70 - The Cannon Fodder is Prepared to Divorce

### Chapter 70 "Hey..." "Hey..." "Hey..." So annoying. Yue Bai didn't want to open his eyes, tightening the quilt around himself even more. "...I've told you not to indulge so much. Look how long you’ve been sleeping." Yue Bai didn't respond. "Hey, I thought someone as esteemed as you could at least have some self-control. Honestly, you've let lust cloud your mind..." Yue Bai turned over. "I never expected this. How could someone as powerful as you be dominated so completely..." Yue Bai gritted his teeth. "At least try to take some initiative... Hey... they've been seducing you like that and you don't get the hint at all..." Yue Bai sighed. "Jiu Yi." "Huh?" Jiu Yi had been mumbling to himself for a while, delighted to hear Yue Bai's voice. "You're finally awake? You've been sleeping for ages." Yue Bai slowly opened his eyes, putting the matter of "ages" aside for now, "When did you come out?" "Early in the morning," Jiu Yi sighed, clearly disapproving of Yue Bai. "You guys sure know how to play, an entire night! Aren't you tired..." Jiu Yi was a good kid; he wasn’t like Yue Bai, who liked to pry into others' privacy. The moment he let himself out in the morning, he realized something was off and promptly locked himself back in. "Yue Bai, indulging like that is really not good," Jiu Yi lamented for his beloved partner. "Young people still need to learn restraint..." Who was older wasn’t yet clear. Yue Bai rubbed her head. As she sat up, the quilt slipped down to her waist, which she pulled back up over her chest, though it couldn't quite cover the expanse of her pale back. "Are you alright?" After all his nagging, Jiu Yi was still worried about her. "How's your body?" "I'm fine." It must have been Ji Nian's soothing that worked; she didn’t feel as exhausted as before, just a bit dazed from sleeping for so long. "Awake?" Yue Bai glanced towards the voice. The red fox, clad in light clothes, walked over gracefully, her figure blurred by streams of sunlight. She sat beside Yue Bai, draping a small blanket over her shoulders, not letting even the gentle afternoon chill seep in. "I brought some fresh flower pastries. Do you want to get up and eat or should I bring them to you?" Yue Bai recognized the light clothes as her own but didn’t want to argue, pulling the blanket tighter over her shoulders, "I'll get up and eat." It was rare to see Yue Bai so docile, her lowered head and the hair covering the side of her face giving her a delicate appearance, as if she might collapse back onto the bed any moment. Ji Nian brushed her hair back, placing a gentle kiss on her head. Yue Bai glanced sideways, faintly seeing tenderness in Ji Nian's eyes. "...Has she changed?" Jiu Yi shivered with goosebumps. "This is like something out of a shoujo manga..." Yue Bai didn't reply, finding him a bit annoying. Under Ji Nian's gaze, Yue Bai lifted the quilt, first extending her long legs and touching her toes to the ground. The quilt was still gathered in front and the blanket covered her back, but noticing someone’s gaze, she flicked her hand, covering Ji Nian's head with the blanket, pressing down on her fox ears. "Ow." By the time Ji Nian moved the blanket from her face, Yue Bai had already dressed herself in a middle-layer outfit, sat cross-legged on the divan beside her, and poured herself a cup of warm tea. The tea was green, the pastries light yellow. Yue Bai carefully took a bite, catching potential crumbs with one hand, and asked, "Where's Chong Sheng and the others?" "We had breakfast together earlier, they’re probably off to the illusions now," Ji Nian, sitting behind her, hugged her waist and leaned on her shoulder. "Yue Bai..." "Mm?" Yue Bai, slightly hungry, quickly finished one. As she was about to brush away the crumbs from her hand, something suddenly brushed up her thigh from her waist. Yue Bai trembled, scattering the crumbs on the table. Grabbing that mischievous tail, Yue Bai almost gritted her teeth, "Stop it." Ji Nian laughed, blowing a breath in Yue Bai's ear, "It's your fault for waking up too early... I said I wouldn’t let you go back today..." Jiu Yi was ready to flip the table, “Isn’t there anything else you two can do!?!?” My poor master is nearly emptied out by you!!! Yue Bai, holding onto that tail, turned her head just enough to see Ji Nian's smirking face. Even her fox ears couldn't detract from Ji Nian’s wickedness. Yue Bai's eyes hardened, "What do you want?" If pushed too hard, Yue Bai would resist. Understanding this, Ji Nian softened her smile, "Chong Sheng and the others might be busy until night. How about I take you for a walk near Kunmi?" This suggestion wasn’t bad, but Yue Bai gave her a once-over, noting her fox ears. Going to the mortal world, what about this fox form? "Kunmi is at the intersection of the three realms, not just a mortal market," Ji Nian flicked her tail, smiling, "I'll take you to the demon market in the mountains." Jiu Yi's mind went on high alert, "Yue Bai..." "Alright." *** ...It seems this master is getting better at wooing my host. "...One day she’s really going to sell you off," Jiu Yi lamented. "Look at you, once a great figure..." Jiu Yi kept grumbling more than ever. Yue Bai picked up a feather ring from a stall; a few red feathers threaded through a small leather circle. It looked odd to Yue Bai's taste. Ji Nian used her fox claws to hook up the feather ring, looking at the stall owner. "How much?" The stall owner was a leopard cat, still with a cat face and fur, standing no taller than Yue Bai's waist. His voice was sharp, "One shark tear." "Just for this thing, you're asking for a pearl?" Jiu Yi's complaint was cut off, "This cat has no shame!" Ji Nian reached out with a pearl, handing it over, "Thank you." "You have good taste," the leopard cat accepted the pearl with his paw, his pink pads closing around it. He stashed it in a pouch at his waist but noticed Ji Nian still there, "Anything else?" Ji Nian took out another pearl, smiling, "I'll give you another if you let her touch your paw." Holy heavens. This master is getting better at charming my host. Jiu Yi watched helplessly as Yue Bai extended her hand, heart heavy with sorrow. Yue Bai even squeezed the leopard cat’s paw, amused by the softness of his pads. Jiu Yi complained, "You're hopeless." Touching the leopard cat made Yue Bai less averse to Jiu Yi's attitude. Instead, her eyes sparkled, genuinely enjoying the place. Taking advantage of this, Ji Nian grabbed her hand, leading her forward, "There’s a squirrel spirit selling chestnut soup at that stall. Want to try?" "Sure." A fox demon in white led another girl in white through the demon market, encountering various spirits and quite a few cultivators. They moved from west to east, arriving at the food stall. The squirrel spirit had taken human form, dressed like a farm girl, but her transformation wasn’t complete, evidenced by a massive tail extending from her back, nearly her height. Yue Bai blinked, following Ji Nian to sit down. Handing over three fire coins, Ji Nian asked for two bowls of chestnut soup, specifically requesting, "Make one sweeter." She even remembered Yue Bai’s preferences. Jiu Yi was highly vigilant, "Yue Bai, stay calm, don’t get swayed!" "Get swayed?" Yue Bai didn’t understand the term, but she liked what Ji Nian had ordered, "Sweet is nice." "That’s why I’m telling you to be cautious!!" Jiu Yi was about to explode, "Can't you see she's catering to your tastes!?" "Noticed," Yue Bai was still focused on the squirrel spirit's tail, "So?" "…Aren't you afraid she has other motives?" Jiu Yi felt like knocking some sense into Yue Bai, "Where’s your intelligence, oh great one?" "Motives?" Yue Bai looked at Ji Nian, "What motives?" …Forget it, she's lost all rationality. "She's after you!!!" Jiu Yi rolled his eyes towards the sky, "She's after your body and your treasures... oh great one, use your brain!!" "My body, I've already given." Yue Bai said calmly, "As for treasures, I’d give them anyway." Since fulfilling her wishes, Yue Bai was never stingy in giving anything. Jiu Yi was nearly going mad, but Yue Bai was right, leaving him with no counterargument. Jiu Yi’s wailing in her consciousness was so sharp it reduced the chestnut soup’s appeal. Yue Bai sighed, "Aren't you supposed to be on her side?" ...Seemingly so... But Jiu Yi couldn’t bear to see his precious master taken lightly, "My poor cabbage..." Yue Bai was getting annoyed, "Jiu Yi, enough." Ah, it's happening. Yue Bai is actually scolding me because of her! "You've changed!! I'm not your favorite anymore!!" With a final dramatic lament, Jiu Yi retreated to his room to sulk. ...This system really is an idiot, isn’t it? "Don't like it?" Ji Nian saw Yue Bai frowning slightly, thinking the chestnut soup wasn’t to her taste, laughing as she asked, "Too sweet or not sweet enough?" Yue Bai took a proper sip, the sandy texture just right, "Perfect." It was just how she liked it. Seeing her relaxed expression, Ji Nian propped her chin and watched her. Watched her upper lip glide over the soup spoon, delight fill her eyes, and her little tongue lick her lips, leaving them flushed and wet. Kissing her in public was out of the question. Ji Nian slid her tail across Yue Bai's thigh. As Yue Bai held the soup spoon mid-air, she cast a glance at Ji Nian. "Lady Yue Bai," the little fox tilted her head, her fox ears twitching, "Do you like it?" The delicate fox woman smiled alluringly, exuding a subtle charm. Yue Bai's eyes darkened, and she beckoned Ji Nian with a finger. Ji Nian leaned closer, one of her fox ears shivering from Yue Bai's breath, her response evasive. "Want to try some too?" Ji Nian froze for a moment, then loosened her tail from around Yue Bai's leg, laughing, "So petty." She indeed held grudges and was quite small-minded. Yue Bai ignored her, continuing to drink her soup.