The corridor stretched empty before her, its silence broken only by the soft glow of dim wall lamps casting gentle pools of light.
Just as she thought her ears had deceived her, a familiar figure came into view, standing a short distance away, her back turned.
It was Li Xin.
She wore a crisp black uniform, her posture rigid under the faint light, betraying a hint of unease, like a shadow caught in a storm.
Her steps paced the corridor, restless and uncertain, like a caged beast torn between instinct and confusion.
Mu Xi’s heart stirred, a playful smile curling her lips.
It seemed her medicinal bath had worked even better than she’d anticipated.
“Li Xin, dear?” Mu Xi’s voice was a soft murmur, sweet and languid, as if she’d just stirred from a dream.
Li Xin flinched, her body stiffening as she turned.
The sight of Mu Xi, clad in a thin silk nightgown, standing in the doorway with a gentle gaze, struck her like a bolt of lightning.
She froze, rooted to the spot.
The nightgown, light and flowing, clung loosely to Mu Xi’s frame, revealing the delicate curve of her collarbone and the porcelain sheen of her skin.
Her silver-white hair cascaded over her shoulders, framing her ethereal beauty, her skin glowing like fresh snow under moonlight.
In that moment, Mu Xi shed the deliberate innocence of the day, her demeanor now laced with a sultry laziness, like a cat stretching awake, her allure both hazy and intoxicating, a temptation that defied description.
Li Xin’s heart skipped, her breath catching as her blood seemed to still in her veins.
Her body grew rigid, each inhale a struggle.
She tried to look away, but her gaze was drawn to Mu Xi, as if magnetized, unable to break free.
Mu Xi’s lips curved into a knowing smile as she glided forward, her steps light and feline, a blend of elegance and elusive cunning.
“Li Xin, dear, what are you doing out here so late? Trouble sleeping?”
Her voice was soft, the words trailing upward with a teasing lilt, their sweetness echoing in the quiet corridor, laced with a subtle, provocative warmth.
Li Xin snapped back to reality, stumbling a step backward as if Mu Xi were some untamed creature.
Her eyes flickered, avoiding Mu Xi’s gaze.
The cool, composed estate manager was gone, replaced by a flustered girl, her poise unraveling, her usual authority nowhere to be found.
“I… I was just taking a walk,” Li Xin forced out, her voice dry, betraying a faint tremor of panic.
She fought to keep her eyes from the delicate fabric of Mu Xi’s nightgown, but her gaze kept drifting, pulled irresistibly to the glimpse of snow-white skin.
Mu Xi caught the flicker of unease in Li Xin’s eyes, her own amusement deepening.
This was going to be easier than she’d thought.
She stepped closer, closing the distance between them, her breath warm and sweet as she spoke.
“It’s so late, and this corridor is so cold. Why don’t you come to my room? I’ll have some hot milk brought up—it’ll warm you right up.”
“No… no need!” Li Xin’s refusal came sharp and quick, her voice cracking as if scalded.
Her breath faltered, her heart pounding so fiercely it threatened to burst from her chest.
The faint scent of cream on Mu Xi’s skin was a poison, seeping into her senses, softening her limbs and unraveling her reason.
Mu Xi watched Li Xin’s flustered retreat, her playful delight growing.
She reached up, her slender fingers brushing a strand of silver hair from her ear, the gesture effortlessly seductive, her eyes glinting with curiosity and challenge.
“Li Xin, dear, are you… afraid of me?”
“No… of course not!” Li Xin’s denial was weak, her voice shrinking, her confidence crumbling.
Each word, each movement from Mu Xi was a tug at her fraying nerves, pulling her closer to the edge of control.
Mu Xi’s laughter rang out, clear and melodic, like silver bells laced with enchantment.
“Really? But your face is so red.”
Her fingertip grazed Li Xin’s cheek, the cool touch sending a shiver through her, like a spark igniting a flame.
Unable to bear the tormenting intimacy any longer, Li Xin stumbled back, putting distance between them.
“I… I have things to do. I’m leaving!” she blurted, fleeing down the corridor, her black uniform cutting a sharp arc through the air, as if slicing through the suffocating tension.
Mu Xi watched Li Xin’s hurried escape, a triumphant smile playing on her lips, her eyes glinting with mischief.
“Quite… entertaining,” she murmured to herself, her voice tinged with the thrill of victory.
The cool sensation of Li Xin’s cheek lingered on her fingertips, stirring an unfamiliar warmth in her chest.
She turned back to her room, closing the door softly, sealing out the corridor’s dimness and silence.
The room, bathed in saccharine pinks, felt different now, as if the encounter had left a subtle mark on its sweetness.
Mu Xi drifted to vanity, gazing into the mirror at her radiant beauty, a flicker of complexity in her eyes.
“A little girl, hmm? Perhaps… not so bad,” she whispered, her tone carrying a trace of uncertainty she hadn’t noticed in herself.
There was no denying it—the thrill of toying with Li Xin had sparked something within her, a subtle pleasure born of control, or perhaps the quiet affirmation of her own allure.
Her fingers brushed her cheek, feeling the smooth silk of her skin.
Her silver hair fell in soft waves, framing features so delicate they seemed crafted from a fairy tale.
“Li Xin… don’t disappoint me,” she murmured to her reflection, her eyes shimmering with calculation.
The next morning, sunlight spilled through the lace curtains of the pink room, its warmth tinged with an almost surreal sweetness.
Mu Xi stirred from the plush bed, her body still humming with the lingering warmth of the medicinal bath, a faint tingle from its vibrations.
She stared at the ceiling, its intricate pink rose patterns blurring as she felt an unfamiliar sensation deep within, as if her soul had been pressed into an exquisite vessel not entirely her own.
Rising, she stepped into the bathroom, where even the tiles were cushioned with pink velvet, the toothbrush holder shaped like a cartoon figure.
She went through her morning routine mechanically, the mirror reflecting a face as flawless as a porcelain doll, her silver hair cascading in soft waves, her skin luminous as snow.
This face was Ye Lan’s proudest creation—and Mu Xi’s greatest weapon in breaking free from her cage.