Chapter 57: Hidden Intentions
Ru Yi took a step back, her heart dropping into her stomach. For that brief moment fear took over, blunting the effects of the wine running through her system.
"Who’s there?" her voice was shaky, eyes widening when the person stood up from the bed.
"Are you expecting anyone else?"
Ru Yi visibly relaxed as she heard the voice. "Han Shuying," she finally walked into her room. "I wasn’t expecting to meet you here."
Han Shuying stopped in front of Ru Yi. "Are you drunk?"
Ru Yi shook her head. "Thank you for the money," she replied, suddenly feeling shy. "You didn’t have to. Why are you here though? Do you need something?"
"As if there’s anything you can possibly offer me," Han Shuying said, then swore under her breath when the excitement in Ru Yi’s eyes dimmed a little. "Did you have fun?"
Ru Yi tilted her head to look at Han Shuying who was almost a foot taller. The short strands of her hair had fallen over her face.
Ru Yi pushed them back. "It was a very lovely night, I wish it didn’t end so soon. The girls had fun too."
"Did you spend the money on them too?" Han Shuying asked, trying to ignore Ru Yi’s hand that was resting on her cheek.
"Yes." Ru Yi’s cheeks turned a deep red. "I was supposed to save some but I couldn’t stop buying the sweets at the market. And then the skewers, they melted right on my tongue. They tasted so good. And then I—" she remembered the beaded bracelet she’d bought.
Han Shuying almost sighed in protest when Ru Yi pulled away, watching as she searched for something in the sleeve of her robe.
"I got you this!" She raised the bracelet in the air. "I saw it and thought it’d suit you."
Han Shuying blinked in confusion as she looked at the bracelet. "You saw that..." she pointed to herself, "and thought of me?"
Ru Yi nodded in excitement. "Do you like it?"
Han Shuying’s nose scrunched up and Ru Yi thought it was cute.
"That bracelet looks hideous. I’m offended that you think it would for a moment look—"
She was cut off when Ru Yi suddenly grabbed her hand and pushed the bracelet down her wrist. "All you need to do is say thank you and never remove it from your hand."
Han Shuying raised her hand, looking at the bracelet with so much disdain. "I’m not wearing this."
"Come on..." Ru Yi’s lips were in a pout. "It won’t hurt to wear it. Think of it as a gift for saving me."
Han Shuying frowned. "I did not save you."
"Giving me the antidote before the Empress because you were worried the effects would kick in before then."
Han Shuying gave her a blank look. "I couldn’t risk something happening to you before the trial. It would’ve ruined the plan."
"And you got me food because you were concerned I would die of an empty stomach before I even got the chance to be saved."
Han Shuying wondered how her actions could’ve been so twisted. "Are you always this delusional?"
"It’s okay to want to keep your tough girl image. But really, why did you come to see me? Is it because of the pass?"
Han Shuying cleared her throat. "The Empress is still working on that."
Ru Yi frowned. She couldn’t think of any other reason Han Shuying was in her room. She reached into the sleeve of her robe. "If you’re worried about your money, there’s still a little left."
Han Shuying was offended. "That was solely for your use, and it’s not even much."
"Of course, it’s a lot. I might never be able to repay you."
The ghost of a smirk was on Han Shuying’s lips. "You can repay me some other way. I only came to make sure you took the antidote."
Ru Yi turned her to the other side. "So you were worried I’d forget to take it and then die."
Han Shuying scoffed. "I could care less what happens to you."
Ru Yi caught the red blush that started at the base of Han Shuying’s neck and spread to her face. "You’re actually really cute. I mean you have the whole masc thing going for you with the short hair and how it frames your face perfectly. But deep down you’re still as cute as a button."
She wanted to squish Han Shuying’s cheek, but she had a feeling her companion would not like that. "I did take the drug, and so far I’ve not had any symptoms or felt like dying. It doesn’t even feel like I’d taken poison to be honest."
"Do you always talk this much?"
Ru Yi felt her cheeks heat up. "Only with you," then she added, "It must be the wine. I can’t seem to keep my thoughts to myself. It must feel nice to leave the palace whenever you want to. The village really is beautiful."
"Being able to leave the palace and being free are two completely different things."
Ru Yi put her index finger on her cheek. "How so?"
"You should lie down and get some sleep. I’ll take my leave now."
Han Shuying was almost at the door when Ru Yi grabbed her sleeve. "Can you stay? At least until I fall asleep. It still feels like I’ll wake up on the cold floor of that cell." She shuddered. "And the mattress is so thin I find it hard to fall asleep."
Han Shuying looked at the mattress in question. She hadn’t thought much about it because she’d slept in worse arrangements.
Her gaze drifted to the girl that was currently holding onto her sleeve in a death grip. She’d been lying when she said she came to check if she’d taken the drug. Not that it wasn’t part of the reason.
There’d been other reasons that certainly wasn’t knowing if she’d enjoyed her night out, or if she’d come back safe.
At least that was what Han Shuying told herself.
"Bear with it for the night, you won’t have to deal with it in a couple days."
Ru Yi shook her head. "Then stay...for a short while."
Han Shuying sighed, knowing how wrong the words she was about to utter sounded. "Do you want to sleep in my room?"
