Kiana's palm rested on the doorknob as she hesitated at the entrance.
She was truly at a loss.
What was supposed to be a secret between two had suddenly been intruded upon by an outsider.
It was like trying to shove a finger-sized french fry into your mouth while already chewing a perfectly sized beef roll.
Too difficult.
"You could always leave."
Ye Feng sat casually on the bed, watching Kiana with a gentle smile.
"Hehe, but if we meet again outside, well... you know."
"Gulp—"
Kiana's arms dropped limply to her sides.
She knew Ye Feng meant what he said—he always followed through.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have reluctantly come to this hidden room, a place even Mei couldn't find.
Ji Lin, on the other hand, was even more flustered.
Start? What are they about to start?
Is it... that kind of thing?
Her hands clasped tightly in front of her skirt, fingers interlocked so hard her knuckles turned white.
The atmosphere in the hidden room grew thick, as if tinged with a hazy pink mist, the air heavy with silence.
Kiana stared at her toes, her mind a complete mess, her face stiff, her vision narrowing as if the world had shrunk around her.
No way... Is he really going to make her... watch?
Does Ye Feng even know what shame is?
"Of course I know what shame is."
Ye Feng chuckled. "So, Ji Lin, go to the door."
Kiana's heart relaxed slightly.
Ji Lin, too, felt as if she had been granted amnesty.
But soon, both realized they had underestimated Ye Feng's definition of "shame."
"Wrong door. Not that one—over there."
Ye Feng stopped Ji Lin just as she was about to leave, pointing instead toward the floor-to-ceiling window.
The glass replaced the entire wall, one-way so that nothing inside could be seen from outside. There, the decor resembled an ancient-style pavilion.
The "door" Ye Feng referred to was the entrance to that pavilion, where a sandalwood table held a 21-string guzheng.
The 21-string guzheng had a louder volume, its tone bright, ornate, and pleasing to the ear—perfect for playing intense, soaring melodies.
"Play something. Set the mood."
Ji Lin froze entirely, her expression one of utter disbelief, as if this defied all her expectations.
The pure-white-robed maiden stood motionless, her long skirt pooling on the floor.
"..."
"What, you don't know how to play?"
"... This humble one is unlearned. This peculiar-looking... qin... is indeed unfamiliar."
A true guqin had five strings, corresponding to the five elements and the five organs of the human body. Its purpose was not merely for appreciation—it could regulate, even heal the body.
The invention of the qin was never just for entertainment.
"Ah, I forgot. There's also a flute. Surely you can play that?"
The flute's tone was mellow, soft, elegant—perfect for playing under the moonlight.
"This humble one..."
"If you say you can't, I'll be very upset. Hua taught you, didn't she?"
Ji Lin shuddered violently.
Hua... Hua did teach her.
It was a tranquil, peaceful night, the moon so bright it seemed like daylight.
Its glow filtered through the pines, as a clear spring flowed over smooth stones.
The radiant, handsome Hua turned to her, hair swaying in the night breeze, and smiled at the young Ji Lin:
"Want to learn? I'll teach you."
It was one of Ji Lin's most cherished memories.
A beautiful moment she had buried deep in her heart after learning Fu Hua's true identity.
Since her grand wedding with Hua, Ji Lin had never picked up the flute again.
Now, Ye Feng ruthlessly tore open those long-sealed memories.
A sharp, tearing sound echoed in Ji Lin's mind, like silk being ripped apart.
"Play."
Ye Feng's voice brooked no argument.
Ji Lin's upbringing would never allow her to break a promise.
Besides, the stakes had already been made clear.
If you lose...
Don't blame fate.
And indeed, Ye Feng hadn't asked her to do anything related to... serving him in bed.
A jade flute, verdant as if freshly plucked, appeared on the stone table as if by magic.
Ji Lin stared at it, then tremblingly reached out with her delicate, flawless hand.
The exquisite jade flute and her unblemished fingers complemented each other perfectly—when she held it, it was a sight of natural harmony.
"Don't be so nervous. Relax, tonight's affairs are a secret between the three of us. No one will speak of it. At the very least, I won't."
Ye Feng's voice was soothing, almost hypnotically gentle. He whispered to Ji Lin:
"Play. Get used to it first."
Slowly, Ji Lin brought the flute to her cherry-red lips.
Her body trembled as she resignedly closed her eyes.
Never had she imagined that the next time she held a flute would be in such a scene.
A sorrowful, haunting melody drifted through the air.
Seeing Kiana still standing dumbly in place, Ye Feng strode forward, swept her up by the waist, and carried her to the bed.
Ji Lin's breath hitched at the sight, her notes faltering.
In her youth, she too had fantasized about scenes like this.
But never had she imagined she would witness it... like this.
Kiana, meanwhile, was utterly petrified. Her mind had gone blank, her body stiff, leaving her entirely at Ye Feng's mercy.
She hadn't realized she could still be so... inexperienced.
With someone else present, her brain simply shut down.
As the song ended, Ji Lin's face burned with embarrassment, her body feverish.
She didn't dare look toward the bed, yet the sounds coming from there pulled at her gaze like a black hole...
"Hm? Why'd you stop? Keep playing—the one Hua taught you."
Ye Feng lifted his head and spoke.
...
...
"Why is Kiana asleep so early?"
At 9 p.m., Theresa came to the dorm looking for her niece.
Mei set down her book and fetched a drink from the fridge. "Kiana's been going to bed early these days. There's also bitter melon juice—would you like some, Headmistress?"
"Ah? Yes, yes, yes!"
Theresa beamed, popping the cap off and downing half the bottle in one go before exhaling in satisfaction.
"Ahhh~ Iced bitter melon juice is perfect for summer! By the way, Mei, now that you can enter that space too... have you noticed anything unusual about it?"
Mei looked up, her eyes thoughtful.
"I'm not entirely sure. But if there's anything special, it's probably Mr. Ye Feng."
"Mhm." Theresa crossed her arms. "Having access to 'prophetic' information is indeed remarkable. Does he have any other abilities? When I asked Kiana, she was evasive."
"Other abilities? It doesn't seem so."
Mei pondered seriously before answering.
Theresa nodded slightly. "I see. Well, we'll leave it at that for now. Oh, right—I assume Himeko already told you? Under no circumstances can you reveal the existence of that space, or the identities of Yae Sakura, the Crimson Imp, or Ji Lin."
"I understand. Though Yae Sakura and the Crimson Imp are connected to the Herrschers, they don't seem like bad people. And Lady Ji Lin is a revered figure from Shenzhou's history..."
"Right, exactly. If headquarters found out, it'd be a hassle to explain. And... well, never mind. Just remember—keep their identities secret."
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