A birdcage the size of a house, filled with a ring of fresh flowers.
In the center were a pristine white chair and a luxurious, soft, large bed.
The white silk fabric on Red Kite barely covered the essential parts, leaving her pair of round, firm, and fair thighs completely exposed.
She sat on the chair, gazing at the blue sky with a melancholic expression.
Outside the iron bars, Ji Lin watched the caged Red Kite, her lips moving, wanting to speak several times but stopping herself.
Ji Lin knew this wasn't the real Red Kite, but she still couldn't bear to see her imprisoned in a birdcage.
Besides, that bed was far too extravagant.
White gauze canopies draped down from the dome, with several silk ribbons floating down, giving it a dream-like feel.
But Ji Lin couldn't shake the feeling that it was designed with ulterior motives.
Were the hanging white gauze ribbons really just for decoration?
Ji Lin didn't know, nor did she want to think about it too deeply.
Ye Feng looked at Ji Lin's complicated expression and asked, "Want to play rock-paper-scissors?"
"What?"
"It's a little game. Look, this is rock. It can beat scissors. Scissors can beat paper, and paper can beat rock."
As Ye Feng's fingers nimbly changed shapes, he spoke in what sounded like a devil's whisper:
"If you win, I'll let her out of the birdcage."
"And if I lose?"
"You'll be my maid for a day. Oh, it's a status similar to a personal handmaiden."
"…"
Ji Lin fell silent for a moment, her gaze returning to the caged Red Kite.
Ye Feng's voice sounded again, "You were able to enter this world. Perhaps in the future, Fu Hua… oh, I mean, Red Kite, will be able to enter as well."
"…"
Ji Lin couldn't deny that possibility.
Kiana, Raiden Mei, and Higokumaru, who had completely resolved the Chiyou disaster, were all clear examples.
No one knew who would be next.
But anyone was a possibility.
"A maid… what must she do?"
Ji Lin was truly pure and innocent. She was a woman of her word and would never resort to trickery.
She was the perfect image of a classical lady.
Dignified, elegant, traditional.
Like a hazy, misty ink wash painting.
By asking such a question, she had naturally prepared herself for anything.
"Everything a personal handmaiden must do, a maid must do."
She still hadn't gotten the answer she was looking for.
Ji Lin paused, a faint blush rising on her cheeks, as she struggled to ask, "Is… serving you in bed required?"
Ye Feng chuckled. "Since you'll be a maid, of course you have to serve me in bed. After all, if a great beauty like you becomes my personal maid and I don't do anything, people will doubt my ability. However—"
Ye Feng's tone shifted. "—it won't be necessary this time."
"Not necessary? Alright, I accept your bet."
Ji Lin nodded.
If serving him in bed wasn't required, then it would just be some servant's work. That was something Ji Lin could accept.
"How heartbreaking. You agree so readily just because serving me in bed isn't involved?"
"Further words are pointless. Let us begin."
"Ji Lin, you're quite impatient. Alright, I'm not one to dawdle either. Then let me satisfy you properly. One round decides it all."
The two of them revealed their hands at the same time.
Ye Feng: Rock
Ji Lin: Scissors
"Oh dear, it seems I've won."
"…"
"Don't make that face. I didn't cheat."
Ji Lin's expression flickered between pale and grim.
She remembered something Danzhu once said: Gambling dogs never come to a good end.
Now, Ji Lin felt she was absolutely right.
"A bet is a bet. From now on, I am your… handmaiden."
"Personal maid."
Ye Feng corrected her. "Also, you must call me Master."
Hmm? Master?
Ji Lin seemed to recall something. She remembered Danzhu vaguely mentioning the concept, apparently a popular subculture from their era.
"Are you also from the Previous Era?"
"Fu Hua and the others even told you about the Previous Era? It seems your bond is very deep indeed. But unfortunately, I am not from the Previous Era. Also, you must call me Master. Let me hear you say it first."
"…Ma… Mas… Master…"
Ji Lin stammered out the word.
"Not very practiced, are you? Say it a few more times, until you can say it naturally without thinking."
"…"
As she suspected, this man was a demon.
But if it was just this kind of command, Ji Lin could still carry it out.
---o---
Without a doubt, this was a very long day for Ji Lin.
Not only did she fail to rescue Red Kite, but she also ended up trapped herself.
Fortunately, Ye Feng didn't issue any particularly difficult commands.
He just had Ji Lin give him massages, feed him his meals, and when the mood struck, he had her perform a sword dance with the Xuanyuan Sword.
Ji Lin, dancing with her sword in a snow-white palace dress, her jet-black hair flowing like ink, looked pure and ethereal. She truly had the air of a white-robed sword fairy.
Ye Feng was almost tempted to enact a thrilling xianxia drama script.
But Ye Feng was not in a hurry.
Night fell.
Kiana arrived as expected.
Ji Lin had not left.
The two met in the bedroom, bathed in the enchanting lamplight.
Kiana, who had rushed in brimming with excitement, was immediately doused with a bucket of cold water.
Why was there someone else here?
"Um, good evening, Ji Lin…"
Kiana scratched her head.
Ji Lin, dressed in her white gauze palace dress, embodied an inner grace and an outer elegance. Her every move exuded the refinement of a classical, well-bred lady.
Ji Lin curtsied slightly.
"Good evening, Kiana."
"Ji Lin, why are you here?"
This was the little bug's fighting arena with Ye Feng, a private place where they would decide the victor.
The most important part was "private."
That was why Kiana had come looking for him as soon as she arrived.
This time, Kiana truly wasn't acting on her own desires.
Rather, the clever little bug knew that Ye Feng wouldn't let her go.
Instead of being caught by Ye Feng and forced to do it in some random place, a hidden, secret room was obviously better.
Otherwise, would it be like the last two times, right in front of Mei?
She really couldn't handle that.
The little bug had already begun to learn strategy.
Therefore, the room that was supposed to contain only the little bug and Ye Feng now had an outsider, and Kiana's mood was definitely not a happy one.
"Umm…"
Ji Lin lowered her head.
She was currently Ye Feng's personal maid. Naturally, wherever Ye Feng was, she would be too.
"Don't mind her. Let's begin, Kiana."
Ye Feng, sitting on the bed, beckoned to Kiana.
"Huh?"
Kiana was dumbfounded.
What did he mean, "don't mind her"? She minded a whole lot, okay?!
Kiana stood frozen in place for a moment.
To go was not an option, but to stay was not an option either.
She really didn't dare to leave. If she ran into Mei outside, would this bastard Ye Feng just pick her up and sprint away with her again?
After he did that last time, Kiana's legs had been plagued with phantom pains even after returning to the real world.