On the soft, large bed, a small gray bundle that had been curled up stirred at the sound, sleepily poking its head out from under the covers.
Ling Wanbai rubbed her drowsy eyes, tilted her little head, and quietly watched the figures of Xun Xue and Lu Qiancha.
The air was filled with faint sounds that made one’s face flush and heart race. She watched silently for a while, then stretched out her small hand and gently tugged at Xun Xue’s sleeve.
When Xun Xue turned a questioning gaze her way, a rare hint of confusion and vague discomfort appeared on Ling Wanbai’s usually expressionless little face.
She spoke calmly, “I… I don’t feel very well either… Can I join you?”
Xun Xue didn’t answer Ling Wanbai immediately, but instead looked down at Lu Qiancha, who was dazed in her arms, and asked softly, “Little Qiancha, do you want to play together with Little Wanbai?”
“Mmn~ Okay…” Lu Qiancha replied in a haze, her little head feeling like a boiling pot of mush, not really hearing what Xun Xue had said, only responding instinctively to her voice.
“Alright, then you two little ones play here.”
Xun Xue’s lips curved in a knowing smile. She gently set Lu Qiancha beside Ling Wanbai, then stood up and wiped her crystalline-stained fingertips with a clean, soft towel, turning to leave the room. “I’ll go prepare bath water and clean towels for you.”
“Mmm…?”
The slight swaying of the bed made Lu Qiancha open her eyes in confusion. Xun Xue’s figure had disappeared, replaced by the little gray Ciguan, quietly standing by the bedside, gray eyes focused intently on her.
In Lu Qiancha’s still-unfocused gaze, Ling Wanbai leaned closer to her side—
“Mmmph?!”
No one knew how much time had passed.
Lu Qiancha shakily got to her feet, glaring angrily at Ling Wanbai before her, her little face flushed with a noticeable blush and grievance.
She tried to lift her paw to give the expressionless Ling Wanbai beside her a round of “meow-meow punches” to vent her anger, but her body was so sore and weak that she couldn’t muster the strength.
In the end, she could only huffily stretch out her leg and lightly kick Ling Wanbai in the side, puffing up with anger as she accused, “You bad Ciguan! You didn’t listen to a word I said just now!”
“I’m sorry.” Ling Wanbai immediately knelt properly on the bed beside her, bowing her head slightly, her voice calm yet clear as she apologized.
“Hmph! I’m ignoring you!” Lu Qiancha turned her head away, puffing up like an angry little Heshi, and huffed.
She struggled to get up, grabbed a soft bathrobe to wrap herself in, then carefully braced herself against the wall, shuffling unsteadily toward the steamy Yushi in the Yu Fang.
Ling Wanbai said nothing, simply rising in silence, following behind Lu Qiancha step by step like a quiet shadow, entering the misty Yushi as well.
“All finished?” Xun Xue was adjusting the water temperature when she saw the little gray and blue figures enter one after the other, and asked softly.
Her gaze swept over Lu Qiancha’s slightly reddened eyes and weak posture, then looked at Ling Wanbai’s task-completed calm.
“Mmm…” Lu Qiancha answered in a low voice, her little face still red, and Ling Wanbai behind her gave a nearly imperceptible nod.
“Alright, you two have a nice soak and relax.” Xun Xue gently reminded them, picking up the used bedsheet. “I’ll go tidy up the bedding.” With that, she turned and left the Yushi.
Amidst the swirling steam, only the blue and gray little wolf cubs remained, their damp hair loose around them.
“Zayi Ciguan, don’t follow me. I don’t want to bathe with you.” Lu Qiancha, seeing Ling Wanbai trailing close behind, reached out with a scowl to push her. But the other girl was like a rock, utterly unmoved.
As the main instigator in the earlier battle, Ling Wanbai had barely used any physical strength.
“I’m sorry.” Ling Wanbai apologized again, turning slightly and presenting her fluffy gray tail to Lu Qiancha. “You can touch my tail.”
“I don’t want to.”
Lu Qiancha turned her head with pride, shaking her own, even bigger and fluffier tail, its blue as deep as the sea, as if showing off. “I have my own tail, it’s bigger and softer than yours.”
“No way!” Lu Qiancha immediately went into protective mode, retreating two steps and puffing up in refusal.
“Oh.” Ling Wanbai nodded expressionlessly, her unwavering, impassive face somehow making Lu Qiancha’s simmering anger blaze even hotter.
The little wolf cub kicked at Ling Wanbai’s leg again in frustration, but her kick was soft and weak, and Ling Wanbai’s face didn’t change at all.
Lu Qiancha, still angry, flung her bathrobe onto the clothing rack and messily gathered up her damp long hair, heading toward the warm Yudanchi.
“What do I have to do for you to forgive me, Qiancha-meimei?” Ling Wanbai’s voice came from behind, almost obsessively serious.
Hearing this, Lu Qiancha’s eyes darted slyly and a mischievous smirk appeared on her lips. She stopped at the edge of the Yudanchi, didn’t enter right away, but elegantly sat on the small low stool nearby.
She deliberately stuck out a bare, jade-like foot still beaded with water droplets, waving it in front of Ling Wanbai, then lifted her chin and hummed with a sly look, “Want my forgiveness? Simple~ Kneel down and lick the water off my foot, and I’ll forgive you!”
Lu Qiancha calculated in her heart: Who in their right mind would agree to such a humiliating request? She’d definitely refuse outright.
Then she could logically say, “Since you won’t lick, then please leave and let me bathe alone in peace.”
As a certain famous person once said, people tend to compromise—if you say open a window, few agree, but if you say tear off the roof, then everyone’s happy to open the window.
However—
Lu Qiancha hadn’t finished her thought.
She saw Ling Wanbai, upon hearing her demand, actually kneel down on the smooth jade floor without a moment’s hesitation.
Ling Wanbai reached out, carefully cupping Lu Qiancha’s proffered, water-beaded little foot, and slowly lowered her head—
“???! ” Lu Qiancha’s eyes shot open wider than bronze bells, the sole of her foot instantly feeling the other’s warm breath brushing over it. A powerful wave of shame and panic seized her.
“Stop! Stop, stop!” The little wolf cub tried to yank her foot back as if burned, her voice jumping a pitch. “I forgive you, I forgive you right now! Don’t lick, let go!”
Ling Wanbai lifted her head in confusion, gray eyes filled with puzzlement as she looked at the ever-changing Lu Qiancha.
Still, she obediently let go of the small foot, stood up, and quietly waited in front of Lu Qiancha for further instructions.
Lu Qiancha’s cheeks burned red with anger and embarrassment, cursing incoherently, feeling that her plan had completely failed.
She glared at Ling Wanbai, then simply ignored her, sliding into the warm Yudanchi and scrubbing herself vigorously as if to wash away all the awkwardness just now.
“Stupid Ciguan, perverted Ciguan!”