The Back Scrub Dilemma

Xiang Qing’s internal scales immediately tipped, after observing Shen Lanzhi diligently mopping the floor and then Gu Wei, who appeared utterly serene on the sofa, as if untouched by the world.

It has always been said that actions speak louder than intentions, for if intentions were judged, no one in this world would be flawless.

Who cared what sordid thoughts might be brewing in her mind?

Who cared if she was merely putting on an act to curry favor?

The truth remained: she was genuinely helping her with the chores, sharing her burden, and even standing up to that insufferable pervert!

This was undeniably a good person!

She was practically her savior!

Compared to that villain, who only gaslit her, forced her into humiliating outfits, and delighted in her misery, Shen Lanzhi was nothing short of a living Bodhisattva, descended to guide all sentient beings!

The more Xiang Qing pondered, the more deeply moved she became.

Having been ostracized and bullied since childhood purely for her beauty, she had long grown accustomed to the cold indifference and malice that often existed between people.

Her intense love for money stemmed from a simple truth: money wouldn’t betray her, nor would it inflict pain.

She rejected and feared love, deeming it nothing more than an ethereal illusion.

Yet now, as Shen Lanzhi’s affection, brimming with clear intentions and laced with calculated motives, was offered to her, her long-frozen heart actually stirred with a faint tremor.

‘Damn it!’

‘This was bad!’

She felt like someone on the brink of death from thirst in a desert, acutely aware that the bottle of water before her might be poisoned, yet unable to resist the overwhelming urge to lunge forward and drain every last drop.

‘This sensation of being cared for, of being protected—it wasn’t so bad, was it?’

Xiang Qing’s nose began to ache faintly, and her eyes inexplicably welled up with redness.

Swiftly, she lowered her head, scrubbing the floor with fervent determination, hoping to mask her burgeoning emotions with strenuous physical labor.

A deranged, perverted creditor, and a sophisticated, manipulative ‘green tea’.

‘Had she somehow stumbled into a den of vipers?’

Through their combined efforts, the luxurious mansion swiftly transformed, gleaming as if brand new.

Xiang Qing collapsed onto the sofa, utterly exhausted, her waist aching so severely it felt entirely alien to her.

Shen Lanzhi, also glistening with sweat, considerately offered Xiang Qing a cup of warm water before settling down herself, gently massaging Xiang Qing’s back.

“You worked hard, Xiao Qing.”

“You too, Sister Lanzhi,” Xiang Qing replied, her gratitude heartfelt.

Just as this brief moment of warmth and harmony settled, an untimely voice shattered the peace.

Gu Wei, having seemingly removed her headphones at some point, stretched languidly, rotated her neck, then closed her laptop and set it aside.

As she rose, her wine-red silk robe gracefully slid, revealing her long, fair legs.

Clad in fluffy slippers, she approached Xiang Qing step by deliberate step, her gaze imperious.

“Well done.”

Gu Wei nodded with a satisfied air, then a malicious smirk curled her lips.

“The cleaning is done, now it’s time for a bath.”

Extending a finger, she beckoned with a light, teasing curl.

“Darling, come here, scrub my back.”

Xiang Qing was utterly dumbfounded.

Collapsed on the sofa, she felt half of her recently depleted energy instantly drain away once more, leaving only her soul fluttering disoriented in the wind.

‘Scrub… scrub her back?’

“But…”

Xiang Qing’s brain crashed for a full three seconds before successfully rebooting.

She struggled to sit up from the sofa, only for a sharp pang in her waist to send her tumbling back down.

“CEO Gu,” she began, “I’m a housekeeper, responsible for domestic services… surely ‘scrubbing your back’ isn’t within my scope of duties?”

‘That was a special service! It required extra pay!’

‘No, even with extra pay, she wouldn’t do it!’

“And why wouldn’t it be within your scope of service?”

Gu Wei crossed her arms, her stance utterly righteous.

“You are responsible for my daily needs here: my food, clothing, shelter, and mobility.

My bathing is an integral part of ‘shelter and mobility.’

Therefore, asking you to scrub my back is merely requesting assistance with my bath.

The logic is flawless, without a single loophole.”

Xiang Qing could only stare.

‘Your logic, much like your mental state, was undeniably a little deranged.’

“This… this isn’t appropriate, is it?”

Xiang Qing’s face crumpled into a knot of dismay.

Dressed in this utterly humiliating cat-girl outfit, with the bell on her neck still jingling, was she really expected to go and scrub someone’s back?

The image was too vivid, too mortifying, for her to even contemplate.

“What could possibly be inappropriate?” Gu Wei retorted, impatiently pursing her lips.

“It’s merely scrubbing a back.

What kind of lewd thoughts are swirling in your mind?

Or could it be…”

She suddenly lowered her voice, her tone laden with ambiguous teasing.

“You actually rather want something to happen?”

Xiang Qing flinched, shaking her head with the frantic rhythm of a rattle drum.

“No! Absolutely not!”

Just then, Shen Lanzhi, who had been silently massaging Xiang Qing’s back, slowly spoke, her voice so exquisitely gentle it seemed capable of coaxing water from a stone.

“Xiao Qing, don’t be afraid.”

She patted Xiang Qing’s shoulder reassuringly, then rose, a knowing, understanding smile gracing her lips as she turned to Gu Wei.

“Since CEO Gu has this particular need, it would indeed be difficult for Xiao Qing, as her housekeeper, to refuse.”

‘Xiang Qing: ?’

‘Sister Lanzhi, you’ve changed!’

‘Weren’t you here to save me?’

‘Why are you siding with the tyrant now?’

Completely unperturbed by Xiang Qing’s stunned gaze, Shen Lanzhi continued with her gentle smile: “However, Xiao Qing might feel a little shy going in alone.

How about this: I’ll accompany Xiao Qing inside.”

She paused, then unveiled a proposition that instantly petrified both Xiang Qing and Gu Wei.

“Xiao Qing can scrub your back, and I can scrub Xiao Qing’s back.

We’re all girls, after all; helping each other like this is perfectly normal, wouldn’t you agree?”

The air in the entire living room solidified, thick with unspoken shock.

Xiang Qing’s mouth hung open wide enough to swallow an egg.

‘What kind of divine maneuver was this?’

‘A Russian doll-style back scrub?’

‘This woman’s level of cunning was utterly beyond her comprehension!’

“Shen Lanzhi!”

Gu Wei was the first to snap out of her stupor, exploding on the spot.

“What are your intentions?

You just want to see my darling without clothes!

Let me tell you, there’s no way that’s happening!”

“Oh my,” Shen Lanzhi exclaimed, feigning surprise as she covered her mouth, yet her beautiful eyes held not a hint of genuine astonishment, only the clear understanding of someone who saw through everything.

“How could CEO Gu possibly think such a thing of me?

I merely feel for Xiao Qing and wished to help alleviate her burden.”

Her tone shifted, becoming soft yet subtly sharp.

“Furthermore, by having Xiao Qing scrub your back, isn’t CEO Gu’s true objective to witness her in a state of awkward shyness?

We are, in essence, quite similar.”

Gu Wei choked on the retort, her chest heaving with indignation.

“You…”

“What ‘you’?” Shen Lanzhi countered, not yielding an inch.

“If you’re unwilling, then so be it.

Xiao Qing has worked hard all day; she can simply go rest.”

Witnessing the two women on the verge of another argument because of her, Xiang Qing felt a pounding headache coming on.

‘Enough! This was truly enough!’

“Stop!” Xiang Qing exclaimed, unable to endure it any longer, abruptly sitting upright on the sofa.

“I’ll go! Is that not good enough?”

If she allowed these two to continue bickering, she genuinely feared they might tear the roof off the house.

To prevent the conflict from escalating, Xiang Qing took a deep breath and proposed a compromise.

“Sister Lanzhi, please wait for me outside.

I… I’ll go in and scrub CEO Gu’s back.”

She gritted her teeth, adding, “But I must remain clothed!

I’ll… I’ll just scrub from the side; I cannot be naked!”

This was, unequivocally, the greatest concession she could possibly make.

Upon hearing this proposal, Shen Lanzhi’s face displayed a complex expression, a blend of heartache and regret, yet she still nodded.

“Very well, Xiao Qing.

I’ll be right outside.

If she dares to bully you, simply call out to me.”

Gu Wei, meanwhile, stood with her arms crossed, her eyebrow arched as she scrutinized Xiang Qing for several seconds.

‘Scrubbing a back while clothed?’

While it certainly diminished the entertainment value, it was still preferable to letting that ‘green tea’ Shen Lanzhi have her way.

“Fine,” Gu Wei conceded, a faint twitch of her lips signifying her reluctant agreement.

“Then it’s settled.”

The bathroom was ridiculously expansive, practically larger than Xiang Qing’s entire previous rental apartment.

A colossal circular bathtub occupied the center of the room, flanked by a floor-to-ceiling window that offered sweeping views of the city beyond.

Gu Wei stepped inside, and, without a moment’s hesitation, casually untied the belt of her silk robe right in front of Xiang Qing.

The wine-red silk robe cascaded like liquid from her smooth shoulders, pooling onto the floor.

The very next second, a body so breathtakingly perfect it was almost suffocating was laid bare, without a hint of reservation, before Xiang Qing.