Husband With Benefits-Chapter 816: The Ducks and Penguins

Lily was confused. As she followed him out of the room and then watched him go outside the house, she was thoroughly confused. Just what had happened that he wanted to go out in this snow? She stepped out into the cold, tugging her jacket tighter as she followed Cai around the side of the house.

The wind had already started to pick up, sending little flurries of snow swirling in the air around them.

Her confusion deepened when she finally stopped beside him and stared down at the odd shapes in his hands. Moulds. Snow moulds?

She blinked, then looked up at him, her brows knitting together in bewilderment. Cai, on the other hand, was beaming like a kid on Christmas morning, his grin wide and mischievous. "You’re joking," she said flatly, though her lips twitched in the beginnings of a smile.

"Nope," Cai replied, the excitement in his voice unmistakable. He nodded to the molds in his hand—one shaped like a duck and another like a penguin. "We need to get our ducks in a row. Literally." He crouched down in the snow, demonstrating how to fill the molds, packing the snow into each one with a precision that made Lily chuckle.

"You mean to tell me," she said slowly, still staring at the snow molds, "that your big plan to prepare for the storm... is to make an army of snowball ducks and penguins?"

"Exactly," Cai replied with a straight face, though the twinkle in his eye betrayed his amusement. "We’re building the Bird Frost Army—the most formidable army this side of the wilderness." He dusted off his gloves and handed her one of the freshly made snow ducks. "Are you in, or are you too chicken to prepare for the battle of the Frosts?

Lily narrowed her eyes at him, the challenge in his voice sparking something playful in her. She hadn’t felt this kind of lightheartedness in a long time. Maybe it was the fever that had left her feeling weak, or maybe it was the ridiculousness of the situation, but she couldn’t help herself. Without another word, she knelt and started packing a mould.

"Alright, fine," she said, pressing the snow firmly into the penguin mould. "But only because I don’t want to be outnumbered when your ducks try to take over the porch."

Cai laughed, the sound warm despite the cold wind swirling around them. "That’s the spirit!" he said, handing her another duck mold. "By the time the storm hits, Bird Frosts will be the greatest snow army this side of the mountain. The balustrade will be fortified with penguins, and no one—no one—will be able to breach our defenses."

Lily snorted at the theatrics but found herself getting caught up in the ridiculousness of it all. They worked side by side, their breath coming out in little puffs of steam as they packed snow into the molds, one after another. The ducks and penguins started to pile up, lining the porch, their little snowball faces looking out over the snowy landscape like sentinels.

An hour passed, and then another, but neither of them noticed the time. Lily’s fingers were cold and stiff in her gloves, but she didn’t care. For the first time in days, she felt like she was doing something fun, something that didn’t weigh her down with misery.

By the time they finished, the porch was covered in neat rows of snowball ducks and penguins, each one standing proudly on the balustrade, as if guarding the house from the incoming storm. Cai stood back, admiring their work with a satisfied grin. "Look at that," he said, his voice full of pride. "Bird Frosts are ready for battle."

Lily shook her head, unable to suppress a laugh. "This is absolutely ridiculous," she said, though her heart felt lighter than it had in days. "But I have to admit, it’s kind of impressive."

"Ridiculous? No way," Cai shot back, feigning offense. "This is strategic genius. These ducks and penguins are the first line of defense. They’ll confuse the enemy, distract them with their sheer numbers and cuteness. By the time the storm hits, we’ll be safe inside, and they’ll be out here doing all the hard work." ƒreewebηoveℓ.com

Lily snorted again but couldn’t stop the smile that tugged at her lips. "Strategic genius, huh? You really put a lot of thought into this, didn’t you?"

Cai shrugged, still grinning. "What can I say? I’m a man of many talents. Snowball duck general is just one of them."

"Thanks, Cai," Lily said quietly, her voice barely louder than the wind. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, feeling a sudden surge of gratitude for the silliness of it all. For taking her mind off everything else, even if just for a little while.

"Oh come one! There is nothing in this to thank me for! Honestly! I’ve always wanted to make these! These moulds were the first thing I packed when I was coming here...

She brushed the snow from her gloves and stared at him, "I don’t know whether to be impressed or worried about your priorities."

Cai gave her a mock serious nod. "Oh, absolutely. You can never be too prepared for an impending snowstorm—snowball ducks and penguins are essential survival gear." He dusted the last bit of snow from his jacket, gesturing toward the house. "Now come on, before we freeze out here. I make a mean hot chocolate."

"Alright," she said, falling into step beside him as they made their way back inside. "But if your hot chocolate isn’t up to par, I’m sending those snow penguins after you."

Cai chuckled, opening the door and ushering her in. "Fair enough. But just so you know, I’ve never been defeated in a hot chocolate challenge."

She smiled and watched him go into the kitchen. She couldn’t help but wonder if Cai Frost had ever been defeated in any challenge, let alone a hot chocolate one. She doubted that.