A Shattered Reality

Mu Xi’s pretty face instantly turned deathly pale, devoid of any color, as if she had lost all vitality. Her eyes were filled with panic and confusion.

“No, this isn’t real…”

Her vermillion lips trembled uncontrollably, her voice shaking with disbelief. “This absolutely isn’t real…”

The incident with Bingning and Zhang Xiaocha had been a complete accident. Moreover, Bingning wasn’t the kind of person who indulged in such pleasures.

A flicker of hope crossed her eyes as if she had just realized something. “It must be that the love poison in Bingning’s body hasn’t been completely removed yet! That’s why she’s acting like this with Zhang Xiaocha again…”

“Yes!”

“It must be like this! It must be like this!” Her lips parted slightly as she murmured the words repeatedly.

Yet, a deep-seated unease grew wildly within her heart, like rampant weeds. Her fingers trembled, and her breathing became rapid and heavy.

Her steps faltered, and she stumbled precariously towards the stone cave.

Simultaneously, a surge of spiritual energy enveloped the Jade Glaze Celestial Robe, instantly making it cling to Mu Xi’s entire body like a living entity. In the blink of an eye, her form became ethereal, until she vanished completely.

Inside the stone cave,

With every step Mu Xi took, the moans grew clearer in her ears.

“Mm-hm~”

“Mmm~”

…

Each groan struck her heart like a heavy hammer.

‘Bingning, you said you would always stay with me…’

‘Mm… you like me… and you also disliked Zhang Xiaocha…’

‘So…’

‘So, this must be an accident too! Bingning, right…?’

‘Bingning…’

Her eyes were hollow and lifeless, tears streaming down her face. Strands of hair, damp with tears, clung messily to her cheeks as she stumbled along.

She didn’t know how much time had passed, but her vision seemed to be subtly veiled by a thin gauze, and mist spread around her.

Within the mist, two graceful figures appeared faintly.

“Mm-hm~”

“Xiaocha~ Xiaocha~”

…

The sounds of intimacy continued in her ears, short and urgent.

Then, she saw:

Not far away, on the cold, hard stone bed, Zhang Xiaocha lay peacefully asleep, her dark hair fanned out like a waterfall. Luo Bingning sat kneeling, her arms wrapped around Zhang Xiaocha’s parted legs. Their bodies were pressed tightly together, their warmth silently merging through their skin.

Her eyes were filled with tenderness, her face flushed crimson. Strands of hair on her cheeks were damp with sweat, clinging messily to her skin, and her body trembled incessantly.

Her slender fingers slowly traced the curve of the other’s inner thigh, gently caressing, her breath rapid and chaotic. “Xiaocha~”

“Xiaocha~”

“Mm-hm~”

“Xiaocha… you’re amazing… I’m all red there…”

“Mhm~”

A soft sound escaped her slightly parted lips, like a low sob, or perhaps the unintentional release of long-suppressed pleasure, her voice broken and intermittent.

As she spoke, she slowly leaned down and embraced the still-sleeping Zhang Xiaocha. A bead of glistening sweat slowly trickled down her slender, jade-like neck, creating a wet stain on Zhang Xiaocha’s chest.

Luo Bingning’s throat bobbed, and her breath hitched suddenly.

Suddenly,

Her vermillion lips parted slightly, and she slowly leaned down to the skin as white as mutton-fat jade, gently licking away the damp mark…

Mu Xi’s steps were chaotic and unsteady, her body swaying uncontrollably like a withered leaf fluttering in the wind. She finally leaned, powerless, against the cold stone wall.

Her trembling hands rose to cover her mouth tightly, as if to suppress the surging grief within her, preventing even a single sob from escaping.

The corners of her lips twitched violently, filled with despair and sorrow.

‘How could this be… How could it be like this…’ Mu Xi was utterly shattered, her gaze fixed on the swaying figure on the stone bed, her eyes brimming with despair and disbelief. Her body swayed precariously, as if the cruel reality would strike her down at any moment.

‘Bingning wasn’t poisoned by love?! Could it be…’ Her thoughts tangled like a chaotic mess, and a conjecture she refused to acknowledge grew wildly in her heart like a vine.

‘Bingning actually fell in love with Zhang Xiaocha? No! That’s not right…’ Her hands clenched tightly into fists, knuckles white, nails digging deep into her palms, yet she felt nothing.

‘Bingning loves me so much, how could she fall in love with Zhang Xiaocha after only one intimate encounter?’

‘It must be Zhang Xiaocha who seduced Bingning! Yes! It must be!’

Mu Xi suddenly lifted her head, a hint of viciousness flashing in her eyes, as if she wished to tear Zhang Xiaocha to shreds. Her teeth were clenched, and her narrow eyes glared fiercely at the unmoving Zhang Xiaocha on the stone bed, filled with boundless hatred and jealousy.

‘Ahhh… You damned slut! You’ve been snatching Bingning from me since we were children!’

‘You hogged all my time alone with Bingning!’

‘And you constantly played tricks on me, making me look foolish in front of Bingning!’

‘You despicable vixen!’

Tears welled in her eyes, yet she stubbornly refused to let them fall. Her body trembled slightly, and the pain in her heart, like a surging tide, completely engulfed her.

She desperately wanted to tear off her Jade Glaze Celestial Robe and rush to Luo Bingning’s side to embrace her. However, just as her fingers were about to touch Luo Bingning, she abruptly pulled them back.

‘No…’

‘If I do that, what about Bingning?’

‘She would be utterly mortified…’

Her gaze fell once more upon the two bodies pressed tightly together on the stone bed, only to hear the ambiguous moans: “Xiaocha~”

“Mmm~”

…

In that moment, her tears flowed like a bursting dam, large drops rolling uncontrollably down her cheeks. In mid-air, they collided with the beads of sweat that danced wildly behind Luo Bingning from the intensity, then dripped onto the stone bed, spreading into wet stains.

As if scalded, she abruptly turned her head away, her hair clinging messily to her cheeks, her arms hanging limply.

She stumbled, her figure like a flickering candle in the wind, leaning weakly against the stone wall in the corner.

‘Bingning…’

‘Why…’

‘Didn’t you despise her?’

A faint silver glow struggled to penetrate the mist, falling before her. She instinctively looked up, only to see the moonlight passing through her own body and casting onto the stone wall behind her. She stared blankly, lost in thought.

She didn’t know how much time had passed, but the movements on the stone bed gradually ceased. Mu Xi, her eyes hollow, numbly lifted her head and stared blankly at Luo Bingning.

Mu Xi sobbed silently.

After a long moment,

She rose, stumbling towards the stone bed. Gazing at Luo Bingning’s flawless back, a bitter smile touched her lips.

‘Finally,’

‘Is it over…?’

She slowly leaned down, gently pressing her face against Luo Bingning’s hair, which cascaded like a waterfall behind her. Her movements were exceedingly tender, fearful of disturbing the sleeping figure. The hair was soft and silky, carrying a familiar fragrance.

She closed her eyes, caressing it greedily, just as she had done long ago…

Memories of the past replayed in her mind like a revolving lantern.

On the bed, they embraced each other tightly.

“Mmm~ Bingning, don’t be so stingy, alright? It’s just a little rub, at most, I’ll let you touch my hair too~”

“So fragrant~” As she spoke, Mu Xi pressed her cheek against the soft hair, gently caressing it.

“Ah! Xixi, you!”

…

‘Only,’

‘The person by her side now just isn’t me…’

Tears once again gushed from her eyes, hot drops falling onto Luo Bingning’s hair, soaking a small patch.

She spoke blankly: “Bingning…”

On the stone bed,

The previously sleeping Luo Bingning suddenly opened her eyes…