Without warning, the first snow descended upon Baihua Palace, arriving quietly in the dead of night while the world slept. When the inhabitants finally awoke, they found the world transformed into a landscape of silver and jade.
The tip of a sword stirred a flurry of snowflakes. Amidst the white expanse, a figure moved with ethereal grace, as if she were the only thing remaining in the vast, pale universe. She turned, and in that single backward glance, she saw her entire world.
The woman approached her, the corners of her mouth lifting in a faint, tender smile that she reserved only for her. Chu Ruo grinned. In the blink of an eye, a snow-white cloak was draped over her shoulders. Chu Ruo leaned in, pressing her lips against the other woman’s forehead in a kiss that was slightly chilled by the air but warmed by affection. She pulled her beloved girl into an embrace. "Finished with the palace affairs?"
Nan Muxue raised her arms to return the hug. "You’re quite diligent today. Didn't I tell you to sleep in?"
"The warmth of the blankets is certainly tempting, but I have to practice my martial arts properly. Look at those sword flowers I just carved—aren't they exactly like yours?"
"Shameless."
Chu Ruo didn't mind the jab; if anything, her smile widened. "Mm, I’ll admit to that. I’m thick-skinned and have no sense of shame anyway."
"It’s cold out here. Go back inside and rest."
"I'm fine—"
Nan Muxue interrupted her, a hint of displeasure in her voice. "It is freezing. Why aren't you wearing more layers? Get inside." *Her vital energy has been severely depleted.* Every time those words crossed Nan Muxue's mind, her heart ached with an unbearable intensity. She loathed her own perceived uselessness for allowing her Ruo’er to be caught in such a state.
"But you brought me a cloak, didn't you? Let's stay a bit longer." Chu Ruo pulled back slightly but kept a firm grip on Nan Muxue’s jade-like hand. "This is the first time I've seen it snow at Baihua Palace. It’s beautiful—so quiet and serene. Hey, let’s take a walk. Let's go see the Silent Lake."
Nan Muxue simply reached out to tighten the ties of the cloak. Chu Ruo, however, lifted her arms and pulled the wide garment around both of them, bundling them together. They shared a smile and began to walk leisurely through the drifting snow.
"You aren't afraid of the disciples seeing us anymore?"
"Oh, right. If the disciples see us later..."
Chu Ruo made a move to let go, but a sharp glare from Nan Muxue stopped her. She could only let out a mock sigh. "Sigh, some people... they're unhappy if I let go, and unhappy if I don't. Truly..."
"The account books..."
"I was wrong! I was wrong! I'll do anything, just don't make me look at the palace accounts. It’ll be the death of me." She could learn to handle almost anything else, but mathematics had been her nemesis since childhood. She begged for mercy.
To her surprise, the woman beside her only gave a doting reply. "Fine. If you don't want to look at them, then don't. Do whatever you like; you needn't worry about anything else."
"Really? Then can I play cards, billiards, and mahjong with Xiao Guo'er and Duan Ning?"
"Mm."
*Wait, even that?* Chu Ruo tested the waters further. "Then can I invite Zhi—"
A frigid, piercing gaze immediately locked onto her. "Hmm?"
*Terrifying.* "Nothing, nothing at all."
"Hmph!"
"Xue'er, what's come over you? We agreed before that I would help you handle the palace affairs. Why are you suddenly keeping me out of it?"
Nan Muxue arched an eyebrow. "I am worried that you, the Saint Envoy, will grow too powerful. I am merely stripping you of your authority beforehand."
They had reached the vicinity of the Silent Lake, where no one would disturb them. Chu Ruo grew bold, reaching out to tilt the other woman's chin up. "Since you're so worried, why don't you just appoint me as your official consort? I can dedicate myself entirely to serving you and warming your bed." *The Little Scorpion really has changed; she’s actually joking with me. Heh, this wife of mine is truly unpredictable.*
"Shameless from morning till night. You certainly seem to enjoy yourself."
"It's one of my many virtues. Tell me, is there anyone else in Baihua Palace quite like me?"
"I fear the century-old foundation of this palace would not survive it."
"...That's uncalled for. Is it really that exaggerated?"
Nan Muxue didn't continue the joke. Instead, she watched the dancing snowflakes. "I fear the snow won't stop today. From now on, you don't need to wake up early. If you're bored when you wake, come find me in the study. If you want to play with the disciples, that's fine too, but spend less time outdoors."
Chu Ruo reached out, catching a large snowflake that melted instantly in her palm. "Look, it melted. I don't have a cold constitution like yours. I know you're worried about me. Don't worry—for the sake of spending a long life with you, I will cherish my body very, very much."
"Have you ever given me a single day of peace?" Nan Muxue leaned into the embrace again. It was still warm, thankfully. She and Bai Zhier had been keeping the truth from the person in front of her—they hadn't told her that this time, her health had been fundamentally damaged. "Ruo’er..."
"What is it? Alright, alright, I'll be obedient. Wife, I really can't resist it when you use that tone with me."
"Let's go back."
"I still wanted to go to the Ice Cave to practice..."
"You are forbidden from going there. That cave is too cold."
"Xue'er," Chu Ruo said, sounding confused. "You used to push me to practice hard. You said you were afraid I'd be in danger if I were alone and you weren't there. What's changed since we got back?"
"Nothing. You used yourself as a medium to save me and walked through the gates of hell once more. Your body needs time to recover. We will talk about it once you've healed..."
"But I'm fine! See? I can eat and sleep. Well, aside from this slight cold."
"Chu Ruo."
Startled by the sudden sternness, Chu Ruo jumped. "W-what?"
"I want you to promise me. Never disregard your own life for my sake again."
"I..."
Nan Muxue stared at her with a sudden, fierce intensity. "Do you have any idea how angry I was that day?"
"I wanted to save you..."
"You dared to conspire with others to deceive me, and you did something so reckless and stupid. If you hadn't woken up that day, what would have been the point of saving me? Did you think I would live on alone?" Nan Muxue trembled for a moment, the memory of that day bringing back a mixture of resentment, anger, and, above all, fear.
Chu Ruo laughed. "Then wouldn't my efforts have been in vain?"
"Chu Ruo!"
"Let me finish. Xue'er, if time were to turn back ten thousand times, I would still make the same choice. I told you, coming to this world was my second life, and I didn't care about it at all. If there is anything in this world that can keep me here, there is only one reason: you. Even now, I don't think I did anything wrong. I love you, and I don't believe there is any wrong way to love you. I can tell you clearly: if this happens again, I will do the same thing—a hundred times, a thousand times. I told Zhier that if I didn't wake up, she should give you the Pill of Forgotten Emotions. Then, it would be as if nothing had ever happened. You would still be Nan Muxue, the high and mighty Young Palace Master of Baihua Palace."
Nan Muxue’s lips trembled. "You really are so sel—"
"Selfish, right?" Chu Ruo finished the sentence for her. "That's right. I am exactly that selfish. If I never wake up, I will sleep forever, keeping the memories that belong to the two of us all to myself. There is no love in this world that can prove my way of loving you is wrong, and my selfishness isn't wrong either. I'm not just selfish; I'm a coward. I don't want to die after you. I don't want to live on in this world as a hollow shell, carrying the memory of you. Nan Muxue, this is who I am. I won't change. Not in this life, not ever."
*Slap!* It had been a long time since Chu Ruo’s cheek had felt the touch of a palm. But unlike before, this strike was soft, gentle—impossibly tender. She still reached up to cover her face, grinning brilliantly. "You hit me again. We agreed: no hitting the face."
The woman in her arms pressed herself tightly against Chu Ruo’s chest. "You don't want to be left alone in this world, yet how could you have the heart to let me get used to your warmth only to cruelly snatch it away? To leave me all alone in this world? The Pill of Forgotten Emotions cannot make me forget you. You are more than just a feeling; you are inside my very heart."
"Xue'er..." Chu Ruo’s nose began to sting. she buried her head in the other's shoulder, her eyes shimmering with tears even as a happy smile touched her lips. "It's early morning; why are we saying such unlucky things? Neither of us is allowed to say another word about it."
"Mm."
"It's all your fault, you Little Scorpion. Everything you say is so heart-stirring, making me act like this."
"You make your Master live in constant fear for your sake, yet you have so many complaints about a few words."
"Heh, the Little Scorpion with the sharp tongue."
"You—"
"Xue'er," Chu Ruo said as the white flakes continued to fall from the sky. As she spoke, her breath came out in a warm mist. "Then let's promise. Neither of us will leave the other. We won't be apart for a lifetime."
Nan Muxue silently brushed the falling snow from Chu Ruo’s back. "In life, we share a bed; in death, we share a grave."
"You're so eager to be buried with me? You want to keep managing me even after we're dead? But you're so fierce and naggy... maybe I should just call everyone else and we can get a big plot of land and be buried in a pile... Ow! Why did you kick me!"
***
The Study.
"Xue'er..." Chu Ruo had enjoyed a wonderful nap by the charcoal brazier. She stretched lazily and called out to her beloved in a soft, sleepy voice. "What time is it?" *Mm, this cloak I'm wearing smells just like the Little Scorpion. Fragrant and wonderful.*
"It's nearly noon. Are you cold?"
Without even opening her eyes, Chu Ruo could tell by the scent that the other woman was standing right in front of her. She reached out and wrapped her arms around the slender waist, resting her head naturally against Nan Muxue’s chest. She said languidly, "It's very warm. I told you to sleep, but you wouldn't. Your hands must be cold from all those palace documents. Come, let me warm them for you. *Haa—*"
Chu Ruo took the other woman's hands and carefully blew warm breath onto them. Nan Muxue spoke with doting affection, "Let's eat. I had chicken soup brewed for you."
"Is it ginseng chicken soup? I can already smell it. Ever since we got back, you've been making me drink soup constantly. I know it's winter and soup is warming, but this is too much. My stomach is full of water..."
"You'll drink it even if you have to hold your nose. So much chatter."
"Do you know the term 'domestic violence'?"
A finger poked her back. "Hmm?"
Chu Ruo stood up and took her hand. "Let's go, let's go. Soup time. You have to feed me."
"Don't you have hands?"
Chu Ruo tilted the other's chin, completely ignoring the question. She tapped her own lips. "No feeding with hands. You have to use..."
"Ruo’er?"
The door was pushed open. Chu Ruo reflexively let go, but to her surprise, Nan Muxue pulled her back into her side and arched an eyebrow. "You want to shrink away just because you heard your Zhier's voice?"
Bai Zhier walked in and sat down by the fire as if she owned the place. "It's freezing outside."
"Does the Divine Physician's family have no upbringing at all?"
"I didn't see you being particularly polite when Ruo’er and I were in bed together; you didn't hesitate to push the door open then. Why? Did I ruin your fun?"
*Heaven help me,* Chu Ruo thought. *This girl is getting bolder and bolder. But Zhier, if you keep talking like that, I'm probably going to die tonight. Sigh, why am I always the unlucky one?* Before she could finish her lament, she felt two sharp pinches on her lower back. *Tragic.*
"If you have such an interest, I wouldn't mind letting you watch tonight," Nan Muxue replied coolly. "You can take a good look at Ruo’er’s sleeping face—I imagine you've never had the pleasure of admiring it."
"Ruo’er, when I was coming over, I think I heard Xiao Guo'er and one of the Protectors looking for you to go catch wild rabbits."
*What?* Chu Ruo’s eyes lit up, then she looked piteously at Nan Muxue. "Xue'er, I—"
"Go. Put on..."
*Whoosh!* "I know, I'll wear more layers! I'm off!"
"What did you want to say that required sending Ruo’er away?"
"Nothing in particular. I just don't want to see you clinging to her every day."
Nan Muxue gave a contemptuous laugh. "I suspect you're just bitter that you don't have the chance. You can see for yourself if Ruo’er is willing to leave my side for even a step."
"Oh, I was counting. From the moment she ran out until now, she must be several hundred steps away."
"Before I decide to kill you, get back to your Divine Physician's island."
Bai Zhier smoothed her sleeves. "I'd love to leave, but who will look after Ruo’er’s health?"
"You..."
"I know your Baihua Palace knows a bit of medicine, but don't forget—I was the one who personally managed her health from the time she tested the poison until she woke up. I know her body best. I know exactly which medicines to use and in what dosage. Besides, you should know that Baihua Palace's martial arts are extremely Yin and cold; they aren't suitable for Ruo’er right now. Your own body is cold as well. You know perfectly well that your palace's internal cultivation methods are useless for her. But hey, if you're that confident in yourself... then I'll be going?"
Nan Muxue’s face was a mask of ice. "Do not push your luck..."
"My, seeing you frustrated makes me so happy. If you're not satisfied, come and kill me. Tsk. I might not be able to kill you, but seeing you like this makes me feel much better. Oh, and Ruo’er promised me three things. Spending an extra half-month at the foot of the mountain was only the first. What should I make her do for the other two? Maybe... have her leave you and marry me?"
"You are merely indulging in empty talk, for you know that Ruo’er only has eyes for me."
Bai Zhier’s expression finally soured. Nan Muxue laughed triumphantly. "Why should I bother being angry with you? The taste of the one you love never giving you a second glance must be quite 'pleasant.' If you only came here to bicker, then I am going to find Ruo’er."
"My adoptive father wants to see you both."
Nan Muxue stopped. Bai Zhier continued, "From the time you went to Miaojiang six months ago until now, he has swallowed up many major sects. The martial world is crawling with Medicinal Puppets. He knows you're back, and he wants to see you."
"He is here at Baihua Palace, yet he can stir up such storms in the martial world. If I don't agree, will he simply not see us? Why all this theater? Wouldn't it be easier to just come here? How large can Cloud-Piercing Peak be? Is there anyone Palace Master Tu wants to see but cannot?"
"Hahaha... Your temper is just like your mother's. Just as bad, and just as proud."
Bai Zhier turned toward the door. "Adoptive Father."
Tu Aozhi looked much the same as before, but from the moment he appeared, his breathing was imperceptible. Nan Muxue knew that this man's martial arts had reached an even higher level of refinement. "Palace Master Tu."
The man didn't stand on ceremony, sitting down directly. "I have come today to say a few words to the Young Palace Master."
"It seems you do not intend to tell me what I wish to hear."
"Regarding your mother, if you agree to my conditions, I will naturally tell you." Tu Aozhi glanced at Bai Zhier. "I can see that you and that Chu Ruo are sincere. Zhier told me he risked his life to save you; it seems he is not a heartless man."
"Ruo’er has always been good. To me, she is."
"But Zhier is also deeply devoted to him. How about this: I won't force him. Both of you girls shall marry him..."
"Adoptive Father!" Bai Zhier’s reaction made it clear she hadn't known about this. "Please don't..."
"Zhier, I am helping you. You even chased him all the way to Miaojiang. Young Palace Master, what do you think of my proposal? The three of you shall marry. As for status, there will be no distinction between primary or secondary wives. Both of you will be equal wives. How about it?"
Nan Muxue stood up. "And if I refuse?"
"Heh. Is this your intention, or Chu Ruo’s—"
"My intention is Ruo’er’s intention. I refuse. What does Palace Master Tu intend to do about it?"
Tu Aozhi also stood up, the atmosphere suddenly becoming fraught with tension. He spoke as if joking, yet with deadly seriousness. "Then I shall slaughter your disciples, cripple your martial arts, and destroy your Baihua Palace!"
***
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