Chapter 272: Eating Grapes

Sunlight streamed through the tall oak windows, spilling into the ornate courtyard.

Golden light spots danced on the marble floor.

On the stone table in front of the courtyard lay clusters of crystal-clear grapes. Under the sunlight, the grape skins reflected an enticing luster.

Su Ling sat on the bench in the courtyard, with Sista beside her.

The two faced the full bloom of spring in the garden.

Su Ling lowered her head slightly, her gaze somewhat distant, as if lost in thought.

From time to time, she picked up a grape and took a small bite, but she didn’t taste anything.

“Su Ling, what are you thinking about?”

Sista’s voice was gentle, breaking the silence of the courtyard.

She lounged lazily on the bench, basking in the sun, occasionally glancing at Su Ling beside her.

Su Ling was slightly startled and looked up, her gaze flustered.

She tried to hide her unease, but her eyes still wandered restlessly.

There was a trace of affection in Sista’s eyes.

She slowly stood up, walked to Su Ling’s side, gently took her hand, and pulled her to sit beside her.

“Come here. Don’t keep hiding your feelings. Tell me.”

Su Ling’s fingers trembled. A grape rolled from between her fingers, bounced a few times on the stone table, and finally stopped beside Sista’s hand.

“N-Nothing…”

She lowered her eyelashes, trying to hide her accelerating heartbeat.

“I just think today’s grapes are especially sweet.”

Sista let out a soft laugh.

The laughter brushed against Su Ling’s heart like a feather.

She picked up the fallen grape, holding its stem between her slender fingers, and suspended the fruit between them.

“Really? Then let me have a taste.”

Instead of eating it herself, Sista held the grape to Su Ling’s lips.

The grape was crystal clear in the sunlight, and even the fine veins inside could be faintly seen.

Su Ling’s breath caught for a moment, and she obediently opened her mouth.

Just as the cool skin touched her lower lip, Sista’s fingers suddenly pulled back an inch.

“Your Majesty?”

Su Ling unconsciously leaned forward.

Her voice carried a hint of coquettishness that she herself didn’t notice.

Sista’s eyes appeared honey-like gold in the sunlight.

She finally fed the grape into Su Ling’s mouth.

The grape juice burst between her lips and teeth, sweet with a hint of tartness.

“It really is sweet.”

Sista said softly.

She leaned in close, her warm breath brushing Su Ling’s ear.

Su Ling closed her eyes.

She let herself sink into this gentle intimacy.

The sunlight was warm and quiet.

The air was filled with the fragrance of grapes and flowers.

When she opened her eyes again, she found Sista quietly watching her.

That gaze was so tender it was almost intoxicating.

“Mm…”

Su Ling instinctively clutched Sista’s sleeve.

Sista’s fingertips traced lightly down her forearm, finally stopping at the bow on her wrist.

Sunlight refracted strands of gold in her hair tips.

As if outlining the girl’s silhouette in a honey-colored sheen.

“There really isn’t a single scar left on you.”

Her voice was as soft as silk.

Her thumb gently stroked the back of Su Ling’s hand.

“You’ve recovered very well.”

“That’s… thanks to Your Majesty.”

Su Ling looked away.

“Ever since you brought me back to life, my constitution has truly changed a lot.”

She hesitated.

“But Your Majesty hasn’t answered me yet. That night of the siege, how exactly did you save me from Moria’s hands?”

Sista was silent for a moment.

The warmth of the afternoon lingered on the marble bench.

“The night of the siege?”

She lightly lifted Su Ling’s chin.

Sunlight wove a fine golden web between their overlapping eyelashes.

“You remember it quite clearly.”

She casually picked up another grape.

The purplish-red juice stained her fingertips.

“That day you were eroded by the Blood Curse in the garden. I just found a way to break that curse.”

She said quietly.

“The specific method, you don’t need to know.”

“For now, just stay obediently by my side.”

“…”

Su Ling fell silent. She always felt that Sista was hiding something. But whenever she brought this up, the other would skillfully change the subject.

“The taste of the grapes is indeed sweet.”

Sista suddenly smiled.

“But what pleases me most today is being able to be with you like this.”

She gently pulled Su Ling into her arms.

“Su Ling, come to my bedchamber tonight.”

“Remember to wear the outfit I had custom-made for you last time.”

Su Ling’s face instantly turned red.

“Th-That outfit?”

“But it’s too embarrassing…”

“It’s fine.”

Sista squeezed her small hand.

“After all, only I will see it.”

“This is the Queen’s command. Are you going to disobey?”

Su Ling finally yielded.

“…I understand.”

Night slowly spread across the sky.

Su Ling stood beneath the colonnade outside Sista’s bedchamber.

Moonlight coalesced into a silvery radiance on her smooth shoulders.

The red velvet robe half-covered her fair skin.

The lace trim at the neckline rose and fell gently with her breathing.

“Your Majesty has arrived early.”

The lady-in-waiting bowed softly.

A cool breeze swept across Su Ling’s exposed ankles.

She hastily shrank back her feet, but accidentally knocked over the basket of night-blooming jasmine by the colonnade.

Dark red petals scattered like butterflies in the moonlight.

One of them landed right at Su Ling’s feet.

“This outfit suits you very well.”

Sista’s voice came from ahead.

As gentle as if soaked in moonlight.

She slowly approached, stepping on the scattered petals.

The hem of her silk robe swayed lightly.

“Come here.”

She reached out her hand to Su Ling.

“Sit with me for a while.”

Su Ling nodded lightly.

But her cheeks were already tinged with a faint blush.

Moonlight streamed down through the tall windows.

Silently enveloping their figures in a silvery white glow.