I found myself quite bewildered by Liu Xue's action. She wasn't exactly an overtly forward girl, and even after I’d touched her twice today, I hadn't expected her to want to watch adult films with me. But then again, as the saying goes, 'The mind of a woman is an ocean that no one can fathom'; who knew what she was thinking.

I was only trying to startle her just now; even if we watched a hundred adult films together, I couldn't bring myself to actually touch her inappropriately. Still, to put her at ease, I obediently allowed myself to be bound. Watching adult films is supposed to be enjoyable; getting scared spoils the fun.

Since the film I provided was on the more restrained side—lacking any particularly bizarre positions—even though the actors' intimate parts were fully visible, at least they were being appropriately **, without any messy shenanigans. Liu Xue was visibly tense at the beginning; I could tell clearly. She would sometimes close her eyes, other times bite her lip. But as the couple on screen progressed deeper into their intimacy, her tension seemed to ease, only for her body to become somewhat awkward instead.

That fiery red sable coat seemed to be stretching a bit tight. I wondered which wealthy young lady it had belonged to previously; now, worn on the voluptuous frame of Liu Xue, her chest looked like it was about to burst the seams. Coupled with Liu Xue’s increasingly unnatural expression, she was becoming quite tantalizingly attractive.

I collected my thoughts and tucked away the stirrings in my heart. Though my eyes remained fixed on the dull screen, my ears were attuned to the sharp whistle of the wind outside, occasionally punctuated by clumps of snow hitting the snow wall. Thankfully, I had reinforced it this evening; otherwise, a thinner wall might have posed a real danger.

Because we had plenty of fuel, I cranked the heater dial to maximum. The snow in the stainless steel pot had long since boiled. Checking the water temperature in the copper heat dissipation fins around the stove, it was well over fifty degrees. Being at such a high altitude, water reaches its boiling point at around forty degrees. Although gusts of cold air occasionally snuck in through the vent, they were quickly assimilated by the heat. This small cave truly felt somewhat like home.

“It’s over,” Liu Xue suddenly stated flatly.

I snapped back to attention, looking up to see Liu Xue with a flushed face, her hands twisting together awkwardly. She asked, “Is there anything else? This one wasn't good; you weren’t even interested.”

I replied, “It’s not that I don't want you to watch; it’s just that the others are too vulgar. I’m afraid they might tarnish my glorious image.”

Liu Xue countered, “I never saw you as some kind of king; you are just you—the Zhao Qian I used to know. You appear a bit insecure on the outside, but you’re actually supremely confident about everything. You talk about having a glorious image, but to me, you’re just a dashing scholar. Otherwise, why would you attract so many girls? So, there’s no need to justify yourself; you can’t hide anything from me. Mengmeng tells me everything.”

“What did she say about me?”

Liu Xue turned mysterious, “I’m just not telling you. I’ll find something myself. That girl in the last one performed terribly. To think she could act in such a bad piece of work—she really needs to attend some training classes.”

Sigh. Liu Xue actually thought these actors needed training to make films. What on earth? She was quite naive, but then again, she wasn’t old, so it wasn't strange that she didn't understand.

With my hands tied, I could only let Liu Xue choose the next film herself. This time, she wasn't as constrained as before. Although the ambient temperature was decades higher than outside, it was still hovering around zero degrees Celsius, so Liu Xue’s body couldn't tolerate the cold and gradually snuggled closer, until she finally lay down right next to me at the deepest part of the cave. She pulled her clothes over herself and casually started another film.

I could steal a glance at what Liu Xue was watching. It was a classic 'instructional' video—one I had shown several of my wives before. I suspected it was a compilation of highlights extracted by some fellow enthusiast from dozens of classic adult films, featuring only 'flute-playing and stick-waving' shots. This was far more intense than the previous film, which had been stationary and conventional. Liu Xue watched, clicking her tongue in amazement.

“Pervert! Pervert! ... This is acceptable? These men are utterly wicked... Are they—are they really feeling pleasure?” Liu Xue completely ignored me, muttering to herself.

The last film hadn't stirred me, but these current scenes made me deeply nostalgic for Cheng Susu, Yi Xiaorou, and Little Raindrop. Oh, and my American wife, Elena. All their breasts had distinct qualities, and their techniques for performing oral sex were far superior to the other few women. If only they were here now! I imagined holding one in each arm, gripping their full bosoms, with another lying on top of me, moving constantly over my body, their breasts like a pair of massage hands sweeping across my face from one side to the other...

I became completely absorbed in my thoughts, paying no mind to what Liu Xue was doing, until she let out a soft cry: “So cold.” Only then did I snap back to reality. I didn't have a temperature gauge, and even if I did, it probably couldn't measure the current reading. The sound of the wind outside didn't seem louder, but the snow wall was emitting creaking sounds, as if it were about to fracture from the cold. The chilling current entering through the vent blew directly onto the heater, and in no time, the pot of boiling water stopped bubbling!

The temperature was dropping! It was plunging rapidly outside! The three-meter-thick snow wall continued to emit terrifying, freezing creaks. The cold air pouring in through the vent quickly dominated the interior, turning the cave into an ice cellar in an instant! Liu Xue tossed her phone aside and recoiled into her pile of clothes, her body trembling uncontrollably, like a small rabbit about to freeze solid. I lifted my bound hands and found them stiff. The rushing cold air hit my face, and a drop of snot instantly froze solid!

I exerted a bit of force and snapped the ropes binding my hands. I quickly grabbed some wood from the side and added it to the nearly extinguished charcoal fire, then cut a chunk of snow from the wall to block the air intake, leaving only a hair's breadth of a gap.

The spectacular performance on the phone was still ongoing, punctuated by the male lead’s ecstatic moans of release. What an excellent phone; it could still function normally in this extreme cold—far better than that spacecraft or the anti-gravity shoes!

But the two of us were oblivious to those sounds. Liu Xue didn't dare stick her head out from the pile of clothes; she huddled in the innermost part of the cave, shivering, and asked me, “Wha... what’s happening, Zhao Qian?”

I replied, “It’s cooling down rapidly outside. Don’t worry; I’ll build up the fire, and the temperature inside should recover quickly.”

The cave wasn't large, but when building the snow walls, I had accounted for the need to build a fire, leaving an open space above it. So, the area above the hearth wasn't rock, but the icy snow wall. Previously, the fire wasn't kept roaring—partly to conserve wood, and partly because the temperature was already comfortable for us. The flames never reached the snow wall above. But now, with the temperature dropping sharply, I had to build the fire high. Worried about the snow wall melting from the heat, I looked up, and the sight startled me. The flames were almost licking the snow wall, which appeared to be emitting white smoke. But this smoke couldn't dissipate; it circled twice and then solidified onto the snow wall. My God, how cold was it outside that even fire couldn't melt the snow?

Bang! The bottle of soda I had kept nearby, unwilling to drink, instantly froze and burst. The plastic bottle couldn't withstand the expansion force of freezing, causing it to crack and explode. Bang! Bang! Bang! A series of sounds followed. The bottles holding aviation kerosene also cracked open. Fortunately, the kerosene inside had already solidified and didn't leak.

The flame on the small Japanese-made heater suddenly extinguished. The water in the stainless steel pot gave two white puffs of steam and was rapidly covered with a thin layer of ice—it had been boiling just moments ago! The only source of warmth remaining in the cave was this bonfire, but against such a frigid current, it was proving useless.

A bone-chilling cold pierced straight into my body. I involuntarily shivered, my limbs aching as if sliced by knives. I was having difficulty breathing at this altitude, something I hadn't noticed before, but now my lungs felt starved of oxygen, as if someone were choking me and torturing me.

Click, click, click—the rapid sound of chattering teeth came from beneath Liu Xue's pile of clothes, accompanied by tremors. But after a short while, even those tremors became weak. Not good! Liu Xue couldn't withstand the low temperature and was about to pass out again! This time, it might not be like the previous two times; she could actually crack her skull open!

I pulled open the clothes and burrowed inside. At this point, I couldn't worry about anything else and pulled Liu Xue tightly into my arms.

“Liu Xue, hang in there. The cold current will pass soon. You must hold on.”

Although my own body was shivering, it wasn't as icy cold as hers. Upon entering the warmth, Liu Xue reacted like a dying person grasping a life-saving straw, desperately burrowing into my embrace.

Her limbs stretched out like an octopus, wrapping around my body. My body heat was rapidly transferred to her frozen form. Like a greedy child, she seemed unsatisfied with this small amount of warmth. Using both hands and feet, she actually started taking off my clothes!

“Stop, Liu Xue, calm down. Okay, okay, just leave me my underwear...”

Liu Xue was acting like a maniac, ignoring my words. She even tore off the sturdy buttons! If anyone saw this, they’d think she was sexually starved. In reality, she was suffering from 'warmth-starvation.' If I hadn't been outside shielding her, she might have thrown herself into the fire. The temperature inside was critically low; any trace of heat would make one ecstatic. And my body was warm! How could a Superman be so easily frozen? All my cells were mobilized to fight the cold wave.

Not only did Liu Xue fail to leave me my underwear, but she stripped herself down to just her thong. The heat transfer through the sable coat to her body was too slow and easily dissipated, whereas direct skin-to-skin contact was much more comfortable for her—and I was certainly enjoying it too. Although her body felt like a giant block of ice, the full softness and elasticity of her breasts resting against my chest were magnificent.

Bang! Another kerosene bottle exploded. Liu Xue jolted awake from that sharp sound. Although the temperature was still dropping, she had already absorbed enough heat and was no longer shivering violently.

The cold wave continued to buffet my back, but my body didn't feel as painfully cold as before. Instead, I felt an unbearable heat. Was it because of the soft bundle in my arms?

Liu Xue clung to me, afraid to open her eyes. Of course, she knew her breasts were pressed against a man’s chest. She wanted to push away, but this fiery body made it impossible to let go.

“Zhao Qian, I... I...”

I said, “It was unavoidable, I understand. When facing life and death, there's no room for modesty or etiquette; everything is for the continuation of life.”

Liu Xue suddenly grew bold, wrapping her arms around my neck, and whispered near my ear, “Zhao Qian, I actually like you.”

Sigh. Why was she saying this now? Didn't she know how hard I was trying to restrain myself? Those two smooth, tender thighs rubbing against my lower body were already making me restless, and now she was stirring my emotions. Wasn't she forcing me to commit a sin?

I mumbled, “Liking and loving are two different things, just like how your thousands of fans like you. The person you should love is your boyfriend.”

Liu Xue countered, “In this situation, what are the chances we survive?”

I stated firmly, “Ten percent chance of success, because my parents and wives are waiting for me to return, and my son is waiting to call me Dad. I won’t let them down.”

Liu Xue looked a bit crestfallen, “I’m afraid I won’t make it through tonight. Speaking of Andy, although I like him, he doesn't give me that special feeling like you do. By the way, my boyfriend is named Andy Huang—Huang Andi in Chinese. He’s an actor. We met while filming a scene and have been secretly dating for two years. The paparazzi are everywhere now, so for the sake of our careers, we’ve only met in secret; we can count the times we’ve eaten out together on one hand.”

I knew a bit about this Huang Andi; he was a famous actor in both historical and modern dramas, tall and handsome. No wonder he attracted Liu Xue. But I wondered what he would think if he knew Liu Xue was currently clad in minimal clothing, hiding in another man’s arms.

Liu Xue managed a faint, melancholic smile. “Let’s not talk about him. Let’s just focus on surviving tonight. The temperature seems to be dropping again.”

I reached out and grabbed a few logs, tossing them into the fire. However, the effect of this small blaze was minimal. Now, not only was the cold air from the vent unbearable, but the rock walls and the snow walls were also radiating an agonizing cold.

Liu Xue’s body kept shrinking downwards until she found the warmest spot on me—my lower abdomen. As she snaked around me, my little brother naturally responded. Her full breasts pressed against my stomach, and a tickling sensation started to move upward from my groin.

My little brother seemed to have inadvertently slipped into a narrow crevice—a slight rise of the valley, with the cave entrance faintly showing. However, an impertinent, narrow strip of cloth blocked the path forward. I gave a slight thrust downwards, and Liu Xue let out a muffled moan. She twisted her hips, pulling my little brother back out of the valley.

I felt apologetic. Was that thrust a bit reckless? I was just telling myself not to make a move on her, and we almost had a substantial incident.

Just as I was about to find an excuse to apologize, my little brother suddenly felt cold—a small, icy hand grasped it! Liu Xue was being too bold; wasn't this playing with fire?

“Zhao Qian, you can’t hold it in anymore, can you?” Liu Xue’s voice came from beneath me.

I didn’t answer; I didn’t even know how to answer. Liu Xue spoke again, “If you give me energy, I’ll help you solve your problem, okay? Otherwise, I’m afraid you won’t be able to control yourself and will force yourself on me.”

As I was trying to process the meaning of her words, my little brother suddenly felt hot again. A wet cavity tightly enveloped it. This feeling was something I was intimately familiar with; I experienced it almost every night. And now Liu Xue was offering to perform oral sex!

I reached out to stop her action, but my hand landed instead on her soft breast. Liu Xue let out two muffled groans through her breath, and this made me unable to suppress my impulse any longer. I squeezed the breast in my hand—it was so large and bouncy!

Liu Xue didn't seem to mind me handling her breast at all; the action below became even more vigorous. Although she had no experience to draw upon, the segments she had watched earlier had benefited her greatly. With a little testing, she applied it to practice, bringing me such pleasure that I almost cried out.

My heart felt ecstatic, and the squeeze of my hand became firmer. My two fingers firmly pinched her little bead, which felt like the tender flesh of a newborn chick being kneaded—it was incredibly delightful. The firm yet soft feel of her abundant breasts was superb. This kneading seemed to overwhelm Liu Xue; she kept groaning softly while pleasuring me below, as if she were experiencing even greater pleasure than I was.

I couldn't stand Liu Xue’s moans; her sultry manner was too tempting. I involuntarily thrust my hips forward. Liu Xue's small mouth couldn't accommodate such length, causing her to cough slightly. She slapped my buttock and mumbled vaguely, “Behave yourself, don’t choke me. I guarantee you’ll have pleasure to the end, look how eager you are.”

Once a woman drops her reserve, she can become more wanton than a wild horse. From things other women mentioned to me, I knew Liu Xue was definitely a pure virgin, but her current wanton display made me doubt whether that Huang Andi had already enjoyed her favors. Damn it, I felt a surge of jealousy. I squeezed her breast harder. Liu Xue didn't resist; instead, the frequency below increased, giving me such intense pleasure that I temporarily stopped thinking about anything else.

Perhaps it was because I had diverted too much energy to resisting the cold, but today I couldn't maintain control. Under Liu Xue’s efforts, I couldn't hold back for long and erupted. But in the midst of this wild pleasure, I overlooked the person beneath me. This was Liu Xue, not Yi Xiaorou or Cheng Susu. Those few women had no issue with me releasing internally. But this woman here seemed stunned by the ejaculation.

Initially, Liu Xue probably didn’t know what substance had sprayed into her mouth, but she quickly realized something was wrong and frantically tried to pull away from the emission point. However, I grabbed her head and held her still. I don’t know why I suddenly became so perverse; it was just a pleasure so profound, from the bottom of my heart to the tips of my toes, that I couldn't control myself. Who was the girl below me? She was the globally renowned superstar Liu Xue, and now she had tasted my essence! Thinking about the greedy gazes of the men who followed her every day, a soaring male pride instantly rose within me.

Liu Xue coughed two or three times and struggled again, but I finally couldn't bear it and let go. She tried to peek out from under the clothes to spit out the contents of her mouth, but before she could lift the fabric, a wave of intense cold forced her to shrink back against me. Thus, the semen was finally swallowed down with two more coughs, simply because she didn't want to contaminate this warm little nest.

“What are you doing? Why didn’t you tell me beforehand that it was so dirty?” Liu Xue complained, hugging my waist from below, her voice surprisingly infused with an indescribable charm, languid like a wife just after intimacy.

Since things had already gone this far, I told Liu Xue about my body’s constant production of ‘B substance.’ Liu Xue seemed skeptical. She wiped her mouth on my stomach and asked, “Really? It can cure all illnesses and also beautify the skin and enhance the bust?”

I retorted, “Aren’t you the type who tells Mengmeng everything? You don't even know this small detail?”

“Telling her everything doesn’t mean we talk about this. But I know you’re not an ordinary man; you’re very mysterious.” Liu Xue’s small hand gently grasped my little brother again, stroking it with affection.

The lust subsided, and I felt a pang of regret.

“Liu Xue, I’m sorry. I lost control. What we just did will make it hard for you to face Huang Andi.”

Liu Xue wriggled up from below and pressed tightly against my chest, absorbing heat.

“Zhao Qian, don’t say anything else. Let’s talk about it if we manage to survive. I don't want to freeze to death like this, and I’ve never been kissed by a man. The time Andy first held my hand, before he could even embrace me, we were photographed by paparazzi. It caused a huge uproar, and it took a while for the fans to forget about it. It scared us so much that we’ve never dared to be alone together since.”

The poor superstar; not only was she deprived of freedom of movement, but she didn’t even have the freedom to have a relationship. Since she had already 'tasted' and 'drunk' my essence, I might as well be a bit more generous and take care of her first kiss too.

“Mmm...” Liu Xue couldn’t finish her sentence. I held her head and kissed her deeply in the nest of clothes we had made. Who knew the show was just beginning? Before we could reach a state of perfect harmony, Liu Xue suddenly pulled back with a chuckle.

“I still have that in my mouth, haha! Did you taste your own flavor? Serves you right for trying to forcefully hold my head down just now, you big pervert.”

I touched the corner of my mouth. “It doesn’t matter. As long as you’re happy, I’d accept drinking it myself.

Liu Xue snuggled back into my embrace. “You certainly know how to coax women. No wonder they’re all utterly devoted. But they don’t know that the treasure they cherish every night is right here with me.”

Liu Xue’s hand started fiddling with the treasure below again. I couldn't bear to waste the pair of jade rabbits before my eyes, so I reached out and grabbed them. Liu Xue let out a breathy sigh.

“Tell me the truth—were you thinking about anything when you were scrubbing my body today?”

I nodded sheepishly.

“Your voice is really beautiful?”

Liu Xue was momentarily stumped. “What? Do you mean my singing voice is nice?”

I almost laughed. "It’s the sound you make when I’m rubbing your body."

Liu Xue felt a flush of annoyance and used a bit too much force with her hand. The resulting pain made me flinch back, but she clung to me like a shadow.

"Don't run off, I'm freezing to death! How can the weather be this cold? I bet even the South Pole isn't like this."

Listening to the occasional creak and groan from the snow wall, I remarked, "How would I know? But as long as we get through tonight, this snow wall must have better insulation measures. Otherwise, who knows if it’ll get colder? Just don't let us be discovered as two giant popsicles a million years from now."

Liu Xue lay softly in my arms, like a little lamb.

"Don't try to scare me. As long as you're here, I feel so much safer. You promised to protect me, Zhao Qian. I’m truly touched. On the plane, I thought I was done for. I never imagined you’d actually come looking for me. You could have easily escaped with your wives, but you didn't. I'm so moved. And today, you’ve pulled me back from the clutches of death three times! I really need to thank you properly. As long as it’s within my power in this cave, I’ll agree to anything you ask. Of course, don’t misunderstand; it’s not purely out of gratitude. It’s because you are an exceptional man, and... I simply can’t resist your pull either."

A wave of emotion washed over me, and I hugged Liu Xue tighter. The heat radiating from our bodies was enough to keep us both warm; for the moment, I wasn't worried about freezing into an ice block. Liu Xue seemed wide awake and chatted for a while while I held her, but then she suddenly became fidgety. I was confused—we'd already been through that intimacy; what was there to be shy about? I heard Liu Xue stammering, "Zhao Qian, I... I need to use the facilities."

I smacked my forehead. Food, drink, sleep—I’d completely forgotten about this essential matter. The space here was so cramped you couldn't even stand up straight; how were we supposed to take care of business? If it were just urinating, we could manage, but we certainly couldn't defecate in here, could we? Oversight, pure oversight.

I forced myself to ask Liu Xue, "The big one or the small one?"

Liu Xue blushed deeply. "Just the small one for now, but I have a feeling the big one won't be far behind. Should we get dressed and go outside? Do you need to come with me? I’m scared."

While we were talking, I had noticed the cold front seemed to be receding. The groaning sounds from the snow wall had stopped, and the temperature inside was gradually rising. Still, even under these conditions, if Liu Xue went outside now, she’d likely freeze solid before she even exposed herself.

"That was thoughtless of me. Since it’s just the small one for now, take care of it here. Your body probably couldn't handle going out. I’ll find you a bottle. Keep the fire roaring so you don’t freeze. I’m going to check the situation outside." As I spoke, I started putting on clothes. The indoor temperature was slowly recovering, and Liu Xue didn't need my body heat as desperately as before.

The jet fuel was frozen solid like chunks of rock. I cleaned out a larger broken bottle and tossed it to Liu Xue. After adding two pieces of wood, I pushed open the snow door and squeezed out. The temperature outside was, as expected, bitterly cold. Yet, the heavy snow seemed completely unaffected by such cold; a thick layer had piled up on the stone platform, almost concealing the cave entrance. I found a surface the size of a table and quickly cleared the platform. Thinking about how little firewood we had left for heat inside, I knew I had to return to the plane wreckage, even if I preferred not to.

What excited me was that the recent cold snap had frozen the snow beneath my feet into a thick sheet of ice. Although the wind was still harsh, the ground underfoot was no longer riddled with holes. Running was surprisingly easy. Within minutes, I was back at the crashed 737. Of course, I had to break open the snow cave again, but that posed no difficulty for me.

About a third of the cabin had collapsed. Perhaps the snow above had solidified and borne the brunt of the load, preventing further collapse. I didn't want to waste time. I remembered the lavatory that had trapped Liu Xue and shielded her from the fire—it was quite structurally sound. Examining its construction, it seemed self-contained and not entirely fused with the main cabin. With a bit of force, I managed to detach it. Closing the door, it became a large storage locker. Things I couldn't carry away before could now all be packed inside and taken with me.

It wasn't right for Liu Xue to always be naked, either. I picked up a few pieces of personal undergarments left behind by passengers. Additionally, I dismantled a few insulating alloy panels. Naturally, we had to take all the food. I also salvaged every piece of usable wood—who knew if we’d get another chance to come back inside?

As a result, even that large lavatory couldn't hold everything. I had no choice but to quickly assemble another makeshift cabinet from the alloy panels. Surprisingly, when I hauled it onto the snow layer, it worked perfectly as a makeshift sled. Riding the wind and snow, I made my way back to the stone platform.

Liu Xue had already taken care of her needs and was getting anxious because I’d been gone so long. Hearing me frantically shoving things into the cave from outside, she urgently called out, "Tell me next time you go out, do you hear? I was worried sick!"

I laughed. "Don't worry, I wouldn't leave you alone."

Seeing me, Liu Xue relaxed and smiled. "Who knows what you’d do? You might run into a prettier girl lost in the mountains, and then you might forget all about me here. Oh, there’s too much stuff! It won't all fit inside."

I stopped haphazardly shoving things inside. It was time to figure out how to install the toilet and make this temporary dwelling a bit roomier. I had no idea when this horrible weather would break. For survival, I’d have to play Robinson Crusoe.

To the right of our current shelter was another small alcove, also narrow—less than a meter and a half wide, but quite tall. I dismantled two sides of the lavatory unit I brought back to block the entrance to this new area. I used a few aluminum alloy panels and packed thick snow around them to secure them, making the opening face our current living space. Then, I covered the exterior of both dens, including the passage between them, with all the insulation panels. I piled another three meters of snow on top of that. With the insulation panels blocking the cold, this setup should hold for a while. Plus, the snow wall was reinforced. Hopefully, we’d endure the next cold snap; otherwise, we really would turn into popsicles.

The area in the toilet alcove was more sheltered. There was a natural depression in the innermost corner. I fashioned a squat toilet using a piece of metal sheeting stripped from the door and padded it with snow—a five-star facility in this frozen wasteland! Closing the door provided both privacy and kept any odors from spreading. The door opened toward my main cave. Since I built another layer outside the cave, I removed one corner of the original snow wall, connecting the two alcoves. The passage between them became the perfect spot to stack all the miscellaneous supplies.

This time, I was careful to place the ventilation opening on the toilet side. After traveling some distance, the air escaping was no longer the biting cold wind that used to sting the face. I retreated into the cave from the original exit and sealed it completely. I wouldn’t need to go out again for a while. Now, I could just stay home and hold my beauty, hah!

Liu Xue, clad in a fiery red mink coat, threw herself into my arms.

"Are you tired? Look, you’re sweating again. It’s already one in the morning. Let’s go to sleep."

Robinson Crusoe was nowhere near as lucky as me. I had a beautiful woman for company, while he only got a Friday later on—and two men who couldn't even speak the same language. Unlike me, I could turn around and hold a movie star in my embrace.

"For you, being tired is worth it," I teased her.

Liu Xue chuckled softly. "Trying to charm me again, are you? Don’t worry, even if you didn't, I’d be holding you tonight anyway. This is our world, and I intend to enjoy it fully."

All that commotion had genuinely exhausted me, so I quickly stripped down and fell asleep holding the fragrant Liu Xue. Since it was so late, neither of us did anything further. After all, the snow kept falling and the wind wouldn't stop; we couldn't leave even if we wanted to. Trying to find another paradise like this in the vast mountains would be uncertain.

The worst-case scenario was the weather continuing to worsen. However, the Dragon Girl's power was already clearing the satellite orbits. In half a month, we should be able to contact each other via mobile phone. If the snow stops, I can fly away with Liu Xue; if it doesn't, we'll deploy the Hope vessel to pick us up.

Sometime later, it was already light outside, but since we slept so late, neither of us noticed. Finally, I was jolted awake by a loud boom. Liu Xue woke up instantly too.

"What was that? What happened?"

Drowsily, I fumbled for my clothes, starting to dress. "Probably an avalanche. I’ll go check; you stay here and don’t move."

The emergency lamp had been set into the snow wall, but I had taken it down near the fire, fearing it would freeze. Liu Xue reached over me and flipped the light on.

"I’m getting up too. Didn't you say you prepared clothes for me before we slept? It feels strange to be naked all the time."

I ducked into the passageway between the two caves and handed the clothes to Liu Xue: thermal tops and bottoms, sweaters, long johns, a bra, and underwear—a complete set. Liu Xue was delighted and kept sending me alluring glances, but I wasn’t in the mood to pay attention. I hastily scrambled out of the cave and peered around through the swirling snow.

No avalanche. Besides, even if there were an avalanche, it wouldn't reach our spot. I jumped onto the open clearing of the river valley and was stunned by what I saw: a Harrier strike fighter! Heavens, could my wives have dispatched a search party, sweeping the area like fishing nets? This was life-threatening! How many people would have to die just to find me here?

I rushed over. The snow had already covered the jet fighter while Liu Xue and I were dressing. The nose was buried deep under the snow layer. Since there was no purchase for my feet, it took considerable effort to drag it out. The pilot was already dead; it looked like his head had struck the instrument panel during the crash. I knew there was a dual-seat cockpit behind the pilot’s section, so I pulled open the canopy to check for another occupant.

What I saw made me jump again. There was another occupant, and her face was turned toward me. I recognized her instantly—it was Zhao Ting! How could she be here? God, everything was in chaos—the weather was crazy, and now people were showing up in disarray.

I had planned to search for Zhao Ting in Nepal after finding Liu Xue. I never expected her to show up on the Tibetan Plateau. How? Was she sent to find me? Those foolish wives! Sending regular aircraft out in this weather—it was suicidal! How muddle-headed!

The pilot was gone; I didn’t know the situation with Zhao Ting. I hastily carried her out. Her body appeared unharmed externally, but checking for a pulse confirmed she was still breathing—faintly, but alive. However, her limbs were rigid, much like Liu Xue’s had been. I had to get her back to the cave immediately; staying outside another minute carried the risk of death.

The snow door I’d left was too narrow. I had to push Zhao Ting in first, which terrified Liu Xue inside, who started shrieking. She had seen long hair first, and since my hair was short, this naturally scared her.

"Don't be afraid, Liu Xue! It’s Zhao Ting! Quickly, help me pull her in!" I called from outside.

Hearing my voice, Liu Xue stopped screaming and helped pull her in. I had expanded the cave area slightly, but the sleeping quarters remained the same size. I had to retreat to the passage between the two caves.

"Liu Xue, quickly check if Zhao Ting is alright."

Liu Xue didn't have time to ask me how I managed to find Zhao Ting while I was briefly outside. She pulled Zhao Ting toward the pile of clothes. "Her body is stiff. I think she needs to be rubbed with snow too."

My head spun. "You do it, then. Hurry and save her. She crashed in a Harrier fighter jet. I’m going to bury the pilot. Besides, that aircraft can't stay above us; the wind might knock it down and crush the shelter."

Liu Xue was already moving to remove Zhao Ting’s clothing. This was my goddaughter! I closed my eyes, backed out of the cave, and sealed the door tightly.