AFTER CROSSING OVER, I MARKED THE FEMALE EMPEROR

Empress

Silence fermented quietly.

The small blazing fire continued to crackled merrily, its warm glow concealing the flush on Gu Junwan's cheeks.

Had Gu Junwan not encountered similar situations previously, she might have mistaken the young female Alpha before her for intentionally toying with her emotions.

Extracting a piece of dry gauze from her backpack, Gu Junwan approached Shen Han, settled beside her, and in a succinct manner requested, "Your hand."

In response, Shen Han complied obediently, sitting upright and offering her blood-stained arm to Gu Junwan.

As Gu Junwan inspected the partially dried blood on Shen Han's arm, a moment of uncertainty washed over her. She couldn't help but wonder at Shen Han's composure in the face of such circumstances.

"Is the stain proving difficult to remove? Just wait here," Shen Han remarked before swiftly turning and making her way to the cave's entrance.

Beneath the gentle patter of the night rain, both arms were thoroughly cleansed, a task that Shen Han had become familiar with prior to her crossing, then made her way back beside the beautiful lady. During her most trying moments, she had navigated icy, bone-chilling rivers in winter, sometimes wounded but always resolute.

With meticulous care, Gu Junwan tended to Shen Han's wound, her lack of expertise compensated by her unwavering focus and dedication. Her head tilted slightly, cascading locks of smooth black hair framing her face, the collar of her thin shirt askew, revealing a glimpse of porcelain skin.

In a soft, informative tone, the Empress shared practical knowledge with the Alpha before her, essential information that transcended distinctions of Alpha, Beta, or Omega status, underlining key considerations.

Yet, Gu Junwan steered clear of probing into matters pertaining to marking, maintaining a deliberate distance from the subject. The Omega's febrile period and the Alpha's susceptible phase were briefly alluded to, without delving into extensive detail.

Under different circumstances, Gu Junwan would have been capable of engaging in a scientific discussion on these topics with ease. However, the current situation precluded such discourse. Not after she had recently quelled her desires by drawing close to the Alpha sitting before her.

Despite Gu Junwan's outwardly composed demeanor, deep down, she couldn't deny the significance of what had transpired between them.

It was long after Gu Junwan had finished bandaging Shen Han, her voice fading into silence, that Shen Han remained in a state of bewildered contemplation. Although she comprehended each 'knowledge point' conveyed by Gu Junwan, she knew that it would take time for her to fully digest and internalize the information.

Seizing the opportunity presented by Gu Junwan's proximity, Shen Han gently affixed a barrier sticker to the back of Gu Junwan's neck. Her touch encountered the girl's soft hair, carrying with it a lingering hint of a cool plum fragrance.

A subtle blush tinted Gu Junwan's cheeks as she swiftly withdrew Shen Han's careful hand, calmly moving away from the other person.

Unaware of the change in her companion's demeanor, Shen Han shifted the hot pheasants' stick away from the fire, selected the plumpest leg, and extended it to Gu Junwan.

Having subsisted on meager rations of biscuits during her recent flight, Gu Junwan found herself truly famished and abandoned her usual manners. She eagerly savored the crispy yet succulent roasted pheasant leg in small, appreciative bites.

A tinged oregano flavor can be tasted. Shen Han must have rubbed a bunch of oregano herbs on the pheasants before roasting it.

The refined upbringing instilled in the Empress from a young age manifested in her graceful demeanor, an innate elegance that required no pretense.