Chapter 31: Fire Between Us
Later that night, Mei Xiao stood on the rooftop of the east pavilion, hugging her knees. The estate below was calm again, but her mind… wasn't.
Murong Jing He was her mirror soul?
What even was that supposed to mean? Soulmates? Eternal enemies? Soul… batteries?
"Ugh," Mei muttered, "why couldn't I just time travel into a normal guy's life? Like a noodle vendor. Or a farmer. With cows."
"I don't like cows."
She nearly fell off the roof.
"Jing He?!"
He appeared beside her as if summoned, crouching like it was the most normal thing in the world to sneak up on someone having a full-blown identity crisis.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, hugging her robes tighter.
"You always talk to yourself when you're anxious." He sat beside her, gaze fixed on the stars.
Mei scoffed. "What, spying on me now?"
"Protecting you," he replied smoothly. "Spying is for amateurs."
She looked at him sideways. "Did the mighty leader of the martial clans just make a joke?"
He didn't smile. But his eyes flicked with the hint of one.
A quiet moment passed.
Then: "You're afraid of what's inside you."
She nodded slowly. "Aren't you?"
Jing He was silent for a beat. Then he turned toward her, eyes dark and soft all at once.
"I'm more afraid of losing you than losing control of your power."
Mei's breath caught.
The wind brushed strands of her hair across her face. Without thinking, he reached out and tucked them behind her ear. His touch lingered. Warm. Real.
And for a second, all the confusion and fear faded.
"Don't fall for me," she blurted.
He raised an eyebrow. "Why not?"
"Because I'm already falling and I don't want to land alone."
That made him pause.
Then, very softly: "Then don't land yet. Just fall with me."
Her heart did a very weird, very not medically sound flip in her chest.
They sat in silence for a long while—until a sharp sound echoed from below. A rustle. A whisper.
Jing He stood instantly, alert. "Someone's in the scroll vault."
Mei jumped up. "Again?! What is it with ancient libraries and people breaking in?!"
He grabbed her hand. "Stay behind me."
"But I can help—!"
He shot her a look. "You're helping. By not dying."
Mei huffed, but followed him anyway, her fingers still tangled in his.