40 The Husky and her White Snake, LiYue

The day after Zhang YaYun had announced his upcoming wedding to the She siblings, a party was arranged in the White Lotus Hall.

The sun was at its peak when laughter and the clinking of porcelain cups filled the hall, echoing over the desolated lotus ponds.

"Eh, drink, drink! You too, big cow, drink!"

Wei KaiJun sputtered his wine, choking on his laughter. Yu Zhong looked like he had bitten into a sour plum. His usually stone-hard face cracked little by little as LiAi called him a big cow so crudely.

LiAi raised the cup to her lips, but instead of drinking, she smiled into her cup, watching as the shapeshifters chucked down their drinks obediently, still in the illusion of this being a farewell party.

Not.

As if the white snakes would give up so easily! It was a world of the big eat small, and in their true form, they were gigantic snakes! They would coil around that damned fox and crush him to a pretty dust pile for stealing away Lan QingYu's man!

No, throwing this farewell party was for entirely different reasons. Get his highnesses royal guards drunk and steal their keys. They had mixed small traces of their poisonous blood into the wine, so that little by little, the poison would work in the guards' system, and turn them unconscious.

That was what LiangLin had planned. Although, the sisters had silently agreed that they weren't so sure if LiangLin wanted the keys to question the sorcerer and get him to help them deal with the fox, or if LiangLin just wanted to see the sorcerer, period.

They could read LiangLin like an open book, and they could tell the white snake seemed more infatuated with that sorcerer than angry at him, which they couldn't understand. What was there in that sorcerer? Was it the eyepatch? The missing fingers? The guy had stolen his snake!

The sisters expected their baby brother to be on a murder spree, not yearning for the man he met only briefly. But they would support LiangLin in his quest in finding love - and maim that sorcerer once the opportunity came. They wanted LiangLin to find love, but that sorcerer would not get to tap those buns!

But it was easier said than done. Although all three shapeshifters drank their wine obediently under the sisters' watching eyes and sweet talks, Zhi ChangNing was anything but co-operative. The husky didn't drink wine, period, end of discussion. So hardened in her ways. She sat at the round table, hands crossed over her chest as she looked at her friends drink their souls away.

"Second sis, do something!" LiChun whisper-shouted, as she nudged LiYue to make a move, something, anything to get the husky to drink, or distracted enough to steal her key. The loud noises in the hall drowned out their whispers, and even with her superb hearing as a dog shifter, there was no way ChangNing could hear them over the ruckus.

"Do what? She doesn't drink!" LiYue snapped, her cheeks flushing a sweet cherry shade. LiChun was waving her hands excessively as the two of them stood aside, hidden by a thin wall that led into sleeping quarters. They peered into the hall and met ChangNing's gaze before the two pulled their heads back in.

"Oops, busted," LiChun giggled into her sleeve as LiYue's flush darkened to almost painful.

"I can't do this. I need my beauty sleep!" But LiYue couldn't step far towards the sleeping quarters before LiChun already pulled her back over.

"Sis, you are the only one who can charm her-"

"She is a shapeshifter. She can't be charmed!"

"…" LiChun sighed loudly as she placed her hands on her hips, glaring at her older sister. Sometimes, LiYue could be too damn daft! Or maybe she was acting daft to get out from work? But that would make her a genius, that couldn't be!

LiYue blinked at the youngest sister, her flush spreading over her ears. "What?"

"I wasn't talking about that charming," LiChun said, lifting her hand and shaking it as if itching to slap some sense into LiYue, but the older sister only blinked at her with wide eyes. "You know? Like when we are working? Just, walk, sit and talk seductively?"

"She is a woman!" LiYue hissed through her teeth, visibly flustered compared to a moment ago. Her hands tug at her robes as she took a cautious look towards where the hall was. "I'm not a guy. Her type is probably someone big and burly, like that ox. How can I charm her?"

"…" LiChun contemplated hitting her head to the nearest wall. LiYue was clueless. Had she been living under a rock until now? The husky was infatuated with her, the real, dainty, sleepy, lazy LiYue. "Just be you, sis."

"I-I don't-" LiYue tried to fight back as LiChun shoved at her to move towards the main hall. She didn't want to charm ChangNing. She just wanted to sleep! What could she even say to that husky? The dog was much more approachable in its animal form, always making its way towards her, rubbing its muzzle on her leg, begging for attention and petting. But in her human form, ChangNing, she was-

LiYue clung to the wooden frame of the screen, stopping herself right before the opening leading to the main hall. "LiChun, I can't!"

"Yes, you can! She already is smitten with you!"

"But I-!"

LiYue's hold slipped, and she was shoved out into the main hall so forcefully, she tripped, falling into ChangNing's open arms. The white snake fumbled to hold on to something and ended up clawing at ChangNing's shoulders, digging her sharp nails into her flesh.

But ChangNing ignored the minor pain as she gazed into the round, embarrassed eyes. The husky had made her slow way towards the screen, both curious and excited to see LiYue. The white snake had been hiding from her ever since the wedding announcement.

Even when ChangNing had returned to the White Lotus Hall in her dog form the previous night, she had been coldly blocked at the gates. LiYue had already gone to sleep, so ChangNing had to go back without ever seeing her.

But now that LiYue was in her arms, ChangNing found her lips sealed once again. Everything was always easier when she was in her dog form. Why was it so, that whenever she got to hold LiYue, it was like her mind went blank? It must have shown on her face as well, the blank sternness, as she felt LiYue pushing at her shoulders to free herself from ChangNing's hold.

"Are you ok?" Even her voice sounded rough and uncaring! Gah!

"Um, thank you," LiYue blinked at her furiously and noticing the involuntary frown that had formed over ChangNing's stern expression, the snake looked away, her pale skin darkening.

ChangNing wanted to reach out and feel those heated cheeks against her fingertips but held back. The sweet fragrance of roses and the faint scent of burnt wood mixed within called for her, and she wanted to pull LiYue close, inhale that calming scent and fall asleep surrounded by it.

It was a weird sensation, something she had never felt before. But ever since meeting LiYue by the stone steps to the inn, she had felt a pull towards the white snake.

LiYue moved, shying away towards the open doors to the main hall, and with little thinking, ChangNing trailed after her, unaware of the pair of eyes that looked after them with curiosity.

"Eh," LiAi snapped, pulling the guards' attention back to her. "Drink, drink! It's our final days here! Show me what you got!"

Outside, LiYue had stopped over the bridge, looking over the desolation QingYu had left behind. Good thing QingYu was in his room, watched over by LiangLin. It would only hurt the green snake more, seeing them all drinking and having fun. From the corner of her eye, she could see ChangNing trailing after her.

No, no, no! Why is that dog following her?! LiYue pulled out her fan and hid her face, as ChangNing stopped next to her.

The silence was so awkward. LiYue wanted to jump into the pond to escape the silence, anything to get this flustered feeling wrung out of her system. She had worked in her mother's brothel for decades, and never even once had she felt as embarrassed as now, standing next to the husky.

And LiangLin had asked her to retrieve the key from the guard too! How? It was safely tucked away in her sash. Did he expect LiYue to feel ChangNing up? Feeling the heated stare, LiYue finally lowered her fan just enough so that she could see the woman.

Dark amber eyes clashed with hers, so profoundly warm yet guarded, it both pulled LiYue in and kept her out. She couldn't tell if ChangNing was bored or not. She was emotionless, like a statue. Even Yu Zhong's stone facade cracked from time to time. At least he frowned!

But ChangNing-

LiYue felt shy under the unflinching gaze. She turned her eyes back on the pond to clear her thoughts and calm down her racing heartbeat.

"Are you ok?" ChangNing cursed silently, as she repeated the same question from before, with a dead voice too. But she had nothing else in her mind, and the white snake looked like she was having a fever. She was burning, looking at how her skin was flushed a pretty shade of red.

"I'm good." LiYue turned her round eyes to ChangNing, a tinge of red visible around the edges of her pupils. It was mesmerizing, and ChangNing took a step closer, stepping between the snake and the bridge railings.

"Your eyes are very pretty." ChangNing let the words slip out without really thinking, and a slight flush settled over her skin. "I-I mean, it's, it's pretty round."

Oh, was the husky feeling flustered? LiYue patted her eyes, now more curious as the icy facade had finally melted away. This sudden change in the mood seemed to startle the husky as she tensed under LiYue's searching gaze.

Now, this is more like it, LiYue hid her smile behind her fan. Although ChangNing made her more nervous than other customers she had ever encountered, she could work with this. If there was even a slight sign that she could charm the dog without her powers, she could use it to her advantages.

Without hesitation, LiYue took a step closer, closing the gap. ChangNing had nowhere to go.

Perfect.

"ChangChang," LiYue started, her voice soft and submissive. She peered at the husky from under her lashes, her blush darkening. The husky swallowed as they stood so close to each other, they almost shared their body heat. "What do you think about me?"

"…" ChangNing's jaw clenched as she shot a pleading gaze towards the main hall, but no one paid the two of them any attention.

LiYue pouted a little. Wasn't she pretty enough? Just now, ChangNing's attention should only be on her. Why did it trail away? She would force the attention towards her. She reached out, placing her palm on ChangNing's sash, sliding her fingers over the fabric, so she could feel out where the key was. But ChangNing seemed oblivious to her true intentions, only leaning over the edge of the bridge as if scared of the snake's touch.

"Do you like me?"

The light rosy blush darkened to almost painful as ChangNing nearly climbed over the bridge to get away from LiYue.

So cute! LiYue giggled as her fingers located the key. Even though ChangNing didn't answer her question, LiYue didn't mind it. No matter what ChangNing's answer was, LiYue would still like the husky. But not enough to go back on her brother.

She slipped her finger inside the sash, her eyes never leaving ChangNing's amber ones. "ChangChang, even if you don't like me, I think I like you."

The blush over ChangNing's cheeks darkened to the shade of a ripe plum, and when she finally parted her lips, no words came out. LiYue fished the key out and slipped it in her sleeve as ChangNing was still struggling to find words.

"You don't need to answer me," LiYue said, turning her eyes away to feign hurt, and it worked. ChangNing hurried to stand up straighter, looking hopeless as she had no idea what to say at the moment.

"But will you at least come and drink with me?"

"Yes, I will." There was no hesitation in ChangNing's answer, and LiYue offered her a genuine, bright smile.

Perfect.