Chapter 27: Confession

“…What do you think?” Jiang Ci rolled her eyes. She wanted a basin of water over Yi Ke’s head to sober her up.
The cold outside woke Yi Ke a little.
At the apartment door Yi Ke couldn’t find her keys for ages. Jiang Ci had to knock.
The door opened fast. Bai Yanci leaned in the frame, surprised. “Jiang Ci?”
Then she saw Yi Ke drunk beside her and understood—helpless at once.
After thanks she carried Yi Ke to the bedroom.
They’d shared the room these past nights, but with Yi Ke drunk she thought of last time and didn’t dare stay.
She turned to leave—and Yi Ke caught her sleeve.
“Sister, don’t go.” Yi Ke murmured. “I’m so thirsty…”
She sighed. “There’s no winning with you.”
She went to the kitchen for water, helped Yi Ke sit up, and fed her.
After water the little tyrant still wouldn’t let go—arms around her, same as last time.
“Sister,” Yi Ke asked suddenly, “do you think I’m pretty?”
She meant it: “You’re very pretty.”
Yi Ke was beautiful—mature features, purple hair faded now but still striking.
Among the moon palace immortals she wouldn’t lose.
Yi Ke said again: “Then why won’t you look at me?”
Only then did she realize she’d been avoiding Yi Ke’s eyes.
Yi Ke didn’t press. She gripped her sleeve, eyes closed, asleep with a smile on her lips.
She eased her sleeve free and finally dared look at Yi Ke—something unnamed beating in her chest.
Deep night. Bai Yanci, who usually slept like stone, lay awake. All night she turned it over and decided she had to find somewhere else to stay.
These days at Yi Ke’s side, feelings she shouldn’t have had begun to grow.
Yi Ke was lively and quick—words half joke half truth—but kind to everyone. All this time she had been accepting Yi Ke’s care.
Setting aside that this love ran against custom and rule—if Yi Ke learned of it, wouldn’t that put her in an impossible place?
She packed simply and glanced at the roses on the table in full bloom—Yi Ke’s gift.
Only a freebie from buying art supplies, yet she treasured them.
Yi Ke heard movement outside and rushed to the door. She’d drunk so much yesterday—surprising she wasn’t dead asleep.
She’d meant to slip away in the night. That was impossible now.
“Sister, where are you going?” Yi Ke asked.
“I’m leaving.” She didn’t dare meet Yi Ke’s eyes—only a soft answer. “Ke-ke, thank you for everything these days.”
After the words her gaze rested on Yi Ke—from hair to brow to lips…
She couldn’t look longer. Something would break.
In that blink Yi Ke used her ability and appeared at the door, catching her sleeve. “Sister—you’ve stayed with me this long. You think you can walk off that easily?”
Yi Ke was close. Warm breath on her neck. She pushed Yi Ke back on instinct.
The feeling she’d been forcing down only burned hotter. Her heart hammered like it wanted out of her chest.
She looked away—then the pink roses on the table pulled her gaze.
The apartment was full of Yi Ke everywhere.
Wherever she looked, she couldn’t hide the love in her heart.
Yi Ke wasn’t pleased.
Bai Yanci pushed her away? She wouldn’t swallow that hurt. She’d done nothing wrong—why push her?
She looked up and saw the blue spiritual flame on Bai Yanci’s shoulder.
In the dim room it blazed—like it lit a flame in her too.
Alcohol dulled reason. What remained was pure want.
Bai Yanci didn’t dodge. She used it and pressed closer: “Since you’re here, you’re not leaving.”
In her head a fire burned away the last hesitation.
Another step—almost flush against Bai Yanci.
“Sister.” Drunk haze in her eyes. “Don’t look at the flowers. Look at me. Aren’t I prettier than flowers?”
Bai Yanci still didn’t dodge.
If she didn’t dodge… at least she didn’t hate it?
So close she saw herself in Bai Yanci’s eyes—breath tangled—noses barely touching.
The last safe distance vanished.
Then she kissed her.
Sister’s lips were cool—moonlit rose with dew—but soft.
She wanted to hold this forever.
She didn’t want Bai Yanci to stay the lofty Lord Bai of the moon palace. She wanted this moonlight at her side, this gentleness hers alone.
Once decided, whatever Bai Yanci felt now, she would never let go.
Forever.
When Yi Ke leaned in, Bai Yanci’s mind went blank.
She was kissed, dazed—and didn’t pull away at once. She closed her eyes and let the terrible mistake continue.
If this were a beautiful dream, let her never wake.
She could only—only deserved—to drown in dreams.
If this were real… how could she face herself?
Suddenly she woke from the warmth and pushed Yi Ke back, voice cold: “Yi Ke, do you know what you’re doing?”
Her face was calm. Inside, waves crashed and a fire burned, about to consume her.
A long moment before she dragged her thoughts back and played calm: “Ke-ke, you’re drunk. Go rest.”
“Bai Yanci, I know exactly what I’m saying.” Those eyes held stars, precious, fixed on her. “From the day I fell for you I knew this would come. I’ve been ready a long time.”
Yi Ke’s gaze burned on the one she loved as everything pent up poured out:
“I’m an orphan—no father, no mother, nowhere to belong. Mu Wenxin only used me; she never loved me. I’m not asking pity—I’m telling you no one has the right to interfere in my life.”
Bai Yanci’s eyes were dark. She tried to speak; Yi Ke cut in.
“I know the moon has endless rules. I’m not moon people.” Seeing Bai Yanci still frozen, she stepped closer, took her hand, pressed close again. “I don’t care about the world’s eyes or a short lifespan. I only care what you feel for me.”
Somewhere the sun had risen. Dawn through the window fell on Bai Yanci—otherworldly, snow that shouldn’t touch earth.
“Is this truly what you want?”
“Yes. Ask a hundred times—you’ll get the same answer.” Her hands cupped Bai Yanci’s face. “So sister—can you answer my feelings? You like me too, don’t you?”
Under Yi Ke’s assault, Bai Yanci finally broke.
In that dizzy moment, perfect reason was impossible. In an instant she was routed by the purest tenderness in the world.
What did the world’s eyes matter? What did moon rules matter? She had been trained by rules for a thousand years—she had wanted to shake them off long ago.
No matter how she ran, the moon’s mark stayed on her. She could never cut it clean.
Love was how she spoke freedom.
Her first step.
She followed the deepest voice, swore an oath, and spoke the promise slow: “I, Bai Yanci, swear—my heart will beat only for you. The term is forever.”
Yi Ke’s heart jolted. Forever from an immortal’s lips was solemn—and Bai Yanci had given it just like that.
Her life to Bai Yanci was a passing cloud. A hundred years from now—how could she let Bai Yanci waste a lifetime on her?
Bai Yanci had read her worry. She smiled, shook her head, and still answered this love with weight: “Ke-ke, you’re in my heart. When all this ends—when I can return to the moon palace openly—I will marry you properly and make you my wife.”
“All right.” Yi Ke smiled, half teasing, and touched her rabbit ears. “Then sister… will you still call me Ke-ke?”
Only then did Bai Yanci notice her rabbit ears had slipped out.
When emotion ran too high, her shapeshifting failed and showed part of her true form.
“Honestly.”
Bai Yanci sighed—and suddenly seized Yi Ke and pinned her to the wall.
Her move wasn’t gentle—force that wouldn’t be refused—and she kissed her lover deep.
Not a test. A taking.
When suppressed feeling finally broke free, it wouldn’t stop.
Her kiss was fiercer than Yi Ke’s trial—heavy longing, fire across dry grass.
Yi Ke’s back met cold wall; her front, burning closeness. In passion she looped her arms around Bai Yanci’s neck.
After a long while she looked at Bai Yanci’s trembling lashes. “Sister, are you afraid of the future?”
“I’m not—or I welcome it gladly.” Bai Yanci breathed at her ear. “I should ask you. Aren’t you afraid that after a hundred years I’ll turn and love someone else?”
“A thousand years is too long—I only want the present.” Yi Ke was frank. “My life is short. How can I fight endless time? But you’d better keep only me in your heart.”
She smoothed the hair at Bai Yanci’s temples. Warm breath at her ear—but no next step.
A moment later Bai Yanci caught on: “You did that on purpose. You’re teasing me?”
She seized Yi Ke’s wrist and dragged her into the bedroom, pressing her on the bed: “Now… where do you think you’re running?”