Chapter 135: Hollow Eyes

Ru Yi found Yexue near the entrance of the inn, leaning back on the way without a care in the world. Though her eyes flicked up the moment Ru Yi approached.

For a moment Ru Yi thought she might ask about the bathhouse and the noise she’d heard back there.

Instead, Yexue straightened and said almost too casually. "There you are. I’ve been waiting for so long." She pressed a kiss to Ru Yi’s temple. "We’re ready to leave?"

"Leave?" Ru Yi echoed. "But we’ve not even spent a night in Emberfall."

Yexue smiled and flicked the tip of her nose. "We’re not leaving Emberfall until we find someone who has the map to Ashen Fortress. That might take a couple days."

She stepped closer to Ru Yi. "What I mean is...we’re going to drink. There’s a winehouse down the street. Lieyin said it’s better than this place apparently."

A winehouse.

That made sense. Travelers like them didn’t linger in inns when there were more lively places to gather. Places with conversation, loose tongues.

Ru Yi hesitated. What if Han Shuying was there?

"I think I’ll stay in," she said after a moment, her fingers curling at her sides. The words came out quieter than intended. "I’m a bit tired."

Yexue searched her face, the fear from earlier came back. She could feel the subtle shift in Ru Yi, especially how she wouldn’t meet her eyes.

"Did I do something wrong?" Yexue asked quietly.

The question caught Ru Yi off guard. If anything...she was the one about to do something wrong. Something that the woman in front of her might never forgive her for.

"No," Ru Yi finally answered. "It’s not that. The bath just wore me out." At least, it was a part of her problem. The ghost of Han Shuying’s fingers were still around her neck.

Ru Yi inhaled slowly, steadying herself. "I just need some time alone," she added.

Then she saw the change in Yexue’s expression, that sad look that always made Ru Yi fall even harder.

She adjusted her tone. Made it lighter. "Maybe a drink isn’t such a bad idea after all."

Yexue didn’t look entirely convinced but her mood was lifted when Ru Yi took the arm she stretched out. "Come on. Lieyin would lose her mind if she waited any longer."

-

-

The winehouse stood a short walk from the inn. Its wooden doors were thrown open to the night. Warm light spilled out onto the street, along with the low hum of voices and the occasional burst of laughter.

Inside, it was alive in a way the inn had not been.

Long wooden tables stretched across the room, crowded with travelers, merchants and locals alike.

Clay cups clinked against one another, filled with rice wine or stronger spirits, the scent sharp and sweet in the air.

A musician played somewhere near the back, the melody threading through conversations without overpowering it.

Ru Yi let herself get pulled along, the noise washing over her. It should’ve grounded her but it didn’t.

Something about the place felt off. It didn’t help that she felt like she was being watched. Her gaze moved across the room, taking in the details. The unease only settled deeper into her chest.

They found the others already gathered around a long wooden table near the centre of the winehouse, cups half-filled and voices overlapping in easy conversation.

Lieyin looked up first.

Their eyes met across the table, and for a fleeting second, Ru Yi felt it—the faint pull beneath her ribs, like a thread tightening. Their shared core stirring. Awareness brushing against awareness.

Did she know?

Ru Yi’s thoughts were unsettled. Did Lieyin feel it too? The bathhouse. The shadow...Han Shuying.

Lieyin’s expression did not change. It remained calm and unbothered, it was hard to tell what was going through her head. But she held Ru Yi’s gaze for a second too long.

Ru Yi looked away first.

"Finally," Qingyue said. "We thought you two weren’t coming."

"Almost didn’t make it," Yexue teased, pulling Ru Yi close to her.

Before the two of them could settle down, Qingyue reached for a clay jug and poured their drinks. The liquid caught the light in a dull amber glow.

"You two look like you need it," she muttered, sliding the cups toward them.

Ru Yi huffed softly, but she didn’t argue. She wrapped her fingers around the cup and tried to focus on the burning liquid.

Yexue leaned in closer as the conversation around them picked up again, her shoulder brushing Ru Yi’s. She moved closer still, until her arm slipped loosely around Ru Yi’s waist. The movement was as casual as breathing.

Before Ru Yi could react, she dipped her head and pressed into the curve of her neck. She pressed her lips there.

It wasn’t quite a kiss but it was warm.

"Relax," Yexue muttered, pressing another kiss into the crevice of her neck. "You’re tense. Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?"

Instead of loosening, Ru Yi’s grip on her cup tightened. Guilt slipped in quietly, sharp as a blade sliding between her ribs.

She was sitting here, drinking and laughing with them. But in a matter of days she’ll be handing all their information over to Han Shuying.

How was she any different from a common criminal?

Ru Yi set her cup down before she could take another sip. "I’ll be back," she said suddenly, her voice trembling from the tightness in her chest.

Yexue lifted her head, brows knitting in worry. "Where are you—"

"Just a moment," Ru Yi cut in, already standing.

Yexue didn’t stop her this time.

Ru Yi left their table and found herself walking down the hallway, past the closed doors and muffled sounds—laughter, music, the low murmur of voices behind paper thin walls.

Curiosity got the best of her when she saw one of the doors ahead wasn’t fully shut. Just slightly ajar.

Light spilled through the narrow opening.

Drawn by instinct more than intent, she stepped closer, her gaze slipping through the gap. Inside the women were women half dressed with only a thin layer of cloth covering their chest and lower area.

But that wasn’t what made her gasp—

It was the fact that she knew these women. The empty expressions in their eyes were a dead giveaway. As if whatever was inside them had been hollowed out and replaced with nothing but motion.

"The voiceless women," someone whispered behind Ru Yi.