A Night of Firsts and a Morning of Misunderstandings
The Yongbongjihoe was originally famous for the spectacular sight of tens of thousands of lotus lanterns floating at the starting point of the massive canal in front of Kaifeng. Unfortunately, that view was no longer possible. Construction had begun to float boats on the canal, connect them with planks, and set up an arena for martial matches. Still, lanterns continued to drift along the canal’s tributaries. There was a certain charm in watching the lights bob gently along the current, so Cheong boldly linked arms with Gongson Yoye and took a large lap around the area together. By the time they finished, the moon had already risen on the far side of the sky, signaling that it was around the hour of the boar.
“Lady Seomun, today was truly wonderful. It was my first time drinking alcohol, and it was even better because I drank it with you. The hangover cure? That was great too, and the lotus lanterns on the canal were so beautiful. Walking together made it even better. Um, if it’s not too much trouble, if you would continue to spend time with me like this in the future, this humble lady would consider it a true honor of three lifetimes and would cherish the memory in her heart for-”
“Calm down. It’s late. Where do you think you’re going alone at this hour? Just stay the night.”
“But wouldn’t that be imposing?”
“There aren’t any other guests anyway. What’s the problem?”
And so Gongson Yoye stepped into the Mucheon Pavilion once again. After changing into the guest sleepwear and lying down on the bed, a surge of overwhelming emotion washed over her. It wasn’t exactly a friend’s house, but it was the closest thing to it, and this was her first time sleeping over somewhere like that. For Gongson Yoye, whose entire life had consisted of nothing but training, every new experience was a first.
Perhaps that was why she couldn’t fall asleep even after lying in bed. Of course, if Cheong heard that, she would probably say it was obvious since she had already passed out drunk for half a day earlier.
Lying there, Gongson Yoye agonized. Should I ask Lady Seomun to talk with me? Would that be rude? Not being able to sleep is my problem. Lady Seomun must be very tired after today. But this is my first time sleeping at a friend’s house. It feels too disappointing to just let it pass. Besides, who knows when another chance like this will come? If I ask, the kind Lady Seomun would probably agree, but she must be exhausted. What if she thinks I’m some tactless woman for asking?
It was the dilemma of a lifetime for Gongson Yoye.
She was still wavering, unable to decide one way or the other, when the door creaked open slightly. A face peeked through the gap.
“Lady Seomun? Did you have something to say?”
“Um. Well. Would it be okay if I slept here too? The room is big and the bed is wide, but sleeping alone feels a bit…”
When Gongson Yoye tried to answer, Cheong hurriedly added, “It’s not like that! I mean, I heard that in the Central Plains, true friendship only forms when friends sleep in the same bed together. I’ve been a little skeptical about it lately, but it’s not like the saying doesn’t exist.”
In truth, there was a saying called same bed, different dreams, which described having different thoughts despite being in the same situation. The fact that it was specifically expressed as “different dreams in the same bed” implied that even close friends could have differing opinions. It was also proof that sharing a bed between friends had once been quite common.
Cheong’s eyes visible through the door crack rolled around as she gauged the reaction.
“So… is it okay if we sleep together? I don’t usually do this, but today I’m feeling strangely…”
“Of course. In fact, that’s what I wanted to ask you. Please come in.”
“Nice! That’s what friends are for.”
Cheong giggled as she entered, climbed onto the bed, and burrowed straight into the blankets. The lump under the covers wriggled closer, then suddenly a head popped up right in front of Gongson Yoye’s nose.
“Haa. This is nice. It really is better when someone’s here. You’re not uncomfortable, are you? If sleeping with someone bothers you, I won’t force it.”
“Not at all. I’ve always wanted to sleep side by side with a friend. I’m actually grateful that you suggested it first.”
Cheong gave a warm, affectionate smile.
“Hearing you say that makes me happy.”
Then she fidgeted under the blanket for a bit before, not long after, the sound of steady, even breathing filled the room. Although it was Gongson Yoye’s first time seeing someone else sleep, this was also her first time seeing someone fall asleep so quickly and deeply. Having slept so much during the day, only Gongson Yoye felt a little resentful that she couldn’t sleep. We finally get to sleep together, but she won’t even talk to me…
How much time had passed like that?
Suddenly, something heavy slid on top of her.
“L-Lady Seomun? Um, your leg…”
There was no way Cheong would hear her. After exhausting her body all day and wandering around at night, she had completely knocked out on the comfortable bed. Soon Cheong let out a soft groan, rolled over, and leaned her entire body against her.
This really does feel like sisters.
Gongson Yoye smiled warmly and moved to embrace Cheong, but the moment her fingertips touched something, her body froze rigid.
“U-Um. Lady Seomun? Why… why aren’t you wearing clothes?”
But Cheong was sound asleep. Only Gongson Yoye remained stiff as a board, unable to calm her racing heart.
----
Dang Nan-a arrived at the Mucheon Pavilion. Having heard that Cheong was staying there, she had planned to surprise her and then go to the Yongbongjihoe together for lunch. She climbed all the way to the top floor with that exact intention, only to find a Mucheon Pavilion maid standing in front of the hallway door.
“Is Cheong inside?”
“It seems she is still sleeping. Shall I announce your arrival?”
A sly smile spread across Dang Nan-a’s lips.
“She’s sleeping? Hehe, then I suppose I should wake her up?”
“Um, honored guest. It would be improper to enter while the VIP is sleeping…”
“I’m Cheong’s closest friend, you know? Ask her later. She might get angry at you for blocking her friend instead.”
“That doesn’t sound like something she would do, but…”
Even so, the maid did not step aside. After all, without the VIP’s permission, even a woman could not be allowed inside freely.
“Ugh, whatever. Move. I’m Dang Nan-a. The Understanding Poison Flower, Dang Nan-a. I, the direct daughter of the great Sichuan Tang Clan, am telling you to let me in, and you dare block my way?”
“Ah. So you are Lady Dang Nan-a. I was told in advance that if you visited, I should let you in.”
The maid’s expression brightened. She had thought it was a troublesome guest, but it wasn’t. It was a good thing Cheong had given instructions beforehand. In reality, though, it was indeed a troublesome guest.
“Where’s Cheong… Ah, there. Shoes. Shoes.”
Dang Nan-a’s expression turned venomous. There were shoes, but there were two pairs. Cheong naturally had two feet and no hobby of wearing shoes on her hands, so two of them were Cheong’s. That meant the other two were not.
At least they were round and dainty, clearly a woman’s shoes. That was a relief.
“What the hell? Whose bitch is this? How dare she!”
Dang Nan-a flung the door open with a bang.
Cheong usually had sharp senses even while sleeping, but if she judged a place to be safe, she would sleep like the dead. The top floor of a grand, luxurious pavilion inside the Murim Alliance was an extremely safe location. Gongson Yoye also had keen senses, but after staying up all night with her eyes open, she had only fallen asleep when the darkness in the sky began to fade at dawn.
When Dang Nan-a saw the two heads stuck closely together on the bed, flames erupted in her eyes.
“These bitches— No, these bitch-bitches!”
Dang Nan-a yanked the blanket away. Since they had been sleeping in their nightclothes—or lack thereof—the sudden rush of air on bare skin made Cheong frown and open her eyes.
“Ah, my blanket… It’s you, Nan-a. Give me the blanket. I’m cold. Well, not really cold. I just like being warm.”
“You! Cheong, how could you do this to me?! When I asked to sleep together you made every excuse to avoid it! And now you let some other woman into your bed?!”
“The way you’re phrasing that sounds a bit off. Someone might think I cheated on you.”
“How can you say that!”
“Yelling so loudly first thing in the morning… Oh, the sun’s up.”
Cheong sat up and roughly scratched her messy hair. She groped around for the sleepwear that had been crumpled under her butt, pulled it on haphazardly, and then burst into laughter at the sight of Dang Nan-a’s fierce, venomous glare and ragged breathing.
“What? Were you that upset? Then let’s sleep together tonight. Actually, this is perfect. Why don’t we just stay together for a while? The accommodation is spacious anyway. It feels wasteful to use it alone.”
“Huh? Really?”
“Yeah. Sorry, but your family is in Sichuan. We’ll see each other every day once we go back, right? So while we’re in Kaifeng, let’s stay together. Or… do you not want to?”
Dang Nan-a couldn’t control the huge grin spreading across her face, but then she suddenly tilted her head. Cheong’s slightly furrowed brows and the strangely anxious look in her eyes as she looked up were oddly unfamiliar and awkward. Wait, is Cheong actually reading my mood right now?
At that realization, Dang Nan-a’s cheekbones practically ascended to heaven.
That’s right. She must feel guilty for bringing in that vixen while leaving her best friend behind.
That was the direction her thoughts took.
----
Since Gongson Yoye had stayed out overnight, she said she needed to return to her family and left. Cheong linked arms with Dang Nan-a and entered the Yongbongjihoe arena.
She cut through the crowd of junior disciples who recognized her as the greatest female drinker among the current generation, looking for someone. Eventually she stopped beside Namgung Sinjae, who was in the middle of delivering a long, passionate speech praising the sword.
“Oh, my sword-friend has arrived.”
“Yeah. Hey, do you want to come to the Mucheon Pavilion for some sparring? I’ve been swinging my sword lately but I’m not sure about something. I was thinking of practicing the sword for a while.”
“Oh! Has my sword-friend finally become truly devoted to the sword? If it is such a joyous occasion, this sword-friend must roll up both sleeves and assist! How about it, sword-friend? Shall we have a match right now?”
“Later. I don’t plan on coming until the tournament. Today I’m just making the rounds to say hello. Want to go together when I leave?”
“Excellent! My hands have been itching for a spar anyway. No, this is not the time. I shall be warming up in the back, so please find me when you are ready to leave. Ah, I must order some wooden swords to be delivered to the Mucheon Pavilion. You are prepared, yes?”
“Of course.”
Cheong smiled brightly and held out her scabbard. Her sword-friend gave it a light tap with his own, then dashed outside with excited steps.
Dang Nan-a clicked her tongue beside her.
“Is sparring really that fun? That guy isn’t right in the head either.”
“It’s better than getting obsessed with something else, isn’t it?”
After that, they continued scanning the floors for familiar faces. Among disciples wearing various types of uniforms, they found Changbin raising his voice.
“Ah, this really kills the taste of alcohol. There isn’t a single woman to be found. What is this, just a bunch of sweaty men gathered together? Everyone knows that alcohol tastes best when a woman pours it for you…”
“Really? Here. Have a drink.”
“Mm. You have arrived.”
It was still an awkward, overly polite form of address. Cheong let out a small laugh.
“I’m staying at the Mucheon Pavilion. I was thinking of gathering some friends to spar and hang out. Changbin, you should come visit too.”
She added that this was advice from her senior, so he mustn’t take it lightly and should definitely come, then set off again to find more acquaintances.
Come to think of it, she hadn’t seen Hyang-i. As she looked around, she realized something strange. There were no women visible in the arena at all.
“What’s going on? Is today the Blue Dragon Conference or something? There are only men here?”
“I didn’t hear anything about a separate event today. What is this…?”
Dang Nan-a also found it odd and trailed off.
The reason became clear soon enough. When they went up one more floor, they found every single woman in the entire venue gathered there, chattering noisily.
Wondering what on earth was happening—perhaps the master confectioner of the Tang Clan was making fresh snacks on the spot—Cheong stood on the landing in confusion. Suddenly, the sound of hurried footsteps erupted. The women parted to both sides, and the jade-like face of the most handsome man in the world appeared.
“You’re finally here, Cheong? You probably lazed around until the sun was high in the sky. Still, it’s good to see your face.”
For once, he even used her name, which he normally refused to utter even if it killed him, while pretending to be glad to see her. Normally he only ever called her “you.”
At that, all the women’s gazes focused on a single point. The murderous aura was so intense it felt like it would pierce through Cheong’s face veil. At the same time, the whispering grew loud.
It’s Cheong. Cheong. Did you hear? I didn’t hear. I didn’t hear either. You didn’t hear? He called her by name. By her name. Does that make sense? He said it’s good to see her face! They’re friends, right? Friends. I don’t know. I didn’t hear.
Cheong’s hearing was far beyond average, so even the whispers in that murderous atmosphere reached her ears clearly.
Ah. This is a bit burdensome.
Thinking about it, this was exactly the kind of thing that could spread bad rumors and ruin her friend’s marriage prospects.
“Young Master Paeng has come. I thought you usually avoided events like this?”
“Still, I had to come at least once. By the way, did you get home safely yesterday? I felt uneasy after you suddenly left. You didn’t look well. How are you feeling now?”
At that, screams that sounded almost like shrieks erupted. Because asking if she got home safely yesterday was essentially the same as saying they had been together yesterday.
Now killing intent was literally rising from among the women. Cheong’s eyebrows twitched, revealing her discomfort.