The Pitiful Little Butterfly

Tang Wutong had endured an excruciating, miserable month...

Ever since that day, Xiao Yi had vanished from her life as if he'd evaporated into thin air. She hadn't seen him in a whole month.

She couldn't quite figure it out. Every day, she tried to talk herself around it, though she wasn't sure whether she wanted to feel that tingling pleasure spread through her body again or whether she missed Xiao Yi himself. Probably both.

During this time, she had finally seen clearly what she felt for Xiao Yi. It wasn't possessiveness toward a friend, but affection for someone of the opposite sex.

She wanted to tell him how she felt, but Xiao Yi still hadn't returned. Whenever night grew deep and quiet, she could only toss and turn, unable to sleep, and drift off by clinging to the lingering traces of his scent, just as before.

But that tingling sensation kept haunting her thoughts until she felt like she was going mad. She cursed Xiao Yi, that heartless scoundrel, under her breath, then had no choice but to take care of things herself.

Every day, after training with Xiao Xiao and Huo Yutong, Tang Wutong returned to the dormitory and opened the door with anticipation, only to find that the figure she longed for wasn't there.

Then she could only give in to that restless yearning, murmuring Xiao Yi's name as her little hand slipped inside to take care of things herself.

After living like this for more than twenty days, Tang Wutong finally couldn't take it anymore. She was going to find Xiao Yi!

She was certain Xiao Yi was avoiding her because of what had happened that night.

That wasn't the case at all. Tang Wutong ran between the classroom, the dormitory, and the training ground the three of them used almost every day, and she and Xiao Yi simply kept missing each other.

Xiao Yi hadn't gone out of his way to avoid her; there was no need. He had simply been so engrossed in Alchemy that he couldn't pull himself away. Even Tang Ya and Jiang Nannan had only run into him by chance once, on their way to the Library Pavilion.

That little butterfly was such a blockhead, without a brain in her head. She didn't even know to ask someone where he was.

Opening the door, Xiao Yi glanced at the night outside. He wondered who it could be. Tang Ya and Jiang Nannan had already come by that evening, and they knew his routine well enough not to disturb him at this hour.

He was usually practicing Alchemy or studying medicinal ingredients to prepare for creating new pill formulas around now. Could it be Tang Wutong? Xiao Yi wondered.

He had indeed wanted to leave the girl hanging for a while, but he hadn't expected that she wouldn't come looking for him at all. So he'd stopped thinking about it.

Maybe her tsundere streak had flared up. Sure enough, she wasn't so easy to train. He'd just have to give her a beating when he got back.

He opened the courtyard gate and looked down. Sure enough, there stood that familiar pink-and-blue figure. Her little head drooped, and she wore a pink-and-blue dress. She looked utterly pitiful, her face full of hurt, her pink-and-blue eyes fixed on Xiao Yi.

She had followed Tang Ya and Jiang Nannan here earlier, but hadn't gone inside with them.

She wanted a chance to be alone with Xiao Yi. She didn't want anyone else to see her like that—only Xiao Yi. Though he'd trained her into a good girl, she was only that way for him.

Xiao Yi had expected the girl to bombard him with questions, so he was rather surprised. She looked just like a little pet abandoned by its owner, standing outside with tearful eyes and begging for forgiveness.

"Xiao Yi, why haven't you come back to see me..." She had meant to put on her usual front, but somehow she just couldn't. Instead, she felt a little aggrieved.

Sure, I did go after you all night, but you can't just never come see me again.

"Come in first," Xiao Yi said to this unfamiliar version of Tang Wutong. Leaving her hanging worked this well? What have I turned her into?

Then the two of them entered the room without a word and sat facing each other. Tang Wutong was just about to speak when he cut her off.

"I've been busy with other things lately. The dormitory wasn't convenient, so I haven't been going back there to sleep," Xiao Yi explained. It was the complete truth. The academy was full of people, and the Soul Ascension Pills he had made so far had no side effects and could raise a Soul Master's Soul Power by two levels at every stage.

"Weren't you avoiding me on purpose?" Tang Wutong's voice caught with a sob. Unease filled her eyes. She had only recently understood her own feelings, and she didn't want to hear any other answer.

"Why would I lie to you?" Looking at the pitiful Tang Wutong, Xiao Yi took out the pills he had prepared for her.

He had prepared quite a few Soul Ascension Pills of different grades, enough for almost everyone close to him. He had never been stingy with his own people, especially since the girls around him were very likely to become his partners in the future.

Tang Wutong gazed through tear-blurred eyes at the jade bottle in Xiao Yi's hand, unsure what it was.

"These are Soul Ascension Pills the academy made using a special method. They have no side effects. Since you're at level 28, taking one will let you break through to Soul Elder," Xiao Yi said with a smile, placing the bottle in Tang Wutong's little hand.

Tang Wutong stared blankly at Xiao Yi. Her heart eased. So he wasn't avoiding her after all. She finally relaxed.

She put the bottle away, then slowly leaned against him and wrapped her arms around his waist, burying her face in his chest as she breathed in greedily.

Feeling the delicate body in his arms, Xiao Yi hugged her too, surprised by how forward she was being.

"Xiao Yi, do you like me?" The girl's muffled voice came from his embrace, trembling with uncertainty. She was afraid to hear the answer she didn't want.

Xiao Yi froze. He hadn't expected Tang Wutong to ask him that. Did he like her? Probably not. He had mostly been using Tang Wutong to get under Tang San's skin; for now, he had no other feelings for her. It wasn't like the affection he felt for Tang Ya and Jiang Nannan.

When Tang Wutong didn't hear an answer, she began to panic. A powerful unease surged through her. She lifted her head to look at the silent Xiao Yi. The hurt in her eyes gave way to confusion, and the reason she had held onto through all her pent-up emotions finally crumbled beneath his silence.

Before Xiao Yi could react, Tang Wutong lunged at him, knocking him onto the bed and straddling his stomach.

Her eyes brimmed with a sick, possessive desire.

"I don't care! Xiao Yi, you have to be mine." Her voice returned to its old tone, though it trembled. She had heard the answer she never wanted to hear from Xiao Yi.

Tang Wutong's sudden move left Xiao Yi bewildered. What are you doing, you big dummy?

But before Xiao Yi could speak, he felt a soft touch on his lips. She kissed him with clumsy, tentative hunger.

Feeling the delicate body in his arms, Xiao Yi finally realized what was happening: he was being taken by force. He wanted to stop her, but she'd grabbed him by the weak spot. Xiao Yi's eyes widened. Girl, seriously?

After a long while, their lips parted. Tang Wutong sat up, panting slightly, and stared straight at Xiao Yi, her eyes full of defiance and desire.

Before Xiao Yi could speak, she leaned in again, pressing herself against him. The soft touch and the sensations from her body kept teasing Xiao Yi's nerves.

They parted again, and Tang Wutong's voice trembled. "Xiao Yi, you..."

Before she could continue, a force swept over him. Their positions switched, and the tables turned.

"You brought this on yourself."

The long night stretched on as the butterfly beat her wings. The little butterfly embarked on her very first flight.