Linyue blinked at the ceiling, completely unfazed. "And?"
Song Meiyu turned her head toward her. "And you… you are emotionally bankrupt."
"I'm emotionally efficient."
"You're emotionally nonexistent."
"I let him hug me."
"He almost died."
"Not my fault," Linyue said calmly.
Song Meiyu groaned loudly. "One day, he's going to confess with a bleeding heart, and you're just going to nod and ask if he needs medicine."
Linyue thought for a moment. "…Would that be wrong?"
"Hopeless," Song Meiyu muttered into the blanket. "Completely hopeless."
"Good," Linyue yawned, eyes already half-closing. "Then I can finally sleep."
Song Meiyu tugged the blanket up to her chin and whispered, "You know… for a heartless icicle, you're still my favorite."
Linyue, without hesitation and in the same calm, flat tone as always, replied, "You're also my favorite."
Song Meiyu shot up so fast the blanket nearly flew off. "Really???"
"Of course," Linyue said, expression unchanged.
Song Meiyu squinted suspiciously. "You said it so blandly. Was that sarcasm? Be honest."
Linyue blinked. "How should I say it?"
"I don't know! With emotion!" Song Meiyu threw her hands in the air. "Like you mean it! Maybe sparkle in your eyes? A small tear? Anything!"
Linyue gave her a blank stare. "I don't cry on command."
Song Meiyu groaned and flopped back onto the bed. "Have you… always been like this?"
"Like what?"
"Emotionless!" Song Meiyu waved a dramatic hand at her. "Have you ever… liked someone? Or loved anyone?"
Linyue didn't answer right away. Her eyes stayed fixed on the ceiling, expression unreadable. Then, after a long pause, she said softly, "I remember… I loved, and I was loved."
Song Meiyu's head shot toward her, eyes wide. "And??"
"I just forgot how it felt."
Silence settled over the room. For a blissful moment, Linyue thought that Song Meiyu had finally run out of words.
Then came the sniffle, loud and dramatic. "That's the saddest and most poetic thing you've ever said," Song Meiyu declared, clutching her own chest. "Who are you? Where's my emotionally-stunted best friend?"
Linyue rolled over. "Buried under your questions."
Song Meiyu grinned and nudged her shoulder playfully. "I'll help you dig her out someday."
"I'll poke your eyes," Linyue muttered.
"Ah." Song Meiyu sighed happily, pulling the blanket up to her chin. "She's back."
Finally, Linyue thought, peace. The chaos pixie beside her had gone quiet. She let her eyes slide shut, already drifting halfway into sleep. Her mind floated in that perfect place between silence and dreams. And then—fwump!
Song Meiyu sat upright again. "But I really think he cares about you!" she declared with renewed energy. "He even sent General Shanjun to find us in that underground lab when the palace was in chaos! Maybe—"
Linyue opened her eyes lazily. "Sister Meiyu," she said, "didn't you say there was nothing good about him when I decided to come here?"'
Song Meiyu winced. "That was… because of the rumors."
"Most of the rumors are true," Linyue said. "Are you taking his side now? Did he bribe you with pastries?"
"No!" Song Meiyu puffed out her cheeks. "I just think he's different. Prince Lu and everyone else liked you first because of your face. But he fell for you because you're you. The emotionless, nonsense-spouting, chaos-walking Linyue."
Linyue turned her head slowly, giving her friend a long, deadpan stare. "How are you so sure he likes me? And how do you know it's not because of my face?"
"Because I'm an expert in emotions," Song Meiyu declared, tapping her chest proudly. "And also, have you looked at yourself lately? You're using disguise. Not even pretty."
"Maybe that's his preference. Ugly people," Linyue replied calmly.
Song Meiyu sighed in defeat. "Fine. But if he really does confess one day, what will you do?"
Linyue stared at the ceiling and pulled the blanket up to her chin. "I'll think about it when that happens."
"…You better not poke his eyes," Song Meiyu mumbled.
"No promises."
With those two words, the room finally fell quiet. Peace. Blessed, sweet peace. Linyue closed her eyes, letting herself sink into sleep.
When she opened her eyes again, the sky outside her window was dark, streaked with faint stars. She blinked slowly, her mind foggy, but oddly refreshed. Beside her, Song Meiyu was still fast asleep—sprawled ungracefully across the bed, one arm hanging off the edge, a small puddle of drool forming on Linyue's pillow.
Then—knock knock knock.
The knocking was loud, persistent, and very much a mood-killer.
Song Meiyu jerked awake, hair sticking up. "Who is it at this hour?!" she groaned.
Linyue slipped out of bed and opened the door. Standing there, glowing faintly under the moonlight (or maybe just imagining it), was Prince Lu. His long robes billowed dramatically, though there was no wind. He seemed unbothered by this detail.
"Can't it wait for tomorrow?" Linyue asked, raising one eyebrow.
Prince Lu looked genuinely offended. "How can you kick me away the moment you see me?"
"I haven't kicked you yet," she replied.
A very unladylike snort burst from Song Meiyu behind her. "She's not lying!"
Prince Lu opened his mouth. Then closed it. Opened it again. Closed it. He looked like a very expensive fish struggling for air. Clearly, he didn't have a comeback for that.
Linyue let out a long sigh. "Come back tomorrow," she said flatly. "Don't disturb my beauty sleep."
"Fine," Prince Lu said with a huff. "Good night."
BAM.
The door slammed shut in front of his royal face.
From the bed, Song Meiyu burst into laughter. "See? You're really heartless!"
Linyue rolled her eyes, expression unbothered, and walked back toward the bed.
Song Meiyu peeked out from under the blanket, grinning wickedly. "Don't tell me… you did this to him too?"
"I did this to everyone," Linyue said simply, climbing back under the covers.
Before Song Meiyu could launch into another full-blown lecture about emotional crimes, Linyue did what she did best—closed her eyes, rolled over, and promptly went back to sleep.
Song Meiyu sighed in defeat, glaring at the ceiling. Once again, she had been bested by the world's most beautiful, emotionally bankrupt ice cube.
As usual, morning came faster than Linyue would have liked. The birds were already chirping, and the sun poured its golden light through the window. Song Meiyu yawned loud enough to scare the birds away and stretched her arms. Her hair stuck out in five directions, and she looked entirely too pleased with life for someone who had just woken up.
"Good morning, my emotionally stunted best friend," she chirped, voice far too cheerful for this hour.
Linyue, still lying in bed with half her face buried in a pillow, gave a small smile. "Good morning, my professional gossiper."
Song Meiyu froze mid-stretch. Her eyes went wide. "Wait. WAIT. Did you… did you just give me a nickname?!"
"You called me emotionally stunted first."
Song Meiyu gasped, covering her mouth. "You… you're not hopeless! There's hope after all. Yes! You can be cured!"
Linyue frowned. "I'm not sick. I don't have any diseases."
"That's what they all say," Song Meiyu muttered. "But it starts with sarcasm and ends with hugs."
Linyue rolled her eyes and pulled the blanket over her head. "Wake me when it ends in tea and pastries."
Song Meiyu puffed her cheeks. "By the way, Sister Linyue. Are you not going to visit him? He was half-dead yesterday."
Linyue's voice came muffled from under the blanket. "Why should I? I'm not a physician."
"That's not the only kind of person who can help with injuries, you know."
Linyue peeked out. "Then what, a farmer? A fortune teller? An Innkeeper?"
Song Meiyu put on her most serious face for exactly two seconds. "Maybe a beautiful ice princess with a hidden soft heart?"
"…Must be someone else," Linyue muttered, disappearing back under the blanket.
But peace, as always, was a fragile dream in this palace.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Linyue groaned and buried her face deeper into her pillow. So much for a peaceful morning. Was it too much to ask for five more minutes of sleep and zero chaos?
She got up reluctantly and opened the door, expecting a squirrel, a ghost, or worse… Prince Lu.