Standing in the doorway was the living embodiment of a winter storm. Hán Shàn. Her first husband. He was taller than Mo Xiao, with shoulders so broad they nearly brushed the doorframes. His hair was a startling, crystalline white, pulled back loosely, and his eyes were shards of frozen sapphire that looked ready to impale her. He was wearing heavy, grey-furred pelts that made him look like a mountain king, and that voice help her, he was foine.
If Mo Xiao was a dark, spicy latte, Han Shan was a premium chilled vodka, beautiful, expensive, and likely to give her a massive headache.
"I heard," Han Shan boomed, his voice vibrating with a deep rumble, "that you were at the hot springs again. Spying on the males like a common rogue."
Bai Yue's heart did a nervous little somersault. The memories told her he hadn't spoken a word to her in months. The last time they had interacted, the original Bai Yue had laughed in his face while he begged her to just look at their son.
"I... I..." She stuttered, her brain short-circuiting.
Han Shan's brow shot up. His icy gaze raked over her, then flickered to the clean floor and the organized herbs. Confusion flashed in his eyes for a micro-second before being replaced by even deeper suspicion. "Is this a game, Bai Yue? You never stutter. And you certainly don't clean."
"Oh! I... I'm sorry," she blurted out, wringing her hands. "I just happened to find myself there. It was a total accident. Tree accident. Very complicated."
Han Shan rolled his eyes. "An accident. Of course. Just like the 'accident' where you tried to trip the Bear King's female into the thorn bushes last week?"
"New leaf! I've turned a new leaf!" she insisted. She took a step forward, her voice softening. "Han Shan... where is Ruì Xuě? The cub... can I see him?"
GROOOOWL.
The sound that came from Han Shan's chest was primal and terrifying. He bared teeth that were definitely not human. "Are you out of your mind? That cub is not going anywhere near you ever again! I would sooner throw him into a pit of vipers than let you touch a single hair on his head!"
Bai Yue flinched. The memory of the original Bai Yue pinching the cub's ears until he cried or locking him in a dark shed for 'being loud' slammed into her. A wave of genuine shame washed over her.
She swallowed the lump in her throat and looked at her feet. "Alright. I.….I'm sorry."
"What are you doing, Bai Yue?" Han Shan stepped into the room, looming over her like an avalanche. "You never tell me sorry. You usually tell me to go die in a snowdrift. What is this act?"
"It is no act!" He said nothing in response.
Gurgle-hiss-ROAR.
The silence was broken by a sound that was even louder than Han Shan's growl. It was Bai Yue's stomach. It sounded like a dying whale.
She let out a weak, nervous laugh, clutching her midsection. "Heh. Apparently, the 'New Me' is incredibly hungry."
Han Shan froze. He looked at her stomach, then at her flushed face, then scoffed with pure, unadulterated disgust. He didn't offer her food. He didn't even offer a pitying look. He simply turned on his heel and strode out into the sunlight. He clearly really, really hated her.
"Useless! Absolutely useless!" Bai Yue had a mini-fit the second he was gone, stomping her feet on the dirt floor. "Arghhhh! You stupid original villainess! You deserve to die for your crimes against this hot and cute family! How could you be mean to a Snow Leopard?!"
But she had to worry about her moral bankruptcy later. Right now, she was starving.
She wandered outside, sniffing the air. She followed the sound of rushing water until she reached the Liúshā River. Across the sparkling blue water, she saw a tree drooping with heavy, golden-orange fruits that looked like giant peaches.
"Yay! Food!" She started toward the bank, but heard a frantic scurrying behind her.
She spun around and nearly melted. There, peeking out from behind a large fern, were three adorable little panther kids. They were triplets, with tiny round ears and big amber eyes.
"Is the cursed female trying to go across the Liusha?" the oldest looking one asked, her voice high and squeaky.
"That's right," Bai Yue said, crouching down so she wasn't as intimidating. "I'm hungry."
The triplets looked at the rushing water, then at each other. The smallest one whispered, "Papa says not to! He says the river spirits will carry you away and eat your toes!"
Bai Yue blinked. "Oh! Well, that is definitely not good. I like my toes." She smiled at them. "I'm Bai Yue. Who are you three?"
The girl in the middle puffed out her chest. "We know who you are. Mama says we should never talk to you. She says you're a monster who will torture us and turn us into fur hats!"
The little girl's eyes suddenly went wide as she realized she had said the quiet part out loud. With a collective gasp, the three of them scrambled away into the brush like a litter of frightened kittens.
Bai Yue sighed, a sad chuckle escaping her. "Sigh. My reputation is literally 'child-torturing hat-maker.' Great."
Gurgle. Her stomach demanded a sacrifice.
"Is the cursed female hungry?"
She turned around. It was the Panther, Mo Xiao, in his human form again. He was leaning against a tree, watching her with a complicated expression.
Bai Yue rolled her eyes. She was starting to get used to the 'cursed' title. "Yes. Extremely."
She looked back toward where the kids had run, then back at him. The resemblance was obvious. "Wait.….are those your cubs?"
Mo Xiao squinted, his tail (which she hadn't noticed before) flicking irritably behind him. "Yes. They are mine." He stepped closer, his amber eyes suspicious. "You did not shout at them. Usually, you throw rocks at children who look at you."
"I.….no? Why would I throw rocks?" She sighed. "My husband Han Shan came to see me."
Mo Xiao's ears flattened slightly. "I know. He was very angry. He hates being around you. Most of us do."
"I know," she said, her shoulders sagging.
He walked up to her, tilting his head. "Are you really Bai Yue? You seem.….smaller. Less rude."
"Yes, I'm her," she stuttered. "Just.….with less rock-throwing tendencies."
Mo Xiao stared at her for a long beat, his gaze lingering on her pouting lips and tired eyes. Finally, he exhaled a sharp breath. "Follow me. I will get you food. You can eat with me..." He paused, his glare returning. "But you will eat afar. I still do not trust you. If you move toward my cubs, I'll bite."
Bai Yue's head drooped in comedy-style defeat. "Very well. Far away it is. Lead the way, Mr. Bodyguard."