"The little princess's archery is impressive. Today, you've shown those arrogant barbarians the might of our royal family."
The young girl on the horse in front wore dark clothes. Hearing these words, her fluffy white ears perked up, twitching back and forth in delight.
The little princess was generous and kind, with a cheerful personality. Her only "flaw," if it could be called that, was her tendency to get carried away with her success.
Luo Li pretended to clear her throat seriously, intending to remind her followers to avoid embarrassing the foreign envoys. However, before she could speak, Luo Li's ears twitched. She immediately aimed her bow at the fence surrounding the hunting ground.
From the grass ahead, a snow-white kitten stumbled out, its tiny body covered in a few stalks of grass, giving it a somewhat comical appearance.
It walked with an unsteady gait, like a baby learning to walk. Seeing the girl on the giant white horse, the kitten fearlessly approached, its blue eyes fixed on her as it let out a soft, affectionate meow.
—Huh? Why is there a cat here? And a kitten that hasn't transformed yet?
It was said that the people of that country were known for their cleanliness and high regard for nobility and elegance. Luo Li had never seen such a creature in their territory.
"Little Princess, you may not know this since you were traveling recently, but many countries have come to pay tribute these days. This kitten must have been left behind by a neighboring country. It hasn't transformed yet, so it might not even have gained sentience," a perceptive guard behind her offered.
Seeing the little princess rooted in place while staring at the kitten, he quickly added, "Why not take it back, Little Princess? It's not safe out here in the dead of night."
A perfect excuse.
Luo Li dismounted and awkwardly picked up the kitten. It seemed quite fond of her, rubbing against her chest. However, finding the armor there too hard, it turned its little head away in displeasure.
By the time they returned to the palace, night had fallen. Luo Li carefully wrapped the freshly bathed kitten in a blanket, not allowing anyone else to touch it.
When Luo Zhining entered the room, she saw her daughter's tail and ears out in full view. The fluffy white tail wagged happily, indicating a good mood.
"Mother, do you think the kitten will get used to living here?" Luo Li wanted to rub its belly, but the kitten, which had been sticking to her earlier, now refused her touch and stared angrily at her mother.
It's said that their kind lives delicately, not like her, who had been rough-and-tumble since childhood. What if it gets sick because it can't adjust to the food or environment?
Seeing her daughter's worried expression, Luo Zhining felt both helpless and amused.
Her daughter was still young, and her spiritual power couldn't compare to this kitten she had picked up. Naturally, she couldn't see that this kitten was actually the ruler of their race, Lu Ci Xue, who was nearly a thousand years older than her daughter.
It was quite something for the noble ruler to transform into a kitten and follow her daughter home, leaving the Luo family in a state of anxiety.
Waving her hand, Luo Zhining said, "Don't worry, it's much tougher than you think."
Its skin is thickest when it comes to its face.
This all started a few days ago.
"Marriage alliance? Second Young Master, you must be joking. Our Luo Luo is still a child, and your sister is an outstanding figure among our people. There are countless young talents far better than our Luo Luo lining up for her," Luo Zhining almost spilled her tea in shock, staring warily at the sibling of the Lu family's ruler.
The two races had never intermarried before, and such a grand proposal seemed far too good to be true.
"You are too kind. If the feelings are mutual, such external matters are trivial."
"Luo Luo has a free-spirited nature and enjoys exploring the world. She recently sent word that she has someone she fancies. Surely you wouldn't force this, Second Young Master?" Luo Zhining lied with a straight face.
"Is that so? What a pity."
Of course, Luo Zhining disagreed. Her daughter had just come of age; there was no way she'd let someone take her away!
Who could have known that this reclusive ruler of the Lu family could be so shameless?
Luo Zhining's thoughts drifted back as she watched her daughter's joyful expression, tactfully suggesting, "Luo Luo, you're not planning to sleep with the kitten, are you? It's still fragile. How about Mother arranges a place for it to stay?"
Luo Li didn't catch the underlying meaning in her mother's words. After thinking for a while, she came up with an idea.
"Mother, it's cold here. If I hold it like this, won't it be warmer?"
Luo Zhining watched as her little Samoyed circled protectively around the kitten. The kitten seemed to like it, comfortably nestling into the soft fur.
...
So, she wasn't even listening to me, huh?
Fine, fine, you're grown up now, and your mother can't control you anymore. Whatever, do what you want.
After finally warming the kitten up, Luo Li tucked it back into the blanket, carefully covering it. She couldn't resist giving it a kiss on the cheek.
"Wait for me. I'll take a bath and come right back."
The little dog dashed out of the room in a flash.
The kitten poked its head out and soon transformed into a beautiful woman.
Lu Ci Xue lowered her long lashes, dressed only in a thin white nightgown. The curves hidden beneath the loose fabric were as soft as spring water.
Her delicate, pale fingers rested lightly on the blanket, her smooth black hair cascading down her back. Sitting by the bed, she gazed thoughtfully at the door.
Luo Li bathed quickly, using a small spell to dry her dripping hair before eagerly returning to accompany the kitten she had found.
Pushing the door open, she found the room dark, with the candles mysteriously extinguished, leaving her unable to see anything.
Given her level of cultivation, she should have been able to see in the dark, but she couldn't see anything now.
—Where's her kitten?
Anxiously, Luo Li moved toward the bed but was gently seized around the waist by a pair of cool hands.
"Who's there?"
Luo Li tried to pull away, but this person's spiritual power was far superior. Without using force, she immobilized Luo Li with sheer pressure.
Without saying a word, the woman pushed her onto the bed and boldly straddled her.
"What do you want? I warn you, if you don't let me go, I'll call for help." Luo Li could sense no malice but still hated the feeling of being at someone else's mercy.
This was a great insult to a smart and clever little dog!
"Call who? The person you fancy?" The woman's voice was soft and alluring, tinged with a seductive charm.
Hmm? Isn't this going in the wrong direction? But now wasn't the time to think about that.
"How did you get in here? What do you want?"
"You were the one who brought me here. So fierce," the woman said with feigned grievance. Her fingers, fair and pink, touched Luo Li's collarbone and quietly slid inward.
Kittens were indeed like this, unable to take any harshness.
"You're talking nonsense—" Luo Li started but stopped mid-sentence.
Ah, if this person had such cultivation, turning into an ordinary kitten would be no big deal.
"Wait, I accidentally brought you back. If I've offended you, we can talk it out... Can you get off me first?" Luo Li found herself blushing, her voice trailing off.
This bold woman was wearing nothing but a barely covering nightgown. Their bodies were almost touching, and the newly grown-up girl couldn't help but feel embarrassed and tense.
"Heh, does the Little Princess not know that only the closest people can touch each other in their original beast forms?" The woman persistently tugged at Luo Li's collar. "Is the Little Princess a philanderer?"
Ugh...
Luo Li felt wronged.
How was she supposed to know this wasn't an ordinary kitten? She was still a bit childish, always wanting to cuddle and pet cute things, even revealing her true form.
"But I'm just newly grown. I don't understand betrothal gifts or marriage..." Luo Li was trying to calm her down. After all, she didn't even know what this woman looked like. Such impulsiveness wasn't good.
However, the woman's reaction was nothing she had expected.
"That's fine. I'll teach you."
Luo Li's eyes widened.
Kissing someone for the first time, the soft sensation on her lips made Luo Li's cheeks burn. She didn't even realize when Lu Ci Xue let her go.
"When did the Little Princess have someone she fancies?" The woman bit down on her lip, using just enough force to cause a tiny bit of pain, then gently licked the corner of her mouth.
The woman grasped her slender fingers, selecting the most satisfying one to explore within the narrow confines.
Luo Li was dazed. The woman's movements on her body, the fluctuating rhythm, left her unable to react, feeling as if she were in a humid, ambiguous dream.
"A person you fancy?"
"Have you ever liked someone all these years?"
The woman frowned, collapsing weakly onto her, eyes rimmed with red. She didn't know how to resist this abrupt invasion.
"Ugh… Too much." Why is it always like this? Never listening and wanting so much.
"Sorry… I didn't know." The pure, snow-like girl was flustered, wondering if she had hurt her.
But it seemed like that place... was reluctant to let go. After a while, it didn't just let the slender finger withdraw but also clenched it tightly.
"That's enough..."
The woman's porcelain-white fingers slid into the girl's hair, arranging her strands. The high-cultivated being noticed the nervous, wandering eyes of the beautiful little dog and felt a stirring in her heart.
"If someone else were to do this to you, would you also be this compliant?"
The Little Princess was about to cry. It was her who first pulled her onto the bed, who left her no chance to refuse, and did this, yet she was now being blamed.
The doted princess whimpered, burying her head deeper into the woman's embrace, and more boldly as she decided to take the lead. Without a clear pattern, her tongue didn't stop.
"It was clearly you, yet now you blame me..."
She didn't even know if she had someone she fancied, only that she often dreamed of a woman claiming to be her wife, forbidding her from having any contact with others.
She was silly, thinking it was destiny.
"Don't cry; I was just teasing you."
Not understanding how she could cry while doing such things, the woman's hand behind Luo Li's head gradually relaxed its grip.
The woman waved her hand, relighting the candles in the room. Inside the layered bed curtains, their shadows overlapped.
Luo Li whimpered as her tears were gently wiped away. When she looked up, she was dumbfounded.
The woman gazed at her with a smile. Her skin, as pure as snow, was dotted with red marks, and the sheets beneath her were soaked.
She was refined and noble, yet chaotic and seductive.
Wasn't this the person who always appeared in her dreams?
"You… You…" Luo Li stopped crying, pointing at her, unsure if she should be angry or upset.
Her fingertip was once again taken into that warm mouth.
From watching her grow up to visiting her dreams every night after she came of age, the woman's feelings had long been sown and finally surfaced today.
"I've been waiting for this for so long."
[The End]