Chapter 57 – Flowers in the Mist

Cui Ti and the plump rabbit in her arms both froze simultaneously, their gazes instantly snapping to the person standing at the door. The synchronization of the master and pet left Pei Xuan momentarily speechless, her throat tightening with emotion.

“Xingguang?”

Cui Ti, recognizing her immediately, asked with concern, “Are you feeling unwell?”

She then turned to Haozhong, who was nearby, and instructed her to fetch a bowl of snow pear soup from the kitchen.

Pei Xuan’s expression softened upon hearing this, a warmth spreading through her heart. She stepped forward, casting a glance at the arrogant plump rabbit and instantly recognizing it as the clumsy creature that had tried to bite her finger months ago. “I’m fine, it’s just cold today.”

She tightened her clothing as she spoke. Without hesitation, Cui Ti handed the rabbit to the steward next to her. “I’ll accompany you back to your room. Let’s take a bath and warm up.”

Pei Xuan’s heart leaped with joy at her words.

The Young Madam came and went as she pleased, hooking her pinky finger around the gentleman’s and leaving swiftly. The lame steward couldn’t help but wonder if it was just her imagination or if the gentleman really didn’t like these furry little animals.

The fragrant bath in the bathing room was ready. Cui Ti helped her beloved undress, a task she had grown accustomed to, though it still made her blush slightly, her ears turning a light shade of red.

Since regaining her memory, Pei Xuan thoroughly enjoyed living as an ordinary person, savoring the mundane delights of the mortal world. As her clothes were undone, Cui Ti averted her gaze just before the inner garment fell to the floor, staring fixedly at the bashful little rabbit. “Titi, won’t you join me?”

“Huh?”

Cui Ti’s ears felt like they were on fire, as if she had heard something incredibly bold.

“Won’t you join me?”

Pei Xuan hooked her finger gently, swaying it slightly, making Cui Ti feel as though her heart had been dipped in honey.

The usually serious person had an immense charm when she acted coy, especially since the one being coy was Pei Xuan, the person Cui Ti had loved for two lifetimes. Her words came out stuttered, “Sure, sure.”

The autumn rain was cold, and the passing birds hurriedly flew to places with eaves. The cats in the courtyard lounged lazily on the windowsill, occasionally getting their fluffy fur dampened by the slanting rain. One cat yawned and reluctantly moved.

Outside, the autumn chill filled the air with a sense of bleakness. Inside the bathing room, it was as warm as spring, and the affection between them felt as tender as the spring itself.

The premium incense gradually burned in the gilded censer, its curling smoke blending with the rising steam. Upon closer inspection, two jade-like figures were seated opposite each other, their hair cascading like waterfalls and their skin as white as snow, embodying the essence of beauty.

Pei Xuan, at eighteen, had shed the burdensome constraints between her and Cui Ti since their mutual confession. This newfound freedom allowed her to develop quickly, reaching a point where Cui Ti dared not look at her directly.

“Titi…”

“Hmm?”

Cui Ti’s ears were so red they seemed ready to bleed.

Despite their intimacy, the current atmosphere made her heart race and her chest heave. The innate modesty in her bones was soaked in the warmth of the rectangular hot spring. Her eyelashes fluttered as she mustered the courage to look at Pei Xuan.

Accidentally catching a glimpse of dazzling white skin, she hurriedly averted her eyes, resembling a nimble, timid rabbit in the mountains.

Pei Xuan couldn’t help but recall their first meeting, separated by countless distances and a mirror. The rabbit spirit girl, newly transformed, had been hugging herself, her initial shyness giving way to a lively spirit.

She had watched through the mirror for eight hundred years, her gaze burning with intensity. The girl had not been entirely oblivious, but every tentative approach had gone unanswered, as there was no one to respond.

Pei Xuan gazed at Cui Ti, who was momentarily lost in thought. Cui Ti took this opportunity to openly admire her partner’s fine figure, her desire growing with each glance. Embarrassed, she curled her toes and blushed, sinking deeper into the water.

“Huh?”

The Literature Star, pulled from her reverie, smiled and asked, “What are you hiding from?”

She dove into the water and started a playful game of ‘you hide, I seek’ with Cui Ti. Soon, the bathing room echoed with laughter.

Afterward, their playfulness turned into playful teasing. Somehow, Pei Xuan managed to provoke Cui Ti, leading to the once-serious Literature Star being playfully bullied by the rabbit.

In her frustration, Cui Ti bit her.

The one who was bitten felt a rush of pleasure, tingling down to her very core.

Shameless thoughts surged uncontrollably. Pei Xuan’s calf brushed against Cui Ti’s slender leg, and Cui Ti’s eyes sparkled, “You’re up to no good.”

Pei Xuan, full of righteous air, replied, “You’re right.”

“…”

Cui Ti’s face suddenly turned red, and she promptly pinned Pei Xuan down, taking full control.

The playful tussle lasted a long while.

When the rain finally ceased and the clouds dispersed, the Literature Star lay in a state of languid contentment, her eyebrows tinged with the remnants of their intimate encounter. Taking advantage of the moment when Cui Ti, flustered, ran off to the kitchen, she instructed someone to select an “exceptional rabbit” from the rabbit hutch.

The steward, who hadn’t been in the household for long, knew well of Gentleman Pei’s fondness for rabbit heads. Fearing that any rabbit sent might meet an untimely demise, the steward personally delivered a two-month-old baby rabbit.

The small, delicate creature was endearing, and Gentleman Pei surely wouldn’t harm such a young one.

Pei Xuan was very pleased with the little rabbit and rewarded the steward handsomely before he left.

As she stroked the rabbit, Gentleman Pei savored the lingering sensations of their recent intimacy.

She mused that her own intentions were not entirely pure, as she often found herself teasing Cui Ti.

In human terms, it might be akin to an old immortal lord preying on a young rabbit.

She pinched her own youthful, tender face, an amused smile spreading across it.

After thoroughly tiring Pei Xuan out, leaving her legs weak and hands sore, Cui Ti finally managed to compose herself and entered the room. She found Pei Xuan cradling the two-month-old rabbit as if it were a child, and her feelings were mixed.

“This rabbit has such beautiful fur,” Pei Xuan remarked out of the blue.

She was complimenting the rabbit.

Cui Ti cautiously approached with the help of a bamboo cane, noting how the rabbit slept soundly in Pei Xuan’s arms, its legs splayed in the air. She responded softly with an “Oh.”

“And this rabbit’s tail is so cute.”

Tail?

Rabbit tails were short, and Cui Ti couldn’t spot it amidst the fluffy white fur at first glance.

She echoed, “It is cute.”

Who wouldn’t love an adorable rabbit?

Before turning eighteen and living in the dilapidated south courtyard of the Xining Count’s residence, she had enjoyed raising rabbits. However, she prudently added, “This rabbit is still young.”

Rabbits grow cuter as they grow bigger and plumper!

Pei Xuan glanced over at her, “Ah, it feels so nice.”

“…”

Cui Ti was taken aback, suddenly recalling how she had recently praised Pei Xuan’s fair skin, fine texture, and overall cuteness, even commenting on how nice she felt to the touch.

Her face flushed with embarrassment as she glared at Pei Xuan.

Pei Xuan chuckled, “Tonight, I’m going to sleep with this little rabbit.”

“!?”

Bai Tang stood there watching the scene unfold with a playful expression, thinking her gentleman had surely lost her mind. Wasn’t she just asking for trouble? Couldn’t she see the Young Madam’s face already filled with frustration?

Indeed, Cui Ti felt utterly frustrated.

She even wondered if Pei Xuan’s sudden antics were a subtle way of protesting against her lack of skill.

If that were truly the case, she would definitely practice more in the future.

But such thoughts couldn’t be spoken aloud, not even hinted at.

Frowning in frustration, she looked over at Xingguang, who would usually act as if the sky were falling whenever Cui Ti frowned. But this time, she sat there holding the rabbit, as steady as a mountain.

Cui Ti glanced at the rabbit, then at Pei Xuan, feeling like a gourd submerged in a sea of jealousy, and this gourd had its mouth sawed shut.

A shadow loomed over her.

Pei Xuan raised an eyebrow, surprised, “Titi?”

Without a word, Cui Ti snatched the rabbit away, standing there with a defiant look.

Pei Xuan, now deprived of her rabbit, saw her beloved wife pouting and smiled, her eyes curving into charming crescents. She spoke gently, “Look, I was just teasing you. Are you really upset?”

“…”

Realizing what had just happened, Cui Ti felt like stomping her foot, “You, you were teasing me again!”

She even thought about not keeping rabbits in the house anymore!

She couldn’t bear Pei Xuan’s affectionate gaze being directed at anyone or anything other than herself.

Not even at a rabbit!

This surging possessiveness exploded from her chest, and in Pei Xuan’s soft laughter, Cui Ti was momentarily dazed, as if she saw someone holding her in their arms. She shook her head, seeing her true love right before her eyes.

“What’s wrong, tired?”

Cui Ti bit her lip, “No.”

But she hoped Pei Xuan, like the immortal lord who had only one Jiaojiao rabbit, would only love her.

After being the Young Madam of the Pei Family for some time, even Cui Ti might not have noticed that she no longer carried the cautious demeanor she once had. Instead, she now exhibited a soft, feather-light arrogance.

This arrogance was entirely nurtured by one person.

That night, the baby rabbit was returned to the rabbit hutch, and Pei Xuan cuddled her big, adorable Titi rabbit to sleep. Cui Ti, still remembering the day’s events, was determined to practice her skills on the reincarnated Literature Star.

Whether Pei Xuan ended up winning or losing that night was hard to say.

Either way, her back was sore for several days after.

In the Underwater Cave, the Pleasure Immortal watched several nights of “Flowers in the Mist” with a numb expression, awkwardly wishing she could dig a hole and bury herself.

Oh heavens!

What had possessed her to join her arch-nemesis in watching this deeply affectionate couple?

Crucial scenes didn’t show even a glimpse of clothing, but the Water Mirror was filled with “flowers in the mist,” accompanied by Qin Jing’s occasional sneers and snide remarks. Suddenly, she felt a real sense of being imprisoned.

What a blunder!