As the howling wind and snow intensified after nightfall, the surroundings fell into a profound silence.
The frigid air, intermingled with icy snowflakes, swirled relentlessly, as the cold wind swept through the tall grass and surged into the dilapidated building through the gaping doorway, bringing with it an unbearable chill.
The small girl lay helplessly curled up in a corner of the room, lost in slumber.
Dressed in nothing more than a thin summer dress, exquisitely crafted yet utterly inadequate against the onslaught of the harsh cold, she was unable to shield herself from the biting temperatures.
In the midst of this bone-chilling wind, her sleeping form trembled slightly, yet she remained blissfully unaware, deeply entrenched in her dreams...
Under normal circumstances, she would have been unable to sleep in such frigid conditions.
In truth, since her arrival here, having lost all her possessions, she had only managed to find sleep on the first night due to the exhaustion of her journey; the subsequent two nights had been sleepless.
As a seventh-tier sorceress, she was typically impervious to ordinary cold, but for reasons unbeknownst to her, she had begun to sense a wavering of her abilities since the second day of her arrival.
Although she still endured the cold better than those who could not bear to venture outdoors without thick coats, the thin summer dress she wore provided little to no warmth, leaving her feeling increasingly despondent as the biting cold assailed her.
Yet tonight, it seemed her erratic powers had finally returned; for three continuous hours, she had felt no chill. Coupled with several days of poor sleep, she sank into a profound slumber.
Unbeknownst to her, however, her ability to withstand the cold, a hallmark of her status as a seventh-tier practitioner, began to dissipate as she slept...
Standing coldly at the entrance of the building, Xiao Mu Yu's gaze was icy as he observed the small figure curled up in the corner of the decrepit room, utterly motionless.
The howling wind surged from the doorway, relentlessly battering the statue-like man, stirring the tattered gray cloak that hung behind him, causing it to flutter ominously in the cold.
The little girl lay feebly on a small, worn-out mattress, while the large bundle filled with stuffed toys that she had carried during the day rested nearby, revealing glimpses of the adorable toys within through its loosely tied opening.
However, Xiao Mu Yu paid no heed to the bundle; he merely approached the shivering girl, lowering his head slightly to regard her flushed, feverish face, which had grown warm from the cold.
Warmth—Annie felt a sensation she had not experienced in a long time, stirring her consciousness ever so slightly.
As she opened her eyes, she was struck by the heaviness of her head; her mind was a chaotic blur, and her awareness was tenuous at best.
This disorienting confusion persisted for about half a minute before her vision gradually regained focus.
Upon regaining her senses, she realized that not only was her head heavy, but her entire body felt leaden and weak, making even the slightest movement seem an arduous task.
A wave of enticing warmth surged through her body as she stirred from her slumber, overwhelming her senses; the feverish girl could not help but let out a suppressed groan of discomfort.
"Oh? You're awake?" A cold, detached voice suddenly broke through the haze above her.
Annie blinked in surprise, only then realizing that she was nestled in a warm embrace. Within this cocoon, she finally felt the long-lost warmth that seemed to banish the relentless cold that had plagued her.
As she lifted her gaze, she found herself staring at the chin of an adult man.
Then, as the indifferent figure leaned slightly to assess her condition, a face that exuded coldness and detachment came into view.
It was him?
So familiar, the image etched deeply in her memory.
The cold man had left a profound impression on her; when she gazed into his eyes, she was struck by the depths of despair and sorrow they contained, evoking a soul-deep fear that was palpable.
Annie could scarcely fathom the harrowing despair that must have haunted this man to render his eyes so desolate.
Yet, why was he here?
Before the fever-induced fog in her mind could unravel this mystery, the relentless heat coursing through her body dulled her awareness once more, and an encroaching darkness began to envelop her…
Upon awakening again, the girl felt a sensation she had not experienced in days—a bed. She was lying on a warm bed.
The previous fever that had tormented her seemed to have dissipated, leaving her with a rare sense of relief, as if she could soar at any moment.
Although her time spent on the streets had only amounted to four days, it felt like an eternity to her.
During this period, she had been forced to hide in the crumbling building, sleeping on the cold, hard floor at night.
Now, feeling the long-awaited warmth and softness of a bed, her large eyes filled with moisture as the memories of her recent hardships overwhelmed her, stirring an inexplicable urge to cry.
However, she ultimately refrained from shedding tears, as an angry voice captured her attention: "Twenty-three gold coins! Not a single one less! Do you think this hospital is a charity? If you have no money, what business do you have seeking treatment? Huh?"
At that moment, a familiar cold voice interjected, "But she only has a common cold; why is it twenty-three gold coins?"
Instantly, the owner of the angry voice seemed to find this amusing, erupting into a bitter laugh. "Are you kidding me? A common cold? When this little girl was brought in, she was barely conscious! If it weren't for the timely rescue, you'd be arranging her funeral by now! And you call this a common cold? Just look outside at the weather! A common cold? Pah!"
After a brief silence, the cold voice spoke again, "Is there truly no room for negotiation?"
"Negotiate? Do you really think this hospital is a charity or a marketplace? I'll tell you, twenty-three gold coins! Not a single coin less!"
And thus, silence reigned once more.
Gingerly opening her eyes, the girl discovered she was lying on a hospital bed, while a familiar cold figure stood with his back to her at the door, a bearded doctor in a white coat regarding him with disdain.
Uh…
Observing this scene and recalling the earlier conversation, the girl began to piece together the situation.
So, I'm sick? It seems quite serious? But why is this big brother so stingy? Twenty-three gold coins shouldn't be a matter for negotiation; he could just hand the money to the doctor!
Uh… no, that's not right; I shouldn't think like that. According to the bearded doctor, this big brother is my savior; I shouldn't speak ill of him… but he really is quite stingy, that's a fact… ah, how conflicting…
The little girl furrowed her brow, feeling troubled. Although she had faced hardship during her days on the streets, she had never truly engaged with the lives of ordinary people.
Thus, for her, who had always been accustomed to feasting on lavish holiday meals costing hundreds of gold coins, twenty-three gold coins seemed an incredibly modest sum.
Yet, even for such a paltry price, this big brother was still hesitating; how stingy!
Lying on the warm bed, the girl's thoughts wandered aimlessly. After a lengthy silence, the young man at the door finally spoke coldly, "If it cannot be lessened, then so be it. I will pay you now."
"Of course it's for me; who knows if you might sneak away with this little girl?" The disgruntled doctor huffed, wearing a victorious expression. "Hurry and pay up; I still have to collect from the next patient, I don't have time to waste with you here."
The cold man removed the coin pouch from his waist, pouring its contents into his broad palm in view of the two onlookers. After extracting a few silver and copper coins, he handed over the remaining gold coins to the bearded doctor, "Exactly twenty-three gold coins."
"Oh? What a coincidence, exactly twenty-three gold coins," the doctor sneered, counting the coins mockingly. "If I were to add just one more coin, you wouldn't be able to pay, would you? Hahaha… what a pauper! Hahaha…"
Watching the doctor depart, triumphant in his laughter, Xiao Mu Yu remained coldly rooted in place, silently placing the remaining silver and copper coins back into the pouch.
His expression was so indifferent that it gave the impression that the ridicule was directed at someone else entirely.
However, Xiao Mu Yu paid no mind to the doctor's taunts, while the demon within him could no longer contain its agitation, filling the mental space with furious roars.
(AAAAHHHH!!! Human boy!! This is utterly intolerable! What kind of wretched hospital is this?! What kind of quality are these doctors? How dare they look down on you! I can't bear to watch! Are you not angry? AHHHH!! The agony! The suffering!! My rage burns in the abyss!!! Shall we storm in and slay everyone in this hospital? How dare they disrespect our magnificent Lord of Winter?! They are simply—seeking their own demise!)
Xiao Mu Yu ignored the demon's tiresome incitements, turning coldly to regard the little girl who was curiously watching him from the bed. He spoke in a frosty tone, "You… are awake? How do you feel?"