Upon Her Lips - Chapter 24

Chapter 24

The wall clock struck ten.

A black bird with crimson eyes fluttered out from the clock face, letting out a sharp cry before landing on Mu Fei’s shoulder, where it affectionately pecked at a loose strand of her hair.

You Ran watched the black bird in awe. She couldn’t tell if the creature was real or mechanical, residing as it did within the clock. She felt a twinge of envy toward the little bird for being able to stay so close to the Master.

Mu Fei pointed to a stand on the desk, and the bird, Wuming, obediently flew over to perch near You Ran, standing quietly on one leg. To Mu Fei, this was the most relaxing part of her day, signaled by Wuming’s punctual cry. Though many found the raven’s call mournful or shrill, to Mu Fei, it heralded her favorite leisure time: her suspenseful television dramas were about to begin.

As an “elder” who lived a secluded life, Mu Fei’s hobbies were few. Managing the ancestral estates was a duty, not a hobby. Drinking was a habit. That left her with only one true indulgence: human-made television programs. It was a perfect way to kill time.

Mu Fei glanced at You Ran, who was sitting stiffly on her chair. The appearance of Wuming had clearly left the child both curious and terrified. You Ran carefully shifted her small body in the opposite direction, trying to put distance between herself and the raven’s red eyes.

It must be a fake bird, You Ran thought, letting out a tiny sigh of relief.

In the place she used to live, birds like this were called “Death-Soul Birds.” They ate the flesh of the dead and were said to be pets raised by devils who drank human blood. Because of her stutter, the other children had whispered that she was a “cursed child,” claiming the devil had pulled out her tongue.

She remembered the time a girl older than her had finally invited her to play in the woods. It had been raining heavily. You Ran had finished all her chores and snuck out to the meeting spot, her heart racing with the joy of finally being included. They told her that if she could retrieve a kite tangled in a patch of tall grass, they would let her play with them forever.

She had run toward it without a second thought, not knowing the grass hid a pit several meters deep. She tumbled in, gashing her head. From above, she heard the “friends” laughing.

“Look at that! She’s bleeding and she isn’t even crying. What a freak!” “Even her own mother hates her. Why would we want to play with her? Disgusting.” “Freak! Freak!”

They had stood over her, throwing mud and spitting, while she huddled in the dirt, unable to even beg for mercy. Eventually, a large black bird had flown over. Fearing it as an ill omen, the children fled. You Ran had lain there in the cold, thinking the bird was waiting for her to die so it could eat her. She had thought, then, that being eaten might not be so bad. But the bird had only watched her with its red eyes until dawn, then flown away.

Just as You Ran was lost in these dark memories, the “fake” bird suddenly took flight and landed right on top of her messy hair. You Ran turned to stone instantly.

Wuming tilted its head, peering down at the frail child. Its razor-sharp beak was strong enough to tear scalp from bone, but the raven wasn’t interested in her flesh. Instead, it began to fastidiously preen You Ran’s dark hair.

“Wuming.”

Hearing her Master’s voice, the raven stopped and simply settled onto You Ran’s head, curling up into a comfortable black puff. You Ran didn’t dare move a muscle.

“You Ran,” Mu Fei called out.

The girl’s head was pinned by the bird, so she could only whisper, “Lady… I… I’m here.”

“Stay here and watch a show with me,” Mu Fei said, her voice unusually soft.

The projection screen flickered to life. The drama started with a visceral scene: a woman’s body discarded in the wilderness, the rain washing away the blood, leaving only a severed finger with a ring on the roadside. It was a brutal image for a young girl, but You Ran forced herself to watch, her eyes fixed on the screen. The Master had asked her to stay, and she wanted nothing more than to be by her side.

Mu Fei poured a glass of Ximi wine—a popular low-concentration beverage among the nobility made from bull’s blood and bitter herbs. It had a calming effect. She sipped the bitter liquid and glanced at the small human curled on the chair.

The child was clearly terrified, yet she followed orders perfectly, staring at the screen with a look of intense, reluctant concentration.

“Is it good?” Mu Fei asked.

You Ran turned her head and saw Mu Fei’s pale, radiant face. Flustered, she quickly turned back to the screen.

“No…” she whispered.

“No?” Mu Fei leaned back in her lounger, taking another sip of wine. “What do you mean ‘no’? Is it not good?”

You Ran shook her head vigorously. When nervous, she usually fidgeted with her fingers, but since they were covered in ointment, she kept them still. “No… no. The Ma… Master… is… beau… beautiful.”

The last word was barely a breath, but Mu Fei’s sharp ears caught it. She looked at the screen, then back at the girl. She supposed she was better to look at than the mutilated corpses in the drama.

She let out a soft huff of amusement and settled in. Usually, she watched these alone in the silence of her study. But having this quiet little thing nearby wasn’t so bad. It made the room feel… less empty.

As the plot thickened, You Ran would occasionally flinch during the tense moments. Wuming, annoyed by the movement, would peck at her hair as a reminder to stay still. You Ran would immediately straighten her back like a board.

Soon, the sound of steady, light breathing filled the room. Lady Mu Fei had fallen asleep.

You Ran watched her beautiful, pale profile. For the first time, she felt grateful the black bird hadn’t eaten her all those years ago—otherwise, she never would have met the Master. She thought of what Auntie Dai said about the long trip to the South; the Lady must be exhausted.

She stood up with painstaking care, tiptoeing to the sofa to grab a blanket. She draped it over Mu Fei with the gentleness of a falling leaf, then returned to her seat. Wuming watched her every move, but ultimately just tucked its head back into its feathers.

Outside the dark window, a bright star streaked across the sky, followed by several more with long, golden tails.

Shooting stars!

The old women near her home used to say that seeing golden-tailed stars was a sign of immense luck—a time when prayers were truly heard. You Ran squeezed her eyes shut, her hands clasped tightly over her chest.

“You Ran hopes that Lady Mu Fei will be safe and happy forever.”