She Should Be the Pillow Princess

Xing Yue and Bu Yao had argued often when they were married, but that had never stopped them from having sex. They had wanted each other every day. When they were angry, it had even become a way to vent, rougher and harder to control.

Compared with back then, Xing Yue was holding herself back far too much. Since their reunion, they had only slept together on the first night. Xing Yue had said she was stressed and lonely, but how could once be enough for so long?

At Xing Yue's age, shouldn't her desire be at its peak? How could she have so little interest? Could it be that she no longer had the stamina to take charge?

Bu Yao's face went blank with shock. That had to be it. Xing Yue's stamina was surely not what it used to be. It was time for her to be the Pillow Princess...

Propped against the headboard, Xing Yue had no idea what was going through Bu Yao's mind, or that she had already been declared a Pillow Princess. The heated, tempting sight from before the lights went out refused to leave her head.

Her toes slid soundlessly over the sheet. Distracted, she murmured, "Mm... I am a little tired..."

Her voice was strained, her breathing slow and carefully restrained. Despite the cold wind sweeping through the night, a thin layer of sweat had formed on her back.

The rain drowned it out, so Bu Yao noticed nothing. She rolled over to face Xing Yue. "Don't you like leaving a night-light on when you sleep? Why did you turn everything off tonight?"

She couldn't sleep and wanted to talk to Xing Yue.

In the unlit bedroom, she could only make out a vague silhouette.

Knowing Bu Yao was looking at her, Xing Yue swallowed against the tightness in her throat. "Are you... afraid of the dark, Miss Bu?"

Instead of answering the question, she lay back on the bedding, drew her knees together, and pulled up the covers. "If you are, turn on the light."

Something about Xing Yue's voice struck Bu Yao as odd. She spoke slowly and quietly, as if she were holding something back. Even her tone sounded strange.

Bu Yao wasn't afraid of the dark. She simply wasn't used to sleeping on the floor, and she wanted to sleep in Xing Yue's arms. "Xing Yue, will you sing me a song?"

Bu Yao often listened to Xing Yue's covers on music apps, but those songs were for all her fans. It had been a long time since Xing Yue had sung to her alone, a song meant for no one else.

"Have you looked at my WeChat status?" Bu Yao asked, holding on to a little hope.

Maybe bringing it up would remind Xing Yue of the days they had encouraged each other online. Back then, Bu Yao hadn't known Xing Yue's real name or what she looked like. When they lost touch, all Bu Yao had wanted was to meet her. She hadn't expected to fall in love at first sight.

The first time Bu Yao went to find Xing Yue, she happened to be shedding. She was resting in a tree when Bo Wuxue spotted her first—

"A Yue, look. There's a Little Fire Snake up there." Bo Wuxue pointed, prompting Xing Yue to look up.

Xing Yue wore a champagne-gold halter dress with fringe that day, her hair pinned up. Her eyes lit up when she saw Bu Yao's snake form, and she smiled. "She's fully grown, isn't she? Her scales are so well cared for. What a beauty."

The Little Fire Snake flushed with embarrassment and slipped her python body into the thick leaves.

Xing Yue seemed to notice her shyness. She led Bo Wuxue away and teased softly, "Looks like she's about to shed. Don't stare at her."

The warmth in Xing Yue's voice that day had opened a window in Bu Yao's world. Beyond it, every season was spring.

Xing Yue froze. She reached through the dark for her phone; she really hadn't noticed what Bu Yao had written in her status.

As soon as the screen lit up, a text from an unfamiliar number appeared.

[A Yue, I want to see you.]

The sleepiness vanished from Xing Yue's mind. Without a moment's hesitation, she switched on the light, got out of bed, and changed clothes in one swift sequence.

Bu Yao had not adjusted to the sudden glare. Watching Xing Yue hurry, she had a bad feeling. She went over and tugged at her clothes. "It's pouring outside. Where are you going?"

A thunderstorm was bad enough, but it was already past one in the morning. The streets would be dark and chilly. In weather like this, even the night markets were closed.

Xing Yue finished dressing and picked up her car keys without answering.

When Bu Yao saw her putting on her shoes and socks, she understood. For once, she did not try to stop her.

She climbed onto the bed and took Xing Yue's place, then gave a scornful laugh. "I told you, He Zhiwen doesn't love you that much. A few love letters, a few little crafts—anyone could do that. What has she actually given up for you? Your house: apart from ordering you around about how to decorate this and that, has she paid a cent toward it? You've been starved of love since you were little. All it took was a bad woman whispering a couple of sweet nothings, and you lost your head. Go on, then! When an ex comes back, it's to ask for money. Nothing good will come of it. Don't come crying to me."

Such lovely words on that card: the amazing Xing Yue, He Zhiwen working hard at life. Bu Yao felt sick.

Xing Yue had earned the money for her house and car herself. He Zhiwen was a university lecturer in her late twenties who taught piano on the side, yet all she gave the person she loved was a card and a handmade miniature house. How generous. It couldn't have cost more than two hundred.

What was wrong with Xing Yue's head? She turned her nose up at the ruby necklace Bu Yao had given her, worth tens of millions, and liked this junk instead.

Those words were cruel. Xing Yue's expression darkened. "You're the worst woman in the world, and you have the nerve to talk about someone else."

Bu Yao exploded. "How am I bad? I can give you anything. He Zhiwen can't, and even if she could, she wouldn't."

The air in the room was charged with anger. In her rush to leave, Xing Yue missed what Bu Yao meant. She had no desire to keep arguing and slammed the door behind her.

Left alone, Bu Yao suddenly deflated. She sat on the bed in a daze, with none of her little-lion ferocity left.

Jiang Li had been in Silent City on business for the past few days. Her younger sister Jiang Yue's school happened to be on a short break, so she had brought her wife along for a few days of sightseeing.

In the hotel, a delicate-looking young woman was tying someone else's necktie. "Do you have to go now? It's so late."

He Zhiwen stroked Jiang Yue's head, her eyes curving into crescents. "My friend starts training the day after tomorrow. I'm worried she won't have time then. Don't worry, she's lovely. I'll be back in an hour."

Jiang Yue was still a little unhappy, but she did not interfere with He Zhiwen's decision. "All right. Be careful. If it's too much trouble, forget it. I don't even know your friend. I'd feel bad asking her for a favor."

A show had recently put out a public call for contestants. Several spots were reserved for established actors and singers, while the remaining places were open to newcomers. Jiang Yue was a short-video influencer, and she wanted to take part.

Whatever the outcome, getting on the show would bring attention and help her career.

The online announcement said the places were open, but there was bound to be some favoritism. The applications were probably just a formality. Anyone selected would likely have connections.

Jiang Yue hadn't held out much hope when she decided to apply. But when He Zhiwen said she had a friend who could recommend her, Jiang Yue began to look forward to it.

"It's no trouble," He Zhiwen said confidently. "My friend has a wonderful temperament. She's kind and treats people well. We're close. If I ask her for a favor, she won't say no."

Jiang Yue had heard He Zhiwen praise this friend hundreds of times in a single evening, as though no one else in the world could compare. She was getting jealous. What kind of friend could be that wonderful?

Since coming back from their hike today, He Zhiwen had mentioned this friend in eight out of every ten sentences.

Noticing Jiang Yue's sulk, He Zhiwen smiled helplessly. She picked up a fruit knife to peel a mango for her.

She rarely did such things; usually someone else prepared the fruit for her. She had barely started when she cut herself. "Ow..."

He Zhiwen hissed at the pain. Transparent blood ran onto the blade.

Jiang Yue hurried over. She wiped the blood from the knife, then took He Zhiwen's finger into her mouth. "Be careful. Don't let anyone see."

He Zhiwen was a Spirit Snake. Her blood was transparent, and every part of her—scales, shed skin, blood, and flesh—could be made into medicine said to cure any illness.

Every year, Spirit Snakes fell victim to horrific crimes. In ninety percent of cases, the killer was their lover; in the remaining ten percent, a relative or friend.

Two centuries ago, Spirit Snakes had been slaughtered on a massive scale and sold on the black market. The carnage had been appalling.

Afterward, the Spirit Snake families had passed down one rule for survival: never let anyone discover your Snake Species, no matter who they were, even the lover who shared your bed.

By now, almost everyone believed Spirit Snakes were extinct.

"I know. It's just the two of us here. Don't be scared." The warmth around He Zhiwen's fingertip brought a blush to her cheeks.

It was only a small cut, and the bleeding had stopped, but Jiang Yue still wasn't reassured. She fetched a bandage and put it on He Zhiwen's finger.

When Xing Yue reached the entrance of the hotel, she replied to He Zhiwen's text.

He Zhiwen came down soon after in a dusty-pink dress with a bow tied beneath its ruffled collar. She waved when she saw Xing Yue, her smile radiant. She had always been full of energy, like a little sun.

She hesitated in front of the car before opening the passenger door. "A Yue, it's been such a long time. You left so quickly this morning, I thought you might not want to see me."

He Zhiwen sounded disappointed, as though Xing Yue's reaction that morning had hurt her. She had been far more excited than Xing Yue, but Xing Yue had left so quickly that she hadn't even heard much of her voice.

Xing Yue drove around looking for somewhere open. She did not answer. She could hardly admit that she had fled because she was afraid of hearing whether He Zhiwen was happy.

"What would you like? Steak? Sushi?" At this hour, there were not many places to choose from.

Xing Yue still wanted to find out whether He Zhiwen had married. She had planned to ask earlier, before Bu Yao interrupted her.

Thinking back, all she had heard was Bu Yao's version of events. Who knew whether any of it was true?

"Let's have steak," He Zhiwen said. "Your stomach is sensitive. You should avoid cold, raw food."

Xing Yue's grip tightened on the steering wheel. She was nervous. At her age, she rarely acted on impulse, but she had not seen He Zhiwen in so long, and she had only just learned the real reason He Zhiwen broke up with her. Staying calm was difficult.

"Zhiwen, did you..."

She used the intimate name from their past. She meant to ask whether He Zhiwen really had married, but perhaps the rain drumming against the windows was too loud. He Zhiwen did not hear her.

He Zhiwen happened to have something to say too, and cut Xing Yue off without meaning to. Her gaze was gentle, but she sounded hurried, as though she knew this was not quite right...

"A Yue, are you dating Miss Bu? Is Miss Bu running New Shadow Entertainment now?"

The questions were connected. Xing Yue could guess what was coming. Her face hardened, and her eyes filled with blood. She blinked hard before her vision cleared.

In the dim car, He Zhiwen noticed nothing. She asked softly, "Could I ask you to recommend someone for me?"