Night had fallen, and the temple was washed in a gauzy layer of moonlight. The tall pagodas stood straight against the sky, their contours lit.
Ruo walked up the steps of one particular pagoda with springy steps. She was humming as she walked, and the darkness didn't bother her the slightest—She was an Awakened, and they had clear vision at night.
She soon reached a winding corridor inside the pagoda and saw a closed sliding door. Humming to herself, she opened the door and stormed into the room. As she had expected, a woman was meditating near the window of the room, looking down at the world.
A mischievous smile adorning her lips, she soundlessly closed the door and walked on tip-toes to the side of the woman. She whispered into the woman's ears, "Oh my princess, your Han Li has arrived."
The woman had goosebumps all over her body and opened her eyes.
"Argh, Ruo, I've told you so much not to do that..." she said irritantly and flopped onto the tatami floor. Ruo was a bit surprised; the woman's face was pale.
Ruo herself looked pale, but this woman used to look olive. "Wenyu, what happened to your face? You haven't been around for a while—haven't seen you since Big Sister Liyue's wedding."
The woman was Shin Wenyu, Monk Hen Shin's disciple.
Shin Wenyu blinked, feeling her heart ache, before she smiled.
"Nothing. I watched the wedding from here—rain, clothes made of fire, it was grand. Liyue looked amazing, too."
Ruo sulked. "We had amazing food down there, too. My Mother Yue made us some as a treat after Liyue and Han Li entered their room—I wanted to share some with you. You said you liked meat after all; it would have been funny to see the reaction of the monks as they see you eat meat."
Shin Wenyu sighed. Ruo sat down beside her on the floor and squinted out at the window.
Looking out through the window, she could see the sight of the temple ground outside, and it was amazing. She whistled at the moonlight-bathed pagodas and small buildings, monks, and some of her Big Sisters that she could see from here.
They were like ants. Heh.
Ruo shrugged. "Maybe just go to his room when nobody is around and lock the door, then strip? I doubt he would reject you if you are proactive enough."
Shin Wenyu stood up and walked to her bed. Then jumped into it.
"I don't want that kind of relationship, Ruo. I am a pure maiden who has her own wishes."
Ruo rolled her eyes. "'Urges' would be a better term than 'wishes.'"
"You won't realize it till you fall in love yourself." Shin Wenyu hugged a pillow and looked at it longingly. "Don't you see his eyes when he looks at Liyue or his Mother? That's what I want, too. If I ask, will your Mother Yue also adopt me as her daughter?"
Ruo grew defensive. "Don't you dare involve her in your stupid pursuit. I would help you otherwise, but I am out if you try to use my Mom in something like that."
"Why?" Shin Wenyu smiled. "So you do feel jealous about some things, my dear friend. You don't want another person to be considered your Mother's daughter, do you?"
Ruo looked at her with scorn. "Mom considers Liyue as her daughter too. Don't put me in the same class as you. I don't feel such reasonless envy or jealousy—this young mistress is an enlightened person."
"Enlightened..." Shin Wenyu couldn't help but feel guilt rise up within her. "My master must be so disappointed in me... I fell in love, I grew my hair, I even eat meat now. I am such a bad person. No wonder Brother Han doesn't want me."
Ruo smiled and stood up. "Well, something interesting happened today. Maybe you should try to be more proactive now—Han Li would soon leave the temple."
Shin Wenyu paled and sat up. "Leave?! Why?!"
"Not 'Why?' but 'Where?'" Ruo jumped out of the room and ran down the pagoda. Her voice echoed in: "He spoke something with Monk Hen Shin. The old baldie agreed that he would help Han Li use Teleportation for once. If he leaves, I'll probably leave with him, too.
"I would like it if you were with me, so go and try to kiss him or something, I am rooting for you. And don't go tonight, as he is busy with something with Hua Feilan and Hua Yu."
Shin Wenyu was left in a stupor. Then, she bit her lips.