Digging Holes and Filling Them, Folks

Early the next morning, Long Bing was awakened by the hot breath beside her.

She turned her head and saw Wu Changkong lying on his side, one arm curved around her waist. The hold was neither tight nor loose, enclosing her perfectly within it. He was still deeply asleep, his breathing heavy and even, his brow smooth. He looked like a cat that had completely let down its guard after feeling safe in its surroundings. His blue hair was spread across the pillow, with several strands resting against her shoulder and gently rising and falling with his breathing.

She watched him for a while, then carefully lifted his hand from her waist and placed it back on the bed before slowly sitting up. Her gaze fell on herself, and she pinched the corner of her pajamas to inspect them. They were not hers. She did not recognize the cut of the collar, the curve of the cuffs, or the texture of the fabric. Her fingers paused on the cloth for two seconds before letting go. Shen Yi—there could only be Shen Yi. She turned that conclusion over in her mind again and again, repeatedly confirming it before finally setting it aside.

Elsewhere, Shen Yi was sitting by a table reading when she suddenly sneezed. She rubbed her nose, lifted her gaze from the page, and glanced out the window. "Strange," she muttered. Then she lowered her head and turned another page, but she could no longer focus on the book. She had not seen those two since the battle. Closing the book and placing it at the corner of the table, she stood and headed outside. She remembered that Senior Brother had not fallen unconscious in the end. When she reached the door, she paused, turned back to return the