She didn't care that Xiaoxiao was still doing her makeup. She pushed the little girl's hand away, took the thick cloak from Zeze, put it on, and then pushed the door open and walked out.
It was a pity that the first snow had just started. The thin layer on the ground was almost melting.
Shi Muyuan pouted but still couldn't help stretching out her hand, palm up and slightly open. The cold touch landed on her fingertips in no time.
The woman couldn't help squinting her eyes happily.
"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, be careful not to catch a cold," Xiaoxiao hurriedly chased after her.
"It's okay. I just want to watch the snow," Shi Muyuan said.
Seeing Shi Muyuan's regretful look, Xiaoxiao said, "Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, the first snow falls fast. Maybe we can build a snowman after the banquet is over."
"Well, you're right!" Shi Muyuan nodded.
After going back to touch up her makeup, Shi Muyuan was supported by Zeze and went to the Western Palace Hall to preside over the banquet.
Shi Muyuan imitated the postures she learned from TV dramas, put on a smiling face, and said a few polite words. The envoys received the favors they deserved and watched the performances they wanted to see, and then they dispersed.
Shi Muyuan endured the whole night on the Empress Dowager's throne with a heart full of excitement.
Finally, she was able to get away. In front of others, she walked gracefully. As soon as she saw there was no one around, she jumped up directly.
Her feet made a rustling sound on the snow. Shi Muyuan couldn't help walking back and forth on it.
"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, be careful not to fall."
Shi Muyuan rolled her eyes and suddenly squatted down, picked up a handful of snow, and kneaded it into a ball.
Xiaoxiao was hurriedly following her steps when suddenly a cold snowball flew straight towards her face.
She didn't have time to react and was hit right in the face.
"Pfft hahahahahahahaha," Zeze, who witnessed the whole process, laughed heartily.
"Ah!" The next second, Zeze's wide-open mouth was stuffed full of snowballs.
"Spit, spit, Xiaoxiao!" Zeze kept patting his mouth and glared angrily at Xiaoxiao, who was looking smug.
"Why are you glaring at me? It wasn't me!" Xiaoxiao made a face.
Zeze slowly turned his head and looked at Shi Muyuan, who was holding back her laughter.
"Hahahahaha, let's play together!" Shi Muyuan couldn't hold it back anymore.
"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, who would dare to throw snowballs at you!" Zeze wiped the snow off his face and complained.
Zeze and Xiaoxiao had always been by the original owner's side and were very close to her. After Shi Muyuan came through, she was even nicer to them, which made Zeze, who was already bold, even bolder.
Zeze didn't dare to do anything to Shi Muyuan, but he wasn't afraid of Xiaoxiao. He didn't know when he had kneaded a snowball and turned around to throw it at Xiaoxiao.
Xiaoxiao was selected by Shi An to be by Shi Muyuan's side and knew some kung fu. After being hit by Shi Muyuan just now, she was a bit more vigilant. This time, she dodged to the side, but unexpectedly slipped and fell on her butt.
The majestic Aunt Xiao in front of others was sitting in the snow covered in snow, her face red with anger. She got up and started a war with Zeze.
Seeing that the situation was not good, Shi Muyuan stopped fighting and retreated to one side. She started to gather snow and compact it, preparing to build a snowman to fulfill her childhood dream.
The laughter of the few people was a bit out of place in this quiet night and attracted a passerby.
Huo Qizhou walked slowly on the snowflakes.
He was dressed in a pure white robe, spotless and immaculate. His waist was tied with a wide light blue cloud-patterned belt, and only a same crystal-clear jade pendant was hanging to hold down the hem of his clothes.
His long black hair was casually tied up at the back of his head with a silver cloud-patterned silk ribbon. The gentle breeze playfully tangled a few strands of his hair with the silver ribbon.
Shi Muyuan was building a snowman. She stacked two snowballs of different sizes together satisfactorily. When she looked up, she saw him walking slowly. The moonlight was pouring down on him, and she was directly stunned.
Suddenly, Shi Muyuan's little face was buried in the snowball in front of her. She didn't know which one had gone crazy in the fight, but a snowball landed right on her head full of gold and silver jewelry. The gold and silver hairpins on her head jingled.
Shi Muyuan looked up. The snowball left uneven pits on it, and the bright red lipstick on her lips landed on the position where the snowman's mouth should be.
A look of panic flashed in Shi Muyuan's eyes. She subconsciously reached out to wipe off the striking red color.
Huo Qizhou had noticed their commotion for a long time but had remained silent.
When the woman looked up in a hurry, a beautiful strand of her hair fell on her face. Her two willow-leaf eyebrows were curved, and her cat-like eyes were dodging. Her small nose was slightly red, and her small mouth was originally painted with bright lipstick, but half of it had been stolen by the white snowman just now. Her skin was like congealed fat and looked like a perfectly carved jade under the dim moonlight.
Huo Qizhou looked at the remaining bit of red on the snowman's head and then at the woman's mouth.
He silently shifted his gaze and then saw the snowball scattered on her head, covering some of her jewelry, just like the white jade flower she had worn on her head that day.
Huo Qizhou rubbed the tip of his finger on his back and then curled it into a fist.
What was he thinking?
He turned around and left without saying a word.
Shi Muyuan frowned. What was going on? He didn't even say hello!
In the past, he would at least call her Your Majesty the Empress Dowager. Now that there was no one around, he didn't even bother to put on a show!
Humph!
Maybe they noticed Huo Qizhou's departure. Only then did Zeze and Xiaoxiao notice that Shi Muyuan had been hit at some point.
"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager!" Xiaoxiao hurriedly ran over to tidy up Shi Muyuan's hair. "It must be this blind Zeze who dared to offend you! He should be punished."
"What are you talking about! Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, please be discerning. Aunt Xiao is wronging this servant," Zeze said.
Shi Muyuan snorted coldly, ruffled the jewelry on her head, took them all off at once, and threw them to the two of them. Then she stood up and walked away with big steps.
At this moment, her mind was full of the look of Huo Qizhou looking at her expressionlessly and then turning around and leaving directly!
Who did he think he was looking down on? That bastard.
She had been a bit embarrassed just now, like a fool.
The more Shi Muyuan thought about it, the angrier she got. Her steps got heavier and heavier, as if she wanted to trample someone to death with each step.
Zeze and Xiaoxiao were stunned for a moment while holding the jewelry and then hurriedly followed up. They didn't forget to bicker with each other.
Early the next morning, the first snow had fallen for most of the night. The ground was already covered with a thick layer of snow, and there were all kinds of footprints on it.
Xiaoxiao stepped on the snow, which creaked under her feet. She walked over with an umbrella in her hand and urged, "Hurry up. If Your Majesty the Empress Dowager comes out and hurts her feet, you'll be in trouble."
"Yes, Aunt Xiao," the little palace maids worked even harder.
Xiaoxiao smiled, lifted her skirt, and quickened her pace to walk under the eaves.
The palace servants guarding the door saluted when they saw her coming. "Good morning, Aunt."
"What? It's getting late. Hasn't Your Majesty the Empress Dowager woken up yet?" Xiaoxiao looked at the palace servants standing beside her who were waiting to serve the Empress Dowager to get up and asked.