Upon learning this, Lin Xiangzhi hurriedly returned to his residence.

"Zhuxi, where did Xue'er go?"

Zhu Xi, who was tidying up her dormitory, heard the shout and quickly put down what she was doing to go out and greet them.

"Young Master, what do you want with Xue'er?"

"Don't ask so many questions, just hurry up and look for it." Lin Xiangzhi said, rushing to the bedside and forcefully pulling back the covers, only to find nothing underneath.

"This little thing is so disobedient. They say you raise an army for a thousand days to use it for one day, but when I need it, it plays hide-and-seek with me."

Seeing her young master's anxious appearance, Zhu Xi suppressed a laugh and said, "Young master, it's not time for bed yet. If you don't get into bed, Xue'er won't either."

Lin Xiangzhi's hand froze in mid-air. He turned his head and asked, "Then where did it go?"

"Young master, please wait a moment. This servant will go to the kitchen to check."

Zhu Xi couldn't understand it at all. The young master hadn't had time to play with Xue'er during the day, so she didn't know what had gotten into him today.

Lin Xiangzhi couldn't just sit and wait; he lifted the hem of his robe and walked out.

Find the warm pavilion from the corridor.

Lifting the curtain of the warm pavilion, the temperature inside was no different from outside, and Lin Xiangzhi then remembered that he hadn't lit the brazier.

When he turned back, he saw Zhu Xi holding Xue'er, who was covered in dirt, and washing her.

"Did it go to the kitchen to get dusty?"

"Young master, that's not called 'getting ashes'. He was dozing off on the stove and accidentally got some ashes on his hands."

Fearing that the young master would scold Xue'er, Zhu Xi quickened his pace and soon cleaned Xue'er thoroughly, even carrying her to the charcoal brazier to dry her wet, long fur.

Before the clothes were even completely dry, Lin Xiangzhi quickly picked up Xue'er, stuffed her into his cloak, and headed outside.

"Young Master, where are you taking Xue'er?"