Droplets of water slid down her snow-white skin, shimmering faintly beneath the light.
Ye Lan’s fingers slowly traced down Mu Xi’s spine, making her tremble uncontrollably.
“Relax,” Ye Lan’s voice was close to her ear, her warm breath brushing against Mu Xi’s earlobe, “This is only the beginning.”
What had started as a normal bath gradually took on a different flavor.
Ye Lan’s fingers wandered over Mu Xi’s body; at first, it was just an ordinary washing, but soon it turned into teasing caresses.
Mu Xi felt the heat of the medicinal bath intertwine with the desire rising within her, making her head swim with dizziness.
Ye Lan seemed to think this still wasn’t enough, giving up any pretense of bathing and pulling Mu Xi directly into her embrace, lips meeting, teeth entangled.
Water splashed, creating small waves around the edge of the bathtub.
“Mm…” A faint moan escaped Mu Xi’s throat.
She tried hard not to make a sound, but Ye Lan’s actions made it impossible to restrain herself.
“Let it out,” Ye Lan ordered, “There’s only the two of us here.”
The water in the tub swayed with their movements, some even spilling over onto the marble floor.
Mu Xi’s silver hair floated on the water, like a waterfall of shimmering silver.
Ye Lan’s black hair intertwined with hers, forming a stark contrast.
Time slipped by amidst their pleasure.
Mu Xi was utterly lost in a sea of sensation, forgetting who she used to be, forgetting her past.
All that remained was the ecstasy of the present and her entanglement with Ye Lan.
Her reason had long since flown to the clouds, leaving only instinct to control her actions and reactions.
Not until Ye Lan, too, uncharacteristically showed signs of fatigue, did the two finally stop their wild affair.
Ye Lan supported Mu Xi as they stood, water trailing down their bodies, pooling on the floor in little puddles.
Ye Lan picked up a towel, gently drying Mu Xi’s body before casually wiping herself off as well.
The two returned to the bedroom nude, collapsing onto the enormous bed.
“Rest for a bit,” Ye Lan said softly, her arm winding around Mu Xi’s slender waist, “I still have something to take care of later.”
Mu Xi no longer had the strength to reply, only able to nod slightly before quickly falling into an exhausted sleep.
Ye Lan quietly watched her sleeping face, a trace of complex emotion flickering in her eyes—there was satisfaction, but also an indescribable longing.
Mu Xi had a dream.
In the dream, she lay in a bedroom draped in dark green and antique gold, surrounded by Gothic Spire Windows.
Stained glass fractured sunlight into motley shadows that danced over her rounded belly.
That feeling, at once unfamiliar yet strangely familiar—there was life growing within her.
She gently stroked her smooth stomach, feeling the faint movements from within.
The silk dark green sheets curled softly beneath her, like a tranquil lake.
“Will Master like our child?” She heard herself ask, her voice full of unprecedented hope and gentleness.
The door swung open, and Ye Lan’s tall figure appeared in the doorway, her jet-black hair hanging to her waist, phoenix eyes glimmering with rare warmth.
She approached unhurriedly, her slender fingers lightly stroking Mu Xi’s silver hair, then bent over, gently undoing Mu Xi’s robe.
“Of course,” Ye Lan’s voice was as smooth as melted chocolate, “This is the crystallization of our love.”
She lowered her head, her lips pressing to Mu Xi’s aching chest, beginning to **.
That feeling was both painful and strangely satisfying.
“Our child will definitely grow up strong,” Mu Xi heard herself say, a smile in her voice, “The three of us will live together happily forever…”
Suddenly, a wave of terror, like ice water, doused her awake.
Mu Xi’s eyes snapped open.
Her heart pounded, and cold sweat soaked through her thin nightgown.
The sunlight outside had already shifted west, clearly she had slept for a long time.
The bed was a mess, and Ye Lan was long gone.
“No…” She instinctively touched her flat stomach, where only a bright red heart was tattooed, not a budding life.
Mu Xi’s hand trembled as she grabbed a glass of water from the nightstand, gulping down the icy liquid as if trying to wash away the lingering fear of the dream.
She beat her own chest, as though that could calm her frantic heartbeat.
“Impossible,” she whispered to the empty room, her voice trembling with fear, “I will never let something like that happen… never…”
The happiness from her dream now felt so ironic.
That wasn’t happiness, but the deepest nightmare of her soul as a man in her previous life.
Mu Xi stood before the full-length mirror, staring at her reflection, muttering over and over, “I am a man, I am a man, I am a man…”
This phrase seemed to be her only salvation, a desperate attempt to find a sliver of familiarity in this strange body.
Just then, a knock at the door suddenly sounded, breaking her trance.
Mu Xi paused for a moment, then asked, “Who’s outside?”
The Maid’s voice came from beyond the door, gentle and respectful: “It’s me, here to tidy up the room.”
Mu Xi took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down, then opened the door.
She looked at the Maid, complicated emotions welling up inside her.
The Maid bowed her head and quietly entered the room, beginning to tidy the scattered items.
Mu Xi said nothing more, turning to leave the room, her heart filled with helplessness and confusion.
She walked to the elevator and pressed the button, the elevator slowly descending.
As the elevator dropped, Mu Xi’s mood gradually relaxed.
She wanted to take a quiet walk alone and enjoy a moment of peace.
When the elevator doors opened, Mu Xi stepped out, following the familiar path, heading into the depths of the Garden.
The fragrance of flowers surrounded her, fresh and intoxicating, as if reminding her that beauty still existed in life.
***
In the days that followed, Ye Lan’s way of treating Mu Xi changed in subtle ways.
There were no longer intentional humiliations or complex games—everything was reduced to the most primitive of desires.
Day and night, from the first glimmer of dawn until the moon hung high in the sky, Ye Lan almost never left that dark green silk bed.
She drowned Mu Xi in endless intimacy, those long and powerful fingers exploring every secret of the silver-haired girl’s body, until Mu Xi lost the ability to think in the tide of pleasure.
Her initial resistance was worn down by the relentless entanglement.
Mu Xi found herself unable to resist the sensation of being possessed and controlled.
Whenever Ye Lan leaned close, just that familiar scent of perfume was enough to make her entire body go weak.
She began to actively respond to the kisses, to reciprocate the caresses, and even felt a strange emptiness when Ye Lan was not by her side.
“Looks like my little pet has finally learned to enjoy it.” Ye Lan would often say, a winner’s delight in her tone.
Mu Xi couldn’t refute her.
Her body had long since betrayed the memories of her past life.
Even when Ye Lan wasn’t there, she would tremble uncontrollably from the memories alone.
Those moments of shame and pleasure were engraved in her very bones.
She began to doubt whether her will was really so fragile.
Day after day, Mu Xi was imprisoned in a cage of desire, muddling through life like a carefully raised Golden Canary, with no other purpose but to please her Master.
Until one day, after yet another fierce encounter, she lay in Ye Lan’s arms, when a sudden headache made her recall those clear eyes as pure as spring water.
“Master…” Mu Xi called softly, her voice hoarse from exhaustion, “Can I… see Li Xin? It’s been so long since I last saw her.”