"Ruo'er?"
No matter how late she stayed up or how much she had drunk the night before, Nan Muxue always woke early. Yet, the moment she opened her eyes, she was surprised to find the person facing her had also awakened with the first light of dawn. Chu Ruo’s eyes weren't heavy with sleep; they were merely blinking with that hollow, unfocused gaze of the sightless. Seeing that she seemed even more awake than herself, Nan Muxue called out tentatively.
"You're awake," Chu Ruo said. Her voice didn't sound sluggish at all; in fact, she seemed quite spirited.
Nan Muxue, by contrast, actually felt a lingering drowsiness. *Could it be that sleeping with this girl for so long has caused her habits to rub off on me?* The words spoken last night drifted through her mind, and the memory of those fervent kisses continued to stir her heart. She had never imagined that she would ever have a birthday like that—that there would be someone to celebrate it with her and promise to stay by her side forever. It was undeniably beautiful. In a rare display of affection that would have shocked anyone else, Nan Muxue snuggled closer into Chu Ruo’s embrace, her voice soft and thick with sleep. "What time is it?"
It was a slightly ridiculous question to ask someone who currently couldn't see, but for some reason, she simply didn't want to get up early today. She wanted to be the one asking the questions for once, just as Chu Ruo usually did. It felt... comfortable.
Chu Ruo’s lips curled into a smile. "You're asking a blind person?" Despite her words, she seemed pleasantly surprised by this kitten-like behavior. She tightened her arms around the woman in her embrace and smoothed back Nan Muxue’s hair. "If you're tired, keep resting. Don't worry about the time."
Hearing this, Nan Muxue actually reached up and placed a hand on Chu Ruo’s forehead, leaving the latter utterly confused. "What are you doing?"
"Checking to see if you've burned your brain out, or if you ate something spoiled last night. Otherwise, why are you acting so strangely?"
*...You little scorpion.* Chu Ruo thought. *Here I am, trying not to ruin the atmosphere because it was just your birthday, and you immediately start with the sharp tongue. This morning is not turning out to be warm and fuzzy at all.* "We made that food together and ate it together. If something was wrong with it, we’d both be sick. Besides, how am I being 'strange'?"
Nan Muxue propped herself up on one arm, her fingers reaching out to toy with Chu Ruo’s long eyelashes. "How are you not? Waking up this early and not even looking sleepy—it’s truly a rare sight."
"I..." Chu Ruo endured it, putting on a fawning, pitiful expression. "I just can't sleep because of my eyes, Master..."
"Since you aren't sleepy, then get up."
*Hey, you're not even going to let me finish? I won't let you have your way.* With a quick movement, Chu Ruo reached out and pulled the rising Nan Muxue back down by the waist. Caught off guard, Nan Muxue ended up bracing herself with both hands against Chu Ruo’s body. "What are you doing?"
"It must still be early. Even if I'm not sleepy, let's lie down for a bit longer."
"Just a moment ago I thought you were being diligent, but it seems you can't even last a single day," Nan Muxue remarked. Nevertheless, she yielded to Chu Ruo’s wish and lay back down. It was becoming impossible to count how many times she had altered her own habits for this girl.
"Master..." Chu Ruo began in a wheedling, slightly pathetic tone, clearly about to ask for a favor.
Nan Muxue suppressed a smile. "If you want to lie here, keep your mouth shut. Why are you being so noisy?"
*Deep breaths... just you wait. Once I get the antidote for my eyes, I'll settle the score with you.* "There's a small matter I wanted to—"
"I don't want to hear it."
"Nan Muxue, that's enough! You're never going to let this go—"
"Chu Ruo."
*Whoosh.* Cold sweat beaded on Chu Ruo’s back. "You are becoming more and more pre—"
"Ah, I didn't say anything! Nothing at all!" Chu Ruo interrupted hastily. "Um, about that..."
"Mhm. No rush. Speak slowly, Ruo'er. I'm waiting."
Chu Ruo felt like a deflated balloon. "When are you going to give me the antidote?"
"Antidote?" Nan Muxue feigned confusion, though Chu Ruo couldn't see her expression. "Don't I bestow the antidote for the Baihua Poison upon you every day? Have you run out already?"
"You know I mean my—"
"Hush," Nan Muxue interrupted softly. "I'm tired."
"You literally just woke up..."
"Do you have an objection?"
"No," Chu Ruo muttered dejectedly. "Then go back to sleep."
"And you?" Nan Muxue asked, sensing that Chu Ruo was about to get up. She wondered if the girl was actually angry.
Chu Ruo rubbed her eyes—a habitual gesture even though she couldn't see. "I'm going to cook some millet and pumpkin porridge for you. We ate so much last night; this will help with digestion and soothe your stomach."
Nan Muxue stopped her, her hand covering Chu Ruo’s eyelids again. There was a hint of uncertainty in her voice. "You... aren't angry?"
Chu Ruo was genuinely baffled. "Angry about what?"
"Nothing." Nan Muxue settled back into her embrace. "Sleep a while longer. We'll get up later."
*I am the one who drugged her and took her sight, and even though she knows the truth, she isn't even slightly resentful. After such a prank, Chu Ruo, why don't you hate me even a little?*
Chu Ruo mimicked her earlier gesture and felt Nan Muxue’s forehead. "And you call me strange? You're the one being weird, actually wanting to sleep in. Did you really eat too much last night?"
"Ruo'er," Nan Muxue said, her beautiful eyes already closed. Her voice was incredibly gentle, but her words were: "Don't force me to kick you out of this room while the atmosphere is still pleasant."
Chu Ruo shrunk her neck back. "Oh."
***
Chu Ruo felt as though she had only been asleep for a minute before she woke up again. The spot beside her was empty. She sat up abruptly, calling out in a panic, "Master?"
"What are you shouting for?" A white silk cloth suddenly covered her face. Nan Muxue was personally helping her wash up. "You've slept so long; are you finally willing to wake?"
"You're the one who dragged me back into a nap," Chu Ruo grumbled. "Besides, it felt like I just fell asleep."
As they spoke, Nan Muxue’s hands were busy, pulling an outer robe over Chu Ruo and dressing her. "It is already noon."
"What?!" Chu Ruo exclaimed. "The one day I actually wake up early, and I still end up getting out of bed at this hour."
"If you weren't so fond of sleep, you would have gotten up regardless of my intentions. You have no willpower; who else is there to blame?"
"I say, you—"
"Why were you so nervous just now?" Nan Muxue asked.
Chu Ruo turned her head away awkwardly. "If you aren't here, there's no one to pay for the room."
That was a poor excuse. Nan Muxue tilted her chin up. "And who was it that bought this inn for me?"
"..." Chu Ruo’s face was a picture of frustration. "Well, it's normal to be nervous if you disappear! What if someone tried to kidnap me for my money or my looks?"
After finishing dressing her, Nan Muxue walked to the table, poured a cup of tea, and handed it over. "Money, perhaps. As for looks... do you have any?"
*Pfft!* A spray of tea erupted from Chu Ruo’s mouth, catching the brilliant sunlight and creating a faint, fleeting rainbow. The scene was, in its own way, quite beautiful. "Cough, cough! You... you... cough!"
"Enough," Nan Muxue said, her voice laced with clear amusement. "Come eat something, then we must get on the road."
That sounded a bit ominous. "What kind of 'on the road' are we talking about?"
Nan Muxue shot her a sharp look. "Stop being flippant. Can't even food shut your mouth?"
Chu Ruo opened her mouth to respond, only to have a "Lion's Head" meatball stuffed inside. Fortunately, it wasn't too large, or she might have choked to death. *Fine. Since you're personally feeding me, I'll... endure it.*
After the meal, Nan Muxue led her out of the inn. Though she couldn't see, Chu Ruo could feel the comfortable warmth of the sun on her skin. After a few steps, she realized something was off. "Master?"
"What?"
"This doesn't seem like the road back to Baihua Palace."
Nan Muxue turned to look at her with interest. "Oh? Can you truly identify your position by sound now? Or have your eyes miraculously healed again without medicine, and you're hiding it from me?"
Chu Ruo’s face flushed red, then pale. "Cough," she cleared her throat twice. "Let's move past that for now. I just remember that when we came, we didn't head this way. Also, the road here smelled strongly of osmanthus, but here there's a faint scent of lotus. There must be a pond nearby."
"Let's go," Nan Muxue said, neither confirming nor denying.
That was as good as an admission. "Where are we going?"
"To a branch of Baihua Palace."
"We aren't going back to the main palace?" Chu Ruo was so excited she almost clapped her hands. "Heh, excellent, excellent."
"Do you dislike Baihua Palace that much?"
"No, but you know my personality. The palace is too quiet. I want to go down the mountain and have some fun." Even though she was a troublemaker, everyone was still afraid of her because Nan Menghua was there to keep order. The palace was dead silent all day; it wasn't fun at all.
"Aren't you afraid the branch will be just as quiet?"
"I doubt it! Xiao Guo'er told me the branch is in some city, not on a mountain. And since it's a branch, 'the mountain is high and the Emperor is far away'—the rules shouldn't be so strict. By the way, what made you think of going to a branch? You didn't mention it before."
Seeing the joy on Chu Ruo’s face, Nan Muxue felt her own heart lighten. "Didn't you want to leave the mountain?"
"Was it for me? Master, you're actually quite decent."
"In your dreams," Nan Muxue replied, her face reddening as she used the excuse she had prepared. "Things have been unstable lately. So many sect leaders and masters have gone missing; I want to investigate."
*Right, so I'm just an afterthought. How boring.* Chu Ruo changed the subject. "So, when are you going to let my vision return to normal?"
This time, Nan Muxue didn't brush her off, though her smile was quite peculiar. "However many days you spent faking it is exactly how many days you must spend truly blind."
"Hey, you... mmm..."
There was no one else around, but Chu Ruo never expected the "Little Scorpion" to be so proactive as to kiss her in the middle of the wilderness in broad daylight! *Isn't she an ancient? Isn't she easily embarrassed? Isn't she supposed to be reserved?* Well, none of that mattered now. The teasing of that tongue made her feel as though she were sinking. She raised her arms to embrace the woman, responding earnestly. However, in less than three seconds, Nan Muxue had already pulled away from her embrace, leaving her feeling quite bereft. "You..."
"There is a stable ahead. We'll get horses before continuing."
"Aren't we walking?"
"Even on horseback, it will take a full day. If you want to walk, go ahead by yourself."
*...I smell deep mockery. But what can I do? I can't exactly argue.*
On the road, the horse galloped swiftly. Chu Ruo, clinging to Nan Muxue’s waist from behind, felt as though her internal organs were being rearranged by the jolting. She hadn't expected the Little Scorpion to ride like a maniac the moment they set out. She felt like she was going to throw up. "I say, Master, slow down..."
"You can't even ride a horse," Nan Muxue’s breath brushed against her ear, and she felt her own face heating up. "Useless."
"I... ah!" Because there were too many stones on the road, the horse gave a violent lurch. Chu Ruo’s head slammed right into Nan Muxue’s back. She rubbed her forehead. "Master, why did you—" She suddenly froze. Her vision had returned!
"Ruo'er?" The person in front thought she had hurt her head. Nan Muxue nervously pulled the reins, and the horse obediently slowed to a halt. She looked back anxiously and hurriedly helped Chu Ruo dismount. "What is it? Did you hit yourself hard?"
"I..." Chu Ruo raised her hands, looking at them left and right. She was certain her sight had finally been restored. "I can see! Was it because of that bump just now?"
"You certainly are naive," Nan Muxue rolled her eyes. "Do you think those eyes of yours could heal themselves without an antidote?"
"The antidote... when did you give it to me?" For once, her mind was exceptionally sharp. She didn't even consider the lunch they had eaten; instead, the words tumbled out: "Was it... that kiss?"
"Be quiet!" Under the sunlight, Chu Ruo saw that Nan Muxue’s face had turned even redder. The feeling was warm and bright. She realized with a start that this was the first time she had looked at the Little Scorpion so intently. Even with the mask, she felt the woman was more heart-stirringly beautiful than ever before. She stepped forward and took Nan Muxue’s hand. This time, Nan Muxue didn't push her away. "Master..."
She moved to kiss her, but Nan Muxue blocked her with a hand, returning her gaze with equal sincerity. "The words you said last night..."
"They count!"
"I spent your first birthday with you; it's a fresh start, a new beginning. From now on, I will be with you for every one of your birthdays." This was the first time Chu Ruo had so seriously interrupted her, knowing exactly what the unfinished sentence meant. Her voice was firm and resonant as she held Nan Muxue’s hand. "What I promised you, I will surely keep."
A brilliant smile finally appeared on Nan Muxue’s face. "Then... what about Yan'er?"
***
