“I like you.”

Bai Mingzhu stared blankly at the lummox standing there with her arms crossed. “Are you literally a child?” She asked incredulously.

“You know I’m not,” Zheng Lei said, waggling her eyebrows.

Bai Mingzhu scoffed, turning away.

“Nah, the point is, I had fun, you know. Not even talking about the bedroom stuff,” Zheng Lei called after. “Spearfishing out on the lake, trying your killer cooking, batting whiny failsons back and forth on the dance floor, it’s all good, you're good. I like you.”

Bai Mingzhu studiously ignored her, stalking toward the balcony's edge; if she couldn’t get back inside without a… scuffle she would at least enjoy a proper view. “I never cooked for you, you lout, as if a Bai would lower themselves to such a pedestrian act.”

“Nah, I saw, you had a private kitchen in your rooms, and there’s no way a servant could have handled that toxic as hell curry that we had for dinner that night. Stuff woulda melted a second realm's eyes with the fumes alone.”

Bai Mingzhu scrunched up her nose in irritation, she’d given herself away, in her desire to see the brute sweat. So what if she sometimes enjoyed experimenting with flavors for her own private enjoyment. A thump beside her drew an involuntary glance. Zheng Lei had followed her to the edge of the balcony, balancing on the railing.

“I am still not sure what you imagine you are accomplishing.”

“Hm,you know the journal thing was kinda mean, but also pretty funny, and I did deserve a dunking. Plus it got me in that fun duel, and don’t think I didn’t spot you watching. You like watching me flex,” Zheng Lei continued as if she hadn’t heard a word Bai Mingzhu had said. “I’m kinda dumb, but I know I look good, yeah?”

She studiously ignored the way the woman on the banister paused to stop, flexing and posing in a manner that was…. Objectively aesthetically pleasing. “You are as delusional as ever, you squawking ape, there is nothing between us, and your own clumsiness with your personal effects is not my fault.”

“Yeah sure, I could see myself doing that,” Zheng Lei agreed nodding. “But, just saying if somebody was feeling grudgy, I’d consider that a fair comeback to my screw up.”

“Hmph, so you admit fault then,” Bai Mingzhu sniffed, looking down at the wide garden pond on the carved cliffside below.

“Eh, I didn’t mean it the way you took it, but yeah,”Zheng Lei admitted.

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

“And just what did you mean?” she replied waspishly. Below, the waters rippled, moving with the fluctuations of her temper.

“I took you at your word,” she laughed, and Bai Mingzhu felt her hackles rise a little. “Dumb monkey that I am. And the thing is, for us when someone says no, you move on. Literally a whole world out there, ain't no use pursuing someone who already said no. They wanna say yes later, that’s on them.”

“So glad that I am considered no better than whatever slattern you would court on a streetside,” Bai Mingzhu hissed, turning to face her on the balcony. Zheng Lei stood above her, framed by moonlight. Bai Mingzhu hated the thread of squirming weakness in her stomach that wanted to accept the more charitable take of those words.

Zheng Lei sighed,crouching down, bring them nearly face to face. Bai Mingzhu raised her chin defiantly, glaring up at the ape.

“It’s not about how good you are. I like you, it was fun, I’d like to go again, whether that means hanging out or bedroom fun. But you. Said. No. I don’t mind roleplaying games, but you gotta tell me when we’re starting, I’m dumb, I can’t follow all your snake-y stuff otherwise.”

“And why in the world should I accept such a half baked apology. You should be on your knees groveling if you wanted forgiveness.”

“Nah, unless you want to play that game later,” Zheng Lei replied blithely. She leaned down from the banister until their faces almost touched. “That’s my apology, take it or leave it. I wanna be friends,you prickly girl, and I think you want to forgive me. I’m lovable that way.”

“You greatly overestimate yourself. Imagine, foreigners say the vice of the Bai is pride,” Bai Mingzhu sniffed, not backing down at all.

“Yeah, maybe? You still haven’t told me no.”

It was at that point that the hair thin tendril of water, which had been slowly curling up the balcony from the pond below, caught the crouching woman round the ankle, and gave a sharp backwards tug.

Bai Mingzhu turned away from the now open balcony as the resounding splash erupted from the garden pond far below, and began to return to the party.

“That still wasn’t a no!” called Zheng Lei’s distant voice.

No, Bai Mingzhu supposed, it was not.

***

Zheng Lei floated on top of the pond, head bumping gently against the decorative rocks that marked its boundary, her thick arms crossed over her chest as she stared thoughtfully up at the sky. The glittering stars and grinning crescent of the moon had no answers to give.

Had she screwed that up? She had no idea how you were supposed to tell, not with a lady like that.

Ah well, Zheng Lei thought, hauling herself out of the water with a splash, waving off the horrified and scandalized servants that had begun to filter out to inspect the noise. She wrung out her hair, and picked out the few water weeds that had stuck.

She stalked back inside, unmindful of the water and mud on the clean tiles. She’d put a lot of thought into that too! She’d definitely earned a warm bath to soak and clear her head.

She’d made her move, let the snake make hers next if she liked. If it really was one sided… well she’d find someone else fun kicking around, if not in the palace,then the city below.

But she really hoped it wouldn’t come to that.