When Bai Yuqi woke up, the first thing that hit her was the earthy scent of dried herbs. Her head felt heavy and foggy. She blinked slowly, trying to focus on the ceiling above her. It was made of old wooden beams, rough and weathered with age.
She was lying in a small bed, covered by a thin blanket. A soft breeze blew in from the window next to her, and when she turned her head, she saw the full moon hanging low in the sky, casting silver light into the room. For a moment, she just stared at it, confused and dazed, trying to remember where she was. Then, like a dam bursting, all the memories came flooding back.
She sat up abruptly and immediately regretted it. A sharp pain shot through her entire body, making her hiss through her teeth. She looked down at herself and realized she was wearing an oversized shirt that clearly belonged to a man. She could see the edges of bandages peeking out from under the fabric, wrapped around her arms and torso.
Next to her was a window, staring straight at the full moon in the sky. She was confused for a moment, wondering where she was. Then, all the memories returned, and she sat up straight. The sudden movement caused pain throughout her body, and she hissed. She looked down to find herself in an oversized shirt that belonged to a male. She could see bandages peeking out of it. She stared at her body for a moment and then arranged.
She was still trying to process everything, her eyes dodging around. There was a small wooden table next to her bed, and on it sat a glass of water and a phone. Her heart jumped when she saw the phone. She reached for it with shaking hands and almost sobbed when she saw it was unlocked and had a signal. Without thinking twice, she dialed the number she knew by heart.
The phone rang once, twice, and then-
"Hello?" A cold, familiar male voice came through. Just hearing it made her eyes well up with tears.
"First brother," she whispered, her voice breaking.
There was a pause, and then the voice changed completely. "Yu'er? Yu'er, is that really you?"
She could hear shuffling in the background, voices calling out, footsteps running. Her whole family was there, she realized. They were all together, probably in the main hall of their house, probably worried about her and trying to figure out how to find her.
She wiped her tears with the back of her hand, sniffling softly. "I'm fine, first brother. I... I escaped my kidnappers."
"Are you sure you're safe right now?"
Bai Yuqi opened her mouth to respond, but then her gaze drifted out the window again. There, under the moonlight, stood a familiar figure. She was still wearing that white hanfu, her long hair fluttering softly in the wind. She was staring at Bai Yuqi.
"Yu'er? Are you still there? Talk to me," Bai Haoyu's voice brought her back to the phone call.
"Yeah... I'm safe," she whispered, surprising herself with how certain she sounded. For some reason, looking into those emotionless eyes made her feel safer than she had in days.
"Don't hang up," Bai Haoyu told her. "Stay on the line with me. We're going to find you. Just keep talking to me, okay?"
She hummed and watched the girl approach her until she was right in front of the window. She rested her arms on the resting her arms on the ledge and leaned in slightly. Her eyes were just as empty as before, but there was something almost... curious about the way she tilted her head.
"We're not completely identical," the girl said matter-of-factly.
It was the first time Bai Yuqi had heard her speak. Her voice was cold and clear, nothing like her own softer tone. But there was something oddly soothing about it, like the sound of gentle rain on leaves.
"Huh?" Bai Yuqi blinked.
The girl's expression didn't change as she continued in that same flat tone. "Shifu and Ma Chenxi both said we look identical, but we don't. Your eyes are a darker shade of grey. Your cheeks are fuller. Your hair is shorter than mine."
Bai Yuqi stared at her, not sure how to respond. "Oh," was all she could manage.
"Who are you talking to?" Bai Haoyu's voice cut through her thoughts, reminding her that she was still holding the phone.
"It's... it's the girl who saved me," she said softly.
"Put her on the phone."
Bai Yuqi hesitated for a moment, then held the phone out toward the window. "My brother wants to talk to you."
Qin Xue Ran quirked an eyebrow and took the phone from her, their fingers brushing against each other. Her own hands were always cold, but this girl's skin was warm, like she'd been sitting by a fire. It was another difference between them, she noted mentally.
She brought the phone to her ear. "Hello," she said in that same emotionless tone.
"Who are you?" a cold male voice came through, low and dangerous.
"Bai Yuqi told me you saved her."
"I didn't," she said flatly. "It was Ma Chenxi."
There was a pause on the other end, probably trying to figure out who Ma Chenxi was.
"Whoever it was, I still owe you my thanks," he said. "Tell me your location so we can come and get her."
Qin Xue Ran looked up at the moonlit sky for a moment before answering, "Even if I tell you, you won't be able to find this place."
The temperature in her brother's voice dropped several degrees. "Are you threatening me?"
If it had been anyone else, they probably would have backtracked immediately, maybe even apologized. But Qin Xue Ran just stood there, completely unaffected.
"I'm just telling you the truth," she said. "We're in the Baiyun forest. Even if you come here, you won't be able to find this place unless someone guides you."
"You can leave that for me to decide," her brother's voice was getting lower, more dangerous. "In the meantime, if a single hair is harmed on my sister's body, I will find you from the farthest corner of the world and make you regret being born."
Qin Xue Ran's gaze drifted to Bai Yuqi, taking in the bandages that covered her arms and torso, the bruises that were still visible on her face and neck. Her expression didn't change at all.
"Oh," she said.
"Now, can you hand the phone back to Bai Yuqi?"
Without a word, Qin Xue Ran extended the phone back through the window.
Qin Xue Ran did not say anything and handed the phone back to Bai Yuqi. Then, without saying anything else, she turned around and went to her room.
"First brother," Bai Yuqi said softly, watching as Qin Xue Ran turned and started walking away.
"Yu'er, we're trying to track the phone you're calling from. Until we get there, I want you to protect yourself and don't trust anyone."
Bai Yuqi kept her eyes on Qin Xue Ran's retreating figure. "She won't hurt me."
"You don't know that. You can't trust strangers."
"But she's not a stranger," Bai Yuqi whispered, more to herself than to him.
"What did you say?"
Bai Yuqi realized she'd spoken out loud. "Nothing. I'll wait for you, brother."
But even as she said it, she found herself watching the doorway where Qin Xue Ran had disappeared.