Moon Shadow

Qiu Wuji opened her mouth, then closed it again.

She realized she really did not know Chu Ge all that well.

Never mind anything else-she did not even know his exact age, who was in his family, what he had done before writing novels, or what hobbies he had.

She knew none of it.

But why should I know?

Am I really supposed to be of one heart and mind with you? Haven't you gotten something wrong here...?

Qiu Wuji felt a little frustrated, but in the end, she kept those words to herself and simply said, "I'm going back to my room."

Chu Ge watched her walk away and rubbed his chin.

What was that attitude supposed to mean?

"Uh, wait." Chu Ge hurried after her. "It's already evening. Why don't we go out for dinner first?"

Qiu Wuji stopped and turned back with a hint of sarcasm. "I thought you were going to tell me to cook first."

Chu Ge shook his head. "See? You really don't know me."

He turned toward the front door. "I won't deny that having you cook satisfies certain fantasies of mine, and I really like it... really, really like it. But you're not my maid. You've only just gotten back from a business trip, and I'd immediately put you to work cooking? What do you take me for?"

Qiu Wuji said, "Hold on. Why are you walking so fast just to look impressive?"

Chu Ge: "?"

Seems like you know me pretty well...

Qiu Wuji shut the door with a bang. After a long stretch of rustling, she emerged in that office-lady outfit, her face stern. "Let's go."

Chu Ge looked at her oddly. "You haven't washed those clothes."

Qiu Wuji said unconcernedly, "I used the Cleansing Technique."

"That's filthy."

"What's it to you?" Qiu Wuji snorted. "This is my only outfit. What else am I supposed to do? Was the money I gave you before enough? I want to buy a few more."

Chu Ge readily agreed. "Sure. We'll go shopping after dinner. Get a few different styles, too..."

Qiu Wuji gave him a sidelong look. "What styles? Cat ears? Maid outfits?"

Chu Ge was astounded. "How did you kno-oh, how do you know about those things?"

"Now I know. Those short skirts, those black stockings-they're clearly certain people's fetishes. Utterly disgusting." Qiu Wuji sneered. "You lied and told me they were perfectly normal!"

Chu Ge's eyes darted around as he backed away, step by step, until he was pressed against the front door.

He looked exactly like a "scared.jpg" reaction image. "Um... you were the one who brought up black stockings."

Qiu Wuji ground her teeth for a while. "Move. Why are you planted in front of the door, playing the fool?"

With one sweep, she shoved Chu Ge aside and strode out.

Chu Ge followed behind her with a sigh. "I never should've let you surf the internet. You picked all that up fast. How did you manage to search out other people's fetishes so precisely?"

A barely noticeable blush crossed Qiu Wuji's face.

What precise searching? People in the comments under videos on those lousy sites kept spilling their fetishes. I just saw enough of them.

It had truly opened the door to a whole new world. Who could have imagined such bizarre things existed? Cat ears, tails-fine, she had seen people attracted to female monsters before. But how could anyone like one that had not even taken human form? What was this "She hasn't transformed yet, but I've already started putting her to use"? What kind of people were these?

The elevator arrived.

The two stepped inside in silence before Qiu Wuji said sulkily, "You used my clothes for unspeakable things. Now I can't wear this outfit either."

How could there be perverts who liked intimate clothing? What practical purpose did that even serve?

"?" Chu Ge nearly jumped inside the elevator. "When did I ever use your clothes for anything unspeakable?"

Qiu Wuji turned her face away, not believing a word.

Those stockings were all twisted into a rope back then, and you're telling me you didn't do anything?

"I fucking didn't!"

"Yes, yes, you didn't." Qiu Wuji could not be bothered to argue and changed the subject. "Did you run into any trouble these past two days? That woman across the hall?"

"I... forget it." Chu Ge could not be bothered to argue over something he had no way to explain either. Come to think of it, her attitude is strange. If I really had done it, wouldn't she beat me up?

Huh... "I asked you a question!"

"Oh, no. She said she's moving out."

Qiu Wuji nodded slightly. "At least she knows what's good for her."

"What, if she hadn't made her position clear, had you already decided how to deal with her?"

"If she needs to be threatened into leaving, then I'll threaten her. If her memories need erasing, then I'll erase them. She hasn't actually wronged us, but you said yourself that I'm a sect leader capable of fighting for supremacy. Why should I trouble myself with such softheartedness?" Qiu Wuji said coolly. "I listened to you about many things before because I thought you understood this world and your judgment was better than mine, not because I had to obey you."

Chu Ge sighed. "You feel a lot tougher since coming back this time..."

More precisely, after seeing that struggle-for-supremacy plot, her resistance had grown stronger, and she wanted to assert her own will more... Even her beatings had carried a hint of flirtatious banter before. The change was far too obvious.

Chu Ge understood, but did not argue with her. This was just a temporary bad mood; it would pass. He could treat it like her period.

He smiled. "How about hot pot tonight?"

Qiu Wuji's expression shifted slightly. "In this heat...?"

"With a miraculous invention like air conditioning, any weather can feel like spring." Chu Ge took her hand and headed toward the hot pot restaurant. "Other dishes we can make at home, but most people don't bother making hot pot there. It's a good chance to try it."

Qiu Wuji looked at his hand holding hers and lowered her eyes slightly, but said nothing.

She had forgotten when he had first taken her hand like this. What had been happening then?

She could not remember. She seemed to have been thinking about something else and had not noticed.

But this time she had noticed, so why had she not kicked him flying?

He did not seem to mean anything special by it. Would deliberately pulling away mean she was making too much of it...?

Before she could arrive at an answer, the two had already entered the hot pot restaurant.

Looking at the dazzling assortment of dishes on the menu, Qiu Wuji was certain this really was not something they would make at home.

There was just so much to eat...

Night deepened.

Moon Shadow slowly walked into the Divine Miracle Nightclub, put on a demon-face mask, then wound her way through turn after turn to a concealed elevator.

The elevator led deep underground, to the Underground Boxing Arena.

This was how she made her living.

Underground boxing did not actually pay well. The venue took most of the money, and she only received a cut from her wins. Her income was low, and if she was injured, it would not even cover her treatment.

But this was the only thing she could do.

Because she knew how to do nothing else.

"Ding." The elevator opened, and the clamor outside hit her head-on.

Heavy metal music blared. All around her, savage, frenzied faces filled the stands, screaming feverishly, "Moon Shadow! Moon Shadow! Tear them apart!"

Her win rate was so high that she had plenty of supporters.

Someone wanted her to throw a fight and offered her more money.

But...

That would hurt.

Moon Shadow raised her head slightly and looked toward a raised platform off to the side. A glass wall stood there, obscuring the figure behind it.

She knew what he looked like.

He was a slender man with a scholarly air, an indifferent gleam hidden behind his icy glasses.

Sorry for the late update. I'll get the schedule back on track.

(End of chapter)