A Strange Intimacy

Yu Lian held a bowl in one hand and chopsticks in the other. She first picked up a piece of meat, blew on it to cool it down, and then slowly fed it to Yixiya, who had been eagerly waiting with her mouth open.

Unlike Yixiya’s previous rough attempts, Yu Lian’s feeding motions were gentle and careful, always blowing on the food to ensure it was comfortable for the one being fed.

Yixiya, her eyes almost closed with pleasure, squinted and said, “Yu Lian, why don’t you become my personal maid? I’ll pay you well and give you the best treatment in the Yi Manor.”

‘You’re openly poaching someone, and only because the Second Miss isn’t here. If she were, would you dare say this in front of her?’ Yu Lian mused internally.

“Why not?” Yixiya countered as if reading her mind. “Although I like her, I won’t hesitate to compete for what I want.”

“Oh, I didn’t know that… Too bad for you, I’m already hers. Even if I wanted to join you, it’s too late now.”

“Just answer this—do you want to or not? If you really want to, I can ask my mother to intervene. Madam Bai won’t dare refuse her, and Ya’er won’t disobey her mother.”

Yu Lian paused her feeding motion, tilting her head to look at Yixiya with confusion. “Yixiya, I’m curious. Why do I feel like you’re really interested in me? Asking your mother to intervene for me seems a bit… Are you acting strange today?”

“Interested in you? You’re overthinking it. You’re currently my simulated lover, and I’m just pointing out your talent in serving. Many women have interviewed for the position of my personal maid, but they were all eliminated. I wasn’t satisfied with them, but compared to you, they were far inferior. You should be happy to be noticed by me.”

Yixiya lifted her chin proudly, and Yu Lian poked her mouth with the chopsticks. “Are you going to eat or not? If you’re not, it’s your turn to feed me.”

“Ah, I’ll eat, I’ll eat.”

Her pride quickly succumbed to the promise of more food.

Yu Lian felt like she was feeding a kitten. The quiet Yixiya was truly adorable, and when she smiled, it could melt anyone’s heart.

“Yixiya, why are you wearing a black off-shoulder dress today? If I’m not mistaken, your style matches mine, right?”

Yu Lian stared at Yixiya curiously, looking at her exposed shoulders. Was it a coincidence that they both wore the same style and color, or was there something more?

Yixiya blinked playfully. “Wearing the same thing for our simulated relationship makes us look more like a couple, doesn’t it? We might be fake, but wearing the same clothes for practice can help us build rapport. Ya’er will be back tomorrow, and we don’t have much time left.” She motioned for Yu Lian to continue feeding her.

Yu Lian felt even stranger. Was it necessary to go this far? From their first kiss to deep kisses, then bathing together, and now wearing matching dresses. Someone might not believe they were just pretending, as they had done almost everything except the final step.

Hadn’t Yixiya accepted her too readily?

Yu Lian still remembered their first meeting a few days ago, when Yixiya had pinched her arm and called her a fox spirit. How had they become so close in such a short time?

The two didn’t speak further. Yu Lian focused on feeding, while Yixiya concentrated on eating. A subtle, intimate atmosphere began to form between them.

Yixiya stared at Yu Lian without blinking, her eyes seeming to shimmer with vibrant colors. If I hadn’t met Ya’er first, I might have fallen for her. Whether it’s her appearance or the way she treats others, she’s perfect except for lacking a background. She’s excellent in every way, she thought.

“Yixiya, I have something I want to ask you, if you don’t mind…” Yu Lian’s voice brought Yixiya back to reality.

“Go ahead and ask. As long as it’s not too difficult or personal, I’ll answer you.”

Yu Lian hesitated for a moment before saying, “It’s about the Bai Manor.”

“The Bai Manor?” Yixiya was even more curious about what she wanted to know.

“Since there’s a Second Miss, there must be an Eldest Miss, right? But I’ve been here for days and haven’t seen her once. I can understand not seeing Madam Bai, but the Eldest Miss is too mysterious. Even the maids only talk about the Second Miss, never mentioning the Eldest Miss at all.”

The Eldest Miss of the Bai family…

Yixiya raised an eyebrow. So, she was asking about that person. She bit into the chopsticks, finishing the rice on them, and said, “It’s normal you haven’t heard about her, as she left the Bai Manor a long time ago.”

“Left the Bai Manor? Why?” Yu Lian couldn’t understand why someone would leave such a powerful family.

“She went to become a cultivator. When she was young, she had an aptitude test and was found to have talent. She was taken by a cultivation master into a sect for training. She was around seven or eight years old, I think.”

“Seven or eight…”

‘Wow, she started training so early. She must have had exceptional talent,’ Yu Lian thought enviously. When she was human, she had spent a lot of silver on an aptitude test, only to find out she had no talent for cultivation.

“How long has it been since the Eldest Miss left the Bai Manor?”

“About ten years or so. Ya’er is ten years younger than the Eldest Miss and has never seen her sister. Neither have I,” Yixiya whispered, leaning in close. “I’ll tell you a secret—don’t tell anyone—but Ya’er might have been born because Madam Bai missed her daughter so much.”

‘So, the Second Miss was a replacement for the Eldest Miss,’ Yu Lian thought in surprise, covering her mouth. This was a shocking revelation. If the Second Miss knew…

Wait, if Yixiya knew, the Second Miss must know too, Yu Lian thought sympathetically. Calling her a “daughter” was generous, but she was treated more like a standby. No wonder the Second Miss was so eccentric.

“Do you have a younger sister?”

“Heh, I’m the only child in the Yi Manor. My mother dotes on me.”

“Uh…” Yu Lian didn’t want to discourage Yixiya, but she couldn’t help but say, “But you have cultivation talent too. In half a year, you’ll enter the sect. Then your Yi Manor will have no successor. Will your mother give birth to another daughter to take your place?”

Yixiya turned her neck stiffly, looking at Yu Lian. “You… how do you know about me entering the sect in half a year?”

Hadn’t she kept this a secret from Yu Lian?