Lately, Kikyo and Inuyasha seemed to have gotten together.
Apparently, after confessing his feelings, Inuyasha had given Kikyo a scallop shell filled with rouge. It was said to be something his mother had left behind. Kikyo had originally intended to give Inuyasha the Word Spirit Beads to keep his behavior under control, but in the end, she had not given them to him.
Kohaku had seen them lying on the table, while her older sister Kikyo sat before a mirror, holding the rouge.
At that moment, Kikyo had finally realized that she was a girl.
Taking the initiative was different from being coaxed into it. Xu Zhiqiu and Kohaku had gotten Kikyo to wear dresses before, but she had only reluctantly put them on after their pleading.
This time, she had sat down before the mirror of her own accord and applied rouge while looking at her reflection. Against her simply elegant face, the slightest movement of those red lips was especially eye-catching.
How could anyone not feel a pang of envy?
Xu Zhiqiu only heard about it from Kohaku the next day.
When she went with Kohaku to find Kikyo, they discovered that Kikyo was playing with the children.
It was autumn, and the leaves had turned yellow. Warm sunlight passed through layer upon layer of withered yellow leaves, scattering dappled light and shadow across the ground.
"Sister Qiu, Sister Kohaku, come play with us!" The children ran over when they saw Xu Zhiqiu and Kohaku.
Xu Zhiqiu picked up one of the little girls and looked up at the white-haired figure in red sitting in a tree ahead. Then she withdrew her gaze and walked toward Kikyo.
Night fell.
Xu Zhiqiu came over for a visit. Under Kikyo's puzzled gaze, she said with a grin, "Kohaku told me Inuyasha gave you some rouge. Kikyo, why don't you put on that pretty outfit I bought you before, apply some rouge, and get all dressed up for us?"
At that, Kikyo glanced at Kohaku.
Kohaku had been looking up at them, but when Kikyo shot her that look, she lowered her head guiltily and busied herself with what she was doing.
Seeing that Kikyo remained unmoved, Xu Zhiqiu could only wheedle and coax. "Come on, Kikyo, put it on and use some rouge. It's not like you're dressing up for Inuyasha. It's just for us, and we won't tell anyone."
Kikyo said nothing.
Xu Zhiqiu could only point to her own brightly colored clothes and her lips, which she had already rouged. "Look, I've put some on too. You've already seen me like this, and I want to see you too."
"Yes, exactly!" Kohaku chimed in, earning herself another look from Kikyo.
"All right." Kikyo finally agreed. "But you mustn't tell Inuyasha."
"Okay, we definitely won't," Xu Zhiqiu solemnly promised.
Only then did Kikyo enter her room. From among her many Miko Robes, she dug out the pale pink outfit embroidered with bellflowers tucked away at the very back. She changed into it, applied rouge, and arranged her long hair. Once she was ready, she came out.
Xu Zhiqiu had been sitting with her legs crossed, chatting idly with Kohaku. When she suddenly saw the beauty emerge from the room, her eyes widened.
The cool, aloof beauty wore a visually striking outfit, her lips tinted with rouge and her long hair falling straight down. With her eyes slightly lowered, she looked like a beauty who had descended into the mortal world and taken on its earthly warmth. Every movement made it impossible to look away.
"Kikyo!" Inuyasha's voice suddenly rang out.
He pushed the door open and saw what would become the most unforgettable sight of his life. He stared blankly, forgetting even what he had come to say.
Xu Zhiqiu had not expected this. She truly had not expected Inuyasha to come. "Inuyasha, what did you come to see Kikyo for?"
"Ah, I came to see Kikyo." Inuyasha came back to his senses and looked at Kikyo, then shyly turned his gaze aside and scratched his head. "It's nothing important."
He had barely finished speaking before Xu Zhiqiu ushered him out and shut the door.
"Remember to knock first next time."
"Hey, Qiu, you're going too far!" Inuyasha, his embarrassment turning to anger, shouted at Xu Zhiqiu through the door.
Inuyasha looked up at the still-lit house before finally leaving. He stood in the nearest tree, leaned against its trunk, and closed his eyes, recalling how Kikyo had looked just now.
So that was what Kikyo looked like with rouge on and dressed in bright clothes.
As he thought about it, his face reddened again.
Inside the house.
Xu Zhiqiu did her best to ignore Kikyo's reproachful gaze. "Kikyo, let me explain. I didn't invite Inuyasha. Who knew he would come, or be so reckless as to push the door straight open?"
Kikyo studied Xu Zhiqiu's face, seemingly trying to determine whether she was telling the truth. Once she was certain Xu Zhiqiu was not lying, she sighed. "Never mind."
Kikyo soon took off the pretty outfit she had only just put on and changed into plain clothes. Then she went out, saying she was going to find Inuyasha and forbidding them from following or eavesdropping.
Seeing Kikyo change back so quickly, Xu Zhiqiu sighed. Still, she was already quite satisfied just to have seen Kikyo wear it.
Time passed little by little. Xu Zhiqiu busied herself earning extra income and caught a baboon covered in white fur. Wasn't this exactly what Naraku wore to conceal his identity?
Without another word, she hunted down and killed the baboon, obtaining a villain-exclusive Baboon Garb. She had originally planned to hunt down a few more so she could give Kikyo and Kohaku one each, but she could not find any more and had to give up.
With her winter clothing taken care of, she now needed to stock up on food and firewood.
Xu Zhiqiu used the Jade Blade to cut wood into pieces, then had Inuyasha help carry it back and store it in the thatched shed reserved for timber and hay.
Kohaku wanted to learn archery like Kikyo, exorcise demons, and protect the villagers. Ordinary practice alone was not enough, however. When Kikyo went out on assignments, Xu Zhiqiu took Kohaku out hunting. Not only could they obtain food, but Kohaku could also improve her accuracy.
Xu Zhiqiu removed the fur from the game she caught, then coated it with preservative herbs and hung it up to air-dry.
Looking at a whole room filled with stored provisions, she was very satisfied.
Besides the game in the forest, she did not spare the big, fat fish in the river either.
When Inuyasha learned that Xu Zhiqiu was stocking up on food, he thought he ought to do something for Kikyo too.
So, like Xu Zhiqiu, he went hunting for wild game. He could travel far, reaching a whole new area in just a few leaps. He found three wild boars for Kikyo, along with giant fish and other large prey, as well as wild fruit.
When Xu Zhiqiu came to see Kikyo, she saw everything piled up outside Kikyo's home. She was left wide-eyed and tongue-tied, unable to recover for a long while. Was this the benefit of having a boyfriend whose boyfriend skills were maxed out?
Kikyo did not know whether to laugh or cry at the sight, and her eyes were tender when she looked at Inuyasha.
Xu Zhiqiu helped Kikyo process everything Inuyasha had brought. The four of them worked together for an entire day before they finally finished sorting it all out.
That evening, the four of them gathered around the stove and ate pork hot pot.
The method was a little strange, but they did not think much of it. They simply felt that Xu Zhiqiu had unique ideas.
They thoroughly enjoyed the meal.
Kohaku, in particular, had both cheeks stuffed full, her eyes brimming with happiness.
After eating their fill.
Xu Zhiqiu carried the leftover soup toward the cave where Onigumo was hidden.
Before you continue