Shui Bing'er Controls Ning Rongrong

"Sister Bing'er, thank you for your hard work!" Ning Xiaochun turned around and flashed a wide grin at Shui Bing'er. "If you hadn't helped, this thing would have taken at least several more days to finish!"

Shui Bing'er shook her head gently, her cool, clear voice carrying a hint of imperceptible softness. "It was no trouble at all. Your design... is very interesting."

To receive an evaluation of "interesting" from the aloof and proud Shui Bing'er felt sweeter to Ning Xiaochun than drinking honey.

He was just about to strike while the iron was hot and chat a bit more to deepen their bond when a sudden, intense wave of dizziness washed over him. His vision blurred, and his body swayed.

"Xiaochun!" Shui Bing'er's expression shifted, and she reached out with quick, practiced movements to steady him. "What's wrong?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine..." Ning Xiaochun shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. "I'm probably just exhausted. My mental energy is a bit drained... I'll be fine after a quick rest..."

He had indeed pushed himself too far today. He had been buried in his research since waking up, only managing a few bites of food at noon. The intense mental focus required to engrave the intricate arrays all day had been a significant burden.

Watching his pale complexion and the fatigue he couldn't hide between his brows, a flicker of heartache crossed Shui Bing'er's eyes.

She helped him over to the nearby rest area and had him sit on a lounge chair covered in soft animal fur.

"Lie down and rest first." Shui Bing'er's voice carried a tone of unquestionable command.

Ning Xiaochun lay down obediently, though his head still felt heavy and muddled.

Subconsciously, he shifted his body, his head tilting until it rested perfectly on Shui Bing'er's lap, where her legs were pressed together, radiating a faint, cool sensation.

So soft... so cool... and there was a faint, fresh fragrance, like snow melting in the spring...

Ning Xiaochun's brain instantly short-circuited.

Shui Bing'er's body stiffened abruptly! She could clearly feel the warmth and weight of the boy's head, as well as the hot breath brushing against her skirt with every exhale.

A flush of red instantly bloomed on her cheeks. Her heart began to race uncontrollably, and even her breathing skipped a beat.

Her instinct was to push him away, but when she looked down and saw Ning Xiaochun's small face—pale from exhaustion yet currently wearing an expression of satisfaction and peace—she gently lowered the hand she had raised.

You wretch...

She sighed softly in her heart. She didn't refuse, nor did she speak; she simply sat there, letting him rest his head on her lap, even subconsciously adjusting her posture to make him more comfortable.

As for Ning Xiaochun, feeling that comfortable coolness and the faint fragrance lingering at the tip of his nose, the exhaustion washed over him like a tide, and he actually drifted into a deep sleep.

Time seemed to stand still in that moment. In the workshop, the other craftsmen and soul masters tactfully lowered their voices and movements, not daring to disturb this rare tranquility.

However, this peace did not last long.

"Brother—!!!"

A crisp, loud voice, filled with deep dissatisfaction and grievance, exploded at the entrance of the research institute like a thunderclap on a clear day!

Standing there was a little girl of about four or five years old, wearing twin buns and a pink princess dress, looking as delicate as if she were carved from jade.

She stood at the entrance, huffing with her hands on her hips. Her large, dark-grape-like eyes were glaring roundly at Ning Xiaochun, who was lying on Shui Bing'er's lap, and her little mouth was pouted enough to hang an oil bottle from it.

It was none other than Ning Xiaochun's own younger sister, the little princess of the Seven Treasures Glazed Sect—Ning Rongrong!

Startled awake by the sudden shout, Ning Xiaochun sat up with a jolt, nearly rolling off the lounge chair.

Seeing the familiar little figure at the door, he froze for a moment before his face broke into a complex expression of surprise and guilt:

"Rongrong?! Why are you here?"

"Why am I here?" Ning Rongrong stomped her little feet and ran over, her small face filled with unhappiness.

"Brother! How long has it been since you played with me? I asked Father to bring me to find you, and he said you were busy here! I've come several times, and they all said you were busy! Do you not like Rongrong anymore!"

As she spoke, her eyes turned red, and she looked as if she were about to burst into tears at any moment.

Ning Xiaochun felt a massive headache coming on.

His little sister was the veritable "little demoness" of the Seven Treasures Glazed Sect—eccentric, clever, pampered by everyone in the sect, and most of all, attached to him. He had indeed neglected her while busy with his Soul Guidance Device research lately.

"How could that be! Brother loves Rongrong the most!" Ning Xiaochun quickly crouched down, wanting to hug her.

"Wasn't Brother just busy with important work? Once this period is over, I'll definitely spend time playing with you, okay?"

Ning Rongrong dodged his embrace, her gaze falling on Shui Bing'er, who was standing quietly to the side.

She looked up and down at this blue-haired sister, whose temperament was cold and whose beauty was so exquisite she seemed to have stepped out of a painting, her eyes filled with vigilance and hostility:

"Who is she? Why are you with her, Brother? And... and you were sleeping on her lap!"

A little girl's heart is the most sensitive. She instinctively felt that this pretty sister had stolen her brother's attention and companionship.

Watching Ning Rongrong's "interrogating a prisoner" expression, Ning Xiaochun was caught between laughter and tears. He scratched his head and decided to introduce her directly:

"Rongrong, this is Sister Shui Bing'er. She is... well, your future sister-in-law."

"Sister-in-law?!" Ning Rongrong's eyes widened even further, her little mouth forming an 'O' shape, and then, with a wail, she burst into tears!

"Waaaah! Sister-in-law! Brother, you actually have a sister-in-law! Does that mean you don't want Rongrong anymore? They all said that once you have a sister-in-law, you forget your sister! Wuu wuu wuu..."

Ning Rongrong cried so heart-wrenchingly that it felt as if the sky were falling.

Ning Xiaochun was instantly at a loss, scrambling to soothe her: "Don't cry, Rongrong! How could that be! How could Brother not want you! You will always be Brother's dearest sister!"

Shui Bing'er was also made somewhat awkward by this sudden situation, standing in place, unsure whether to leave or stay.

She looked at the sobbing Ning Rongrong and then at the flustered Ning Xiaochun, suddenly finding the scene somewhat amusing, and yet... strangely tender.

She hesitated, then took a handkerchief woven from Ice Silkworm Silk and embroidered with delicate snowflake patterns from her storage Soul Guidance Device. She crouched down and gently held it out to Ning Rongrong, her voice carrying a hint of clumsy gentleness: "Stop crying... your brother... he won't stop wanting you."

Ning Rongrong's crying stopped abruptly. She looked up through teary eyes at the beautiful blue-haired sister before her, then at the pretty handkerchief she was holding out, and asked with a hiccup: "Re... really?"

Shui Bing'er nodded. Although her expression remained cool, her eyes were much softer: "Yes. If he ever dares to stop wanting you, I will help you... freeze him into an ice sculpture."