Peninsula: I run a bed and breakfast on Jeju Island

"Go back," she said.

"Hmm." Li Ran also stood up and stretched her legs, which had gone numb from squatting.

The two walked up the slope, the wind pushing them from behind, making the walk a little easier than the way up.

As she walked, Choi Jin-ri looked down at her shoes.

The front half of my shoes was wet from the seawater, making them a bit heavy to walk on. With each step, a little water seeped out from the soles, leaving two shallow wet marks on the gravel path.

"Your shoes are soaking wet?" Li Ran glanced down.

"Just a little ahead." She kicked her toes. "It's alright."

Choi Jin-ri reached the top of the slope and looked back at the sea.

It was still that deep blue, and the waves were still coming one after another, nothing had changed.

She turned around and followed Li Ran's steps.

The gravel path crunched underfoot, and the sea breeze swirled around the treetops, ruffling the leaves.

The gate to the yard was open, and Xiao Hei was lying at the entrance, basking in the sun.

Hearing footsteps, it raised its head and slapped its tail twice on the ground.

Once inside the courtyard, she squatted down at the door, took off her shoes, and carried them into the house.

Her socks were wet and stuck to the insteps of her feet. She pulled them off and stepped barefoot onto the wooden floor of the corridor.

Li Ran rummaged through the shoe cabinet and pulled out a pair of slippers, handing them to her. "Wear these for now."

She took it, put it on the ground, and put it on. "I'm going to wash my feet."

"I'll go get you a basin," Li Ran said.

The guesthouse is equipped with a dedicated washbasin and foot basin.

These were all purchased when Li Ran opened her business.

Choi Jin-ri casually filled a basin with cold water.

She prepared to wash the mud off her feet first.

She put her feet in the basin and gently rubbed them, removing the sand and salt that were attached to them.

Is the water cold?

"It's alright." She switched feet. "The water in Jeju Island is quite nice, it's rather soft."

"You've researched this?" Li Ran raised an eyebrow.

I found it while washing my hair.

She rubbed her ankles with her hands. "Before, in Seoul, the water was a bit hard in winter, and my hair felt rough after washing it. It's better here."

Li Ran hummed in agreement and turned to get hot water. "Soaking my feet in it will make me feel more comfortable."

She took two tissues and pressed them against her feet, first absorbing the water droplets between her toes, then wiping down her feet to her ankles.

The tissue tickled her skin, and she curled her toes slightly.

Choi Jin-ri put on the slippers next to her.

Brin appeared out of nowhere, sniffed at her feet, and then walked away.

She glanced down. "What? Brin, you think my feet stink?"

Li Ran, who was standing nearby, couldn't help but chuckle softly.

"What are you laughing at?" She turned around and glanced at him.

"No, you misheard. Besides, how could your feet smell?"

"Have you smelled it?"

"Uh..." Li Ran was somewhat speechless.

"Tsk." She sat down on the sofa.

Brin paced around, jumped onto the armrest next to her, turned around, and sat down.

Choi Jin-ri turned her head to look at it, then suddenly leaned closer and sniffed its neck.

Li Ran brought over a bowl of hot water and saw her doing this. "What are you doing?"

She frowned. "It's a bit oily."

Li Ran placed the basin at her feet and leaned closer to Blin.

Indeed, it has a slightly cloying corn chip flavor.

"It looks like it's producing a lot of oil." He straightened up.

"It's time to give it a bath." Choi Jin-ri nodded.

She used her fingers to lift the folds under Brin's neck, and her fingertips brushed against something oily.

How often did you used to shower?

"I usually wash it once every one to two weeks." She wiped her hands on the paper.

Brin sat on the armrest, completely oblivious to the discussion about it. It simply scratched its ear with its hind paw and continued to sit upright, looking noble.

"Then, should we wash it later?" Li Ran asked.

"Hmm, it needs a wash." Choi Jin-ri stretched out her foot to test the water temperature in the basin. "I remember last time I bathed Xiao Hei, the shower gel was almost empty, right? Did you buy some later?"

"I think I bought a bottle when I bought cat food," he thought for a moment, "and I think I put it in the cupboard."

She nodded, put her feet in the basin, and leaned back on the sofa.

She breathed a sigh of relief as the hot water washed over her feet.

Xiao Hei wandered over from the corridor, sniffed around the basin, and was gently pushed away by Li Ran with a kick. "Go away, don't spill it."

It moved half a step to the side, squatted down, stuck out its tongue, and stared at the water basin.

"What? You want a drink?"

He patted Xiao Hei's head.

Choi Jin-ri pointed at him and gave him a light, disdainful look.

Li Ran smiled.

"By the way," Choi Jin-ri glanced down at Xiao Hei, "how long has it been since Xiao Hei took a bath?"

Li Ran thought for a moment, "Last time..."

He paused for a second.

"It seems to be the 19th. It's been almost five days."

"Then it's time to wash it."

Choi Jin-ri looked down at the little black dog sitting next to her, its tail sweeping the floor.

It tilted its head back, its bright black eyes sparkling, looking as if it knew nothing at all.

She reached out and patted its head, then rubbed its ears a couple of times with her fingertips.

"Since they're going to be washed anyway, let's just do them both at the same time."

She pulled her feet out of the basin. "Could you find the shower gel for me?"

"I'll catch them."

Li Ran glanced at Xiao Hei, then at Brin, who had moved to a different spot and was completely unaware of the impending major event, and nodded. "Okay."

Brin was easy to hold. When Choi Jin-ri carried her into the bathroom, she only struggled a couple of times before giving up and letting her hold her.

Xiao Hei is a different matter.

As soon as Cui Zhenli squatted down next to it, it started to back away, its tail drooping down and its eyes darting around, clearly looking for a way out.

"Little Black, come here." She clapped her hands.

Xiao Hei moved one step to the left.

"Suckling, come here."

It moved one step to the right.

Li Ran stood in the hallway, holding up the shower gel. "Should I do it?"

"Can you catch it?"

"Emmmm..." He pursed his lips.

Sometimes, Xiao Hei sneaks away so fast to avoid taking a bath that he's not always sure he can get away with it.

Choi Jin-ri pursed her lips, squatted down again, and reached out her hand. This time, she didn't rush to grab it, but just stood there and waited.

Xiao Hei stared at her hand for a while, then took a step forward and sniffed it.

She took the opportunity to hug it.

Little Black immediately began to struggle, pawing wildly with its claws and howling.

"Alright, alright, just a shower." She steadied herself, stood up, and said, "Go get the hot water."

Li Ran first went into the bathroom to adjust the water temperature, then turned around to take Xiao Hei, holding it between her elbows to free her hands.

Xiao Hei was still struggling, but the effort was less, probably because it had resigned itself to its fate.

Choi Jin-ri first put Brin in and then used the showerhead to start rinsing her from her back.

Brin stood in the bathtub, her skin even more wrinkled after getting wet, curled up in a ball, and made a low protesting sound in her throat.

"Good girl, Brin," she patted its head, "you'll be fine after the wash."

Brin turned his head to the side, refusing to look at her.

Li Ran pressed Xiao Hei down next to the bathtub and used another showerhead to spray water on its back.

Each bathroom in this guesthouse has two showerheads.

Li Ran didn't know why either.

Throughout the entire process, Xiao Hei had a look of resignation, with its ears pressed against its head, its tail tucked between its legs, and its eyes filled with sorrow.

"Wash under your neck." Choi Jin-ri turned her head and looked. "The oil is in the folds."

"Little Black probably doesn't have much oil, right?"

"The same goes for Xiao Hei; check behind his ears, there's definitely some there too."

Li Ran flipped up Xiao Hei's ears and looked at them, touching them with his fingertips. They were indeed oily. He didn't say anything, but moved the showerhead closer to Xiao Hei.

The sound of running water filled the bathroom, mixed with the intermittent low humming of Brin and the occasional whimper of Little Black.

The heat rose up and fogged up the mirror.