She had once been the princess of Wu City. Even if she had fallen, she should not be a “little wife” whom others could casually judge! Why, deep in her heart, was there a faint, strange feeling? But…
As if… she had been affirmed?
Affirmed her current position by Ye Lan’s side?
Pet? It affirmed that she was no longer the one who could be abandoned or destroyed at any moment…
It affirmed that her choice to “follow the person who treats me well” was, in a certain sense, “correct”?
A certain amount of space and respect. Ye Lan demanded that she fall in love with her, take the initiative to pursue her, and even gave her this feeling that was so absurd yet truly existed.
She was no longer that doll completely without personhood, manipulated by others.
She had her own bedroom, could move around with relative freedom, and could even make demands of Ye Lan.
This change, though its foundation was still fragile, truly existed, and also faintly acknowledged the twisted yet firm relationship between her and Ye Lan.
The term “little wife,” though it carried a demeaning and objectifying meaning, also acknowledged that in this Steel Fortress, she had a relatively special position under Ye Lan’s protection.
Humiliation and affirmation, two completely opposite emotions, violently collided and tore at her chest, leaving her breathless for a moment, her mind a tangled mess.
She did not know how she should react—whether to angrily refute it, or shamefully accept it by default.
Ling Yue took in the complex, unreadable expression on Mu Xi’s face, watching her complexion turn now pale, now red, watching the struggle and bewilderment in her eyes; a faint trace of interest seemed to flash through those cold, clear pupils.
She said no more, only turned her gaze back to the misty water vapor in the distance, as if that evaluation just now had been a casual remark, carrying no emotion.
But Mu Xi knew that Teacher must have seen her loss of composure, and must have discerned the chaos in her heart.
Under that gaze, Mu Xi felt utterly uncomfortable, as if all her thoughts were spread out before the other, with nowhere to hide.
She did not even dare raise her head to look at Ling Yue’s expression at this moment, and could only keep her head down, staring at the water’s surface, letting that humiliation and confusion spread through her heart.
The heat of the hot spring seemed unable to dispel the chill in her heart.
In the quiet air, only the sound of rippling water remained, along with Mu Xi’s own unsettled, drum-like heartbeat.
Teacher Ling Yue, what is she thinking?
What is her view of her relationship with Ye Lan?
Was that “little wife” just said casually, or did it have a deeper meaning?
Mu Xi’s heart was like a stone tossed into water, the ripples spreading and unable to settle for a long time.
The hot spring’s steam still seemed to linger at the tips of her hair, but that bit of warmth had long been driven away by the cold in her heart.
After bathing, Mu Xi followed behind Ling Yue, walking down the cold metal stairs.
“Little wife”…
Those three words echoed over and over in her mind like a curse, carrying a piercing humiliation, yet mixed with a trace of the illusion of being acknowledged that she herself despised.
She hated this feeling, hated this heart that wavered because of the slightest bit of “specialness” within the cage Ye Lan had built.
Ling Yue walked in front, her posture still upright as a pine, her steps calm and unhurried, as if she had not been the one who dropped that bombshell of an evaluation by the hot spring.
That cold, aloof aura about her now felt to Mu Xi more like a silent scrutiny, leaving her nowhere to hide.
The Dining Hall on the first floor was brightly lit, reflecting off a simple yet sturdy metal dining table. Two butlers had long been standing quietly nearby, and upon seeing them come down, immediately bowed respectfully.
A sumptuous dinner was set on the table, giving off an enticing aroma, but to Mu Xi, it was like chewing wax.
She sat down on the chair almost mechanically, her gaze falling on the exquisite plate before her, but not daring to look at Ling Yue across from her.
The air was terrifyingly quiet, with only the occasional faint clink of tableware.
Ling Yue’s dining posture was elegant as a textbook, every movement pleasing to the eye.
She did not look at Mu Xi, nor did she speak, only quietly eating her own food.
This silence made Mu Xi more uncomfortable than any interrogation.
Her stomach churned again and again, and Mu Xi could not eat anything at all. She hastily took a few bites, then put down her tableware and said softly:
“I’m done eating.”
Ling Yue raised her eyes and glanced at her, that gaze light and mild, yet as if it could pierce the heart.
“Won’t you eat a little more? You’re too thin.”
This caring remark, heard by Mu Xi at this moment, only made her more uncomfortable.
She shook her head, her voice as faint as a mosquito: “No, Teacher, I’m a little tired. I want to go back to my bedroom and rest first.”
Ling Yue did not force her, only gave a slight nod: “All right.”
Mu Xi felt as if granted a great pardon, almost immediately standing up, wanting to escape this suffocating dining table. She kept her head down and quickly walked toward the stairs, wanting only to shut herself in that room of her own—though it was still part of the cage, at least it could let her catch her breath for a while.
Just as her foot was about to step onto the first stair, a sound came from the heavy metal gate of the Silent Language Building.
“The Sovereign has returned!” came the respectful voice of the Escort Team from outside the gate.
Ye Lan? She had returned? So soon?
Mu Xi’s steps abruptly halted. Her body instinctively tensed, and a complex emotion surged in her heart.
The heavy metal gate was pulled open, and Ye Lan walked in, carrying the dust of travel and a cold, sharp aura.
She wore a black combat outfit suited for movement, her long hair simply tied back, and on her fair face was a trace of fatigue from travel, but those deep phoenix eyes were still sharply compelling; after sweeping a glance around, her gaze immediately landed precisely on Mu Xi.
When she saw Ling Yue in the Dining Hall, Ye Lan’s eyes seemed to pause slightly, then she looked away as if nothing had happened.
Ling Yue also raised her head and met Ye Lan’s gaze.
The two women, both with powerful auras, briefly met eyes; without words, it was as if invisible lightning crackled in the air.
It was an extremely subtle atmosphere, like old acquaintances, yet also like rivals, full of tension difficult for others to interpret.
In just an instant, Ye Lan withdrew her gaze from Ling Yue, as if the other were merely an insignificant backdrop. She strode toward Mu Xi, and a charming smile instantly rose on her face, the fatigue in her eyes deliberately suppressed, replaced by undisguised passion and possessiveness.
“Little Xi, why are you standing here? Waiting for me to come back?” Her voice carried a slight hoarseness, yet was full of magnetism.
Before Mu Xi could answer, she, as if performing a magic trick, pulled several things from her pocket and presented them to Mu Xi like treasures.
They were some sparkling little trinkets: a smooth polished colored stone, a strangely shaped metal hair clip, and a small wind-up music box.
Ye Lan’s tone was coaxing, her eyes so gentle they could almost drip water, as if Mu Xi were still a child who understood nothing and needed to be coaxed with little toys.
“Look, I saw these outside and thought you’d like them.”
Normally, Mu Xi might have felt a trace of warmth from this “thoughtfulness,” or at least would have cooperatively shown a smile. But at this moment, Ling Yue’s words “little wife” still lingered in her ears, and that joke about a former girlfriend was like a thorn stuck in her heart.
Ye Lan’s attitude of treating her like a pet, like a child, made the humiliation and irritation accumulated in her heart instantly erupt.
She looked at those little trinkets that seemed childish and laughable to her, and then thought of the brief yet meaningful look that had passed between Ling Yue and Ye Lan just now; a fury mixed with grievance rushed straight to her head.
She did not reach for those things; instead, she suddenly took a step back, raised her head, and stubbornly looked straight at Ye Lan, the rims of her eyes slightly reddening.
“I don’t like them!” Her voice carried a slight tremble, yet was exceptionally clear.