Li Xin stumbled back a step, her heart fluttering with unease as she widened the distance between them.
Her voice, usually steady, faltered with a trace of awkwardness.
“Thisā¦ this isn’t proper.”
A mischievous glint danced in Mu Xi’s eyes, like a cat who’d just pulled off a prank.
Her tone carried a playful pout, tinged with feigned grievance.
“Rules are rigid things, but people? People are alive, aren’t they? Besides, this garden’s so vast, and it’s just the two of us. Who’s to know?”
She closed the gap again, bolder this time, her arm brushing lightly against Li Xin’s.
Her voice softened, syrupy and teasing, laced with a coy charm.
“Come on, Sister Li Xin, could you really bear to leave me all alone out here? It’s a little dark, and I’mā¦ well, a bit scared.”
Scared of the dark?
Li Xin gazed into Mu Xi’s luminous eyes, sparkling as if they held the night’s stars.
There wasn’t a hint of fear in themāonly deliberate mischief.
That soft, lilting “Sister Li Xin” wove through her defenses like a spell, unraveling her principles and reason with every syllable.
She couldn’t deny it: she was powerless against Mu Xi.
From the moment they met, Li Xin had felt an invisible force strike her, tethering her gaze to the girl before her.
Mu Xi was like a delicate porcelain doll, fragile and precious, demanding careful protection.
And Li Xināshe longed to be the one to shield her.
“Fine,” Li Xin relented, her voice low and slightly hoarse, betraying a faint tremor she hoped went unnoticed.
“Just a short walk. When the wind picks up, we’re going back.”
Mu Xi’s face lit up, her smile as sly as a fox who’d snatched a treat.
She grabbed Li Xin’s hand, her voice bubbling with delight.
“Yes, just a little while! Thank you, Sister Li Xin!”
Her fingers were soft, warm, carrying a faint sweetness that grazed Li Xin’s roughened hand like a spark.
It ignited a long-suppressed yearning deep within her, a flame that flickered dangerously close to consuming her restraint.
Hand in hand, Li Xin felt as if she were floating, weightless and unsteady, her body betraying her with its awkward stiffness.
She trailed behind Mu Xi, letting the girl lead her along the cobblestone path.
The garden at night was a quiet haven, bathed in moonlight that cast a silvery glow over the flowers.
The air was thick with their fragrance, a serene contrast to the oppressive stillness Li Xin usually felt during her patrols.
But now, with Mu Xi by her side, everything was differentāvibrant, alive.
“Sister Li Xin, what do you do all day?” Mu Xi asked, her voice clear and melodic, like the chime of a windbell as she walked.
“Patrols, training, managing estate affairs,” Li Xin replied curtly, striving to keep her tone even.
“Training? For what?” Mu Xi’s wide eyes sparkled with curiosity, her head tilting like a child eager for a story.
“Combat, firearms, skills to protect the master,” Li Xin said, pausing before adding, “and some management knowledge.”
“Wow, that’s incredible!” Mu Xi exclaimed, her gaze brimming with admiration.
“You’re like a heroine from the tales!”
She stopped abruptly, turning to face Li Xin, her head tilted upward, eyes glittering.
“You must be really strong, right?”
Li Xin shifted uncomfortably under that adoring stare, turning her face away.
“It’s just my duty,” she said flatly.
But Mu Xi wasn’t deterred.
She stepped closer, nearly pressing against Li Xin, her tone playful yet provocative.
“I don’t believe you. Not unless you show me.”
As she spoke, her soft frame brushed against Li Xin’s arm, carrying a whisper of sweet fragrance that teased her fraying nerves.
Li Xin felt her breath catch, her chest tightening.
Mu Xi was too closeāclose enough for Li Xin to catch the creamy, cake-like sweetness of her scent, to see the delicate flutter of her lashes like tiny fans, to feel the warmth radiating from her.
Her mind screamed warnings to pull away from this dangerous temptation, but her body was rooted, magnetized, unable to move.
Her heart pounded, threatening to burst from her chest, her blood racing, her cheeks warming with a flush she couldn’t hide.
“Miss Mu Xi, stop teasing,” Li Xin managed, her voice rough, barely her own.
She fought to maintain her composure, her eyes darting away from Mu Xi’s gaze.
She feared that one more look would be her undoing.
Mu Xi watched Li Xin’s flustered expression, a sly smile curving her lips, her eyes glinting with triumph.
She’d shaken her.
Like a cat toying with a clumsy dog, Mu Xi reveled in her control, savoring the power she held.
She needed to stoke the fire, to bring this steadfast guard fully under her spellānot just for Ye Lan, but for herself.
As they walked, Mu Xi suddenly paused, her delicate nose twitching like a rabbit catching a sweet scent.
“Sister Li Xin, I’m a bit thirsty,” she said softly.
Li Xin halted immediately, her sharp gaze scanning the surroundings until it landed on a white pavilion nearby, where chilled water was always kept.
Without hesitation, she strode over, retrieved an unopened bottle from the ice bucket, twisted off the cap, and handed it to Mu Xi with practiced efficiency.
“Here, Miss Mu Xi.”
Mu Xi took the bottle but didn’t drink right away.
Instead, she held it up, studying it against the moonlight.
The bottle gleamed, its crystal clarity reflecting her pale fingers, making them appear almost translucent.
She turned it slowly, as if admiring a work of art, her silver hair cascading softly, enhancing her fragile, ethereal beautyāas if she might shatter at the slightest touch.
Li Xin stood quietly, watching Mu Xi’s profile, her heartbeat quickening.
The moonlight draped Mu Xi in a hazy glow, rendering her breathtaking, almost otherworldly.
Li Xin felt like a loyal knight guarding her delicate princess, a wave of tender longing swelling within her.
Finally, Mu Xi opened the bottle, took a few sips, and let the cool water soothe her throat.
A droplet slid down her delicate chin, adding a dewy allure to her already radiant presence.
Setting the bottle down, her lipsālush and now kissed with a hint of moistureāshimmered temptingly.
As if struck by a sudden thought, Mu Xi held the bottle out to Li Xin, her tone casual yet carrying a subtle expectation.
“Sister Li Xin, you should have some too. You must be thirsty after walking so long.”
Li Xin froze, her eyes fixed on the bottle.
Her throat tightened, a dry ache reminding her of the long patrol.
But more than that, this was the bottle Mu Xi had just drunk from, its rim still warm with her breath, her presence.
Drinking from it would be likeā¦ an indirect kiss.
The thought sent a flush creeping across her cheeks, her pulse erratic.
Yet her mind clung to reason: she was a servant, Mu Xi the master’s cherished possession.
There were boundaries she couldn’t cross, desires she couldn’t entertain.
“I’m not thirsty. You drink, Miss Mu Xi,” Li Xin said, her voice steady despite the storm within, her eyes avoiding Mu Xi’s clear, piercing gaze.