Damn it!
Chen Ying cursed inwardly.
She'd only been chasing a mouse. How had things ended up like this?
Chen Ying was irritated and completely at her wits' end, but in the end, all she could do was accept it.
That nasty mouse had better never let her see it again. If it did, she'd beat it every time she saw it, until she sent it straight to hell!
Chen Ying looked at the girl, worry showing between her brows.
But unlike Chen Ying, who was trembling like a quail, the girl hadn't even so much as fluttered an eyelash.
Wasn't she cold?
Then Chen Ying remembered the chill she'd felt through the girl's clothes when she'd taken her arm earlier. Understanding dawned, and the worry between her brows deepened. Had the girl gotten so cold that she was numb?
She reached out and touched the girl's hand, only to discover, somewhat to her surprise, that it was a little warmer than her own.
Could the girl really not be cold?
Chen Ying studied the girl's face. It seemed just as pale as when she'd first seen her. Had it even changed?
She glanced at their joined hands, hesitating over whether to let go.
She'd meant to warm the girl up.
Now she wasn't sure which of them was warming the other.
Chen Ying still didn't let go of the girl's hand.
She clasped it in both of hers and rubbed it between them.
Soon, she felt a faint warmth in her hands.
Her spirits lifted, and she kept at it.
She didn't let go of the girl's hand until the snow stopped. By then, the sky had begun to brighten a little.
She shook out her hands, stretched them behind her to loosen up, then gave a