As she let go.

Suddenly, a gust of cold wind blew in.

An Ning couldn’t help but sneeze.

"Mother, are you cold?" An Youyou asked hastily, "I’ll take my clothes off for you..."

Lin Zichan had already taken off his coat and handed it to An Ning, "If Her Majesty doesn’t mind, please wear it."

An Ning looked at Lin Zichan. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Slowly, she accepted it.

Then draped it over herself.

As if it was all his scent.

A familiar... scent.

"The servant will take Her Majesty and the Princess to rest at the dilapidated temple," Lin Zichan said.

"Mm." An Ning nodded.

At that moment, not consciously, she tightened Lin Zichan’s coat around her.

"It’s too dark, I’ll carry the Princess."

"Okay." An Youyou didn’t hesitate at all, reaching out for Lin Zichan to hold her.

Lin Zichan bent down and picked An Youyou up in his arms, then said to An Ning, "Your Majesty, hold onto my clothes, don’t let go."

"Mm."

An Ning reached out, tightly gripping Lin Zichan’s garment.

The three of them walked slowly in the darkness.

The night was very dark, the wind blew cold, and the surroundings were eerily quiet.

They walked for at least the time it takes to burn an incense stick.

Only then did they see a run-down house in the darkness.

By that time, a light rain had already started to fall from the sky.

As the three people entered the temple, they were all soaked.

Lin Zichan put An Youyou down, quickly finding some dry wood inside the house, and began to make a fire.

An Ning and An Youyou sat nearby watching him.

Finally.

There was a hint of light in the temple.

Before long, Lin Zichan had built a fire, which instantly warmed the place significantly.

After finishing everything.

Lin Zichan said, "Her Majesty and the Princess should dry their clothes first, I will go and bring the carriage now."

"Don’t go," An Youyou quickly grabbed Lin Zichan.

As if afraid he might leave them behind again.

"I’ll be back soon, you should dry your clothes first, don’t catch a cold," Lin Zichan said soothingly.

An Youyou was unwilling.

"Youyou, be good," An Ning called to her.

Only then did An Youyou reluctantly let go of Lin Zichan.

Lin Zichan quickly left the temple.

An Ning watched his departing figure, slowly turning back to look at An Youyou, "Youyou, take off your clothes."

"Oh."

An Youyou obediently started taking off her clothes.

An Ning hesitated for a moment, then took off her own clothes as well.

The two sat by the fire, not feeling cold at all.

An Youyou yawned, "Why isn’t the guard Lin back yet?"

An Ning thought Lin Zichan hadn’t returned, he should be outside, not daring to come in.

Given the current circumstances, he really couldn’t come in.

An Ning touched Youyou’s clothes drying by the fire, nearly dry, she quickly helped Youyou put them on.

An Youyou yawned repeatedly.

"If you’re sleepy, just sleep for a while."

"But the guard Lin..."

"He’ll be here when you wake up."

"Oh." An Youyou was already finding it hard to keep her eyes open.

She lay in An Ning’s arms and fell asleep.

Sometimes An Ning really envied An Youyou, being able to eat and sleep so soundly.

After An Youyou fell asleep, An Ning let her lie beside her.

She got up and put on clothes that weren’t completely dry yet.

Once dressed, she walked outside the temple.

At the entrance, Lin Zichan sat there.

Outside, the rain poured down harder and harder.

The temperature kept dropping.

And Lin Zichan was still drenched.

The horse was tied to a pillar outside at that moment.

"Come inside," An Ning said.

Lin Zichan nodded.

Following An Ning, he walked into the temple.

An Youyou slept soundly by the fire.

An Ning sat beside An Youyou.

Lin Zichan slowly sat at the farthest point from them.

"Aren’t you going to take off your clothes to warm up?" An Ning asked him.

"Men and women shouldn’t touch," Lin Zichan stated plainly.

"I’m going to sleep." An Ning turned over directly, holding An Youyou, her back to Lin Zichan.

Lin Zichan watched An Ning’s actions, still not moving.

"Guard Lin still has to protect me and Youyou, don’t get sick." An Ning said quietly.

Lin Zichan pressed his lips together.

Slowly, he still took off the clothes on his body, putting them on the ground near the fire.

The night grew deep.

Lin Zichan leaned against the pillar and fell asleep.

He hadn’t planned to sleep, but he was also exhausted.

In the quiet night.

An Ning opened her eyes, turned to look at Lin Zichan leaning against the pillar.

Looking at his cold face, in the firelight, it seemed to soften.

An Ning rose from the ground.

Walking towards him.

Lin Zichan’s brows furrowed tightly, his sleep was restless.

His upper body was bare, his lower body wasn’t uncovered.

An Ning saw many bruises on Lin Zichan’s body.