176: Chapter 176: Snow Empress: I will serve you well.

A soft cry came from behind Snow Empress, followed immediately by a gentle force from behind that nudged her back.

Caught off guard, Snow Empress stumbled forward a step, crossing directly into the room.

At the same time, a small head peeked in from behind the door crack; it was none other than Wang Donger.

A cunning yet bright smile played on her face as she looked at the two slightly embarrassed people in the room, especially seeing Snow Empress, who was so shy she looked ready to smoke, making the smile on her face even deeper.

"Xiao Jing!"

Wang Donger's voice was crisp and melodious, carrying a hint of playfulness and an unquestionable arrangement: "Tonight, I'm going to sleep in Snow Empress's room! This room, and this battlefield, are now officially handed over to you!"

She blinked those large, azure blue eyes and said teasingly to Lu Jing: "You better perform well, don't let me down~"

Then, she turned to Snow Empress, who was still keeping her head down and wishing she could crawl into a crack in the ground, her tone becoming exceptionally considerate and caring:

"Oh, that's right, Snow Empress. My Xiao Jing can be a bit reckless sometimes, so remember to remind him to be gentle with you! You're doing this for the first time and don't know anything, so make sure he doesn't teach you bad habits!"

"And you, Snow Empress!"

At this point, the smile on Wang Donger's face carried a hint of "go for it" as she teased: "Remember to... take good care of my Xiao Jing and make him comfortable! I believe you can do it!"

After saying this, she didn't give them any chance to refute or ask questions, quickly pulling her head back. With a bang, she closed the door firmly from the outside, and there was even a faint sound of the door lock clicking into place.

"..."

The room fell into an instant, deathly silence.

Lu Jing stood where he was, looking at the tightly closed door, then at Snow Empress in front of him, who was keeping her head down, body rigid, and even her neck stained pink. For a moment, he was both unable to laugh or cry, while also feeling an indescribable heat.

This girl Donger... she really is becoming more and more sensible, and... more and more capable of making arrangements.

Snow Empress, on the other hand, was completely stunned, her mind a blank slate.

Every word of Wang Donger's bold remarks just now was like a fire, burning her cheeks until they were scorching, her heart beating like a drum.

She completely couldn't understand why Wang Donger would say such... such shameful things!

Clearly, before, even though Donger was lively in front of her, she was always very mindful of boundaries...

How... how could she have changed like a completely different person overnight?

Seeing Snow Empress's appearance, so embarrassed she was about to set herself on fire, Lu Jing's heart softened, and he understood that he couldn't let the atmosphere remain so awkward.

He took a deep breath, stepped forward, and gently took hold of Snow Empress's small hand, which was slightly cold yet trembling.

Snow Empress's hand jolted violently, but she didn't pull away, letting Lu Jing lead her step by step to the bedside to sit down.

The two sat side by side on the edge of the bed, very close, able to feel the temperature and breath coming from each other.

Snow Empress still kept her head down, her silver hair hanging down, covering most of her face.

"Snow Empress!"

Lu Jing's voice was very light and gentle, breaking the silence as he asked: "Last night... what exactly did you and Wang Donger talk about? Can you... tell me?"

Snow Empress's body trembled slightly again.

After a moment of silence, she used a voice as thin as a mosquito's buzzing, filled with choking sobs, and intermittently recounted everything from when Wang Donger came to find her last night, the conversation between them, Wang Donger's vulnerability, her pleas, and the agreement they finally reached.

By the time she finished, the guilt and unease in her heart surged up again, her voice becoming lower and lower:

"It's my fault... I shouldn't have... let her be so sad... and even have her accommodate me..."

Listening to Snow Empress's account, Lu Jing's heart was a mix of emotions.

He hadn't expected that Wang Donger had gone to find Snow Empress with such feelings last night.

That deep-seated loneliness and fear, that concession and sharing she had to make just to keep him... it made him both heartbroken and moved.

He reached out his arm, gently pulling Snow Empress's trembling delicate body into his embrace, his other hand gently patting her back, his voice low and firm:

"Snow Empress, don't say that. You are not wrong; liking someone is never a mistake. Wang Donger... she doesn't blame you either. On the contrary, she cares about you very much, doesn't want to lose you, and doesn't want to make things difficult for me. That is why she made this choice."

"Since Wang Donger doesn't resist, and is even... willing to accept you, why must you belittle yourself and deny your own worth?"

Lu Jing's words were like a warm current, slowly flowing into Snow Empress's cold and flustered heart.

She leaned against Lu Jing's warm chest, listening to his strong and steady heartbeat, feeling the tolerance and affirmation in his words, and the unease and guilt in her heart seemed to be smoothed out bit by bit.

Replacing it was a deeper, more indescribable affection, and a hint of peace and belonging after being accepted.

Her delicate body trembled slightly; she didn't speak again, just quietly leaned in Lu Jing's arms, greedily absorbing this hard-won warmth and tranquility.

Time flowed slowly in the quiet.

Don't know how long passed, Lu Jing lowered his head, looking at Snow Empress's face so close at hand, exquisitely beautiful and flawless, yet stained with tear tracks and blushes, and that last shred of hesitation and concern in his heart completely vanished.

He leaned in towards Snow Empress's delicate, flushed ear, his warm breath spraying onto her sensitive skin, his voice carrying a hint of hoarseness and temptation as he whispered:

"Snow Empress... it's getting late."

Snow Empress's ears instantly turned red enough to drip blood.

Of course, she understood Lu Jing's meaning.

Wang Donger's arrangements and instructions just now had already made everything very clear.

At this moment, with the arrow on the bowstring, she felt both nervousness and shyness about the unknown, as well as an inexplicable, instinctual anticipation and palpitation.

She nodded gently, straightening up slightly from Lu Jing's embrace, her ice-blue eyes still shimmering with moisture, but now with an unprecedented courage and determination.

She looked at Lu Jing, her voice soft yet firm:

"I... I understand. I... I will... take good care of you."

After saying this embarrassingly shameful sentence, Snow Empress seemed to have exhausted all her courage.

Her beautiful eyes narrowed, as if having made some kind of resolution, she took the initiative to lift her head, closed her eyes, and pressed her crimson, soft lips, which were like cherry blossom petals, with a hint of awkward trembling, gently onto Lu Jing's lips.

"Mmph..."

As their lips touched, an indescribable, sweet fragrance of ice and snow instantly filled Lu Jing's senses.

Snow Empress's kiss was awkward and clumsy, but it carried a kind of resolute sincerity and heat, instantly igniting all the flames in Lu Jing's heart.