“Will it keep growing larger…” she whispered softly, her fingers unconsciously kneading the softness at her chest,  the unfamiliar sensation both frightened and intrigued her. Â
Moonlight poured in through the window like liquid mercury, illuminating her slender silhouette.
Mu Xi gazed out at the Manor, her thoughts drifting to Li Xin.
In this cruel world, she wondered if Li Xin was also struggling alone in the darkness, just like herself.
That thought gave her a strange sense of comfort, as if someone was walking alongside her through the night.
She closed her eyes, trying to ignore the discomfort brought on by the changes in her body, and slowly sank into a restless sleep accompanied by the lingering scent of the medicinal bath and the moonlight.
Dawn’s light filtered through the stained glass window, spilling into Mu Xi’s bedroom.
She woke from her dream, her slender fingers gently brushing her forehead as she felt that strange, restless heat stirring inside her.
Mu Xi rose to wash up, her movements soft and graceful.
Casually glancing up, her eyes were drawn to her reflection in the dressing mirror.
The girl in the mirror had long hair like a waterfall, pale skin, and lively eyes framed by eyelashes that fluttered like butterfly wings.
“So beautiful…” she murmured, her fingertips touching the cold glass, meeting the mirror girl’s fingertips.
It wasn’t vanity, but a peculiar sense of estrangement.
This body was still an unfamiliar territory to her; every curve reminded her of the rift between soul and flesh.
She straightened her posture and furrowed her brows.
The reflection seemed shorter than she remembered.
Mu Xi measured the height with her hand to confirm.
“Something’s wrong…” she whispered, a strange feeling rising in her chest.
Just as she was lost in confusion, a gentle knock came from the door.
A young woman dressed in the black-and-white Maid uniform entered, carrying a tray with an exquisite breakfast.
“Good morning, Miss,” the Maid said with a slight bow, placing the breakfast on the small table by the window.
Mu Xi bit her lip and asked cautiously, “Am I… shorter?”
Her voice betrayed her anxiety despite her effort to hide it.
The Maid tidied the dishes with an indifferent expression.
“Yes, Miss is a bit shorter than when you first arrived at the Manor. Lord Ye Lan said it’s one of the effects of the medicinal bath, making your figure more… delicate and charming.” Â
The reply struck Mu Xi’s chest like a heavy blow, leaving her breathless.
She nodded mechanically to signal the Maid to leave, then turned back to face the mirror.
Her height had decreased, but her bust had become even fuller, and beneath her nightdress, a bright red heart-shaped mark flickered faintly.
All these changes reminded her that Ye Lan was reshaping her body according to her wishes. Â
Yet Mu Xi found the idea that the medicinal bath could reduce one’s height utterly absurd, completely overturning all scientific knowledge she had in her previous life.
She frowned, her slender fingers gesturing in the air as if trying to grasp some invisible logic.
“What kind of experiment is Ye Lan conducting…” she whispered, her voice laced with unease and anger.
However, since this world allowed a male soul to be reborn in a female body, its rules were obviously far removed from the reality she once knew.
With that in mind, she decided to stop fixating on these details and instead accept this harsh reality.
She picked up the delicate measuring tape on her bedside table and carefully measured her body.
One meter fifty tall, weighing forty kilograms.
This tiny body weighed less than a large dog.
The numbers starkly revealed how much Ye Lan had altered her body; each figure was like a knife carving into her pride.
“Damn it…” Mu Xi bit her lip, her long hair hiding her reddening eyes.
A wave of unprecedented shame surged through her, and she suddenly lunged onto the bed, burying her face deep into the soft, dark green silk pillow.
Her small fists pounded the pillow in fury, each blow filled with suppressed emotions.
“How did I fall to this…” Her muffled voice sounded even more plaintive.
But ironically, after just a few punches, her frail body betrayed her will.
Mu Xi soon panted heavily, covered in a fine sheen of sweat; her silver-white hair clung to her flushed cheeks as her chest heaved violently.
She rolled onto her back, staring at the stained glass of the Gothic spire window, sunlight tracing the outline of her petite frame.
Mu Xi looked at her hands.
So small, so powerless, so… unfamiliar.
A silent tear slid down, vanishing into the dark green silk sheets.
This meticulously crafted doll of a body, lacking even the strength to vent her anger, made her more clearly than ever aware of her predicament.
Several minutes later.
Mu Xi was standing before the dressing mirror, adjusting her clothes, her fingertips brushing her body and feeling that strange, discordant sensation.
Her long hair fell over her slender shoulders, contrasting with her pale face.
The door quietly opened, and Ye Lan entered gracefully, holding a set of exquisite Western-style clothes.
“Today I’m taking you to a special place,” Ye Lan smiled, a disquieting glint flickering in her eyes.
“Change into this first.” Â
She handed the outfit to Mu Xi. Â
It was a Gothic Lolita Dress, black and white lace edges delicately elaborate, the skirt puffed like a blooming flower, and a bow adorned with tiny rubies at the chest.
“This… is too much, isn’t it?” Mu Xi hesitated as she took the dress, her fingers trembling slightly.
Ye Lan chuckled softly, her long fingers gently caressing her cheek.
“For my little doll, no outfit is ever too extravagant. Hurry and put it on. I’m waiting.” Â
Under Ye Lan’s watchful gaze, Mu Xi had no choice but to change into the intricate dress.
The fabric was soft and clung to her petite body; the girl in the mirror looked like a delicate doll straight out of a fairy tale, too beautiful to be real.
“Perfect,” Ye Lan praised, a twisted satisfaction shining in her eyes.
“Come with me.” Â
Ye Lan took Mu Xi’s hand and led her through the Manor’s quiet corridors, past the neatly trimmed gardens, and into the depths of the forest.
They arrived at an iron gate, and Ye Lan took an antique key from her waist and turned it in the lock. Â
The gate creaked with an unsettling, teeth-grating sound as it slowly opened.
A wave of damp, moldy, and bloody odors rushed out, making Mu Xi instinctively step back.
Dim oil lamps barely illuminated the narrow stone passage, water droplets constantly falling from the damp walls with a steady dripping sound.
“The Dungeon…” Mu Xi murmured, fear swelling like a tide in her chest.
They passed several empty cells before stopping in front of the one deepest within.
Inside the iron bars, a man huddled in the corner, raggedly dressed, his body trembling unnaturally.
He raised his head, and Mu Xi gasped.
His face was twisted, covered with purple-black vascular patterns; his bulging eyes and cracked, bleeding lips made him look as if some terrible force was eating him from within.
“Meet my experimental subject.”
Ye Lan said elegantly, as if introducing a piece of art, “He used to be a reckless bandit. Now, he is a witness to my ‘Tears of Oblivion.'”
“Tears of Oblivion?” Mu Xi felt dizzy; the sight of the Gothic Lolita Dress amidst the Dungeon’s grim setting felt absurdly surreal.
Ye Lan produced a delicate crystal vial from her pocket.
Inside were a few drops of colorless, transparent liquid that shimmered with an eerie blue glow under the dim light.
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