Vow Under the Moon, A Kiss Seals Their Fate (Xiao Wu)

The night was already deep by the time they left the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

Yi Chen did not return directly to Shrek Academy. He took a detour on the way, stopping at the long-established pastry shop in Soto City that Xiao Wu loved the most.

The shop had already closed for the night, but he knocked on the door and paid double the price to buy a bag of freshly baked osmanthus cakes. He wrapped them in oil paper and tucked them inside his robe.

When he reached the back mountain, the moon had already climbed to the center of the sky.

A figure sat under the ancient tree, hugging her knees in the rattan chair he usually occupied. Xiao Wu hadn't returned to the dormitory; she had been sitting there alone, waiting for him.

She had changed into clean clothes and redone her hair, clearly having tidied herself up.

Yet, unlike Ning Rongrong, she hadn't worn a dress, styled her hair into an elaborate bun, or applied lip rouge. She had simply made herself neat and clean, then sat there waiting for his return.

Hearing his footsteps, she looked up. Seeing Yi Chen walking up the mountain path, her eyes brightened for a moment before she spoke with feigned casualness, "You're back? Was the food at Rongrong's place good?"

Yi Chen walked up to her. Instead of answering the question, he pulled the still-warm bag of osmanthus cakes from his robe and held it out to her. "I promised to bring you some."

Xiao Wu froze. She hadn't expected him to actually remember, let alone follow through.

She took the bag, opened the oil paper, and the heat, mingled with the sweet fragrance of osmanthus, wafted toward her. She looked down at the cakes, remained silent for a long while, and then picked one up and took a bite.

"It's good," she said, her voice slightly muffled.

Yi Chen sat on the stone stool beside her. He didn't urge her to speak, simply sitting quietly and waiting for her to finish the cake.

Once she finished, Xiao Wu wrapped the oil paper back up and placed it on her lap. She didn't look up, her voice much lower than usual. "Master, I was actually very afraid this afternoon."

"Afraid of what?"

"Afraid you wouldn't come back," she said softly. "Afraid that after eating at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, you would go straight back to the Association. Afraid that you would think Rongrong's home was better, or that she was more suitable for you than I am..."

She didn't finish, because Yi Chen reached out and gently patted the top of her head.

"I promised to bring you something delicious, so I was always going to return," he said, his voice a few degrees gentler than usual. "I wouldn't leave without saying a word."

Xiao Wu looked up. Her eyes were a little red in the moonlight, but she didn't cry.

She looked at Yi Chen with a level of seriousness and determination he had never seen before. That gaze was more direct and intense than when Ning Rongrong had confessed at the gate; it was like a fire that had been suppressed for a long time, finally finding an outlet.

"Master, I like you."

She said the four words one by one. Her voice wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally clear and firm.

"Not the kind of liking a disciple has for a master. It's the liking a girl has for a man. I want to be with you, and I want to be with you forever. Not as your disciple, but as your lover."

As she spoke, her hands gripped the edges of the oil paper bag so tightly her knuckles turned white. Yet, she didn't look away, staring straight at Yi Chen, waiting for his answer.

The night breeze brushed past, stirring the stray hairs on her forehead and the hem of her clothes. The moonlight bathed her face, making her bright eyes look exceptionally clear.

Yi Chen looked at her, silent for a long time.

Then, he reached out and gently took the hand she was using to clutch the oil paper.

His palm was dry and warm, enveloping her slightly cool fingertips. His grip wasn't heavy, but it carried a reassuring firmness.

"I know," he said, his voice lower and softer than before. "I've been waiting for you to say it."

Xiao Wu's eyelashes fluttered violently, and the moisture in her eyes nearly spilled over, but she bit her lip and held it back with all her might.

"You knew?"

"I'm not stupid," Yi Chen said, the corners of his mouth curving slightly. "You've been stealing Rongrong's spot, tripping her up, and glancing over at me during training—did you really think I wouldn't notice?"

Xiao Wu's face flushed bright red. She tried to pull her hand back, but Yi Chen didn't let go.

"But I wasn't sure if you were serious or just acting on impulse."

Yi Chen's tone grew more earnest. "So I was waiting. Waiting for you to think it through, waiting for you to be sure that this is what you truly want, and not just because someone else was trying to take it."

He looked at her, his gaze filled with a gentle scrutiny. "Have you thought it through now?"

Xiao Wu nodded vigorously, like a chick pecking at grain. "I have! I've never been more sure of anything!"

Seeing her eager expression, Yi Chen couldn't help but smile.

He stood up, took her hand, and pulled her up from the rattan chair.

Once she was standing, Xiao Wu realized how close they were—close enough to see the curve of his eyelashes and feel the warmth of his breath.

Her heart hammered in her chest, but she didn't step back.

Yi Chen lowered his head and used his other hand to gently lift her chin, his thumb brushing over her jawline with a touch as soft as if he were handling a fragile treasure. Xiao Wu's breath hitched for a moment, and then she closed her eyes.

His lips touched hers.

It was light, gentle, and carried the lingering sweetness of the osmanthus cake. His lips were softer than she had imagined, and his scent drifted warmly across her cheeks.

Xiao Wu's eyelashes fluttered, and her hands instinctively tightened on the lapels of his robe, like a small animal clinging to driftwood—both nervous and at peace.

Yi Chen's other hand wrapped around her waist, drawing her gently toward him.

The kiss shifted from a soft exploration to something deeper and more lingering.

Xiao Wu's mind went blank; she felt as if she were soaking in warm water, glowing with warmth from head to toe.

Her fingers, which had been clutching his lapels, slowly relaxed and moved to wrap around his waist, pulling her body completely into his embrace.

The moonlight spilled over them, casting a single, overlapping shadow on the ground.

The night breeze brushed through the branches and leaves of the ancient trees, creating a rustling sound as if providing an accompaniment for this very moment.

After a long while, Yi Chen slowly released her, resting his forehead against hers as their breaths intertwined.

Xiao Wu opened her eyes; the corners were tinged with a faint red, her lips were ruddier than before, and her gaze held a satisfied, sparkling glow.

She looked at Yi Chen's face, mere inches from her own, and suddenly smiled—a smile that was both sweet and triumphant.

"Master, you're done for," she whispered, her voice laced with laughter. "You're mine now."

Yi Chen looked at her smug little expression and couldn't help but laugh. "How am I yours?"

"Because you kissed me," Xiao Wu said righteously. "If you kiss me, you have to take responsibility."

"Fine, fine, fine, I'll take responsibility." Yi Chen released her waist and took her hand instead, interlacing their fingers. "Responsibility for a lifetime, is that enough?"

Xiao Wu couldn't suppress the corners of her mouth as she lowered her head to look at their joined hands. Under the moonlight, her fingers tightened slightly, locking firmly with his.

"It is," she said, her voice soft yet carrying a heavy, unwavering certainty. "It's a deal—a lifetime."

Yi Chen did not answer; he simply held her hand and stood there in the moonlight for a long time.

In the distance, within the dormitory building of Shrek Academy, the light in one window flickered on, then extinguished once more.