A Bedtime Story and a Birthday Surprise

“Thump, thump, thump.”

“Master, may I come in?”

“Yes, please do.”

Click. The door creaked open.

Feiluo, clad in crimson cat-themed pajamas and clutching a pillow embroidered with a fiery phoenix, stepped into Moxi’s room.

Moxi wore identical cat-themed pajamas, though hers were pure white.

Leaning against the headboard, she was engrossed in a book, reading with evident pleasure.

Upon seeing Feiluo enter, she offered her disciple a gentle smile and shifted over, making space.

Patting the already-warm covers, Moxi beckoned Feiluo. “Come into bed.”

“Okay~”

Feiluo, still clutching her pillow, launched herself forward in a headlong dive, landing squarely on the bed and causing the mattress to sway violently.

“…Honestly, try to be a little gentler.” Moxi rubbed Feiluo’s small head with a helpless smile.

“Hehehe.” Feiluo giggled foolishly, rubbing her head against Moxi’s lower abdomen. Then, she lifted the covers and burrowed deep into the warmth.

As she settled into the bed, Feiluo was greeted by a delightful fragrance. It was Moxi’s unique scent: cool, elegant, fresh, and subtly sweet. The fragrance was faint, yet instantly recognizable. It seemed to be the scent of lily of the valley.

Feiluo nudged her small head out from under the covers, not resting on her own pillow. Instead, she snuggled closer to Moxi, laying her head upon her master’s pillow.

Sensing the movement beside her, Moxi gently pulled the pillow further over, ensuring Feiluo had ample space to rest.

“Master, Master, what are you reading?” Feiluo asked with a curious tilt of her head, observing Moxi’s focused gaze on the book.

“A novel.” Moxi tilted the book, displaying its cover to Feiluo.

“Even if Transformed into the Demon Lord’s Daughter, Lord Qingluan Will Never Yield!”

“Master reads novels? I thought you weren’t particularly fond of them?” Feiluo recalled the scene from earlier that afternoon when her master had carried her in a princess carry.

“Doesn’t my dear disciple love reading novels and comics?” Moxi said, turning a page. “To have more topics to share with my dear disciple, of course I should read more.”

“Wuwu~ Master~” Overwhelmed with emotion, Feiluo embraced her master’s slender form, pressing her cheek against Moxi’s and rubbing vigorously. “Master is the best master in the entire world! It’s truly wonderful to be Master’s disciple!”

Moxi simply smiled, remaining silent.

“Master, can I read this novel with you?”

“Of course.” Moxi wrapped an arm around Feiluo’s shoulders, their heads leaning together, while the book floated suspended in the air by a small spell.

“Hahaha~ This Qingluan is such a loser!” After reading for a while, Feiluo burst into laughter, pointing to a passage in the novel. “How can someone be raised as their enemy’s daughter for so many years before remembering their true identity?”

Moxi glanced at the passage Feiluo was pointing to:

[“You abominable Demon Lord, to transform me into this state and humiliate me so!”]

[“I’ll kill you a thousand times! It still wouldn’t be enough!”]

[The Demon Lord playfully lifted Qingluan’s chin with a forefinger, a mischievous smirk gracing their face.]

[“My dearest obedient daughter, have you forgotten? You were the one who initiated things yesterday!”]

[“Who was it that clung to my arm, saying, ‘Mother, please don’t leave tonight’?”]

[“And who was it that couldn’t help but burrow into my embrace at the sound of thunder?”]

[“…That was all because I hadn’t awakened my memories yet! The current me would never act like that!” Qingluan’s bravado faltered, a hint of guilt in their tone.]

[“Is that so? So you mean you don’t want to sleep with Mother tonight?” The Demon Lord’s expression was one of feigned disappointment.]

[“No!” Qingluan blurted out instinctively, then instantly flushed crimson as they realized what they had said.]

[“Th-th-this… you… I…” Gazing at the Demon Lord’s playful smile, Qingluan was utterly flustered and incoherent.]

Moxi withdrew her gaze, turning to Feiluo with a knowing smile. “Indeed, my dear disciple would certainly never be like that, would she?”

“Of course not!” Feiluo proudly lifted her chin.

Moxi gently stroked her small head, smiling without a word.

Time slipped by, marked only by the rustling of turning pages.

Feiluo yawned, rubbing her tired eyes.

“Are you sleepy?” Moxi asked.

Feiluo nodded, her eyelids drooping and battling to stay open.

“Then let’s sleep.” Moxi closed the novel and extinguished the spiritual lamp above the bed with a flick of her finger.

Darkness enveloped the room, with only the moonlight from outside offering a faint glow.

Feiluo drifted into slumber, her breathing even and deep.

Watching Feiluo’s peaceful sleeping face, Moxi sighed softly. “I hope my dear disciple won’t despise me after she recovers her memories.”

“If she could just become a little more tsundere, like in the book, that would be wonderful.”

As she spoke, she paused, then let out a helpless, self-deprecating laugh. “To think I’ve actually started to become anxious about gains and losses.”

Moxi leaned down and gently pressed a kiss to Feiluo’s forehead, a tender smile gracing her lips. “I believe my dear disciple would never hate her master, right?”

Though her words were a question, her tone was resolute.

“Good night, my dear disciple.”

“Chirp, chirp, tweet…”

Feiluo woke to the sound of birdsong.

She sleepily peered at the morning sunlight streaming through the window, then burrowed deeper into the covers. Not even her head remained visible.

‘Ten more minutes of sleep,’ Feiluo thought silently to herself.

Just as she was about to drift back into dreams, the door opened, and Moxi’s voice drifted in.

“My dear disciple, time to get up! The sun’s already hitting your butt~”

Moxi walked to the mound of covers, nudged it, and said, “We’re going outside the sect today, you know.”

“Outside the sect?!”

At these words, Feiluo instantly snapped awake. She flung off the covers, looking at Moxi with surprise and delight. “Really?”

“Of course, really.”

Moxi nodded. “I heard from the other sect elders that a cake shop opened by North Islanders has arrived at the market at the foot of the sect mountain.”

“Tomorrow is your birthday, my dear disciple, so we can go reserve a birthday cake today.”

“Yay!” Feiluo cheered.

“So, what are you waiting for? Go change your clothes and eat breakfast. If we go too late, we might have to queue. That shop is very popular!”

“Yes~”

Feiluo bounced off the bed and dashed towards her own room.

Having changed and eaten breakfast, Feiluo skipped merrily out of her dwelling.

Behind her, Moxi followed unhurriedly, holding a crimson oil-paper umbrella.

Moxi looked up at the bright sun. “What a beautiful day.”

“Master! Hurry up!” Feiluo’s call echoed from the distance.

“Coming!” Moxi replied, quickening her pace to catch up.