——————【Dream Realm】——————
A gentle palm brushed through her hair, then landed a cold, emotionless, and desireless kiss on the girl’s lips.
Her consciousness sank deep, parting layer after layer of obstacles to plunge into darkness.
When she opened her eyes again, she was already inside a sealed, airless rented room.
In the pitch-black darkness where even her hand could not be seen, a pair of jet-black eyes held no trace of emotion.
The girl curled up under the blanket, staring blankly at one spot, tears slipping down her face, yet she seemed completely unaware, letting them fall freely.
Shen Mosi took slow steps toward the girl in the dark, but was met only with a cold, indifferent glance.
The girl didn’t seem surprised that someone had suddenly appeared in the room; she was immersed in her own world, motionless, tears flowing silently.
“Xunian.”
Shen Mosi softly called out the girl’s name.
At the sound of her voice, Xunian on the bed breathed heavier, and the tears suddenly fell uncontrollably.
Before Shen Mosi could react, Xunian threw off the blanket and lunged toward the source of the voice.
In the darkness, a soft, warm body collapsed into her arms; Xunian tightly wrapped her arms around the waist, fingers clutching her clothes desperately, burying her head on her shoulder.
Suppressed sobbing sounded in her ear—painful, agonizing—and it made her heart ache involuntarily.
Where Shen Mosi’s shoulder met Xunian, it was noticeably damp.
She instinctively raised her hand to stroke Xunian’s hair, just as Xunian had countless times done to her—gently, tenderly, running her fingers through the soft strands.
Though her heart ached deeply, doing this brought her a strange sense of fulfillment.
It felt as if her heart was filled with knives—countless sharp blades piercing through, causing unbearable pain that made it impossible to breathe or think.
Yet she willingly endured this pain just to feel the warmth of embracing the one she loved in that moment.
She dared not say another word, fearing that this fleeting tenderness would vanish because of anything she said.
However, even in her silence, Xunian soon noticed her unusual behavior.
Xunian loosened her grip and carefully examined her face in the darkness.
Shen Mosi cursed herself for her extraordinary eyesight, easily piercing the darkness to see the disappointment in the other’s eyes.
Xunian’s voice, hoarse from crying, asked, “Fira?”
The golden-haired woman before her answered in a sweet voice,
“It’s me.”
Shen Mosi—who was the Duke’s Daughter.
The one who had always accompanied Xunian was none other than the Duke’s Daughter herself.
She could only reveal her true form under special circumstances—like now, within Xunian’s dream.
Xunian didn’t realize that the Duke’s Daughter was Shen Mosi; she stood there stunned at the revelation.
She wiped the tears from her face blankly, her body still hiccupping from the sobs.
Her mind in the dream was a mess, and it took her a moment to recall that the event had happened long ago.
For her, it had been so long that she could barely remember the sound anymore.
Just now, she had mistaken Fira for that person again.
Fira smiled faintly and, while Xunian wasn’t paying attention, lifted her hand to touch Xunian’s forehead.
A red glow seeped into Xunian’s consciousness.
The Duke’s Daughter’s power began unraveling the memory of what had just happened, thread by thread.
Once again, she used despicable means.
After all, she was the Duke’s Daughter—how could she allow Xunian to mistake her identity?
The possessiveness in her eyes toward Xunian nearly overflowed.
In Xunian’s heart, she could only have her—if there was anyone else, she wouldn’t hesitate to use a little trick to erase that person completely from Xunian’s mind.
If she let herself be the substitute quietly, that wouldn’t be the Duke’s Daughter she was.
Since Xunian had mistaken her, then she would just forget what happened earlier.
Huh?
Xunian felt like she’d forgotten something.
Standing confused in the dark, she immediately sensed someone in front of her.
Squinting, she tried hard to make out the person’s face.
Fira?
Xunian couldn’t see the Duke’s Daughter’s face clearly—her mind trapped between dream and reality, believing this was the real world.
She reached out naturally to grab Fira’s hand, her tone tinged with reproach and a hint of excitement she didn’t even notice herself.
“Why didn’t you come find me earlier?”
Fira leaned closer, allowing her to see her face clearly. “Do you know who I am?”
Xunian didn’t understand why she asked, but still answered, “Fira.”
The hand she held tentatively slipped between Xunian’s fingers as if confirming her feelings, then asked again, “Who am I?”
Xunian laughed lightly, “Duke’s Daughter, how could I forget you after only a few days apart?”
Fira pushed her onto the bed and pinned her down, her lazy, seductive voice echoing in her ear,
“Don’t mistake me.”
Before Xunian could protest, the Duke’s Daughter began unbuttoning her clothes.
Soft feathers brushed against her skin, making Xunian burn all over; soon, her skin blushed pink.
This familiar sensation…
A writing brush?!
Xunian felt something explode in her mind.
She frantically shook her flushed cheeks, voice trembling, “Not this again…”
She really couldn’t take it another time.
“All right.”
“Ding Ling Ling~”
No wind stirred inside the room, yet a clear, crisp bell sound rang in the air.
“This is a belated punishment.”
“Wait, what punishment…”
Before Xunian could ask further, the punishment had already begun.
“…”
“Hmm… Hmph…”
A tingling sensation spread from her spine to her entire body.
The girl breathed softly, eyes misted with tears, staring blankly at the Duke’s Daughter who was turning her over and over.
“Hmm… Fira…”
The name she called in the throes of passion made Fira’s heart skip a beat.
The redness at the corner of her eyes showed how deeply Xunian belonged only to her.
Only in moments like this did she truly feel Xunian’s whole heart devoted to her.
“Hmm…”
“Ding… Ling…”
The bell’s lingering chime, accompanied by the girl’s beautiful murmurs, echoed through the room.
Punishment?
There was no punishment.
It was just an excuse she had made up to consume Xunian utterly.
She was never a good person to begin with.
She tilted the girl’s chin up, leaned down, and their lips entangled in a reluctant, passionate embrace.
——————【Dream Realm Ends】——————
The entire night had passed in the dream, yet in reality, it was only a matter of minutes.
When Xunian awoke, she felt mentally exhausted, but physically better than ever.
The moment she opened her eyes, she saw Shen Mosi kissing her and, startled, instinctively pushed her off.
The bed was small, so Shen Mosi fell directly to the floor.
“Deskmate, that really hurts.”
The Duke’s Daughter, using Shen Mosi’s identity, continued playing innocent.
She sat on the floor, blinking at Xunian pitifully, tears shimmering in her eyes.
This time, however, she did not receive the comforting response she had expected.
Xunian, who had always treated her kindly, looked at her coldly.
That glance made her heart skip a beat.