Another late night.
Wearing a cool, lightweight nightdress, I walked alone into Qing Ye's room.
Qing Ye was practicing origami. When she caught sight of me in the doorway from the corner of her eye, her blood rushed straight to her head.
"X-Xiaoyao."
I padded across the floor barefoot, a red string tied around my left ankle.
My slender waist, narrow enough to fit in a hand, showed faintly through the thin gauze dress.
My skin, white as milk, looked even fairer in the flickering candlelight.
At the sight of my alluring figure, Qing Ye swallowed hard.
She'd fought battles her whole life, but she'd never faced anything like this.
I approached with swaying steps, my waist as supple as if boneless, then slowly settled onto Qing Ye's lap.
Qing Ye's whole body flushed red, and she stammered, "X-Xiaoyao, w-what are you trying to do?"
I didn't answer. I simply took her right hand and slowly guided it behind me.
The sash around my waist was already within her reach.
In the flickering light, all they could see was the curving silhouette cast on the wall.
I stepped out of the gauze dress, leaving it on the floor.
I pressed Qing Ye closer and closer.
"Don't hide."
"Isn't this what you've been hoping for all along?"
Qing Ye nervously grabbed my hand. "Xiaoyao, calm down."
"Can you tell me?"
"What's wrong with you?"
"What's wrong with me...?" My expression froze. I gazed at my fair, delicate hand, then suddenly let out a quiet laugh. "What's wrong with me?"
I asked myself again, my smile growing brighter.
Suddenly, my eyes lowered, leaving a shadow in their depths. "Isn't it only natural to be with the person you love?"
"Xiaoyao, calm down."
"Whatever it is, can't we face it together?"
"Calm down?"