Cang Ji kicked his shoes off and pushed the inner chamber door open. He had been running about outdoors until his cheeks felt hot and he was sweating all over. It was even more sweltering inside the inner chamber. Jing Lin was still asleep. Cang Ji climbed up the couch and watched Jing Lin with bated breath for a moment, exhaling only when he was sure Jing Li would not wake up.
The little stone figure ran in, shook off the bird feathers on its head, and climbed up after him.
Cang Ji asked, "For how long is he going to sleep?"
The little stone figure naturally could not answer. Cang Ji took off his fur clothes and robe, wanting to snuggle up to Jing Lin. He had only lifted the corner of the quilt when someone grabbed his back collar.
He looked back and said, "Do you want to sleep beside him too? No way. Go outside. You usually sleep outside."
The little stone figure stepped on Cang Ji's back and dragged him away from Jing Lin, but Cang Ji was unwilling. In a moment of desperation, he grabbed Jing Lin's neck and forcibly squeezed in next to Jing Lin. He threw a fierce glare at the small stone figure, totally disregarding their earlier camaraderie when they were plucking feathers together. It was not a stretch to say he had fallen out with a friend over Jing Lin.
The little stone figure butted its head against Cang Ji's back, causing him to grimace even though he did not dare to utter a sound. He could only let the small stone figure thump him on the back. It was so hot in the room, but Jing Lin was not even sweating. Cang Ji closed his eyes, tempted by the neck right under his nose. Even if he just had a full meal, he still wanted to bite off a piece of Jing Lin's flesh.
The small stone figure punched Cang Ji from behind, which hurt and surprised him although it also cut his desire short. He licked his teeth and touched Jing Lin's neck. He supposed he would not be able to rip off Jing Lin's flesh in his current state and thought how nice it would be if he could grow up a little more.
But the strange thing was that he was a fish, not a beast. He should not have been so ravenous for meat, nor should he have been so clear about the vital parts of a body that would have been fatal if wounded. But these were like natural instincts embedded in him, so much that even he found it odd.
Am I truly just a fish?
Cang Ji's mind was wandering when he fell asleep.
It was night when the fog receded and the snow stopped falling.
The copper bell under the eaves shook as someone rapped urgently and continuously on the door.
Cang Ji curled up and felt the warmth beneath him. He did not want to wake up, but the person beyond the door would not stop knocking. He clung on to Jing Lin and asked, vaguely, "Who is it?"
The person at the door called out, "Jiu Ge."
Cang Ji was suddenly awake, having recognized A-Yi's sister as the person at the door. He had plucked out A-Yi's tail feathers during the day, balding him so much that A-Yi was both ashamed and resentful. Thus, he kept his eyes peeled as he climbed out of bed and put on his robe.
"What do you want?"
Fu Li saw a gap in the door of the inner chamber and poked her head through. She seemed to be in a hurry and simply asked, "Is Jiu Ge still asleep?"
