Days passed, each one filled with happiness for the two couples. The weather grew colder and colder until one day, fat snowflakes fell from the sky. By evening, the world was transformed. The moonshine on the glittering snow gave everything a tranquil beauty.

At Fu's

EK: "ZW, come with me."

He wrapped thick blankets around his wife and led her outside, by the lake.

ZW: "It's so beautiful."

The couple sat underneath the moon. EK with his arms tightly about ZW.

ZW: "But why have you brought me here?"

EK: "I promised you once, when you were mad at me, that I would look at the moon and snow with no one else but you."

ZW smiled up at him and quoted a line of poetry. EK smiled back, but then shivered in the cold weather. ZW was concerned: "You should have a blanket yourself. Here, take mine, we can share it. I don't want you getting sick." So saying, she rearranged the blanket so it wrapped around them both.

So settled, the couple passed the evening away in each others' company, sometimes quoting, sometimes just talking, othertimes just gazing at each other lovingly, enjoying each others' company and simple being.

Jin Yang Gong

Because of the snow, Qing-er was unable to visit XYZ. Yong-qi also came home early from court. He dragged XYZ into the courtyard and pointed at the snow.

YQ: "Care for a snowball fight?"

XYZ responded by throwing a hit directly into YQ's face. Laughing, she quickly hid behind a potted plant.

YQ: "Hey!"

The couple threw snowballs at each other mercilessly, chasing each other around the courtyard as laughter filled Jin Yang Gong. The servants came out and saw their master and mistress engaged in such childish play and grinned at each other. Huan Zhu Ge Ge sure lightened up everyone's days. They left the couple to their play, some to heat up the house, some to make hot tea, and others to gather blankets.

When YQ and XYZ went inside, they were happy to find the comforts waiting for them. After they both changed out of their wet things, XYZ remarked, "Wow! That was fun! I didn't know people in Huang Gong knew how to have a snowball fight!"

YQ smiled: "We usually don't, but I talked to LQ and he said it was one of your favorite things to do."

XYZ: "You did? I'd have thought it's beneath you."

YQ: "How could something you enjoy be beneath me?"

XYZ smiled sweetly at him, her heart full of love. Never before had she felt so happy, so content, so loved. Stranding on tip-toes, she placed a soft kiss on YQ's cheek. Startled by the tenderness in her kiss, YQ hugged her tight, whispering softly, "I promised to be a new YQ for you. I aim to keep my promise too."