Chapter 3
The night grew deeper, yet the snow showed no sign of stopping.
The Ji Residence remained as bright as it had been during the day. Candles burned in every courtyard, casting warm light across the sprawling estate until it looked like a city that never slept.
When Song Yi returned to her secluded corner of the manor, even the light seemed dimmer.
The flowers and plants in her courtyard had long since withered. It was impossible to compare this place to Ji Yan’an’s courtyard, which remained filled with rare blossoms and exotic greenery even in the middle of winter.
Still, everyone had grown used to it.
The maids passing by Song Yi’s courtyard rarely spared it a second glance. Within the grand and magnificent Ji Residence, hers was perhaps the only place shrouded in gloom.
Jinxi remained silent. After entering the courtyard, she immediately began preparing hot water for Song Yi’s bath.
Without a word, Song Yi ushered her outside.
The meaning couldn’t have been clearer.
I don’t need anyone serving me.
Having run headfirst into a wall, Jinxi merely pursed her lips and gave up trying to insist. She stood by the door and waited.
Meanwhile, Ji Yan’an was far too restless to stay put.
After thoroughly exploring her own courtyard, she couldn’t stop herself from wondering just how shabby the little courtyard described in the novel really was.
If she wanted to go, she’d go.
After tidying herself up, Ji Yan’an stepped out.
Most of the household servants were currently attending the guests gathered in the main hall for the celebration, so few idle maids remained. Yet because of Ji Yan’an’s status, a small crowd of servants still stood outside her courtyard awaiting orders.
Since Jinxi had been sent to look after Song Yi, a newly arrived young maid nervously stepped forward.
“M-Miss… the roads are slippery in the snow tonight… W-where are you going?”
Ji Yan’an glanced over.
The maid was unfamiliar—a round-faced girl in a peach-pink jacket and skirt. Her adorable bun-like face was filled with anxiety.
Strange. Is the ‘white moonlight’ character setting really that intimidating?
Even while grumbling inwardly, Ji Yan’an smiled.
“I’m going to visit Miss Song’s courtyard. I know she’s still awake. She just saved my life, after all. It’s only right that I go see her.”
The maid looked stunned that the young lady had spoken so gently.
Her eyes immediately brightened.
“Then… let Leyan accompany you, Miss!”
Leyan’s eyes sparkled with anticipation, innocent as a fawn that had never known the hunter’s pursuit.
Ji Yan’an found herself liking the girl’s straightforward nature. Compared to the worldly and calculating Jinxi, Leyan was far more pleasant.
She nodded readily.
“All right.”
Taking only Leyan with her, she headed out.
“The rest of you are not to follow.”
There was no way Ji Yan’an would allow her visit to the heroine to become the talk of the household.
The key was subtlety.
Leyan, meanwhile, looked utterly flattered and became even more attentive as she led the way.
“Miss? What brings you here?”
The moment Jinxi saw Ji Yan’an, shock covered her face.
Ji Yan’an, however, was too busy feeling a lump in her throat.
So this…
This was the heroine’s residence?
The side rooms of the courtyard had broken windows. The interiors were cluttered with discarded odds and ends.
The place was even more dilapidated than a woodshed.
Only the main room was barely presentable. At least its furnishings were intact, and the windows weren’t broken.
“…Song Yi has been living here this whole time?”
Even though she’d already read the descriptions in the novel and thought she was mentally prepared, the reality hit differently.
Walking from her own luxurious courtyard, decorated with gold and jade, into this place made the contrast painfully real.
When Song Yi had first arrived at the Ji Residence, Ji Yongning had cared for her attentively—nearly raising her as his own daughter. He had even given her Plum Garden as a residence.
But Song Yi’s personality had been withdrawn and proud.
Over time, Ji Yongning had grown tired of his kindness being met with indifference. Eventually, he stopped caring altogether and left her to fend for herself in the back courtyard.
Jinxi hesitated before saying,
“After Miss Song stole the coral jade that Noble Consort Liu had gifted to the Master, she was moved here. Miss… have you forgotten?”
The moment those words left her mouth, Ji Yan’an realized she had been careless.
Damn it.
If I keep slipping up like this, won’t I get exposed sooner or later?
While hurriedly trying to cover her tracks, she escaped Jinxi’s questioning by practically fleeing into Song Yi’s room.
“Miss!”
Jinxi’s eyes widened.
She could only watch helplessly as Ji Yan’an rushed inside.
“Miss Song is still bathing—!”
Ji Yan’an had just breathed a sigh of relief after escaping the interrogation.
Before she even had a chance to inspect the room, the sound of water reached her ears.
Following the noise, she stepped behind a folding screen.
And froze.
Before her was a smooth, bare back.
Long black hair cascaded down like silk, darkened by water.
Ji Yan’an’s mind went completely blank.
How did I forget she was bathing?!
Song Yi still hadn’t noticed anyone behind her.
With graceful fingers, she scooped up water and let it run over her arm.
Near the upper right side of her snowy-white back was a vivid cinnabar mole.
Like a red plum blossom blooming against untouched snow.
The tiny mark adorned her flawless skin with startling beauty.
Ji Yan’an stared.
And stared.
Her throat suddenly felt dry.
All she could do was swallow.
“Who’s there?”
Song Yi finally sensed another presence.
Her sharp, icy voice instantly dragged Ji Yan’an’s wandering soul back from the heavens.
Panicking, Ji Yan’an spun around.
“I—I—I wasn’t trying to peek at you bathing!”
The words burst out before she could stop them.
Silence followed.
A long silence.
Ji Yan’an was about to apologize again when she heard movement behind her.
When she turned back, Song Yi was already fully dressed.
She was kneeling before her.
“Greetings, Eldest Miss.”
Still as cold as ever.
The way Song Yi looked at her was no different from how she might look at a stranger.
Not the slightest ripple disturbed those calm eyes.
For some reason, staring into them left Ji Yan’an feeling powerless.
As though any words she offered would be pale and meaningless.
Song Yi’s heart seemed like cold ashes.
Something long extinguished.
Something nearly impossible to reignite.
“Song Yi…”
Ji Yan’an tried softly.
Song Yi obediently acknowledged her with a nod.
And then…
Neither of them knew what to say.
To escape the awkwardness, Ji Yan’an helped her to her feet and began looking around the room.
Aside from lacking valuable antiques and porcelain, the room wasn’t terrible.
Except for one thing.
There was no brazier.
In weather this bitterly cold, Ji Yan’an couldn’t imagine how Song Yi endured it.
Even bathing required nothing more than a folding screen for privacy. There wasn’t even an extra room available.
Gradually, Ji Yan’an’s eyes grew damp.
She pulled her fur-lined cloak tighter around herself and walked over to Song Yi.
Without giving her time to react, she grabbed her hand.
Cold.
Far too cold.
Not remotely like the hand of someone who had just finished bathing.
If Ji Yan’an hadn’t witnessed it herself moments ago, she would have thought she was holding a block of ice rather than a human hand.
“Miss shouldn’t hold it.”
Song Yi quietly withdrew her hand from Ji Yan’an’s grasp.
“My hands are cold.”
She even took a step back.
Ji Yan’an frowned.
This is terrible.
The heroine is already keeping her distance from me right from the start.
If I want to survive, I need to cling to this future powerhouse! I need to raise her favorability!
Having made up her mind, she seized Song Yi’s hand again.
“Beauty—”
The word slipped out.
Ji Yan’an immediately corrected herself.
“Uh, Song Yi! You saved my life. How can you keep living in a place like this? Besides, I know you were framed back then. How about this—you can move into one of the side rooms in my courtyard!”
After all, if she wanted to increase her presence in the heroine’s life, the first step was living closer to her.
Besides, even the side rooms in Ji Yan’an’s residence were a hundred times better than Song Yi’s current accommodations.
No matter how she looked at it, Song Yi wouldn’t be losing out.
Ji Yan’an had assumed Song Yi would readily agree.
Instead, Song Yi expressionlessly raised a finger and pointed at her nose.
“You…”
A brief pause.
“Your nose is bleeding.”
Ji Yan’an froze.
The room fell silent.
Only then did she realize something warm was slowly trickling down from beneath her nose.
The image of Song Yi’s bare back flashed through her mind again.
The red mole.
The wet black hair.
The pale skin.
And the blood immediately started flowing even faster.
