321: Chapter 321 Don't go! I don't mind playing together.

"Understood." Xu Ruyu nodded, then suddenly changed the subject. "By the way, Sister Qingli, the moonlight is so beautiful tonight, why not stay the night?

Although my place is simple, I can still tidy up a guest room."

Upon hearing this, Lady Qingli's eyes rippled with emotion as she looked at him with a half-smile. "Oh? Just staying the night?"

Xu Ruyu felt a bit uncomfortable under her gaze and gave a dry cough. "What else could there be?"

Lady Qingli let out a chuckle, stood up, and walked gracefully toward the bed. She looked at the motionless figure under the covers and smiled. "This bed was warmed by Little Sister Nianyin, wasn't it?"

Under the covers, Xiao Nianyin's body stiffened slightly.

Lady Qingli reached out, felt the temperature inside the covers, and nodded with satisfaction. "Mhm, it's warm.

Little Sister Nianyin is truly virtuous, even doing something like warming the bed so thoroughly."

Xiao Nianyin bit her lip, wishing she could bury her head deep inside the blankets.

Lady Qingli turned around and said to Xu Ruyu, "Then Sister won't be polite. It just so happens I'm a bit tired tonight, so I'll rest here for the night."

As she spoke, she began to undress.

Xiao Nianyin felt a chill under the covers, followed by a warm and soft body sliding in, bringing with it a faint, delicate fragrance.

Her whole body was rigid; she didn't dare move an inch.

Lady Qingli, however, seemed not to notice her stiffness. Instead, she turned on her side, leaned close to her ear, and laughed softly. "Little Sister Nianyin, don't be nervous.

I've slept in the bed you warmed; aren't you happy?"

Xiao Nianyin bit her lip and remained silent.

Lady Qingli smiled and suddenly raised her voice, saying to Xu Ruyu, "Xiao Yuer, you come over too. Why are you standing so far away?"

Xu Ruyu gave a dry cough and shuffled over, coming to a halt by the bedside.

Xiao Nianyin felt her heart beating so fast it seemed ready to leap out of her throat.

She kept her eyes tightly shut, not daring to look or move, even making her breathing as light as possible.

However, just then—

"Eh?" Lady Qingli suddenly said. "Little Sister Nianyin, are you leaving?"

Xiao Nianyin opened her eyes and realized that, at some point, she had sat up from under the covers and was mechanically putting on her clothes with her head lowered.

She didn't know how she had gotten up; she just instinctively felt that she shouldn't be here.

Lady Qingli looked at her distracted appearance, the smile in her eyes deepening. "Why the rush to leave? Why not stay and play together?"

Xiao Nianyin's hands suddenly froze.

"It's not like you haven't played with Xiao Yuer before."

Lady Qingli added with a beaming smile.

Xiao Nianyin's face instantly turned bright red, the flush spreading all the way to her ears, even dyeing her neck a shade of pink.

She snapped her head up and glared fiercely at Lady Qingli, her gaze looking as if she wanted to skin her alive.

Lady Qingli, however, was not intimidated at all. Instead, she laughed so hard she trembled like a flower in the wind.

Xu Ruyu watched from the side, dumbfounded, his face also feeling a bit hot.

Sister Qingli's words... were too explosive. A scene uncontrollably flashed through his mind—one Dragon and two Phoenixes... cough cough, what was he thinking!

Xiao Nianyin had already finished dressing and jumped off the bed, walking out as if fleeing.

"Stop."

Xu Ruyu's voice rang out from behind her.

Xiao Nianyin's footsteps halted. With her back to him, her body trembled slightly.

"Don't go far," Xu Ruyu's voice returned to its previous laziness. "Sister Qingli will want to wash up later. Prepare some hot water and wait outside at all times."

Xiao Nianyin's shoulders trembled even more violently.

She didn't turn back or answer; she just quickened her pace and practically fled the bedroom.

Behind her came Lady Qingli's low, uncontrollable laughter.

"Xiao Yuer, you're too wicked. Ordering Little Sister Nianyin around like that—who knows how she's cursing you in her heart."

Xu Ruyu shrugged. "Let her curse then; she can only do it in her heart anyway. Besides, isn't this what you wanted, Sister Qingli?"

Lady Qingli smiled without speaking, only giving him a meaningful look.

The night deepened.

Outside Tingquan Residence, Xiao Nianyin stood alone under the corridor, leaning against a cold stone pillar, gazing at the bright moon in the night sky.

The night wind blew past, bringing the sound of the Spirit Spring Waterfall and the chirping of unknown insects in the valley.

It was very cold.

Whether it was the night wind that was cold, or her heart, she didn't know.

She thought of Lady Qingli's "why not stay and play together" and Xu Ruyu's "prepare some hot water and wait outside at all times," and a surge of indescribable shame and anger welled up in her heart.

They... they were inside... while she waited outside? Preparing hot water?

She, Xiao Nianyin, the dignified Saint Realm Sect Master, had actually fallen to this?

But she had no choice.

Leave? Where to? The enemies watching like tigers outside would skin her alive.

Stay? To stay was to endure all of this—to endure being ordered around like a maid, to endure being mocked by another woman, to endure... standing outside, listening to the sounds from within.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to suppress the emotions churning in her heart.

However, just then—

From inside the house, a suppressed yet clear enough sound drifted out.

It was Lady Qingli's voice.

That voice was soft and charming, like a plaintive melody, carrying a heart-trembling rhythm as it penetrated the walls and drifted into Xiao Nianyin's ears.

Xiao Nianyin's body suddenly stiffened, and blood instantly rushed to her cheeks.

Lady Qingli... she did it on purpose!

She intentionally didn't suppress her voice!

Xiao Nianyin bit her lip hard, her hands clenching so tightly that her nails almost dug into her flesh.

She told herself not to listen, not to think, but those sounds were like living things, burrowing into her ears and her mind, stirring up the memories she desperately wanted to forget—

Those nights in Ningyin Hall.

That extreme pleasure that had almost made her lose control...

Xiao Nianyin's breathing became hurried, and her legs felt a bit weak. She had to lean against the stone pillar to barely remain standing.

The sounds inside became even clearer, rising and falling, lingering and soft, like a musical movement overflowing with the essence of spring.

Xiao Nianyin closed her eyes, tears silently falling.

She didn't know why she was crying.

Was it grievance? Shame? Anger? Or... desire?

She couldn't tell.

She only knew that standing here, she was like a joke.

The night wind continued to blow, and the moonlight continued to fall.

Inside, the air was thick with the passion of spring.

Outside, a lonely figure leaned against a cold stone pillar, listening to sounds she shouldn't hear, letting tears dampen her clothes.

The bucket for hot water was still empty.

She had to go prepare it.

They would need it in a while.