Chapter 41: Exposed

Now she’d broken the seal Jade Dust was no match—but Jade Dust smiled bright.
“Yang Yufei, let’s go.” Jade Dust looked back. “Xi Yue, I look forward to our next meeting.”
She didn’t chase Jade Dust or draw transport to the moon. She went home.
In the mirror, after unsealing, her face had changed—closer to Xi Yue’s look—but Xi Yue’s memories still sat behind fog.
The green-silk ring stirred—Bai Yanci had returned from the moon. Wait a little longer and she’d see the one she’d missed.
Fifteen minutes later—sound at the door.
Bai Yanci kept her word—didn’t make her wait long. Back the same day.
“You’re back at last.” She looked deep into Bai Yanci’s brow and eyes. “Sister, I missed you so much.”
Bai Yanci smiled: “Ke-ke, I was only gone one day.”
“Mm. One day.” She answered. “I’ll teach you—there’s an old mortal line: one day apart feels like three months.”
Bai Yanci laughing was beautiful—hard to look away, hard to look away from honest warmth.
If she couldn’t live forever she’d willingly be a small seed in Bai Yanci’s heart—root, grow, never leave.
Whatever came she didn’t want to doubt the one beside her in bed.
Even if she had to wither she’d keep her place forever.
She crossed in a few steps and held Bai Yanci. Kissed under moon through the window.
Bai Yanci startled—then entered the mood, answered the kiss with feeling.
Clothes came off piece by piece. She reached for the wrist—found a scabbed wound.
Light touch. Deep kiss to distract—done the small checks without a sound.
She’d remembered right—same spot on the wrist, wounds on both Jade Dust and Bai Yanci from the Spirit Tide jade pendant.
But the shapes weren’t quite the same. Truth within reach slid away again.
Really just coincidence?
Bai Yanci… really went to the moon palace?
“…Ke-ke?” Bai Yanci spoke.
She pulled back the small moves, eyes bright, usual tone: “What is it?”
“I feel… something’s off.” Bai Yanci frowned. “After I left—at the venue—did Yang Yufei trouble you?”
“Yang Yufei is no match for me.” Irritated—didn’t want to think trivia—she shifted topic. “Sister, don’t ask that. Why don’t you ask what place I got?”
Before Bai Yanci answered she turned aside and showed the Sun-Moon Cup champion trophy.
“Sister, I won the championship.” She set it where it showed best—with the two bunches of pink roses. “Why don’t you look surprised at all?”
“Because I believed you could.” Bai Yanci was surprised—but not at the rank, at her unusual reaction.
Still patient: “In my heart your winning was only natural.”
She watched Bai Yanci’s every move. As expected—no slip.
But doubt was planted. Bai Yanci had gone to the bureau behind her back—that was fact. However flawless the answers, she felt a clear wall between them.
So close—yet like ten thousand miles.
Grievance swelled. She looked at Bai Yanci, sour: “I won. What’s my reward?”
“What do you want?”
She bit Bai Yanci’s ear, low: “I want you.”
She cupped Bai Yanci’s face and put out the light.
Cramped rental room—only moon through the window, only their breath between them.
Yanci, wherever your heart is—at least your person is here, real beside me.
She heard her heart hammer—and Bai Yanci’s clearly too.
Bai Yanci’s heartbeat… faster than hers.
At Bai Yanci’s ear she asked again: “Sister, don’t you want to?”
Bai Yanci looked at her—didn’t refuse. She pressed further, stripped the last layers.
On the last piece Bai Yanci caught her wrist and kissed her first.
In the moonlight she laughed soft: “Sister, you’re blushing.”
“…I am not.”
“Want me to take you to the mirror?”
“No need…” Bai Yanci turned away from her burning gaze. “Ke-ke, don’t—too close.”
“Too close?” She closed the gap—skin flush together. “You don’t like it?”
“I like it.”
“Then don’t refuse me.”
She heard Bai Yanci laugh light: “No winning with you.”
Bai Yanci pushed her to the bed, kissed again, nipped once.
After the shiver reason snapped. Only after long intimacy did the restless heart ease a little.
She took Bai Yanci’s hand, casual: “Sister, this trip to the moon—did those people give you trouble?”
“I hid well. They didn’t find me.”
“Good.”
She didn’t ask more. When sleep came she let it take her.
Morning—empty beside her. Bai Yanci gone a while.
Phone message: Something came up. Back later. Love, Yanci.
Last night she’d felt no moon-palace breath on Bai Yanci at all.
She’d given up the human body—existed as spirit now.
She looked the same as always—but as great immortal, did Bai Yanci really know nothing?
Or had Bai Yanci known all along—that’s why no shock?
When reason returned she wanted to flee back to last night’s tenderness—even dared not locate Bai Yanci.
If the ring pointed to bureau again—or Qixie—she didn’t know how to face her lover.
After thought she sensed anyway—and again: the Ability Bureau.
“Don’t be involved with Mu’s people. That’s my line.” She said it to herself—not knowing who could hear.
She slipped into the bureau building and stopped outside the director’s office.
Last time Bai Yanci left, the director’s aides had seen her off.
She’d never met the bureau chief—only knew he was mysterious, rank above Mu’s dream seat.
Rumor said chief and Mu didn’t get along—Mu capable but never promoted.
She leaned by the door and heard Bai Yanci: “Director, how do you consider what we discussed last time?”
The man inside: “My Lord, it’s not that I won’t agree—the experiment was top secret. Only one copy of the files, kept with Director Mu.”
“I speak gently because you still have use.” Bai Yanci’s voice cold. “Three more days. Don’t disappoint me—or you know the cost.”
The door opened. Bai Yanci came out.
She hid at once—fast enough Bai Yanci didn’t see her.
Only one copy… the experiment on her years ago.
SSS danger subject—files sealed secret with Mu. Even the bureau chief couldn’t pull them freely.
Mu’s ability locked the content. Even a great immortal with the file couldn’t open it.
To access them—through Mu.
That was why she’d burned the lab.
The files still existed? What did Bai Yanci want them for?
If for her—why not discuss with her?
Questions piled. She followed Bai Yanci—Bai Yanci hid her form and walked toward the lab, stopped at the closed door, fists tight, turned and left the bureau.
She followed still. Bai Yanci’s aim was clear—Wangshu Orphanage again.
Orphanage and lab—old nightmares that had caged her.
And the disordered space below—blood on her hands—the nightmare now.
Bai Yanci had sealed the orphanage; now immortal art opened it easy.
She went in with Bai Yanci, many turns, to a room in the corner.
Moon-palace texts everywhere—not really orphanage space but grafted by force with immortal power.
A statue of Xi Yue stood aside—gentle smile, mild and holy.
Bai Yanci didn’t look long at the statue—searched texts calm as usual.
Soon Bai Yanci left the room. Yi Ke followed to the hall’s end.
“Who’s there?” Bai Yanci’s voice cold.
Her heart clenched. Concealment hadn’t failed—but Bai Yanci pinned her spot and struck her back several steps.
Can’t be found here.
Found now—all for nothing?
She meant to leave—Bai Yanci set a barrier first, struck again.
When white immortal power touched her, concealment broke—she stood visible.
“Ke-ke?” At once Bai Yanci dropped hostility.
Still flat. Eyes on hers: “How long have you been here?”