Chapter 17

“The hot water is ready.”

The one who broke the silence was Lan Ji.

Xiao Xinyue said coldly, “Once you’re done washing, hurry up and get lost.”

Captain Lü did not speak.

She knew the Young Lady had a bad temper.

Xiao Qi made a face behind her back. She truly had not expected that the magic stone she had taken out to tease Bai Tang would be offered to Xiao Xinyue in the blink of an eye.

The magic elements around them became stable again, and the danger seemed to have been resolved. Bai Tang had not expected that the little villain also liked these pretty little trinkets.

Bai Tang jumped down from her.

Eh? Why had her feet not touched the ground?

Xiao Xinyue held her in her arms, rubbing her round little head, occasionally covering her eyes and pinching her little face.

Bai Tang: “??”

Xiao Xinyue rubbed the little ball in [Read on BaiLianTales]her arms, and the last bit of anger in her heart scattered as well.

It took Bai Tang a tremendous amount of effort to break free from her arms. Really, her hairstyle had been messed up.

Bai Tang smoothed out her own fur, her blue eyes carrying a trace of grievance.

Half an hour later, Captain Lü and Xiao Qi came out.

Captain Lü said, “We’re leaving.”

Xiao Xinyue did not look at her.

Captain Lü walked to the doorway, then looked back. “Young Lady, could you use your magic to help us thaw the carriage wheels? The wheels are frozen, and it will greatly affect our travel.”

Xiao Xinyue said, “Solve it yourselves.”

Xiao Qi truly could not stand moving forward under such a burden anymore. The carriage could not move properly, and they still had to get down and push it from time to time. On top of that, none of them was a fire mage.

Captain Lü said, “Young Lady, if that is the case, then we can only stay here. We will disturb you tonight.”

Xiao Xinyue looked at her coldly. “Are you threatening me?”

Captain Lü bowed in apology. “Of course not.”

Xiao Xinyue was annoyed just looking at them. Rather, anyone from her ​read the original at bailiantales.com​father’s side made her feel disgusted.

She opened the door, and the wind and snow outside blew in. “Don’t come next time. In fact, don’t come ever again.”

Captain Lü looked at Xiao Xinyue’s slender back, her gaze darkening slightly, but she said nothing.

The three of them went outside.

Bai Tang picked up the hand warmer on the side and followed them out as well. If the little villain was angered by them again, it would be over.

Bai Tang walked out of the courtyard against the wind and snow, her little paws holding the hand warmer tightly. She wished she could stick to it from every direction.

The wheels were indeed frozen. It would be very difficult to travel through the snow like this. If they poured water on them to thaw the ice, then the wheels would become even worse once they were covered in snow again.

Captain Lü said respectfully, “I’ll have to trouble you, Young Lady.”

Xiao Xinyue was just about to resolve it quickly when she noticed, out of the corner of her eye, Bai Tang looking at her with eager anticipation.

“Want to try?”

Bai Tang nodded hard.

She could thaw the carriage wheels too.

Xiao Qi said in disbelief, “Young Lady, are you sure you want her to do ​unauthorized copy​it? Isn’t Xiao Bai a water-attribute spirit beast? Don’t joke around.”

Captain Lü frowned and remained silent.

Bai Tang puffed out her cheeks. Why was everyone doubting her? One moment ago, they had been trying every possible way to cuddle with her, and the next, they were belittling her.

These young ladies were so bad.

Xiao Xinyue said, “Let her try. My spirit pet is still very impressive. It’s just a wheel. If it breaks, I’ll pay for it.”

The little villain was praising her!

Bai Tang’s tail lifted extremely high.

Captain Lü relented. “All right, then let her try.”

Bai Tang was a little reluctant to put down the hand warmer, but holding it would affect her performance, so she unhappily set it down.

Several flames of different sizes suddenly appeared in the air, burning brightly and dispelling the cold.

Bai Tang no longer felt cold at all. She looked at Xiao Xinyue with wide eyes, somewhat unable to believe it. Was the little villain keeping her warm?

Xiao Xinyue did not give her a single glance. “Hurry up and thaw it. Don’t embarrass me.”

Bai Tang pouted.

How could those little flames possibly be there to keep her warm? She knew the little villain was not that kind.

The carriage wheels gradually began to thaw, and even the surrounding accumulated snow melted along with them, yet not a single spark could be seen.

Captain Lü’s eyes were filled with surprise.

Xiao Qi also opened her mouth wide. This was completely different from the Bai Tang she knew. This was not simple magic at all.

The carriage was made of wood. If open flames were used, then with even the slightest loss of control, the carriage could easily catch fire. But Bai Tang had controlled the fire to perfection. The flames could not be seen, yet the moisture evaporated, producing white steam.

Not only were Captain Lü and Xiao Qi surprised, even Xiao Xinyue was shaken. Without her realizing it, the little milky ball by her side had already become this impressive.

Captain Lü said, “Xiao Bai is very impressive.”

Of course.

Bai Tang became smug.

Xiao Qi came back to her senses. “I’m afraid that after a little more time, Xiao Bai will be stronger than me.”

Of course. She was someone who would surpass the little villain.

Bai Tang’s tail rose even higher.

Captain Lü and Xiao Qi looked at her as if she were about to float into the sky. She was both cute and funny.

Bai Tang picked up the hand warmer and looked at Xiao Xinyue, blinking her big eyes. There was still one person who had not praised her yet.

Xiao Xinyue saw through her little thoughts. “You’re still far from it.”

Bai Tang was so angry her teeth itched.

Could she not just praise her once?

Captain Lü said, “Young Lady, then we’ll be leaving. See you next time.”

Xiao Xinyue walked toward the courtyard and ignored her.

Bai Tang immediately followed.

Xiao Qi got into the carriage and lifted the curtain, looking for a long while at the backs of the taller and smaller figures before closing the curtain.

Not long ago, Xiao Xinyue had treated Bai Tang with disgust, and Bai Tang had avoided Xiao Xinyue as if she were a snake or scorpion. But now, their relationship seemed very harmonious.

It had only been such a short time, yet Bai Tang’s strength had advanced by leaps and bounds.

Captain Lü was right. Bai Tang was not someone she could afford to ​stolen content​raise, nor was she someone she was worthy of raising.

—

After returning to the mansion, Bai Tang rushed to the fireplace. The crackling sound of the firewood made her feel healed.

Xiao Xinyue picked up the book on the sofa and went upstairs.

Lan Ji asked, “Miss, do you need me to bring these clothes upstairs for you?”

Without looking back, Xiao Xinyue said, “Throw them away.”

Bai Tang realized that Xiao Xinyue was still angry.

She remembered that when she first came here, Xiao Xinyue had also thrown a huge temper. What she hated was not Bai Tang herself, but the fact that Bai Tang had been sent over by the Xiao family. Because of that, even Bai Tang had been hated along with them.

Bai Tang played with the snowman inside the glass jar.

The little villain had not done anything wrong. It was not as if she had wanted to “kill” her own mother, yet she had borne too much pain alone.

Bai Tang hugged the snowman and lay on the sofa. How could she empathize with the villain? The grown-up version of her would be burdened with countless sins.

The little snowman inside the glass jar was smiling at her.

Bai Tang sat up.

The little villain had not grown up yet either.

Bai Tang jumped down from the sofa. She would give Xiao Xinyue the fruits she had carefully saved. Surely Xiao Xinyue would stop being angry then.

The fruits had been hidden in the woodshed. Bai Tang jumped down from the sofa, but after only a few steps, she tripped over a small stone.

Bai Tang rubbed her bottom.

Why would there be a small stone indoors?

Which bad person had put something on the floor and made her fall?

Bai Tang lowered her head and looked. They were two beautiful magic stones. Weren’t these the ones she had offered to the little villain? So she was the bad person.

Hmph. Adults did not argue with children.

Bai Tang picked up the magic stones and ran out.

Under the assault of the wind and snow, the woodshed had already become battered and worn. Bai Tang burrowed inside and found the fruits she had hidden.

She had just fallen, so she should eat something sweet to reward herself.

Once Bai Tang started eating, she could not stop. In the end, only two were left.

The more Bai Tang looked at them, the more reluctant she felt.

Xiao Xinyue would not lack these two fruits, right?

Bai Tang finished the last two in a few bites.

Looking at the pile of fruit pits, Bai Tang fell silent by herself. She quickly threw the trash away. Out of sight, out of mind.

All that effort for nothing.

Bai Tang returned to the mansion and comforted herself. A few fruits would not be enough to coax Xiao Xinyue anyway.

Bai Tang played with the magic stones for a while, then climbed upstairs. She secretly entered the room, sneaking into the quilt like a little thief, her two big eyes open as she observed Xiao Xinyue.

Xiao Xinyue was sitting at the desk reading, her expression calm. Nothing unusual could be seen.

Bai Tang secretly moved a little closer to her.

Xiao Xinyue turned a page, her peripheral vision faintly sweeping over the bulge under the quilt.

Bai Tang secretly slipped off the bed again. In the blink of an eye, she had slipped to the desk leg.

Xiao Xinyue pretended not to see a certain stupid beast acting sneaky.

Bai Tang tugged at the hem of Xiao Xinyue’s pants.

Xiao Xinyue gave no reaction at all.

Was she this angry?

She had not even noticed Bai Tang.

The little villain must be immersed in her own sorrowful world right now, unable to perceive even her surroundings. If Bai Tang killed her at this moment, it would definitely be very easy to succeed.

Bai Tang looked at the little snowman in her arms.

She would spare her this time.

Bai Tang jumped onto Xiao Xinyue’s lap, then jumped onto the desk.

Xiao Xinyue stretched out her hand and pushed her little face aside. “You’re blocking me from reading.”

Bai Tang had kindly come over to comfort her, yet Xiao Xinyue was treating her like this. Bai Tang felt extremely wronged.

Bai Tang tentatively stepped on the corner of the book.

She wouldn’t scold her, right? She wouldn’t scold her, right?

Xiao Xinyue looked at her snow-white little foot and showed no reaction.

Bai Tang boldly stepped onto the book, testing Xiao Xinyue’s reaction and preparing to run away at any moment.

Xiao Xinyue looked at her. “Is it fun?”

Bai Tang nodded, then shook her head.

Xiao Xinyue pulled the book away. “What did you come here for? Do you need something from me?”

Would asking her for something get her money?

Bai Tang’s thoughts went astray again. She had come here to do proper business.

Bai Tang placed the glass jar containing the snowman on the desk. The snowman had twigs inserted as arms, and Bai Tang had used fruit peels to make its hat and scarf, modifying it a little.

Xiao Xinyue looked at the lively, vivid snowman. It was much more lifelike than the one she had made. She praised it honestly. “Very pretty.”

Right, right?

Bai Tang’s tail rose into the sky again.

Xiao Xinyue found it amusing. “You came to show this off to me?”

Of course not.

She had come to coax Xiao Xinyue into being happy.

A green gemstone had also been embedded inside the glass jar, symbolizing vitality.

Bai Tang gently moved it with her paw, activating the green gemstone. Grass began to grow inside the glass jar, quickly changing into a green meadow dotted with tiny flowers. It was full of vibrant life.

The little snowman had suddenly crossed from the cold winter into a spring full of blooming flowers and green willows, witnessing the revival of all things.

Logically speaking, a snowman would not live to see spring.

Xiao Xinyue was somewhat surprised, and also somewhat delighted. Her voice softened considerably. “This way, it truly won’t melt.”

Bai Tang was very proud.

Hurry and praise her!

Xiao Xinyue flicked her little head. “You’re actually rather clever.”

Bai Tang covered her forehead, her face full of grievance.

She raised her head and saw that Xiao Xinyue [read the original at bailiantales.com]was smiling. She looked a little cute and a little pretty.

Fine. Bai Tang would forgive her this once.