The next morning—no, it could hardly be called morning anymore, it was almost noon.
On the large bed, the two remained in the same positions they had been in while fast asleep the night before.
Bai You was wrapped around Varesa, with one arm around her waist.
One leg was restlessly straddling the other's leg, while half of his face was buried in Varesa's neck, fast asleep.
She was sleeping so soundly that her little mouth was slightly open, and her breath was warm, brushing against Varesa's collarbone.
Varesa was awakened by a slight dampness.
She groggily opened her eyes, first feeling a cool, damp sensation on her collarbone. Looking down, she was both annoyed and amused.
A glistening trail of drool hung from the corner of the little one's mouth, flowing down the neckline of her pajamas in a small stream.
" Little Bai You," Varesa called out in a hoarse voice, her tone still languid from just waking up.
No one answered.
Not only did Bai You not wake up, but she also subconsciously snuggled closer to her, rubbing her head against her, and her drool was about to drip down again.
Varesa didn't rush to wake her; she just propped herself up and looked down at her for a while.
Sunlight fell on Bai You's adorable little face, her long eyelashes and the tip of her nose twitching gently with her breath.
The corners of her mouth were still slightly upturned; I wonder what sweet dreams she was having.
As she looked at it, all the lingering resentment she felt for the saliva vanished, leaving only a soft, yielding sensation.
She raised her hand and gently wiped away the drool from Bai You's lips with her fingertips.
With just this slight movement, Bai You finally reacted.
She wrinkled her little nose, her eyelashes fluttered, and she slowly opened her eyes a crack, meeting Varesa, who was standing right in front of her.
He paused for two seconds before mumbling incoherently, "... Huh? Is it dawn?"
"It's getting bright, it's almost lunchtime." Varesa suppressed a laugh and deliberately brought the patch of her collar, which was soaked with saliva, close to her eyes.
"That little glutton, he even eats in his sleep! Look, he's drooling all over me!"
Bai You's mind hadn't quite caught up yet, and she stared blankly in the direction of her hand.
Upon seeing that small, damp patch, she froze for a moment, then, in an instant, her face turned bright red.
"I... I didn't..." she said, frantically trying to wipe it off, her voice soft and sweet.
"I wasn't drooling, it's... it's you who's sweating..."
"Oh? So you were sweating?"
Varesa raised an eyebrow, slowly drawing out her words, "I'm sweating, and specifically in that area?"
Bai You was speechless, wishing she could crawl under the covers on the spot.
She abruptly pulled the blanket over her face, burying it completely except for a small patch of her burning red ear, and muttered angrily, "Stop talking..."
The tiny figure inside the blanket squirmed and writhed, utterly embarrassed.
Varesa chuckled softly at her appearance, then leaned down and pulled her, blanket and all, into her arms through the covers.
Her chin rested on the bulging little silkworm pupa, her voice soft and sweet.
"Okay, okay, I won't laugh at you anymore." She patted Bai You's back.
"So what if it's flowing? It's not like it's someone else. I won't mind how much you spill on me."
After a few seconds of silence under the covers, the small figure cautiously lifted a slit, revealing a wet eye that suspiciously eyed her:
"Really?"
"Really," Varesa said, bowing her head.
For some reason, Bai You simply threw off the blanket and threw herself back into Varesa's arms, clinging to her waist in a spoiled manner.
"I'll sleep a little longer," she mumbled, burying her face in the warmth. "Just a little while, a few minutes."
"Who just said it was dawn?" Even as she said that, Varesa's hand honestly wrapped around it.
He stroked her hair gently, "Okay, I'll hug you for another five minutes."
"Five minutes is not enough."
"How long will it take you?"
"A lifetime." Bai You hummed softly, her eyes closed, with a self-righteous air.
"You said you wanted to see me first thing every morning when you woke up, and that you wanted to hold me while you slept."
Varesa's heart was both softened and warmed by Bai You's sticky words.
She lowered her head and rubbed against Bai You's soft hair, her voice as soft as a sigh:
"Okay, for life it is. Anyway, you're mine now, you can't escape."
The two of them snuggled together in the warm blankets, neither of them mentioning the bed again.
Bai You lay in Varesa's warm and comfortable embrace, and drowsiness gradually crept in, almost causing her to fall asleep again.
Just then, there was a rapid knocking on the door.
" Varesa! Bai You!" Odette's voice came from outside the door.
Odette, who was usually calm, was now suppressing a hint of panic that she couldn't hide.
"Are you awake? Get up quickly!"
The two people in the bed were both startled at the same time.
"What's wrong...?" Varesa frowned and raised her voice in response.
"You're awake! What happened?"
"Something terrible has happened." Odette took a deep breath outside the door, as if even she found it unbelievable.
" Your Her Majesty the Tsaritsa... the Tsaritsa has come in person."
Upon hearing this, the two people in bed froze.
Bai You's drowsiness was instantly dispelled by the fright. She sat up abruptly from Varesa's arms.
Varesa's eyes widened, and her voice cracked. " Your Her Majesty the Tsaritsa?! Which Your Her Majesty the Tsaritsa?!"
"There can be no other Her Majesty the Tsaritsa; there has only been one Snezhnaya."
Odette was speaking rapidly outside; "She's right at the theater entrance, specifically asking to see Bai You. Columbina has already gone out to keep her company."
"Let me come up and call you, hurry up!"
The room was in complete chaos.
"Oh no, oh no, oh no!" Bai You scrambled off the bed, turning into a four-wheel drive in an instant.
Her legs were still a little weak, and she almost fell headfirst, but Varesa caught her with quick reflexes.
"Why did she come in person? I just woke up last night, and it's already so fast?"
While offering words of comfort, Varesa's hands were also busy; she yanked open the wardrobe and quickly rummaged through the clothes.
"Don't panic. Change your clothes. You can't go to see Her Majesty the Tsaritsa in your pajamas."
"Yes, yes, let's change clothes."
Bai You frantically reached for her clothes, slipping her left hand into her right sleeve, stamping her feet in frustration.
Varesa couldn't bear to watch any longer, so she rushed over, pressed her down to sit on the edge of the bed, and took matters into her own hands.
She moved quickly and steadily, smoothing out Bai You's inner garment and putting on her outer garment, then took the comb.
In a few quick movements, he straightened the messy hair that had been sleeping, and casually tied it into two cute pigtails.
Varesa cupped her face, looked her over, and gently flicked her forehead:
"Alright, our Little Bai You is the most energetic, go out now."
"Hmm." Bai You took a deep breath and nodded.