Miteer Auction House
It was said to be the heart of Wutan City's treasures—and its gossip.
Xiao Ranyu didn't come looking for treasure.
Not at first.
He came to watch… and maybe stir up a rumor or two. That was his specialty.
And that's when he saw her.
---
Ya Fei.
She stood at the center of the platform like a queen in velvet armor—radiant, commanding, dangerous.
Wrapped in a crimson silk dress that danced between seduction and strategy, with golden hair flowing like liquid fire, she moved with effortless control. A flick of her wrist could send nobles into a bidding frenzy. One smile, and prices doubled.
> "Three hundred gold coins? A charming offer. But surely the Young Master in the third row won't let this beauty go for such a modest price?"
She was terrifying.
She was brilliant.
And Xiao Ranyu… was intrigued.
Not romantically. Not yet.
But in the way a clever fox watches another fox enter the den—sharper coat, better rings, same hunger.
---
They met properly one afternoon, when Ranyu sneaked into the VIP observation room under a ridiculous fake name: "Cousin from Elder Miteer's distant nephew's servant's branch."
Ya Fei saw through it instantly.
But she didn't throw him out.
> "You're sharp for a brat," she said, amused. "Too sharp to be skulking around like a spy in training pants."
> "And you're too calm for a woman dressed like a vixen" he replied smoothly.
They clicked.
---
Over the Months
She found his arrogance refreshing. His sharp tongue a relief from the daily parade of boot-licking nobles.
He liked being underestimated—for once, by someone who knew it was an act.
He learned auctions, rare items, bargaining tactics.
She learned his name—Xiao Ranyu—and smirked when she realized who he was.
> "The Xiao Clan's youngest troublemaker? Strange flame affinity? The one they say can't cultivate?"
> "It's not that exaggerated," he said, swirling his tea. "And I can cultivate. Just not in the boring way."
She didn't press, but she noted the gleam in his eyes.
They weren't close. Not yet.
But the conversations became longer. The silences more comfortable.
Walks turned into secrets. Teasing turned into something harder to name.
Ya Fei, who had seen every trick, every greedy glance, every forced compliment—found herself caught off guard.
He wasn't just clever.
He could see her—without touching.
Not a boy pretending to be a man.
But a storm, waiting for its time.
And she feared what would happen when he rose beyond her reach.
After all
Ya Fei, for all her grace and elegance, lacked what Ranyu had in abundance—talent.
She was not a prodigy. She dealt in silver, not flames.
Even in her early twenties, she was only a 7-star Dou Fighter. And she feared the day he would rise beyond her reach.
So she smiled.
And said nothing.
> "He'll leave this place behind someday," she thought, staring into her red-crystal mirror. "And I won't be able to follow."
---
A Rare Winter Night
The Miteer Auction House hosted a closed-door auction for elites.
Xiao Ranyu was there, of course—this time, invited.
> "Call it a late birthday gesture," Ya Fei told him. "Let's see if you can handle the real heat."
She wore a fur-lined crimson cloak that night. Fire made flesh.
They stood side by side as priceless relics were unveiled. Her fingers brushed his sleeve occasionally. Her voice dipped low, always too close.
And he pretended not to notice.
Later, in the upper lounge—just the two of them sipping tea by candlelight—Ya Fei turned, expression unreadable.
> "Ranyu," she said softly. "What realm are you really at?"
He blinked. "What?"
> "Don't play dumb. You expect me to believe you're stuck like your third brother? That you can't cultivate?"
She was smiling, but her voice carried an edge. A woman's intuition sharpened by years in a den of wolves.
> "I'm a little over Dou Fighter," he admitted. "Barely."
She froze.
He was thirteen.
And already beyond Dou Zhe?
He wasn't just clever.
He wasn't just strange.
He was monstrous.
And he would rise.
> "He's going to become someone untouchable," she thought, heart tightening. "And when that day comes, what will I be to him? Just another name he's outgrown?"
Still, she smiled.
---
Later That Night
She returned with two warm cups of spirit wine.
> "Happy late birthday," she said, handing him a red box.
He opened it: a pendant made of blood jade and flame crystal.
Elegant. Understated. Warm.
> "This is expensive," he said.
> "I make good commissions," she replied. "And I spend them on people who are worth it."
He tilted his head, eyes curious.
> "You're okay?"
She wanted to say no.
Wanted to say she was scared—of losing him, of falling further.
But instead, she smiled.
> "I'm fine. I just realized… you're not a boy anymore."
He smirked. "I'm only thirteen."
> "Exactly," she said, stepping back. "Which means in three years, you'll be impossible to control."
---
Later, as they leaned over the rail of the rooftop garden under the stars, Ranyu spoke again.
> "Since liking someone can't be controlled… I'll leave it to fate."
He gave her a teasing look, smile full of mischief.
> "So if fate gives me more than one... I guess I'll marry multiple wives. If they can handle it."
Ya Fei laughed.
Her voice was light—but her heart whispered quiet questions.
> Can I be one of them?
> Can I give it a try?
She didn't answer aloud.
But that night, when she watched him walk away, pendant glowing faintly at his neck—she realized she had already fell deeply.
Even if she never admitted it out loud.
---
From the Shadows — Xun'er's View
Gu Xun'er hadn't planned to follow.
She had just… ended up there.
The rooftops of Wu Tan City were quiet that night, bathed in moonlight and cold stars. She crouched silently above the upper garden of the Miteer Auction House, hidden behind an ornamental arch.
Below, Xiao Ranyu stood laughing beside Ya Fei. Not like his usual teasing, not mocking or dramatic. It was genuine—a sound rarely heard from him.
And Ya Fei…
Ya Fei was laughing back.
Not the smile she gave nobles. Not the voice she used to raise prices.
> That was… real.
And then she heard it.
> "Since liking someone can't be controlled," Ranyu said casually, "I'll leave it to fate. So if fate hands me multiple wives—well, I guess I'll accept it."
Ya Fei laughed. Light, smooth, like a woman used to being flirted with but surprised when it actually made her heart skip.
> "He's not even sixteen," Xun'er thought, gripping the edge of the arch. "But he says things like that... and means them."
Something twisted in her chest.
Jealousy? Confusion? Maybe both.
> "He's not mine," she told herself.
> "He's arrogant. He's reckless. He wears dirt like fashion."
> "He drives me crazy."
Then why did it feel like a thread was pulling tight in her heart?
Why did Ya Fei's smile feel like a dagger?
Why did she suddenly hate the way her chest ached?
---
That Night – Sleepless
Back in her courtyard, Gu Xun'er lay on her back, eyes open.
The stars blinked above her window, but sleep wouldn't come.
She kept hearing that one line.
> "I'll leave it to fate."
And then:
> "If I end up with multiple wives…"
She rolled onto her side, pulled the blanket tighter.
> "I don't like him," she whispered aloud.
But the words tasted hollow.
---
Rooftop Garden – A Night Later
The Miteer Auction House's garden was quiet again the next night. Crimson lanterns flickered against dark leaves. Ya Fei stood alone by the railing, arms wrapped lightly around herself.
She didn't startle when Gu Xun'er came looking for her.
> "Miss xun'er," Ya Fei said calmly. "Can I help you with something?"
Gu Xun'er didn't smile. "I came to ask... what happened that night."
Ya Fei turned her eyes back to the stars. "You mean with Ranyu."
Silence.
Then: "Do you… like him?"
Ya Fei didn't look away.
> "Yes. More than I meant to."
The words struck like thunder—calm, but impossible to ignore.
Xun'er's voice cracked a little. "But he said… he wants multiple wives."
Ya Fei didn't laugh.
> "He did. I heard him."
> "It's not uncommon. Not for men like him."
> "And if he truly loves us equally, then it's not so bad having a few sisters, is it?"
Xun'er's lips pressed into a line.
Ya Fei continued softly, "The day he stops loving us fairly—I'll walk away myself."
Xun'er looked at her—not as a rival, not even as a threat.
Just a woman older, wiser, and braver in some ways.
> "You believe he's meant for something great."
> "I do," Ya Fei answered. "That's why I won't leave this to chance. I'll tell him my feelings soon. Even if I fail—I won't regret trying."
There was a long pause.
Then Xun'er whispered:
> "He's always been around me. Teasing me. Training beside me. I thought he was just… annoying."
> "But when I saw you with him…"
She trailed off.
Ya Fei smiled gently. "Then don't wait too long, Miss Gu. The storm is coming. You don't want to get caught watching from a window while it passes you by."
They stood there quietly.
Not enemies.
Not quite friends.
Just two girls, hearts trembling in different ways, both circling the same star.
---
Back at Home – The Pendant
In his own courtyard, Xiao Ranyu sat cross-legged beneath a moonlit tree.
The flame-crysta
l pendant Ya Fei gifted him gleamed faintly on his chest.
He stared up at the sky.
> "Leave it to fate, huh…" he muttered.
Then suddenly
He thought of Xun'er's eyes when she looked at him before.
His remark that year
He thought of Ya Fei's voice when she looked away.
And he finally realized—
> "I'm in trouble."
Then he smiled, resting a hand on the pendant.
> "Oh well. This time really leave it to fate."