After transmigrating into the body of the Jade Rat Spirit, I became Nezha's adopted sister.

When he saw Bai Yeying come out, his gaze fell on her face, and his brows relaxed.

"My cultivation hasn't regressed, not bad." He spoke, his voice clear and crisp, blending into the rustling sound of falling snow.

Bai Yeying looked at him and the things he was carrying, momentarily forgetting to bow, and only asked blankly, "Third Prince? What brings you here? It's snowing."

"Just passing by." Nezha said succinctly, handing over what he was carrying. "Here, take this."

Bai Yeying caught it instinctively. It felt slightly heavy in her hand; it was a polearm, shorter than a fire-tipped spear.

"This is?"

"Take this for self-defense." Nezha turned his face away, refusing to look at her. "Your whip is fine for dealing with minor demons, but it won't be enough against a tough opponent."

Bai Yeying looked at the short gun in her hand. The gun barrel had faint flame patterns, and it felt warm to the touch, yet it exuded a sharp aura. It was clearly no ordinary weapon.

"This is too precious." Bai Yeying held the short gun, somewhat at a loss. It seemed that she owed him more and more.

"Stop nagging," Nezha interrupted her impatiently. "Take it if it's given to you. Try it on and see if it fits."

Bai Yeying did as she was told and gripped the gun barrel. The gun was lighter than she had expected, and it felt wonderful in her hand, as if it had been made just for her. She subconsciously channeled her demonic power into it.

"Buzz—" The short gun emitted a soft sound, and a point of crimson-gold light suddenly shone from the tip of the gun. Although it was not dazzling, it carried a scorching and pure yang aura, and the snowflakes falling around it were forced away.

Nezha looked at the point of light and said calmly, "I made this casually from the scraps of the Fire-Tipped Spear. It's not anything special, but it's more effective than your whip at dealing with evil spirits."

"You just casually crafted it?" Bai Yeying thought to herself, "I don't believe you. The quality of this spear is probably better than many immortal treasures."

"Thank you." She gripped the pistol tightly, her heart overflowing with gratitude, yet unsure how to express it.

"No need." Nezha's gaze returned to her face, and after a moment, he suddenly said, "The Heavenly Court is also paying attention to the westward journey. The mortal realm will not be peaceful in the coming days. You should stay in Trapped Sky Mountain and avoid going out unless necessary."

Is this a message being given to her?

Looking into his clear, snow-reflected eyes, Bai Yeying suddenly asked, "Third Prince, will you participate in the journey to the West? Will the Heavenly Court send you... to secretly protect Tang Sanzang?"

Nezha raised an eyebrow, seemingly surprised by her question. He paused for a moment before replying, "Perhaps. It depends on the Jade Emperor's decree."

The answer was ambiguous. But Bai Yeying sensed a possibility in it.

She lowered her head, looking at the pistol in her hand. The warmth of the gun seeped through her palm and into her heart.

"If in the future, on the journey westward, or elsewhere, I accidentally get involved, or cause you any trouble."

Her voice was soft, and she sounded a little nervous: "Will you be angry?"

The snow fell silently.

After a long while, she finally heard Nezha's voice, still devoid of emotion, yet seemingly clearer than falling snow:

"We've had enough trouble already."

He paused, then added, "So, avoid getting involved with them."

Bai Yeying listened to his words, her head lowered, not daring to look at Nezha's expression. She only felt the warmth in her palm holding the short gun, which made her heart flutter: "I know, I will be careful."

Summoning a courage she had never known before, she took half a step forward. Then, she stretched out her arms and wrapped them around the boy's waist, pressing her cheek against his chest through his clothes.

Nezha.

She closed her eyes, her muffled voice coming from his chest, carrying a hint of desperate tremor and grievance.

"Don't be so nice to me, it always makes me...overthink."

As soon as he finished speaking, the body in his arms suddenly stiffened.

It seemed as if only the sound of falling snow remained in the world.

Bai Yeying could feel his chest momentarily hold its breath and his muscles tense, and she could even hear his heart skip a beat before pounding even more violently.

Nezha was completely frozen.

He lowered his eyes, watching the fluffy head buried in his chest. The warmth of the girl's soft body seeped through the fabric, and he could even smell the scent of her hair.

His mind went blank.

It wasn't that no one had ever approached him. But he either killed, blocked, or ignored them, never letting his emotions falter in the slightest.

But this mouse...

He should push her away. Like before, in a disdainful tone, tell her not to push her luck and not to have any unrealistic fantasies.

But her arm felt frozen, and she couldn't lift it. Her fingers even unconsciously curled up, touching the fabric behind her back.

"Let go." After a long pause, he finally uttered those two words.

Bai Yeying didn't move; instead, she hugged him even tighter. Her voice was more muffled, tinged with a desperate sob: "I won't let go. Tell me first, why are you so good to me?"

Nezha was speechless at her almost unreasonable retort, the heat spreading from his ears to his neck. He tried to regain his usual tone: "Who's been nice to you? Just some useless scraps."

"lie."

Bai Yeying interrupted him, looked up, and her eyes were indeed a little red, but her almond-shaped eyes were surprisingly bright as she looked straight into his eyes: "A scrap of the Fire-Tipped Spear? Made on a whim? Nezha, I'm not stupid."

She watched his profile as he quickly turned away, and his ears flushed red. The trepidation in her heart was suddenly replaced by courage. It was as if she had grasped something.

"You gave me this because you were worried about me, afraid something would happen to me, right?" she pressed, not letting any expression on his face slip by.

Nezha was completely exposed to her gaze, and the anger, or rather, the shame and embarrassment in his heart, finally overwhelmed his panic.

He raised his hand, grabbed her shoulder, and tried to pull her off him, but the force inexplicably lessened halfway through, and in the end he just held her lightly.

"Bai Yeying!" He called her by her full name, trying to defend himself with a raised voice and furrowed brows. "Do you know what you're saying? Thinking nonsense? I think you've gone mad from your cultivation! This prince merely... merely finds you somewhat pleasing to the eye, and is too lazy to see you die easily, wasting all my previous efforts! Stop being so presumptuous!"

He spoke quickly and urgently, with his familiar sharp tongue, but coupled with his still-reddened ears and shifty eyes, it was hardly convincing.

Bai Yeying looked at his blustering but cowardly appearance and suddenly burst out laughing. Her eyes were still red, but her smile was like the sunlight breaking through the clouds, bright and with a hint of cunning.

"Oh~" she drawled, mimicking his usual infuriating tone, "So you find me pleasing to the eye, huh~"

She emphasized the word "pleasing to the eye," her eyes practically overflowing with laughter.

Nezha became even more embarrassed by her laughter, almost to the point of anger and embarrassment: "What are you laughing at! Let go!"

This time I used a bit more force, really trying to push her away.

Bai Yeying took the opportunity to loosen her arms around his waist, but instead of pulling away, she stood on tiptoe and quickly kissed him on the chin, taking advantage of his grip on her shoulders.

Instantly separate.

The soft touch, accompanied by a warm breath, brushed against his skin, and Nezha seemed to be frozen in place, his eyes widening in shock.

Bai Yeying had taken two steps back and stood back in the fine snow. Her face was flushed, but her eyes shone as if they had been captured by a whole galaxy.

Holding the short gun, she looked at him with a smile: "I understand. I will be careful and won't die easily, so as not to waste your efforts, Third Prince."

She paused, looking at his still petrified and stiff expression, her smile deepening, but then added with utmost seriousness, "And... thank you, Nezha. Really."

After saying that, she didn't wait for his reaction, turned around and skipped back to the cave, leaving only a joyful back view, and quickly disappeared at the cave entrance.

The fine snow continued to fall.

Nezha stood alone in the same spot, maintaining the posture of half-raised hand and slightly tilted head, without moving for a long time.