Host! I told you to do a task! I didn't tell you to bbb.

"Squeak—"

The door was abruptly pushed open, and a woman's voice rang out before anyone else, carrying an unquestionable scrutiny:

"Please forgive me, young lady. I was just following orders. I apologize for any offense."

Liu Yunshu was startled and suddenly emerged from the water, using her right hand to snatch the robe from the wooden frame into her hand.

With a splash of water, she quickly draped her robe over herself, the wide hem instantly covering the opening of the bathtub completely.

She rolled over and lay on the edge of the tub, her long, wet hair clinging messily to her shoulders.

Water droplets rolled down his chin, spreading dark water stains on his clothes.

She looked up at the doorway, her eyes still moist and holding just the right amount of anger, yet her tone remained gentle:

"Sister, barging in like this is incredibly disrespectful."

The woman standing at the door was dressed in gray, with a cold and stern face, her sharp gaze sweeping across the corner of the room.

The air was filled with the rich fragrance of cold plum blossoms, and I couldn't detect the slightest unusual scent.

Her gaze finally fell on Liu Yunshu—her clothes were half wet, her posture awkward, looking every bit like a frightened young lady.

His brows furrowed slightly, but he still said firmly, "Please forgive us, young lady, but the wanted criminal we are tracking is seriously injured and his whereabouts are uncertain. We ask for your cooperation."

"A wanted criminal?"

Liu Yunshu lowered her eyes, her fingertips gently stroking the rim of the bucket, her tone tinged with grievance.

"Sister, please look, this room is only this big. Besides me, is there anyone else here?"

The woman in gray still had sharp eyes, her gaze sweeping over the shadows behind the screen.

They also swept under the bed and under the table, not even missing the cracks by the window.

The room was filled with the fragrance of cold plum blossoms, and apart from the moisture and scent of Liu Yunshu's clothes, there was no trace of masculinity.

Not to mention the smell of blood from a seriously injured person.

The woman in gray walked slowly toward the bathtub, her gaze fixed on the overflowing water stains on the rim of the tub like that of a hawk, her footsteps so light they were almost silent.

Liu Yunshu's heart stirred slightly, but her face showed even more grievance. She put her arms on the edge of the tub and locked her legs around the person.

The woman in gray stopped three feet away from the bathtub, her gaze fixed on the frothy, plum-scented bubbles floating on the surface of the water, her tone cold and hard:

"This bathwater smells strangely fragrant, young lady."

A cold glint flashed in Liu Yunshu's eyes, but her face showed even more grievance, her eyes slightly reddened, and her voice trembled with tears:

"What do you mean by that, sister? I've always loved taking baths with the scent of cold plum blossoms. Is that wrong?"

"You barged in without any explanation, searched me thoroughly, and now you even question my bathwater. Are you taking advantage of me because I'm alone and easy to bully?"

As she spoke, her shoulders trembled slightly, and her wet hair clung to her cheeks, making her look pitiful, which caused the gray-clad woman's imposing manner to falter.

As soon as Xiao Hanxing opened his eyes, he saw towering peaks and rolling hills. With the ripples of the blue waves, warm water vapor carrying the fragrance of cold plum blossoms wafted towards him.

The soft, delicate touch around his nose brought him back to his senses instantly, and his cheeks flushed red.

He could clearly feel the soft touch on his lips, carrying a faint scent of cold plum blossoms.

The warmth of the pool water made him forget the tightness in his chest, and even the sharp pain in his shoulder seemed to be relieved a bit.

He had never been so intimate before.

His whole body was stiff, but he couldn't bear to close his eyes, and the tips of his ears were burning hot.

Just then, Shen Runqing's clear voice came from the doorway: "Who are you! Why are you in front of my fiancée's door!"

"Brother Shen!" Taking advantage of the moment when the gray-clad woman turned her head, Liu Yunshu flicked her finger and gathered all the robes beside her to her chest.

At the same time, he subtly exerted force with his legs, firmly pressing Xiao Hanxing down underwater. "This woman barged in without saying a word!"

Shen Run frowned and took out the Shen family token from his pocket. The words "Shen Family" were engraved on the white jade token.

He thrust the token forward, his tone icy and stern:

"Open your eyes and look carefully! This is the Shen family's token. Miss Liu is my fiancée, Shen Run, and the eldest daughter of the Liu Family Manor! How dare you trespass into her room? Are you tired of living?"

The woman in gray's gaze fell on the translucent white jade tablet, her pupils contracted slightly, and her expression finally became somewhat solemn.

Both the Shen and Liu families are prominent clans in the Southeast martial arts world, with deep roots, and are not easily provoked by these assassins.

Moreover, the woman in front of them was Shen Run's fiancée. If things really turned sour, even if they were acting under orders, they wouldn't come out on good terms.

Her face darkened, but she still maintained her composure and said coldly:

"Young Master Shen, please calm down. We are under orders to track down wanted criminals, which is our duty. We did not mean to offend Miss Liu."

"Is it part of my duty?"

Shen Run stepped forward, his gaze sweeping over the woman in gray like a knife.

"Is your duty to break into women's private quarters and disturb their families? If I hadn't arrived in time, what other outrageous things would you have done?"

Mu Yunling also peeked out from behind Shen Run and mustered her courage to chime in:

"Exactly! Miss Liu was taking a bath peacefully, and you barged in—it's absolutely outrageous!"

The woman in gray was rendered speechless by the two men's retorts.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Liu Yunshu lying on the bathtub, her hair disheveled and her eyes red-rimmed, looking as if she had suffered a great injustice.

Knowing that it is impossible to conduct another search today, continuing the stalemate will only cause more trouble.

She gritted her teeth, clasped her hands in a fist salute to Shen Run and Liu Yunshu, and said, "What happened today was our recklessness. We hope that Young Master Shen and Miss Liu will forgive us."

After saying that, he glared fiercely at the room before quickly leaving with the men in black outside the door. Their footsteps soon disappeared at the end of the corridor.

Liu Yunshu only breathed a sigh of relief after confirming that the person had gone far away.

His tense body relaxed instantly, and the grievance and anger in his eyes faded, leaving only a sense of calm after surviving a disaster.

She raised her hand to tidy her wet hair and said gently to Shen Run, "Thank you for arriving in time, Brother Shen. Otherwise, I'm afraid I would have had a hard time getting away today."

Shen Run turned slightly to the side, his gaze falling on the ground, his ears turning red. "Yun Shu, are you... are you alright? Were you frightened?"

His tone was full of concern, but he dared not look up directly at her because he was concerned that she had not yet finished tidying up.

He subconsciously took half a step back towards the door to give her some space.

At this moment, Xiao Hanxing couldn't hold it in any longer and poked his head out of the water. Liu Yunshu was startled and instinctively turned her back to him while holding him.

"Yun Shu? What's wrong?" Shen Run looked at the shower curtain with a puzzled expression when he heard the noise.

"N-nothing." Liu Yunshu's back was tense, her voice carrying a hint of barely perceptible panic.

Xiao Hanxing felt dizzy and disoriented. Just as she recovered, she found herself with a pill in her mouth...

Xiao Hanxing's pupils contracted sharply, and she subconsciously pursed her lips...

"you!"

Liu Yunshu's back was ramrod straight, looking both ashamed and annoyed, yet she dared not raise her voice too much and could only lower it.

"Release your grip!"

Xiao Hanxing had never seen Liu Yunshu like this before; her usually bright almond-shaped eyes were now filled with shame and anger.

Like glass glistening with moisture, her gentle demeanor held a touch of vibrant anger, captivating him completely.

His Adam's apple bobbed. "Miss Liu, it's not that I don't want to loosen my grip, it's just that I'm too weak to move."

After saying that, he deliberately snuggled closer to her, his nose brushing against her fair neck.

The fragrance of plum blossoms mingled with her faint, refreshing scent, becoming even more pronounced.

Liu Yunshu felt a warm patch of skin against her chest, and even through the thin fabric, she could clearly feel the rise and fall of the other person's chest.

Her ear tips instantly felt like they were on fire, and she felt even more embarrassed and annoyed.

But fearing to alert Shen Run outside the door, she could only grit her teeth and lower her voice: "Xiao Hanxing! Don't push your luck!"

"How could I dare?"

Xiao Hanxing chuckled softly, his breath brushing against her ear, carrying a warm, moist sensation.

"I haven't had a chance to repay Miss Liu for the kindness of breathing on me just now, and now she's throwing herself into my arms like this. I don't know how to express my gratitude."

"Shut up!"

Liu Yunshu was both angry and embarrassed. She secretly pinched his waist lightly with her fingertips. The force was not strong, but it carried a strong warning meaning.

Xiao Hanxing winced in pain and groaned, but still refused to let go.

Instead, he took advantage of the situation and leaned close to her ear, his voice so low it was almost a whisper: "Miss Liu, the taste is quite good."

Upon hearing this, Liu Yunshu's cheeks instantly flushed red, like ripe cherries, and even her neck turned a light red.

"lecher!"

Liu Yunshu was filled with shame and indignation. She gathered her inner strength at her fingertips and was about to press the acupoints on his injured area.

Shen Run, standing outside the door, asked with concern, "Yun Shu, are you really alright? Should I come in and check on you?"

The question struck Liu Yunshu like a thunderclap, and she instantly withdrew her inner strength.

His back tightened further, and his voice carried a deliberate air of calm:

"No need! Brother Shen, I just accidentally knocked over the bath spoon. It'll be fine soon. Please wait outside for a moment."

"Okay, then we'll wait at the door. Call me anytime if you need anything."

Shen Run's voice carried a hint of worry, but he obediently refrained from pressuring her further.

Xiao Hanxing, inside the bathtub, heard everything clearly, her smile deepening as she deliberately teased him in a voice only the two of them could hear:

"Miss Liu, if your Brother Shen sees us like this, he'll probably chop me in half with his sword!"

"You still dare to talk back!"

Liu Yunshu gritted her teeth, but could only lower her voice.

"If you don't behave yourself, I'll cripple your martial arts right now!"

Her tone was harsh, but her eyes were filled with tears of shame and anger.

This outwardly strong but inwardly weak appearance shows no trace of the fierceness of a female knight-errant; instead, she resembles a fluffy little kitten, utterly adorable.

Xiao Hanxing's heart stirred, and he actually became more obedient.

He leaned on her shoulder, his voice softer, carrying a hint of weak sincerity:

"Alright, I won't move. It's just that my internal energy is disordered and I really can't hold on any longer. Miss Liu, please allow me to lean on you for a moment."

Feeling the rapid breathing and slight trembling of the person in front of her, Liu Yunshu knew that what he said was true.

He must have exhausted his strength from that chase.

The shame and annoyance in her heart gradually faded, leaving only helplessness. She could only stiffly maintain the posture and let him lean on her.