Mu Xi felt, for the first time, a torment that was both painful and strangely pleasurable.
Ye Lan’s hand lifted gently, the feather suspended in midair, stretching Mu Xi’s anticipation endlessly.
She was both eager and fearful of the next touch, her mind replaying the ticklish sensation from moments before.
The feather finally brushed against her skin again, unleashing an uncontrollable itch.
Mu Xi’s body twisted involuntarily, her laughter growing louder and more intense.
Ye Lan’s movements were so precise.
The feather danced across her lower abdomen, underarms, and chest—each touch tightening Mu Xi’s nerves to their limits.
Her laughter choked into sobs, tears mingling with sweat, strands of hair dampening.
Just as she felt she couldn’t breathe, Ye Lan stopped, leaving a brief pause upon her skin.
Mu Xi struggled for breath, knowing this moment of calm would soon be shattered.
The feather descended again, plunging Mu Xi’s world into chaos as her body arched on the iron bed, chains biting into her skin.
Ye Lan watched her closely, eyes shimmering with satisfaction.
Only when Mu Xi finally lost control, wetting the floor beneath her, did Ye Lan break into a pleased smile and cease her actions for the first time.
She leaned down and whispered softly into Mu Xi’s ear, “You did very well.”
After Ye Lan left, Mu Xi lay alone on the iron bed, her eyes half-open in exhaustion, wondering silently what on earth was happening.
The itch from the feather still lingered on her skin, every nerve ending seemingly awakened and tortured to its limit.
The chains had left clear red marks on her wrists and ankles, throbbing faintly.
The urine on the floor was half-dry, releasing a humiliating scent mingled with her sweat.
Mu Xi tried to move her fingers, but her whole body felt sore and powerless, as if every ounce of strength had been drained.
Shame and helplessness intertwined, leaving her without even the desire to lift her arms.
“Why is Heaven punishing me like this…” she murmured hoarsely.
The memories of her past life as a man clashed sharply with the sensations in her current female body, deepening her confusion.
The bright red heart-shaped tattoo on her lower abdomen seemed to mock her predicament, reminding her that now she was merely Ye Lan’s plaything.
Time passed, and the damp cold of the dungeon crept into her bare skin.
The heat from her earlier struggle faded, replaced by chills that made her tremble uncontrollably.
After an unknown length of time, footsteps echoed in the distance.
Mu Xi tensed, fearing Ye Lan would return to resume her game.
But at the door appeared a group of women dressed uniformly in black and white maid uniforms, carrying bathing supplies and towels.
“The Mistress has ordered us to clean you,” the lead maid said expressionlessly, her tone void of pity or mockery, only cold professionalism.
Several maids efficiently wiped the floor with warm, damp towels to remove the stains.
Two others began tending to Mu Xi’s body.
First, they unlocked the chains binding her hands and feet.
Their movements were practiced and swift, as if they had performed this task countless times before.
Warm milk was poured onto a special sponge, and the maids gently wiped Mu Xi’s body.
The scent of milk blended with luxurious perfume, filling the room and dispelling the earlier stench.
Mu Xi closed her eyes, letting them do as they pleased.
The maids’ touch held no hint of desire; they were simply completing their duties.
They carefully cleaned every inch, including the most private areas, treating Mu Xi like a delicate object in need of maintenance.
“Please turn over,” one maid commanded.
Mu Xi obeyed mechanically, her mind numb.
She felt her dignity being stripped away piece by piece, and more terrifyingly, she was beginning to get used to this objectification.
One maid produced a bottle of pink liquid and started applying it to her butterfly.
The cold touch made Mu Xi shiver.
“This is a special ointment to keep the skin pink and tender. The Madam requires daily application,” the maid explained plainly, as if discussing the weather.
After the cleaning was complete, the maids dressed her in a thin, pale pink nightgown, soft and close-fitting, remarkably comfortable.
“The Madam says you behaved well. You may rest in your bedroom tonight. There will be new arrangements in the morning.”
The lead maid finished, signaling the others to pack up.
Mu Xi was helped to her feet, her legs still weak.
She said nothing, following the maids out of the dungeon like a ghost.
Back in her room, Mu Xi looked around—the dark green and muted gold tones remained unchanged, everything just as before.
She collapsed heavily onto the oversized silk bedding, arms spread wide, hair splayed around her.
Her chest rose and fell, but bitterness churned within.
All those days spent running, the panic-filled nights, the pain of hiding—it had all become a cruel joke.
“I ran for so long, only to end up back where I started.” Mu Xi stared at the stained glass in the Gothic Spire Window; moonlight filtered through, casting colors over her pale pink nightgown.
She reached out to touch the bright red heart tattoo on her lower abdomen, the pink ointment the maids applied still cooling her skin.
Turning over, Mu Xi buried her face in the soft pillow.
“She killed the original owner’s parents of this body.”
Mu Xi whispered softly.
Though these weren’t her memories, the bloody scenes surfaced whenever she closed her eyes.
Ye Lan elegantly wiped blood from the blade, smiling as she told the young Mu Xi, “From today on, you belong to me.”
Mu Xi swung her legs off the bed, barefoot on the plush Persian carpet, and walked toward the floor-to-ceiling window.
The manor’s view was breathtaking.
The manicured lawns, the gushing fountains, the dense woods in the distance.
Every beautiful sight was an invisible cage.
“If I had the power…” Mu Xi traced her finger along the window glass, “I would kill her.”
The thought both terrified and thrilled her.
Fear of Ye Lan’s strength; excitement at the possibility of revenge.
She knew she was weak, but maybe one day, she’d find a way.
Back at the bedside, Mu Xi noticed a single throat lozenge resting on the nightstand.
She knew what it contained but couldn’t resist the dependency her body had formed.
“Damn conditioned reflex.” Mu Xi spat quietly, feeling her body flush slightly just at the sight of the lozenge.
She lay back down and closed her eyes.
The scent of milk mingled with luxurious perfume still radiated from her skin.
‘I will find a way,’ Mu Xi thought, just before sleep claimed her, ‘no matter how long it takes.’
As night deepened, exhaustion finally overcame the chaos in her mind, and she slipped into a restless sleep within this magnificent cage.
***
The next morning, Mu Xi was awakened by licking.
She felt a moist touch on her abdomen as dawn’s first light slowly pulled her from sleep.
When she opened her eyes and struggled to raise her upper body, the sight stole her breath—Ye Lan was lying on the bed, her tongue slowly tracing the bright red heart tattoo on Mu Xi’s navel.
Ye Lan noticed her waking and lifted her head, her eyes glittering with a predator’s gleam.
Morning light streamed through the stained glass window, illuminating her face and making her phoenix-like eyes even more enchanting.
“I didn’t wake you. Go back to sleep,” Ye Lan’s voice was low and cold, leaving no room for argument.
Mu Xi swallowed instinctively, her Adam’s apple bobbing.
Her nightgown had been pushed up to her chest, revealing skin framed by silver-white hair.