Red Snow

Chapter 5

"The Minister had employed some new servants lately, maybe they didn't know, " Ah Ming explained.

Ye Hua let out a sigh, "Just make sure this won't happen again, "

"Yes, sir, "

When Ye Hua went back to his room, Bai Qian was curled up on his bed.

"Hu Li, " Ye Hua called out, " If ever someone entered this room again, I give you the permission to bite them, "

Bai Qian huffed, the nerve of that man. She had gone out of her way and did a kind thing for Ye Hua. Instead of a thank you, he said he preferred to live in a dump. She should have known, Bai Qian would never be kind to him again.

Ye Hua had called her for dinner, Bai Qian ignored him. He tried again, she didn't respond. He placed the food in front of her, but Bai Qian pretended she didn't see it. Ye Hua sighed and continued on with his dinner alone.

He had tried to pet her, but Bai Qian swatted his hand away. She moved into another corner of the room.

"Hu Li, " he said, "What's up with you today?"

The problem was he did not appreciate her efforts. She wanted to repay his kindness, she had worked her tail off. And this was the thanks she got? How utterly ungrateful.

Ye Hua left her be and went back to his usual work. He paused suddenly, "Where's my abacus?"

Bai Qian rolled her eyes. It's in the cabinet where he was supposed to put his stationary. Ye Hua walked around the room like he didn't know what to do with himself. Giving up, Bai Qian got up and walked to the cupboard. She pawed at the handle, Ye Hua's gaze followed her. He opened the cabinet to find, yes, his abacus.

He took the abacus and continued on like nothing was amidst. This made Bai Qian realize something, this Ye Hua was an idiot. Scratch that, he had always been an idiot. And his brother too. There was a reason they were able to escape from the twins every time.

Regardless, how could one be so oblivious to everything around him? He had asked her to stay in his room and only relieve herself in the courtyard. He never tried to train her or gave her more specific instructions. He just expected her to do it. But even the smartest of animals couldn't tell the difference between a room and a courtyard, nor they cared. They definitely didn't know what an abacus was.

Ye Hua had not once realized that the fox he brought home was far too intelligent than it should be. Nor did he question it.

There were days, Ye Hua came home covered in dirt and grime. There were also times he was so tired he went straight to bed and didn't bother to take a bath at the bathhouse. He smelt terrible. During that time, Bai Qian absolutely refused to have him bring her to bed. Bai Qian was proud of her prestige white coat, and she was adamant not to have it tarnished.

Therefore, imagine the surprise when Ye Hua came back with a steaming hot bath draw out for him. The first thing he did was to rush to the table, "My sketches!"

Bai Qian barked at the cupboard. They were fine. Bai Qian had put them in a safe place before she drew the bath. Honestly, she wasn't an idiot.

"They're gonna get wet..." he paused when he found out his sketches were perfectly fine. He blinked, "Hu Li, I thought I told you to bite whoever that came into my room, "

Bai Qian hoped that he appreciated her kind gesture. She had to find a basin big enough to fit him and moved it into his room all by herself. She managed to fill it by scooping freshly fallen snow with a bucket and heating the ice with her own magic.

Bai Qian just tugged at the corner of his coat, dragging him to the basin. The magic keeping the water warm won't last long.

Just get into the bath, you stinky.