Just as Sylvia was secretly celebrating inside, the Master Diviner's mood was utterly foul at that moment.
She'd really gone and believed Tingyun's nonsense!
This was what she called a 'minor side effect'??
If not for the tolerance she'd built up over years of enduring the pain between her long-life species heritage and the Third Eye, she'd have lost control long ago.
Even so, Fu Xuan's face was flushed crimson, her body slick with sweat, her eyes glazed over. She was teetering on the brink of losing all self-restraint against this tidal wave of pleasure.
'No, I can't go on!'
'If this continues, I definitely won't be able to hold back. I must stop Sylvia!'
These two sentences looped frantically in Fu Xuan's mind, but no matter how much she emphasized them, her arms and legs had already betrayed her, twitching helplessly to the rhythm of Sylvia's massage.
Her jaw was clamped shut, not daring to relax even a little. She was terrified that the moment her lips parted, the sounds trapped in her throat would come surging out uncontrollably.
So, in this state, Fu Xuan had absolutely no way to subtly signal Sylvia to stop.
Even more terrifying was the thought that Qingque was still in the room, less than three meters away.
She didn't dare imagine what would happen if she made those sounds in front of Qingque, or if Qingque saw her in this state.
Would she completely lose her composure?
'Hold it in, I must hold it in!!'
Scolding herself internally, Fu Xuan tilted her head slightly, revealing a sliver of her face, and stole a glance in Qingque's direction.
She needed to confirm whether Qingque was buried in her work or, anticipating this very scene, was already watching her for amusement.
--+--
Meanwhile, Qingque.
Her ears had picked up the sounds of Sylvia starting the massage.
But quite some time had passed, and the Master Diviner hadn't made a single sound?
'That's not right...'
'Is the Master Diviner really that incredible?'
Yesterday, just a few light squeezes on her calves from Sylvia had nearly made her explode on the spot.
The Master Diviner had been receiving the massage for so long now, yet not even a heavy breath?
'It doesn't make sense. No matter what, it shouldn't be like this.'
'Oh no... I really want to see what the Master Diviner looks like right now.'
'This damned curiosity of mine!'
Qingque, who had thought she'd be squirming from hearing strange noises, was now squirming precisely because she couldn't hear any strange noises.
'Is Sylvia messing with me? Maybe the Master Diviner isn't even getting a massage? Maybe they're just pretending, and actually keeping an eye on me?'
'Should I look?'
'Should I... take a tiny peek?'
Qingque pressed down on the documents in her hands, her heart tangled in knots.
In the end, however, curiosity won out.
'Just one glance!'
'I'm just confirming whether Sylvia is actually working seriously or not.'
'Yes, that's all! Just checking her work!'
Pumping herself up with these internal chants, Qingque finally mustered her courage. Pretending to reach for the teapot to refill her cup, she turned her body and swiftly twisted her head back for a fleeting look.
And then—
Qingque was 'fortunate' enough to lock eyes with Fu Xuan's tear-filled, desperate gaze in a moment of intense, silent communication.
"—!!!"
"?!?!"
That one look contained a universe of meaning. If Fu Xuan hadn't been immobilized, she would have surely leaped over and started pointing fingers right in Qingque's face.
That one look also sent a violent shiver through Qingque. Her legs jerked instinctively, launching her and her chair into the air. After a complete somersault mid-air, she came to a screeching halt on the floorboards.
The commotion made Sylvia's hands freeze mid-motion.
She stared in horror at Qingque, who had somehow suddenly taken flight and now lay sprawled on the floor, completely baffled.
"Qingque? What, what are you doing???"
Sylvia was dumbfounded. One moment everything was fine, the next, someone was performing aerial acrobatics.
'Is this how Divination Commission staff usually work?'
But Sylvia's pause offered Fu Xuan a desperately needed respite.
"Haaah…"
Sprawled on the bed, her body still twitching, Fu Xuan finally managed to unclench her jaw and let out a long, shaky exhale.
'Qingque!!!'
Fu Xuan felt like she was about to explode with fury.
In all her life, she had never experienced such a humiliating moment.
The key point was that Qingque had seen it.
She didn't need a mirror to know how utterly disgraceful her expression must have been moments ago.
Just the thought of it made Fu Xuan's head steam, her cheeks and neck burning fiercely.
'Things have come to this.'
'There's nothing for it. Qingque will have to be the sacrificial lamb.'
As the distraught Master Diviner lay face down, questioning all her life choices, she was already meticulously planning the remainder of Qingque's life in her mind.
"Eek—"
A sudden, inexplicable chill ran down Qingque's spine as she tried to get up, making her shudder and collapse directly into Sylvia's arms.
Her face buried itself into Sylvia's deceptively modest yet surprisingly ample chest.
Flustered, Qingque lifted her head, looking left and right, trying to pinpoint the source of that ominous feeling.
'Was someone secretly plotting against her?'
Qingque racked her brains but couldn't figure out who she might have offended lately.
As Sylvia steadied her by her exposed shoulders, helping her stand straight, Qingque finally managed an awkward laugh:
"Just… a sudden muscle spasm, haha. Please, continue, don't mind me…"
"…"
Sylvia looked at the scratching, embarrassed Qingque with deep suspicion. 'Are you really okay? First, a backflip out of nowhere, then you nearly face-plant just now.'
"Really fine? Maybe you should visit the Alchemy Commission later?"
"Ah? Oh, oh, yes, yes. I will, I will. You continue, please." So saying, Qingque scrambled back to her desk, vowing internally that she would never look back again, even if it killed her.
And at that moment…
Fu Xuan, still lying on the bed, had initially intended to call a halt to everything immediately.
But suddenly, she noticed that as the strange, overwhelming sensations faded, her body was flooded with an incredibly comfortable relaxation. Years of accumulated fatigue seemed to blow away in an instant. Fu Xuan felt a lightness in her body she hadn't experienced in ages.
Even the perpetual pain from the Third Eye embedded in her forehead had lessened noticeably.
Her face still flushed, Fu Xuan's eyes widened in astonishment.
'The effects… are actually this good??'
Fu Xuan was tempted. If she could get a massage like this periodically, significantly relieving her fatigue, she could work even more overtime and handle more affairs.
It was just that the side effects were… were really!
But the thought of giving up such benefits made her reluctant.
After a fierce internal struggle, Fu Xuan finally reached a decision.
Just as Qingque had settled back at her desk, bent over her work, Fu Xuan's voice rang out clearly:
"Qingque, since you are unwell, I grant you special permission to visit the Alchemy Commission now. You may complete today's unfinished work tomorrow."
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.