Translated by Novice Translations 

Proofread by Nesryn 

Arc 5: Spring is Coming – 18 

Seize Her Lips 

　　Ke Li instructed A’Da and was exposed to the cold wind in the yard for a while. She felt that her skin was sticky with sweat and was uncomfortable.  

　　 

　　She returned to her room and took a bath. She self-reflected while soaking. Her face was flushed, and she comforted herself: This body was 26 years old and always dressed up as a man. She seldomly contacted people. What’s more, the person in this body is bent into a mosquito coil to the core. At that time, it was normal to have a physiological reaction. After all, it was almost the year of the tiger and wolf.[mfn]Uhh year of tiger and wolf means when a woman is in her 30s no idea why they make it so flowery. Anyways, Ke Li is reflecting on why she was hot and bothered from that staged scene and makes excuses for herself.[/mfn]  

　　 

　　But she couldn’t stop those thoughts. The scene of that fake play on the bed with Xin Tu repeated in her mind, and Ke Li’s face became hot.  

　　 

　　At that time, she was only concerned about being recognized and didn’t feel shy at all. Now when she thinks about it, she was full of shame and couldn’t help but speculate what Xin Tu thought of her. Did she think that she was too dissipated?  

　　 

　　At the thought of this, Ke Li lost all her colorful thoughts. She patted the gradually cooling water surface impatiently. She blamed herself for not thinking of a perfect plan beforehand and even coming up with such a bad idea.  

　　 

　　[This is the typical psychological effect. Host, you’re being too sensitive. Maybe the female lead doesn’t care that much, and you’re the only one that cares.]  

　　 

　　”…” Ke Li didn’t want to talk to Doudou at all. It comes out after an event and makes sarcastic remarks every time. It’s just a fraudulent chicken system. 

　　 

　　She was inappropriately dressed at that time, so it was normal to think too much about it. While Xin Tu was adequately dressed so naturally, she didn’t feel any better.  

　　 

　　[But this is a good phenomenon. As I just saw, the intimacy and favorability values are steadily increasing. It seems that in this world, you need more of this kind of meat…no, spiritual collision.] Doudou once again proved that it was a soybean.[mfn]Word play joke – soy is yellow so it’s a dirty-minded bean that only thinks of r18 stuff[/mfn] 

　　 

　　Collide a ghost! If she does that again, her lower back will snap completely.  

　　 

　　“You can shut up. Don’t come out unless it’s time to come out. Now that you know, bb.”[mfn]bb for slang for bye bye[/mfn]  

　　 

　　[This is what the Minister requested. The further you progress, the system’s sense of existence weakens.] Doudou grieved, [Doesn’t the host notice a problem? Feelings in this world occur spontaneously, it’s similar to those in real life. It’s sweet and bitter, and if feelings arise, it’s engraved in the heart.] 

　　 

　　”…” Ke Li was silent for a moment. She tilted her neck and said, “Are you referring to human-machine sadomasochism? Or do you mean that Xin Tu is the type of person who will develop feelings?”  

　　 

　　[…Maybe.] Doudou said and preformed a perfect escape. 

　　 

　　Ke Li rolled her eyes and carefully pondered about Doudou’s words.  

　　 

　　If the relationship with the female lead is still regarded as a task, then undoubtedly Xin Tu was the most difficult factor in this world. But she had to admit that their relationship was slowly changing.  

　　 

　　For example, she had almost forgotten about the scar on her face from getting along with her these days. Usually, she still held that grudge.  

　　 

　　Ke Li told herself: This is because Xin Tu’s situation is too miserable compared to me. So, this is an illusion.  

　　 

　　”Cough cough…” At this moment, the neighboring room suddenly suppressed the sounds of coughs.  

　　 

　　Ke Li recovered from her thoughts. Her skin was covered with goosebumps from the cold water. She quickly stepped out of the bathtub and briefly wiped her body.  

　　 

　　Suddenly, the appearance of Xin Tu’s red lips appeared in her mind. Ke Li put on her clothes and didn’t even dry her hair before leaving. At that time, she was too anxious about the situation, so she didn’t have time to ask. She forgot about it until now.  

　　 

　　There was a cold wind outside with only a crescent moon in the sky.  

　　 

　　Ke Li deliberately walked slowly. The closer she got to Xin Tu’s room, the sounds of suppressed coughing noises there were. It sounded very uncomfortable as if she wanted to cough up everything in her chest cavity.  

　　 

　　Ke Li felt that there was fine sweat on her palms. Like a thief in the night, she even restrained her breathing, making it lighter, and slowly approached Xin Tu’s door. However, just as soon as her ears were close to the door, she heard Xin Tu’s weak voice: “Who’s outside?”  

　　 

　　Ke Li was dumbfounded for a while. She hesitated momentarily, then pushed the door open.  

　　 

　　The moment when the door opened, Ke Li saw Xin Tu’s expression change from vigilance to surprise. Then finally, she was a little…flustered. Her face was pale, and her lips were bloodless.  

　　 

　　Ke Li didn’t say a word but quietly sat beside Xin Tu. Her hair was still dripping with water, and the droplets trailed down her fair neck. Along with Xin Tu’s silence, this scene was very strange.  

　　 

　　After waiting for about a stick of incense being burned, Xin Tu still didn’t speak. So, Ke Li spoke. Her voice didn’t fluctuate, but her clenched hands betrayed her feigned calmness.  

　　 

　　”Why didn’t you tell me?” 

　　 

　　Xin Tu looked up at Ke Li, then reached out to place the loose hair behind her ear and answered, “I hurt myself.” 

　　 

　　“What?” Xin Tu’s answer was incongruous. Ke Li had a difficult time understanding. Just a moment ago, Ke Li roughly thought of words to use for this occasion, but it wasn’t needed. The next moment, her eyes collided with Xin Tu’s deep eyes and asked, “Where did you hurt yourself?”  

　　 

　　“Here.” Xin Tu said and opened her lapel, pointing at the wound that just been bandaged. Then continued as if nothing happened: “Didn’t you always wanted to know how I got the wound on my shoulder? Do you still want to know?”  

　　 

　　“Why…how could it be?” Ke Li looked at Xin Tu’s wound, and her mind was blank for a moment. She thought Xin Tu was abused by Guan Lixian. She even thought that the wound would be similar to having the pipa bone being pierced on TV. But she never thought that Xin Tu caused this self-inflicted wound.  

　　 

　　“Why not? I’ve always been cruel and ruthless. I’m the devil that everyone wants to kill.” Xin Tu’s tone was very flat. “Senior martial sister’s temperament has always been fickle. I stabbed myself, then jumped into the deep pool. Thus, cutting off those fickle thoughts she had.”  

　　 

　　She said it lightly like the clouds. But Ke Li knew that the situation wasn’t so simple. Ke Li was greatly surprised when she suddenly put her cold hand on her face and stroked the scar.  

　　 

　　”…” Ke Li’s whole body was still, and even her breathing stagnated. She looked up at Xin Tu and saw that she held her body close to herself. She subconsciously backed away but listened to Xin Tu’s whisper, “Now that I’ve tasted that same feeling you had when you were once trapped, but…”  

　　 

　　Ke Li felt her face became crisp and numb, especially the scar that was rubbed by Xin Tu’s fingers. Her eyes shook with tears, and she reached out to grab Xin Tu’s hand on her face. It was cold to the touch, but it was as thin as a bone.   

　　 

　　“But your situation is different from mine. We were originally enemies. It was natural for me to imprison you.” After that, Xin Tu retracted her hand without hesitation and turned her face away from Ke Li, as if the tenderness just now was an illusion.  

　　 

　　With an empty palm and the residual temperature on her face, Ke Li touched her face awkwardly and muttered to herself, “So, if you were given another chance, you will still kill me, right?”  

　　 

　　The person on the bed was silent for a long while and didn’t answer, leaving her with a desolate back. Ke Li just dropped her hand and looked at Xin Tu’s shoulder. She didn’t forget about her purpose of visiting, but she always felt that everything she had done might have been sentimental.  

　　 

　　Ke Li stood for a moment, then remembered what Doudou said. She couldn’t help but remind herself that this was just a mission world. How could it be like real life? Doesn’t the system just want intimacy? I just did that with her.  

　　 

　　Xin Tu laid motionlessly as if she was asleep while Ke Li stood quietly beside the bed. Her seaweed-like hair was still dripping, and soon her clothes became wet.  

　　 

　　After a while, she felt that there were still people in the room. Xin Tu’s eyebrows slightly wrinkled and was about to turn around. Suddenly, Ke Li’s emotionless voice sounded in her ear, “I heard A’Da say yesterday that the Emperor is suddenly in critical condition recently. He summoned famous doctors from all over the world to come to the capital. Congratulations on fulfilling your wish.”  

　　 

　　Xin Tu’s hand under the quilt suddenly clenched into a fist, and her closed eyes slowly opened. Her eyes were full of killing intent. After a few deep breaths, she said, “You can leave now.”  

　　 

　　“Don’t forget that this is my place.” Ke Li said and took off her clothes and wiped her hair until it was dry with her clothes. Now her body was exposed, but she wasn’t afraid of being seen by Xin Tu.  

　　 

　　Xin Tu naturally heard Ke Li taking off her dress, but before she could stop her, Ke Li dived into the bed and held her slender waist from behind.  

　　 

　　Her waist was suddenly encircled, and Xin Tu’s pupils slightly shrank. She struggled subconsciously, and coldly said, “Release me, leave!”  

　　 

　　If it was in the past, Ke Li’s life might have been endangered, but now Xin Tu was a lobster without claws.  

　　 

　　Ke Li didn’t let go. Instead, she forced Xin Tu to face her, pinched her face, and said, “Is your throat itchy? You’re coughing again, right?”  

　　 

　　”…” Xin Tu closed her mouth and didn’t speak, but her face slowly turned red. Her throat felt like it was being brushed by feathers with a salty liquid rising.  

　　 

　　Ke Li gazed at Xin Tu’s cheek for a while. When she saw that she was still unwilling to speak, Ke Li suddenly leaned over and seized her lips. Xin Tu’s eyes were wide open, and Ke Li stretched out her tongue and licked her. Then she quickly withdrew and smacked her lips and said with some concern: “It’s the taste of blood.”  

　　 

　　“It’s none of your business!” Xin Tu said and turned away from Ke Li. Her face was tense, but there was a suspicious and familiar red flush. 

　　 

　　”…” Although it was for the sake of business, Ke Li thought that afterwards she would be slapped and yelled at. She didn’t expect to get a light punishment.  

　　 

　　Combined with Xin Tu’s current response, Ke Li had 10,000 reasons to believe that Xin Tu was definitely awake during that “big white bear pillow” incident.  

　　 

　　At the thought of measuring cup size in her dream, Ke Li was immediately terrified.  

　　 

---

Author’s Notes:  

Still attacking today. 

Maybe none tomorrow. 

But today the author is still diligent  

Tomorrow I will be too (Give me more credit than Ke Li)[mfn]This note is talking about her releases…lol[/mfn]