The dropped Cake

Liu Renqing inclines his head. As soon as he’s gone, I sigh, because all those emotions have to go somewhere. Well, I did ask him to bring me here, but he’s behaving like he’s my husband already. Maybe I can use that… No, I have to use that. But first, before he can return, I need to change. The clothes on the bed look soft and made for sleeping. I thank Liu Renqing for his foresight. The Huoyun Sect uniform is utilitarian. The only decorations are silver threads in the bracers and a decorative, red cord around the belt with several pendants. Though… I reach up and find some ornaments in my hair. It takes a while to untangle myself and I take care remembering how everything is put together so I can actually dress myself again in the morning.

I take so long, in fact, that I hear something fall behind me. Liu Renqing is standing in the doorway with a small tray, from which a small cake has dropped to the floor.

“Murong-shimei…”

I quickly wrap the robe around me, not wanting to scandalise the poor man with my naked back for too long. I turn back to Liu Renqing, who is standing in place, eyes closed. With measured steps I walk over and pick up the small cake. It smells sweet. I bite into it, waiting for him to open his eyes. It’s endearing, the way he’s frozen completely. I take the moment to look at him properly, noticing the faintly shimmering pattern on his neck. Interesting. I lean closer while munching on the cake. It’s fish scales! Just barely there, iridescent in the right light. How beautiful!

“Shimei? Are you done?”

I look up to see him stare at me, so close we could kiss, if the tray wasn’t between us. I clear my throat.

“Yes. Sorry.”

Liu Renqing walks around me and places the tray on the table, then points at the cake in my hand.

“That was on the floor, right?”

“Mhm,” I say, taking another bite.

“You shouldn’t eat that.”

“Why?”

“It’s dirty.”

“Are you calling my room dirty?”

“No…”

“Then let me eat it.”

Liu Renqing takes a deep breath.

“You really must be feeling unwell. You’re usually not this disagreeable.”

I shrug. I’ll be as disagreeable as I please. The Murong Zhiyu in the drama was actually very sassy, she just seldomly let it show. For most of the narrative only her closest friends saw her how she really was. I see no reason to hide myself like she did. Maybe my two problem men will fall out of love with me and find each other instead.

“So, Feng Yu? How did you get away from him?” I ask as I join him at the small table.

“His older sister came to collect him for making too big of a fuss in the middle of town,” he answers with a smirk. “She even dragged him away by his ear. I wish I could see his face when he has to explain himself to Feng-laoban.”

Of course it’s schadenfreude rearing its head, but I have yet to see a bigger smile on Liu Renqing’s face than when talking about Feng Yu. Maybe there’s hope after all.

“I think you two could be good friends.”

Liu Renqing looks at me like I suggested he eat the table. At first. But then his eyes dart somewhere, nervously, and his expression changes. It’s thoughtful, almost sad.

“You keep insisting on that,” he mumbles. “Why?”

What? Murong Zhiyu did? That wasn’t in the drama! In fact, she seemed to enjoy playing them against each other. And that was the main reason the drama never had a large fanbase, since everyone disliked her character so much. She was manipulative, often revelling in their fights, without ever choosing one over the other. Still, they kept chasing her and in the end she chose the one with better survivability. So she wasn’t actually like that?

“For starters, you have the same, misguided taste,” I say and gesture to myself, which actually elicits a laugh from Liu Renqing. His features soften for a moment, the ever-present scowl disappearing.

“That’s the main reason we can’t be friends.”

“You realise that’s stupid, right? If that’s the only reason, then nothing is actually stopping you.”

“Drink your tea.”

I accept the offered cup and take a sip. There’s sweetness in it, clearly added to counter the bitterness underneath. I drink the whole cup, as his stare urges me on. Then I accept another.

“It wasn’t me who stopped,” Liu Renqing says into the silence. “Feng Yu told me he doesn’t want to disappoint a friend by taking a girl away from him. He decided to stop being a friend then, so that won’t happen.”

Liu Renqing’s gaze is distant. He shakes his head, then looks at me with some emotion I really can’t place.

“I should go. You need to sleep.”

He turns away, but I grab his wrist.

“But he still took something. He took your best friend.”

Liu Renqing’s eyes widen, and just for a moment I think he’ll say something, but then anger descends over him and he growls as he rips his hand from my grasp.

“That’s none of your business,” he pushes out from between clenched teeth.

“If you really want me to choose you, it is my business, since I won’t be turning a blind eye to my husband’s emotions.”

My words hit him like a visible punch. As quickly as the anger had flared up, it dies down, and he flees the room without saying another word.