Daily Survival After Inheriting a Harem (GL) - Chapter 3

Qiu Qi’s strength was enormous. Forget a tub of water—she suspected she could carry a mountain on her shoulders without any problem.

After carrying the hot water into the room, she mixed it half with cold water and adjusted it to a comfortable temperature. Only then did Qiu Qi step back from beside the bath barrel.

“Beauty, wash up properly. I’ll wait for you on the bed.”

Pei Yuqing lowered her head, her gaze falling to the floor.

“My lord, I am feeling slightly unwell today. I’m afraid…”

“You misunderstood!”

Of course Qiu Qi knew what Pei Yuqing was talking about.

Bathing, getting into bed, sleeping—wasn’t this the three-step process for serving in bed? But she was not that impatient pervert from the original body. How could she do something that forced others against their will?

Besides, the current Pei Yuqing made Qiu Qi’s heart ache so much that she could not even bear to let her pour tea by herself, let alone think about those things that ought to be censored with mosaic.

“Sleep. I mean just sleep. I won’t touch even a single finger of yours!”

Qiu Qi raised her left hand and lifted three fingers.

“I swear.”

Pei Yuqing’s gaze swept over Qiu Qi’s tense, nervous face, circled around once, then calmly moved away.

“Thank you for your consideration, my lord.”

She could have exposed the lie on the spot, yet this demon insisted on acting harmonious with her. This was a method it had not used before.

But if it thought she would lower her guard so easily, then it was looking down on her too much.

However, since the other party wanted to act, she would cooperate.

…

After all the fuss, Qiu Qi was already quite sleepy.

But once her head touched the pillow, before drowsiness could arrive, all sorts of restricted imaginings squeezed into her mind first.

This room was not small, but unfortunately, this body’s hearing was too good.

Between the bath barrel and the bed, there was only a folding screen as a barrier. The orange candlelight reflected the graceful silhouette of the woman behind the screen.

Qiu Qi held her breath as she looked at that elegant figure behind the screen. Just the single motion of Pei Yuqing raising a hand to stroke her body was enough to make Qiu Qi heat up all over.

She widened her eyes and watched Pei Yuqing lightly lift her fingers, glide them across the water’s surface, and place them on her shoulder. Then Pei Yuqing brushed aside the long hair that had been dampened by steam and stuck to her skin. Thinking of the smooth, perfect, cream-like skin she had seen earlier in the bath, Qiu Qi felt that her nose, which had just stopped bleeding, was starting to itch again.

As Pei Yuqing leaned back against the edge of the bath barrel, the low sigh she naturally released through her nose made it clear that she was truly relaxed and enjoying herself at that moment. It seemed she did not take the big pervert lying nearby seriously at all.

Qiu Qi covered her reddened face and turned away, planning to carry out the good upbringing of “see no evil, hear no evil.” When she used to read comics, she was always the one shouting at the author to hurry up already. But now that it had become real people in front of her, she was already retreating at this point. How embarrassing. Boohoo.

Pei Yuqing indeed soaked in the bath for quite a long time. Qiu Qi was lying on the bed, half-dazed and about to fall asleep, when she finally heard Pei Yuqing getting up from the water.

She instinctively pricked up her ears. Her body did not move at all, but all her attention was focused on the other woman.

One step, two steps. Pei Yuqing slowly approached the bed. That faint, delicate fragrance drifted to Qiu Qi’s nose, making her furrowed brows relax and smooth out unconsciously.

“My lord, are you asleep?”

Perhaps worried about disturbing her, Pei Yuqing lowered her voice.

Qiu Qi poked half her head out from under the blanket, her round eyes blinking.

“Mm, I’m about to sleep.”

After speaking, she very consciously moved aside.

“Hurry and come up. Be careful not to catch a cold.”

The bed was very wide, and Qiu Qi was currently curled up on a tiny corner that did not even take up a third of it. She looked cautious and careful, as if she were the innocent young woman who had been dragged over and forced to serve in bed.

Pei Yuqing nodded, sat by the edge of the bed, took off her shoes, then knelt upright and reached out to undo the curtain hanging at the head of the bed.

Qiu Qi stared at her movements as she untied the mosquito net. Her long, fair fingers were set against the vivid red fabric, giving off an inexplicable charm. She was already someone who looked like an immortal, and now it was as if she would grow wings and fly away in the next moment. She was clearly close enough to touch, yet it felt like reaching out would only grasp empty air.

After the curtain was lowered, the ambiguous feeling of the two of them being alone together instantly deepened.

Ahhhhhhh! Sharing the same bed on the very first day, and with such a great beauty too!

Qiu Qi sniffled and could not help muttering softly,

“I’m way too blessed…”

“Mm?”

Pei Yuqing heard her voice and lightly raised the end of her brow.

“Does my lord have any instructions?”

“No, no. Hurry and sleep.”

Qiu Qi shrank her shoulders.

“You must be exhausted today.”

Pei Yuqing’s gaze swept from Qiu Qi’s expression to her hands, not missing the small unconscious movement of her tightening her grip and shyly clutching the corner of the blanket.

In the past, Qiu Qi’s brows had always carried a hostility that could not be concealed. Whatever she wanted, she would seize and rob, not stopping until she saw blood. But the current Qiu Qi had no aggressive aura anywhere on her body. Those moist deer-like eyes made her look as docile as a little pet raised by humans. It was as if, with a beckon of the hand, she would grin foolishly, rush over without the slightest guard, hug your thigh, and wag her tail while acting coquettishly with all her might.

She truly looked very easy to bully.

“My lord, your face is very red.”

Pei Yuqing spoke softly, leaning down toward Qiu Qi and pressing her right hand against Qiu Qi’s smooth forehead to test her temperature.

The cool fingers touched her skin. Qiu Qi trembled all over, as though she had not expected Pei Yuqing to take the initiative to touch her.

“I, I… Maybe I’ve just been a bit overheated lately? It’s fine, it’s fine.”

“Perhaps it is because the middle of the month is approaching, and the weather has become somewhat dry and hot. Tomorrow, I will go to the kitchen and personally make my lord some sweet soup to reduce internal heat.”

The seasonal changes in this world were different from the modern world. The seasons changed frequently. The middle of each month was the hottest, while the end and beginning of the month gradually turned cold, cycling like this again and again.

After speaking, Pei Yuqing silently withdrew her hand. The suspicion in her lowered gaze deepened even further. Just now, when she had reached out and touched Qiu Qi, Qiu Qi had not immediately slapped her hand away. That was the first thing that surprised her.

Second, although she had taken advantage of that brief contact to read her mind, she had not discovered any difference between Qiu Qi’s inner thoughts and what she said out loud.

Even a five-year-old child would not be so pure as to have their heart and mouth match completely. Pei Yuqing’s heart slowly sank.

This was not the first time. It could not be a coincidence. Yet she could not figure out where Qiu Qi had obtained some kind of trick that allowed her to evade Pei Yuqing’s mind-reading so easily, again and again.

As a full-time comic artist, Qiu Qi was used to living alone. Her days had always been filled with takeout and instant noodles. Hearing that Pei Yuqing was actually going to personally make soup for her, an enemy, nearly moved her to tears.

She even excitedly hugged the beauty’s slender waist, taking a deep breath of that addictive fragrance on her body, filled with emotion.

“Madam, why are you so good? Even if I have amnesia, I really did do many bad things to you in the past. You can hit me or scold me. When you act like this, I feel so guilty.”

The corner of Pei Yuqing’s mouth stiffened, but she quickly put on a smile again and lightly patted Qiu Qi’s back.

“My lord exaggerates. Since you do not remember anything now, let those past matters go with the wind.”

Qiu Qi did not know that Pei Yuqing’s smile did not reach her eyes at all. She only felt that the voice beside her ear was pleasant and gentle, as if every word was softly soothing her lonely heart.

She nodded hard, thinking that no matter what earth-shaking beauties appeared in the future, she would not change her conquest target.

Such a beautiful and gentle character was practically custom-made by the screenwriter according to her preferences!

After another bout of fussing, the two could finally lie down and rest.

Her enemy was right beside her, and countless unexpected changes had happened today. Pei Yuqing could not possibly fall asleep peacefully. She closed her eyes, but magnified all her other senses, not missing even the slightest movement in the air.

Qiu Qi, on the other hand, was exactly as she had promised. She behaved very properly and did not take advantage of her. Instead, she lay spread-eagle on one side and slept very soundly.

However, as the night gradually deepened, Qiu Qi’s sleeping posture also gradually began to become unrestrained.

First, she flung out one arm and placed it on Pei Yuqing’s waist. Then she rolled over, and her leg climbed up too. In the end, she directly held Pei Yuqing tightly like a body pillow.

Pei Yuqing half-furrowed her brows and reacted very quickly, blocking Qiu Qi’s head as it leaned closer. She was just about to push her away with force when the other party used that motion to grin, rubbing her soft, fleshy cheek against Pei Yuqing’s palm.

“Beauty… don’t be sad. From now on, you’re my one and only precious madam. I’m very faithful. I’ll treat you well for the rest of my life. I’ll properly make it up to you and spoil you all the way to the heavens!”

The soft muttering voice was right beside her ear, carrying a slightly sweet, tender softness. Paired with that utterly defenseless smile, it was indeed very deceptive.

Pei Yuqing heard every word clearly, but every word in that sentence felt unfamiliar to her.

Make it up to her? Spoil her all the way to the heavens?

She silently tugged the corner of her mouth into a mocking smile, and her body trembled slightly. Even such a tiny movement tugged at her back, causing the Mystic Ice Rings embedded there to bring a tearing pain through her flesh.

I only want you to pay with your life. Are you willing?

…

Pei Yuqing lay on her back and patiently waited until Qiu Qi’s breathing became long and even before gently pulling away the arm pressing on her and getting up.

“Madam…”

A soft call rang out, long and gentle, still carrying thick sleepiness.

Pei Yuqing froze, then slowly turned back. When she saw Qiu Qi’s tightly closed eyelids, she let out a breath of relief.

Qiu Qi’s eyes were closed, her lips slightly parted. Her long lashes fell and cast a faint shadow over her skin. Her brows were relaxed, the corners of her lips curved in a smile. She slept with absolutely no guard up.

Pei Yuqing lowered her head and stared at Qiu Qi’s peaceful sleeping face. The look in her eyes grew darker and heavier. The impulsive desire in her mind screamed at every moment, telling her to immediately send the demon before her to the afterlife.

Her hand hanging by her side clenched tightly. Her nails dug into her flesh, and strands of blood flowed from between her nails.

She raised her right hand. Without needing an assisting incantation, a small ball of pale blue light formed in her palm.

Among the elf race’s five elemental spiritual arts, Pei Yuqing was best at controlling water. She could freely change the form of water, making it become solid or vapor. Even such a small spell sphere was enough to instantly turn all the tissues in an elephant’s body into ice.

Pei Yuqing held up her hand and slowly moved closer to the sleeping Qiu Qi. The pale light shone onto Qiu Qi’s face, dyeing her skin an eerie light blue. A few loose strands of hair that were close to it had already formed white frost and stiffened, as if they would snap in two with the lightest touch.

As long as she moved a little closer, the living person before her would, in the next second, become like those strands of hair and lose all vitality.

But Pei Yuqing did not immediately move further.

She always felt that something was not quite right.

Qiu Qi’s Beast Core Pearl was naturally sensitive to nearby energy. Even fights dozens of li away could be sensed. The reason no one had succeeded in ambushing her over the years was also because of this—no one could get close to her at all.

But now, everything was laid out before Pei Yuqing, within reach.

Yet the easier it was, the more suspicious Pei Yuqing became. She wondered whether there was some trick hidden within it.

“Mm…”

Qiu Qi, whose eyes were closed, unconsciously rubbed against the pillow in her arms. The messy hair on the top of her head stuck up fluffily. She frowned and struggled to pull out the blanket that was entirely pressed beneath her body, dragging it in Pei Yuqing’s direction.

“Madam, remember to cover yourself with the blanket… Your body is cold, so you catch chills easily.”

Her tone was relaxed, without the slightest sense of crisis toward what might happen next. It seemed that even while deeply asleep, her heart was still full of undisguised heartache and concern for Pei Yuqing.

Pei Yuqing lowered her eyes. The blue light in her palm gradually dimmed, and the killing intent in her eyes retreated with it.

“Yes, my lord.”

Even if someone had amnesia, instincts rooted in the bones could not be suppressed. But right now, Pei Yuqing could only feel that the Beast Core Pearl inside Qiu Qi’s body was like stagnant water, without the slightest ripple.

Pei Yuqing calmly changed the expression on her face, withdrawing the idea of alarming the snake. She reached out and took the blanket, spread it over the spot where she had been lying earlier, then leaned down beside Qiu Qi’s ear and replied,

“It is already covered, my lord.”

The person in her dream smiled sweetly. Her tightly furrowed brows relaxed.

“That’s good. Good night!”

Pei Yuqing did not leave immediately. She sat still in place for a while longer. Only after Qiu Qi’s mouth had completely gone quiet did she finally leave.

The wooden door closed, the movement so soft it was almost impossible to detect. Compared with before, there was only a faint trace of blood in the room.

The person lying on the bed, seemingly sleeping peacefully, quietly opened her eyes.

At some point, Qiu Qi’s dark ink-colored pupils had been dyed blood-red. She was staring at the canopy above the bed, her scattered gaze making her look somewhat dazed.

Qiu Qi remained in this blank state for about five or six minutes before slowly raising her hand. Trembling, she grabbed a strand of hair beside her ear. The coldness that touched her fingertips seemed capable of freezing skin to necrosis in a single second, but she gripped it tightly and could not let go for a long time.

This was the first time in her life she had been so close to death.

It was really…

Fucking exciting.