Chapter 31: A Touch of Cunning 

A sharp knock— “thud, thud, thud”—shattered the sultry haze in the room.

Ye Lan’s brow furrowed, her voice clipped. 

“Come in.”

A female bodyguard stepped inside, hesitating as her eyes caught the scene before her. 

She quickly bowed her head. 

“Boss, there’s trouble at the mine. You’re needed urgently.”

“Get to the point,” Ye Lan snapped, irritation lacing her tone.

“Shaft Three collapsed. Over a dozen dead. The workers are rioting—they demand to see you.”

Ye Lan sighed, rising to adjust her disheveled clothes. 

“Perfect timing, as always.”

She turned to Mu Xi, still catching her breath on the bed. 

“You’re off the hook tonight, darling. But tomorrow, we will pick up where we left off.”

Mu Xi, cocooned in the sheets, watched Ye Lan’s silhouette vanish through the door. 

Relief washed over her.

Finally, a reprieve from the torment.

The room fell silent, save for Mu Xi’s uneven breaths. 

Her body still hummed with the aftershocks of their earlier dance, a lingering heat that refused to fade.

As the fever in her veins cooled, a strange emptiness bloomed in its place.

“What’s wrong with me?” Mu Xi muttered, slapping her cheeks. 

“I should be thrilled.”

She rolled over, burying her face in the pillow.

That cursed mind-dulling pill was still wreaking havoc, leaving her skin hypersensitive, every brush of fabric a spark.

“Damn you, Ye Lan, using me as your lab rat again,” Mu Xi growled through gritted teeth. 

“Next time, I’ll make you pay.”

But the thought fizzled as reality sank in. 

In her current state, revenge was a pipe dream.

Frustrated, Mu Xi tugged at her hair, only to graze a sensitive spot on her chest.

“Ah…” A soft moan slipped past her lips.

She clapped a hand over her mouth, mortified, and burrowed deeper into the blankets.

Ye Lan had conditioned her body to betray her at the slightest touch, a cruel masterpiece of sensitivity.

“No, no, stop thinking about it!” Mu Xi shook her head, desperate to banish the vivid images flooding her mind.

Yet the hollow ache within her only grew sharper.

Curling into a ball, she bit her lip, fighting the rising tide of need.

“Stupid Ye Lan… next time I see you, I’ll bite you to death.”

The night deepened, leaving Mu Xi alone in the quiet room.

The pill’s effects surged relentlessly, her body a battleground of heat and yearning.

“Damn it, I’m done for.” 

She tossed and turned, hoping sleep might dull the torment, but every movement only sharpened her awareness.

“I’ll go mad if this keeps up.” Gritting her teeth, Mu Xi’s hand drifted downward.

Shame burned her cheeks, but desperation trumped pride.

Stifled gasps echoed in the dim room as she fought to keep her voice low, terrified the guards outside might hear.

Her body, traitor that it was, responded with overwhelming intensity, sapping her strength in moments.

“Hah… hah…” Mu Xi panted, utterly spent.

The sheets were a tangled mess, the air thick with an intimate musk.

“When will this cursed drug wear off?” she groaned, but the gnawing emptiness remained untouched.

The cycle repeated, exhaustion finally claiming her as dawn crept near.

Morning arrived, and a maid entered to tidy the room.

“Miss, I’ll change the sheets…” The maid’s eyes lingered on the evidence, a knowing smile curling her lips.

“J-just hurry up!” Mu Xi hid her face in the blankets, wishing the floor would swallow her whole.

“Of course, miss. I understand.” 

The maid’s teasing grin only deepened Mu Xi’s humiliation as she worked.

“That bastard Ye Lan… I’ll make her feel this shame someday,” Mu Xi vowed, clenching her fists. 

But her resolve wavered. 

“Who am I kidding? In this state, I’m better off accepting my fate.”

She sprawled on the pink bed, staring at the ceiling, lost in thought.

How long could she endure being toyed with like a pet?

No—she refused to surrender. 

There had to be a way to turn the tables.

“I’ll start by shedding this ‘pet’ status and gain control of this estate,” Mu Xi mused, nibbling her finger. 

“But the real goal is escape.”

A sudden spark lit her eyes.

Lin Ke’er’s feelings for her were painfully obvious.

Especially her fixation on Mu Xi’s feet—an obsession she didn’t bother to hide.

“Ye Lan and Lin Ke’er may be master and servant, but Ke’er’s interest in me is something she’s keeping from her boss.”

A sly smile curved Mu Xi’s lips. 

“Even sisters don’t share love. A master and her guard? Even less likely.”

A plan took shape in her mind.

She could play along with Ke’er’s affections, sowing seeds of betrayal in the bodyguard’s heart.

If she could drive a wedge between them, an opportunity might open.

But then… Mu Xi’s face paled.

If she went down this path, Ke’er would surely… 

She shivered, recalling the predatory glint in Ke’er’s eyes whenever they lingered on her feet.

“Argh! Why, in this reborn life, am I surrounded by these twisted women?” Mu Xi thrashed on the bed, clutching her hair. 

“In my past life, I was a man, damn it! Now I’m their plaything…”

She hugged the pillow, pouting. 

“That stupid pill, the daily medicated baths, those cream cakes… Ye Lan’s got me under her thumb.”

For now, she had no choice but to play along.

Mu Xi sighed, gazing at the room’s saccharine decor. 

This wasn’t a princess’s boudoir—it was a gilded cage.

“Fine, I’ll endure,” she mumbled, face pressed into the pillow. 

“I’m used to the torment. For freedom, a little more suffering is nothing.”

Rolling over, she began plotting how to charm Ke’er that afternoon.

Though her heart recoiled, freedom demanded sacrifice.

At two o’clock, Mu Xi entered the music room.

Ke’er sat at the piano, tuning it, her golden hair catching the sunlight streaming through stained glass, glowing like a halo.

“You’re here.” Ke’er looked up, her gaze roaming over Mu Xi’s form. 

“That dress suits you perfectly today.”

Mu Xi glanced down at the sheer pink gown Ye Lan had chosen—gossamer and revealing, leaving little to the imagination. 

She bit back her annoyance.

“Thank you, Captain Lin,” she said, flashing a saccharine smile. 

“Shall we start?”

“Warm up first.” Ke’er patted the seat beside her. 

“Come, sit.”

Mu Xi approached, her skirt swaying with each step.

She felt Ke’er’s heated stare and quickened her pace.

“Let’s begin with vocal exercises.” Ke’er’s fingers danced across the keys. 

“Follow the scale.”

Mu Xi sang, her voice blending with the melody.

Suddenly, Ke’er leaned closer. 

“Your breathing’s off. Use your diaphragm.”

Her hand settled on Mu Xi’s waist. 

“Engage here.”

“Ah!” Mu Xi flinched at the unexpected touch, shifting away.

“Don’t move.” Ke’er’s arm tightened, pulling her back. 

“I’m teaching you proper technique.”

Her breath tickled Mu Xi’s ear. 

“Inhale, let your abdomen expand. Exhale, tighten.”

Mu Xi swallowed her discomfort, following the instructions.

But Ke’er’s hand wandered, sliding from waist to stomach.

“Captain Lin…” Mu Xi squirmed subtly, careful not to resist too openly.

“Call me Sister Ke’er.” Ke’er’s voice dripped with allure. 

“Your voice is unique, Mu Xi—like honey laced with magic.”

Mu Xi bit her lip, recalling her plan. 

She softened her tone. 

“Sister Ke’er…”

The words, sweet and pliant, darkened Ke’er’s gaze, her grip tightening.

Seizing the moment, Mu Xi feigned a stumble, letting herself fall backward.