Mist from the spring clung to the tips of hair and the hems of clothes, spreading a layer of lazy warmth.
Baining looked at the soft-featured yet still somewhat stubborn Bai Li before her and gave a gentle instruction.
“Next, you’re free to do as you please. Don’t overexert yourself, and remember to head back to your room to rest early.”
Bai Li nodded gently, appearing obedient on the surface, but she already had her own plan in mind.
Taking advantage of the moment when no one was around to disturb her, she turned and hurried toward the Library of Archives deep within the Castle.
Regardless of what it took, she had to search through every ancient text to find a way to return to her original self.
Watching Bai Li’s departing figure, the tenderness in Baining’s eyes gradually shifted into a mix of helplessness and cunning.
She sighed softly, a few ideas already in mind, and turned toward Fei Yi’s quarters.
There were some matters she couldn’t handle alone; she had to discuss them with the dear friend who had stayed by her side for seventy years.
Standing before the door, she raised her hand and knocked gently, her voice soft and intimate.
“Fei Yi? Are you in? I have something I want to talk to you about… regarding my daughter.”
“Your Majesty?” a calm, slightly sleepy voice came from inside.
“I will be up immediately.”
“Take your time, there’s no rush,”
Baining said considerately.
“Today is supposed to be your day off. I already feel bad for dropping by to disturb you like this.”
“Please do not say such things, Your Majesty. Just a moment, please.”
Not long after, the door was pulled open.
Fei Yi was dressed in simple loungewear.
She remained consistent, dignified, and expressionless as she bowed slightly.
“I apologize for keeping you waiting. What are your instructions, Your Majesty?”
Baining glanced left and right, her expression a bit awkward as she lowered her voice.
“Uh… Fei Yi, let’s talk inside. It’s not convenient here.”
With that, she gently pushed on Fei Yi’s back, and they walked into the inner living room together.
Fei Yi had followed Baining for seventy years.
From the time Baining was an ignorant young Vampire to the Queen who shouldered the heavy responsibility of the Vampire Restoration, the two had long since moved beyond the relationship of master and servant.
They were as close as sisters.
Baining had no reservations and trusted her completely.
However, Fei Yi always adhered to her duties, constantly reminding herself not to forget their respective statuses.
She did not want the Queen to be criticized by others because of her.
At this moment, though, her Queen was treading lightly and acting suspiciously, looking like a child plotting a prank.
“Where was the majestic and composed ruler she usually was?”
Fei Yi was secretly surprised, but her face remained impassive as she waited for the Queen to speak.
Only after Baining confirmed the door was shut tight and no one was around did she heave a long sigh.
She turned around, her brow filled with an irrepressible sense of frustration.
“Fei Yi, my plan for Bai Li is actually much more difficult than I imagined.”
“Difficult?”
Fei Yi was somewhat surprised.
“Seeing Your Majesty and the Princess spending so much time together over the past few days, I thought she was easy to get close to and would slowly accept the situation…”
“You don’t know… it’s all because of that night…”
Lowering her voice, Baining briefly explained how Bai Li had been firm in the study, refusing to yield an inch.
She didn’t go into detail, but the unwavering stubbornness was clear.
After listening, Fei Yi nodded gently and sighed.
“I see… I didn’t expect that even after becoming a Vampire, this human would still have such a determined will.”
“Fei Yi,” Baining corrected her softly, her tone carrying an unconscious protective streak.
“She is my daughter now. Do not use such distant terms like ‘human’ anymore.”
“Yes, I have overstepped. Please forgive me, Your Majesty.”
“It’s fine. Just be careful next time.”
Baining waved it off and immediately brought the conversation back to the main point, her gaze serious and earnest.
“To be serious, I need your help.”
“Please give your orders. I will do whatever is necessary.”
Baining locked the door and tightened her grip.
Her usually bright and sharp Red Pupils lowered slightly, revealing a rare girlish anxiety and awkwardness.
She paced two steps across the room, her voice full of helplessness.
“I’ve been holding back these past few days, not daring to push her too hard. I thought that like water dripping on stone, I could slowly wear down her defenses and make her accept her current identity… and my feelings for her.”
“But I still underestimated her. She looks gentle and easy to talk to, but she’s rock-solid to the core. Her boundaries are clear, and she won’t give an inch. If I try to force things, it will only backfire and make her distance herself from me. That would be a loss not worth the gain.”
She paused, recalling Bai Li’s determined and serious look that night.
Her heart felt both helpless and a strange, indescribable flutter.
It was precisely because she was a person of principle and responsibility—someone who wouldn’t compromise even in a dire situation and always remembered to protect the weak—that Baining found it harder to let go.
She only wanted to protect her, to pamper her until she could never leave.
“She made it very clear. She can accompany me in handling government affairs and stay by my side as my eternal Pops, but she absolutely refuses to accept the reversal of our roles or anything that crosses her line.”
Baining bit her lip lightly, her voice quiet but firm.
“I can’t force her, and I can’t demand it. I have to find another way.”
Fei Yi listened quietly before saying calmly, “The Princess is reasonable and values loyalty. She is not someone who can be tamed by power or bloodlines. Your Majesty’s current approach of retreating to advance and treating her with tenderness is the best way. However, if you want her to completely let go of her obsession and accept your relationship, you need a more subtle and gradual arrangement.”
“Exactly!”
Baining’s eyes lit up.
She stepped forward and gripped Fei Yi’s hand, her tone carrying a hint of a spoiled plea.
“Fei Yi, you are the most clever and reliable. There are many things in the Castle that are inconvenient for me to do personally, but you can. I want to ask you to help me design some Gentle Traps — things that won’t hurt her, won’t force her, and won’t leave a trace — so she can subconsciously get used to my company, rely on me, and get close to me. I want her to slowly let go of her human past and… accept my kindness.”
She quickly added earnestly.
“Nothing will be done to make her feel distressed or pained. Every arrangement will be subtle. We will just simmer the pot slowly to influence her. We will never force her into anything difficult.”
Fei Yi looked at the Queen, who rarely showed such vulnerability and longing.
Her fingers at her side twitched slightly.
After seventy years of facing trials together, they had long since become each other’s strongest support.
This friendship had transcended the master-servant bond and was etched into their very blood.
Fei Yi bowed slightly, her voice calm but incredibly firm.
“I will put forth my full effort. Please specify, Your Majesty, where you would like to begin and how far you wish to go?”
Seeing her agree, the weight in Baining’s heart finally lifted.
A cunning and gentle smile blossomed on her face, and her whole body relaxed.
She pulled Fei Yi to the window, looking out at the flowing moonlight, and whispered her entire plan.
Fei Yi listened intently, committing every word to memory.
As Baining spoke, a soft yet determined light shimmered in her red eyes.
“I’m not in a hurry, truly. I can wait. I’ll wait for her to get used to it, wait for her to rely on me, wait for her heart to soften, and wait for the day she looks back and realizes she can no longer leave me.”
‘I want nothing else… I only want her willingness.’
Fei Yi was silent for a moment before nodding gently, her tone certain.
“I understand.”
“The Princess is loyal and values relationships; she responds to kindness rather than force, and she is protective of those she cares about. As long as we grasp the softest parts of her heart, plan strategically, and approach slowly, it won’t be long before she stays by Your Majesty’s side of her own accord.”
“Leave the subsequent arrangements to me. Your Majesty only needs to remain as gentle and close as you are now while maintaining proper boundaries. I will handle all the coincidences and opportunities flawlessly.”
Feeling a surge of warmth at Fei Yi’s eternal reliability, Baining couldn’t help but step forward and hug her lightly.
“Fei Yi, it’s so good to have you here.”
Fei Yi’s body stiffened slightly before she slowly relaxed.
Her voice remained calm, but it held a layer of tenderness.
“Being able to share Your Majesty’s burdens is the honor of my life.”
Outside the window, the moonlight was pale, spilling quietly like water.
It cast a silent silver glow on the floor through the specially crafted Vampire window frames.
A secret plan — both gentle and firm, designed solely to melt that stubborn heart — was quietly set in motion during this silent night.
Meanwhile, deep within the Castle’s ancient Library of Archives, that petite and persistent figure was still flipping through yellowed ancient texts one by one.
Her gaze was focused and obstinate, her mind set only on finding her former self.
She had no idea that she had already been drawn into a sweet trap by her most cherished daughter and most reliable maidservant — an exquisitely gentle snare from which she would find it impossible to escape.
In this trap, there was no coercion and no harm.
There was only day after day of companionship, protection, and a silent, inescapable deep affection.