Lilith’s office was warm as if wrapped in a layer of soft cotton.
On the desk, the silver platter held custard cakes still steaming, their sweet aroma mingling faintly with the scent of ink, filling the entire room.
Xiamir gently placed Yiyi on the velvet sofa, then bent down to pick a round custard cake from the platter.
Pinching the soft crust between her fingers, she smiled as she teased her: “Yibao, this piece is just the right size. Eat slowly—you’re so small, don’t choke again.”
“I-I won’t! I’m not stupid!”
Yiyi puffed out her cheeks stubbornly and snatched the custard cake with her small hand.
Determined to prove she wasn’t clumsy at all, she bit off a big chunk.
Custard filling smeared the corners of her mouth, but she didn’t bother wiping it away.
She chewed hard and was about to swallow.
But just as it reached her throat, tiny crumbs got stuck, neither going down nor coming back up, making her frown in discomfort instantly.
The next second, Yiyi’s face flushed as red as a ripe peach.
She clutched her chest and bent over, violent coughing erupting in the room, mixed with muffled “umm umm” sounds.
Tears uncontrollably welled up, hanging on her lashes like little pearls.
The small dragon tail at her tailbone stiffened straight, the heart-shaped tuft at the tip pressed tightly together.
She looked like a tense little stick, her drooping ears tinged with red.
“Oh dear, my silly little one!”
The smile vanished instantly from Xiamir’s face as she hurriedly knelt down, one hand gently supporting Yiyi’s back, the other cupped in the air.
She patted lightly between Yiyi’s shoulder blades, neither too hard nor too soft, soothing with rhythm: “Cough slowly, don’t hold your breath. Just get those crumbs down, okay? I told you to eat slowly, why don’t you listen?”
Lilith quickly put down the feather pen in her hand and stood up to pour a glass of warm water.
Testing the temperature with her fingertip, she handed it gently to Yiyi’s lips, her voice soft as cotton: “Yibao, have some water, sip it slowly. It’ll ease your throat and make it feel better.”
Yiyi coughed so hard she couldn’t speak, only able to clutch Xiamir’s sleeve tightly until her knuckles turned white.
She sipped the warm water little by little.
The soothing warmth eased the blockage bit by bit, and the cough lessened.
When she finally breathed smoothly again, she glared at Xiamir with red-rimmed eyes, her voice hoarse and soft, full of childish grievance: “I-it’s all your fault! If you hadn’t laughed at me, I wouldn’t have choked…”
But inside, she was secretly terrified: I almost, almost got ‘killed’ by a custard cake… I could have choked to death…
Xiamir ruffled Yiyi’s fluffed-up silver hair, wiping the tear stains from her cheeks with her fingertips.
Her tone softened completely: “Yes, yes, mother was wrong. I shouldn’t have teased our Yibao.”
Seeing Yiyi’s emotions settle a bit, she spoke quietly, “Feeling better? If so, go back to sleep. Mother still has to return to the Dragon Clan tomorrow to handle some affairs.”
Yiyi pouted but didn’t argue, quietly handing the remaining custard cake to Xiamir.
Her small hand clung to the corner of Xiamir’s garment as she got up.
Xiamir took the custard cake with a smile, holding her hand as they walked toward the door, not forgetting to remind her: “Next time you eat cake, remember to chew slowly and take small bites, okay?”
“Mm.”
Yiyi’s voice was tiny, still carrying a sniffly tone from crying.
Her ears were flushed pink, like they’d been dusted with rouge.
A moment later, Xiamir carried Yiyi back to the room.
The glass night lamp glowed with a warm yellow light, casting the small floral patterns on the bedding in a gentle hue.
Even the air carried a calming scent of lavender.
She gently placed Yiyi on the bed covered with a plush blanket, straightened the quilt, and tucked her little arms inside.
Then she turned toward the wardrobe, not avoiding Yiyi’s gaze at all.
Raising her hand to untie the silk ribbon at her waist…
The silk outer robe slid down her shoulders, revealing the pale inner lining.
The fabric rubbed against her skin with soft, delicate sounds.
Unbothered, she draped the outer robe over the chair back and reached to undo the buttons of the inner garment.
Her fingertips brushed the buttonholes slowly but naturally.
Even the hair falling over her shoulder didn’t distract her.
Yiyi had just buried her head in the pillow, pondering whether to ask Xiamir for a pillow to hug when her peripheral vision caught sight of Xiamir’s movements.
She suddenly lifted her head, eyes wide like a frightened fawn.
Her ears perked up instantly, and the tip of her tail tensed as well, the fur fluffing slightly: “Xia-Xiamir! You’re… you’re changing clothes right here, in front of me!”
Her voice stammered, cheeks flushing bright red from face to neck, her palms radiating heat.
Xiamir had just pulled out her cotton pajamas but paused when she heard this.
Looking back at Yiyi, a faint smile played on her lips, eyes gleaming with teasing mischief.
Instead of hurrying to change, she walked closer to the bed and pinched Yiyi’s little paw sticking out from under the blanket.
Her fingertips could feel the slight tremble: “Do you have no shame!?”
Seeing Xiamir didn’t react seriously, Yiyi grew more anxious, raising her voice slightly, tinged with embarrassment and annoyance.
Her tail swept back and forth over the blanket, bunching the quilt up.
She tried to bury her face back into the pillow but couldn’t help sneaking glances at Xiamir.
That look—part shy, part irritated—was like a little beast teased into anger but too fond to throw a tantrum.
Xiamir couldn’t help laughing softly.
Her fingertips rubbed Yiyi’s flushed cheek again, the touch soft and warm like holding a piece of freshly melted marshmallow: “Yibao, are you feeling shy? How adorable.”
She deliberately stretched the words, watching Yiyi’s face grow even redder before continuing: “By the way, did you just call my name again? So rude! When mother finishes changing, I’m going to punish this tsundere little one of mine!”
“N-no! I didn’t! I wasn’t on purpose…”
Yiyi’s voice cracked, almost crying.
Her small hands gripped the blanket corner tightly, knuckles white.
She knew she shouldn’t call Xiamir by name, but she forgot in her flustered state.
Now caught, she was both embarrassed and scared, eyes reddening, yet stubbornly denying: “I-I just… I was too anxious, that’s why I called you… Please don’t rub my tail, I beg you!”
She dreaded Xiamir touching her tail—its tip was thin and extremely sensitive.
Even a slight touch sent shivers through her body and made her voice change.
Xiamir hid her smile and pretended to look serious, but couldn’t help lightly poking the little dragon tail dangling off the bed.
The pink heart-shaped tip twitched instantly: “Choose, Yibao: spanking or tail rubbing? Ten spanks if you pick spanking. If tail rubbing, I’ll rub until you’re too weak to move.”
Yiyi shrank back clutching the blanket, nearly sinking into the soft pillow.
Her eyes were red, voice trembling with tears, but still stubborn: “I-I don’t want either! You weren’t paying attention first, why punish me…”
Before she could finish, her nose turned sour and tears welled up again.
Even her little dragon tail drooped weakly, the pink heart at the tip losing its energy.
“That won’t do. You’ve been naughty, Yibao. Naughty dragon babies don’t get happy endings!”
Xiamir said, reaching out to touch Yiyi’s tail again.
Nervously, Yiyi blocked herself with the blanket but was swiftly pulled back by Xiamir.
Seeing this, Yiyi panicked and tried to climb off the bed, but as soon as she reached the edge, Xiamir caught the tail tip and gently tugged her back.
The tingling from the tail tip traveled up her spine, draining all her strength.
She collapsed weakly into the plush blanket.
Her fingers holding the sheet relaxed, and her voice became sluggish, laced with grievance: “My tail… has… no strength left…”
Yiyi lay on the blanket, the tingling still lingering at the tail tip, but she grit her teeth and glared at Xiamir.
Her voice was soft but fierce, like a fluffed-up little beast too tired to fight properly: “I don’t want to… let go of me, Xiamir, you—you bastard… bad woman!”
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