When the Ice Empress fled the bedroom as if escaping for her life, the morning mist in the courtyard had yet to disperse. The cool moisture struck her burning cheeks, finally calming her chaotic thoughts a little. She crouched by the pool and looked at her reflection in the water: the hem of her black maid outfit was stained with grass clippings, her twin ponytails were crooked, and the tips of her ears were still flushed red.
"This is so humiliating..." The Ice Empress raised a hand and patted her cheeks, trying to suppress the heat in them. But whenever she thought of Lin Yuan's gentle kiss on her forehead and his indulgent "I won't tease you anymore," her heart still raced uncontrollably. She had lived for four hundred thousand years, seen the frozen wilderness of the Far North, and witnessed the survival of the fittest among soul beasts, yet she had never imagined that she would become so flustered before a human boy.
"What are you spacing out for here?" Lin Yuan's voice suddenly came from behind her. The Ice Empress whipped around and saw that he had changed into a silver-white fitted outfit. His silver hair was tied back with a ribbon, and morning light filled his purple eyes as he watched her with an amused smile.
"Nothing... nothing!" The Ice Empress hurriedly stood up and instinctively backed away half a step, not noticing the edge of the pool behind her. Her foot slipped, and she cried out as her body toppled backward.
Lin Yuan reacted swiftly, flashing forward and catching her securely around the waist. The Ice Empress crashed into his arms, her nose brushing the fabric over his chest. His familiar scent of grass and wood filled her senses, freezing her in place. Looking down at