Yang Kai wasn't an easily startled man. Not after experiencing death and waking up in a completely different world where people shot fireballs and cultivated immortality. But stepping into his hut and seeing an actual celestial beauty lying on his bed? That was new.
For a moment, his brain short-circuited. The moonlight pouring through the broken roof framed her in silver light, highlighting the delicate rise and fall of her breath. Long, silky black hair cascaded over his pillow, her slender hands resting lightly on her stomach, as if she were some kind of noble lady peacefully asleep in her palace chamber.
It was the kind of scene that would have been used for a dramatic slow-motion reveal in one of those fantasy dramas back in his old life.
Then reality hit him.
"Wait… did someone just break into my house and fall asleep? On my bed?"
His lips twitched. This was technically trespassing. And technically, he should be worried. But instead, his eyes were drawn to her face—the only part of her features he couldn't see clearly, thanks to a thin, translucent veil. Even so, her presence alone gave off an almost ethereal purity, like a goddess who had accidentally descended to the mortal realm.
He squinted.
"…Wait a second. Haven't I seen her before?"
A memory clicked into place—the girl from the Contribution Hall. That nervous, soft-spoken disciple who nearly bumped into him. But back then, she was more like a shy kitten, whereas the woman lying before him looked almost… divine. It was such a stark contrast that for a second, he doubted himself.
Just as he was trying to make sense of the situation, a soft sound broke the silence.
"…Mmm…"
Yang Kai stiffened.
The woman stirred, her long lashes fluttering before her eyes finally opened. In the dim light, her gaze locked onto his, widening in shock.
For a moment, neither of them moved. The hut was so silent that he could hear the sound of his own heartbeat.
Then, in an instant, color flooded her cheeks.
Yang Kai swore he could feel the heat radiating from her face.
She shot up into a sitting position, one hand going to smooth her hair, the other subtly adjusting her robes. "I—" Her voice was small, flustered. She was clearly searching for something to say.
Yang Kai, meanwhile, had about a hundred things running through his mind, most of which boiled down to:
What is happening? Why is a fairy in my bed? Should I offer her tea or ask if she needs a lawyer?
He cleared his throat. "Uh, so… senior sister, what exactly brings you to my humble, slightly broken home?"
It was a safe question. Neutral. Completely non-threatening. A great way to start a conversation when you found an uninvited guest in your living space.
The woman—Xia Ning Chang, he remembered now—pressed her lips together before lowering her gaze. "…I came to deliver something."
"…And fell asleep?"
A beat of silence.
"…I was waiting for you," she murmured, barely above a whisper.
Yang Kai blinked. "Ah."
A part of him felt guilty. Had she really waited all day? That was dedication. Then again, he still didn't fully understand why she would go to such lengths.
Before he could think too deeply, she reached for something beside her—a package, neatly wrapped in cloth. "This afternoon, a hunter from Black Wind Mountains came looking for you. He wanted to deliver this personally, but you were gone. I spoke with him, and… he entrusted me to pass it to you."
Yang Kai accepted the package, his fingers brushing hers for just a moment. Soft. Warmer than he expected.
Focus, man.
He nodded. "That hunter, huh? I remember him."
Memories of his encounter in the mountains surfaced—saving a father and son from a deadly beast. He hadn't expected anything in return, but he supposed gratitude worked in all worlds, no matter the era.
Setting the package aside, he turned back to her. "Thank you, Senior Sister Xia."
For some reason, she seemed even more flustered now, her eyes darting to the side. "I-It was no trouble."
Her reaction made something click in his head.
She wasn't just embarrassed about sleeping in his room. She was embarrassed about why she had stayed so long.
A sudden wave of amusement washed over him. In his past life, he had seen similar situations—girls hesitating, waiting for someone, even if they wouldn't admit it. Back then, he was just an average guy with an average life. But now? Now he was in a xianxia world where beautiful senior sisters accidentally fell asleep in his bed while waiting for him.
This had to be fate messing with him.
With a chuckle, he said, "I'll make sure to come back earlier next time."
Xia Ning Chang visibly tensed. Her eyes snapped back to him, as if trying to gauge whether he was teasing her.
"I-It doesn't matter when you return!" she quickly blurted out. "I only had a message to deliver! That's all!"
She stood up in a hurry, nearly knocking over the package in the process. With the grace of a startled deer, she turned on her heel and practically fled from the hut, leaving behind only the lingering scent of her fragrance.
Yang Kai exhaled.
"…She's cute."
Shaking his head, he turned back to the package. Upon opening it, he found two neatly sewn robes. Handmade. Stitched with care.
A small smile tugged at his lips. The hunter's wife must have made them, repaying him in the only way they could.
He ran a hand over the fabric, appreciating the effort.
Yang Kai lay back on his bed, hands behind his head, staring at the ceiling—or rather, the hole in the roof. The night breeze drifted in, cool and refreshing, but it did little to cool the heat lingering in his mind.
Xia Ning Chang's flustered expression played on repeat in his thoughts. The way she had stammered, the way her earlobes had turned red, the way she had run out of his hut like a startled rabbit…
He exhaled slowly.
Damn. That was cute.
He wasn't the type to get distracted by every pretty girl he met. Back in his old life, romance had been something he watched in dramas, not something he experienced firsthand. And now, as a reincarnated cultivator, he had been more focused on survival than anything else.
But Xia Ning Chang… she was different.
She had waited for him. That meant something.
His mind wandered, replaying the way she had looked under the moonlight—her delicate features, the silk of her hair spread across his pillow, the soft curve of her waist beneath her robes.
Oh no.
A certain part of his body definitely took notice of those thoughts.
Yang Kai immediately sat up, a sense of panic creeping in.
Seriously? Now?!
He glanced down, confirming what he already knew. Yep. It was standing at full attention.
Great. Absolutely fantastic. The last thing he needed was to be fighting his own body after a brief, innocent interaction.
He groaned, rubbing his face. Come on, man. Get it together. You're a cultivator now, not some hormone-driven teenager.
But his body didn't seem to care about that fact. It was fully reacting like a normal, red-blooded man. And, honestly, it had been a long time since he had felt this kind of stirring.
Lying back down, he took a deep breath, willing himself to think about something else.
Spiritual techniques. Martial arts. The profound mysteries of cultivation.
…Nope. His mind stubbornly returned to the image of Xia Ning Chang, her hesitant gaze, her pink lips slightly parted as she nervously spoke…
He groaned again, throwing an arm over his eyes.
This is going to be a long night.