Chapter 42 – The Sixth Day

“Is this a dream?”

“No.”

Cui Ti remained silent for a while, unable to bear Pei Xuan’s gaze. Her toes curled, and her hand moved slightly; her voice was hoarse: “You first…”

Her face flushed red: “You first use a cloth to wipe your face, then cover me up.”

Pei Xuan, realizing what she meant, also blushed with embarrassment. She hurriedly wiped the moisture off her face, glanced at Cui Ti’s delicate, pinkish body, and felt a warmth in her heart. Quickly, she wrapped her in the brocade quilt.

Cui Ti, holding the quilt, glanced at her. At this moment, her limbs were weak, clearly having been exhausted. She couldn’t imagine that Pei Xuan could do such things, and amidst her shyness, numerous questions arose: “What happened?”

When it came to serious matters, Pei Xuan’s pounding heart gradually calmed down. She spoke softly: “Can I lie down and explain?”

She was very tired too.

She wanted to lie down and talk.

As soon as she finished speaking, Cui Ti pulled the thin quilt to cover most of her face. Originally, you could see an entire cute little head, but now only a pair of watery eyes and a smooth forehead were visible.

“As you wish.”

Pei Xuan, extremely tired, didn’t stand on ceremony with her. Besides, in the past few days, she had done many impolite things with a reckless abandon, so one more wouldn’t make a difference.

The mattress beside her sank, and a familiar fragrance lingered at the tip of her nose. Thinking about her own undressed state, Cui Ti’s calves tensed. Despite various thoughts, she couldn’t resist the desire in her heart and, enduring the soreness, rolled into Pei Xuan’s embrace.

In the quiet late night, there wasn’t even a cat’s meow. Stars twinkled, and the moon shone silently. Pei Xuan explained the sequence of events in a few sentences, making Cui Ti’s face turn red again.

She asked, “What day is it today?”

“It’s already the sixth day.”

Cui Ti’s expression was subtle. She murmured, “No wonder,” no wonder she felt so sore with every movement.

Six days, she had slept for six days, and Xingguang…

She dared not think further: “How could you believe such a ridiculous proposal?”

Pei Xuan held her, allowing her body to relax in her arms. Their legs intertwined in an intimate gesture, and she playfully teased Cui Ti’s feet with her toes, causing the other’s breath to become erratic.

The excitement of regaining what was lost hadn’t completely faded.

She said softly, “At first, I thought it was absurd too. But then I thought, if a sage came riding a donkey in the middle of the night, it must be for a reason. Even if the sage was just toying with me, as long as I could bring you back, what harm was there in being toyed with?

“If an immortal can open your spiritual eye in a dream, why wouldn’t I believe such a strange thing could happen?”

Recalling the hardships she had faced, Cui Ti couldn’t help but feel a wave of fear. She clung to Pei Xuan’s sleeve, telling her about the things she saw in the dream, including the cold neglect she experienced.

“In the dream, you were a different person, and I wasn’t in your heart.”

“So it was fake.”

Pei Xuan skillfully massaged her sore waist, her technique so exquisite that it left Cui Ti unable to dwell on the fears from the dream. Instead, she couldn’t help but let out a soft moan.

“Titi…”

Cui Ti looked at her timidly, her body nearly melting into a puddle. She said reluctantly, “I really can’t go through this again. I… I can’t take it anymore.”

Though her words were firm in their refusal, Pei Xuan furrowed her brows, pretending to be disappointed. “Is that so?”

“Xingguang?”

Cui Ti couldn’t bear to see her with such an expression. After much internal struggle, she softly relented, “Alright, alright.”

Pei Xuan, unable to tease her any longer, embraced her and laughed heartily.

Hearing her laughter and realizing she had been tricked again, Cui Ti buried her face in Pei Xuan’s neck, too embarrassed to show herself.

In just six days, it felt like they had gone through a great ordeal. Surviving such a trial left both of them physically and mentally exhausted.

The two fell asleep in each other’s arms.

Despite Cui Ti seemingly having ‘slept’ for several days and nights, she hadn’t truly rested.

Nor had Pei Xuan.

The candle burned through the night, and they slept until the sun was high in the sky.

Cui Ti woke first, her eyes carrying a seductive charm as she looked at her beloved ‘fujun.’

Having experienced the ‘loss’ in the dream, the ‘gain’ now felt all the more precious. She greedily traced the contours of Pei Xuan’s face with her gaze, noticing how much weight she had lost.

Pei Xuan was someone who never gained weight no matter how much she ate, but when she lost weight, it happened quickly. The dark circles under her eyes were a clear sign of severe sleep deprivation.

Not wanting to disturb her, Cui Ti stared at those thin lips, suddenly remembering how she woke up last night.

So it could happen that way too.

She was deeply moved, her heart fluttering. Carefully, she leaned in, her forehead touching Pei Xuan’s, feeling the gentle breath against her skin. Her heartbeat immediately went out of rhythm, her body tingling with a strange pleasure.

This is so wonderful, Cui Ti thought to herself, lightly touching Pei Xuan’s lips, silently repeating her name.

Perhaps her overwhelming affection stirred Pei Xuan from within, because the next time she tried to sneak a kiss, she was caught in the act.

“Stealing a kiss from me?”

“No.”

Pei Xuan chuckled softly. “Then was it a legitimate kiss?”

Cui Ti’s eyelashes fluttered. “Did you hear?”

Hear what?

Hear the frantic beating of her heart.

After six days of sleep, Young Madam Pei had finally awakened.

The once somber atmosphere of the Chancellor’s Residence returned to its usual tranquility. After breakfast, Pei Xuan supported Cui Ti as they walked to the small courtyard where Ning Hehuan resided.

A servant in the courtyard approached to report: “Gentleman, the sage has left, and the donkey tied in the stable is gone too.”

“Someone broke my spell, so I had to leave.”

“Leave?”

Dou Qingyue looked anxious. “Aren’t you going to help me, Elder?”

The woman in the black cloak let out a cold, thin laugh. “This was your second chance. What more do you want from me? My arch-enemy is coming soon; I have no time to waste with you. Take care of yourself.”

“Elder!”

A blinding light flashed and then disappeared, leaving Dou Qingyue alone. She stomped her foot in frustration.

Damn it!

Once again, that blind woman had escaped unscathed!