The light, trailing end of her voice carried a wave of heat, resembling a cluster of flames burning fiercely, licking at Evelyn’s internal organs and scorching all the way into the depths of her heart.
Thus, Su Zhao watched with her own eyes as a red blush suddenly surged, the ruthless flames destroying the Saintess’s noble and sacred posture.
Dragging her down from the unattainable clouds and forcefully pulling her back to the mortal world.
“Shameless.”
The tips of Evelyn’s ears were as red as dripping blood, her soft tone entangled with warm breath. She turned her head aside, and her sensitive earlobe brushed against Su Zhao’s cheek. Before Su Zhao even felt it tickle, Evelyn shivered once more.
The tail behind her gave an unconscious flick, standing up straight in pleasure.
“It is only human nature, what is there to be ashamed of?”
Her reaction was quite interesting. Su Zhao’s playful side was also triggered as she embraced her and kissed her forehead. Evelyn tried to duck away, but Su Zhao, taking advantage of her size advantage, easily trapped her within her arms.
Su Zhao coaxed her, word by word, with an ardent tone.
“Sister, good sister, hurry and change back.”
Evelyn: “…”
Evelyn’s body arched in shame, remaining tight-lipped as her two front paws pressed against Su Zhao’s shoulders, trying to push her away.
Only to have her wrists caught by Su Zhao, unable to pull away. Su Zhao took turns poking and teasing her scorching paw pads.
Clearly, her physical reactions were entirely ones of resistance, yet the dangerous, lethal claws remained firmly retracted, acting as if she were playing hard to get.
Faced with Su Zhao’s kisses, Evelyn quietly averted her face, yet her tail honestly wound around her waist.
[Evelyn’s current favorability: 75]
Her favorability had increased.
Evelyn certainly fell for this routine.
The moonlight outside the window was gradually swallowed by dark clouds.
Evelyn’s nose tentatively pressed against her, and Su Zhao smiled silently, stroking her spine leisurely.
She knew that in this dangerous game of gamble, she had won another chip from Evelyn’s hands.
After all, true feelings and calculation always managed to fuse together perfectly within those captivating, sweet words.
Evelyn murmured softly, “It is getting late, you should get some rest.”
The previously confrontational atmosphere vanished, and the two grew increasingly intimate. Evelyn’s favorability slowly climbed, soon surpassing 80.
Yet her tone became even more detached and restrained.
Her gaze did not dare meet hers, and her damp nose, along with the tips of her ears, all revealed a bashful crimson blush, as if she wanted to curl her entire cat body into a ball.
Curl up. Huddle tightly together. To avoid exposing herself so nakedly to her gaze like this.
“What exactly is Sister so shy about?”
The white fur on the back of her neck was leisurely twined through Su Zhao’s fingers. Su Zhao could feel the soft body of the cat beneath her palm trembling with fine shivers.
Su Zhao shifted her fingers, instead parting the fur along her back.
“Sister, if you don’t want to change back, then in your small cat form, shouldn’t you let me see the injury on your back?”
The closer she got to Evelyn, the damp snow-lotus fragrance washed over her alongside her disordered breathing, mixed with wisps of an annoying rose scent, floating and sinking between their breaths.
Warm breath brushed past Su Zhao’s cheek, and the smooth fur slipped lightly from her palm. Before Su Zhao could even snap out of her trance, a heavy weight hit her knee, and Evelyn had already leaped away lightly.
She lay on the bed, arching slightly as she looked at her sideways. “The wound has already healed.”
“I don’t believe it.”
Before Su Zhao’s words could finish landing, a flash of holy light appeared on the cat’s claws, and the next second, all the lights in the room went out abruptly.
“Really, don’t worry.”
Moonlight flowed across the windowsill like water, washing over the room and over the two of them. Everything was steeped in a water-soft moonlight.
Su Zhao’s panic lasted only a moment. As her eyes gradually adjusted to the dark, she rose, steadying herself against the back of a chair, and saw that Evelyn had already clamped onto the corner of the quilt, helping her pull back the covers.
Her ice-blue eyes also held a pool of trembling moonlight. Her voice sounded nearly pleading: “Go to sleep now, little princess.”
Fine.
Fine, fine, fine.
Who could withstand a coaxing tone like that?
Su Zhao lowered her defenses, climbed onto the bed, propped herself up on her elbows to look at her, and said with a smile, “Good night, Sister.”
Evelyn: “Good night.”
The tail-end of her voice rose slightly, still burned into tiny cracks by her hurried breathing. The distance between the two was very close, and Su Zhao could clearly see her trembling eyelashes.
[Current Evelyn favorability: 85]
Up by five points. Once the dating quest was completed, being 100 points away from max favorability and unlocking romance mode was just around the corner!
Sweet romance was waiting for her!
Fearing she might ruin things by pushing too hard, Su Zhao didn’t press her further and drifted off to sleep with complete satisfaction.
She slept very soundly that night.
So much so that when Su Zhao woke up the next day, she stared blankly at the empty pillow for a long while before suddenly sitting up and looking around in a daze. “Sister?”
After searching for a long time, Su Zhao had to admit that this fellow Evelyn really had sneaked away quietly.
Aside from a few scattered strands of white cat hair, no other traces were left behind.
Su Zhao opened the vanity drawer; that pearl button was still resting quietly inside.
She stroked the button, forcefully shut the drawer, and thought with a trace of resentment: She couldn’t even leave the Summer Palace, why run away so fast? Did she think she was going to eat her?
Only then did Su Zhao have the energy to sort through her thoughts, suddenly realizing that someone seemed to be missing from her palace.
Su Zhao had her suspicions, but she still summoned a maid to ask, “Where is the person I placed here yesterday?”
The auctioneer’s presence had always been faint.
Now that she was gone, without needing to overthink, it was undoubtedly Cynthia’s doing. Otherwise, no matter how much the auctioneer desired freedom, she surely wouldn’t court death to that extent.
The maid replied, “Are you referring to that auctioneer lady? Last night before you returned, the knight beside Her Imperial Highness the Crown Prince came and took her away.”
“Her Imperial Highness said she would borrow her for a bit and return her properly once she was done.”
Evidently, Cynthia intended to interrogate the auctioneer to extract more clues regarding No. 12.
Having just been injured by No. 12, Cynthia was now even more determined to track her down.
The auctioneer had crossed paths with No. 12 quite a few times; if she were in Cynthia’s shoes, she would likely want to use her as a breakthrough point as well.
What a truly unlucky auctioneer.
Su Zhao couldn’t help her, so she could only wish her the best of luck.
Cynthia was still nowhere to be seen. Su Zhao continued practicing dance steps with her instructor. As the sun slanted westward, a maid delivered the formal gown Cynthia had previously selected for her.
Just as the sky-blue gown slipped over her shoulders, Su Zhao frowned and fumbled with the tight corset, but the surrounding area suddenly fell silent. Raising her head, Su Zhao found that the maids had vanished without a sound.
The empty palace was so quiet a pin drop could be heard.
A wave of warmth pressed against her spine.
“My little nightingale, you look exceptionally dazzling today.”
Cynthia’s fingertips lingered across her bare spine with an unhurried pressure that tickled Su Zhao, causing her to turn her head sideways and try to swat away her hand. “I was just about to ask Sister how my outfit looks today.”
Su Zhao saw her reflection in the bronze mirror as twilight poured in from the window, flowing along her butterfly blades into a golden stream.
Cynthia’s hand was swimming through that little golden river.
Unable to put it down.
Cynthia turned her head to look at her, a light chuckle spilling from her lips. “Exquisitely breathtaking.”
Who doesn’t love being praised?
Even though she couldn’t escape this damn corset acting like an instrument of torture, tightly restricting her breathing, Su Zhao still flashed a smile and said happily, “Sister has great taste.”
Cynthia’s fingertips felt like a burning ember, sliding from her spine down to the fabric, wandering along the lines of the gown.
Scorching, burning hot.
Su Zhao felt her whole body grow weak from the heat, and she reached back to press down on the mischievous hand at her waist. Just as she prepared to turn around, she heard her ask, “Where is that cat?”
Su Zhao replied offhandedly, “Sent away.”
The next instant, a slight tug pulled at her hair. Tilting her head, Su Zhao saw Cynthia carefully plucking a long white hair from her locks and holding it up before her eyes.
Su Zhao was momentarily speechless, vaguely recalling the previous night when Evelyn had obediently curled up beside her pillow, her tail brushing across her cheek and wrapping her head inside her embrace.
The cat’s fluffy body pressed close to her head in absolute intimacy, and Su Zhao could even hear the cat’s contented purring rumbling in its throat.
Cynthia raised an eyebrow slightly, her tone carrying a trace of imperceptible displeasure. “Such disobedient creatures should have been gotten rid of long ago.”
Seeing her hold onto that cat last night had made Cynthia’s gaze look like flying knives. Realizing they might have shared an even closer proximity during the night, it was no wonder she was jealous.
Su Zhao smiled silently, organizing her hair in a leisurely manner. “My hair got caught in the clasp.”
She naturally bossed the noble Crown Prince around. “Sister, what are you standing there for? Hurry up and help me.”
Cynthia didn’t approach immediately, still tightly pinching that cat hair. Su Zhao could feel her gaze lingering on her in a silent standoff of several breaths.
She pressed down on her shoulders, casting a cleansing spell to sweep away any lingering traces and scents, which finally appeased her slightly.
“Little sister, remember not to bring every stray cat or dog back home in the future.”
Her actions were thoroughly honest.
Though her tone still gave away neither joy nor anger.
Clearly, she wasn’t just scolding the cat; she had thrown Evelyn and the auctioneer into the same basket.
Su Zhao was amused by this vigorous possessiveness and couldn’t help curving her lips. “Understood, Sister can rest easy.”
Yet very soon, Su Zhao couldn’t smile anymore.
“They’re tangled together, bear with it.”
Cynthia wound the pearl necklace draped across her chest around her knuckles, the cold pearl string rolling down her warm spine.
Su Zhao could feel the trail of pearls dragging across her skin like a snail crawling over damp rose petals.
Cynthia’s movements in untying the ribbons were agonizingly slow, as if time had been infinitely stretched out. The heavy scent of roses suddenly grew viscous, making it difficult for her to breathe and prompting an involuntary urge to urge her on.
“Sister, hurry up!”
Su Zhao couldn’t tell if this was caused by the corset being too tight, or because Cynthia was standing too close, she smelled so sweet that she felt she might drown in her fragrance simply from the scent alone.
The silk ribbon slipped through the buckle with a rustle like a shedding snake. Su Zhao heard her chuckle softly. “Almost done, just a second.”
Cynthia reached out, pressing against her trembling shoulder blades. “Besides, the corset ribbon is tied too loosely, this won’t do.”
“This, is, loose?”
Su Zhao asked in disbelief, “Sister, are you seriously not doing this just to get back at me?”
“Oh?” Cynthia’s trailing tone rose slightly as she personally lifted the collar, pressing her palm against her younger sister’s bare waistline.
The cool fabric contrasted sharply against the scorching palm, forcing Su Zhao to lean backward. Her neck was circled by Cynthia, preventing her from escaping.
Cynthia chuckled softly. “Good little sister, am I that kind of person?”
While laughing, she looped the ribbon around her waist. Every inch she tightened reduced the air by another fraction.
Her knuckles pressed against her spine, moving upward slowly as if measuring her dimensions.
The cool back-clasp climbed up her spine, and Cynthia’s nail occasionally scraped over a protruding vertebra. The Crown Prince maintained this embracing posture as she undid the first button.
Su Zhao felt a tingling sensation all over her body. Looking at herself in the mirror, the tips of her ears were burning red, and Cynthia’s cascading silver hair pressed intimately against her, her lips resting right against the nape of her neck.
Su Zhao almost had the illusion that she might transform into a beast and viciously bite down on her neck. Every inch of skin trembled on instinct, as if she could genuinely feel the sharp fangs piercing into her flesh.
Dangerous to the point of goosebumps, yet it somehow magnified the excitement and craving for stimulation deep within human bones.
Fascinating yet dangerous.
At that moment, Su Zhao heard a light chuckle from behind. “Breathe.”
The hot current of her breath scorched across the spot she coveted.
Su Zhao steadied her trembling fingertips.
Taking a deep breath.
Cynthia’s fingertips paused in the hollow of her collarbone, adjusting her shoulder strap with unhurried leisure.
The bell of the ball chimed in the distance, but she leaned down instead, the warm breath staining the skin of her neck red. “Turn around.”
The final shoulder clasp clicked shut, reflecting two nearly touching bodies in the mirror.
This long torment finally came to an end.
Su Zhao’s face burned fiercely. Just as she prepared to let out a sigh of relief, her cheek was pinched hard.
Cynthia suddenly grabbed her jaw, forcing her to turn her head. The force of her fingertips sinking into soft flesh contrasted sharply with the gentleness of cradling her face.
“My good little sister, remember this.”
Finally, she shoved the cold pearl pendant straight down her collar.
A warning tone.
Su Zhao: “…”
She averted her gaze, saying uncomfortably, “Mn.”
As half an ambassador of the Holy See, Evelyn frequented the Summer Palace rather often. No matter what, she couldn’t possibly be considered a stranger, right?
The crystal chandeliers of the banquet hall were dazzlingly bright. The moment she stepped inside, Su Zhao’s eyes were stung by the brilliant glare.
She had been distracted all day long, wondering when, where, and how Evelyn would appear.
Her curiosity about this question left her with zero mental capacity to focus on anything else.
Once the ball began, Cynthia introduced her to various guests, but Su Zhao paid little attention, frequently glancing toward the main entrance.
Cynthia was making small talk with a neighboring country’s princess, her earrings swaying lightly with her laughter. Surrounded by dignitaries and nobles, she stood out like the moon among stars.
Su Zhao didn’t care whether she was being ignored, smoothing down her skirt for the umpteenth time while her gaze wandered through the crowd.
Yet she still failed to wait for the person she wanted to see.
Just as the opening tune finally struck up and guests had taken their partners onto the dance floor, the main doors were flung wide open.
Moonlight and snow-lotus fragrance flooded in simultaneously.
At the sound, everyone turned to look. Evelyn’s white hair was pinned high, having rarely shed her white sacrificial robes. Dressed in an elegant and poised black gown that made her look even more pure and sacred.
The breathing of everyone present hitched for a moment, minds consciously holding back. When she appeared under the arched doorway, the lights across the entire hall paled in comparison.
“The Saintess honors us with her presence.”
Cynthia paused briefly in surprise before quickly stepping out from the crowd. Her smile grew softer, her eyes dark and deep as she cast a slow glance at Su Zhao. “Why was there no announcement?”
“Perhaps…”
Evelyn shook the invitation letter in her hand, prompting Su Zhao to belatedly feel for her pocket. “The little nightingale sent to deliver the letter got lost?”