Don't mess with that Miao boy, he's sickly and perverted.

Chai Xiaomi quietly took a breath, barely managing to suppress the pounding emotions surging within her.

He then straightened his expression and asked, looking behind the screen, "Are you asleep?"

"If you soak like this any longer, the water will get completely cold. Hurry up and get out and dry yourself off, or you'll catch a cold."

"......good."

As expected, it had just woken up and was unusually well-behaved.

Normally, he would usually give her a sarcastic remark with a half-smile, "You're worrying about nothing," and then boast about how strong and healthy he was, unaffected by heat or cold, unlike her, who was weak and frail.

Chai Xiaomi rested her chin on her hand, leaning over the table, listening to the sound of water and the rustling noises, and couldn't help but feel a little sentimental.

I don't know when it started, but I've come to understand Wu Li's temperament so well.

Wu Li, holding onto the edge of the tub, slowly stood up from the water.

I don't even know when I fell asleep.

Perhaps due to severe internal injuries, within a single day, he first forcibly interrupted the earth vein's Gu, resulting in a backlash, and then used Gu again, causing a palm-sized blackish-purple poison mark to accumulate on his chest, which lingered for a long time.

Water droplets slid down the firm texture and fell back into the bucket.

He raised his hand and used a dry handkerchief to wipe the water off his body, and a few white jasmine petals that were stuck to his skin drifted down and floated on the water.

As the ripples gently spread, a faint fragrance quietly wafted out.

He gazed quietly at the few petals and suddenly understood why she always carried that gentle, sweet fragrance—she always bathed in them.

He suddenly remembered that along the way, she always loved to pick all kinds of flower petals, carefully wrap them up and keep them.

There happened to be dozens of jasmine plants planted next to the inn.

It looks like she messed it up too.

Just now, I was immersed in warm water, surrounded by this familiar, refreshing fragrance. For some reason, I felt as if I had fallen into the soft, warm embrace of that dark night.

His consciousness was in a state of chaos, and then he slowly closed his eyes.

He guessed silently that's when he fell asleep.

In the blink of an eye, he had already put on his inner garment and tied his belt.

Just as she was about to reach for her outer robe, she heard a hurried voice from behind the screen: "Don't put it on yet! I have a treasure to show you."

"..." Wu Li paused, remained still for a few seconds, and wondered what it had to do with whether he was wearing clothes or not.

He scoffed, "What treasures could you possibly have? Rice cakes or taro pastries?"

The familiar mockery, the familiar formula.

Chai Xiaomi was now certain that this person was completely awake.

"A genuine treasure!"

A voice came from behind, revealing a hint of undisguised smugness.

Wu Li looked up and saw that she had tilted her head out from behind the screen. Her hair was loose and disheveled, obviously tied up casually after taking a bath, but it made her face look even more charming and innocent.

Chai Xiaomi originally judged by his shadow that he had put on his inner clothes before she dared to peek out.

But upon looking, she was stunned:

"You! Why didn't you ask the waiter to change the water?"

The tub full of floating jasmine petals... it was clearly the bathwater she had just used!

Her heart pounded, and she suddenly felt a rush of heat to her cheeks.

"It's perfectly clean, no need to change it, what's the big deal?" Wu Li glanced at her, her almond-shaped eyes wide with disbelief.

He smiled almost imperceptibly and said softly, "The mountain streams have been trodden by countless people and drunk from by countless beasts, yet you still use them to wash your hands. I haven't complained, so why are you in such a hurry?"

"This isn't about being dirty!" Chai Xiaomi's face turned red, and her chest heaved slightly.

Moreover, the water wasn't dirty to begin with. She had taken a bath first, then filled a bucket with clean water before laying the flower petals.

When she finished soaking, she parted the flower petals, and the water was still crystal clear.

But... but when she thought about how the warm water that had just soaked her had also enveloped him, she felt a strange sense of shame, as if her private territory had been violated.

hateful!

What's she acting so shy about?!

Now it's your turn to be ashamed, you brat!

Chai Xiaomi grabbed his hand and swaggered towards the bed, saying, "Come here!"

Wu Li was confused and let her lead him over, where she was pressed down onto the bed.

He leaned leisurely against the headboard, wanting to see what she was up to and what this so-called treasure was.

"Take off your clothes," she calmly commanded.

A crack suddenly appeared in the boy's calm and composed expression: "What are you going to do?"

"Have you forgotten the vow you made?" She raised her chin, signaling him to behave. "Right now, let me touch you. Do you want to take it off yourself, or should I help you?"

As she spoke, her slender, fair index finger hooked onto the tie on the side of his inner garment, circling it gently twice around her fingertip.

His breath hitched slightly, his eyelashes drooped, and his hands unconsciously tightened at his sides.

"What, do you want me to help you?" Seeing that he didn't say anything, Chai Xiaomi took a step forward, bent down slightly, but still maintained a downward posture.

She usually looked up at him, but this angle gave her a strange and subtle sense of pleasure.

The boy had just taken a bath, and his body was still damp with moisture. His deep, alluring eyes seemed to be imbued with the lingering warmth of the night, shimmering with a tender, hazy light.

He looked up at her, her delicate nose and chin catching his eye. A drop of water clung to her wet hair, slipping down and sliding into her collarbone.

And then, it just stayed there.

A sparkling little thing, nestled in the hollow of his collarbone, like a tiny shard of light hidden within.

Chai Xiaomi was engrossed in watching when he suddenly gently grasped her fingertips.

"Why must you take off your clothes?" He looked up, his eyes deep and unfathomable. "Why didn't you take off the shopkeeper's clothes earlier?"

"That's not the same thing!" she retorted, raising her eyebrows defiantly. "That was in public. Now I've backed down and agreed to settle things with you privately. What's wrong with taking off some clothes? It's just this little quirk of mine. You've already sworn an oath, do you think you can go back on your word?"

As she spoke, she lightly scratched his palm with her fingertips, her tone half mischievous and half urging: "A promise is a promise, Lili, you're not one to go back on your word, are you?"

Wu Li gripped her fingers tightly, preventing the slight itch from continuing to cause trouble.

His expression was somewhat strange. After hesitating for a moment, he said in a low voice, "Could we reschedule?"

Chai Xiaomi refused: "I want it today."

"Not today."

"Why not today?"

"I said no, and that means no."

The boy's tone hardened, leaving no room for negotiation.

"Alright then, I won't make things difficult for you." Chai Xiaomi pulled her finger out and nodded.

She turned around and muttered to herself as if talking to herself:

"I'll go talk to Chief Yan. His men in his escort agency are all strong and burly, with muscular physiques. Don't they always carry goods shirtless? If they don't mind—"

As soon as he took a step, his wrist was suddenly grabbed with great force, so tight that it almost crushed his bones.

Chai Xiaomi was pulled back violently and unexpectedly fell onto his lap.