The Ice Empress in a Maid Outfit!

Half an hour later, a shop assistant from Jinxiu Pavilion hurried out with ten exquisite wooden boxes, a fawning smile on her face. "Young master, young lady, your clothes and boots are ready! Would you like to try them on now?"

Lin Yuan took a wooden box and handed it directly to the Ice Empress. "Go to the fitting room and change. I'll wait for you here."

The Ice Empress hugged the wooden box, her palm touching the warmth of the box's surface, her earlobes quietly blushing again. She glared at Lin Yuan but still turned and walked into the fitting room, pulling the curtain closed behind her.

Inside the fitting room, the Ice Empress carefully opened the wooden box. The black maid outfit was neatly folded. The ice silkworm silk fabric shimmered delicately under the light, and the dark patterns on the cuffs and hem were made of exquisite lace, much more pleasing to her eye than she had imagined. She took a deep breath, shed her emerald green dress, and put on the new uniform.

The ice silkworm silk felt cool and breathable against her skin, with no sense of restriction. The cinched waist design perfectly accentuated her slender waistline, and the knee-length skirt revealed her fair calves. The black short boots hugged her ankles, the lace at the boot cuffs swaying gently with her movements. She spun around in front of the bronze mirror, looking at herself in the mirror with pigtails and wearing a maid outfit. A hint of confusion flickered in her golden eyes. This... actually looked better than her previous green dress.

"Are you done yet? Don't dawdle!" Lin Yuan's voice sounded from outside the door, laced with a hint of teasing.

The Ice Empress snapped back to reality, quickly tidied her skirt, took a deep breath, and abruptly lifted the fitting room curtain.

Lin Yuan looked up and was instantly stunned. In the sunlight, the Ice Empress wore a black maid outfit, her pigtails hanging over her shoulders. Her fair cheeks were flushed a light pink, and her golden eyes held a hint of unease, yet also an undeniable charm. Her originally cold and proud aura had softened considerably, making her look like a tsundere and adorable loli bodyguard.

"It's... it's alright, isn't it?" The Ice Empress felt uncomfortable under his gaze and subconsciously tugged at her skirt, her voice as soft as a mosquito's hum.

"More than alright." Lin Yuan walked forward, reaching out to gently tug the satin ribbon bow on her back, his eyes full of laughter. "My loli bodyguard, if you go out dressed like this, you'll definitely get a hundred percent of the attention."

The Ice Empress stiffened her back as he tugged and swatted his hand away, but she didn't flare up as usual. She just turned her face away and mumbled, "Don't touch me."

Instead of retracting his hand, Lin Yuan took a step forward, gently wrapping his arm around the Ice Empress's waist and pulling her into a steady embrace. The Ice Empress still had the cool touch of the ice silkworm silk on her body, and the wide black belt at her waist served as a perfect leverage point, making the hug both intimate and not overly presumptuous.

"What's wrong with touching?" Lin Yuan gently nuzzled the pigtails on her head with his chin, his voice carrying a deliberate laziness. "My loli bodyguard, isn't it normal to hug?" The faint chill from her hair, mixed with the fragrance of the ice silkworm silk, filled his nostrils, creating an unexpectedly refreshing sweetness.

The Ice Empress's whole body stiffened. Her hands instinctively pressed against Lin Yuan's chest, but she didn't push him away with any force. A flicker of panic flashed in her golden eyes, and the tips of her ears turned red at a visible speed. She even stammered when she spoke, "You... you let go! We're outside, what will people think if they see us!" She had lived for 400,000 years and had never been so close to anyone, especially in a bustling silk shop. Her heart was pounding as if it would leap out of her chest.

"So what if they see?" Lin Yuan not only didn't loosen his grip but gently swayed his arms, as if coaxing a child. "I'm hugging my bodyguard, does it concern anyone else? Besides, dressed like this, hugging you feels more 'exclusive'." He deliberately lowered his head, his warm breath brushing against the Ice Empress's flushed earlobes. "What? Is my bodyguard shy?"

"Who's shy!" The Ice Empress retorted sharply, but her head bumped into Lin Yuan's smiling purple eyes. Her reflection was clearly visible in them – herself in a maid outfit, her pigtails messy, her panic completely exposed. She immediately lowered her head again, clutching the hem of Lin Yuan's clothes tightly, her voice weakening, "Anyway... anyway, no hugging outside. If you want to hug... we can talk about it when we get back."

As soon as she said this, the smile in Lin Yuan's eyes deepened. He lightly released his arms but didn't let go completely, instead taking the Ice Empress's hand. "Okay, I'll listen to you. We'll hug when we get back." His fingers brushed against the coolness of her palm, and he couldn't help but gently squeeze it. "Now, my loli bodyguard, do you want to go explore Star Luo City with me?"

The Ice Empress's palm tingled from his squeeze, but she didn't pull her hand away. She subtly glanced up, seeing the anticipation in Lin Yuan's eyes, then glanced at the lively street outside the window. Finally, she softly "Mm"ed, her voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz.

Lin Yuan led the Ice Empress out of Jinxiu Pavilion, the coolness of her palm still lingering on his fingertips. His gaze swept over the pedestrians on the street, and he suddenly recalled the slender waist outlined beneath Gu Yue Na's silver-white dress, the graceful curves revealed by Biji's emerald green skirt, and Zi Ji's delicate figure wrapped in purple. A sly smile unconsciously curved his lips.

"Wait a moment." He suddenly stopped, pulling the Ice Empress and turning back to the silk shop.

Seeing the two return, the shop assistant quickly smiled and greeted them. "Does the young master have any other instructions?"

"Please customize three more maid outfits of different sizes in this style." Lin Yuan tapped the uniform on the Ice Empress's body with his fingertip, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "The first set should be silver-white, made of the smoothest cloud brocade, with dark dragon scale patterns embroidered on the sides, tailored for a tall and slender figure. The second set should be emerald green, with a layer of thin gauze added to the skirt hem, and vine patterns embroidered on the cuffs, fitted for a graceful figure. The third set should be deep purple, with pearl buttons added to the neckline and a more neat hem, suitable for a petite and well-proportioned body."

He paused and specifically added, "For the silver-white set, replace the bow with pearl embellishments. For the emerald green set, use braided ribbon flowers. For the deep purple set, add dark patterned embroidery. All should be made with the finest craftsmanship. Can they be ready in half an hour?"

The shop assistant's eyes lit up, and she nodded repeatedly. "No problem! Don't worry, these three sets will definitely be more exquisite than the last one. You can pick them up in half an hour!" With that, she quickly grabbed a soft tape measure and paper and pen to record, fearing she might miss out on this big business.

The Ice Empress stood by the side, her golden eyes filled with surprise. "Who are you ordering these for? Silver-white, emerald green, deep purple... these colors..." She suddenly realized, a hint of mischief flashing in her eyes. "It's for the Mistress, Biji, and Zi Ji, isn't it? You want them to wear the same thing as me?"

"Why else?" Lin Yuan smiled and pinched her cheek. "My loli bodyguard can't be the only one. They have to experience the treatment of exclusive uniforms too. Besides, Sister Nana will look great in silver-white, Biji's green dress would be suitable as a maid outfit, and Zi Ji would look quite charming in deep purple. When the three of you get together, it'll be so lively."

The Ice Empress's heart stirred at his words. Imagining Gu Yue Na in a silver-white maid outfit, Biji fiddling with the green gauze skirt, and Zi Ji awkwardly tugging at the purple neckline, she couldn't help but chuckle. "You're quite the troublemaker. Aren't you afraid they'll be angry? Especially the Mistress, she's always so aloof, she wouldn't wear such flashy clothes."

"Don't worry, they won't be angry." Lin Yuan said confidently, his fingertip tracing the silks in the display window. "Sister Nana dotes on me the most, Sister Biji is soft-hearted, and Sister Zi Ji is sharp-tongued but loves me dearly in her heart. At most, they'll fuss a bit, but they'll end up wearing them."

Half an hour later, three brand-new maid outfits were carefully placed in carved wooden boxes and handed to Lin Yuan. The silver-white set was adorned with tiny pearls, shimmering with a gentle luster in the sunlight. The emerald green skirt's gauze was as light as spring water, and the vine embroidery was lifelike. The pearl buttons on the deep purple neckline made the fabric appear even more luxurious, with dark patterns faintly visible in the light and shadow.

Lin Yuan carried the wooden boxes, holding the Ice Empress's hand as they walked out of the silk shop again. The afternoon sun dappled through the leaves onto the two of them. The Ice Empress's black maid outfit was sprinkled with tiny light spots, and her pigtails swayed gently with her steps, truly resembling a well-behaved exclusive bodyguard.

"Where to now?" the Ice Empress couldn't help but ask, her gaze sweeping over the dazzling stalls along the street, a hint of undisguised curiosity hidden in her eyes. Having lived for 400,000 years, she had never leisurely strolled through a human city like this. The calls of vendors and the laughter of children intertwined, making her feel incredibly alive.

"Let's wander around for a bit, then go to my place in Star Luo City for the night. We'll head back to the Star Dou Great Forest tomorrow," Lin Yuan said, taking the Ice Empress's hand and leading her deeper into the street.

The Ice Empress let Lin Yuan hold her hand without resistance, but her steps unconsciously slowed. She watched the children gathered around a sugar painting stall by the roadside, her golden eyes filled with novelty. Having lived for 400,000 years, she was accustomed to the icy landscapes of the far north and the lush tranquility of the Star Dou Great Forest, but she had never felt the liveliness of the human world so vividly. The warmth from his hand gradually relaxed her tense nerves, even softening the chill around her. Her pigtails swayed gently with her steps, giving her a truly girlish charm.

"Want to try that?" Lin Yuan suddenly stopped, pointing to a candied hawthorn stall not far away. The bright red hawthorns coated in crystalline sugar syrup, skewered on bamboo sticks, looked like hanging lanterns, shimmering enticingly in the sunlight.

The Ice Empress blinked and nodded subconsciously. Before she could react, Lin Yuan had already hurried forward and handed over a gold soul coin. "Boss, two skewers of candied hawthorn, with extra thick sugar coating."

The boss smiled in response, deftly took down two skewers, and handed them over. Lin Yuan took them, first peeling off the outermost layer of glutinous rice paper, and offered them to the Ice Empress's mouth. "Try it. Human children all like this."

The Ice Empress hesitated for a moment, then tilted her head slightly and took a bite. The sugar coating melted on her tongue, the sweetness mingling with the slight sourness of the hawthorn, surprisingly refreshing. Her eyes lit up, and she took another bite, gripping the bamboo skewer tightly in her hand, a faint smile subtly appearing at the corners of her mouth.

Lin Yuan watched her, his eyes filled with even more amusement. He took a bite himself, the sweet fragrance spreading in his mouth.

The two strolled slowly down the street, Lin Yuan occasionally buying the Ice Empress small trinkets. At first, the Ice Empress awkwardly refused, but later she gradually got used to it, her steps even becoming lighter.

As the sun began to set, Lin Yuan brought the Ice Empress to a secluded courtyard. The vermilion gate was carved with entwined lotus patterns, and a faded wooden plaque hung above the lintel, inscribed with the words "Lin Manor." He pushed open the door. The courtyard was paved with bluestone slabs, and a few rose bushes were planted in the corners. Although there were some weeds, it exuded a sense of peace.

"This is where I lived for six years. After I awakened my Martial Soul, I went to the Star Dou Great Forest, and no one has lived here since..." Lin Yuan said calmly.

The Ice Empress followed Lin Yuan into the courtyard, curiously observing her surroundings. Sparse moss grew on the bluestone slabs, rose petals lay scattered on the ground, and a gust of wind stirred up a few fallen leaves, creating a quiet atmosphere steeped in time. She held the bamboo skewer of candied hawthorn and watched Lin Yuan bend down to brush the dust off the stone table, softly asking, "You lived here for six years, there must be many memories, right?"

"When I was three years old, my parents were gone. I was all alone in the vast Lin Manor, stumbling through life until I was six..."

Hearing this, the Ice Empress's hand holding the candied hawthorn paused slightly. A hint of imperceptible shock flickered in her golden eyes. She had lived for 400,000 years and was accustomed to the law of the jungle among soul beasts, but she had never imagined that the young man who always wore a sly smile had such a lonely childhood. She subconsciously took two steps closer, watching Lin Yuan's focused gaze as his fingertip traced the patterns on the stone table, her voice softening. "It must have been hard to endure alone, right?"

Lin Yuan raised his hand to wipe the dust off a stone bench. When he turned back, the previous somberness was gone from his eyes, replaced by a sense of ease. "It was fine once I got through it. Back then, I always wished I could grow up faster. Later, I went to the Star Dou Great Forest and met Sister Nana, Sister Biji, and the others. That's when I realized what it was like to have people who cared about you." He picked up a new skewer of candied hawthorn and handed it over. "Don't think about these things anymore. Try this one, it's freshly bought and the sugar hasn't melted yet."

The Ice Empress took the candied hawthorn, her fingertip touching the warmth of the bamboo skewer, but a strange softness bloomed in her heart. She took a bite of the sugar-coated hawthorn, the sweetness spreading across her tongue, but it couldn't suppress the indescribable feeling in her heart. She subtly glanced up, watching Lin Yuan's back as he tidied the courtyard. The silver-white hairband shimmered in the setting sun, and she suddenly felt that this young man, who always teased her and called her a loli bodyguard, actually cherished warmth more than anyone else.

"From now on... I will always follow you," the Ice Empress suddenly said, her voice very soft but exceptionally firm. "Whether it's at the academy or anywhere else, as long as you need me, I'll be there." As soon as the words left her mouth, she regretted them slightly. Her earlobes quietly blushed, and she quickly turned her face away, pretending to look at the roses in the corner of the courtyard. "I... I'm just fulfilling the bet and being your bodyguard."

Lin Yuan stopped what he was doing and turned back, his eyes full of smiles. He walked a few steps closer, reaching out to gently ruffle the Ice Empress's pigtails, his fingers brushing against her flushed earlobes. "Alright, my exclusive loli bodyguard. With you around from now on, I'll feel even more at ease."