"Let me go!" Xiao shouted, struggling to free herself while the two men pushed her into their hideout. "You don't know that in my world, kidnapping is a crime!" she yelled, standing tall with her chin up.
One man yanked a chair from under the table and slammed it into the center as if he were planting a flag.
The other sprinted around the room, slamming every window and door.
Blag! Blag! BLAG!! Each impact made him flinch as if the door had personally offended him.
Xiao's eyes widened in confusion, her thoughts racing.
What's going on?
Both men skidded to a halt before her, dropped to their knees, and lowered their foreheads to the ground in perfect synchronization.
"Greetings, Your Majesty!"
"Greetings, Your Majesty!"
Xiao twitched her lips, eyes wide in disbelief.
"Me?" She pointed at herself. "Your Majesty?" She paused, blinking rapidly as her brain processed the situation.
She stood up, glancing at every corner while scratching her head, her eyebrows slowly rising.
Why do these men call me the same thing as Tiáopi? she wondered, still confused.
The two men rose and bowed once more.
"Your Majesty, you've come back. We've waited so long for you," said the chubby one, who was of average height.
"That's right! Finally, you're here. We are so happy to see you," said the skinny one, noticeably taller.
Xiao observed them for a moment. Although she had no idea who they were, they didn't seem like evildoers.
"You…?" she started, then paused. The two men exchanged equally confused looks.
"Your Majesty, you don't recognize us?" the chubby one asked.
"How could I recognize you? We've never met before."
"Ha?" The chubby one reacted, and both looked at each other.
"Your Majesty, you're not joking, right?" the skinny one asked desperately.
"Do I look like I'm joking?" Xiao replied, pointing at herself. "You two are really weird." She crossed her arms, her expression turning serious. "Instead of talking to me outside, you kidnapped me without a valid reason. This is unacceptable!"
"Forgive us, Your Majesty! We meant no harm," the chubby one said.
"That's right, Your Majesty! We were worried about your safety. Instead of speaking in public, we chose to bring you here first," the skinny one added. Both men lowered their heads in apology.
Xiao's eyebrow twitched. "For my safety? You kidnapped me! How does that look safe? I don't know who you are, yet you keep insisting on calling me 'Your Majesty'!" Her cheeks puffed in frustration. "I'm just a commoner. If I found your headquarters, I'd report everything to the police!"
The two men exchanged wide-eyed, confused glances.
"Police? Headquarters? What are those, Your Majesty?" the chubby one asked.
Xiao paused, mouth open and eyes wide.
"Ah, ahem… Public Officer for Legal Investigations and Criminal Emergencies," she explained, blinking slowly in disbelief. "I mean, a civil force of the state responsible for the prevention and detection of crime and the maintenance of public order."
Both men slowly nodded in awe.
"Such a very significant enforcement," the chubby one responded with a smile.
"I thought the same," the skinny one stated.
Xiao gasped and sat back down.
"Anyway, forget it!" She pouted, then glanced around. "You both live here, right?" she asked suddenly.
"You are correct, Your Majesty!" the chubby one replied.
Xiao's gaze turned stern. "Why do you keep calling me 'Your Majesty'?"
"Because that is who you are," the chubby one answered softly, and the skinny one nodded rapidly.
Xiao's eyes darted back and forth.
"That's not a good joke."
"Ah, we have no reason to joke, Your Majesty. Please believe us," the skinny one said, lowering his head again.
"How can you be so sure I have anything to do with you?"
The skinny one knelt once more.
"Your Majesty! Perhaps you don't remember anything. If you don't mind, we will help you restore your memory."
Xiao raised an eyebrow.
"Restore my memory? You guys are out of your minds!" she exclaimed. "Do you really think I have amnesia? Why should I remember it if it's not necessary?"
"Ah, Your Majesty? You're saying unusual words again. We don't understand," the chubby one complained with a puzzled smile.
"Oh, haha—I'm sorry." Xiao gave a forced smile that didn't reach her eyes.
"By the way, Your Majesty… what does amnesia mean?" the skinny one asked with curiosity.
Xiao's smile faded.
"Amnesia… it refers to someone who has lost their memory."
The two men looked at each other, eyes wide.
"Precisely! That's why you absolutely forgot everything, Your Majesty!" the chubby one declared.
"Ha?" Xiao let out a tiny squeak.
"Amazing… shortened words from the heavens…" the skinny one whispered to the chubby one.
Xiao tilted her head, narrowing her eyes as she observed them.
"What… are… you two whispering about?" she asked slowly.
"Nothing, Your Majesty! We mean—you're amazing!" the skinny one blurted.
"You are insulting me."
"No, no, no, Your Majesty!" the skinny one exclaimed, waving his hands frantically.
"I'm not easy to make fun of. Look at my state right now—do I look amazing?"
The two pursed their lips and remained silent. Xiao furrowed her brows at them.
"Are… you… both afraid of me? I will never eat you—don't act so timid," she said, then climbed onto the chair. "Perhaps if you both provide for my needs, we could become friends," Xiao declared confidently, placing her hands on her waist.
The two immediately raised their heads, staring at her in shock.
"Your Majesty, whatever it is, we will not hesitate to serve you," the chubby one agreed instantly, even though the details of the deal were unclear.
Xiao began to tease them, locking eyes with each one intensely before stopping.
"I want to know you first."
Immediately, the two lined up and made formal gestures.
"Your Majesty, this is Duan Han-Yun," the chubby one introduced first.
"At your service, Your Majesty! Duan Han-Qing," the skinny one announced.
She paused, then raised a pointed finger at them.
"You're siblings?"
"Yes," answered the skinny one.
"Actually, we are twins," the chubby one added.
Xiao nodded and smiled. Then she raised her sleeve and extended one hand toward them.
"For further acquaintance, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Yu Xiao," she said proudly.
The Duan brothers were momentarily speechless. Instead of shaking her hand, they both froze. She waved her hand in front of their faces to snap them out of it.
"Are you with me? Hey!"
"Yu… Xiao?" Han-Yun repeated slowly. "But you are Feng Xiaotian. How is it possible to call you by another name?"
Han-Qing remained silent, standing stiffly.
Yu Xiao sagged her shoulders, looking tired and a little embarrassed. "Whether you call me Feng Xiaotian or Yu Xiao, I won't react. It's better if you just call me by my name," she said seriously. "And look at me right now—my appearance isn't exactly pleasing. What a shame."
"Quick!" Han-Yun suddenly barked, grabbing Han-Qing's sleeve. "Yo—" He caught himself. "Yu—Xiao… we should go prepare everything!"
"We're leaving now, Your—" Han-Qing began, only for Han-Yun to slap a hand over his mouth with a cartoonish 'pak!'
Xiao bit her lip, clearly fighting laughter as the twins struggled.
"Stop chatting—hurry up!" Han-Yun hissed, dragging his brother out.
The door slammed.
Xiao was left alone, her hand still awkwardly extended. She looked at it, shrugged, and muttered, "…I guess that's a yes on the friendship application."
**After two hours...**
In the bathing pool inside the Duan brothers' residence, Xiao soaked in the steamy, warm water, petals floating around her. She rubbed her skin until she noticed a red birthmark in the middle of her chest, just below her collarbone.
She paused, staring at it intently. She rubbed it on purpose, but it didn't fade.
"How did I get this mark?" she murmured, confused. "As far as I remember, I never had even one." She rubbed again—still nothing. "Is this… a birthmark?"
She leaned back, lost in thought for a moment, then splashed the water and let out a long breath.
Shoulders sagging, she rested against the pool wall.
"Three days free and still breathing. I actually survived this crazy world so far. Even though I have no clue what's going on, maybe I should just roll with it—that might be the smartest move."
She smiled, flicking a floating petal.
"Anyway, this is my first real bath in forever. After escaping that grave mountain and those creepy valleys, I finally feel human again."
She slapped her forehead dramatically. "Great, now I'm talking to myself. I've officially gone insane—haist!"
She cupped her cheeks, closed her eyes, and wiggled her fingers across her face.
"This isn't a dream. I can feel everything."
She sighed lazily. "Maybe it's okay to treat this like a sabbatical for now. At least I'm not dying from overtime."
A small, sleepy smile appeared.
"Yu Xiao," she whispered to herself, blushing a little. "You still have a ton of things to do. What are you doing slacking off here?"
She laughed softly. "People keep calling me 'Your Majesty' for no reason—I have zero authority. How ridiculous."
Her expression suddenly scrunched. "Forget it. Just mind your own business and survive. That's the plan."