Huo Wu raised her eyes.
"I don't need any."
Shui Yue'er immediately tossed her a pastry.
Huo Wu reached out and caught it.
"Since you've given it to me, I'll eat it."
Huo Wu looked at the pastry in her palm and did not refuse.
She lowered her head and took a bite.
"It tastes all right."
Shui Yue'er nodded in satisfaction.
"That means you like it."
"I only said it was all right."
"Then you like it."
Huo Wu did not argue further.
Snow Empress sat behind Qian Chen.
She took out a white handkerchief and wiped the pastry crumbs from the corner of his mouth.
Qian Chen turned his head.
"I can do it myself."
"I'm already done."
Snow Empress put away the handkerchief.
Ice Empress leaned over from the other side.
"Snow Sister, I want some too."
Snow Empress glanced at her.
"You don't have any crumbs on you."
"I meant Chen'er."
Ice Empress reached out and took Qian Chen's hand.
She lowered her head to look at it.
"There are some here too."
"Where?"
Qian Chen asked.
Ice Empress lifted his hand and lightly traced a fingertip across his palm.
"Here."
She lowered her head and brushed away the nonexistent crumbs.
Qian Chen looked at her.
Yet Ice Empress did not let go.
"It's clean now."
Snow Empress's gaze fell on their clasped hands.
She took out another handkerchief and placed it in front of Qian Chen.
"Use mine."
Ice Empress immediately raised her eyes.
"I already wiped his hand for him."
"I know."
Snow Empress answered calmly.
"But he can wipe it again."
Qian Chen looked from one to the other.
Shui Yue'er covered her mouth and laughed.
"Snow Sister and Sister Ice Empress are competing again."
"We aren't."
Snow Empress put away the handkerchief.