As Gantang’s heart fluttered uneasily, the small figure nestled in her arms slipped out silently like a swimming fish.
Lu Qiancha had already lightly landed beside the table, holding the teapot with delicate hands, standing on her tiptoes to pour a cup of clear, slightly warm tea for Gantang.
“Don’t rush…” she said softly, holding out the cup, her blue eyes curved like crescent moons, her smile sweet and almost unreal.
“Gantang, take your time thinking. Qiancha will be right here… waiting obediently for you.”
“Oh, okay.”
Gantang’s mind was completely blank; she could hardly tell if she was dreaming. She instinctively took the tea from Lu Qiancha’s hands and immediately took a sip—
“Pfft—hot, hot, hot!!” The scalding tea unexpectedly burned the tip of her tongue.
Gantang’s hand trembled, and half the cup of hot tea spilled! The water quickly soaked into the pure white robe at Lu Qiancha’s chest, spreading a dark wet stain.
“Ugh!” Lu Qiancha looked confused as she lifted the drenched fabric clinging to her body. “The clothes… got dirty.” She tilted her head, her tone innocent and puzzled.
“I-I’m so sorry, Senior Brother!” Gantang hurried forward to wipe the spill. Her fingertips brushed against warm, soft skin through the soaked thin fabric, causing her to recoil as if burned.
“Gantang…” Lu Qiancha tugged at the cold, wet hem of her robe, her blue eyes moist as they looked up, tinged with a hint of plaintive vulnerability like a small beast.
“Do you… have any clean… spare clothes? This one needs to be washed.”
“Y-yes, yes!”
Almost frantic, she rummaged through her Storage Ring and pulled out a brand-new pale pink sheer cross-collared ruqun.
A flash of inspiration, and the dress fluttered and shrank to perfectly fit Lu Qiancha’s size.
“Senior Brother, you change first! Call me when you’re done!”
Like a startled rabbit, Gantang quickly stuffed the dress into Lu Qiancha’s hands and turned sharply, almost fleeing the room.
Her back slammed heavily against the cool door as her heart pounded wildly in her chest.
That glance from Senior Brother just now, that smile, that unguarded softness and attachment…
“Seriously… liking someone… ahhh, I’m not mentally prepared yet…”
Gantang suddenly covered her burning cheeks, crouching down, her voice squeezed through trembling fingers, full of sweet embarrassment and confusion.
“Gantang!”
The call from inside was soft, carrying a gentle warmth like mist.
Gantang took a deep breath, forcing herself calm as she pushed open the door and stepped inside. “Senior Brother, what’s wrong?”
Her words abruptly cut off.
The scene before her froze her like stone.
In the sunlight, a small blue-haired ball of fur was “battling” with the dress—the pale pink ruqun’s ties were wildly tangled, forming a net that trapped Lu Qiancha’s upper body.
A pair of slender arms struggled and twisted inside the sleeves, while the dress itself was caught stubbornly above her waist.
“Ugh~” Lu Qiancha’s voice quivered with a hint of tears. “This thing… is bullying me…”
Gantang’s mind buzzed like a bell! Blood rushed to her head. “That’s not how you wear that!”
She practically lunged forward, frantically trying to untangle the complicated knots around the little figure’s head.
Inevitable, her fingers brushed the sensitive tips of Lu Qiancha’s ears, prompting a soft “mm” that sent shivers down Gantang’s spine.
After much effort, the bindings were finally loosened, and the fabric smoothed over the small body.
But when her gaze dropped below the waist—
She caught sight of a fresh, spring-like bud…
“…Senior Brother!”
Gantang’s nostrils flared hotly, her voice cracking. “Where are your… underpants?!”
Startled, the blue-haired bundle shrank back immediately, her fluffy tail instinctively shielding her front, voice barely audible: “I-I don’t… have any suitable ones… haven’t had time to buy yet…”
Her flushed little face looked just like a child caught stealing candy.
Gantang took a deep breath, suppressing the heat rising in her chest, and resignedly pulled a brand-new set of pure cotton underwear from the depths of her Storage Ring.
“Come on, Senior Brother, lift your leg… yes, very good. There, all on now.”
Gantang tied the drawstring into a neat bow and then smiled satisfactorily at the slightly shy Lu Qiancha before her.
“So cute. No wonder you’re my Senior Brother!”
Gantang chuckled and reached out to pat Lu Qiancha’s small head.
Feeling the warmth of the fabric against her skin, Lu Qiancha furrowed her brow and poked Gantang’s arm.
“Hm? What is it, Senior Brother?”
Looking down, Gantang saw Lu Qiancha pointing behind herself, whispering, “My tail… it’s uncomfortable.”
Following Lu Qiancha’s finger, Gantang nodded knowingly, gently lifting the skirt and sliding the waistband of the underwear down a bit, leaving a small gap for that fluffy, big tail.
“All done!”
Gantang clapped her hands in satisfaction. She surveyed the little wolf girl in front of her—the pale pink dress, the tiny triangular ears, and the large blue tail wagging behind—too adorable for words!
Still, as she looked her over, something seemed to be missing.
Unconsciously, Gantang’s eyes moved down to Lu Qiancha’s tender little feet.
Suddenly, she understood—the lack of shoes and socks was why it felt incomplete.
Her fingertips trembled slightly as she searched through her things for a moment, finally selecting a pair of Milk-White Silk Stockings from the Western Region—milk-white, finely woven silk that shimmered delicately in the sunlight.
Then she turned her gaze to Lu Qiancha’s feet.
“Come on, Senior Brother, lift your foot.”
“Mm.”
Lu Qiancha obediently raised her small foot. Gantang carefully slid the white silk over her delicate toes, slowly covering the sole, then gently pulled it up from the calf to the thigh.
“One sock’s on. Lift the other foot.”
Gantang called out, her gaze lingering on the pale foot before slowly drifting to the little wolf’s paws.
Why did Senior Brother’s hands have paws but not her feet? That was strange.
Gantang tilted her head and gently pinched Lu Qiancha’s paw—soft, with a bit of fluffiness, very squeezable.
Then she pinched Lu Qiancha’s small foot—also soft, but the texture was completely different from her paws.
Lu Qiancha let out a soft hum, feeling a tickling sensation on her foot…
Gantang lightly poked Lu Qiancha’s foot sole. “Umm…”
A faint whimper escaped from Lu Qiancha, her pink toes curling tightly.
At that moment, a mischievous idea flashed across Gantang’s eyes.
She thought playfully, Hmph! This is the price you pay for making your gentle, adorable little junior sister chop wood alone!
Her fingers lightly scratched the highly sensitive sole again.
Suddenly, Gantang heard a startled shout:
“Gantang!”
Caught off guard, a soft “smack” landed squarely on Gantang’s cheek—the tender sole of Lu Qiancha’s foot!
A fresh herbal scent mixed with Lu Qiancha’s uniquely warm and sweet natural aroma immediately enveloped Gantang’s nose…
That fragrance instantly reminded Gantang of the last time she had nuzzled Lu Qiancha’s face. On a whim, she had quickly flicked out her tongue and lightly licked it—yes, definitely vanilla scented.
The warm, moist sensation was clearly imprinted on Lu Qiancha’s foot sole.
“Eek!!!”
An unprecedented jolt of electric shock caused Lu Qiancha’s ankle to twitch violently, throwing her off balance.
Crash—!
Without missing a beat, she fell hard on the cold, unforgiving floor.
The sharp pain and impact in her fragile tailbone triggered the psychological shadow left by Wan Shuang’s handling, and in a daze, large tears streamed down her cheeks.
“Senior Brother!”
Terrified, Gantang panicked and rushed over to scoop up the fallen Lu Qiancha onto the bed.
Seeing the reddened eyes and tear-filled blue orbs, she nervously asked, “Are you okay, Senior Brother?”
“There’s a problem!”
Hearing Gantang’s voice, Lu Qiancha’s fur bristled in anger. She stood up, stretched out her paws, and pointed a trembling finger at Gantang, too upset to form full words: “You, you, you… pervert!”
Seeing this, Gantang’s heart sank. Her knees buckled, and she dropped to the floor, curling her head in shame. “Senior Brother, I’m sorry, I won’t do it again!”
Just then, Xun Xue, having finished settling in, pushed open the door and entered the room. She looked at the flustered, tearful little blue furball and the kneeling Gantang with a mixture of surprise and confusion.
“What’s going on here?”