Chapter 11: Little Burnt Cat?

After dinner, Bai Shuangshuang went to the bathing chamber as usual.

As the saying goes, first time’s strange, second time’s familiar.

This time, although she still didn’t dare to open her eyes and look around, at least her hands weren’t shaking as much.

Hot water poured over her body.

Amid the swirling steam, she kept her eyes closed and scrubbed hastily, as if dealing with a hot potato.

When her fingertips occasionally slid over places they shouldn’t touch, she’d still jerk back as if electrocuted, her ears burning so hot they could fry an egg.

When she came out of the bathing chamber, her cheeks, shoulders, and earlobes were all tinged with a delicate pink.

Whether it was from the steam or from the messy thoughts running through her head during the bath, she couldn’t tell.

She planned to go back to her room and rest for a while.

After all, Zhao Qingyue had only asked her to keep watch last night; today she hadn’t called for her.

No notification meant no need to do it—Young Hero Bai’s logic had always been simple and crude.

But just as she started counting her chickens, a swaying figure on the bridge shattered her plans.

On the Small Corridor Bridge, Zhao Qingyue was leaning on the railing with one hand, holding a wine gourd in the other.

She stood there swaying unsteadily, clearly having had quite a bit to drink.

Seeing Bai Shuangshuang, she squinted and curled her lips into a lazy smile.

Bai Shuangshuang turned around, intending to take a detour.

But she couldn’t.

This bridge was the only way out.

“What are you dodging?”

Zhao Qingyue’s voice drifted over, languid with tipsiness.

“Weren’t you pretty proactive when you hugged me just now? Little Burning Cat~”

Bai Shuangshuang’s steps faltered, and she froze in place.

“Little… Burning Cat?”

She repeated the words with difficulty, her brain spinning but unable to figure it out.

“What does that mean?”

“You made me burn so much I broke a sweat.”

Zhao Qingyue staggered down from the bridge, enunciating each word.

“Just a new nickname I came up with for you.”

“I’m not some Little Burning Cat!”

Bai Shuangshuang’s face flushed instantly, and white steam seemed to rise from her head—maybe residual moisture.

Zhao Qingyue put away her wine gourd and walked over to stand in front of her.

The drinker’s face was also rosy, with a faint blush at the corners of her eyes, but her eyes were startlingly bright.

The way she looked at Bai Shuangshuang was different from before.

Not just appreciation, but also a hint of scrutiny and curiosity.

Knocking out two big men and being able to treat her Cold Affliction—if Zhao Qingyue still believed Bai Shuangshuang was an ordinary common girl, then she would be the fool.

She wasn’t that shallow.

If it were just about looks, she wouldn’t be so eager to drag someone into the mansion.

Even if this person’s personality and aura were reminiscent of Qingyao…

What truly decided it for her was that warmth that came through her palm when she held the unconscious Bai Shuangshuang that day.

That warmth, spreading from deep within the marrow, had even calmed her Cold Affliction somewhat.

She had a feeling she’d bet correctly, but she never expected to win this big.

With Bai Shuangshuang around, her Cold Affliction would be greatly alleviated.

“Alright, no more beating around the bush.”

Zhao Qingyue clapped her hands.

“You don’t need to keep watch anymore from now on. How about becoming my personal bed-serving maid?”

“No!”

Bai Shuangshuang didn’t even think about it.

“Keeping watch is just fine. Don’t trouble yourself, Commandery Princess!”

She hadn’t forgotten how tightly Zhao Qingyue had hugged her just now, as if wanting to knead her into her bones.

If she became some bed-serving maid, she’d be held like that every night, and even in her sleep she’d have to deal with that Heiqun Shaonv teasing her in dreams.

How could she handle two people every single night by herself?

Every morning she’d have to bathe and change clothes, and maybe even wash the sheets.

The thought alone was way too troublesome.

“I’ll grant you any wish, no matter what it is~”

Zhao Qingyue said unhurriedly.

“No wish!”

“Really?”

Zhao Qingyue tilted her head, looking at her like a stubborn little cat.

Everyone has desires.

She didn’t believe this little wildcat in front of her was a person without wants.

“Isn’t there something… that you want?”

“I—”

Bai Shuangshuang was about to refuse again, but the words caught in her throat.

She thought of those medicinal herbs.

The Triple Fire Marrow Cleansing Powder still lacked several rare medicinal ingredients.

Ordinary pharmacies simply didn’t carry them; they could only be grown in spirit fields.

If she could take this opportunity to ask Zhao Qingyue for them…

No, no.

If she agreed, she’d really have to become a bed-serving maid.

But… even if she didn’t agree, she was already in the Prince’s Mansion.

Could she really stop Lady Zhao from doing whatever she wanted?

Since she was going to be controlled either way, why not exchange it for something useful?

Bai Shuangshuang gritted her teeth.

“I want—”

She recited a list of medicinal herbs, specifically emphasizing the rarity of a few.

After listening, Zhao Qingyue didn’t even blink.

“Alright, no problem~”

“Just like that?”

Bai Shuangshuang couldn’t believe it.

“Aren’t you going to ask what I need these for?”

“Didn’t you also avoid asking why I insisted on bringing you back to the mansion?”

Zhao Qingyue reached out a finger and casually twirled a strand of Bai Shuangshuang’s still-damp hair.

“You have your little secrets, I have my little schemes. Let each keep their own peace.”

“Fine.”

“Alright, come to my room tonight. I’ll take you to get the medicine~”

“Wait, why do we need to go to your room first to get medicine?”

“Oh, just come.”

Zhao Qingyue waved her hand and staggered away, leaving behind a light remark.

“There’s something fun in my room—”

Bai Shuangshuang stood there, with only one thought in her mind.

‘Did I just sell myself?’

‘So this round against Zhao Qingyue… did I win or lose?’

“Made a profit.”

She muttered.

When she succeeded in her Marrow Cleansing and re-condensed her Dao Seed, then it would grow roots, sprout leaves, stretch branches, bloom, ascend to heaven, and become a saint—wouldn’t that be as smooth as pushing a boat downstream?

Then the first thing she’d do was hang that brat Zhao Qingyue who always bullied her upside down and whip her.

Then she’d go find Senior Sister, then kill her way back to the Great Yan Dynasty to avenge herself, and finally become the world-renowned Great Sword Saint…

Ahem, her imagination was getting a little too grand.

An hour later.

Bai Shuangshuang hadn’t been lying down in her room for long before she was politely escorted out by another maid.

That room already had a new owner, by Lady Zhao’s personal order.

Now she was once again a little wildcat with nowhere to stay, forced to room with Zhao Qingyue.

“Great, she’s using all her dirty tricks on me.”

Bai Shuangshuang sighed and walked toward Zhao Qingyue’s room, resigned to her fate.

She pushed the door open.

The lights were on, but no one was inside.

Just as she stepped in, the door creaked behind her.

The door had been shut.

Before she could turn around, a hand grabbed her wrist and yanked her forward.

Immediately after, a pair of nimble hands began to untie her sash, moving as if they had practiced it a thousand times.

“Hey, hey, hey?! What are you doing?!”

Bai Shuangshuang frantically tried to block her, but she couldn’t.

In no time, Zhao Qingyue had stripped off her outer robe.

Bai Shuangshuang instinctively hugged herself, arms crossed over her chest, and took a half step back, her back hitting the cold wall.

In the dim light, her exposed skin had a faint pink hue.

“Zhao Qingyue, are you insane?!”

Embarrassed and angry, her voice cracked.

“Here, put this on~”

Zhao Qingyue was straightforward.

She let go, stepped back, and tossed a bundle of black clothes at her, her tone innocent as if nothing had happened.

Bai Shuangshuang looked down.

She recognized this thing.

A nightrobe.

“Huh?”

“What’s wrong?”

Zhao Qingyue leaned against the doorframe, a smile playing on her lips, her eyes slowly traveling over her body.

“You stopped at this point? Disappointed?”

“Pfft!”

Bai Shuangshuang snatched up the nightrobe and held it in front of her, her face red enough to drip blood.

“Who’s disappointed?!”

“Then why are you shaking?”

“I’m cold!”

“Oh—so you’re cold, huh.”

Zhao Qingyue dragged out the last syllable, clearly not believing her.

Bai Shuangshuang couldn’t be bothered to argue.

She shook open the nightrobe and pulled it on, muttering as she dressed.

“What’s the point of wearing this at night? Are you going to play thief?”

“Hey!”

Zhao Qingyue’s eyes lit up.

She pointed a finger to the sky.

“You know me well, Shuangshuang. That’s exactly it.”

Bai Shuangshuang: “…?”

‘Wait, is there even a human being?’