The Warmth You Give (2)

Xiao Lanle’s usually bright and spirited eyes were now clouded with a haze, their gaze heavy and oppressive.

“Junior Sister Xiao,” Lin Qianshuang said, stepping nervously into the room, “I hope you’re not feeling ill again.” She placed the steaming soup on the table, keeping a wary distance from Xiao Lanle.

“Junior Sister,” she continued, forcing a smile, “the osmanthus dumpling soup you requested. Eat it while it’s hot.”

Xiao Lanle merely glanced at the soup, her lips pressed together. She then bypassed the table and walked towards Lin Qianshuang, who was smiling at her.

Lin Qianshuang’s hand tightened around the sword hidden beneath her sleeve. She had been careless in the past, but this time, if Xiao Lanle intended to harm her, she was prepared to strike. With a swift elbow to the back of Xiao Lanle’s neck, she would knock her unconscious.

The slightly cold night breeze seeped into her clothes, and the slight weight on her shoulders vanished.

Lin Qianshuang was startled, her tense nerves relaxing. The hand hidden beneath her sleeve loosened, and a flicker of warmth appeared in her smile.

Xiao Lanle forcibly pulled the cloak from Lin Qianshuang’s shoulders, wrapping it around herself. She gave Lin Qianshuang a defiant snort, then nonchalantly returned to her seat.

She dipped her pen in the inkstone and began to copy the rules, her lips pressed into a hard, cold line. Her hand tightened, and the pen tip twisted, smearing ink across the page.

Xiao Lanle ripped the page from the book, crumpled it into a ball, and tossed it at Lin Qianshuang’s feet. She ignored Lin Qianshuang completely, resuming her copying with renewed determination.

Neither of them spoke, making no mention of Liang Jingxuan’s earlier actions. It was as if he had never entered the library.

Lin Qianshuang found a corner and sat down. Master Qingyun had specifically instructed her to stay in the library and supervise Xiao Lanle’s punishment, so she couldn’t leave.

Seizing the moment, Lin Qianshuang retrieved her Cold Cicada Zither from her storage jade slip and laid it across her lap.

A faint spiritual light danced upon the silver strings of the Han Cicada Qin, as if sensing her touch. The light climbed her fingers, playfully brushing against them.

Xuan Luowan’s sleeping soul was sealed within the instrument. As long as the spiritual light persisted, her soul would not be extinguished. If the light gathered at the epiphyllum pattern at the end of the Qin, her soul would reunite and be reborn.

Lin Qianshuang had specifically consulted the system, learning that the Cold Cicada Zither was a soul-nurturing container specially designed by the Beast Emperor Xuan Luoqing. To unlock the Beast Emperor’s mission, Xuan Luowan needed to be resurrected.

However, upon rebirth, her memories would be lost.

Only by awakening Xuan Luowan’s memories and convincing her to return to Xuan Luoqing’s body, merging the two into one, could the Demon Emperor’s rescue mission be fully initiated.

Lin Qianshuang dripped a drop of blood into the Cold Cicada Zither. The instrument’s body instantly illuminated along its edges, and a ball of light rose from the strings before extinguishing in her palm as she caressed its surface.

Her hand moved across the strings as if guided by an unseen force, and memories flowed through her mind like a kaleidoscope.

These were the emotions conveyed by Xuan Luowan’s soul fragments, indirectly influencing her own feelings.

Ultimately, Lin Qianshuang didn’t even know what she was playing. She only felt a sense of unease and played faster and faster until a warm hand stopped her.

“Stop playing, Senior Sister Lin, you’re affecting me.”

Xiao Lanle’s hand gripped Lin Qianshuang’s wrist, instantly extinguishing the light dancing on the surface of the qin.

Lin Qianshuang snapped out of her reverie. Xiao Lanle had left the table at some point and was now sitting beside her. Her pale pink lips were pursed, and her beautiful eyes glared at Lin Qianshuang with annoyance, as if offended. She held Lin Qianshuang’s hand tightly, preventing it from returning to the qin.

Xiao Lanle had only copied sixty rules when the music interrupted her thoughts. She was about to unleash her frustration, but after recognizing the melody, she swallowed her words. Her eyes, filled with shyness and surprise, looked at Lin Qianshuang.

The melancholic and wistful melody was renowned in the mortal world, rumored to be a man’s courtship song. The lyrics were even displayed on the walls of the library.

Xiao Lanle could even faintly sing along, following the rhythm of the music.

There is a beauty, seen but once, never forgotten.

A single day without sight of her, my thoughts rage like a madman.

Like a phoenix in soaring flight, searching the four seas for its mate.

The name of this song is “The Phoenix Seeks Its Mate”.¹

Intently listening to the melody, Xiao Lanle unconsciously formed the love poem with her pen. Compared to her previous rule copying, her calligraphy now flowed with a newfound freedom and boldness. The strokes were lively and spirited, yet restrained and hurried in their return, mirroring the shy unease stirring within her.

She tilted her head, catching sight of Senior Sister Lin seated in the corner, playing quietly. The music, ethereal and delicate, remained confined to the library, audible only to her.

The song’s affection was undeniable, its meaning clear to any discerning ear.

As Xiao Lanle finished writing, she wanted to discard the poem on that page, but her heart stirred, compelling her to tear it off, fold it, and tuck it into her sleeve.

Noticing Xiao Lanle’s hesitation, Lin Qianshuang looked at her with a puzzled expression. She suddenly remembered the music she’d been playing and smiled apologetically, saying, “Xiao Lanle, the moonlight is so beautiful. I haven’t played the zither in a while, so I couldn’t resist. By the way, have you finished copying the rules one hundred times? Do you need any help?”

Xiao Lanle’s face flushed as she met Lin Qianshuang’s gaze, her heart pounding uncontrollably.

The moonlight was indeed perfect, and they were alone together.

A thought struck her.

Had Lin Qianshuang deliberately played “The Phoenix Seeks Its Mate” to unsettle her while she was arguing with Liang Jingxuan? Did she truly admire her, or was there another motive?

Xiao Lanle’s eyelashes fluttered, her clear eyes clouding with suspicion. Lin Qianshuang’s relationship with Chen was ambiguous, and her affection for Liang Jingxuan was undeniable. Now, she was expressing her feelings to Xiao Lanle…

“Could it be that Senior Sister Lin wants to have both men and women, to enjoy the blessings of everyone?”

Lin Qianshuang received no response from Xiao Lanle for a long time. Instead, Xiao Lanle scrutinized her.

“Senior Sister Lin, do you treat everyone like this…?” Xiao Lanle mumbled, releasing Lin Qianshuang’s wrist. Her heart felt inexplicably sour, even more so than when she heard Liang Jingxuan say those words that betrayed her.

Sensing Xiao Lanle’s confusion, Lin Qianshuang quickly said, “Junior Sister Xiao, if you have something to say to me, just tell me directly. There’s no need to be so veiled. We are fellow disciples and sisters, under the same roof. We should help and understand each other.”

Xiao Lanle frowned, her flushed cheeks tinged with anger. She gritted her teeth, saying word by word, “Yes, we are just fellow disciples. Senior Sister Lin is still a wanton woman who wants to steal my fiancé. How can I feel that the moment you played the piano just now…”

Lin Qianshuang, ignoring the accusations of “stealing her fiancé” and “wanton,” immediately grasped something. She pressed Xiao Lanle, asking, “What happened when I was playing the piano?”

Xiao Lanle swallowed the words “extremely heartwarming” back in her throat, glaring at Lin Qianshuang. Seeing her blank expression, she angrily sat back in her seat. She picked up the pen, unable to calm down. The tip of the pen was stained with ink, but it wouldn’t fall, leaving several ink marks on the booklet, which she was about to tear off again.

Lin Qianshuang, unaware that she had angered Xiao Lanle again, thought back but couldn’t find the reason. A few more crumpled paper balls were thrown from the table to her feet. Lin Qianshuang picked them up, but they were empty, with no words, only large patches of ink.

“Junior Sister Xiao is in a bad state,” Lin Qianshuang thought to herself. “How can she finish copying in three days?” She walked to the opposite side of the table and sat down, looking at Xiao Lanle with a worried expression.

Xiao Lanle’s mind was in turmoil. Her usually elegant handwriting was now jagged and uneven, and she couldn’t regain her composure.

A hand reached out, taking several booklets from the stack before her.

“Xiao Lanle, let me help you copy these. You won’t finish otherwise.”

A clear, melodious voice descended from above.

Xiao Lanle’s eyes locked onto a single point, unwavering as she watched Lin Qianshuang’s hand extend and then retract.

The hand was slender, with clean, rounded fingers. The skin stretched taut over the bones, creating smooth, graceful lines.

She became momentarily lost in thought. In the shadowy depths of her memory, a similar hand seemed to emerge. She had stroked it, pressed it firmly to the ground. The touch was like warm jade. At that moment, she had felt like she’d found a treasure, marveling at the delicate hands and feet of the person who possessed them.

A sharp pain shot through Xiao Lanle’s head. She knew she was ill. These images were likely the product of her other self.

It was a terrible thing. Her inner demons seemed to have acted against her will, doing things she would find abhorrent.

Master Tianshu had said that they existed in the depths of Xiao Lanle’s heart, a demon of her own mind, but also a part of her.

As long as Xiao Lanle used her heart to discern and remain vigilant, over time, the memories of her inner demon could be seen for what they truly were.

Xiao Lanle pursed her lips, reciting a few calming mantras to quell the fire within her. She glanced at the woman across from her, helping her with the punishment, and forced herself to calm down and focus.

The small characters on the replica were barely visible in the candlelight. Lin Qianshuang had already copied the text twenty times, feeling dizzy and weary. She yawned sleepily, then straightened up, forcing herself to continue.

Xiao Lanle observed Lin Qianshuang’s sleepy appearance and thought about the missing memory from earlier that day. It was said that Senior Sister Lin and Senior Brother Chen had saved her, but she remembered nothing. Senior Sister Lin had subdued the Spirit Leopard King with her Foundation Establishment cultivation. She must be exhausted.

Xiao Lanle considered this for a moment, then spoke, “Senior Sister Lin, you should go to sleep first. This is my punishment, and you don’t need to work so hard.”

Hearing Xiao Lanle’s suggestion, exhaustion overwhelmed Lin Qianshuang. Her eyes struggled to stay open, so she pushed back her chair and walked to the soft couch by the window. She lay down, her head heavy, and closed her eyes.

Xiao Lanle watched Lin Qianshuang fall asleep on the couch, and then her gaze drifted to the bowl of cold osmanthus dumpling soup on the table. She suddenly felt hungry and picked up the bowl, eating it in small bites. After finishing, she realized something was missing.

Xiao Lanle, spooning the osmanthus-scented soup, was startled. This bowl of dumpling soup was made by Senior Sister Lin herself, but one ingredient was missing – fairy fruit pulp. She remembered Senior Sister Lin preparing a whole table of dishes for her, and she had tasted the fairy fruit pulp in the vegetable and meatball soup. But after that, her memory went blank.

When she regained consciousness, she was back in her room in Xiaoyao Cave.

During her headache earlier, she had seen an image of someone being tormented by her demon, and that person had a jade around their neck. And Senior Sister Lin’s arm overlapped with the arm in the memory, as if they were one and the same.

A wild thought took root in her mind.

Xiao Lanle set the bowl down and crept towards the couch. She gazed at Lin Qianshuang’s peaceful sleeping face, reaching out to touch her neck. A hard object seemed to lie beneath the fabric on her chest, but the collar was too tight for her to reach.

Xiao Lanle hesitated for a moment, then placed her hand on Lin Qianshuang’s waist and gently loosened her belt. She then found the buttons on her loose undergarment, ready to unfasten them one by one.

“Junior Sister Xiao, what are you doing?”

The sudden voice startled Xiao Lanle.

She tried to step back but lost her balance and fell backward.

Lin Qianshuang opened her eyes, confused, and saw Xiao Lanle about to hit the back of her head. She quickly got up to help, but Xiao Lanle, startled, pulled her back down.

The two of them landed on the couch with a thud.

Overwhelmed with anxiety, Xiao Lanle closed her eyes and pulled at Lin Qianshuang’s collar, tearing the entire garment open, revealing a large expanse of skin. Her lips, in that moment, brushed against the person beneath her.

And at this moment, her lips crashed against the person she was pinning down.

Startled awake by Xiao Lanle’s magnified, beautiful face, Lin Qianshuang quickly turned her head away. A loud “pop” echoed as their lips met.

Xiao Lanle opened her eyes in shock, her lips pressed against Lin Qianshuang’s cheek, one hand clutching the other’s torn collar, the other hand wrapped around the exposed skin. The scene was undeniably suggestive, making it seem as if she was attempting to take advantage of Lin Qianshuang.

Unsure if Xiao Lanle was experiencing another episode, Lin Qianshuang was about to subdue her when the figure on top of her suddenly rolled away, a frightened rabbit escaping its predator.

Xiao Lanle, flustered and blushing, looked at Lin Qianshuang’s torn clothes, stammering, “Senior Sister Lin, I, I didn’t mean to. I just wanted to see if you were asleep, you startled me.”

What was Sister Xiao doing in the middle of the night?

Lin Qianshuang had just woken up, her mind still foggy. Seeing Xiao Lanle’s expression, she suddenly understood something.

She sat up from the soft couch, retrieved bedding and pillows from her storage jade slip, and laid out a bed on the floor.

Feeling sleepy, Lin Qianshuang yawned at Xiao Lanle and mumbled, “Junior Sister, you’re going to sleep, right? The couch is yours. You wouldn’t be comfortable on the hard floor. I’m going to sleep now, you should too.”

Xiao Lanle watched Lin Qianshuang settle down on the makeshift bed, her own embarrassment and anxiety lingering.

Her heart pounded as she lay down on the couch. If she didn’t sleep now, she would appear suspicious.