Behind the Mask - Chapter 21
Chapter 21: The Plan
Chu Ye fell onto the bed, Bai Ning's waist in her arms. A sharp, piercing pain made her release Bai Ning's lips for a moment, but she quickly resumed kissing the woman in her embrace.
Bai Ning lay atop her, wanting to ask if she was in pain, but her lips were captured once more. Unable to speak, she could only respond with equal depth.
It was a fiery, passionate kiss, a give-and-take of lips and tongues, an unrestrained outpouring of emotion.
"Ugh—" The wound had split open. Holding Bai Ning's upper lip between her own, Chu Ye let out an involuntary grunt of pain.
Bai Ning stopped at once. As she regained her composure, she saw that Chu Ye's forehead and the tip of her nose were beaded with cold sweat. Her face was pale, save for her lips, which were flushed red from their kisses.
Chu Ye gasped for breath.
"Does it hurt?" Bai Ning asked softly. Besides her external wounds, Chu Ye's internal injuries were also severe. The physician had repeatedly stressed that she needed to be extremely careful. But this... this was far too reckless.
Chu Ye gave a weak smile and shook her head, trying to act strong.
"You're breaking out in a cold sweat from the pain, and you're still smiling."
Chu Ye looked at Bai Ning's lips. Enduring the pain, she tried to kiss her again.
But Bai Ning moved away.
"Don't move around. Be careful you don't open your wound again," Bai Ning said softly. Not daring to risk any more, she carefully shifted off of Chu Ye.
But Chu Ye didn't want any distance between them. She snuggled into Bai Ning's arms, hugging her limply, with what little strength she had.
Bai Ning's heart ached. She stroked Chu Ye's hair and whispered, "Just focus on healing. Get well soon."
Chu Ye murmured groggily, "I'm a martial artist. I'll recover quickly."
Bai Ning gently pinched the bridge of her nose. "Mm."
This small, affectionate gesture made Chu Ye's heart bloom with joy. Lacking the strength for anything else, she simply stared at Bai Ning, unable to get her fill.
Bai Ning smiled and moved a little closer, letting her get a better look.
Held in Bai Ning's arms, Chu Ye grew drowsy again. The medicinal soup she had drunk contained a large dose of calming herbs that induced sleep.
Bai Ning watched her drift off.
"A'Ning." Every day, Chu Ye would murmur her name in her sleep.
Bai Ning held her closer.
Leaning on Bai Ning's shoulder, Chu Ye mumbled in her sleep, "When... will you leave with me? I'll take you away... let's go back to Xizhou... all right?"
There she went again. Bai Ning gently smoothed Chu Ye's hair and whispered, "Soon. As soon as you've recovered, we'll go."
Half-asleep, Chu Ye mumbled, "Don't just humor me..." Her voice trailed off, and she fell silent.
Once Chu Ye was sound asleep, Bai Ning gently lifted the arm draped over her waist and prepared to get out of bed.
Despite how light her movements were, Chu Ye's eyes fluttered open.
"Where are you going?" Chu Ye asked, holding fast to Bai Ning's hand.
Bai Ning looked back at her and smiled. "I'm going to the temple to pray for blessings today. I might be back late."
"Pray for blessings?"
Bai Ning replied, "Mm."
Chu Ye blinked languidly. "How late will you be?"
Bai Ning leaned in close, cupping Chu Ye's face and coaxing her gently, "It won't be too late. If you're tired, just get some rest. I have to leave now."
Hearing this, Chu Ye only tightened her grip on Bai Ning's hand, unwilling to let go.
Bai Ning found Chu Ye's pouting, roguish expression utterly adorable. She leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. "Be good."
Chu Ye took the opportunity to kiss the corner of her mouth before finally letting go.
Chu Ye remained alone in her room until evening. A young maid brought her meals and medicine on schedule, but she couldn't say when Bai Ning would return.
After taking her medicine that evening, Chu Ye grew drowsy as usual, but she would jolt awake every time she drifted off.
Her eye kept twitching, making her feel agitated and uneasy. She began to worry about Bai Ning. Why wasn't she back yet?
Did she really go to the temple to pray?
And the marriage proposal from the Minister's Manor—could it really be rejected so easily?
Chu Ye couldn't shake the feeling that Bai Ning was hiding something from her, that things weren't as simple as she'd made them out to be.
The sky grew completely dark.
Forcing herself to stay awake, Chu Ye leaned against the headboard, waiting for Bai Ning to return. Why did she have to be so seriously injured at such a critical time? As she was now, she had no way to protect Bai Ning.
It was late at night when Bai Ning finally returned.
"Miss, can you still walk?" Nuan Hua supported Bai Ning, her nose red and her voice thick with tears.
"Don't cry," Bai Ning chided, then added, "And you are not to tell Ye'er what happened today. Do you understand?"
Nuan Hua nodded, muttering, "If Miss Chu knew, her heart would ache so much for you."
"She's in very poor condition right now. You mustn't say anything to her."
"Mm."
The room was still brightly lit.
Chu Ye had waited for so long that she couldn't stay awake, and had fallen asleep leaning against the side of the bed.
"Why aren't you lying down to sleep?"
The moment the familiar voice reached her ears, Chu Ye's eyes snapped open. Bai Ning was back. Without a word, she pulled the woman before her into an embrace, only then asking, "What took you so long?"
"Didn't I tell you to rest early?"
Chu Ye looked at her. "I can't sleep when you're not here."
Bai Ning couldn't help but smile. "You're getting more and more clingy."
Chu Ye felt a little embarrassed. She got a clear look at Bai Ning's face. "What's wrong? You look so pale."
"Do I?" Bai Ning lowered her head to straighten Chu Ye's clothes, saying nonchalantly, "Perhaps I just caught a bit of a chill today. It's nothing."
Chu Ye took Bai Ning's cold hand and cupped it in her own to warm it.
Bai Ning let her.
"Ye'er."
"Mm?"
"I've already spoken with my mother. In a couple of days, once you're able to walk, we'll go back to the Bamboo Manor. I'll stay with you while you recover."
"Really?" Chu Ye's face lit up. She missed the Bamboo Manor terribly. The flowers she and Bai Ning had planted in the courtyard must be in full bloom by now.
Bai Ning looked at her, her eyes smiling. "Are you happy?"
"I am!"
Chu Ye recovered fairly quickly. By the fifth day, she could get out of bed and walk around, though riding a horse was still out of the question.
They took a carriage to the Bamboo Manor.
The carriage moved slowly, but it still swayed. Worried that Chu Ye might feel unwell, Bai Ning had her lean against her. It had always been Chu Ye taking care of her in the past; now their roles were reversed.
Chu Ye stayed close to Bai Ning's side, then quietly reached for her hand, slipping her fingers between Bai Ning's until they were tightly interlaced.
Bai Ning smiled silently and squeezed her hand in return.
Their long, slender fingers intertwined, a tender, lingering touch.
A sense of peace settled over Chu Ye. She could hold Bai Ning's hand just like this and go see the snows of Xizhou.
A gentle breeze lifted the curtain, and Chu Ye gazed out the window. As the carriage passed the familiar bamboo forest, her expression darkened. She thought of Chu Lan and Chu Hu.
Why?
She didn't understand why her brother and sister had treated her that way.
In her moment of despair, they had only driven her deeper into it.
The memory of that day's deception resurfaced, and a wave of sadness washed over her. She had trusted them so completely, had seen them as her family, but...
She was angry, and she was hurt.
"What is it?" Bai Ning noticed Chu Ye's brow furrow. "Is your wound hurting again?"
Chu Ye looked up at Bai Ning, then silently wrapped her arms around her waist. With a pitiable expression, she closed her eyes and burrowed into Bai Ning's embrace, seeking warmth and comfort.
Bai Ning gently stroked her back, guessing she was thinking of Chu Lan. "Are you missing your Elder Sister?"
Chu Ye shook her head stubbornly. "I never want to see Elder Sister again. She was the person I trusted most in the world. I never imagined she would lie to me."
Though Chu Ye's words were harsh, Bai Ning could hear the sorrow in her voice. "I don't think your Elder Sister knew. I sent someone to ask her several times, and she was also frantic with worry, having heard no news of you."
Hearing Bai Ning's explanation, Chu Ye was taken aback.
"Ye'er."
"Mm."
Bai Ning looked down at her with a smile. "No matter what, I am here with you."
The warmth that flooded Chu Ye's heart made her want to cry. Bai Ning was so gentle. And she knew that whatever A'Ning promised, she would always fulfill.
"A'Ning, how did you convince them to break off the engagement?" Chu Ye wondered. It was surprising that the Bai Manor was willing to let Bai Ning leave at a time like this.
"You want to know?"
Chu Ye nodded.
"I told my mother that if she forced me to marry another, I would shave my head, become a nun, and retreat into a monastery for a life of peace. They can't very well demand someone back from a holy place." Bai Ning smiled, relieved. "That was my original plan, in fact."
Chu Ye's expression changed, her face flushing with alarm. "You can't! If you became a nun, what would I do?"
Bai Ning smiled, caressing her cheek and gazing at her intently. "Of course, now I couldn't bear to become a nun."
Chu Ye declared with reckless abandon, "If you become a nun, I'll become one with you. No matter what, I have to be with you."
Bai Ning paused. Looking at Chu Ye, a faint blush crept onto her cheeks. She leaned close to Chu Ye's ear and teased ambiguously, "A monastery is a place of purity, free of all worldly desires. I'm afraid it couldn't accommodate the two of us."
Chu Ye understood her meaning. If they became nuns together...
The image of them tangled in bed, enjoying the pleasures of the flesh, made Chu Ye's breath catch and her cheeks burn. When they were together, their actions had absolutely nothing to do with being free of desire.
Bai Ning laughed. "What are you thinking about? You're blushing."
"Bai Ning!" Chu Ye cried out, flustered. Perhaps because it had been so long since they had last been intimate, the mere thought of it made her feel feverish. But her injuries were severe, and the physician had repeatedly instructed her to rest quietly.
Bai Ning drew out her words, "It's just..."
Seeing that Bai Ning was holding back, Chu Ye pressed, "Just what?"
"Right now, all of Jingzhou is abuzz with the news. Everyone knows I rejected the proposal from the Minister's Manor and am intent on joining a monastery. In the future, I'm afraid no man will dare to marry me," Bai Ning explained.
So that was it. It was all part of her plan. She had used the Minister's Manor's aggressive proposal to make sure everyone in Jingzhou knew.
Chu Ye gazed at Bai Ning, a brilliant, captivating smile spreading across her face. She squeezed Bai Ning's hand and said in a bold tone, "They may not dare, but I do."
Bai Ning's heart skipped a beat. Staring into her eyes, she asked, "What is it you dare to do?"
Chu Ye hugged her tightly, a hint of shyness in her voice as she spoke again. "A'Ning, I'll marry you. How does that sound?"
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