What if I Call You Bai Ruxue From Now On

"Hiss~ So painful."

"Hiss~ Am I going to die?"

"Hiss~~"

Beside a pool of water, a small white snake lay on the grass.

A gash had opened on its back, and the entire snake looked like it was on its last breath.

Not long ago, she had simply gone out to forage, wanting to eat a few mice to fill her stomach, but unexpectedly encountered an eagle.

Even though she managed to escape with her life, she had sustained severe injuries.

"When will Xiao Qing come? Can she find me?" White Snake thought of her sister, but quickly, a flicker of disappointment crossed White Snake's vertical pupils.

Even if she finds me, so what?

She can't heal me anyway.

Just as White Snake was losing all hope, she heard a slight rustling from the bushes not far away.

White Snake raised her head and saw a human boy pushing aside the bushes as he walked out.

White Snake was startled and quickly curled her body, burying her head in the grass: "Don't find me, don't find me."

"Found you!" Xiao Mo's eyes suddenly lit up when he saw this little white snake.

"Oh no!"

White Snake felt the footsteps getting closer and knew this little boy was coming for her!

"Hiss hiss hiss!" White Snake suddenly raised her head and opened her small mouth at him.

Xiao Mo flinched back two steps, feeling a bit panicked.

Logically speaking, this kind of white snake should be non-venomous.

But in this fantasy world, who could be sure?

"You seem to be injured, let me heal you. Don't worry, I won't hurt you." Xiao Mo approached step by step, holding a shovel.

Seeing the human holding a weapon, how could she possibly believe him?

"Stinky human! Even if I die, I won't be made into soup by you!"

White Snake hardened her heart and lunged forward like a spring to bite.

But at that very moment, White Snake's wound was pulled, and a wave of intense pain numbed her entire body.

Xiao Mo had already prepared to dodge, but this white snake went limp like a loosened rope and lay straight on the grass.

Her body twitched.

Seeing that she seemed to have fainted and blood was flowing non-stop, Xiao Mo quickly placed her in a bamboo basket and carried her down the mountain.

Little White Snake didn't know how long she had been unconscious. When her consciousness returned and she slowly woke up, she found herself lying in a nest of grass.

This looked like a human dwelling.

Little White Snake looked at her body and saw that a clean white cloth was wrapped around her.

A faint scent of herbs could be smelled from the cloth.

She recalled everything that had happened before she fainted.

Could it be that the little boy saved me?

"Clang."

Just as Little White Snake was wondering, the door opened.

A little boy walked in, holding a mouse in his hand.

"You're awake." Little White Snake saw the little boy walk forward with joy, then carefully tossed the mouse in front of her.

"Here, eat this." The little boy smiled brightly, looking innocent and pure.

Little White Snake glanced at the little boy, then at the dead mouse in front of her.

"It seems... he's really not a bad person."

Being too hungry to bear, Little White Snake opened her mouth and slowly swallowed the mouse.

After eating the mouse, Little White Snake lay quietly in the grass nest, no longer showing the aggression she had before.

This is a sentient snake.

Xiao Mo felt that she must have realized he wouldn't harm her.

"Little White Snake, do you have a name?" Xiao Mo asked.

Little White Snake tilted her head in confusion.

"My name is Xiao Mo. This is my name." Xiao Mo pointed to himself. "I'll give you a name too, how about it?"

Little White Snake was stunned for a moment, then nodded her snake head, her eyes even showing a hint of anticipation.

"You're so fair, like snow."

Seeing that the other party agreed, Xiao Mo thought for a moment.

"How about from now on, I'll call you Bai Ruxue?"

The Zhou Kingdom's Minister of Rites' mansion.

In the inner courtyard, a woman who looked no older than sixteen was bending over a flower bush.

Her delicate hands, slender and fair, held a small silver pair of shears, focused on trimming away excess branches and leaves.

The woman was dressed in a plain white long skirt, like newly formed snow, enveloping her graceful figure.

A morning breeze brushed past, and the hem of her skirt floated like flowing clouds, creating soft ripples.

The woman's skirt had no elaborate embroidery; only at the collar and cuffs were a few barely visible intertwined lotus leaves outlined with extremely fine silver thread. A moon-white silk ribbon was tied loosely at her waist, accentuating her slender waistline, adding a touch of willow-like grace.

She tilted her head slightly, revealing a neck as white and smooth as jade. A few strands of raven-black hair, like sandalwood, had inadvertently slipped from her loosely tied bun, falling beside her cheek, making her skin appear even more delicate and porcelain-like.

The woman's eyebrows were perfectly shaped, like distant mountains brushed with dark ink – slender willow leaves, with gentle arches and slightly upturned ends, possessing a natural, soft curve.

Beneath her brows were a pair of eyes as clear as autumn water, currently lowered. Long, dense eyelashes cast faint shadows beneath her eyelids, trembling gently with her trimming movements.

Her lips were a faint pink, like the petals of an early cherry blossom just beginning to bloom. The corners of her lips naturally curved slightly upwards, carrying a serene and approachable charm even when she wasn't smiling.

"Daughter! Daughter! Good news!"

As the woman was engrossed in trimming the flowers and plants, Yan Zhen, the Minister of Rites, called out from afar.

Upon hearing her father's voice, the woman looked up and saw him hurrying into the courtyard.

She put down her shears, poured her father a cup of tea, and smiled, "Father, you seem so happy, is there any good news?"

"Hahaha, daughter, you have no idea!" Yan Zhen took the tea his daughter offered, saying joyfully, "You're going to be the Empress!"

"Become the Empress?" the woman asked, confused.

"Yes."

Yan Zhen nodded.

"His Majesty has been on the throne for a year, and the harem is empty. It's time to select consorts. Ruxue, you've been chosen to enter the palace. And you are a daughter of our Yan clan. Our Yan clan has the Prime Minister in court and the Empress Dowager within the palace. In the future, you will surely be the Empress of our Great Zhou, ruling over the empire! Your future children will be the emperors of the Zhou Kingdom!"

The more he spoke, the more excited Yan Zhen became.

"However, your mother is not entirely willing to let you enter the palace. After all, entering the palace is like diving into a deep sea." Yan Zhen's joy subsided. "You know your mother's temperament. Your father and I have argued for a long time. In the end, we decided to let you decide, Ruxue. Do you want to enter the palace?"

Yan Ruxue smiled slightly and curtsied, "Daughter will obey Father's arrangements."

"Hahaha, good. Since that's the case, your mother has nothing more to say. I'll go tell the clan leader now. Daughter, you just wait for good news."

"Okay, Father."

Yan Zhen laughed and walked out of the courtyard.

Yan Ruxue watched her father's retreating figure.

Her originally gentle, dark eyes gradually transformed into golden, majestic vertical pupils.