Whispers in the Steam

To the bathhouse?

Jiang Li instinctively recoiled. “It’s a bit too crowded in there; perhaps we should just skip it.”

“It’s perfectly fine,” Xi Yao reassured her. “I took a peek before I came in; there are only about five or six people in each pool, so it’s quite spacious.”

‘Hmm, only one person per square meter, on average?’

Jiang Li silently ran the numbers in her mind, realizing that, on second thought, it might actually be quite acceptable.

“But to have several people bathing together, squeezed into one pool…”

“Everyone goes in wrapped in a bath towel,” Xi Yao explained, her tone persuasive. “You just tie the towel around yourself before getting into the water, exactly like soaking in an outdoor hot spring.”

‘Oh, is that how it works? I genuinely hadn’t paid attention before.’

As Jiang Li pondered this, a sudden thought struck her: if she were to appear in the bathhouse, perhaps no one would accuse her of clinging solely to Xi Yao anymore.

After all, there would be five or six other people in the pool!

“Alright then, let’s soak for a while.”

Xi Yao selected a bath pool that held only three occupants. Once she and Jiang Li joined them, the pool reached its perfect capacity of five people.

As Jiang Li settled into the bath pool for the very first time, the warm, gentle water enveloped her body. An indescribable sensation of comfort, radiating from within, flowing from her feet upwards, filled her — a feeling utterly unattainable from a mere shower.

“I’m coming in too.”

The girl beside her was wrapped in a bath towel… and while both were similarly draped, their figures were starkly dissimilar. Jiang Li’s towel effectively concealed everything it needed to, but Xi Yao’s…

With a resounding splash, the surrounding pool water surged upwards, a clear testament to her immense displacement.

It was akin to a certain aircraft carrier launching.

“Ah, this is pure bliss,” Xi Yao sighed, her eyes fluttering shut. “Nothing beats a good soak in the bath.”

Upon hearing her words, Jiang Li subconsciously turned her head to glance over, only to immediately behold two snow-capped mountains majestically floating on the steaming water’s surface.

They were vast and towering, the kind capable of sinking the Titanic.

The sight was utterly overwhelming, and Jiang Li, feeling a rush of embarrassment, hastily averted her gaze.

‘Next time I encounter my older sister, I’ll have to ask if this is the kind of sight that led to her eventual downfall.’

Having entered the water later, the two of them found that the three girls who had arrived beforehand were already deep in conversation, a short distance away.

Xi Yao and Jiang Li could clearly overhear their chatter.

“Who do you think will become president in this year’s student council elections?”

“Who else but the Yun girl from the third year? Hasn’t it already been decided?”

“Who are you talking about? Yun Caiyi?”

“Precisely, her.”

Xi Yao glanced back at Jiang Li, who returned her gaze with an expression as calm as an ancient well, undisturbed by ripples.

It was a look that clearly conveyed: ‘Don’t look at me; I have no idea, nor am I interested in such matters.’

“Her, the supposed third-year chief, right? Heh heh.”

The girl speaking wore an expression of utter disdain, a look that broadcasted “those who know, know.” The others, instantly grasping her meaning, exchanged knowing smiles.

“Indeed, there’s no way to compete with her.”

“Those in the third year truly lack backbone.”

“What good is backbone when money and advantages are all that matter?”

“Oh, forget it, forget it. I can’t be bothered to talk about them anymore.”

The girl waved a dismissive hand, just as she was about to shift the conversation, when her arm was gently nudged.

A soft, pleasant voice drifted over from beside her. “Hey, bro… ah, no, sis (TL Note: ‘Ge men’er’ is a casual term for ‘bro’ or male friend, while ‘Jie men’er’ is for ‘sis’ or female friend. Xi Yao initially used the male term before correcting herself.), could you elaborate on that a little?”

The girl turned her head, first catching sight of a pretty, endearing face emerging from the misty haze. Then, her gaze instinctively drifted downwards… ‘Whoa, good heavens, that’s enormous.’

“Elaborate on what, exactly?”

“I’ve only just started my second year, so there’s a lot I haven’t heard about,” Xi Yao said, blinking her eyes with an air of pure innocence. “Could you perhaps explain a little more thoroughly?”

The girl hesitated for a moment, then conceded, “Alright, alright, purely because you’re so… well-endowed… That Yun Caiyi from the third year, she was last year’s top student, she ranked first, you know that, right?”

“I do now,” Xi Yao replied, her concise answer neatly conveying the extent of her previous ‘cloudiness’ (TL Note: A playful way to express being clueless or out of the loop.).

“Knowing is enough, but do you happen to know what score she achieved to secure that first place?”

The girl made a small, dismissive gesture, then scoffed, “Six hundred and eighty-three! (Out of a total of 850, comprising 750 for academics and 100 for sports.)”

Another girl nearby chimed in, “Among all previous top students in Wenlu Academy’s high school division, the average score stands at 762. She’s nearly a hundred points below that.”

Xi Yao listened, utterly bewildered. “How could that be?”

“What else indeed?” the girl chuckled, a knowing glint in her eyes. “The top-performing students in the third year all encountered ‘issues’ with this exam. Some had their Chinese essays stray from the topic, others struggled with math, and then there were the truly outlandish cases where students inexplicably scored zero in sports. Their scores were, quite conveniently, all just below Yun Caiyi’s. What do you make of that?”

Xi Yao seemed to grasp her meaning. “Are you implying that they accepted favors from Yun Caiyi and deliberately sabotaged their own performance?”

“What else?” another girl piped up from beside them. “It’s an open secret, all for the sake of this student council election. She poured so much money and effort into it; she’s absolutely determined to win.”

“There’s no other way; no one else can compete with her. The advantage of being a third-year student is undeniable.”

The first girl, who had initially spoken, suddenly interjected, “I wouldn’t be so sure. Our legendary second-year student, Jiang Li, has every opportunity.”

Xi Yao subtly turned her head to steal a glance at Jiang Li. The girl with light, shoulder-length hair wore an utterly serene expression, betraying not the slightest hint of concern.

Nor, for that matter, any interest.

“The average score for previous top students is 762, yet her score is an astounding 821! Throughout the entire history of Wenlu Academy, only the university division’s goddess, Xi Ruo, can truly rival her,” the girl passionately declared, her composure somewhat frayed. “If Jiang Li were to step forward and run for election, she would undoubtedly have a tremendous chance. A mere Yun Caiyi, a charlatan who seeks fame through deceit, isn’t even worth mentioning!”

It was evident that this particular classmate possessed a powerful sense of justice, her emotions thoroughly invested in the discussion.

“Is… is that right?”

Xi Yao offered a couple of dry laughs, remaining noncommittal.

‘While Jiang Li is indeed exceptionally talented, her personality makes it highly unlikely she’d ever agree to become a student council president.’

Just then, Jiang Li quietly climbed out of the pool, then gently poked Xi Yao’s back. Her eyes seemed to convey a silent message: ‘Isn’t it time to leave?’

The girl felt profoundly uncomfortable, having her own affairs discussed by strangers.

“I’ve got something to attend to, so I’ll be heading off now, sis,” Xi Yao said, offering a farewell to the girl. “Next time I come, I’ll join you all for another chat.”

“Alright then, big-chested girl,” the girl replied with a hearty laugh. “Come back whenever you want to chat; I’ll tell you everything, holding nothing back.”

‘Enough said, we’re all damn (TL Note: ‘Ji ba’ is a vulgar Chinese slang term used for emphasis, akin to ‘damn’ or ‘f*cking’.) sisters here.’

Having dried themselves thoroughly and retrieved fresh clothes from their lockers, the two girls made their way toward the dormitory.

Today’s bath had been truly exceptional. Not only did it involve both a shower and a luxurious soak, but a scrubbing attendant had even assisted with their backs. This level of service was, without a doubt, absolutely top-tier.

As they walked back, Xi Yao casually inquired, “Jiang Li, do you have any interest in the student council elections?”

“None whatsoever,” Jiang Li replied without a moment’s hesitation. “Such things are nothing but trouble.”

Given her cool, detached personality, one that made her reluctant to even exchange a few extra words with classmates, forcing her into the role of student council president – leading numerous subordinates, and overseeing the organization and management of the entire high school student body – would surely be the death of her.

Xi Yao wasn’t surprised in the slightest; she had known all along that this would be her exact response.

“Let’s head back and get some sleep; that bath took up quite a bit of time.”

“Mm.”