Mo Yuxin's heart ached at that look. She leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to Su Yubing's lips. Her tongue flicked out, tracing the outline of Su Yubing's mouth. Su Yubing's breath hitched, a faint tremor in her chest.
Mo Yuxin moved her hands lower, sliding them beneath the hem of the bathrobe. She paused, feeling the cool air against Su Yubing's damp skin. She smiled, teasing, and brushed her thumb over the exposed curve of Su Yubing's hip. The sensation made Su Yubing's legs twitch.
Su Yubing opened her tired eyes fully and glared at Mo Yuxin. "Seriously," she growled softly. "You need to let sleep."
Mo Yuxin's smile faltered. She looked up at Su Yubing with innocent, pleading eyes. "I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice trembling slightly. "I can't help it." She crawled higher on the bed until her head rested on Su Yubing's chest, her lips brushing the exposed skin close to Su Yubing's throat.
Su Yubing's pulse raced as Mo Yuxin nuzzled her neck. She tried to pull away, but her body wouldn't obey. Mo Yuxin's kisses left warm spots on Su Yubing's skin, and each one sent a thrill through her. She closed her eyes, fighting the pleasure that pooled in her belly.
"Stop it," Su Yubing whispered, but her voice lacked conviction.
Mo Yuxin's hands wandered up Su Yubing's sides, exploring the soft, damp curves. She leaned in and whispered, "Just a little." Her breath tickled Su Yubing's skin.
Su Yubing's back arched slightly, betraying how much she still wanted Mo Yuxin, even at her weakest. But her voice ca out firr this ti. "No," she said through gritted teeth. "Really. Sleep."
Mo Yuxin's lips brushed Su Yubing's chest. She looked up, her eyes wide and innocent. Then she let out a small, theatrical whimper. "Please," she begged in a high, sweet tone. "Don't leave alone."
Su Yubing's heart clenched at that sound. She looked down at Mo Yuxin, who pressed her flushed cheek against Su Yubing's belly. Mo Yuxin's hair was damp, and her shirt clung to her slender fra. Su Yubing knew she should push her away, let her rest, but Mo Yuxin looked so vulnerable.
Mo Yuxin's tiny whimpers tugged at Su Yubing's heart. Su Yubing sighed and rubbed Mo Yuxin's hair gently. "Fine," she whispered, her voice soft.
Mo Yuxin's face brightened. She lifted herself and began kissing Su Yubing's lips again. Her hands moved to the front of Su Yubing's robe, as if to slowly peel it away. Su Yubing's pulse hamred in her ears. She wanted to resist, but desire and fatigue fought in her chest.
Just as Mo Yuxin hooked her fingers into the belt of the bathrobe, a knock sounded at the door. It was soft but firm—three taps that cut through the quiet of the room. Both won froze. Mo Yuxin's fingers stilled on the belt, and Su Yubing's eyes snapped open.
Mo Yuxin exchanged a quick glance with Su Yubing. Her cheeks flushed, and she pressed her lips together, stunned. Su Yubing's face registered a complicated mix of irritation and relief. The room felt suddenly too hot, too crowded. The knock ca again—two more soft taps.
Mo Yuxin glanced at Su Yubing with wide eyes. "Who could that be now?" she whispered.
Su Yubing sat up slowly, tugging the robe closed over her chest. Her hair fell in damp waves around her face. She swung her legs over the edge of the bed, pressing the damp fabric of the robe against her skin. "I don't know," she replied, her voice tight.
Mo Yuxin got to her feet and quickly moved to the door. She hesitated, looking back once at Su Yubing, whose cheeks were still flushed. Mo Yuxin took a steadying breath and opened the door a crack.
Mo Yuxin pressed her ear against the door for a mont, catching the faint echo of footsteps just beyond the threshold. A voice, smooth and asured, called softly: "Lady Mo, may I co in?" Mo Yuxin's fingers tightened on the wood. She hadn't expected anyone—especially not Shen Mingyue—to arrive so late.
With careful deliberation, Mo Yuxin cracked the door open. In the dim hallway light stood Shen Mingyue. She was draped in a long, dark cloak that seed to absorb the lantern glow, its hood partially shading her face. Only the sharp angle of her cheekbones and the faint sparkle in her eyes were visible. For a heartbeat, Mo Yuxin and Shen Mingyue t eyes—Shen Mingyue's gaze distant yet piercing, as though she were assessing them from far away. Then Shen Mingyue's eyes drifted downward, catching sight of the faint, reddish marks at the base of Mo Yuxin's neck—evidence of their earlier intimacy. A brief flicker of sothing unreadable passed across Shen Mingyue's face, and she covered it with a single, composed cough.
"I apologize for the intrusion," Shen Mingyue said, her voice low and smooth, masking any hint of embarrassnt. She lifted her chin slightly, slipping her hood back just enough to reveal the faint curve of her jaw. "I have matters of urgency to discuss with you—and with Lady Su Yubing."
Mo Yuxin's heart flickered with surprise. She hadn't expected Shen Mingyue—enigmatic, aloof Shen Mingyue—to seek them out now. Her mind raced to guess what could have brought this mysterious woman here. Mo Yuxin exchanged a quick look with Su Yubing, who was already stirring on the bed, alert despite her weariness. Uploaded by the *) team.
Swallowing her surprise, Mo Yuxin nodded. "Please… co in," she said, stepping aside.
Shen Mingyue entered the room in a single, fluid motion. The cloak slipped from her shoulders and pooled silently at her feet. Her dark robes were simple but impeccably tailored, the high collar framing a pale, almost luminescent throat. She paused by the door, taking in the scene with cool detachnt: Su Yubing wrapped in a damp bathrobe, Mo Yuxin dressed only in a towel. There was no flicker of judgnt—only a calm, inscrutable composure that made Mo Yuxin's cheeks warm.
Mo Yuxin carefully closed the door and turned to Su Yubing, whose damp hair frad her face like a dark halo. "Su Yubing," Mo Yuxin whispered, "that's Shen Mingyue."
Su Yubing sat up, smoothing her robe over her shoulders. "I see," she said quietly. Her gaze moved to Shen Mingyue, whose presence filled the room with quiet authority.
Mo Yuxin offered a gentle nod to Shen Mingyue. "Would you like to use the table over there?" she asked, indicating the small table and chairs in the far corner—an elegant inlaid wood set that stood unused until now. Shen Mingyue inclined her head once, acknowledging the gesture, but made no move to remove her cloak or relax her posture.
Su Yubing rose from the bed and reached for a nightrobe hanging nearby. She slipped out of the damp bathrobe and into a soft, pale-green nightrobe. The transition seed to put her slightly more at ease—yet her gaze remained fixed on Shen Mingyue. Mo Yuxin, still wrapped in her towel, moved to sit beside Su Yubing on the cushioned bench, positioning herself protectively at Su Yubing's side.
Shen Mingyue crossed the room in just a few silent steps and took her seat at the table. She settled into her chair with a grace that spoke of practiced control. Her hands, slender and pale, rested lightly on her lap. She let the quietness stretch for a mont before finally speaking, her voice low and asured.
"I apologize for the lateness of my visit," Shen Mingyue began, gaze drifting between Mo Yuxin and Su Yubing without lingering on either.
Su Yubing leaned forward, eyes narrowing slightly. "Speak freely," she said. Even in her fatigue, there was steel in her tone.
Mo Yuxin discreetly reached beneath the table and clasped Su Yubing's hand, giving it a gentle, reassuring squeeze. She felt a pang of guilt at the sight of Su Yubing's tired face—still flushed from their intimate monts—and realized how much Su Yubing must sacrifice of her own rest for Mo Yuxin's whims. Mo Yuxin forced her lips into a polite, neutral expression, hoping to appear composed in front of the elegant visitor.
Monts passed in which Shen Mingyue's silence seed to hang heavy with unspoken purpose. Then a soft clearing of the throat—delicate, controlled, and utterly composed—brought Mo Yuxin back from her anxious thoughts. She straightened, glancing quickly at Su Yubing, whose gaze was sharp and demanding attention.
"Pay attention," Su Yubing prompted Mo Yuxin quietly, her tone a controlled reprimand.
Mo Yuxin blushed at being caught in that brief mont of distraction—caught thinking of the warmth and contour of Su Yubing's body, and how it ached for her touch. She forced a polite nod, even as she felt a flicker of mischief behind Su Yubing's mild scolding. "Ahem… Yes, yes, my majesty," Mo Yuxin teased in a low voice ant only for Su Yubing's ears. It earned her a death glare from Su Yubing that silenced her instantly; Mo Yuxin knew all too well what that gaze ant. Better not to push her luck further.
Shen Mingyue sat perfectly still, her dark eyes observing the pair with a knowing half-smile. Without warning, she let out a sudden laugh, soft yet resonant—like a windchi stirred by a distant breeze. That laughter echoed through the still room, causing Mo Yuxin and Su Yubing to exchange glances of surprised delight and curiosity.
From the mont they first encountered Shen Mingyue, she had always seed reserved, almost austere. To see her laugh—genuine, warm, and laced with a hidden amusent—was a rare and fascinating sight. It softened her features in a way few people ever witnessed.
Though she was undeniably middle-aged—no one could mistake the faint lines at the corners of her eyes—Shen Mingyue possessed a tiless beauty that transcended simple definitions. Her skin was like porcelain, unblemished and smooth, with the gentle radiance of moonlight on calm water. The shape of her face was an elegant blend of soft curves and refined angles: high cheekbones that hinted at strength, a slender jawline that tapered to a dignified chin, and a neck that seed almost too delicate to bear the weight of her presence. Her lips were full but held in a neutral, almost regal line until she chose to curve them in that rare, enchanting laughter.
Her eyes were the most captivating of all—dark pools of onyx flecked with sothing ancient, as if they held whole galaxies of mory. In that mont, those eyes sparkled with a playful light, making her appear, for the first ti in mory, vulnerable in a most captivating way. Framing her face, her hair was a glossy black river that flowed past her shoulders, streaked with silver at the temples—an exquisite testant to her years of wisdom and experience.
Mo Yuxin and Su Yubing both felt, in that instant, why Mother Lan had fallen under Shen Mingyue's spell. They had watched Mother Lan's eyes soften and brighten whenever Shen Mingyue entered a room. There was a depth of affection in Mother Lan's gaze that mirrored the adoration of a young woman in love, despite the years that had passed. It was clear that Shen Mingyue loved Mother Lan with an intensity that defied ti, and that the feeling was as fiercely returned.
As the laughter faded, Shen Mingyue's eyes returned to their usual calm, and she addressed Mo Yuxin and Su Yubing in a low, almost longing voice. "Seeing you two like this," she began, her gaze sweeping over the pair with an affectionate warmth, "reminds of the ti when your mother and I first confessed our love to each other."
The very words sprung from Shen Mingyue's lips like a soft sunrise in the dim room. Mo Yuxin and Su Yubing exchanged startled glances, their surprise mirrored in each other's eyes.
Shen Mingyue's quiet statent carried an unexpected weight. Conversion from private recollection to shared revelation always carried consequences. Mo Yuxin's mind whirled with questions. Did Shen Mingyue and Mother Lan—her own mother—truly share such a confession? But Mother Lan had never spoken of her own feelings so openly. And Shen Mingyue's phrasing—so deliberately gentle—made the entire revelation feel ancient, as though it happened long before Mo Yuxin or Su Yubing had entered any of their lives.
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