Return of the 13th Zodiac

8: Two-Faced

"Elder Lu?" Shu Yue said with a frown.

Xiao Ran nodded. "Yeah. He said he has something important to discuss with you."

"Oh? Something important?"

Xiao Ran shrugged his shoulders. "That's what he said. But...I don't know. I'm kind of getting a bad vibe from this." His brows knitted into a frown. "This old man is very suspicious."

Since the mysterious man threatened Lu Baiyu to force him to do something, it was possible that Lu Baiyu was still under his command. Thus Shu Yue needed to be cautious. Whatever Lu Baiyu was here for could be part of a scheme.

"All right," Shu Yue said as she rose from her bed, "I'll meet him in a few minutes, then I'll judge the situation myself."

She let out a breath of frustration, her features twisting into a scowl. Since she and Xiao Ran were the only ones present, she didn't mind displaying strong emotions on her face. As someone she completely trusted, she didn't need to maintain her calm and mild demeanor around him all the time. Xiao Ran knew who and what she really was.

Seeing the change in her expression, Xiao Ran's face softened and he sighed. He wasn't the least bit surprised by his master's sudden change in attitude. Instead, he smiled and approached her. He took the fox mask from the bed and placed it on the side of her head. Shu Yue's horn vanished without a trace.

"Don't lose your cool now, Young Mistress; being grumpy in the morning isn't good," Xiao Ran advised, his lips quirking up in a tiny, amused smile.

Shu Yue brushed a strand of hair from her face and turned to face Xiao Ran. He was a foot taller than she was. She had to crane her neck to look up at him.

"I wonder why my fox looked so amused? Do you find my frustration fascinating?" Shu Yue said in a low, silken voice, a faint smile outlining her mouth.

"It's been a while since I've seen you lose your composure, Young Mistress."

"That means your snake master is doing a great job, isn't she?" Shu Yue reached up, pushing his hair behind his shoulder.

"A very incredible job," Xiao Ran admitted in a quiet voice. His gaze softened, as it did every time he looked at her.

Staring at Xiao Ran, Shu Yue couldn't help but count herself lucky to have met this fox-human. Not only did she find a strong and faithful bodyguard, but also a companion in whom she could trust, sometimes even more than herself.

"All right," Shu Yue exclaimed and spun on her heels. "Go fetch our dear guest, then let's see what he wants."

***

Shu Yue looked up as the door opened, revealing Xiao Ran and their guest, Lu Baiyu. After meeting her gaze, Xiao Ran ushered the elderly man into her room.

Shu Yue rose from the tea table and bowed with folded hands, a courteous smile on her face. "This disciple greets Elder Lu."

Lu Baiyu looked at her with narrowed eyes for a moment, trying to recognize her unfamiliar face. He'd never seen Shu Yue's bare face before, so this was an expected reaction from him. Having said that, Shu Yue made no effort to introduce herself in order to dispel his confusion. She simply smiled at him.

Xiao Ran stepped up beside Shu Yue, his hands clasped behind his back. "This is my master, Chen Yue," he told Lu Baiyu indifferently, his face devoid of emotion.

Lu Baiyu's eyes darted back to Shu Yue, studying her features once more. He then smiled in recognition when his gaze fell on the fox mask on the side of her head.