Chapter 348: Relaxation

This woman had brought her endless pain and humiliation, yet in an extreme way, had also pulled her back from the edge of another hell. 

She subconsciously touched her temple.

Just moments ago, the doctors had not only conducted a thorough examination and optimization of her body but had also, following her request, carefully extracted the control chip belonging to Luoyuan that had been buried deep in her brain. 

When that small, coldly glinting foreign object was placed on the tray, Mu Xi felt a surreal sense of unreality.

This thing had once made her like a puppet on strings, helpless to control herself.

Now it was removed. 

The physical chains were undone, but what about the ones in her heart?

Could she truly escape everything from the past?

Her gaze drifted back to Ye Lan.

A part of her attention remained fixed on Mu Xi. She could feel it—even while receiving treatment, part of Ye Lan’s attention stayed on her. That invisible, intensely possessive gaze, like tangible chains, made it hard to breathe.

But strangely, this time, she didn’t feel the fear and rejection she once had. Instead, a numbed sense of habit surfaced, along with a faint trace of dependence she herself hadn’t even realized she possessed.

Perhaps Ye Lan was right.

They both needed a “fresh start.”

Time flowed in near-frozen silence.

Several days later, when the final round of repair beams faded, the treatment came to an end.

Mu Xi was the first to sit up from the treatment pod, looking down at her body. Her skin was smooth and delicate, as fair as fine mutton-fat jade, with not a single trace of the past—whether marks left by Ye Lan or the tiny scratches accidentally acquired during her wandering days, all gone without a trace, as if she had never suffered those hardships, born perfect and unblemished. Her silver hair cascaded like a waterfall, her features delicate, yet her eyes carried a vacancy and weariness beyond her years.

She walked to the enormous floor-to-ceiling mirror. The young woman reflected was petite in stature.

So this was “rebirth”? Could the rebirth of the body also bring rebirth to the soul?

The pod door behind her opened, and Ye Lan stepped out.

She had also changed into a clean, soft white robe, her jet-black hair casually draped over her shoulders. She had shed most of her usual sharpness, replaced by a hint of languid ease.

She walked to Mu Xi’s side, her gaze landing on the smooth, unblemished skin of her own back in the mirror.

The scar she had once regarded as a “medal” was completely gone.

Ye Lan’s eyes grew exceptionally deep, complex emotions churning beneath the surface.

Losing this scar felt like losing a weighty proof—proof that she had borne suffering for Mu Xi.

It stirred a vague sense of emptiness and unease within her.

But then, her gaze shifted to the petite figure nestled beside her in the mirror. She saw that although Mu Xi’s expression remained indifferent, she hadn’t instinctively flinched away like before. That flicker of emptiness was instantly filled by a far stronger emotion.

She had lost her “medal,” but it seemed she had gained a small step of Mu Xi willingly drawing closer.

It was worth it.

Ye Lan reached out, gently draping an arm around Mu Xi’s shoulder. She felt the barely perceptible stiffening of the person in her embrace, but ultimately, Mu Xi didn’t push her away.

“Let’s go home,” Ye Lan said, her voice low and gentle, carrying a barely noticeable hoarseness.

The so-called “home” was, of course, the Silent Language Building.

During the nine days they had spent receiving treatment, the Silent Language Building had also undergone a complete renovation and reinforcement.

The already sturdy structure had been further strengthened, and the interior furnishings had been replaced entirely.

Ye Lan didn’t take Mu Xi back to the second-floor bedroom. Instead, she led her directly to the top floor. Though the style remained simple and austere, many details revealed deliberate arrangement, clearly taking Mu Xi’s preferences and comfort into account.

As the door opened, dense, humid air rushed in, carrying the faint distinctive scent of sulfur.

The top floor had been converted into an open-air hot spring pool, built from natural stacked rocks, adorned at the edges with a few cold-hardy green plants. Warm water emitted wisps of white steam, dispersing into the crisp air.

“I had this built specially for you.”

Ye Lan’s voice sounded somewhat muffled in the steam. “The climate in Stone City is dry. Soaking in hot springs is good for the skin and helps you relax.”

Mu Xi looked at the hot spring that had clearly been crafted with great care, and that complex, indescribable feeling surged within her again.

Ye Lan was always like this—giving in the most forceful way, treating her well in the most obsessive manner, leaving her no room to refuse, and no way to discern just how much control and calculation lay beneath that goodwill.

But she had already decided, hadn’t she?

No more overthinking. No more hatred. Try to accept.

She remained silent, saying nothing, but quietly undid her bathrobe, revealing that flawless, newborn-like body, then slowly stepped into the warm spring water.

The temperature was just right. The warmth instantly enveloped her entire body, dispelling the fatigue and chill of the past days.

Mu Xi found a corner by the rock wall and sat down, curling her body up until only her neck and delicate face were above the water.

Ye Lan followed into the water, ripples spreading as she approached step by step, finally stopping behind Mu Xi.

Mu Xi could clearly feel the pressure closing in behind her, her body instinctively tensing.

Ye Lan didn’t touch her right away. She simply sat down behind her, maintaining a subtle distance.

The steam blurred their vision, softening the suffocating sharpness that Ye Lan habitually carried.

For a moment, there was only the faint sound of flowing spring water and the intertwined rhythm of their breathing in the mist.

Stars dotted the night sky, sparsely scattered across the ink-blue firmament, appearing infinitely distant and tranquil.

After a long while, Ye Lan slowly extended her arm, tentatively, wrapping it gently around Mu Xi’s petite body from behind.

Mu Xi’s body stiffened violently, like a startled fawn.

Ye Lan immediately stopped, her arm hovering mid-air, her voice carrying a hint of cautiousness she herself hadn’t noticed: “Did I startle you?”

Mu Xi was silent for a few seconds, but her tense body strangely began to relax.

She didn’t answer, only giving a slight shake of her head.

With silent permission, Ye Lan continued to draw her arms closer, encircling Mu Xi completely within her embrace.

Her chin rested gently on Mu Xi’s soft silver hair, savoring the faint fragrance wafting from the strands, her movements filled with unprecedented tenderness and care.

Skin against skin, Ye Lan could clearly feel the smooth, delicate texture of Mu Xi’s skin, as well as her slightly lower-than-normal body temperature.

Her heart pounded like thunder in her chest—both the wild joy of regaining something lost and the anxiety of disturbing this fragile balance.

“Little Xi.” Ye Lan’s voice sounded by Mu Xi’s ear, moist with steam, low and magnetic. “Are you used to it? Here.”

Mu Xi leaned against Ye Lan’s warm, firm chest, feeling her steady, powerful heartbeat and the delicate sensation of smooth skin pressed against skin.

This feeling was unfamiliar, yet not unpleasant.

She closed her eyes, letting the warmth of the water and the body heat behind her wash over her, and gave a slight nod. “Mm.”

A single syllable, yet it made Ye Lan’s arms unconsciously tighten around her.

Ye Lan’s palm, calloused with thin layers of hardened skin, gently stroked Mu Xi’s flat, smooth abdomen.

There had once been scars there, marks of violation. But now everything had been smoothed away, leaving only a cool, delicate texture beneath her touch.

Her fingertips burned with warmth, tracing that skin with painstaking care, feeling the subtle tremors of the person in her arms.

“Have you truly decided?” Ye Lan asked in a low voice, carrying a faint trace of tension and the need for confirmation. “To forget everything from the past, start over from scratch, and slowly fall in love with me?”

The question landed like a stone dropped into a still pond, sending ripples across the surface.

Mu Xi leaned against Ye Lan’s embrace, not answering right away.

She opened her eyes, gazing at the sparse, cold stars scattered across the night sky above.