Sunlight fell upon her serene sleeping face, as if gilding her with a halo of sanctity.
A few strands of silver hair had slipped down to her chest, rising and falling gently with her steady breaths.
In her sleep, it seemed another burst of gunfire sounded, closer than all the ones before.
Her body trembled almost imperceptibly, as if startled, but her eyelids merely twitched and did not open.
She turned over unconsciously, burying her face into the crook of her arm, continuing to slumber.
As if this terrace of the Silent Language Building truly existed in a world entirely separate from the street below.
One filled with violence and death, the other with only sunlight, a gentle breeze, and peaceful sleep.
The two servants had stopped their work at some point, standing to the side, watching Mu Xi’s sleeping form with complex expressions.
The older servant gently tapped the younger one’s arm, silently mouthing the question: What do we do?
The younger servant shook her head, signaling not to disturb.
They exchanged a glance, both able to see the fear and inexplicable reverence in each other’s eyes.
This Miss Xi, she was different from anyone they had ever met before.
The older servant hesitated for a moment, then finally lowered her voice to a volume only the two of them could hear, speaking cautiously: “His Majesty would surely be very pleased if he saw Miss Xi like this now, wouldn’t he?”
The younger servant nodded, her gaze once again falling upon Mu Xi’s peaceful sleeping face, her eyes filled with awe.
Yes, His Majesty had gone to such lengths, wasn’t it precisely because he hoped Miss Xi could let go of the past and accept everything now?
As it stood now, Miss Xi really did seem to be slowly accomplishing that.
Only, whether this was a good thing for Miss Xi, or…
A gust of wind blew past, carrying with it a stronger scent of blood, rusty and metallic, and also stirring a few strands of silver hair on Mu Xi’s forehead.
She seemed to furrow her brow slightly in her dream, but ultimately did not wake.
The sky had completely darkened, and the last lingering rays of the setting sun were devoured by the ink-black veil of night.
The lamps on the terrace of the Silent Language Building were lit by the servants, casting a soft and warm glow that stood in stark contrast to the cold starry sky above.
The warmth brought by the daylight sun had long since faded, and the evening breeze carried the desert night’s characteristic chill, sweeping through every corner of the terrace.
The two servants stood quietly to the side, barely daring to breathe, their gazes occasionally drifting toward the sleeping figure on the lounger.
Time ticked by, minute by minute.
The carefully prepared dinner on the small round metal table had gone cold, only to be carefully taken away by the servants to be reheated, then brought back out again—repeated twice in this manner.
Finally, the figure on the lounger began to stir.
Mu Xi’s long lashes fluttered gently a few times, like butterfly wings resting upon a petal.
She let out a soft hum, a sound so faint it was nearly inaudible, then slowly opened her eyes.
What met her gaze was not the daytime sky, but a deep night canvas studded with countless stars.
She was dazed for a moment, as if not yet fully awake from her deep sleep.
Her silver hair spread out across the lounger, a few playful strands clinging to her cheeks, making her delicate little face appear even more refined and pale.
She stretched out on the lounger, like a just-awakened little cat.
“Mmm…”
She yawned lazily as she stretched, her petite frame emitting faint popping sounds from her bones, carrying the languor of a long sleep.
“Miss Xi, you’re awake.”
The older servant immediately stepped forward, her voice kept extremely soft, as if afraid of disturbing her.
The younger servant quickly followed, neatly rearranging the still-warm dishes onto the small table beside Mu Xi.
The aroma of food wafted through the cool night breeze.
Mu Xi sat up, rubbing her still-sleepy eyes, her gaze landing on the meal before her.
Exquisite white porcelain bowls and plates, dishes with a balanced mix of meat and vegetables, and a small pot of warm soup.
Clearly prepared with great care.
She didn’t stand on ceremony, picking up her chopsticks and eating in small bites.
Having slept for so long, she was indeed a little hungry.
The only sounds on the terrace were her slow, careful chewing, and the occasional soft clink of chopsticks against bowls.
The two servants stood with hands lowered at their sides, as still as statues, yet their gazes remained cautiously fixed on her at all times.
After eating half a bowl of rice, Mu Xi seemed to think of something.
The corners of her mouth curved into a slight arc, carrying a hint of self-mockery, and she murmured softly: “Eat when I sleep, sleep when I eat… At this rate, I’m practically turning into a little pig.”
Her voice was soft, but it was especially clear in the silence of the terrace.
Hearing this, the two servants seemed to relax a bit, their taut nerves easing.
The older servant quickly responded, her tone carrying a hint of fawning and genuine admiration: “Miss Xi, you jest. Even if you were, you’d be the prettiest, most precious little fragrant pig in all the world! All pink and soft—who wouldn’t adore you at first sight?”
The younger servant also nodded vigorously, chiming in: “Yes, yes, Miss Xi, how could you compare yourself to a pig? You’re a celestial maiden from the heavens.”
Their words carried careful flattery, but the reverence and fascination in their eyes were genuine.
This Miss Xi, with her unparalleled beauty and ethereal aura, even just quietly eating her meal like this, was breathtaking enough to make one’s heart tremble.
Compared to this Stone City, filled with steel, gunpowder smoke, and rugged brutality, she was like an unreal, fleeting dream that had wandered into this place by mistake.
Mu Xi was amused by them, letting out a light laugh. She shook her head and didn’t continue the topic.
She ate her meal quietly, but her gaze unconsciously drifted toward the edge of the terrace, looking down at the silent Stone City below.
The night had concealed the bloodshed and scars of the day, yet that faint scent of rust seemed even more pronounced than it had been during the day, wafting up in wisps with the evening breeze.
After quietly finishing her last bite of food, Mu Xi set down her chopsticks and dabbed the corner of her mouth with a napkin.
She was silent for a moment, then suddenly spoke, her voice still gentle, yet carrying a hint of subtle inquiry that was hard to detect: “Out there… it was turbulent again today, wasn’t it?”
The ease on the two servants’ faces vanished in an instant.
They instinctively exchanged a glance, both seeing the gravity and lingering fear in each other’s eyes.
The older servant hesitated, then finally bowed slightly and replied in a low voice: “In answer to Miss Xi… in the city today… there was indeed some unrest. His Majesty… seems to have been making very smooth progress. The death toll in the city… has already reached over a hundred.”
Over a hundred people.
That number slipped off the servant’s tongue so lightly, as if it were just an inconsequential statistic.
But Mu Xi knew that behind it lay over a hundred once-living lives, over a hundred shattered families.
Her hand paused slightly, the tips of her fingers holding the water glass turning a shade paler.
But quickly, she nonchalantly picked up the glass and took a small sip, pressing down that faint ripple of emotion.
She didn’t press for more details, nor did she reveal any excessive emotion.
Only those clear eyes seemed to dim a few shades compared to just moments before.
Setting down the water glass, Mu Xi stood up and walked toward the natural hot spring on the other side of the terrace.
It had been built from natural rocks, drawing in clean geothermal water, perpetually shrouded in rising steam.
The servants hurried forward, wanting to attend to her undressing, but she gently waved her hand to stop them.
She walked to the edge of the hot spring but didn’t get in right away. Instead, she removed her shoes and socks, revealing a pair of fair, delicate feet.
She sat on the rocks by the pool and slowly immersed both feet into the warm water.
“Hiss…” The warmth of the water enveloped her skin, dispelling the chill of the night and seemingly carrying away some of the weight pressing on her.
She let out a comfortable sigh, her feet gently swaying in the water, stirring up tiny, delicate ripples.
The water’s surface reflected her face, hazy and blurred.
Silence once again fell over the terrace.
Only the sound of the spring water flowing, and the occasional whisper of the night breeze brushing against the railings.
The servants stood quietly a few steps away, watching her sitting alone by the pool, her slender silhouette looking somewhat lonely beneath the soft lamplight.
After a long while, Mu Xi finally spoke again, her voice even softer than before, carrying a trace of barely perceptible hesitation and… perhaps an expectation she herself hadn’t even realized.
“She… Ye Lan, has she come back?”