[8 months later]

"Brrrrr, this place is too cold. I think I will die out of hypothermia soon," Yunyu complained as he tucked his body inside the blanket. He drank the warm ginger soup that had been prepared for him, but it still didn't alleviate the coldness that made his bone brittle.

Pupa gloated around nonchalantly and said, "You're too weak. This is just a normal cold."

"Normal cold, my ass! This is northern border cold! I feel like my body is in Antarctica already!"

"Tch, dramatic, what do you think about Huang Shu? He still has to guard around the garrison in this cold winter, while you're here tucked in your warm bed after a warm ginger soup, and you still complain that you're having a difficult time."

"Ish, Pupa, you don't understand that I'm a beautiful, fragile white lotus that needs to be protected. How can they let such a fragile flower-like me get cold?"

"You know, there are some spicy chicken white flowers that grow in the wild. Sometimes I have the urge to stomp on them, sometimes… just sometimes…."

Yunyu gulped after hearing Pupa's threat. But he couldn't endure the coldness even longer, "Ugh, I'll just meet Huang Shu. I wonder what he is doing right now, I hope he's not dead yet."

Yunyu wore his warm coat and then opened the door. He saw his assigned servant was standing there, he wore a thin sandal to cover his shoes, and he looked so cold.

"M—Master Bai…" the servant bowed his head, but Yunyu held his shoulder to prevent him from bowing deep.

"Make two bowls of hot ginger soup now," Yunyu said. The servant obediently went to the kitchen and make what Yunyu ordered. He returned with two bowls of ginger soup.

Yunyu only accepted one and then said, "You should drink that one. It will warm your body."

"B—But, Master Bai, this is your ginger stock. If you let me drink this, it will go to waste. The gingers in the kitchen that has been stocked for you cannot be restocked back until the winter ends!"

"It's fine. I don't need that many anyway. Just drink it and warm yourself up."

The servant looked so happy because it was indeed so cold today, "T—Thank you, Master Bai!"

Yunyu smiled, and he went to the guard station not far from his courtyard. For an apparent reason, Huang Shu had always been assigned to guard around Yunyu even though none of them ever asked.

It was probably the Commander trying to make the lovebirds feel closer.

Yunyu walked to Huang Shu's station and saw the handsome man was standing while watching over the pile of snow silently. He was standing still like a statue, which made Yunyu got worried for a moment.

"Shushu?" Yunyu nudged Huang Shu's shoulder.

"Uhh… w—what?" Huang Shu focused on the snow for so long because his body was numb all over because of the cold. When he heard the voice of his beloved, he turned his head and saw Yunyu smiling at him.

"Shushu, are you alright?" Yunyu asked.

"I'm alright, though it's a bit cold out here," Huang Shu replied. "Yun'er, you should return to your room. What if you catch a cold? It's hard to find a physician or healer in this place."

"Look at yourself before telling me something like that. Your lips are chapped, and your face is very red right now. I don't want you to die like an idiot here," Yunyu said. He then showed the bowl of ginger soup and stir it with the spoon.

"I bring you a ginger soup. It will warm your body."

"Ah, did you use your ginger stock? You know it's hard to get one in this place before spring, right? You should drink it for yourself."

"I already drank mine. This is yours," Yunyu said. Huang Shu stared at the warm ginger soup, and he just chuckled before giving a peck on Yunyu's cheek with his cold lips.

"You will make such a good wife, my beloved."

Yunyu shivered when Huang Shu's cold lips touched his cheek. He frowned, "So cold. I thought a ghost has kissed me."

Yunyu scooped the soup with the spoon and fed Huang Shu.

Huang Shu obediently drank the ginger soup and ate everything that Yunyu gave him. He kept staring at Yunyu, and he couldn't help but feel grateful that Yunyu wanted to accept him again.

Eight months had passed since they were drafted here, and Huang Shu finally mustered his courage. Thus, Yunyu and Huang Shu finally dated again.

Life on the border was harsh, especially for a common soldier like Huang Shu, but as long as he was with Yunyu, he thought he could do anything, even the cold winter like this felt like a warm spring for Huang Shu whenever he saw Yunyu.

After Huang Shu drank the ginger soup, Huang Shu asked, "How is your study? I heard that you've been helping the Commander with the strategy already. I heard from him that you're a prodigy, a talented military strategist.

"Well, he said that I should be able to return to the Capital City after two or three years, knowing my capability, then I would be stationed somewhere again to help other generals in the border."

"How about you? I heard that you are now their small general. The soldiers are all looking up to you as their unofficial leader, even more than the real Commander," Yunyu dug up some information about this and was glad that Huang Shu survived this place.

"I don't want to be that kind of leader, actually. But they said they would start courting you if I don't want to be the leader. So I have to. There is no way I will let them get close to you," Huang Shu replied.

Yunyu chuckled, and Huang Shu followed with a hearty laugh. They looked so harmonious, and Huang Shu couldn't help but say, "My beloved, I can't want to marry you. I know it will take a while, but I've sent a letter to my Emperor Father. I asked him if we could have a wedding here, at the border. Because we can't have a wedding in the capital. And he said yes."

"So…" Huang Shu's cheeks reddened as he tried to muster up some courage, "I—I hope you comply…."

[Pupa, what is the current Fatemeter?]

[Pupa: Fatemeter is 80% right now.]

"Are you proposing to me?" Yunyu asked with a grin on his face.

"W—Well, kind of. But I want to propose formally in the spring. I don't want you to get shocked by my proposal…."

[Aww, he is afraid to get rejected, that's why he gives me advance notice, hehe~]

[Pupa: Honestly, this last attempt of this world progressed smoothly, I didn't expect your toxic relationship with him has some way out.]

"Well, then, you can hear my answer once you're proposing to me properly, Shushu," Yunyu replied with a mysterious grin on his face.

"I—Is that a yes or a no?" Huang Shu asked again as he was unsure.

"As I told you just now, my answer will be during your formal proposal. But I will give you a small hint," Yunyu then leaned in and kissed Huang Shu's ear before whispering,

'Make sure to make it romantic.'

Huang Shu's eyes widened, and his heart was beating faster and faster. He responded with a sure nod, "I will make sure to give you the most unforgettable moment in your life!"

Bai Yunyu and Huang Shu stared at each other for a while before Yunyu turned his back, "I—I will go back, if you need anything, just come to my courtyard, and I will help you."

Yunyu walked few steps before there was a scream of a soldier alerted everyone in the garrison. Then the next cry was heard, and the soldiers were rushing to their station.

One soldier who passed Huang Shu yelled at him, "Huang Shu, there is a sudden barbarian raid! You must come with us and defend the garrison!"

Yunyu's heart cooled down when he heard it. He looked at Huang Shu, who picked up the sword that he put on the ground. He fastened his belt and kissed Yunyu's forehead for the last time before he went to defend the garrison.

"Stay in your room, and hide somewhere! This is dangerous for you!"