli, let's go. She'll be venting her anger on me next. Hurry, let's get away from this den of drama..."
...
"It hurts~"
"The stingers have been removed and the medicine is applied. Does it still hurt?"
"It just does."
Understanding her intent, Nan Muxue pulled the girl into her lap. "You caused this trouble yourself, and yet you still want your Master to coax you?"
They say everyone loves a "gentle village," and looking at my precious wife now—this is what they mean by "warm fragrance and soft jade." What could be better than lying in your wife's arms and being pampered after getting stung? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. "Well, you said it yourself, you're my Master. Isn't it only right for a Master to coax her disciple?"
"As your Master, I should be more diligent in supervising you."
"Xue'er~"
In the end, Nan Muxue’s heart softened. "You... you simply cannot stay still for a single day."
"I didn't..."
"Then how did these injuries happen?"
"I just saw all that honey..."
"So you harmed your body for the sake of your mouth?" Nan Muxue laughed. "This isn't the first time you've had this problem. When will you ever change?"
Chu Ruo puffed out her cheeks. "I was just careless this once. Next time..."
"Next time?" Nan Muxue narrowed her eyes. "You still want a next time?"
"I..."
"Are you treating my words as wind passing through your ears?"
*Cough...* "No, no. I wouldn't dare. There won't be a next time. I won't let myself get hurt, I swear!"
This cowering appearance made Nan Muxue want to laugh again. "Does it still hurt?"
"A little. Just a little."
In the next second, a gentle breeze brushed against her forehead, carrying a faint fragrance. What kind of beautiful sister—wait, no, it was her own wife blowing on her wounds. Chu Ruo gripped the other's hand and giggled incessantly. "Hehe, Xue'er, it's so good to have you."
Nan Muxue kissed her. "I will always be here. Always."
When Chu Ruo woke up that night, the woman was naturally by her side. Just as she had said, she was always there. Chu Ruo rubbed her eyes. "Xue'er."
From beginning to end, Nan Muxue had held her in her arms. Hearing the call, she reached out to stroke her hair. "Sleep."
"What time is it? Is it dark out?"
"Mhm. Go back to sleep. Don't worry about the time."
Chu Ruo stretched. "What about you?"
"Me?"
"Have you been holding me this whole time without resting properly? Come on, let's swap."
Nan Muxue stopped her. "I am not sleepy."
"Even if you aren't sleepy, you can't just sit here forever. It's already dark; how much longer do you plan on holding me like this?"
"A lifetime."
"You..."
The other laughed softly. "Is that not good?"
"It's good," Chu Ruo said, kissing her hand. "Of course it's good. How much longer until we reach the Hundred Flowers Palace?"
"Even if we travel day and night, it will still take some time."
*Sigh.*
"What is it? Why the sigh?" Nan Muxue carefully blew on her forehead again. "Is it hurting again?"
"No, I just... I feel uneasy."
"Are you thinking about my mother?"
"I..." She was indeed worried about Nan Menghua. Just as the Little Scorpion had said, Nan Menghua was like a ghost—a person who wouldn't die, haunting them like a phantom. She just wanted to be with the woman she loved; why did it have to be so difficult?
"I am here. There is no need to worry."
Chu Ruo sat up anyway and cupped the other's face. "How can I not worry? Being with you, am I really supposed to push every burden onto you? Then what am I here for?"
"Didn't I say before? Even if you were truly a useless eater, I would provide for you for a lifetime."
"You really think of me as a useless eater, don't you?"
"Ruo'er~"
"What is it?" Chu Ruo pulled the woman into her own embrace this time, mimicking the way she had been coaxed to sleep. "Alright, be good and sleep for a bit. Don't you know that every time you call me like that, I have no resistance?"
Nan Muxue reached up to trace her lips. "No matter who it is, no one will be able to separate us."
"I know, of course I know," Chu Ruo smiled. "Ever since we jumped into that lake together, I understood. In life or death, we will be together. You won't leave me again."
"If you don't like it, we won't go back to the Hundred Flowers Palace. I will take you into seclusion, alright?"
"Nan Muxue, what have I done to deserve you giving up everything you own for me?"
"From the beginning to the end, I have only ever owned one thing: you."
Moved, Chu Ruo lowered her head for a deep kiss. "Why is it that you can always grip my heart so tightly? I'm going to follow you for the rest of my life, never leaving your side."
...
"Xue'er~"
Though Chu Ruo was holding her, her tone was more like a spoiled child's. Nan Muxue’s eyes were full of doting laughter. "I'm here, Ruo'er."
Chu Ruo nuzzled against the other's neck, feeling comfortable and content. "Mmm~"
"Have you thought through the matter of seclusion?"
"I..."
"I am serious. If you want it, if you like it, we will leave. We won't see anyone else ever again. It will just be me accompanying you, alright?"
"It's a good idea, but not now." She kissed the corner of the other's lips. "Just like you said, running away isn't the solution. As long as we don't defeat your mother, we can forget about having a peaceful life. Instead of living in fear and hiding, it's better to face it head-on. At least, whatever we do, we're doing it together. You worked so hard to manage the Hundred Flowers Palace for so many years just to stand at the peak; why let go now when the other sects are no longer a threat?"
Nan Muxue looked at her, appearing somewhat sentimental. "You really have changed."
"Have I?"
"From when you first arrived here until now, you've changed a lot. Before, you were timid and afraid of trouble."
"And afraid of dying, right?"
Nan Muxue pinched her cheek. "Weren't you also afraid of offending your Master?"
"Of course I was! After all, you're a Little Scorpion."
"Don't push me to kick you off this carriage."
The two looked at each other and laughed. Chu Ruo squeezed the other's hand and sighed with emotion. "How could that time compare to now? When I first transmigrated here, besides being afraid of you, I was mostly just lost. Now, I have someone I want to protect. I want to spend my whole life with her."
Nan Muxue had once said these same words with absolute conviction to someone else—that she had found the person she would protect for this lifetime. She had never told Chu Ruo how her Ruo'er's gaze had grown resolute step by step, nor how she had shielded her every single time. These twenty years of living like a walking corpse, muddled and hollow... fortunately, Heaven had finally shown her mercy. "And are you not also the person I wish to guard for a lifetime? Only after meeting you did I realize that all the efforts of my life were merely for the sake of being with you."
"Nan Muxue, you steal my heart every single time. You make me miss you every second of the day."
The other showed a rare playful side. "Is that so? You spend all day tinkering with that ragged book, or else you're fretting over your precious Zhier... mmm!"
"You talk too much," Chu Ruo said, nipping at her lips. "I want you to remember: for all my lives to come, you are mine. We will never be separated."
Nan Muxue raised her hand, pulling the other closer, allowing her to dominantly invade her lips and tongue. "Alright." I am yours, and I always will be. We belong to each other.
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
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温香软玉 | warm fragrance and soft jade | A classic idiom describing a beautiful, delicate woman.
饭桶 | useless eater / rice bucket | Literally "rice bucket," a derogatory term for someone who does nothing but eat; used here affectionately.
穿越 | transmigrated | Referring to Chu Ruo's origin as a time-traveler from the future.
小蛇蝎 | Little Scorpion | Chu Ruo's nickname for Nan Muxue, referring to her deadly and cold nature.
为师 | As your Master / Master | A self-referential term used by a teacher/master when speaking to a disciple.
