This made Zhu Xu have only one thought at the moment.
That was to let her get dressed first, which might calm her down and allow her to talk properly with Zhao Xue.
"Zhao Xue, can I get dressed first, please?" Although Zhao Xue couldn't see Zhu Xu's face at this moment, Zhu Xu couldn't help but raise her hands to cover her face.
"Cold?" Zhao Xue asked, then wrapped one arm around Zhu Xu's waist and placed the other on Zhu Xu's back.
"No... not cold."
"Good that you're not cold." Zhao Xue pulled the blanket up further, showing no intention of letting Zhu Xu get dressed.
Zhu Xu's small hands, hidden under the blanket, unconsciously gripped Zhao Xue's sleeve, causing wrinkles. "Zhao Xue, I think it's better if I get dressed first."
"Uncomfortable?" Zhao Xue affectionately rubbed the top of Zhu Xu's head with her chin.
"Mhmm." Zhu Xu nodded, her hands crushing the sleeve to the point of shattering.
Zhao Xue paused. Not long after, Zhu Xu's hand was suddenly pulled up by Zhao Xue. To Zhu Xu's surprise, Zhao Xue guided Zhu Xu's hand inside her own clothes.
Smooth and warm...
This must be muscle, right?
Yes, right? Yes, right?
"Do you like it? I heard many goddesses like it." Zhao Xue hooked Zhu Xu's chin with her other hand, looking at Zhu Xu expectantly.
Zhu Xu's eyes, curved like crescent moons, remained wide open, unable to react for a long time.
After an unknown period, Zhu Xu's hand snapped back from inside Zhao Xue's clothes as if she had been electrocuted.
"Who told you that?"
Zhu Xu's hands curled up in front of her chest, looking at Zhao Xue with bewilderment and wariness.
"The koi near the peach forest." Zhao Xue didn't understand why Zhu Xu seemed a little angry, so she obediently revealed her group of fish friends.
These were indeed fish friends...
"They've gained sentience?" Zhu Xu guessed, stunned for a second or two, disbelievingly.
Zhao Xue nodded seriously.
"Do they say everything?" Zhu Xu still found it hard to believe that a school of fish would tell Zhao Xue about a goddess's private preferences.
Zhao Xue looked carefully at Zhu Xu's expression, then hesitated and nodded again.
"Then did they say anything about me?" Zhu Xu's interest was piqued, and she even put aside the matter of getting dressed.
Zhao Xue nodded again and began to narrate slowly, "Some jealous goddesses said that the Empress Daughter of this generation is the most ordinary Empress Daughter..."
Zhu Xu's expression remained unchanged, and her heart stirred no ripples. After all, she could imagine that the Empress Daughters of previous generations had all been spoken of in this way.
If she weren't an Empress Daughter, she might have said the same. Gods were made in the image of humans, and human nature was also divine nature.
"Then you're not angry at all?" Seeing Zhao Xue's indifferent expression, Zhu Xu, unable to control her divine nature, reversed the action and pinched Zhao Xue's chin, asking with a hint of threat.
"What do they matter? Your goodness is enough for me to see." Zhao Xue's expression suddenly sharpened, then she quickly lowered her eyes, as if afraid of Zhu Xu discovering something.
"Mhmm, that's right." Zhu Xu smiled, her eyes becoming two crescent moons.
Her Zhao Xue was a broad-minded immortal. That was excellent.
Zhao Xue leaned in and kissed Zhu Xu's forehead, then rested her chin on Zhu Xu's head, her phoenix eyes dark and unfathomable.
"Wait, what does this have to do with whether I'm dressed or not?"
A moment later, Zhu Xu finally realized something was amiss.
"They said that those goddesses liked..."
"That's enough, I don't think we need to say more."
Before Zhao Xue could finish, Zhu Xu reached out her small hand and covered Zhao Xue's lips.
-------------------------------------
"General Huo Gui, what are you doing standing here?"
The next morning, as soon as Zhu Xu woke up, she eagerly went to find Zhao Xue. However, just as she reached the palace gate, she was blocked by the great general of the Heavenly Court, Huo Gui.
"Your Imperial Highness, I am acting on the Jade Emperor's orders to restrict your movements." General Huo Gui clasped his hands together, his divine weapon refusing to yield as he stood before Zhu Xu.
Zhu Xu pursed her lips. "Is this my father's punishment?"
"Your Imperial Highness, Huo Gui would not dare to speak presumptuously." Huo Gui lowered his spear and stood tall, his gaze unwavering.
Huo Gui was the foremost general of the Heavenly Court, having defended it against numerous invasions by the demon race centuries ago. Zhu Xu deeply respected him.
Zhu Xu did not want to make things difficult for Huo Gui because of her personal feelings for Zhao Xue.
But lust clouded her judgment...
"General Huo Gui, did my father say how long you are to control me?" Zhu Xu paced back and forth in front of her grand palace gate. After a moment, she stopped in front of General Huo Gui.
Huo Gui: "He did not."
Zhu Xu clasped her hands. "General Huo Gui, I apologize for the trouble."
Zhu Xu bowed slightly to show her respect for Huo Gui.
General Huo Gui, with his iron will and passionate heart, had no time to go down to the mortal realm to subdue demons and vanquish monsters, yet he was assigned by the Jade Emperor to monitor Zhu Xu.
This was hardly a fitting treatment for General Huo Gui's upright spirit.
"Not at all. It is thanks to Your Highness that I have this opportunity to rest." Huo Gui smiled, though it was unclear how much sincerity was in it.
Zhu Xu bowed again, thinking that the Heavenly Court was truly a den of iniquity; centuries ago, General Huo Gui would never have needed to utter such falsehoods.
Having completed the pleasantries, Zhu Xu turned and returned to her own palace.
She would only be obedient for three days. After three days, she would go to see Zhao Xue.
Zhu Xu went to the tea room and picked up a tea manual. Less than half a minute later, she tossed the manual aside.
The things that had once calmed her the most now appeared in her eyes as nothing but shadows of Zhao Xue in every stroke.
To long for one unseen is to become infatuated; to accumulate over days is called lovesickness.
Since ancient times, lovesickness has been the most torturous. When love runs deep, regardless of mountains of knives or seas of fire, they must meet.
...
"Father, does this mean I can go out now?"
After the hour of the horse, General Huo suddenly walked into the tea room.
Zhu Xu immediately got up and rushed to Huo Gui.
General Huo Gui was startled by Zhu Xu's sudden movement and dodged to the side. After a moment, he shook his head.
"Then why are you here?" Seeing Huo Gui's reaction, Zhu Xu's spirits quickly sank, and she sat down, resting her head on the table.
"I just received orders that the annual Flower Appreciation Ceremony is about to begin. On the Jade Emperor's behalf, I have specifically come to inform Your Highness to dress beautifully and outshine all others."
"Hahaha."
Zhu Xu couldn't help but laugh, her whole body trembling. The crushed immortal tea in her hand was spilled all over the table by Zhu Xu.