Bai Qingyue may never admit it, but he loved seeing Li Meirong act like a spoiled girl in his arms. The less formal and reserved Li Meirong became, the better his mood.
Gradually, Li Meirong's feisty attitude was doused by her growing tiredness.
"Do you wish to rest?" Bai Qingyue asked. He leaned backwards so Li Meirong could lie on top of him, his arms still strong around her.
"Just for a bit," she mumbled drowsily. "I don't know what came over me… after you gave me that drink, I felt energized, but now I just feel tired all over again."
"Then rest. Do not worry about anything else." Bai Qingyue said, his voice soft and lulling.
His answer seemed to be what Li Meirong needed, for she soon - sooner than Bai Qingyue had expected – narrowed her eyes drowsily and laid her head on his chest.
It did not take her long to doze off, the steady rise and fall of his broad chest and the strong, steady beat of his heart quickly soothed her to sleep. Li Meirong's eyes closed peacefully, her breathing coming evenly. Black hair coiled about her narrow frame like trails of dark seagrass.
Bai Qingyue continued holding Li Meirong for a while longer, until her breathing had slowed and she entered a deep sleep. He carefully tucked her beneath the covers and extracted himself from her hold.
A twinge of guilt pricked him at the sight of her small, delicate frame. He must have truly exhausted her, considering that she had become tired enough to sleep in the middle of the day, even though he had transferred enough of his internal energy for her to recuperate.
She seemed incredibly frail, as if the slightest breeze could break her apart.
Bai Qingyue sat silently by his wife's side, musing over the Immortal Sage's words and Li Meirong's reaction to them.
It appeared as though there were still a few secrets about his little wife which he remained unaware of.
The warning the Sage had given Li Meirong troubled the Fox Lord greatly. If the Immortal Sage told Li Meirong to not abandon a fox… That sort of prediction meant that, at some point in the future, such an event could potentially occur.
Bai Qingyue's pupils thinned to sharp, vicious slits. His irises glowed brightly in the shadows.
A bird, once caged, would fly away the moment the opportunity presented itself, but a bird that willingly stayed by your side would not even consider leaving.
Bai Qingyue preferred to keep his wife happy and content, willing to stay with him of her own free will.
His hand reached out to grasp her small chin possessively, and his thumb gently brushed across her skin.
If he had no other choice, however, then caging this bird would be the next-best option.
A burst of rapid footsteps were followed shortly by Xiao An Fei, Xiao An Hua, and Bai Yu's appearance.
Xiao An Fei bowed. "My Lord, I had no choice but to bring Bai Yu out of punishment in order to appease Her Ladyship."
Bai Qingyue barely spared the trio a glance, still lost in thought. "It is fine."
"I deeply apologize for acting out of turn, My Lord!" Xiao An Fei cried.
Xiao An Hua glared at her twin sister, smacking her over the back of her head. "Didn't you hear His Lordship's words? He said it is fine."
Xiao An Fei's eyes widened. "Truly? I thought I imagined him saying that." her mouth hung open for a moment, then she smiled graciously and bobbed her head. "Thank you, My Lord!"
"Quiet!" Bai Qingyue hissed.
Xiao An Fei hurriedly stepped outside, holding Bai Yu's snow cub form in her arms, just as Xiao An Hua took a step forward.
"Sire…" Xiao An Hua began cautiously, "This servant heard a few whispering words claiming Her Ladyship to be a merciless fighter. The majority of the disciples fear her now."
Bai Qingyue directed his sharp gaze at his subordinate, his entire body radiating a fearsome aura that made him hard to read.
"Good. Very good," Bai Qingyue said, and then waved her away. "Step outside for now. My consort needs uninterrupted rest."
"Yes, My Lord." Xiao An Hua's brows scrunched as she left the wooden house. 'Would His Lordship's presence not be the biggest obstacle to Her Ladyship's rest?' The servent puzzled out.