The nights in the Blood Clan’s royal court were always wrapped in a faint scent of crimson cherry blossoms.
Lanterns hung beneath the eaves, casting a warm glow upon the bluestone tiles, causing the blood-red vines entwined around the pillars to shimmer softly.
Yiyi, dressed in her pink pajamas, waddled along with small steps, curiously peeking over the edge of the corridor to gaze at the night outside, unaware of the corner just ahead.
“Bang—”
Yiyi collided with someone.
The one she bumped into was a young Blood Clan girl, with silver-white hair and scarlet eyes.
At that moment, the girl was sitting on the ground, looking somewhat dazed.
Her silver-white hair was tousled over her shoulders, and her expression was a bit blank.
Yiyi herself lost her footing, staggering backward three steps until her back hit the cold stone pillar, finally coming to a stop.
She looked at the Blood Clan girl sitting on the ground, her eyes still vacant.
The hem of Yiyi’s pink pajamas swayed gently as her small voice quickly grew anxious: “S-sorry! I didn’t see you… are you okay?”
She hurried forward, reaching out her tiny claws to help the other up, but the moment her fingertips brushed the girl’s silver-white sleeve, she suddenly pulled back.
The rumor from the Human Empire—that touching a Blood Clan member would cause one to be “entangled”—popped into her mind.
Her little face instantly flushed bright red as she stood frozen, unsure what to do.
The Blood Clan girl sat still for a long moment before slowly blinking her scarlet eyes.
She reached up to smooth her messy silver hair, her tone soft and completely free of anger: “N-no, I’m fine.”
She propped herself up to stand but wobbled and sat back down, looking down at her skirt stained with crimson cherry blossom petals.
Then she looked up at Yiyi with curious eyes: “Your clothes are so pretty. Aren’t you Blood Clan? You’re really cute! I-I’m Lilia, what’s your name?”
Yiyi was stunned by the word “cute,” her small claws loosening their grip on her pajama hem as a faint blush spread across her cheeks.
Looking at Lilia’s soft expression, the nervousness from the rumor slowly melted away, and her voice softened: “I-I’m Yiyi.”
Just then, she saw Lilia trying to stand again, but as soon as her knees strained, her body wobbled and she was about to sit back down.
Yiyi hurried forward two steps without hesitation and gently steadied Lilia’s arm.
When her fingertips touched Lilia’s cool sleeve again, she quietly clenched her fists, realizing she wasn’t being “entangled” as the rumor said, and finally breathed a small sigh of relief.
“Take it slow.”
Yiyi helped Lilia steady herself, then glanced down at the cherry blossom petals on her skirt.
Carefully, she pinched off a petal and whispered: “You sat on the ground earlier; some petals got on your dress.”
Following her hand, Lilia looked down at her skirt, then smiled at Yiyi.
Her scarlet eyes curved into little crescent moons as her silver-white hair swayed gently.
“Thank you, Yiyi~ I was looking at the vines outside the corridor and didn’t hear you coming.”
She pointed toward the crimson vines hanging nearby, her tone tinged with excitement: “Look, the lights on the vines are so pretty, like little stars.”
Yiyi followed her finger and indeed saw the leaves of the crimson vines shimmering with tiny glimmers, gently swaying in the warm lantern light—just like scattered little stars.
Unable to help herself, she looked twice before turning back to Lilia, softly asking:
“Do you come here to play often?”
“Yeah!”
Lilia nodded vigorously, reaching out to hold Yiyi’s small clawed hand—her own hand was cool, but light.
“I live in the royal court. Sometimes I come here to look at the vines and cherry blossoms. Yiyi, is this your first time here?”
“Yeah, sorry about bumping into you just now.” Yiyi lowered her head awkwardly, her little toes softly scraping the ground.
“It’s okay!”
Lilia waved her hand dismissively, but then her gaze fell behind Yiyi.
Her eyes brightened, and she leaned in closer, her voice full of curiosity: “Um, Yiyi, you’re really cute. You’re probably not Blood Clan, right? You have a little tail showing behind your clothes, and tiny little horns on your head. Could you be from the Dragon Clan?”
Yiyi stiffened at the question, hurriedly reaching back to cover her small tail.
Her cheeks flared red to the tips of her ears, and her grip on Lilia’s hand tightened a bit.
“I-I’m Dragon Clan…”
Yiyi stole a glance at Lilia’s eyes filled with curiosity, then quietly added: “Your silver hair is so pretty, like falling snow, and your eyes sparkle too.”
“Really? My mother said the Dragon Clan’s blood is sweet and tastes really good. Um, um, I’ve always wanted to try it… Yiyi, could you let me take a bite?”
Hearing this, Yiyi recoiled as if burned, shrinking her hand back sharply.
Her small body stepped back half a pace, her back softly hitting the corridor pillar again.
Her scarlet vertical pupils widened, and the little tail behind her pink pajamas tensed up.
Even her voice trembled: “N-no!”
Seeing Yiyi flinch away, Lilia’s silver hair swayed, and she quickly let go of Yiyi’s hand.
Her small hands waved in front of her, her voice rushing out a bit stammered:“I-I’m really not trying to bully you! It’s just something my mother mentioned sometimes. I’ve never actually seen a Dragon Clan before, so I was just… saying silly things!”
She took a small step forward, then stopped, afraid to scare Yiyi.
Lowering her head, she stared at the cherry blossom petals on her skirt, her voice softening: “I’m sorry, Yiyi. I shouldn’t have said I wanted to bite you. Please don’t be angry or scared, okay?”
Watching her flustered apology, Yiyi’s tense body gradually relaxed.
Her small claws quietly released their grip on her pajama hem.
She remembered how Lilia had called her cute earlier and quietly said: “I-I’m not angry. I was just… just nervous.”
“Sorry, sorry. I really didn’t mean it. I-I want to be friends with you.”
Lilia looked up, her scarlet eyes full of hope.
Her small hands lightly held onto Yiyi’s pajama edge, as if afraid she’d refuse.
Yiyi paused, tilting her head slightly.
She met Lilia’s hopeful gaze.
Her cheeks flushed pink again.
After a moment of hesitation, she nodded softly: “O-okay, let’s be friends.”
No sooner had she spoken than Lilia threw herself forward, hugging her.
Her soft cheek pressed against Yiyi’s face, her voice full of joy: “Hehe~ Great! You’re my very first friend~ Yiyi, you smell so nice~”.
The sudden embrace made Yiyi stagger back half a step.
Her nose brushed against Lilia’s silver-white hair, carrying a faint scent of crimson cherry blossoms.
Frozen in place, her little claws hovered awkwardly in midair, her cheeks heating up as if holding a small stove.
Even the little tail tucked beneath her pink pajamas quietly curled into a loop.
“D-don’t rub so hard…” Yiyi’s voice was as soft as a mosquito’s buzz, her fingertips lightly touching Lilia’s cool back.
Seeing no sign of loosening, she slowly relaxed, placing her little paw gently on Lilia’s back.
But in the next moment, a small “gurgle—” sound suddenly came from Lilia’s stomach, echoing clearly in the quiet corridor.
Lilia froze instantly, loosening her hold on Yiyi’s arm.
The ears hidden beneath her silver hair flushed red, and even her scarlet eyes glanced down in embarrassment.
“Hehe, sorry, I’m hungry. I was just about to ask Mother for some food, hehe.”
She scratched her messy silver hair, her tone full of awkwardness, her voice quieter than before, afraid Yiyi might laugh at her.