Chapter 73
Just as Lou Mi was lost in the kiss, Chi Lin pulled away.
Lou Mi: “?”
“Uncle and Mother will be back soon,” Chi Lin said, her breathing slightly uneven.
“So what if they are? They’d be thrilled to see us kissing. Besides, my dad told me they’ll be back late.”
Chi Lin extricated herself from Lou Mi’s embrace. “Shouldn’t we prepare some late-night snacks for them?”
“Prepare what? They can just use the smart home system, over 300 options at their fingertips.”
Lou Mi’s desire, simmering all day, was ignited by the kisses, only to be abruptly extinguished. She was frustrated.
Seeing Lou Mi’s flushed face and breathlessness, Chi Lin knew her sudden withdrawal was unkind. But she still hadn’t found a way to restore Lou Mi’s memories. Triggering those memories, finding a way to restore her kingdom, was her priority.
She knew Her Majesty, she knew herself. If they succumbed to their desires, their focus would be compromised. And Lou Mi’s control over her was identical to Her Majesty’s.
Since childhood, Her Majesty had teased her about her ineptitude in matters of love. The heavens were fair; even the most brilliant scholar could be remarkably obtuse when it came to romance. Chi Lin admitted her lack of romantic skills, unlike other women who knew how to please their lovers.
But Her Majesty had been a patient teacher, slowly discovering Chi Lin’s preferences, her sensitivities, learning what made her happy, what made her heart flutter. Just like Lou Mi’s unexpected kiss that night, it had breached the dam of her suppressed emotions.
She disliked hesitation, but she had to be cautious, especially when it came to Her Majesty, to the fate of her kingdom.
Lou Mi’s kisses were possessive, but not forceful. It was the style she and Her Majesty had developed over years of intimacy, the style that intoxicated her the most.
Chi Lin knew that if she let Lou Mi continue, they might end up like that year they spent secluded in the Southern Palace, unwilling to be apart, neglecting their duties. The restoration of her kingdom would be delayed.
So… Chi Lin looked at the disappointed Lou Mi, her heart aching. She had to prioritize her mission. Once her kingdom was restored, and Lou Mi’s memories returned, she would devote herself to her, showering her with affection.
Lou Mi composed herself and patted the sofa. “Come here, try the cake I bought you.”
She opened the beautifully packaged box, removing the padding and ice pack. The cake was perfect, the strawberries fresh and inviting.
“And these flowers are for you, too.” Lou Mi picked up the bouquet and handed it to Chi Lin.
Chi Lin, having never seen black roses before, stared, mesmerized. “Thank you.”
“Don’t be so formal. Come here, open your mouth.” Lou Mi picked up a strawberry and offered it to Chi Lin.
Chi Lin reached for it, but Lou Mi insisted on feeding her. “I don’t know what you’re worried about, and I won’t pry into your secrets. You’ll tell me when you’re ready. But you can’t deprive me of all affection, can you? It’s just a strawberry, you won’t get pregnant.”
Chi Lin: “…” She sat down and opened her mouth.
Lou Mi placed half a strawberry on her tongue, then said, “I want some, too.”
Chi Lin: “But…”
Lou Mi leaned in, her arm around Chi Lin, trapping her against the sofa. As she kissed her, the bouquet fell to the floor, scattering black petals.
Lou Mi savored the sweetness of the strawberry, shared between their lips. Chi Lin leaned back further, her throat bobbing as she swallowed.
“You won’t get pregnant from kissing either,” Lou Mi said, licking her lips. “So sweet.”
Chi Lin averted her gaze, her legs curled up on the sofa. “It’s the strawberry you bought that’s sweet,” she mumbled.
Seeing her curled up, looking so vulnerable, Lou Mi wanted to unravel her completely. “You’re much sweeter than any strawberry.”
Chi Lin’s heart raced, a familiar wave of desire washing over her. She forced herself to pull away, grabbed a spoon, and started eating the cake.
After they finished the cake and cleaned up the scattered petals, Lou Mi refrained from any further advances and said goodnight.
“Does your head hurt?” Chi Lin asked.
Lou Mi: “Oh, you think I stopped kissing you because of my headache? You’ve rejected me so many times, wouldn’t it be rude to continue?”
“That’s not what I meant…” Chi Lin started to explain, her flustered attempts to find the right words endearing. Lou Mi, unable to resist teasing her further, smiled. “I have another match tomorrow, I have to be up at 9. If I don’t sleep now, are you going to carry me to the broadcasting building?”
“I’ll wake you up at 9,” Chi Lin offered.
“My human alarm clock can sleep with me tonight, to avoid the trouble of walking over.”
Chi Lin blushed, imagining something else entirely. “That’s… inappropriate. I might disturb your sleep.”
Lou Mi, who had only intended a playful remark, was amused by Chi Lin’s overthinking. Hands on her hips, she asked, “Are you reading too much into this, Chi Lin?”
Chi Lin had simply made a reasonable deduction, based on Lou Mi’s behavior, which mirrored Her Majesty’s. “Trust me, Jiejie, I know you better than you know yourself.”
Lou Mi leaned against her bedroom door, exasperated. “What are you implying, little rascal? Are you trying to frame me for crimes I haven’t even committed yet?”
Chi Lin smiled. “Go wash up and get ready for bed. I’ll give you a massage and some calming tea. You’ll sleep soundly through the night.”
Lured by the promise of a massage, Lou Mi happily complied.
Chi Lin prepared the tea, brought it to the bedroom, and began massaging Lou Mi’s head. Lou Mi, facing away from the edge of the bed, leaned her weight against Chi Lin.
“Doesn’t this feel heavy?” she asked.
Chi Lin: “Not at all.”
“What did you do today?”
“Homework. The holidays are almost over, and I still have some unfinished assignments.”
“I saw you went out this afternoon.”
Chi Lin frowned. “How did you know?”
“The smart home system is connected to my phone. It records everyone’s comings and goings.”
Chi Lin: “…” Why didn’t her own phone notify her of this?
“So, where did you go?” Suddenly, a thought struck Lou Mi. Opening her eyes, she asked, “Did you go see Tan Luo?”
“I did.”
Lou Mi looked up at Chi Lin. “Is she still alive?”
Chi Lin smiled. “I promised I wouldn’t break the law. Of course she’s alive.”
“How did you make her keep your secret?”
“With a pill.”
Lou Mi’s mind raced through every movie and TV show she’d ever seen, settling on the most likely scenario. “A pill? Poison?”
Chi Lin nodded.
Lou Mi: “You poisoned someone, and you say it’s not illegal? Do you have a different definition of ‘illegal’?”
“She might think it’s poison, but to me, it’s just an expired chocolate bean.”
“So you tricked her… Clever. Making her believe she’s been poisoned, needing the antidote to survive, forcing her to keep quiet. Is that it?”
“Jiejie is very perceptive.”
“Not as perceptive as you, little rascal. Makes me wonder what else you’ve tricked me into without my knowledge.”
The lighthearted atmosphere turned serious.
Chi Lin didn’t reply.
Lou Mi closed her eyes again, sipping her tea.
“Chi Lin,” she said, “I won’t ask about your affairs, but I have one condition.”
After a moment of silence, Chi Lin whispered, “What is it?”
Lou Mi held Chi Lin’s hand. “No matter what happens, don’t leave me.”
Her words almost broke Chi Lin’s composure. Leaving? She had never considered it. Together in life and in death. That vow had driven her across centuries, through this unfamiliar time, searching desperately.
Chi Lin took Lou Mi’s hand and knelt on one knee.
“Chi Lin?”
She imagined Her Majesty’s journey through the afterlife, drinking Meng Po’s soup alone, forgetting her beloved wife, forgetting their past… The thought of Her Majesty enduring such despair, alone, filled Chi Lin with anguish.
But now she was here. She had found her.
She wouldn’t let Her Majesty be alone, or suffer any further harm.
“I won’t leave you,” Chi Lin said. “I’ll always be by your side, taking care of you…” …for all eternity was the traditional vow. But eternity didn’t seem long enough.
Chi Lin changed the ending: “…until my soul dissipates.”
Lou Mi knew Chi Lin was hiding something. Her solemnity suggested her thoughts were far more profound than Lou Mi’s. Her vow, however, resonated deeply, leaving Lou Mi with a strange sense of… recognition.
Suddenly, a jolt of panic shot through Lou Mi. She felt like she had forgotten something crucial, an important promise unfulfilled. She tried to grasp it, but it eluded her. This feeling wasn’t unfamiliar; the holographic gaming syndrome often caused memory lapses, but this was different. This felt… ancient, and somehow connected to Chi Lin.
“Jiejie?” Seeing Lou Mi’s dazed expression, Chi Lin squeezed her hand.
Lou Mi snapped out of it and smiled. Her symptoms were getting stranger, the dreams of unfamiliar cities… She needed to talk to Dr. Bai, before she started hallucinating and scaring Chi Lin and her family.
“You scared me with that vow,” Lou Mi said. “You taking care of me? I’m seven years older, I should be the one taking care of you. And what’s this about your soul dissipating? Where are you going? You’re not going anywhere, you’re staying right here with me.”
Chi Lin smiled.
“Suddenly kneeling like that, I thought you were going to propose.”
Chi Lin, unfamiliar with modern proposal customs, realized the gesture of respect from Dayuan had been misinterpreted. “Get up. If anyone’s proposing, it should be me.”
Pulling Chi Lin up, Lou Mi thought, Thank goodness Xie Buyu and the others didn’t see that, they’d never let me live it down.
Chi Lin resumed the massage. As her fingers kneaded Lou Mi’s muscles, her mind drifted back to Dayuan. When Her Majesty had first confessed her love, it had been a tumultuous time, during her fight for the throne. Dayuan faced internal and external threats, Her Majesty surrounded by danger. Bound by their roles as monarch and subject, fearing their personal feelings might jeopardize the kingdom, Chi Lin had hesitated to reciprocate.
But Her Majesty had persisted, patiently courting her…
Back in the present, Chi Lin, lacking definitive proof and fearing intimacy might distract her from her mission, had distanced herself from Lou Mi. But Lou Mi hadn’t given up, continuing to shower her with gentle affection.
Their dynamic in both lifetimes was strikingly similar. It was as if history was repeating itself.
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