The candle flame danced erratically, casting long shadows that clawed at the cottage walls.
Nan Si chewed her candied haws with blissful abandon, the sticky red glaze glistening on her lips like forbidden dew.
Shen Jue sat beside her, transfixed, his thumb absently brushing a stray strand of her new crimson ribbon away from her cheek.
His touch was feather-light, as if he were afraid a sudden movement might shatter this fragile peace.
'92 affection? Baby, we aren't just cooking; we're hosting a banquet!' Nan Si's mental voice whirred with delight.
'But that Moonflower tip—the Heroine thinks it's tea? I need to get my hands on it before she brews away Jue Jue's cure.'
[Ding!
Side Mission: "The Innocent Alchemist."
Tomorrow, secure a lead on the Moonflower from the village apothecary.
Reward: Antidote recipe snippet + Affection surge.
Warning: The Emperor's spies are moving closer.]
'Accepted. My Jue Jue deserves the best.' Nan Si leaned heavier into his shoulder, her head lolling in a feigned, adorable yawn. "Husband... Si Si'er sleepy. Story time?"
Shen Jue's gaze softened until the coldness was entirely gone, replaced by an intensity that made her heart skip a beat.
Without a word, he scooped her up in a princess carry. She gave a tiny, playful squeak of mock protest, burying her face in the crook of his neck.
He smelled of old ink and cold mountain air, a scent she was beginning to find dangerously addictive.
He settled on the narrow bed, tucking her against his chest like a precious treasure.
His voice, low and velvet, began to weave a tale. He spoke of a "Lone Wolf" in a distant land, a prince who lost his pack and walked through fire to find his way home.
It wasn't the full truth of his life, but the echoes were there—betrayal, cold steel, and poisoned moons.
Nan Si listened, her eyes half-lidded, her fingers tracing the patterns of his robes.
'Blood Reversal ties to the moon cycles,' she noted. 'Matches the Moonflower name. Perfect.'
As the story faded, she looked up at him, her eyes bright and earnest. "Husband... strong wolf. Si Si protect you. No bad moons allowed."
Shen Jue's breath hitched. In his life of shadows and blood, no one had ever promised him protection.
His hand cupped her face, his thumb grazing her lower lip.
"Silly girl," he whispered, though his eyes betrayed the lie.
The possessiveness in his gaze flared, laced with a vulnerability that made her breath catch.
---
Late that night, after Nan Si's breathing had evened out into the rhythmic pace of sleep,
Shen Jue's expression turned into a mask of lethal frost. He stood up silently, his movements fluid and ghostly.
Stepping out onto the porch, he didn't look at the stars.
Instead, he reached into his sleeve and ignited a small, black-smoke flare. It hissed into the night.
Within minutes, five shadows dropped from the trees, kneeling in the dirt.
"Young Master," they whispered in unison.
"Search for Shadow One," Shen Jue commanded, his voice a low, terrifying growl. "He has overstepped. Bring him to me."
It didn't take long. Shadow One was dragged into the clearing, his face pale behind his mask.
Before the guard could utter a single excuse about "the dynasty."
Shen Jue moved. Two swift, brutal strikes echoed through the woods.
Shadow One let out a muffled scream as his meridians were severed. His martial arts—the pride of his life—were gone in an instant.
"Lock him in the capital dungeon," Shen Jue ordered, looking down at the man with utter disdain. "He is no longer a guard; he is a prisoner. I will deal with him when I arrive in the capital for the Scholar's Competition."
He then turned to the remaining guards. "Find the Miracle Doctor. Search every valley. I want a cure for my wife's... condition."
His heart tightened as he thought of Nan Si's "vacant" eyes. He loved her lively spirit, but he wanted her to have a choice, to be whole.
"Shadow Two, from this moment on, you are her shadow. If a fly bothers her, you die."
Shadow Two, though confused by the Young Master's obsession with a "simple" village girl, bowed low. "I obey."
---
The next morning broke with a deceptive, golden calm.
Shen Jue rose early to scout the village perimeter, leaving Nan Si with a chaste but electric kiss on her forehead that left her toes curling under the blankets.
The moment he vanished, Nan Si sprang up.
"Simpleton mode: activate!"
Baby listened to his host dialogues and felt she was simply a drama queen.
She donned her brightest skirt and tied her hair in bouncy pigtails, skipping toward the village apothecary.
The shop was a ramshackle hut reeking of dried roots.
Old Man Wei, the herbalist, squinted at her. "Eh? Little fool? What brings you here?"
"Pretty herbs for Husband!" Nan Si chirped, batting her lashes with exaggerated innocence.
She began "accidentally" knocking over jars, her sharp eyes scanning every label.
In the chaos, she spotted a faded scroll tucked behind a jar of wolfsbane:
*Moonflower Essence—rare lunar bloom. Counters Qi reversal. Last traded in the Capital's underbelly.*
'Jackpot.' She grabbed a small sample vial of "fever weed" that smelled suspiciously like the Moonflower's description and tucked it into her sash.
After "apologizing" with a bright, silly smile and a few copper coins, she skipped back home, narrowly avoiding the curious stares of the villagers.
As she hopped back arguing with baby inwardly, Nan Si didn't realise that a venemous pair of eyes were following her.
---
That afternoon, the door creaked open. Nan Si was sitting on the floor, hiding the vial behind her back as Shen Jue walked in.
He looked tired, his brow furrowed with the weight of his coming journey.
"Husband!" she chirped, launching herself at him.
He caught her, but his eyes were serious. "Si Si, listen to me."
He sat her down on the bench, his hands holding hers. "The Scholar's Competition is in the capital. I must go. It is my... my path."
He paused, his heart aching at the choice he had to give her. "Will you come with me to the big city? Or... would you rather stay here, where it is safe and quiet? I can leave money with the headman. You wouldn't have to worry. After everything will be completed, I will come back."
Nan Si froze.
The "safe" option was a trap; if she stayed, the plot would swallow him whole.
Her eyes suddenly reddened.
She didn't have to act this time—the thought of him leaving her behind felt like a physical blow.
Big, round tears welled up and spilled over her cheeks.
"Husband... don't want Si Si?" she sobbed, her voice small and broken. "Si Si is bad? Si Si will be quiet! I'll be a good mouse! Don't leave me in the cold..."
Shen Jue panicked instantly. He had faced armies without blinking, but the sight of her tears shattered his resolve.
He pulled her into his lap, wiping her cheeks with frantic, clumsy thumbs.
"No, no! Don't cry, please," he pleaded, his own heart breaking. "I want you. I always want you. I only feared for your safety. If you want to go, we go together. We will never be apart."
Nan Si buried her face in his neck, her sobs turning into soft, triumphant snuffles. 'Success. The capital won't know what hit it.'
[Ding!
Affection value: 88!
Darkness Value: 60.
Mission Complete!
You've secured your place by the villain's side.]
Shen Jue held her tighter, his eyes turning toward the window.
The capital was a den of vipers, but as he felt Nan Si's warmth, he knew he would burn every palace to the ground before he let her shed another tear.