After returning to the quiet cave dwelling and washing up, a faint, cool fragrance mixed with lingering moisture filled the stone chamber.
Night had fully fallen. Mt. Aocang sank into a silence far deeper than Liyue Harbor's, broken only by the occasional cry of an adeptal bird outside or the soft rustling of pine branches in the wind.
With the excitement of the day gone, exhaustion slowly crept in. Yi Chen collapsed onto his soft pillow and let out a satisfied sigh.
Turning his head, he noticed that Shenhe had not lain down yet. She was still sitting upright on the other side of the stone bed, staring—unblinking—at his hair.
Yi Chen froze for a moment, then suddenly remembered the promise he had made that afternoon.
"Oh! Right!"
He rolled upright and very consciously leaned his head toward her, even lowering it a bit on his own initiative.
"Senior Sister! Go ahead and touch it! I promised! As long as you want!"
He looked exactly like a big dog voluntarily pushing its head into its owner's hand, sincere and completely unguarded.
Shenhe looked at the fluffy black head he was offering her.
After a brief hesitation, she slowly raised her hand and carefully, gently placed it on his hair.
It was even softer than she had imagined, carrying the fresh, clean scent from washing.
At first her movements were stiff and unfamiliar—just light, repeated strokes, as though handling something extremely fragile.
Yi Chen initially felt a bit ticklish and wanted to laugh, but the gentle, soothing motions combined with the fatigue from the day quickly made his eyelids droop.
He adjusted his posture and turned onto his side, his head naturally resting against Shenhe's thigh, making it easier for her to continue.
He mumbled sleepily,
"Senior Sister… you're pretty good at this…"
Shenhe didn't answer. She simply continued, fingers threading through his hair, feeling the warmth beneath her hand and listening as his breathing gradually became steady and even.
Before long, his murmurs stopped entirely.
Yi Chen had fallen asleep—completely defenseless—right beside her.
Shenhe's movements slowly ceased.
Lowering her head, she gazed at his sleeping face in the faint moonlight seeping through the stone door. He slept deeply, lips slightly parted, looking far more gentle and harmless than during the day.
A hard-to-describe sense of peace—and something like longing—quietly spread through her heart.
After hesitating for a moment, she carefully, silently lay down beside him.
The stone bed wasn't wide. At first, there was still a polite distance between them.
But Shenhe soon realized that merely lying side by side was not enough.
With Yi Chen asleep, the lonely-star baleful energy within her began to stir faintly again, and the strange desire for warmth in her heart went unsatisfied.
She lay still for a while, listening to his breathing.
Then—very slowly, very carefully—she shifted one inch closer to him.
Yi Chen's warmth became clearer. The calming aura that soothed the baleful energy grew slightly stronger.
But… it still wasn't enough.
So, in the long silence, she moved closer again.
And again.
As though drawn by an invisible magnet, she shortened the distance bit by bit—until her arm nearly touched his, until she could clearly feel the comforting warmth radiating from him.
Until she was fully enveloped in that warmth, and the restless baleful energy finally settled completely, subdued like a tamed beast.
Shenhe let out a soft breath, her body at last fully relaxing.
She turned onto her side to face him at close range, felt the warmth he gave without reservation—and slowly closed her eyes.
Morning came with Mt. Aocang's crisp, clean air seeping through the stone doorway.
Shenhe woke on time, guided by her internal clock, rising from a deep, dreamless sleep.
It was the first night in years she had slept without even the slightest disturbance from the lonely-star baleful energy.
She had slept unusually well.
But as her awareness returned, what she felt first was not the usual cold emptiness—
It was warmth.
Close, enveloping warmth.
Confused, she opened her eyes.
The first thing she saw was a mass of soft black hair.
Her gaze moved downward—and she froze in shock.
At some point during the night, she had pulled Yi Chen completely into her arms.
His head rested peacefully against her chest, his face faintly flushed, a suspicious trace of moisture at the corner of his mouth. He looked extremely comfortable.
Shenhe's mind went blank.
Almost unconsciously, she raised her hand again and gently touched his hair, as if to confirm this was real.
And in that same instant, her body clearly sensed—
Below her abdomen, something hot and solid pressed unmistakably against her through the thin layers of clothing.
Her body stiffened violently.
Panicking, she reached down instinctively—
And the moment her fingers brushed against that burning outline, she froze completely.
The next second, overwhelming shame, panic, and crushing guilt crashed over her like a tidal wave.
Shenhe yanked her hand back as though burned, her heart pounding wildly.
Her face, ears—her entire body—felt like it was on fire.
She had… ruined Yi Chen's purity!!!
That thought shattered her composure.
Looking at Yi Chen, still sleeping sweetly and completely unaware, she felt as though she were staring at an innocent youth she had defiled.
Guilt and self-reproach seized her instantly.
Hands trembling, she carefully, gently pushed Yi Chen off her, easing him back onto the pillow, barely daring to look at his peaceful face.
The moment she freed herself, Shenhe sprang up like a startled snowbird and stumbled out of the cave.
The cold mountain wind hit her face, doing nothing to cool her burning skin.
Without thinking, she summoned Calamity Queller and began practicing the most exhausting, most aggressive spear forms outside the cave—almost like self-punishment.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Ten times.
Spear winds howled, leaves and dust swirling. Every move was executed with full force, as though she were trying to expel all the shame, panic, and guilt from her body.
Only after ten full rounds, breathing slightly unsteady and sweat beading on her brow, did she finally stop.
The physical exhaustion dulled her emotional turmoil—but the guilt remained.
She returned slowly to the cave entrance.
Standing outside, looking at Yi Chen still asleep inside, she pressed a hand to her chest.
Her heart pounded—partly from exertion, partly from crushing remorse.
She had ruined her junior brother's purity…
He was so pure, so trusting—and she…
Shenhe stood there, trapped in unprecedented confusion and self-reproach, hardly daring to step inside again.
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