Meanwhile, Li Meirong had been too occupied with Xiong Mei to notice Snowball's attempts at warning her with his eyes. Xiong Mei came so close in front of her, the fabrics of their clothes nearly brushed together.

Almost by instinct, Li Meirong took a quick unsteady step away to put some distance between her and the strange girl, nearly stumbling backwards. However instead of falling, she was speedily caught by Xiong Mei's thin yet surprisingly strong arms.

The Aqua-eyed beauty held her with a firm and steady grip.

On this peaceful, sunny seaside, a pair of beautiful girls could be seen entwined in a harmonious embrace. The gleaming sun shined down from the clear skies and basked their feminine figures with a gentle glow. The taller girl with skin that shined like bronze was dressed lavishly and adorned with gold and silver jewellery as she leaned slightly over the smaller girl who kept herself plain and simple, merely wearing the light blue sect's robes with her hair tied up in a plain updo.

Their small, oval faces were brought so closely together, it seemed as though they were about to indulge themselves in a sweet caress and a gentle kiss, while one girl's arms were wrapped around the other girl's waist in a rather possessive manner.

Xiong Mei's bright ocean coloured eyes curved like crescent moons and the corners of her lips tilted upwards into a coquettish grin, "You sure you don't want my help?"

Li Meirong swallowed down her saliva, she felt her cheeks heating up in embarrassment. She wasn't exactly sure why, but the way Xiong Mei looked at her reminded her of the way Zhu Qingyue used to look at her, setting off alarm bells in her mind at full force.

The spectator, Bai Yu, still had his mouth hanging open as he observed the scene with a mix of strange unexplainable emotions.

At first, he had speculated that this Xiong Mei girl had been in cahoots with Hong Meigui, the Bai clan's former matron and Bai Qingyue's mother.

He had mistakenly assumed Xiong Mei was aiming to murder Li Meirong under Hong Meigui's orders so she could push her son into an arranged marriage with the Red Fox Princess.

But now… What did this present situation imply? Why did it seem like Xiong Mei stared at Her Ladyship in the same way he had stared at Bao Li's freshly made, pork-stuffed buns marinated with oyster sauce?

Could it be that he had been mistaken all this time? It wasn't the pitcher plant who was the love rival, but this dragoness instead?!

'My Lord," Bai Yu wordlessly grieved, 'Your wife is a blooming flower which attracts all sorts of peculiar butterflies. Be it male or female, with a dragon as a competitor for Her Ladyship's affections, whatever shall you do now?!'

Alas, the girls were too caught up with each other for either of them to notice the distraught fox.

Eventually, Li Meirong spoke under her breath as she repeated Xiong Mei's question, "Do I want your help?" She purposefully avoided the girl's direct gaze, trying to maintain her composure, "Yes, I'm quite sure I don't. Last time you helped me, I nearly died."

Xiong Mei had usually kept a constant cheerful expression on her face, but now, her green-blue eyes narrowed down and her otherwise perfectly sculpted features had been marred with a deep frown.

"Whatever do you mean by that?" Gone was the careless mirth in Xiong Mei's voice as she inquired.

Li Meirong became solemn and quiet. She pushed her elbows to each side, trying to untangle herself from Xiong Mei's arms, "Let go of me."

Contrary to Li Meirong's pleas, Xiong Mei did the opposite, her grip tightened as she awaited Li Meirong's response, "First explain yourself."

"No," Li Meirong winced and yelped, "First, let go."

Xiong Mei's lips were pursed as she allowed the girl to escape her hold.