Xue Yunxue immediately turned her face away the moment her eyes met Hei Xuan's.
Her movement was swift, almost like a reflex.
Not because she was nervous. Nor because she was interested.
Quite the opposite—she had no such interest at all. Even though Hei Xuan's face looked very similar to Qin Yuze's, similar enough to shake memories long buried, it changed nothing. They had never gotten along. Even until the end, that name brought up irritation more often than anything else.
This world was truly insane.
Out of all the souls that might have been dragged into this world, why did one of the people she had to meet have to be Qin Yuze?
That thought made her brows knit faintly.
Then another question surfaced.
If Qin Yuze had truly reincarnated into Hei Xuan… then who else had?
She herself had clearly reincarnated.
So had Lu Xiao.
And Lu Xiao did not even have the same face as Junhao. If she had not known his secret beforehand, she might never have recognized him at first glance. If that was the case, then it was highly possible that there were others from their previous life who had also been reborn into this world with different faces, names, and fates.
Perhaps more than she imagined.
Perhaps some had even already crossed paths with her without her realizing it.
A slight change passed through Xue Yunxue's gaze.
She had to find out.
And the only person who might be able to give her clues to understand the connection between reincarnation, soul migration, and this chaos of fate… was Tao Ling.
She had to ask Tao Ling later.
Before her thoughts could spin any further, a strong arm suddenly pulled her in.
Luo Shixin held her tightly.
The embrace came fast, warm, and heavy with relief he had no time to hide. His body still carried the chill of war winds, the metallic scent of blood, and his own calm, soothing fragrance. For a man as steadfast as Luo Shixin, such a spontaneous action was already enough proof of just how tense his heart had been ever since arriving at Wulong City.
"Xue'er, thank heavens you're safe."
His voice was low, very close to her ear.
For a moment, Xue Yunxue's body, which had been tense all this time, relaxed slightly.
Not far away, Hei Xuan watched the scene without saying a word.
His cold eyes lingered on Luo Shixin's arm wrapped around the petite girl, then briefly lowered to Xue Yunxue's face. From this closer distance, he could now see her more clearly.
The girl was indeed very beautiful.
Her face was pale from cold and exhaustion, dust and dried blood stained her cheeks, her hair was slightly disheveled, and her robe was torn in several places. Yet precisely in such a state, there was something vivid and captivating about her—something that made it difficult for others to look away.
Without needing to ask, Hei Xuan understood immediately.
This girl was Luo Shixin's partner.
Or more precisely, the girl who had made the eldest son of the Luo family willing to reject an engagement with a royal princess.
A faint glimmer flashed through Hei Xuan's gaze.
Not from jealousy.
But from the interest born of a quick evaluation.
Before he could think any further, four other men quickly gathered at Xue Yunxue's side almost at the same time.
Yun Wu arrived first. His amber eyes traced across Xue Yunxue's face, neck, shoulders, all the way to her fingers, as though making sure there were no hidden injuries that had escaped his notice.
"Are you hurt?"
His voice was low and heavy, with anxiety pressed down as hard as possible.
Lu Xiao stood slightly closer than the others. His gaze darkened as it swept over Xue Yunxue's robe, torn at the chest from her battle with Noctar. His jaw hardened, clearly displeased by what he saw.
Lin Yuan, though still maintaining his usual blank expression, looked at Xue Yunxue's increasingly pale face and said in a flat tone that somehow still showed concern.
"Rest. You haven't slept since yesterday."
Xiang Shuai stood on the other side, silently watching Xue Yunxue with concern he made no effort to hide.
The sight made Hei Xuan raise his brows slightly.
Five men stood around the girl with a possessiveness far too obvious to be mistaken.
Five savage husbands.
A cold judgment instantly formed in his mind.
No matter what, in his eyes, the situation still felt strange. He was Princess Hu Lian's fiancé—at least politically, his position stood beside the heir to the throne—and up until now, he was the only man by the princess's side. In the eyes of the high nobility, one official partner was far more reasonable and advantageous than a girl surrounded by five men all at once.
Even more so, Luo Shixin had thrown away a great opportunity.
The eldest son of the Luo family had once nearly been matched with Hu Lian. If he had accepted, his path to stand at the peak of power would have been far smoother. Yet that man had rejected all of it for the sake of the girl standing before him.
Hei Xuan admitted one thing: Xue Yunxue was indeed far more beautiful than Hu Lian.
But in terms of background, status, and rank, this girl was clearly nothing compared to a royal princess.
So if Luo Shixin was willing to trade away such a great chance for her… then this girl must truly possess something extraordinary.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the square, the post-war situation was being cleaned up swiftly. Noctar and his forces had truly retreated, leaving behind ruins, corpses, and scars that would not easily fade from this city. Shaotian, who had been moving through the city center clearing away the remnants of chaos, succeeded in finding Bai Zhou.
The old mayor was caught trying to flee, his face pale and his knees trembling. But this time there was no room for negotiation, trial, or mercy for a traitor who had tried to ally himself with the rebel commander.
Shaotian struck once.
The old tiger's head fell onto the snowy ground before he could even finish his sentence.
A fitting end.
Not long after, a shadow descended from the sky with steady movements.
Luo Mei landed not far from them. Her military boots made only a soft sound against the hardened snow. Her body was tall, straight, and valiant, with the unique aura of the Luo family so strong that her mere presence felt full of pressure. Her beautiful face reflected the sunlight gently.
Xue Yunxue unconsciously tilted her face up a little when Luo Mei walked closer.
The entire Luo family was truly tall.
Standing face-to-face with them felt like secret practice in injuring one's neck muscles.
Luo Mei stopped before her, then smiled faintly. For someone from a great military family, her expression was surprisingly friendly.
"Sister-in-law," she said, her voice light yet warm, "I'm glad to see you safe."
The greeting sounded completely natural coming from Luo Mei, as though Xue Yunxue had already been part of their family for a long time.
Xue Yunxue responded sincerely, though her body was already utterly exhausted.
"Of course. Thank you all for coming all this way."
Her eyes briefly shifted to Luo Shixin, then to the Cloud Army fleet above, and then to the Hei family troops still standing guard in the distance.
Without them—without Luo Shixin, Luo Mei, Shaotian, the Cloud Army fleet, and the ground support that arrived in time—she might truly have fallen into Noctar's hands by now.
Or worse, Wulong City might already have turned into a giant graveyard.
Neither the Luo family troops nor the Hei family troops left Wulong City immediately after the battle ended.
Instead, both military families moved quickly to stabilize the city. Their troops were divided into several groups: some helped the refugees, some cleaned up the corpses still strewn across the streets, while the logistics units distributed clean water, simple medicines, and emergency food rations to the surviving citizens.
The aid from those two great military families eased the hearts of the people somewhat.
After previously feeling truly abandoned by the empire, at least now they knew that there were still people who had come to save them, even with their own troops and supplies.
As a gesture of gratitude, Xue Yunxue invited the people who had helped her the most that night to dine together at her residence.
The invitation was mainly intended for Luo Mei, Shaotian, and Hei Xuan. As for Luo Shixin, of course he did not need a formal invitation—that man would clearly follow Xue Yunxue wherever she went.
After the most urgent matters in the city center had been settled, Xue Yunxue returned to her residence with her five savage husbands.
Their house stood somewhat far from the center of destruction, so it had not been seriously affected by the battle. The roof was still intact, the courtyard only slightly dirtied by snow and hurried footprints, and from the outside, the place looked far more peaceful than the devastated heart of Wulong City.
As soon as she entered, Xue Yunxue did not immediately rest.
Though her body was tired, she first checked Yun Wu and Xiang Shuai's injuries. Using her healing energy, she closed several tears and cuts that had not yet fully recovered.
After making sure the two of them were better, Xue Yunxue went straight to the kitchen.
She did not have much time. There were quite a lot of people for dinner, and she wanted to host them as well as possible.
The kitchen, which had been quiet before, instantly turned busy. Xue Yunxue divided the tasks quickly and naturally, like someone already used to arranging household work for many people.
Yun Wu was asked to hunt together with Xiang Shuai to find additional fresh ingredients from the nearby forest that had not yet been too severely affected by the war. Lin Yuan helped her wash vegetables, clean the ingredients, and prepare hot water and ice as needed. Luo Shixin, who only a few hours ago had been commanding a war fleet in the sky, now silently rolled up his sleeves and stood beside the kitchen table. Lu Xiao also joined in, skillfully helping prepare the meat and cut the ingredients.
Seeing that, Luo Mei, who had just arrived and was standing at the kitchen doorway, paused for a moment.
She stared at her own brother with a strange expression.
Luo Shixin—the man who in many people's eyes was almost like a walking sword, cold, rigid, and far too noble for trivial matters—was now standing in the kitchen helping Xue Yunxue knead dough and lift pots.
The sight was truly strange.
And somehow, it was also funny.
Luo Mei could not hold back the faint smile at the corner of her lips.
"If news of this reaches the capital," she murmured softly to Shaotian, who stood not far from her, "half the nobles might faint from shock."
Shaotian suppressed a soft laugh. "I also never imagined General Luo would roll up his sleeves just to chop scallions."
Inside the kitchen, Xue Yunxue briefly glanced at Lu Xiao.
Ever since returning from the battlefield, the half-vampire man had been quieter than usual. His movements remained fast and neat, and his help was still very effective, but his face was gloomy and his gaze seemed darker.
Xue Yunxue noticed the change, but said nothing.
Lu Xiao had always been like that.
Silently thinking through too many things on his own.
If he wanted to talk, he would speak later. If not, forcing him would be useless.
With so many helping hands, the large dinner was finally prepared more quickly than expected. The long table in the dining room was filled with all kinds of warm dishes steaming fragrantly in the winter air.
The aroma was clearly mouthwatering: fried dumplings, steamed buns, fried meat, meat soup, and many other dishes.
As soon as everyone sat down and began to eat, their reactions were almost identical.
Silence.
Then they looked at their food again with expressions of disbelief.
As beasts who were used to surviving on practical food—hard protein biscuits, bland roasted meat, or unseasoned war rations—the dishes on the table felt extraordinary. Rich in flavor, warm, and made with care that could clearly be felt in every bite.
Even simple foods like meat buns and fried dumplings tasted more delicious than palace cuisine.
Luo Mei was the first to openly show her admiration. After biting into her second fried dumpling, she looked at Xue Yunxue with a far more open gaze.
"Sister-in-law," she said honestly, "I'm beginning to understand why my brother fell so deeply in love with you."
Xue Yunxue let out a small laugh.
Luo Mei truly liked this girl more and more. The longer she observed, the more of Xue Yunxue's strengths became obvious. This girl was intelligent, brave, attractive, capable of fighting, and, as it turned out, also an excellent cook. Most pleasing of all, her personality was open and honest. Not artificial, not overly delicate like noble ladies, and precisely because of that, she felt much more comfortable to be around.
On the other side of the table, Hei Xuan ate in silence.
But his eyes lifted several times, unconsciously glancing toward Xue Yunxue.
At first, it might have been ordinary assessment. But the longer it went on, the more frequent his gaze became. Whether because of curiosity, because he was still judging the girl who made Luo Shixin reject a royal princess, or because he himself was quietly drawn to the strange atmosphere of that house.
Unfortunately, the five men sitting around Xue Yunxue were not fools.
And they clearly did not like it.
Whenever Hei Xuan stared too long, one of them would move.
Yun Wu shifted slightly, blocking the man's line of sight with his broad shoulder.
Lu Xiao placed a cup or plate at just the right angle in front of Hei Xuan's gaze, as though by accident.
Lin Yuan was the most direct—he even looked back at Hei Xuan several times with a flat expression, long enough to make his meaning clear: look at your own food.
Xiang Shuai was no less irritating. He deliberately spoke to Xue Yunxue more often, drawing the girl's attention away and making her body lean in a way that blocked Hei Xuan's view from the side.
That man already had a fiancée, yet he still kept glancing at their partner.
The only one who appeared slightly calmer was Luo Shixin, but that did not mean he had not noticed. That man was famous for being cold, calm, and controlled, yet he was clearly showing his displeasure. His gaze toward Hei Xuan grew slightly colder each time the man lifted his eyes too often.
Yet the dinner atmosphere remained fairly pleasant.
Its closing even became another surprise.
Xue Yunxue brought out a large barrel of wine she had made herself.
The wine was fragrant, rich, and far stronger than it looked. Its color was beautiful, its first taste soft and sweet, but the heat came late and then struck the head quickly. Several people who had initially drunk casually soon realized that the drink was much stronger than ordinary wine.
The atmosphere, which had been formal before, gradually softened into something warm, almost intimate, like a night after disaster when everyone finally allowed themselves to breathe.
Yet in the middle of that, Xue Yunxue suddenly realized one thing.
Xiang Shuai was nowhere to be seen.
The man had only recently been sitting beside her.
At first she thought the snake man had only gone away for a moment. But after some time, his seat remained empty.
Xue Yunxue turned to look around the room.
He was not there.
Xiang Shuai had indeed seemed a little strange earlier. Several times he had been seen touching his neck, as though uncomfortable. His face was also slightly pale, though he had tried to disguise it with his usual sarcasm.
Worry immediately rose in Xue Yunxue's heart.
Xiang Shuai's body was indeed more vulnerable than the others'. After all, he had been raised as a prince, not a front-line soldier. He was strong, of course, but his physical endurance was still different. Especially since he had already been injured twice today.
If he had secretly become truly ill, that would be even more worrying.
So without saying much, Xue Yunxue stood.
"I'll go look for Xiang Shuai for a moment," she said.
She did not wait for objections, then walked out of the dining room, leaving behind the warm light, the aroma of food, and the soft clinking of glasses still ringing behind her.
Outside, the winter night had fully fallen.
The air was far sharper than inside the house, and thin snow was still falling quietly in the courtyard. The residence was quite large, with side corridors, a back courtyard, and several small additional buildings. Xue Yunxue pulled her robe a little tighter around herself, then began searching for traces of the snake man in the cold darkness.
For some reason, her intuition was starting to feel uneasy.
She relied on her sense of smell, and Xiang Shuai's trail led her toward the forest.
About one and a half kilometers from their residence, she found a small lake hidden among clusters of wild grass and large stones. A sound of pained groaning came from there, and Xue Yunxue recognized it immediately.
Xiang Shuai.
It seemed her arrival had been noticed by the man. A soft hiss sounded from the darkness.
"Who's there?"
"Shuai, it's me… are you sick? Let me help you," Xue Yunxue said anxiously.
Xiang Shuai recognized that gentle voice. His heart throbbed faintly.
"No… don't come here."
His great snake tail slammed hard into a rock until its surface cracked. Half his body was beneath icy water whose surface had begun to freeze.
"What happened? Let me come closer."
"Don't… I'm shedding," Xiang Shuai said. His eyes were clouded, and his whole body looked as though it was enduring pain. His appearance while shedding was terrifying. He did not want Xue Yunxue to be frightened upon seeing him, or to look at him with disgust.
Xue Yunxue had once read that when snake beasts were shedding, it was a very vulnerable and private period. Most of them did not want to be seen by anyone while the process was taking place. She was certain Xiang Shuai must be in great pain now, but she also knew there was not much she could do.
So she sat on a small flat rock, wrapping herself tightly in her coat.
"I'll wait for you here. Don't worry, no one will disturb you."
Xiang Shuai fell silent.
He could only close his eyes. The skin all over his body felt as though it were loosening and sloughing away. His eyes turned white, and he rolled in the water until the ice on the surface shattered beneath his great body.
Some time passed.
The sounds of breaking ice gradually quieted. The chaotic ripples in the water slowly calmed, leaving only soft sounds that occasionally echoed over the lake's surface. Thin snow continued to fall, settling on Xue Yunxue's shoulders, on the rock where she sat, and on the dark surface of the water.
"Xiang Shuai?" she called softly.
No answer came.
Xue Yunxue frowned, then stood. She waited a few more seconds, trying to listen carefully. But all she heard was the sharp night wind and her own faint breathing in the cold air.
"Xiang Shuai?"
Still no response.
The worry she had been holding back instantly tightened in her chest.
She quickly stepped closer to the edge of the lake, brushing aside the cold wild grass, then froze for a moment when she could finally see the water surface more clearly.
The large body of the snake man was now slumped weakly among the shallow rocks. His long tail was still half submerged, while his upper body leaned to one side, barely moving. Remnants of his old skin drifted thinly over the water like torn translucent layers.
Only when she was close enough did Xue Yunxue realize one more thing.
During the shedding process, Xiang Shuai's clothes had been ruined and lost somewhere. His pale human upper body was exposed beneath the cold water and dim night light, slick with moisture and the remnants of the new layer of skin that had not yet fully dried.
Xue Yunxue's breath caught.
Not from embarrassment, but from the wave of worry that instantly gripped her chest when she saw how fragile and unprotected Xiang Shuai looked in such a state.
"Xiang Shuai!"
Without hesitation, she stepped into the water. The cold pierced straight to the bone, but she paid it no mind. The water and the remnants of the shedding made both the rocks and Xiang Shuai's body slippery, but Xue Yunxue still reached for him as quickly as possible.
Her hand touched Xiang Shuai's shoulder first.
Cold.
Too cold.
Her heart dropped instantly.
"Shuai… wake up," she whispered, her voice softening, almost pleading.
No response came.
Xiang Shuai's long lashes only trembled faintly. His breathing was shallow, his face pale, and his whole body limp in the water. But Xue Yunxue did not let go. Instead, she slipped one hand behind Xiang Shuai's back while the other supported the front of his body, then slowly pulled him out of the icy water.
"Just a little more…" she murmured softly.
Water soaked her sleeves. The tips of her hair became damp from the lake spray. Her robe grew heavier and heavier. Yet she still stubbornly lifted Xiang Shuai to the shore, until at last she managed to rest his body against a flatter, drier rock.
Xue Yunxue's breathing quickened.
White mist escaped her lips as she knelt beside Xiang Shuai, her hands still holding his body tightly, as though she feared that even the slightest lapse would cause him to lose more warmth.
"Xiang Shuai…"
This time her voice was extremely soft.
She looked at his body, still wet and nearly frozen. His snake tail lay stretched across the rock and thin snow, while his bare upper body continued losing heat in the cruel night air.
Xue Yunxue immediately closed her eyes for a moment, focusing her thoughts on her storage space. In an instant, a large towel and a thick blanket appeared in her hands.
Without wasting time, she first used the towel to dry Xiang Shuai's body. Her movements were quick, but still careful. She wiped the water from his hair, shoulders, arms, and back, then gently removed the remnants of old skin still clinging to him with the softest touch possible.
After Xiang Shuai's upper body was dry enough, Xue Yunxue quickly wrapped him tightly in the blanket, covering his naked body and keeping the cold air from continuing to devour his body heat.
Then she moved closer as well, both hands holding the blanket in place so it would not slip.
"You're still very cold," she whispered.
In his half-conscious state, Xiang Shuai could actually feel all of it.
The softness of the towel's touch. The warmth of the blanket wrapped around him. Xue Yunxue's small fingers busily covering and warming him, as though the most important thing in the world at that moment was making sure he did not freeze at the edge of the silent lake.
He had once imagined the worst possibility.
That if someone saw him in such a state, they would be frightened. Or disgusted. Or at the very least turn their face away because they did not want to see his half-snake form, naked, weak, and helpless after shedding.
But Xue Yunxue did none of that.
Instead, she stepped into the freezing water to lift him out.
Even after realizing his condition, she still looked at him with worry, then hurriedly took out a towel and blanket to cover his nearly frozen body.
Something in Xiang Shuai's chest trembled softly.
Foreign, yet gentle.
Slowly, he forced his eyelids open.
The vision that had been blurry finally caught the face before him.
Xue Yunxue.
Her face was slightly pale from the cold. The tip of her nose was red. A few wet strands of hair clung to her cheek. Her breathing was still uneven, clearly showing that she had spent a great deal of strength simply pulling him out of the water. But when she saw his eyes open, the panic in her expression slowly softened into unmistakable relief.
"Shuai…" her voice nearly trembled. "You're awake?"
Xiang Shuai looked at her in silence.
His still-hazy eyes moved downward, taking in the blanket wrapped around his body, then returned to the girl's face.
"You…" His voice was hoarse, very soft. "You did this?"
Xue Yunxue gave a small nod. "You didn't answer when I called."
Her tone was so simple, as though that alone was enough reason for everything.
Something in Xiang Shuai's gaze changed.
He looked at Xue Yunxue's face for longer, as though wanting to make sure that what he was seeing was real. That this girl was truly sitting before him in a soaked and freezing state simply because she had not wanted to leave him alone.
"My appearance right now…" he said softly, his breathing still heavy, "is very ugly."
Xue Yunxue's fingers, which had been holding the blanket over his shoulder, moved upward and gently brushed the damp side of his face.
"No."
Her answer came without hesitation.
Xiang Shuai fell silent.
Xue Yunxue looked straight at him. "You're just in pain."
Her tone was calm, gentle, and so sincere that Xiang Shuai felt all his defenses cracking apart little by little.
"I don't mind your appearance," Xue Yunxue continued more softly. "I'm only worried."
Silence fell between them.
Snow continued to drift down quietly. The night wind blew gently through the frozen grass and over the dark surface of the lake. Yet in the middle of that cold, Xiang Shuai felt his chest filling with a strange warmth instead.
He, who usually always knew what to say, could now not find a single word that was enough.
Because for the first time, someone had seen the most vulnerable side of him… and still stayed.
Xiang Shuai's face was still pale, his hair damp, and his lashes veiled with a thin layer of mist. Yet his eyes were no longer as clouded as before. His gaze was clear now, though it still held deep exhaustion—and something else, something so gentle that it made Xue Yunxue's heart beat a little faster.
As a young snake, Xiang Shuai had grown up with sharp instincts.
He knew exactly when someone was afraid.
When someone was disgusted.
When someone was only pretending to care.
But with Xue Yunxue, there was none of that.
That fox girl accepted him so naturally, as though even his worst side was still worthy of being touched with tenderness.
The warmth that had been gathering in Xiang Shuai's chest slowly transformed into something fuller, deeper, and far harder to ignore.
Xue Yunxue thought he was still too weak to speak, so she leaned a little closer.
"Shuai?" she called softly. "Are you—"
The words halted.
Because at that very moment, Xiang Shuai moved.
With the little strength he had left, he raised a hand and touched Xue Yunxue's wrist. His fingers were still cold, but his touch was incredibly light, incredibly careful.
Xue Yunxue froze slightly, then looked at him.
Their eyes met.
And within Xiang Shuai's gaze, for the first time, there was no sarcasm, no thorns, no mask. What remained was only a quiet sincerity that stirred the heart.
Slowly, Xiang Shuai leaned closer.
His movement was unhurried. Nor was it filled with wild desire. He approached like someone who had finally found the courage to convey the deepest feelings in his heart in the most honest way he knew.
Xue Yunxue held her breath for a moment.
Then, very gently, Xiang Shuai's cold lips touched Xue Yunxue's warm ones.
The touch was so soft.
So careful.
It was almost no more than a kiss born from gratitude, from emotion, and from feelings he could no longer keep hidden inside.
And yet because of that, the kiss felt all the more real.
Xue Yunxue's warm lips met Xiang Shuai's cold ones, and that difference in temperature created a sensation so vivid that Xiang Shuai's body trembled faintly. The warmth spread slowly from his lips, down his throat, then through his entire chest like a gentle current awakening something deep inside him.
This was the first kiss of his life.
And somehow, he knew he would remember this feeling forever.
Not because the kiss was deep.
Not because it lasted long.
But because what he felt within it was so clean and simple.
There was warmth.
There was acceptance.
There was a sense of safety he had never known before.
In his life, Xiang Shuai had always been skilled at keeping his distance. He had always known how to hide himself behind sharp words and a faint smile. Yet tonight, when his body was at its weakest and his pride had nearly been stripped bare, it was Xue Yunxue who came and embraced the side of him he had never wanted anyone to see.
As a young snake, his instincts understood something his heart had not yet managed to put into words.
This girl…
was someone capable of accepting him.
Someone who still cared even when he was at his worst.
Someone who, without him realizing it, had already entered so deeply into his heart.
When Xiang Shuai finally pulled back a little, his breathing sounded heavier. His eyes opened slowly, and within that gaze was a tenderness that seemed to make the night itself slow down.
Xue Yunxue froze where she was.
The fox girl's cheeks flushed so quickly, so vividly, that the warm color stood in sharp contrast to her pale skin and the cold night air. Even the tips of her fox ears atop her head tensed faintly, as though her whole body was admitting the sudden wave of shyness that had swept through her.
She stared at Xiang Shuai with eyes slightly widened.
Her lips parted a little, but no words came out right away.
Xue Yunxue clearly had not expected this.
Had not expected Xiang Shuai to kiss her like that.
Not with flirtation, not with arrogance, and not to tease her. But with a sincerity so gentle that it made her chest feel strangely full.
"I-I…" Xue Yunxue's voice nearly caught in her throat, and she hurriedly lowered her head a little, as though she could not bear to keep meeting Xiang Shuai's eyes at such close range.
Her face grew even redder.
And yet, she did not pull away.
That was what warmed Xiang Shuai's chest the most.
Xue Yunxue might have been shy—extremely shy, even—but she was not angry. Nor did she show rejection. The girl merely lowered her head, cheeks as red as ripe fruit, her breathing slightly unsteady, while her fingers still held onto the blanket at Xiang Shuai's shoulder, still remaining by his side.
The sight was so gentle that Xiang Shuai felt his heart nearly melt.
In a hoarse, very soft voice, he said, "I'm sorry…"
Xue Yunxue immediately lifted her face slightly.
But Xiang Shuai continued before she could speak.
"I just…" He paused briefly, then looked at her honestly. "I was very moved."
The sentence was simple.
So simple that it became all the more touching.
Xue Yunxue's expression slowly changed. The embarrassment was still on her face, but beneath it, her heart softened as well.
Because she knew Xiang Shuai was not joking.
He was not teasing her.
The snake man was simply being honest.
"Shuai…" she called softly.
For a moment, the two of them only looked at each other in silence, while snow continued to fall gently around them. The world beyond seemed to drift away. All that remained were two young hearts, neither of them yet skilled at hiding their feelings once sincerity had already touched them.
Then, very slowly, Xue Yunxue shifted her hand and touched the side of Xiang Shuai's face.
Her touch was incredibly gentle.
"It's okay," she whispered.
Xiang Shuai's chest tightened.
"If that truly is how you feel…" Xue Yunxue continued, her voice so soft it nearly drowned within the sound of the wind, "then I'm not angry."
Xiang Shuai's pupils narrowed slightly.
His gaze deepened even more.
And Xue Yunxue, realizing the way he was looking at her now, only became even more flustered. She quickly turned her face a little to the side, but the flush on her cheeks only became more obvious.
Beneath the snow-filled night sky, by the silent lakeside, the two of them looked impossibly close.
No grand promises were spoken that night. No magnificent words of love were uttered. Yet precisely within that simplicity, their feelings seemed all the more beautiful.
A warm and gentle fox girl.
A young snake who, for the first time, offered up his heart with honesty.
Two young beasts, gazing at each other in the cold night, while guarding the warmth that had just been born between them.
And without needing to say it aloud, the two of them were already beginning to understand—
from this night onward, their hearts would never be the same again.