Something warm was around Ru Yi’s waist when she came to, it tightened when she tried to move away.

In panic she forced her eyes open, only to see Yexue’s face an inch from hers. Her eyes were closed. The only sound in the room was the steady rhythm of her breathing.

She was close. Too close.

Ru Yi’s heart beat a little faster as she stared at Yexue’s serene face. Starting from the perfect arc of her brows, to the gentle slope of her nose, and the long lashes that brushed her cheeks lightly as she slept.

Ru Yi couldn’t stop herself from reaching up and touching her cheek with her index finger. She sighed in satisfaction at how soft and smooth her skin was.

Maybe Shen Lieyin did have a point when she called Ru Yi plain looking. Of course she couldn’t compare to their beauty.

She brushed off the strands of hair that had settled on Yexue’s forehead. She’d never seen her look so gentle...reminding Ru Yi of when she’d defended her at the market.

"Thank you," Ru Yi whispered. For protecting her and for defending her when Lieyin had spoken rudely to her.

Shen Yexue seemed to be the soft one among her sisters. At least there was someone on her side, even if it was for the moment.

Ru Yi tilted her head to get a better view.

It was hard to admit but Yexue was nothing short of perfection. The three sisters look alike, but...Yexue had a softer demeanor to her. She almost reminded Ru Yi of the late princess Lin Yuexin.

Especially those times she had treated Ru Yi with kindness that she wasn’t used to.

Ru Yi sighed and removed her hand, only for Yexue to whine in protest and bury her face in the crevice of Ru Yi’s neck.

"Wha...whattt..." Ru Yi stuttered, unable to form a coherent sentence when Yexue’s hot breath hit her sensitive skin. "You can’t do that," she mumbled.

"Why?" She said in a sleepy voice that Ru Yi never had the privilege of hearing in the past. It made her brain short circuit.

"I...it’s...improper."

"Says who?" Yexue mumbled.

"Me."

Ru Yi tried to stand up but Yexue tightened her hand around her waist, drawing them even impossibly closer.

"Let me hold you a little longer," Yexue said in a pleading tone Ru Yi couldn’t resist. "It’s the only thing that makes sleeping on this floor worth it."

-

-

Ru Yi must’ve drifted back to sleep, because she was alone in the room when she opened her eyes again.

"You’re awake!"

She turned to see Yexue in the hallway.

"I made you breakfast."

Ru Yi looked at her with suspicion. "You made breakfast? Why do I find that hard to believe."

Yexue looked hurt but it lasted for only a second. "I went hunting with Lieyin this morning. There was nothing else in the house."

That explained the warm rich smell of meat that had been roasted over fire.

Ru Yi pushed herself up slowly and accepted the bow Yexue gave her. The sound of stomach grumbling suddenly filled the place.

Ru Yi looked away in embarrassment. "Has Xiao Yi eaten?"

"Huh? Who is that?"

"The little boy, his name is Xiao Yi."

Instead of answering, Yexue crossed her arms over her chest. Her expression was flat. "Why are you always worried about him?"

Ru Yi blinked, caught off guard. "He’s a child."

"And I’m not?" The words came out sharper than intended. Yexue’s jaw tightened immediately after, regret creeping into her face. "Forget what I said."

Ru Yi muffled her laughter so she wouldn’t hurt Yexue’s feelings. "I’m grateful for what you’ve done so far." Her voice turned softer. "But caring about him doesn’t take away from that."

Yexue’s gaze flickered—just briefly, before something in her expression. "Eat before it gets cold," she muttered and left the room.

Ru Yi finished her food and left the room to find Xiao. He beamed at her and nodded when she asked if he’d eaten breakfast.

The triplets were in a heated discussion, but Lieyin looked up and met Ru Yi’s gaze. She opened her mouth as if she was going to say something but closed it and looked away.

Ru Yi went to the kitchen and helped Madam Xiao clean up. "Thank you for breakfast. And for letting us stay."

Madam Xiao gave her a bright smile. "I’m the one who should be thanking you. I don’t think we’d have survived up until this point without your intervention. Even the little...Sorry, Xiao Yi..."

The two of them laughed.

"I’ve never seen him smile or look that comfortable around people. I guess it has to do with the warm way you treat everybody, like they matter."

Ru Yi felt her cheeks start to heat up. "It’s really nothing."

When they were done, Ru Yi carried the bowls to the back of the house, stepping out into the narrow space where water jars were kept.

The air was cooler there. Quieter.

She put the bowls in the big basket Madam Xiao had shown her earlier. The kitchen was small, so most utensils were arranged outside.

Ru Yi knelt slightly, arranging the bowls...when she heard voices at the other side of the house. It couldn’t be the triplets because they were inside, and it certainly wasn’t their voices.

Ru Yi went still when she recognized Madam Xiao speaking, before a deeper male voice joined. There were two of them.

She closed the lid of the basket slowly, before closer to the voices.

That was when she saw two men, one short and the other tall. They were facing Madam Xiao and seemed to be in a heated argument.

The men wore robes that were too clean for people who were traveling through the forest paths.

"You mustn’t tell them," the tall man said, "just hold on for a little longer. All this will soon be done."

Madam Xiao’s face twisted in anger. "Why do I always have to do the hardest part? These people...they’re getting on my nerves! And that damn clueless kid!"

Ru Yi’s breath caught. And in that moment—just for a heartbeat—she felt something wrong. The same cold, creeping sensation she’d felt when she saw the debt collectors about to hit Xiao Yi.

She felt like she was about to pass out.

The other man said something Ru Yi couldn’t quite catch, before they both turned and vanished into the trees.