"Well? Aren't you going to refine pills for me already?"
Zi Yan stood in front of Xiao Se, tugging at his sleeve. Her round black eyes were wide open, shimmering with exaggerated innocence.
Xiao Se reached out and gently ruffled her soft hair, smiling.
Under her expectant, almost worshipful gaze, golden Heavenly Flame bloomed in his palm. With practiced ease, he flicked a high-grade medicinal ingredient into the flame and began refining.
As the pill gradually took shape, he continued chatting casually with the others.
But once night fell and the rain began to pour—
Everything went sideways.
Xiao Se had returned late.
Rain drummed softly against the windows, thunder rumbling in the distance. Remembering that Zhuqing disliked thunderstorms—and had a habit of kicking off her blanket in her sleep—he quietly entered her room to check on her.
The room was dim, illuminated only by faint moonlight filtering through thinning clouds.
He could make out a slender figure beneath the covers.
Without thinking too much, he set aside the jade bowl he had been absentmindedly holding earlier and slipped under the blanket.
"Zhuqing… I missed you."
He murmured softly.
The figure beneath the quilt was warm.
Xiao Se leaned down, brushing aside long hair that tickled his wrist. He closed his eyes, breathing in the familiar scent of clean fabric and faint medicinal fragrance.
There was a saying: if you love a language, close your eyes and practice it sincerely with someone you cherish.
Xiao Se loved learning.
So he closed his eyes and leaned closer.
His breathing grew heavier.
His "study efforts" grew more focused.
"Ah—ow…"
A soft cry escaped from beneath him.
"Hmm? Then I'll be gentler—"
Xiao Se froze.
That voice.
That was not Zhuqing.
His eyes snapped open.
He quickly brushed aside the long hair covering the girl's face—
And revealed a small, delicate face.
It was Zi Yan.
For a full three seconds, Xiao Se's brain shut down completely.
What was going on?
Why was this little foodie sleeping in Zhuqing's bed?
And why was she wearing Zhuqing's clothes?
Where was Zhuqing?!
Meanwhile, Zi Yan blinked sleepily, rubbing her eyes.
"Xiao Se… when did you get here?"
"I—I just arrived," Xiao Se replied weakly, feeling like he was about to cry.
"Oh…" Zi Yan yawned cutely. "Did you see Zhuqing? I'm scared of thunder. I didn't want to sleep alone."
"…Not yet. But I heard you were scared of thunder. I was worried about you, so I came to check."
"Oh? Really?" Zi Yan's face brightened instantly. "Xiao Se, you're such a good person! You give me pills and care about me too! I won't call you big pervert or big bad guy anymore!"
"Yes, yes…" Xiao Se forced a smile. "Since I treat you so well… if I accidentally did something wrong just now, don't get mad, okay?"
"Wrong? What wrong?" Zi Yan tilted her head. "Is it because you still owe me eight months' worth of pills?"
She yawned again.
"Tomorrow. I ate too many pills today. I need to sleep and digest the energy. Tomorrow you refine tens of thousands for me and I'll forgive you."
"Of course. Rest well. I'll go now."
Like a man granted amnesty from death row, Xiao Se leapt off the bed, pulled on his boots, grabbed his clothes, and bolted for the door.
If he didn't leave now and she suddenly reacted—
His reputation would die on the spot.
Behind him, Zi Yan closed her eyes again.
She felt pleased. Not only would she get compensation pills tomorrow, but Xiao Se even remembered that she was afraid of thunder.
Wait.
Thunder?
That was something only Zhuqing knew.
Even Xiao Yixian didn't know that.
Zi Yan's eyes slowly opened.
She touched the bed.
Then touched her slightly disheveled sleepwear.
Though she had a childlike personality, she wasn't clueless.
Especially after hearing Xiao Se's detailed account yesterday about what had happened between him and Medusa.
The mental images had been… vivid.
Her small face gradually flushed bright red.
"Ahhh—!"
She screamed.
But before the sound could travel far, a figure lunged back into the room and tackled her onto the bed, clamping a hand over her mouth.
"Mmph! Mm—!"
Zi Yan's eyes widened.
Even though her body was strong enough to rival a Dou Huang, she didn't use Dou Qi. She only flailed instinctively.
"Zi Yan, I'll let go—but don't scream, okay?" Xiao Se whispered urgently.
"Mm!"
She nodded.
"Okay. I'm letting go. No screaming."
The moment he released her mouth—
She inhaled sharply and prepared to scream again.
Xiao Se slapped his hand back over her lips.
"Hey! You promised! Even magical beasts need integrity!"
"Mm—!"
She started pounding his chest with small fists. Thankfully, she showed restraint. If she had used Dou Qi, even Xiao Se wouldn't have enjoyed it.
"Fine. Fine. I admit it," Xiao Se said helplessly. "I thought you were Zhuqing. Xian'er told me she was in this room. It was raining. Zhuqing kicks her blanket off at night. I was worried she'd catch a cold, so I came to check—and maybe warm the bed a little."
"I didn't expect it to be you. And you were wearing Zhuqing's clothes! How was I supposed to know?"
He slowly removed his hand and lay flat on the other side of the bed.
"If you still consider me your friend, don't scream. Let's talk. If you scream, then… we're not friends anymore. And I won't refine pills for you again."
Zi Yan gasped for air once her mouth was free.
But to his relief—
She didn't scream.
"You didn't do anything weird to me, right?" she asked suspiciously, crawling up and glaring at him.
The clouds outside drifted away. Moonlight poured into the room, casting everything in soft silver.
Zi Yan's figure, slightly silhouetted beneath the thin fabric—
"Nothing. Absolutely nothing," Xiao Se said immediately.
"Really?" She narrowed her eyes. "Even Medusa got taken down. You expect me to believe you did nothing?"
"I just got here when you woke up! With your strength, how could I possibly do anything unnoticed?"
Zi Yan pouted.
Then she touched the slightly open collar of her sleepwear.
Her expression changed.
"Wait. That might be true normally. But when it thundered, I was scared. I probably mistook you for Zhuqing. And…"
She sniffed.
"There's a scent on my lips. A medicinal fragrance that isn't mine."
Her eyes widened.
"You—you kissed me!"
"I did not! Why would I? Everyone else in this building is basically my wife. Why would I ignore a feast and come nibble on a little shrimp like you?"
The words left Xiao Se's mouth before his brain caught up.
Silence.
Zi Yan blinked.
"Feast? Little shrimp?"
Then her face exploded red.
"You—you took advantage of me AND called me small?! I'll bite you to death!"
With a ferocious little growl, Zi Yan pounced on him.
"Ah—hey! Watch the teeth!"
The quiet dormitory room dissolved into chaos as the so-called "little shrimp" attacked with surprising ferocity.
(End of Chapter)
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