Marry First, Love Later With The White Cat Princess - Chapter 6

After having a late-night snack and reading with Liu Fenyun for half an hour, Lianyi began to feel sleepy and was about to ask for her washbasin when a knock suddenly sounded at the door. She immediately tensed, her body curling defensively.

“It’s the attendants from the Bath Pavilion,” Liu Fenyun quickly reassured her before calling out, “Come in.”

The attendants entered, carrying three wooden tubs two filled with steaming hot water and one lukewarm, releasing a faint medicinal aroma. They set them down near the bed and quietly left.

“What’s this?” Lianyi asked, wrinkling her nose at the smell.

“A medicinal bath,” Liu Fenyun explained, arranging the tubs and pulling the screen across before taking out a small pill and a cup of warm water. “Your Highness, take the medicine first, then soak in the bath. Afterward, you can go straight to bed.”

Curious, as this was her first time trying such a treatment, Lianyi swallowed the pill and undressed to step into the tub.

Her fair skin glimmered in the light, and for a moment Liu Fenyun found herself dazed by the sight.

After soaking for a while, Lianyi began to feel her skin tingle unpleasantly and tried to rise, but Liu Fenyun suddenly stepped into the tub as well and drew her into an embrace.

The water was warm, but Lianyi’s body remained cold. The moment her skin met Liu Fenyun’s, she shivered slightly. Their hair mingled together in the water dark ink black and soft chestnut brown.

The air was heavy with bitter herbs.

“The first time soaking in this might feel a little uncomfortable,” Liu Fenyun said, meeting Lianyi’s eyes. “I’ll stay with Your Highness.”

Once Lianyi relaxed, Liu Fenyun began massaging the acupoints that aided digestion.

Lianyi soon felt drowsy the steady rhythm of Liu Fenyun’s fingers lulled her, and she leaned into the doctor’s arms.

When a soft purring sound escaped her throat, Liu Fenyun couldn’t help smiling. “Your Highness may close your eyes and rest,” she said gently.

Lianyi obeyed and drifted off not long after.

Seeing her sound asleep, Liu Fenyun gazed down at her and called softly twice, but Lianyi didn’t stir. Her eyes fell on the white cat ears peeking from the chestnut hair.

It was said that a beast’s ears and tail were sensitive areas. Earlier, when Liu Fenyun had tried to touch them, Lianyi had hissed at her.

Now, taking advantage of her deep sleep, Liu Fenyun leaned forward and pressed her lips gently to the tip of one ear.

Lianyi made a soft noise in her sleep, and Liu Fenyun immediately drew back.

So sensitive indeed.

After the bath, Liu Fenyun used the system’s medical points to convert into physical energy, easily lifting Lianyi into the clean water to rinse off the medicine.

As her fingers brushed along Lianyi’s back, she felt something strange smooth and slightly raised. Parting the wet hair, she saw a pink lotus-shaped mark blooming on her fair skin, lifelike and delicate.

“What is this?” she murmured, tracing it.

Lianyi gasped in pain and seized her hand. “Don’t touch it!” she snapped, her tone icy.

Startled, Liu Fenyun quickly apologized. “I’m sorry!”

After a pause, Lianyi said quietly, “I don’t actually know what it is. I only know… it hurts when someone touches it.”

Liu Fenyun thought for a moment. “I’ve heard that when a beast has such a mark, it’s often left by the master they once made a blood pact with. Has Your Highness ever met your master?”

The question darkened Lianyi’s eyes. She shook her head. “Since I can remember, I’ve wandered within the borders of the Candlelight Kingdom. Later, the Seventh Princess took me in. I’ve never left her residence since.”

Clearly unwilling to continue the subject, she quickly added, “Ah Yun, you should bathe before the water gets cold.”

Liu Fenyun nodded and had the servants bring more water. Once alone, she settled into the tub — only to glance over and see that Lianyi had turned into a large white cat floating lazily on the water.

Liu Fenyun blinked, then bit back a laugh. “Your Highness, what are you doing?”

The big white cat ignored her, paddling around contentedly.

Bathing as a human was too troublesome she much preferred washing in her beast form when no attendants were present.

When they were both done, Liu Fenyun dried off, dressed, and lifted the cat from the tub, wrapping her in a towel. But as she sat down on the bed to dry her fur, the cat suddenly shifted back into human form and sat on her lap, arms draped around her neck.

Liu Fenyun froze, hastily grabbing her outer robe to cover her.

Seeing her flustered expression, Lianyi laughed. “Why hide it? You have everything I do.”

“I-I just don’t want Your Highness to catch a chill,” Liu Fenyun stammered, blushing furiously.

Unlike last night under dim red curtains, the bright lamplight now illuminated every inch of Lianyi’s flawless form.

“It’s nice that you’re not a man,” Lianyi murmured against her ear, her breath warm. “If you were, you’d have taken me by now instead of turning red like this.”

Liu Fenyun drew a deep breath. “If Your Highness wishes, we can… do as we did last night.”

Lianyi chuckled. “And what exactly did we do last night?”

Liu Fenyun fell silent again and simply pulled her into the blankets.

She had never given much thought to her own desires before her life had always revolved around study and medicine. But holding Lianyi like this stirred something within her a yearning she couldn’t quite name.

She wanted Lianyi. Or perhaps she wanted Lianyi to want her.

Was this what it meant to be attracted to women?

“Enough teasing,” Lianyi said, laughter still lacing her tone. “Sleep. We have to get up early tomorrow.”

She brushed a soft kiss across Liu Fenyun’s lips and went to extinguish the lamps.

The room fell into darkness. “Good night,” Liu Fenyun murmured.

Something warm and fluffy suddenly nestled against her chest. She reached out and felt soft fur — and a cat’s ear.

“I frightened you today,” came Lianyi’s small voice. “So tonight, I’ll let you hold my beast form while you sleep.” She pawed lightly at Liu Fenyun’s clothes and sighed. “You’re too pure for this world. Focus on your healing arts I’ll handle the rest.”

Liu Fenyun, knowing she wasn’t suited for socializing, simply nodded and held the white cat close, soon drifting off.

But Lianyi stayed awake. Once Liu Fenyun’s breathing evened out, the cat leaned close to her ear, opened her mouth, and bit just hard enough to draw blood.

Liu Fenyun didn’t stir. Lianyi swallowed the drop of blood and whispered an incantation. A red mark, shaped like a willow leaf, appeared at the base of Liu Fenyun’s ear.

This was one of the methods for forming a contract between a beast and a human as long as the beast lived, the human could borrow its power.

Bound as she was to the frail body of the Seventh Princess, Lianyi couldn’t act freely. It was better to lend her strength to Liu Fenyun, so the naïve doctor could at least protect herself.

Watching the red mark fade, Lianyi gently patted her cheek, her blue eyes soft.

“Don’t betray me.”

“Blood pact detected. Uploading target beast data [Lianyi].”

“The power transfer rate will depend on the bond’s affection level.”

“Affection meter unlocked. Importing data…”

Half-asleep, Liu Fenyun heard the system’s voice echo in her mind. Thinking it a dream, she ignored it until later that night, when she woke and saw an actual number hovering near Lianyi’s name.

“System,” she whispered, startled, “what’s this affection meter?”

“Congratulations, Host,” the system replied cheerfully. “You and the cat demon Lianyi have successfully formed a blood pact. You may now access all of her abilities.”

Liu Fenyun: “???”

Lianyi, half asleep, was shaken awake. Scowling, she bit her hand lightly. “It’s still early. Why are you fussing?”

“Your Highness, are you feeling any discomfort?” Liu Fenyun asked nervously. “It seems… we’ve somehow”

She trailed off, unsure how to explain. Theoretically, a beast could have only one blood pact. Yet here Lianyi was, already bearing one lotus mark  and Liu Fenyun had no memory of forming any pact at all.

Seeing her lost in thought, Lianyi just yawned, turned back into a cat, and curled up in her arms.

Looking at the “60/100” affection score glowing before her eyes, Liu Fenyun decided to investigate before mentioning it again.

Then she opened the affection details and nearly fainted.

A score of 100 meant complete trust 60 was barely passing. Below 60 meant dislike.

If it dropped under 30, a “negative event” could trigger at 10 or less, Lianyi might kill her.

To maintain affection? Simply stay by Lianyi’s side and never defy her wishes.

Reading all this, Liu Fenyun realized with growing dread: the cat she’d married… might be a little yandere.

Still, a disorder was a disorder and as a healer, she could hardly judge. Instead, she pulled the white cat closer and stroked her fur.

Poor thing, she thought. Surrounded by enemies all her life, spoiled yet utterly alone.

Half an hour before dawn, Lianyi changed back into human form and gently shook her awake.

“You need to report to the Imperial Medical Bureau before roll call.”

Liu Fenyun was already used to early mornings. She dressed quickly as attendants brought fresh water for washing. Outside, the carriage was waiting in the dark winter air.

As she stepped up, she glanced back to see Lianyi in her fox-fur cloak, two maids with lanterns at her side.

Their eyes met. Seeing the faint hope in Lianyi’s gaze, Liu Fenyun hesitated then extended her hand.

“I’m shy among strangers,” she admitted softly. “Would Your Highness come with me?”

Her tone was so earnest it was hard to refuse as if it wasn’t her who had insisted yesterday that Lianyi stay behind.

Lianyi’s eyes lit up, though she teased, “A grown woman, still afraid of strangers?”

But she placed her hand in hers. “Very well. Just this once.”