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墨書 Inktalez
In a hazy dream, it seemed as if I saw Little Jin, dressed in women's clothing, gazing at me with deep affection. In her misty eyes, there was a profound and heavy pity, as if the depth of my pain was matched by the weight of her compassion.
My soul felt desolate, my body cold and weary. Instinctively, I leaned towards that warmth, yearning for her gentle touch to soothe my frigid heart and spirit.
I lost my balance and fell onto someone's warm chest. When I looked up, I saw Sima Rui's clear gaze fixed on me. Startled like a newborn, I thought he had awakened. Just as I tried to escape, he stubbornly held me tight, turning his body so that I found myself pinned beneath him, unable to move. Panic surged within me as I struggled, but I froze when his lips drew near.
Looking into his eyes, although they sparkled brightly, they were clouded and lacked vitality. He hadn’t fully awakened; did he even know what he was doing?
Was he drunk?
The tingling heat on my lips was no illusion; he was truly kissing me. The biting on my neck was also real—he was leaving marks like strawberries. His hands roamed over my body without restraint… I gasped in shock, feeling a chill spread through my chest; damn it, his face was buried in my bosom, which he had already pulled free from my clothing.
"Sima Rui!" Did he know what he was doing? Did he even recognize who I was?
He groaned softly, pulling the bedding away from me as we became entangled.
No way! I didn’t want to repeat past mistakes. But just as I prepared to knock him out, he suddenly called out: "Little Jin! Little Jin!" over and over again, filled with infinite longing and sorrow. Did he think I was Little Jin? His large hand wandered over my skin while his mouth playfully nibbled at my shoulder as if savoring something delicious in a dream… I closed my eyes as a tear slipped down my cheek.
With a bit more strength, he collapsed onto me and fell into a deep sleep while still murmuring restlessly in his dreams. I remained frozen in that position for a long time, staring blankly into the distance until finally rolling over to straighten his clothes and cover him with the quilt. Watching him sleep soundly without any ulterior motives or coldness—his innocent and adorable face reminded me of a child—I couldn’t help but steal one last glance before pressing a kiss to his forehead and whispering softly, "Good night. Sweet dreams."
A thin crescent moon hung among the sparse trees, casting shadows in the stillness of the night. Occasionally, one could see solitary figures moving about like ethereal swans.
On my way back, I felt lost and dazed, my wandering thoughts causing me to overlook the dangers lurking nearby.
"Who dares to play tricks here?!" A loud shout finally brought my scattered thoughts back together. Looking up, I saw a man dressed as a guard glaring at me with fierce intensity.
Du Shaotang watched the woman in white standing against the wall with caution. Recently, rumors of ghosts had spread throughout the palace. As the newly appointed head guard, it was his duty to identify this mysterious figure—be it human or ghost—to prevent any disturbances in the court.
I looked at him and couldn’t help but laugh at his comical ghost-hunting stance. He truly was amusing. With an honest appearance, he seemed like the type who took things very seriously. For some reason, an idea crossed my mind to have some fun with him. So I made a silly face at him.
He clearly wasn’t an easy target; drawing his sword, he leaped onto the wall. Underestimating him since I was just playing around and unarmed myself, it didn’t take long for his sword to rest against my pale neck. I could distinctly feel the cold steel pressing against my skin. Such close contact would surely give anyone a heart attack.
"I surrender! I surrender!" I raised my hands high in mock defeat. He looked puzzled as he pressed the sword closer: "Tell me who you are! Why are you pretending to be a ghost?!"
I exclaimed urgently, "Be careful, be careful! The sword! My neck, watch out for cuts!" It turned out I was still afraid of dying.
Then I pitifully said, "Big Brother, I'm just a nameless Court Lady from the Slave Washing Palace. I sneaked out to have some fun because I was bored at night. I didn't mean to scare anyone. Look," I pushed aside my long hair that had fallen loose before sleep, revealing my face. "Do I look like a ghost? Do I?"
Du Shaotang gazed at my immaculate and extraordinarily beautiful face under the soft moonlight, momentarily dazed. Yet he steeled himself and said in a deep voice, "Come with me. Once we see the Emperor, there will be a decision."
Hearing this, I panicked; things were getting serious and no longer fun. I could only lower my voice and plead, "Please, if you take me to the Emperor, my fate will be uncertain. I might end up wishing for death. Rather than that, you might as well kill me now." I looked at him tragically, then steeled my heart, closed my eyes, and pretended to be ready to die. I knew he was a kind-hearted person who wouldn't kill innocents. I certainly didn't want to die early.
He looked at me, so pitiful and helpless, and indeed hesitated. His heart softened as he pondered. Seizing the moment when he was off guard, I launched a surprise attack and struck him with my palm. He stumbled back in pain, and seeing my chance to escape, I hurriedly ran away.
As I got farther away, I waved goodbye to him: "Thank you! Goodbye!" Heh heh. My light and melodious laughter drifted far into the night.
Du Shaotang, who had fallen in pain, couldn't help but smile at his own foolishness. That Court Lady didn't seem like someone who would beg for mercy; seeing her act so pitifully stirred his compassion. However, she was so beautiful and charming; it was amusing. Well, it seemed she wasn't trying to scare anyone; perhaps it was those people who were guilty of something instead. Letting her go was probably for the best.
Thinking of the ghost rumors circulating in the palace, Du Shaotang smiled. This was no white-clad female ghost; she was simply a fairy visiting the mortal realm.
Though fleeing wasn't my usual style, honestly speaking, being mistaken for a female ghost felt quite unpleasant. Fortunately, I encountered a good person; otherwise, if I'd been dragged before the Emperor and that group of women, even before being executed, I'd have died of laughter from their mockery—and then died of shame afterward. That kind of death seemed rather undignified.
Upon returning to Frostfall Palace, I anxiously glanced back to see if he was following me when I bumped into someone head-on—ouch! It hurt! Looking up just as I was about to shout, he covered my mouth and led me into a corner. In a hidden nook against the wall, I shook off his hand and glared at him: "What are you doing here? Are you out of your mind?!" Damn it! The last time he caused me so much trouble; now he had come looking for me himself.
He seemed off; his face was flushed as he spoke somewhat incoherently: "I...I heard that the Emperor demoted you here. I...I couldn't rest easy; it's all my fault, so I came to see you."
I pinched my nose in disgust and snapped angrily: "Damn it! You've been drinking! Why aren't you resting properly when you're drunk? What are you doing here? Just go back!" With that, I turned to leave.
He hurriedly grabbed me and then kissed my ear. Damn guy! My whole body tingled from his touch; it brought back memories from earlier with Sima Rui. With a slight exertion of strength, I broke free from him.
I glared at him and shouted: "Are you out of your drunken mind? Do you believe I'll test my newly developed poison on you? Huan Wen, you weren't like this before. You used to be charming and graceful—the object of affection for many noblewomen—you enjoyed playing among them. What happened to you now?"
He stared blankly at me: "Before? Everything is different now. Firefly, when I met you, I thought you were just one of those women playing with me for fun. But after you entered the palace, I've been thinking about you constantly. No matter whom I'm holding, I'm thinking about your face—your figure. I don't know why this is happening to me. It's like I've been cursed by someone; that curse is you."
I frowned as my tone softened: "Huan Wen, don't say that. Haven't we always just been friends?"
His voice became strained: "I love you."
I looked pale and whispered, "I'm sorry."
He walked over and embraced me. "I know the Emperor treats you poorly. Will you leave with me? As long as I'm with you, titles and emperors mean nothing. I don't want anything but you. Firefly, I only want you."
I tried to struggle, but he softly said in my ear, "Just let me hold you like this for a moment, just a moment." Seeing him, who was always so high and mighty, begging in such a low voice made my heart soften. I gently wrapped my arms around him, feeling the warmth between us at that moment. I knew he cared for me, even if it was small, but I couldn't reciprocate his feelings; I didn't love him.
I whispered, "Huan Wen, I know your kindness, but this is my path, my life. You can't help me too much; I have to walk it myself. It may be difficult and the future may seem bleak, but I will do my best to move forward, unwavering. Huan Wen, no matter what happens in the future, we will be friends for life. Always."
A wave of warmth washed over my shoulder, startling me. When did he invest so much emotion?
Was that coolness tears? I was astonished.
Just then, a voice suddenly called out, "Firefly, is that you up ahead?"
I hurriedly wiped away the tears that had unknowingly streamed down my face. Supporting the fainting Huan Wen on my shoulder, I stepped out of the darkness and replied softly, "It's me, Suda."
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