“I won’t let anyone hurt you again.”
Mu Xi’s sleeping face was peaceful and sweet, the corners of her mouth even slightly upturned as if she were having a beautiful dream.
Ye Lan looked at her, her eyes filled with complex emotions.
‘Everything Luoyuan did to Mu Xi, I’ll pay her back twofold one day.’
But for now, the most important thing was to protect this child who had lost her memories and help her find her true self again.
The temperature inside the RV was pleasant, isolating them from the chill of the desert.
Ye Lan leaned against the headboard, maintaining her posture for fear that any movement would wake Mu Xi.
Her gaze fell on Mu Xi’s exquisite face, those long eyelashes casting faint shadows under the moonlight.
Mu Xi’s breathing grew steady.
Her dreams seemed to have drifted away, replaced by a deep sense of security that completely surrounded her.
Ye Lan felt a slight warmth and moisture against her chest; this intimate contact caused a strong protective urge to surge within her heart.
“I’ll take you home, Little Xi,” Ye Lan promised softly, “I’ll make you the Imperial Princess of Wu City again and take back everything that belongs to you. It was all my fault before; please don’t blame me anymore, okay?”
The wind outside seemed to die down a little, and the cries of unknown animals echoed from the distance.
This desert appeared even more mysterious and dangerous at night, but the inside of the RV was their safe harbor.
Ye Lan lightly kissed Mu Xi’s forehead, feeling her body temperature gradually rise.
Mu Xi moved slightly in her sleep but did not wake up.
Instead, she clung to Ye Lan even more dependably.
Ye Lan’s heart was touched by this unconscious movement, and her gaze softened.
No matter how Luoyuan used hypnosis and control, Mu Xi’s underlying feelings for her remained.
That connection etched deep in the soul was not something a simple memory manipulation could completely erase.
Ye Lan continued to maintain her position, letting Mu Xi sleep peacefully in her arms.
It was late at night, and only the sound of their steady breathing remained in the RV.
Ye Lan gradually felt drowsiness wash over her, but she didn’t dare fall asleep easily, fearing Mu Xi would sink into a nightmare again.
She gently stroked Mu Xi’s back, patting her softly as if she were a baby.
At this moment, they were no longer fugitives or victims toyed with by destiny.
They were just two souls leaning on each other, finding their own warmth in this desolate world.
As the moonlight sank toward the west, Ye Lan finally closed her eyes, but she never loosened her embrace.
During this long night, they found a brief moment of peace and solace.
***
Mu Xi drifted in the depths of her dreams.
Her eyelashes fluttered slightly, and her breathing grew rapid.
In this new dream, she was bound by a pair of familiar hands, suspended in the center of a dim room with her limbs hanging limply.
“Why did you leave me?” In the dream, Ye Lan’s voice was low, and the whip in her hand traced an elegant arc through the air.
Mu Xi tried to struggle, only to find that her body betrayed her will.
“I hate you,” her lips trembled as she spat out the words, “I will never forgive you.”
The moment the whip fell, pain and pleasure surged through her body like an electric current.
Mu Xi felt a strange sense of relief.
It wasn’t just a physical reaction; it was like a long-buried memory was awakening.
“Please… Master,” she heard herself call out in the dream.
The title felt so natural, as if it were an instinct carved into her bones.
In reality, Mu Xi unconsciously pressed closer to Ye Lan’s warm chest.
The accidental touch of her lips caused Ye Lan to wake up abruptly.
A numb sensation accompanied by a faint, slight sting spread from her chest.
Ye Lan inhaled sharply and looked down at the girl in her arms.
Mu Xi’s mouth held a trace of a smile from her dream.
Her cheeks were flushed an unnatural red, and her eyes moved rapidly under her lids, clearly immersed in an intense dream.
“Master…” Mu Xi murmured in her sleep, her voice carrying a sense of dependence and submission that Ye Lan hadn’t heard in a long time.
Those two words were like a key, instantly unlocking the long-sealed door of memory in Ye Lan’s heart.
Once upon a time, Mu Xi had knelt before her, her eyes full of reliance and love.
Back then, Mu Xi was her cutest pet and most intimate companion.
Ye Lan’s breathing became heavy.
She reached out to stroke Mu Xi’s silver hair, a complex swirl of emotions rising in her heart.
She had sworn to give Mu Xi freedom and to stop controlling her so she could start a new life.
But at this moment, hearing that familiar title, a strong sense of possession and protection intertwined within her.
“Little Xi…” Ye Lan whispered, her voice containing both pity and a hint of secret expectation.
Perhaps, in the depths of Mu Xi’s heart, the memories Luoyuan had deliberately erased had not completely vanished.
Instead, they had become even more profound.
The temperature inside the RV seemed to rise unnoticed, and Ye Lan felt a sudden heat.
Outside, the desert wind continued to howl, but her heart was like a candle flame in a storm, flickering unsteadily.
***
As dawn broke, the desert sun seeped through the gaps in the RV’s curtains, casting a golden line on the floor.
Mu Xi slowly opened her eyes, she licked her lips, the lingering milky scent spreading in her mouth.
She blinked her bleary eyes, savoring the sweet taste.
The aroma of fried eggs and coffee wafted over.
Ye Lan was already busy in the RV’s small kitchen area.
The sound of metal utensils clinking against pots and bowls reached her ears, and Mu Xi felt an inexplicable sense of peace.
The temperature in the RV had risen significantly, perhaps due to the sun or Ye Lan’s cooking.
Beads of sweat slid down Mu Xi’s forehead.
She felt her pajamas sticking to her skin, making her feel oily and uncomfortable.
Mu Xi frowned and simply tossed aside the thin quilt.
She unbuttoned her pajamas, letting the clothes slide to the side of the bed.
The morning air brushed against her bare skin, bringing a comfortable chill.
She stretched, her silver hair swaying gently behind her back.
She stepped onto the floor with bare feet and walked toward the kitchen.
“Whoa —” Mu Xi couldn’t help but yawn, rubbing her eyes.
Hearing the movement behind her, Ye Lan turned around, still holding a frying pan.
When her gaze landed on Mu Xi, her movements froze.
Ye Lan’s eyes involuntarily slid from Mu Xi’s exquisite face to her naked body, and her Adam’s apple bobbed slightly.
Mu Xi’s posture, different from usual, appeared exceptionally pure and flawless in the morning light.
Her petite figure and skin as white as jade shimmered like pearls under the sun.
Ye Lan felt her mouth go dry.
“Little Xi, your chest seems to have grown a bit larger.” Ye Lan’s voice grew uncontrollably deep as her gaze lingered on Mu Xi’s chest.
Mu Xi looked down at herself.
Her small hand gently squeezed her own breast; it felt soft and elastic.
A comfortable sensation spread from her fingertips, and she couldn’t help but knead a few more times.
But realizing Ye Lan was watching her, Mu Xi suddenly felt a wave of bashfulness.
Her fingers paused hesitantly before she slowly lowered them.
Ye Lan placed the fried eggs onto a plate and set two steaming cups of coffee on the table.
“Go put on some clothes. It’s time for breakfast,” Ye Lan said, trying to keep her voice calm, though her eyes kept wandering over Mu Xi’s body.
“No,” Mu Xi shook her head, her long silver hair swaying with the movement.
“It’s too hot in the RV. Wearing clothes is uncomfortable.”
She walked straight to the dining table and pulled out a chair to sit down.
Her slender fingers picked up a fork and lifted a piece of golden fried egg into her mouth.
Ye Lan sighed helplessly and sat down opposite her.
She tried to focus on her food, but her gaze kept returning to Mu Xi.
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