"Mother!" Yiren's cheeks flamed, a blush blooming across her skin like a rose in full bloom. "What are you doing here? And… why did you kiss him?"
"Darling," the Queen purred, her eyes sparkling with mischief, "we had a little agreement with Xuefeng. A wager, if you will. I simply came to collect my winnings." A delicate shrug, and the blame was artfully shifted to Xuefeng.
"Xuefeng?" Yiren's gaze turned to him, filled with a mixture of confusion. "A wager? What wager?"
Xuefeng rubbed the corner of his eye, his expression a mixture of apology and mischief. "You see, we just happened to wager on who would win one of the battles in the arena. If I won the bet, I would earn a hundred Fate Stones, but if I lost—" he paused with a conflicted gaze. "If I lost, she would be able to join us for tonight."
Yiren's gaze flicked between Xuefeng and the Queen, her pout deepening as she processed the information. "Mom?" she questioned, her tone laden with disbelief and a hint of annoyance.
