The two of them slept dizzily for a while longer, until the RV’s temperature control system emitted a faint “beep”, signaling that the outside temperature was beginning to rise.
“I’ll wash up first.” Ye Lan brushed aside the stray black hair on her forehead, leaned down to give Mu Xi a light peck on the lips, and then nimbly flipped out of bed.
Mu Xi remained lounging on the bed, her eyes half-squinted as she watched Ye Lan’s slender figure disappear behind the bathroom door.
She reached out to touch her own lips.
Recalling the kiss from last night — sudden yet seemingly premeditated — her heart rate involuntarily quickened.
The sound of running water came from the bathroom.
Mu Xi let out a yawn and pulled the quilt over her face, only to kick it away again because of the stuffiness.
She tossed and turned for a few minutes until Ye Lan finished washing and walked out.
Only then did she climb out of bed, her hair a messy tangle like a lion that had just woken up.
Ye Lan had already changed into clean black short sleeves and military green trousers, her hair still dripping with water.
Seeing Mu Xi’s dazed appearance, the corners of her mouth curled up.
“Go wash your face, little lazybones.”
Mu Xi nodded, but she didn’t move.
Instead, she stretched out both hands, “Hug.”
Ye Lan shook her head helplessly, yet she still walked over and scooped her up in one motion.
Mu Xi’s body was surprisingly light, feeling almost weightless.
Her small feet dangled in the air, swaying gently with the rhythm of Ye Lan’s steps.
Inside the bathroom, Ye Lan stood behind Mu Xi, squeezed the toothpaste for her, and handed over the toothbrush.
Mu Xi brushed half-heartedly, so Ye Lan took over, tilted her chin up, and earnestly brushed them for her again.
“Mmm… mmm…” Mu Xi’s mouth was full of foam, but she still felt the scene was both familiar and strange.
Her eyes remained fixed on the two of them in the mirror, and a sudden sense of deja vu washed over her.
Once they finished, Ye Lan picked up a comb and began detangling Mu Xi’s silver hair from the ends.
“Raise your arms.” Ye Lan picked up Mu Xi’s undergarments, and Mu Xi obediently complied.
Ye Lan’s fingers inadvertently brushed against her skin, causing her to tremble slightly.
“What is it?” Ye Lan asked.
“It tickles a little,” Mu Xi answered softly, her face flushing red again.
Dressed now, Mu Xi turned to face Ye Lan.
She stood on her tip-toes and puckered her lips.
Understanding the hint, Ye Lan leaned down and gave her a light kiss.
“Not enough,” Mu Xi complained, her small hands grabbing Ye Lan’s collar and refusing to let go.
“I have to go cook. Are you hungry?”
“Kiss first, then cook.” Mu Xi stubbornly tilted her head up, her eyes full of entreaty.
Looking at her like this, Ye Lan’s heart softened.
She leaned down and kissed that persistent little mouth.
Mu Xi immediately climbed onto Ye Lan’s shoulders, standing on her toes to respond.
What should have been a simple kiss gradually deepened.
Ye Lan’s hands instinctively wrapped around Mu Xi’s slender waist, pulling her closer.
As their lips and teeth intertwined, Mu Xi felt her heart drumming like a beat, as if it were about to jump out of her chest.
After an unknown amount of time, the two finally parted reluctantly, their foreheads pressed together as their breaths mingled.
“Can we go cook now?” Ye Lan asked in a low voice, a hint of a smile in her tone.
Mu Xi blinked and nodded slightly, a satisfied smile hanging on the corners of her mouth.
Over the stove, Ye Lan operated the burners skillfully while Mu Xi leaned against the counter beside the cramped kitchen area, quietly watching her every move.
Outside the window, the dust storm continuously battered the glass, but it could not isolate the warmth within this small world.
“What are you looking at?” Ye Lan noticed Mu Xi’s gaze and looked up to ask.
“I’m learning,” Mu Xi said seriously.
“That way, I can cook for you in the future too.”
Ye Lan’s movements paused for a moment.
A flash of complex emotion crossed her eyes, but it was quickly replaced by a smile.
“Alright, but you’ll have to grow a bit taller first, or you won’t be able to reach the stove.”
Mu Xi puffed out her cheeks and said, “I’m already very tall!”
Ye Lan laughed and rubbed her hair, offering no rebuttal.
The sunlight filtered through the RV window, spilling exactly over the two of them and plating this ordinary morning with a gentle golden rim.
Ye Lan’s skills were quite good; simple ingredients were transformed into a fragrant breakfast in her hands.
The two of them sat at the RV’s small folding table.
Mu Xi’s mouth was stuffed with food, her cheeks bulging like a little hamster’s.
“Eat slowly, no one is going to take it from you.” Ye Lan reached out to wipe a grain of rice from the corner of Mu Xi’s mouth.
Just as Mu Xi was about to answer, a sudden burst of explosions interrupted her.
This was immediately followed by more intense gunfire and heavy blasts, causing the entire RV to vibrate slightly.
Ye Lan’s reaction was incredibly fast.
Almost instinctively, she lunged toward Mu Xi, shielding her tightly in her arms before quickly pulling her under the table.
“What happened?” Mu Xi’s face turned pale with fright.
Her silver hair was scattered messily over her shoulders, and her small hands tightly gripped the hem of Ye Lan’s clothes.
The crisp sound of rifles, the dull sweep of heavy machine guns, and the explosions rising one after another filled the air.
Most importantly, Ye Lan heard familiar tactical commands and offensive rhythms.
A thought flashed through her mind, and her tense expression suddenly relaxed.
A hint of a smile even played on her lips.
“Why are you smiling?” Mu Xi asked nervously, her small face appearing even paler due to fear.
“Are there bad people outside?”
Ye Lan gently stroked Mu Xi’s hair, her eyes glittering with a long-absent light.
“No, the good people are here.”
“Good people?”
“It’s my Escort Team,” Ye Lan’s voice carried an irrepressible excitement.
“The signal I sent out finally worked. They’ve come to save us.”
Mu Xi blinked, seemingly unable to believe it, “Really? But… but Sister Luoyuan is so powerful. Can your people beat her?”
A trace of complex emotion flashed in Ye Lan’s eyes as she said, “Maybe not in a short amount of time, but this situation is the worst for Luoyuan. She is currently building her own power base and needs a stable environment, and enough manpower. A large-scale conflict will severely deplete her strength, which is the last thing she wants to see.”
As soon as she finished speaking, the gunfire outside the RV became even more concentrated.
Mu Xi couldn’t help but shrink further into Ye Lan’s embrace, while Ye Lan kept a vigilant watch on the RV door.
“Should we try to escape during the chaos?” Mu Xi whispered.
Ye Lan shook her head, “No need. We’ll just wait.”
Sure enough, it wasn’t long before the RV door was slammed open, and Luoyuan’s tall figure appeared at the entrance.
Her face, usually elegant and composed, was now covered in gloom.
Her blonde hair was somewhat disheveled, and a dangerous light flickered in her azure eyes.
“Ye Lan! Are you for real?” Luoyuan’s voice was laced with suppressed rage.
Ye Lan unhurriedly stood up from under the table, pulling Mu Xi behind her as she did.
“What, aren’t you going to welcome a friend who’s come to visit?”
Luoyuan sneered, “Those remnants of your defeated army… I thought they had all died long ago. I didn’t expect there would be so many left.”
“You underestimated me,” Ye Lan said, the corners of her mouth curling into a proud smile.
“The people I left at the Manor were only a small portion of my strength. Most of my elites were outside waiting for my orders. Now, they’ve returned.”
Luoyuan’s expression turned even uglier, “You had better go out right now and tell your people to stop attacking, otherwise — “
“Otherwise what?” Ye Lan interrupted her, a cold light flashing in her eyes.
“Are you going to kill me? Kill Mu Xi?”
Luoyuan took a deep breath, seemingly trying her best to control her emotions and said, “Come out. Come with me to meet your people and talk.”
“I can do that,” Ye Lan agreed with a nod and said, “But from now on, you can no longer restrict the freedom of Mu Xi or myself.”
Luoyuan’s gaze fell upon Mu Xi, her eyes flashing with a hint of greed and obsession.
“You can be free, but Mu Xi cannot. She is the Imperial Princess of Wu City and an indispensable part of my plan. Without her, I have no future.”
Ye Lan let out a cold laugh and said, “Then there is nothing to discuss. You want Mu Xi, and I will not yield; I want to take Mu Xi away, and you refuse to let go. It seems we can only resort to arms. At worst, we’ll all perish together.”