Chapter 41: Facing the Mirror
Everything happened so swiftly, so inexplicably. Xiang Er stood amidst the eerie chorus of children’s voices, beneath the boundless, vibrantly colored flowers, her vision limited, only able to see the luminous, white body enveloped in mist.
Realizing she was naked, she felt the cold, the subtle wind whistling through the trees, sending shivers down her spine.
She sighed and lowered her arm, looking at the person in front of her. She should at least say hello, shouldn’t she?
She didn’t know why she was here, but having encountered someone, she had to speak, to interact.
“Little Fish, what are you doing here?”
Xiang Er heard herself say the words, her voice filled with surprise, a trembling shyness… and a hint of embarrassment. By saying this, she was pretending not to notice Shen Yuhe’s attire, acting as if this were a normal, everyday encounter, trying to maintain a sense of normalcy.
“You summoned me.”
Shen Yuhe replied, but her voice was distant and ethereal, as if descending from the heavens, not coming from that beautiful body, not from those full, vibrant lips.
It was a divine decree. A cold, chilling decree, descending from the sky, landing in her mind.
Xiang Er’s body tensed, sensing the danger in the decree. She tried to step back, but her foot sank into mud, unable to move!
Behind her was a swamp, she couldn’t retreat!
Xiang Er forced herself to take a step forward, away from the swamp. But she was completely exposed under Shen Yuhe’s gaze, the shame making her skin crawl, the cold wind amplifying the tingling, itchy sensation, her nakedness on full display, her most private self observed by the person she cared about most…
It was driving her mad!
Shen Yuhe was now very close, surrounded by countless colorful flowers, the branches of the trees illogically blooming with blossoms of every hue, the ground covered in a vibrant tapestry of petals, even the grass hidden beneath them, only the bright flowers remaining, vying for attention.
Shen Yuhe, enveloped by flowers, her body radiating a quiet luminescence, a faint smile playing on her lips, as if amused, extended her hand towards Xiang Er.
In that moment, Xiang Er’s nervousness reached its peak, turning into a strange numbness. She waited for Shen Yuhe’s next move, like a child anticipating fireworks on New Year’s Eve, a tingling fear mixed with excitement.
Shen Yuhe’s beautiful hand suddenly grabbed her arm and lifted it high above her head!
Her other hand was quickly raised as well, and Xiang Er held her breath, swallowing hard, her voice muffled as she asked:
“What… what are you doing?”
Shen Yuhe didn’t answer, just held both of Xiang Er’s hands above her head, then grabbed a rough vine from nearby and tied her wrists together.
Xiang Er felt the rough texture against her skin, and a belated wave of fear rose in her throat:
“What are you doing? Let go… let go of me!”
But Shen Yuhe had already moved behind her. Xiang Er didn’t hear the sound of mud or swamp, and she turned to look, only to find that Shen Yuhe’s feet weren’t touching the ground, she was floating.
Why was she floating? Xiang Er didn’t feel any change in gravity.
Her hands bound and raised high above her head, unable to move, Xiang Er bit her lip, her gaze falling on her own pale feet, buried amongst the colorful flowers. She wondered, could she fly in this place too?
Shen Yuhe’s voice suddenly echoed, close to her ear, like the slow, drawn-out notes of a cello, low, languid, and seductively husky:
“Focus!”
Xiang Er’s body stiffened, the sound like an electric current, traveling from her ear to her scalp, making her head spin, every hair standing on end. She involuntarily obeyed, focusing on the sensations…
Shen Yuhe was right behind her, her unique, cold, sweet fragrance wafting towards her.
Cool, soft hands, like entwining vines, wrapped around her shoulders from behind, fingertips gently caressing her earlobe.
The world tilted, an endless embrace, her life igniting, her soul burning, every inch of her skin tingling as if struck by lightning, wanting to scream from every pore!
But when she opened her mouth, her voice was hoarse, a dreamlike whisper, barely audible:
“You… let me go…”
Shen Yuhe chuckled softly:
“You like this, don’t you?”
Xiang Er desperately wanted to run, but her hands were bound and raised, her legs numb and weak, unable to move.
She was now just a beautiful porcelain doll, her hands tied, being admired, being posed, being played with… She was confused, unsure what to do, unsure if she wanted this, or if she didn’t.
She didn’t understand, but she was already lost, nowhere to escape, unable to resist…
And yet, a small part of her felt relieved. She knew this must be a dream, so it was okay… it was just a dream, anything was permissible, no matter how outrageous, no one would know.
These were her own private thoughts, it was okay as long as no one knew… Xiang Er raised her head, her eyes hazy as she looked at the sky, a sigh escaping her lips:
“Mm…”
Shen Yuhe leaned closer, her body a flame igniting everything it touched, an endless fire burning away all reason and restraint, consuming the world in a beautiful, decadent blaze!
The temperature in the forest seemed to rise, the colors of the flowers intensifying, more and more blossoms appearing from all directions, their sweet fragrance even stronger.
Xiang Er’s body arched and trembled. She was tired, so tired, but Shen Yuhe wouldn’t stop, the flowers blooming endlessly…
Shen Yuhe was slightly dissatisfied.
She couldn’t see Xiang Er’s face, her expression, and Xiang Er couldn’t see her, not the real her… She wanted more than this.
Shen Yuhe gestured towards the mist, her fingers picking up a strand of Xiang Er’s sweat-dampened hair, pressing it to her lips and kissing it softly.
Xiang Er’s eyes, half-closed, looked ahead. Something seemed to be appearing in the hazy mist, something silver-grey, large, like a door, what was it?
Xiang Er strained her eyes, a part of her feeling that this wasn’t right, if only something could interrupt Shen Yuhe… but she also didn’t want the dream to end, her heart conflicted.
But the thing in the mist was beyond her wildest imaginings.
It was a mirror!
A huge, full-length mirror, its frame adorned with ancient, eerie silver carvings, its surface clear, reflecting the scene before her!
Xiang Er’s eyes widened, her body suddenly cold.
She almost couldn’t bear to look! But the mirror floated in mid-air, directly in front of her, impossible to ignore!
Xiang Er gritted her teeth, the shame almost unbearable:
“What is this, I don’t want this! I don’t want this!”
Shen Yuhe’s arms tightened around her, her voice distant and low:
“Look.”
Look, look, look… the words echoed through the silent forest, countless divine decrees filling her ears. Xiang Er, despite her reluctance, opened her eyes and looked at the mirror.
The mirror’s surface, clean and clear, faithfully reflected everything.
Xiang Er’s naked body, suspended by vines, surrounded by countless flowers.
And behind her, Shen Yuhe’s exquisite figure, beautiful as a sculpture.
Xiang Er’s face burned, her skin tingling as if scalded, a burning shame. How… how could there be a mirror! This wasn’t a dream she could handle! She wanted to get out!
But Shen Yuhe’s body in the mirror suddenly began to change.
Xiang Er stared in disbelief as Shen Yuhe transformed into a mass of blood-red, viscous flesh, writhing tentacles flailing.
Her eyes stung, a sharp pain shooting through her head. She wanted to close her eyes, but she couldn’t control her eyelids, her gaze fixed on the mirror!
She felt something cold and soft brush against her shoulder, the sensation telling her it was Shen Yuhe’s fingers and palm, her wrist, her forearm… but in the mirror, it was a black and red tentacle, covered in suckers!
The tentacle was almost entirely red, its countless tiny suckers a vivid, dripping red, oozing red slime!
The red slime landed on Xiang Er’s shoulder, slowly sliding down, like viscous blood, clinging precariously to her skin.
Xiang Er, terrified, looked down at her shoulder.
There was nothing there! No red slime, only her own flushed skin, pale and thin, the bones visible beneath.
She turned her head, straining to look behind her.
Shen Yuhe’s beautiful face was right behind her, and seeing Xiang Er look at her, she smiled, a smile that could launch a thousand ships:
“What’s wrong, Little Ears?”
Xiang Er quickly turned back to the mirror.
In the mirror, her body was covered in red slime, like pieces of dismembered flesh!
And behind her, several thick tentacles extended from the blood-red mass of flesh, one tentacle tracing her waistline, sliding downwards…
But outside the mirror, all she saw were Shen Yuhe’s hand and arm!
Shen Yuhe gently bit her shoulder, her voice seductive:
“Love me…”
Xiang Er refused to listen! She shook her head violently, struggling against the vines, against the blood-red reflection in the mirror!
Her head throbbed, her senses overwhelmed, and she finally screamed:
“Aaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!”
She sat up abruptly, the scream continuing, hoarse and ragged:
“Aaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!”
She didn’t stop screaming until her eardrums ached, her hands touching the warm sheets of her bed.
It was a little past five o’clock, the sky a deathly white, like a giant, overturned fish, barely alive. The wind howled outside, the branches and leaves of the camphor tree rustling chaotically, occasionally banging against the windowpanes.
Xiang Er could barely see, it was too dark, her mind too confused.
Her eyes were filled with tears, she sobbed, her throat aching, her eardrums throbbing, her body weak and sore, her wrists especially painful.
She tried to raise her hands, but she couldn’t, they felt bound.
Xiang Er was on the verge of a breakdown. It had been just a dream, hadn’t it? It was a dream! How could things from a dream appear in reality?
She pulled her hands out from under the covers and looked down.
It was too dark to see clearly, but she could vaguely make out that her hands were tied together by several rope-like things, and between those ropes, a small, round object was attached.
It was this thing… it was Little Akhe… Little Akhe had tied her hands, making her have that dream, making her subconsciously associate the innocent Shen Yuhe with the tentacled Evil God…
Xiang Er exhaled, a sense of relief washing over her. It was okay, it was just a dream, external events could influence dreams, it was all just her confused senses creating that horrifying scene, it wasn’t real.
How could it be real! Shen Yuhe was human, she couldn’t possibly have anything to do with a Evil God…
Thinking this, Xiang Er exhaled again, her cheeks flushing.
She had just had a… a dream about Shen Yuhe.
How could she face Shen Yuhe now!
A sudden “creak” echoed through the dark, silent room, as loud as thunder.
Xiang Er flinched and looked up. The door had opened.
A pair of jade-white hands reached in, ghostly pale, glowing in the dim light.
The sight of those hands made Xiang Er’s ears burn. She remembered the feeling of those hands igniting her body in the dream… but then, remembering those hands turning into tentacles in the mirror, she immediately calmed down.
Shen Yuhe entered, wearing a red lace nightgown, her jade-like skin visible through the lace.
Xiang Er remembered the suitcase by the door when she came home yesterday, the one Shen Yuhe had taken to her room, supposedly containing her belongings.
So… were Shen Yuhe’s nightgowns usually this… this… revealing?
Xiang Er hid her bound hands beneath the covers, looked at Shen Yuhe, and, forcing a normal expression, said:
“Why…”
Shen Yuhe walked to her bedside and asked with concern:
“I heard you scream! What’s wrong? Did someone bully you?”
Xiang Er, her gaze fixed on Shen Yuhe’s low neckline, looked away and whispered:
“It’s nothing… you should go back to sleep.”
If Shen Yuhe didn’t leave soon, Xiang Er felt that something might actually happen.
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