Chapter 15: It’s Snowing

Xing Lian huddled under her quilt, shivering.

“Judging by the time, it should be the Cold Season now. It must be snowing outside,” Fei said softly, sensing the drop in temperature.

‘The Cold Season?’ Xing Lian thought for a moment.

The Cold Season was likely winter. 

It was normal for it to snow then. 

She had heard that snowy landscapes were beautiful, but she had never seen one herself.

Xing Lian dazed off slightly.

At that moment, Fei felt extremely frustrated with herself. 

The Cold Season had begun some time ago, yet she had actually forgotten to prepare winter clothes for Xing Lian. 

She only realized it now that the temperature had plummeted after the snowfall. 

It was truly a lapse in judgment.

“Your health isn’t good, and the bed is warm. Don’t get up for now. I’ll go prepare some warm clothes for you.”

“Mhm.” Xing Lian nodded gently.

Not long after Fei left the bed, she returned with another quilt. 

With two quilts covering her, Xing Lian did not feel quite so cold anymore.

Seeing Xing Lian’s complexion turn rosy again, Fei felt much more at ease. 

She tucked her in, then turned around to prepare breakfast. 

Once it was ready, she returned to the bedside to feed her.

After a bowl of meat soup, Xing Lian’s face wore a look of quiet satisfaction. 

Only then did Fei reluctantly leave.

While Fei was away, Xing Lian waited obediently at home. 

Around noon, Fei returned, looking travel-worn.

“Little Lian, these are the new clothes I bought for you. Why don’t you try them on?” Fei said, handing over a garment like a person presenting a treasure.

Xing Lian reached out and took it. 

The clothes were thick and felt furry to the touch, yet they were not heavy at all. 

She liked them instantly.

Having been lying in bed for half the day, Xing Lian was eager to get up. 

She grabbed the clothes and tried to pull them on. 

However, it was her first time wearing such things, and she was clumsy. 

After several failed attempts, she gave up.

Xing Lian felt a bit tired. 

She stopped trying and instead lifted her head, relying on her senses to look toward Fei with an expectant gaze.

Fei chuckled softly and pinched her cheek. 

Knowing she had agreed, Xing Lian lifted the quilts and poked her feet out.

The moment her feet left the warmth of the quilt, a wave of cold air hit her, making her instinctively want to pull them back. 

But before she could, Fei grabbed them.

“Endure it for a bit,” Fei said.

She rubbed the girl’s small feet with her hands to warm them up, then picked up the pants and slid them onto her legs. 

From her feet to her calves, the fabric quickly reached the back of her knees.

“Lift your bottom.”

Xing Lian followed the instruction, bracing her hands against the bed and lifting her hips slightly. 

Fei took the opportunity to pull the pants all the way up. 

Xing Lian immediately felt much warmer.

Once the pants were on, the top was next. 

It was much simpler and was finished in no time.

After dressing, Xing Lian moved around a bit. 

She could not see the color or style of the clothes, but based on the feel, they were somewhat similar to the down jackets of her past life—equally light and soft, without feeling cumbersome at all.

“Little Lian is so beautiful; you look good in anything,” Fei said with a smile as she looked at the white, fluffy ball of a girl before her.

Xing Lian wore a set of soft, light-colored cotton clothes, matching thick pants, and a pair of fur-lined shoes. 

It was a simple, perhaps even plain outfit, yet on her, it looked incredibly soft and obedient. 

She looked absolutely adorable.

Xing Lian’s face flushed slightly at the words, but not because of the compliment. 

It was because of the name.

The name ‘Little Lian’ sounded far too embarrassing. 

The first time she had heard it, she had not even reacted. 

Although she had heard it a few times by now, she still could not get used to it. It was too soft—and too infantile.

“Could you… not call me that?”

“Why? I think it sounds lovely. Do you not like it?” Fei asked, looking surprised.

“No… it’s not that… I…” Xing Lian stuttered, not knowing how to explain.

Since she had accepted Fei in her heart, she certainly wasn’t dissatisfied with an affectionate nickname. 

She just felt the name was inappropriate. 

Although she had accepted her identity as a girl, she had, after all, once been a boy. 

And even for a real girl, such a name would probably feel shameful.

Seeing Xing Lian hesitate, Fei did not press the issue. 

She took Xing Lian’s hand and led her to the dressing table. 

She used a warm towel to wipe her hands and face, then picked up a comb to do her hair.

Fei was not good at dressing up or grooming herself.

She found such things troublesome and a waste of time. 

But with Xing Lian, she had suddenly discovered the joy in it. 

Grooming the little one, dressing her in beautiful clothes, and seeing the smile on her face made Fei happy from the bottom of her heart.

‘The girls who are obsessed with dressing themselves up probably think this way too, right?’ she thought. 

‘Except they like dressing themselves, while I like dressing her.’

Only when Xing Lian’s messy strands were neatly combed did Fei finally set down the comb.

“Are we done?”

“Mhm, all done.”

Fei held Xing Lian’s hand as they left the bedroom and entered the main hall of the Stone Chamber. 

Usually, after breakfast, the two would sit together to chat and then go for a walk. 

However, since it was snowing today, it seemed they could not do that.

But staying inside the Mountain Cave was simply too boring. 

Xing Lian soon became restless, her eyes frequently darting toward the entrance.

Fei quickly noticed Xing Lian’s distraction. 

She squeezed her fingers and asked, “Little Lian, are you curious about the snow outside?”

“Mhm.” Xing Lian did not hide it and nodded gently.

Because of her poor health, she had been forced to stay at home in her past life. 

She was curious about everything she had never experienced. 

It seemed many people liked the snow. 

There were so many things one could do—skiing, snowball fights, building snowmen…

Back then, she had listened to such stories with envy. 

Now that it was snowing outside, she naturally could not help but pay attention.

“I won’t stop you if you want to play in the snow, but you must know when to quit. When I say it’s time to head back, we head back.”

Fei could never say no to Xing Lian, but she was worried about her health, so she made her promise beforehand.

“Mhm, I understand!” Xing Lian nodded vigorously, already impatient.

Fei could not help but chuckle at her look of anticipation. 

In the several months they had spent together, she had never seen the girl make such an expression. 

It was truly too cute.

The snow had fallen heavily last night but had stopped for now. 

Fei held Xing Lian’s hand and led her out into the snow. 

The once lush Forest was now covered in white, and the world between heaven and earth was a vast, pale expanse.

Xing Lian could not see any of this, but she was completely immersed in the joy of stepping on the snow. 

There was a thick accumulation beneath her feet, and every step she took made a “crunch-crunch” sound. 

It was incredibly fun.

After walking a circle and leaving a trail of small footprints in the snow, Xing Lian was slightly out of breath. 

She wiped the sweat from her forehead.

“Do you want to play more?”

“Mhm, just a little longer,” Xing Lian replied.

She crouched down and gently scooped up a handful of snow. 

It felt icy cold in her hands, and with a little squeeze, it clumped into a ball.

‘So this is the legendary snow?’ she thought. 

She was truly gaining new experiences today.

As Xing Lian played happily, Fei watched with joy, but she soon began to frown. 

The little one was wearing thick clothes, so her body was likely not cold, but her face was unprotected. 

The tip of her nose was already frozen bright red, which made Fei’s heart ache with worry.

She wanted to tell her to go back inside, but seeing her playing so happily, Fei found she did not have the heart to stop her.