Xin Yi was having the weirdest dream.
She was back in her old apartment, standing in front of her bathroom door. But every time she tried to open it, the door turned into a giant soap bar that smelled like lavender. And there were cats. So many cats. Black cats. Tiger cats. Snake cats?
Wait, snakes aren't cats—
In the real world, Xin Yi was sprawled across a pile of soft leaves in Mo Yan's guest chamber, snoring softly. Her hair was a disaster. Her mouth was slightly open. One arm dangled off the sleeping platform.
She looked absolutely ridiculous.
And Qing Lin thought she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.
The Snake King sat cross-legged on the floor beside her sleeping platform, his emerald eyes tracking every rise and fall of her chest. He hadn't moved in two hours. Hadn't blinked much either.
He was on guard duty.
Not because anyone had asked him to. Not because there was any real danger in the heart of Mo Yan's fortress.
