Li Meirong slowly woke up to the strange sensation of what felt like a damp sponge being smeared repeatedly across her face. Whoever was doing this to her must have been at it for a while, because by the time she was conscious enough to notice it, her cheeks had been rubbed slightly raw.
When Bai Qingyue saw that his wife was finally groggily rubbing her eyelids, he stopped licking her face and sprang from the bed. His big fluffy tail wagged as he turned to face her.
Li Meirong had slept soundly the previous night and hadn't noticed at all when Bai Qingyue had transformed himself from a small snow fox into a human form, only to revert back to a four-legged cub.
"If you keep sleeping, you'll miss out on your lessons! That fellow Zhu Qingyue arrived at sunrise and brought you some food. Master, eat before you leave." Snowball's high pitched voice cajoled Li Meirong to rise out of bed.
His words had indeed caused an impact, since Li Meirong had instantly propped herself into a sitting position.
"I'm up now!"
After wiping the slobber from her cheeks with the back of her sleeve, She dressed herself in the sect's blue upper garments, and tied her hair into a single braid.
During the whole time, Snowball silently observed his wife, his thoughts unfathomable.
Then, Li Meirong turned to ask the Fox Spirit, "Did Zhu Qingyue really come over here?"
Snowball unglued his eyes from Li Meirong and nodded his furry head in confirmation. "He really did! Look over here..." He announced as he trotted towards the tiny kitchen stand, near the charcoal stove.
On the stand was placed a basket filled with an assortment of dumplings and a single soup container. An ambrosial aroma wafted from it and reached Li Meirong's nose, whetting her all but forgotten appetite.
She quickly made her way to the delicious smelling case and assessed its contents.
The bite-sized portions reminded her of Dim Sum. The dumplings were small and exquisitely made with a curled up shape, resembling a candy wrapper.
She immediately grabbed one piece and took a bite, drowning in happiness as the taste of seasoned shrimp filled her mouth.
Li Meirong couldn't remember the last time she had eaten somebody else's food except for Bao Li's. Most of the time, she was the one who had to provide meals for others.