Chapter 132

Chapter 132: The Bed-Warming Mission Fails

After Rong Shu rescued yet another sect disciple, it was already nearing the hour of the Tiger.

Rong Shu decided to head back to Dragon Ridge Palace.

It was so late that even the disciples who had sneaked out to play had probably returned.

Rong Shu had done everything she could.

If some unlucky disciple slipped out too late and ran into a demonic cultivator without crossing her path, then there was nothing more she could do.

She stretched and told herself: “Work’s over,” then added with a grin: “…time to go cuddle Little Hamster when I get back.”

On the way to Dragon Ridge Palace, Rong Shu ran into several demonic cultivators; fortunately, under her current identity as Xu Liu, she bluffed her way past them in a few moves.

When she drew close to Dragon Ridge Palace, Rong Shu removed her disguise and tossed all the demonic cultivators’ belongings into the Han Chuan Cosmos Pearl, then strode in openly.

Meanwhile, in Rong Shu’s rooms, Little Hamster had already woken up.

But in order to complete the bed-warming mission, he was still maintaining human form.

Because the wait had been too long and he had been lying there the whole time, he had dozed off several times.

He woke and slept, then slept and woke.

He had also finished all the fruit and snacks Rong Shu left behind.

When boredom hit, he rolled around on the bed, or tugged a lock of his own hair and counted the strands.

Time ticked by, little by little.

When familiar footsteps sounded in the courtyard outside, joy flashed across Little Hamster’s face and he was just about to sit up.

He abruptly realized that he was in no shape to be seen, so he scrambled back under the covers.

In the next instant, the little bulge under the quilt went flat.

The scrap of a man’s outer robe that had fallen outside the bedding also vanished into thin air.

Right then, Rong Shu pushed the door open.

Seeing that the covers on the bed were a mess, Rong Shu paused and called tentatively: “Yan Yan?”

At her voice, a Little Hamster poked out from beneath the quilt.

Rong Shu’s brows softened.

Even so, she discreetly swept the room.

Back when she left Little Hamster in here, the bedding had never been tousled like this.

If she did not know her room’s formation was intact and Little Hamster looked perfectly unharmed, Rong Shu would have suspected that someone had been in her room and made a mess of her bed.

She walked over, cupped Little Hamster in her hands, looked him over from head to paw, and only then relaxed when she confirmed he was fine.

Little Hamster’s expression was bright with happiness and excitement; the moment Rong Shu lifted him up, his tiny paws hugged one of her fingers tight.

Rong Shu tapped his head with her other hand and laughed: “Yan Yan, did you miss me?”

Little Hamster nodded on reflex.

But after two nods, he paused, then glanced aside a little awkwardly.

Seeing this, Rong Shu’s smile deepened.

[Heh. I forgot, my Yan Yan is a little tsundere. So cute… so cute I could eat him up.]

Rong Shu flipped the rumpled quilt to the other side and had just sat down when she felt the warmth of the mattress.

She hesitated, then ran a hand over the bed.

Hm?

Warm all over?

As if someone had been lying here the whole time.

Little Hamster noticed Rong Shu’s movements. He tried to keep a straight face, but his happily wagging little tail betrayed him.

[Shu Shu noticed he warmed the bed. He did it so obediently! He warmed the whole bed!]

Just as Little Hamster was ready to bask in praise, Rong Shu’s expression changed; she practically sprang up from the bed.

Her reaction left Little Hamster completely at a loss.

In the next second, Rong Shu whisked Little Hamster out of the room.

When the cold wind outside hit, Little Hamster’s fur puffed up like a dandelion.

His eyes went blank.

[He could not figure out what was happening. Why did Shu Shu not seem pleasantly surprised, but rather… startled?]

For Rong Shu, it was indeed a shock.

Even if Little Hamster rolled around, a bed that big would not be warm across almost the entire surface.

Clearly, someone had been inside.

“Yan Yan, did anyone enter the room?” Rong Shu looked down at the Little Hamster in her palm, face grave.

At her question, Little Hamster remembered how long he had stayed in human form and felt a stab of guilt.

But in order not to be found out by Rong Shu, Little Hamster could only play dumb. He stared blankly up at her and shook his head.

His denial did nothing to dispel Rong Shu’s doubts.

Her thoughts raced on their own.

Someone entered her room with unknown intent.

They probably saw that Yan Yan looked like an ordinary Little Hamster and posed no threat, so he was not harmed.

But that person…

Why sleep on her bed?

At that thought, Rong Shu instantly lost any desire to go back inside.

She made a few adjustments to the room’s formation, leaving it unstable.

Then, without looking back, she left her quarters and headed straight next door to knock on Cheng Bu Fan’s door.

Bang, bang, bang.

“Who is it…” Cheng Bu Fan was jolted awake. He opened the door, face full of impatience, then froze when he saw Rong Shu.

“Rong Shu? What are you doing here?”

Rong Shu’s expression was solemn: “I suspect someone slipped into my room during the day.”

“I just came back and found signs of a second person moving around.”

Tucked safely in Rong Shu’s hands, Little Hamster shrank into himself at these words, trying to reduce his presence.

“Are you sure?” Cheng Bu Fan’s face grew serious.

Rong Shu sighed, keeping her face calm: “I also checked the formation in my room. Its operation feels… a bit off.”

“I want to apply to switch rooms at first light. For now, I’ll have to borrow a place to stay for the night.”

Cheng Bu Fan nodded and stepped aside to let her in: “All right.”

“There are spare rooms anyway. Pick whichever you like.”

After Rong Shu entered and watched Cheng Bu Fan reactivate the formations in his residence, the weight in her chest did not lift.

…Someone definitely went into her room.

Rong Shu was certain.

As for who it was and what they wanted… she could not figure it out yet.

Whoever they were, until she knew whether they were friend or foe, keeping her distance was necessary.

Cheng Bu Fan led Rong Shu to an empty room: “Stay here tonight for now. Your luggage over there…”

“You even brought this Little Hamster out?”

Only then did Cheng Bu Fan notice the Little Hamster in Rong Shu’s hand, still hunched and timid.

Rong Shu stroked the Little Hamster in her palm: “I did not leave anything important in there. It’s fine.”