Xie Jingci's mind was a muddled mess.
Pei Du's reaction had completely exceeded her expectations.
To be honest, even if he had been furious and righteously rejected her, then gone to Xie Shu to thoroughly denounce this unorthodox behavior, that would have made her feel more justified than the current situation.
How could Pei Du... just accept it all so naturally?
And even told her to look at him more.
That sentence seemed to have turned into a scalding fire, spreading from her earlobes throughout her entire body. Especially since she was still held in Pei Du's embrace, the heat had nowhere to dissipate, trapped within that tiny space.
What made Xie Jingci's heart flutter even more chaotically was that she realized she didn't dislike this feeling.
The Xie family was incredibly powerful, and she herself had quite a reputation in the cultivation world. Suitors came in an endless stream, and in the academy and various secret realms, many young cultivators also came to strike up conversations.
Xie Jingci simply found it annoying.
The men and women deliberately trying to get close around her were, to her, like incessantly buzzing mosquitoes and flies, serving no purpose other than disturbing her cultivation and unsettling her mind.
At first, Xie Jingci would symbolically chat with them for a few sentences, but later, unable to bear the annoyance, she practically wrote "not interested" on her face.
She didn't care for the romantic affairs between men and women, always holding firm to one unchanging truth: rather than talk of love, it's better to spend all that time on her Ghost Crying Blade.
Yet when touched by Pei Du, no feeling of annoyance arose.
—If it were normal times, shouldn't she have pushed the other person away without hesitation after being hugged so decisively? Why, why, why was she blushing?
"Miss Xie."
Pei Du's voice sounded again, the hazy affection from a little while ago stripped away, revealing a clarity as pleasing as flowing water: "Do you want to go home?"
Home, she must go home.
Xie Jingci didn't know if the system had prepared a backup plan. Whether continuing to stay alone under the bridge with Pei Du, or going to the bustling streets to reunite with Meng Xiaoting and the others, as long as it activated its power, her reputation in Yunjing City would be pretty much ruined.
Only by going home could one return to the original beauty.
Pei Du was always reliable. He didn't take her away directly, but instead took out a communication talisman from his storage pouch, informing Mo Xiaoyang of Xie Jingci's drunken state, clearly stating she had to go home to rest first, and letting the three of them enjoy themselves.
Writing the message, reciting the incantation, and sending it off were done in one smooth motion. How to take Miss Xie back to the Xie Manor became a headache.
Fearing he would see her flushed face, Xie Jingci steeled her heart and simply pretended to have lost consciousness, lying limp and powerless in Pei Du's embrace.
He tentatively called "Miss Xie" softly twice, but received no response at all.
The midnight shadows gently brushed her brows, casting layers of shade over her eyes.
The youth in white robes remained silent, his long eyelashes lowered slightly, casting a soft, uninterrupted light.
Pei Du's movements were very gentle. Even when he needed to hold the girl in his arms tighter, increasing his strength, he did so cautiously and carefully.
Miss Xie's body was very soft, permeated with a hazy scent of wine. When his hand inadvertently touched her waist, his breath nearly caught in panic.
Pei Du lifted her up effortlessly. Xie Jingci, seemingly unaccustomed to such a position, frowned with closed eyes, buried her face into his chest, and gave a slight nuzzle.
He felt a bit ticklish from the nuzzle, yet the corners of his mouth unconsciously lifted into a curve.
He was getting closer and closer.
He had been climbing up from the mud day by day, finally able to touch the sun.
Merely this most ordinary embrace, one she might not even remember, concealed behind it were his years of unwavering admiration.
"Pei Du."
Miss Xie in his arms suddenly spoke, her exhaled warmth soaking into his clothes: "...Let's go home."
Only the sound of the babbling water remained in her ears.
Xie Jingci kept her eyes closed, unable to see Pei Du's movements or expression. Worried the system might cause trouble again, she pretended to be drowsy and urged him once.
The youth did not answer immediately.
Darkness gradually gathered. Xie Jingci heard his heart pounding like a drum, and his clear, mellow voice tinged with a smile.
"Alright, let's go home."
Meanwhile, downstream of the river.
Yunjing residents who came to scoop up lanterns were bustling about. Meng Xiaoting finally managed to wait for the crowd to disperse and took a few steps forward with effort.
Mo Xiaoyang sighed with genuine feeling, "No wonder it's the Thousand Lantern Festival — so many people."
"Indeed."
Long Xiao stood behind Meng Xiaoting, shielding her from the constant flow of people, and, upon hearing this, agreed: "On festival days the number of pedestrians on the streets is three to four times the usual — waiting in line for things like this is really a waste of time; it's very troublesome."
Meng Xiaoting gave him a suspicious glance.
When he said the words "waiting in line," although his tone was extremely annoyed, the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curl up, as if he could burst out laughing with joy at any moment.
Weird guy.
"By the way. I heard the Origin Immortal Manor is about to open. I wonder if you all plan to go explore it?"
Long Xiao had been chattering nonstop the whole way, talking a mile a minute. Even deep into the night, he was still chatting away with great enthusiasm: "I heard the Origin Immortal Manor gathers spiritual energy, which is greatly beneficial for cultivation — didn't Miss Xie's sea of consciousness get injured? It would be just the right place for her to recuperate."
Regarding such a major event, Xie Shu had already enthusiastically told them about it.
The Origin Immortal Manor was a secret realm created by an ancient powerhouse, opening once every fifty years. After all this time, although its treasures and magical artifacts had long since been divided up, the pure spiritual energy within it remained inexhaustible, naturally making it an excellent place for Golden Core and Nascent Soul cultivators to make breakthroughs.
Calculating the time, it was in just seven days.
Seeing Meng Xiaoting nod, Long Xiao's smile deepened.
The three of them chatted idly. As the surging crowd gradually receded, each of them casually scooped up a floating lantern from the river.
Meng Xiaoting looked down at the square-shaped river lantern in her hand and softly read aloud the characters written in ornate cursive on the slip of paper: "May those five never discover each other's existence. If I meet a sixth, I hope he's the sort of playboy young master."
Long Xiao glanced down at his: "I hope mother's illness can get better soon."
Mo Xiaoyang, holding a rabbit-shaped lantern, clumsily took out the slip of paper from inside and couldn't help but feel slightly stunned.
Mo Xiaoyang: "Wow... th-th-this, this seems to be Miss Xie's handwriting!"
Miss Xie's handwriting!
Long Xiao's fighting spirit immediately surged.
The wish he wrote on the paper was "[Bravely show my charm to Miss Meng]," and although it hadn't come true for several years in a row, that didn't mean he had abandoned his determination to cultivate.
He had long heard that Xie Jingci was a top-tier cultivation maniac. Her wish would inevitably be earth-shattering and exude a domineering aura. He couldn't wait to find out.
"Uh..."
Mo Xiaoyang scratched his head, handing the slip of paper in his hand for Long Xiao to see: "How to put it, seems a bit..."
Long Xiao eagerly looked down, almost unable to suppress the surging fighting spirit in his heart.
Whatever wish Xie Jingci had made, he would make surpassing her his top goal!
But the slip of paper was pure white; the small black characters were written in a graceful, lively, bamboo-like, vigorous handwriting, each stroke reading:
[Grey as the sky. Deep as loneliness. If by chance you come, arrive now. I want to wait, lost and bewildered; waiting beautifully — accept my love =-づ.]
Long Xiao: ...?
Long Xiao: "En... encrypted text?"
The night was deep.
For what felt like the hundredth time, Pei Du turned over in bed, and for the hundredth time, he opened his eyes in frustration before burying his face into the pillow.
He couldn't sleep.
As it was improper for him to enter a young lady's bedchamber, he had only gone as far as the courtyard of Miss Xie's residence before stopping. He entrusted a passing young maid to escort her into her room.
The little maid was taken aback for a moment, then pressed her lips together and gave a muffled chuckle. When she spoke again, though her reply was a simple "Alright," her tone clearly carried a hint of suggestive meaning.
The way that girl had looked at him...
Pei Du turned over once more.
It was as if he had done something ambiguous and unspeakable to Miss Xie, making his ears burn.
Today, he had told Miss Xie everything he wanted to say.
She hadn't rejected him, nor had she shown any sign of disgust. When he had gently picked her up, she had even murmured for him to go home.
...Go home.
No one could know just how elated Pei Du had been upon hearing those two words. Even now, merely recalling them made the corners of his mouth lift.
His life had been like duckweed, drifting and wandering in many places, never truly finding a place to settle. Yet now, someone had said to him, "Let's go home."
Pei Du felt an unprecedented joy.
He knew Miss Xie's temperament. She had always disliked others getting close. Since she was willing to be intimate with him, perhaps in her heart, there was also a tiny bit of fondness for him.
Even if it was just a tiny bit, for Pei Du, it was honey that could instantly envelop his entire world, leaving him dizzy and enchanted.
Within the Xie Manor, it wasn't as noisy as the city. Being winter, not even the faintest chirp of insects could be heard. Drifting in the air was only the empty silence of the night.
In just a brief moment of distraction, Pei Du heard a thumping knock at the door.
At this hour, deep into the night, who could possibly be knocking? His first instinct was that it was a dream. But when he got up to look, he saw a familiar silhouette outside the door.
Miss Xie's silhouette.
All sleepiness vanished from Pei Du. He immediately rolled out of bed. Accompanied by the creak of the door opening, his eyes met those of the visitor outside.
Xie Jingci, protected by her spiritual energy, didn't feel particularly cold. But upon meeting Pei Du's deep, pool-like eyes, she couldn't help but shiver.
She was furious.
She was gnashing her teeth.
She had thought no further mishaps would occur tonight. Yet, after returning to her room, she found herself tossing and turning, unable to sleep. With each turn, what filled her mind were those few sentences spoken by Pei Du.
Even though he was no longer by her side, when Xie Jingci recalled that pleading murmur, she still couldn't help rolling around in bed, her cheeks burning.
And then she heard the system's ding.
[Congratulations! Corresponding scenario triggered, character setting activated!]
[Lines are being issued, please wait...]
[Unable to sleep in the dead of night, how can a lonely you like this be willing to lie alone in a big bed? You crave a warm body temperature, a strong and powerful heartbeat. If you can't get it, using some methods is harmless, right?]
Xie Jingci stared at this prompt, along with the accompanying lines and plot setting below, for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.
In the end, she was forcibly brought here by the system.
"Miss Xie."
Meeting her gaze, Pei Du was momentarily stunned. "What's wrong?"
"I—"
Miss Xie paused, as if embarrassed to speak, lowering her voice. "I had a nightmare... Being alone in the room, I'm very scared."
Not much time had passed since he had escorted her back to her room. The effects of the wine hadn't worn off; Miss Xie should still be drunk.
Before Pei Du could react, the girl before him took a step forward into his room, her tone full of pitiful softness. "Just for tonight, could you... stay with me?"
Her steps were unsteady. She stumbled and fell against his chest.
Xie Jingci tried her utmost to calm her emotions, taking a deep breath.
She should have thought of this earlier.
A yandere finds loneliness hardest to bear and is also most skilled at pretending to be pitiful, setting traps step by step to lure their prey into the snare.
Among these tactics, using a nightmare as a reason to propose sharing a bed is a common, age-old trick.
If it were before, she would have cursed a few times under her breath and waited to be rejected by Pei Du. But the current situation was completely different.
Pei Du likely harbored a tiny bit of fondness for her, so there was a certain probability he wouldn't refuse.
Moreover, not long ago, she herself had been teased into a blushing, heart-pounding mess.
[What's there to hesitate about? Don't you want to figure out if this guy has any feelings for you?]
The system chuckled twice, adopting the manner of a dubious strategist: [Tonight is a perfect opportunity! Sharing a bed is no small matter. If he can even accept something like this, wouldn't it be undeniable that Pei Du is smitten with you?]
Xie Jingci drove her nearly rusted brain to think hard.
That... seemed to make some sense.
"Miss Xie," Pei Du hesitated for a moment, "the Xie Manor has many maidservants. The propriety between men and women, we two..."
Xie Jingci's voice dissipated against his chest, low, its tail end like a hook that seemed both near and far. "You don't want to stay with me?"
As she spoke, she took another step forward. Caught off guard, Pei Du instinctively retreated. When he steadied himself, he heard the creak of the wooden door closing.
Xie Jingci had closed the door in one move. The only light source left in the entire bedroom was the hazy moonlight coming through the window—not strong, mostly blocked by the window frame, like an ethereal veil.
She took yet another step forward, forcing him to retreat further. "You said such nice things, wanting me to look at you more... Yet when it comes to a time like this, you won't even touch me, just want to push me off to others?"
Her words were merciless. Hearing them, Pei Du was stunned, a suffocating ache swelling in his chest.
How could he ever think that way?
He just... didn't dare to touch her wantonly, for fear of tarnishing Miss Xie's reputation.
"Miss Xie," the young man collected his thoughts, carefully gathering her fallen black hair, "what did you dream about?"
"Nobody wanted me. It was dark all around... I was all alone. Even if I reached out my hand, I couldn't grasp anything."
Miss Xie's voice carried a sob, making him feel distressed too. "I called your name, but you never answered me."
If she weren't drunk, the sober Miss Xie would never be frightened like this by a mere nightmare.
Pei Du's heart ached. Hearing her say she had called his name in the dream, he felt his very bones melt into softness. Only when he spoke in reply did he realize his own voice was slightly hoarse. "Don't be afraid. You go back to your room first. Tonight... I'll keep watch outside your door."
The Xie Jingci in his arms paused her movements.
She suddenly looked up, a barely perceptible shadow veiling her pupils. "What about you? Won't you sleep?"
"We cultivators don't need to sleep every single night."
Pei Du simply thought the wine had addled her mind, making her forget such common knowledge. "Miss Xie only needs to remember that I'm outside the room, and you won't be so scared."
She had been rejected, point-blank.
Even though she had been mentally prepared, Xie Jingci still froze for a moment.
She couldn't quite describe the feeling in her heart. Bracing herself, she continued pretending to be drunk and recited her lines. "...No."
Pei Du was taken aback, listening as she spoke slowly, "If you weren't by my side, I definitely wouldn't be able to sleep—just for tonight, please? Keep me company, alright?"
The young man so close at hand suddenly stiffened.
Because of the proximity, Xie Jingci could feel his rapidly accelerating heartbeat.
She didn't know Pei Du's answer, and her own heart clenched painfully.
Actually, according to the script, if he agreed, the subsequent plot could barely be considered "normal."
Once he refused, given the character setting of an obsessive, possessive personality with an exceptionally fierce nature, even if it required using every forceful method possible, he would keep the one he loved by his side. She—
"...Miss Xie."
He didn't remain silent for too long, his voice surprisingly calm: "You're drunk."
This was a clear refusal.
Xie Jingci's mind exploded with a roar.
This. Is. Bad.
"I'm not."
She seemed both wronged and somewhat annoyed, yet her tone remained utterly flat. Her dark, willow-leaf eyes were as deep as an ancient well; even reflecting the moonlight, they held only a deathly stillness. "Do you dislike me?"
A brief silence fell around them.
Pei Du instinctively wanted to refute her words, but then he felt a surging tide of spiritual energy.
Spiritual energy belonging to Xie Jingci continuously spilled out, carrying waves of sharp, blade-like winds, condensing into tangible white threads in the air.
In the blink of an eye, the white threads surged forward like a spider's web, attaching themselves to his arms and ankles without a second thought, and climbing higher, touching more hidden places.
He couldn't bear such contact, his voice almost trembling as he said, "Xie—"
Before he could finish, a swift gust of wind swept past.
Xie Jingci's spiritual energy surged. With a slight exertion of force, she flung him onto the bed. Immediately, the threads gathered like unbreakable ropes, restraining all his movements.
A faint pain came from his wrists.
Pei Du's long lashes fluttered lightly. In his gradually clearing vision, he saw her face drawing closer, bit by bit.
Xie Jingci pinned him beneath her, spiritual energy churning like a tide. She looked down at him, her gaze fixed.
Having opened the door in a hurry, Pei Du hadn't had time to tidy up; his hair was still unbound.
Loose black hair scattered like mist, strewn chaotically across the pillow. Some strands fell softly against his cheeks and ears, rising and falling slightly with his breath, setting off his cold, pale complexion and the all-too-conspicuous flush under the moonlight.
His raven-feather lashes trembled unconsciously, his eyes glistening with moisture, filled with shock and bewilderment. Further down was his slightly parted collar and his slender, elegant collarbones.
A face so aloof and restrained, yet beneath her lay such a sight.
Xie Jingci smiled with satisfaction, brushing the black hair from the side of his face. "This way, you can stay by my side forever, right?"
—Help! This is so cringe, so cringe! The power of the melancholic princess from the aristocratic academy is truly terrifying!
Xie Jingci inwardly spat out a mouthful of old blood, just hoping Pei Du wouldn't get so desperate he'd take a swing at her.
She paused slightly, as if driven by some mischievous whim, the corner of her mouth lifting as her fingertip traced Pei Du's face. "How strange, why is it so red here? Are you feeling unwell?"
"Miss Xie."
A strange sensation swept through his entire body. Her gaze was like a blazing fire, igniting an unbearable heatwave. Pei Du desperately wanted to avoid it but couldn't move, only able to utter a hoarse whisper: "...Don't do this."
Xie Jingci naturally paid him no mind.
Because of this slight resistance, the spiritual energy binding his body tightened even more, continuing to spread from his calves, causing the young man to grit his teeth and tremble.
Her fingertip moved downward from his face, arriving at his chest, covered by a thin layer of clothing.
Her touch wasn't heavy, yet it felt as if it could pierce deep into his bones and blood. Pei Du couldn't even breathe. In his consciousness, a violent beast roared madly within its cage, forced back into the darkness by his sheer will.
His entire body, down to his bones, felt as if flowing with lava, burning terrifyingly hot.
This posture of being utterly restrained was truly extremely humiliating.
Xie Jingci pressed lightly on his chest, her other hand placed on her own.
"Your heartbeat is so fast too."
Her tone was amused: "Much faster than mine... If there weren't this clothing, would it feel even clearer to the touch?"
Her fingertip then slowly moved upward, giving a slight tug, hooking onto the young man's thin collar, which already revealed a small patch of snowy skin.
Help.
This is too perverted.
Never mind Pei Du, even she felt her head grow hot, her fingertips trembling uncontrollably.
Xie Jingci wore a smile on her face, but inside she was utterly cowardly, her internal tears flowing like a river, converging into Yun Jing's moat.
And judging by Pei Du's determined resistance, it seemed he truly had no feelings for her.
Forcibly flirting with someone who has no interest in you—the level of awkwardness is simply unimaginable.
According to the character setting, her eyes should have been brimming with amusement.
Yet, in an instant, it all transformed into panicked disbelief.
—The probing spiritual energy shattered violently. A sudden gust of wind from beneath her caught her completely off guard. Her right hand was seized, and her whole body was pulled downward.
Their positions instantly reversed. She was pressed down without a second thought.
His breath was scattered and trembling, yet his back was stiff as stone. As he leaned over, his long lashes cast a large shadow, his black hair falling against her cheek and neck.
His eyes were so red, as if tears could fall at any moment.
Xie Jingci's heart gave an inexplicable lurch.
Even though she didn't like this persona either, and had clenched her fists multiple times, she shouldn't... be so detestable that a mere touch would make his eyes redden, right?
"Miss Xie."
Pei Du's voice was very hoarse, as if wrapped in coarse sand: "You've been drinking. This isn't... what you truly want to do. If you persist, you'll be unhappy when you wake tomorrow."
Of course, he also wanted to accompany her to sleep.
If he could stay by Miss Xie's side, watching her close her eyes, he would be so happy he couldn't sleep all night.
But she was drunk now. All impulses were not her true intent. The reason she wanted to share a bed with him was merely because of a nightmare.
Agreeing to Miss Xie's request while she was not in her right mind, taking advantage of her drunkenness...
That would be utterly despicable.
Pei Du didn't want to see her look of fright and confusion when she woke tomorrow. He was willing to wait patiently, for Miss Xie to approach him on her own when she was sober.
He took a shallow breath, his turbid gaze gradually clearing.
"Be good."
Seeing her quiet down, Pei Du lowered his eyes with a light laugh, his voice as gentle as coaxing a child: "I'll be right here in the room tonight. Sleep peacefully, don't be afraid."
There should have been a few more lines of dialogue next. But the system suddenly fell silent for a moment, and when it spoke again, it drew a sharp, cold breath: [This kind of... who could withstand it? Even the most perverse and unreasonable person would probably have to quiet down, right?]
Xie Jingci also didn't make a sound.
Pei Du's voice was lethally gentle, a slightly hoarse, low baritone that brushed past her ear in the darkness, like an electric current suddenly spreading, seeping into every bone.
She didn't have a single ounce of strength left to resist, only feeling her bones go soft and numb.
This was even more unbearably heart-fluttering than directly agreeing to her request to share the bed.
Pei Du got off the bed. The quilt was carefully tucked over her, every corner pressed down.
Xie Jingci's heart pounded violently, like a raging flood or wild beast, devouring all her thoughts clean. She didn't dare meet Pei Du's gaze again and hurriedly closed her eyes.
Pei Du made no further sound, but how could she possibly fall asleep?
The usually carefree Miss Xie pretended to sleep while suffering a miserable bout of insomnia. Bored out of her mind, she could only tap at the system in her head: "What do you think he's thinking?"
System: [Very strong, very impressive, an utterly powerful and formidable character. If you two performed together, you'd definitely win Oscar for Best Actor and Actress.]
That wasn't what she wanted to ask.
Displeased, Xie Jingci turned over and frowned.
Suddenly, a scent of wood and trees drew near.
Xie Jingci lay perfectly still, her hands under the quilt secretly clenching tight.
[I know!]
The system laughed again: [You want to know his feelings for you, right? If he tries to steal a kiss, then he definitely likes you—that's how it always is in novels and movies, a foolproof test!]
Steal—a—kiss—?
Xie Jingci's heart lurched up to her throat.
Would Pei Du really do that? Impossible, right? But if he actually did... her face, or somewhere else?
A gentle warmth slowly approached, hovering near her cheek, tracing the contours of her face from her forehead to the tip of her nose to her chin. Though it never truly made contact, it lingered a hair's breadth away, sketching the outline of her features.
Xie Jingci felt herself being slowly steamed alive.
Pei Du must have remembered all along her lie about being plagued by nightmares and feeling lonely and helpless.
That's why, after a full day of exhaustion, he had forgone rest to sit quietly by her bed. Seeing Xie Jingci frown, he had carefully taken her hand.
The young man's voice, no longer hoarse, was clear as a bright, luminous moon, speaking to her with utmost seriousness: "Don't be afraid. I'm holding your hand."
Whether words could truly travel through the ears into dreams, Xie Jingci did not know.
Yet in this tranquil night, guided by his voice, something struck the bullseye.
Her wildly thumping heart charged recklessly, and in an instant, was crumpled into a tight, wrinkled little ball.
The question that had been troubling her found its answer in this very moment, without needing to ask the system.
With the last shred of her rational mind, Xie Jingci thought, thank goodness it was nighttime.
So Pei Du couldn't see the sudden, fierce blush that flooded her face.
