She felt the heart-shaped tattoo on her lower abdomen growing warm, the blood beneath her skin flowing faster.
Her fingers moved uncontrollably downward, nearly touching that hidden place.
Mu Xi abruptly withdrew her hand, her fingertips stirring a small ripple on the water’s surface.
“No… I can’t,” she murmured softly, her voice trembling beyond recognition.
She looked up toward the other end of the room.
Little An still stood with her back to her, perfectly straight, like a statue.
This silence stirred an inexplicable irritation within Mu Xi.
The potency of the Herbal Bath continued to rise; her breathing grew rapid, her chest heaving noticeably, and an unnatural flush stained her cheeks.
The water in the wooden tub gently swayed with her trembling body, emitting faint splashes.
Mu Xi bit down on her knuckle, trying to resist the ever-growing urge with the pain.
“Little An…” she suddenly spoke, her voice a few degrees higher than usual.
No response.
Mu Xi took a deep breath, her tone firmer, “Little An, come here.”
Little An slowly turned around.
Her gaze remained vacant, yet her steps were unusually steady.
She approached the wooden tub and looked down at Mu Xi, seemingly waiting for the next command.
Mu Xi lifted her wet hand, droplets trailing down to leave a faint trace on the floor.
“You… you kiss me.”
Her voice was barely a whisper, almost like a sigh.
She didn’t understand why she made such a request—perhaps it was the effect of the Medicine Bath.
She just wanted someone to share this unbearable feeling with, and Little An, this forever silent shadow, seemed the safest choice.
Mu Xi looked up at Little An’s young yet numb face, thinking she probably wouldn’t comprehend such an order.
She even half-expected Little An to blink in confusion or step back.
That would at least prove the girl still retained some awareness of herself.
But Little An’s reaction completely caught her off guard.
Without any hesitation, Little An bent down, one hand suddenly reaching out to grasp Mu Xi’s lower jaw.
Her fingers were cold and firm, starkly contrasting with her frail appearance.
Before Mu Xi could even react in surprise, Little An’s lips pressed down heavily.
This was no tentative kiss; it was an aggressive, possessive seizure.
The force was so overwhelming it nearly took Mu Xi’s breath away.
Those eyes that should have been timid were now so close, still vacant, yet carrying an inexplicable focus.
Mu Xi’s eyes widened in shock as her body involuntarily struggled in the tub.
Water splashed everywhere, the Herbal Bath overflowing the tub’s edge and pooling darkly on the floor.
Her hands pushed against Little An’s shoulders, but the other remained immovable, like a small mountain pressing down on her.
Little An’s kiss was devoid of any finesse, a mechanical execution—but it held an irresistible strength.
Mu Xi felt suffocated; the last shred of rational thought in her mind dissolved.
Her fingers weakly clawed at the tub’s rim, scraping out a grating sound.
The kiss lasted far too long—long enough for Mu Xi to feel her lungs might burst.
When Little An finally released her, Mu Xi gasped for air, her chest heaving violently.
She stared fearfully at the seemingly fragile girl before her, her heart tossed by a raging storm.
“You… how could you…” Mu Xi’s voice broke, stammering from shock.
Little An’s expression remained numb, but in her eyes flickered a strange, fleeting glint.
She straightened up, once again taking on the quiet, obedient maid posture, as if nothing had happened.
Mu Xi leaned against the tub’s edge, her fingers unconsciously touching her lips, where a faint sting still lingered.
She struggled to stand from the tub, droplets trailing down her slender body.
Little An immediately turned, picking up the large bath towel prepared nearby, expertly wrapping it around Mu Xi.
Her movements remained respectful and professional, as though the fierce kiss was nothing but a hallucination.
Mu Xi let Little An dry her off and help her slip into the silk robe without a word.
Lying on the bed, her gaze dazedly fixed on Little An, her heart in turmoil.
When the maids came in to carry away the wooden tub, Mu Xi didn’t even blink, her stare fixed intently.
Once it was just the two of them again, Mu Xi’s breathing slowly steadied, but her heart still raced.
“C-come up,” Mu Xi patted the spot beside her, her voice so soft it seemed afraid to disturb anyone.
Little An stood there, motionless.
Moonlight slanted through the window, stretching her shadow long and thin.
“Keep kissing me,” Mu Xi swallowed hard.
“Just… softer this time.”
This time, Little An moved.
She approached like she was treading on clouds, light and airy.
The mattress dipped slightly as Mu Xi felt her own heart sink with it.
Little An’s kiss was truly gentler now, but the intensity remained.
Her lips pressed against Mu Xi’s, and Mu Xi closed her eyes.
She didn’t know why, even though she could have stopped it, her mouth was held firmly, not a single word escaping.
She could only push, but even her resistance felt half-hearted.
“Mm…” Mu Xi’s protest was muffled, turning into a vague whimper.
Little An’s hands had somehow moved to either side of her head, her whole body leaning down.
That frail figure bore an incredible weight, pinning Mu Xi firmly to the bed.
The silk robe rustled softly between them.
Mu Xi’s fingers weakly clenched the bedsheet.
She wanted to resist but found her body betraying her reason.
The residual warmth of the Medicine Bath still coursed within her, softening her like cotton candy soaked in warm water.
Little An’s kiss shifted from awkward to practiced, as if learning, adapting.
Her hands began to wander, bold yet tentative.
Mu Xi wanted to say no but found herself yielding.
‘This isn’t right…’ Mu Xi murmured inwardly, but her body burned hotter and hotter.
Outside the window, a full moon hung high, coldly observing everything.
The room’s temperature seemed to climb relentlessly, the very air turning thick and sticky.
Little An’s actions grew more uninhibited, and Mu Xi’s resistance grew weaker.
Finally, she gave up struggling altogether, letting herself sink into this unexpected intimacy.
That night, moonlight flowed like water, quietly washing over their entwined figures.
Mu Xi never imagined she would share such close contact with this silent shadow.
Yet in this moment, everything felt so natural, so irresistible.
That night was both intoxicatingly fragrant and wildly chaotic.
Amid the haze, Mu Xi recalled an old saying: “The night seduces, but people seduce even more.”
When it was all over, Mu Xi lay on the bed, gasping, her chest rising and falling violently.
Her hair was disheveled, spread across the dark green silk sheets like a pool of flowing moonlight.
Her fingertips still tingled from that strange sensation—Little An’s skin was softer than she had imagined.
The residual heat of the Medicine Bath gradually faded, replaced by a dazed clarity.
As if waking from a dream too real to be true.
“Don’t misunderstand, that wasn’t really me just now…” Mu Xi whispered, her voice tinged with shyness and confusion.
She wanted to explain but didn’t know where to begin.
The silk robe was already disheveled, the neckline open, revealing her slender collarbones and the flushed skin on her chest stirred by emotion.
She wanted to say she was affected by the Medicine Bath.
But all words caught in her throat—because saying them would change nothing; the facts had already happened.
She could only look at Little An, speechless for a moment, her eyes a tangled mix of confusion, shame, and an indescribable attachment.