The Embarrassing Hot Spring and a Sudden Collapse

Bai Qiao’s face burned crimson. The scantily clad girls opposite her, coupled with the steaming hot spring, made her feel as though she might boil over.

She pressed her hands tightly against her chest, yet found herself unable to retreat from the awkward situation. A strangely subtle tension hung in the air.

Having never encountered such a scene, Bai Qiao was utterly lost, simply standing there dumbfounded. Her arms were wrapped tightly around her chest, her elbows brushing against the soft swell of her breasts.

The hot spring water made her skin incredibly smooth and slick. The more Bai Qiao tried to ignore this sensation, the more acutely aware of it she became.

A drop of blood fell. Bai Qiao stood there, mortified. She didn’t even hear the people beside her calling out, telling her to uncover herself and use a towel.

It wasn’t until someone gently tugged her arm that Bai Qiao finally snapped back to reality. Seeing a towel offered to her, she fumbled to wrap it around herself.

As her mind cleared slightly, Bai Qiao realized her face was burning an alarming red. She quickly lowered her head, hoping to conceal her flushed cheeks.

In her flustered state, she was grasped by the arm and pulled towards the very center of the pool. The steam here was noticeably denser, intensifying the natural fragrances of the women bathing around her.

The overwhelming scents made it difficult for Bai Qiao to breathe.

Before her, a cluster of girls not only enjoyed the hot spring but also playfully splashed water at each other, their surprised shouts and joyous laughter echoing through the air.

Bai Qiao considered closing her eyes, but quickly realized it only made things worse. Based on the sounds alone, her imagination conjured images far more daunting than reality.

A fresh wave of heat surged through Bai Qiao’s body, rushing to her brain and plunging her into a dazed, confused state.

She quickly shook her head, forcing herself to regain a semblance of clarity. Bai Qiao looked up—

*Pfft!*

‘For a boy, there was nothing more exhilarating than watching two girls playfully untie the towels wrapped around them, their cheerful giggles filling the air.’

“Th-that… I’m not feeling well. I-I’ll just go first…”

She stammered out the words quickly, then turned, intending to leave. However, a sudden grip on her hand startled Bai Qiao.

“Come play with us! What’s there to be shy about?”

“No, no, no…” Bai Qiao babbled incoherently, desperate to escape.

“Alright, Huayu, just let her go.” A girl pulled Huayu’s hand.

Bai Qiao swiftly turned and hurried towards the exit. She vaguely heard snickers about her lack of experience, calling her a country bumpkin, but it hardly mattered. She was finally free.

Slowly, she climbed out of the hot spring pool and stumbled into the nearby room. A wave of exhaustion washed over her once more.

Lately, she had been feeling constantly fatigued, lacking the energy to move. Even her internal energy seemed to be slowly draining. Since it wasn’t severe, Bai Qiao hadn’t paid it much mind.

However, this time, the weariness felt more intense than usual, perhaps exacerbated by her recent overwhelming emotions.

The encroaching exhaustion was impossible to suppress. Bai Qiao’s vision blurred, and she collapsed onto the floor.

“Ugh…”

She slowly opened her eyes. The surroundings were so familiar. Rubbing her eyes, she wondered, ‘This is… I’m back, aren’t I?’

The door creaked open, letting in a gust of cold wind that made Bai Qiao instinctively pull her body tighter.

A figure slowly approached from the doorway—a silhouette so familiar, a physique she had seen reflected in her mirror countless times.

“What are you doing here?”

Bai Chen’s face was clouded with gloom as he looked at the pale Bai Qiao. For a moment, he was unsure what to say. Should he scold her for not taking her medicine? What good would that do? The medicine was already gone.

Moreover, seeing Bai Qiao in such a state, Bai Chen genuinely couldn’t bring himself to utter a single reproach. His lips parted, then closed, finally managing only a single sentence:

“Get some rest…”

“What was that all about? So inexplicable,” Bai Qiao muttered to herself, watching Bai Chen’s retreating figure.

Deep into the night, the vast palace, particularly the grand, ornate castle at its heart, exuded an aura of solemn majesty.

“Who?!”

The guard, unable to react in time, was decapitated instantly. A dark shadow darted through the night sky, making its way directly to the entrance of the grandest palace.

“Hah… hahaha! You’ve arrived, my beloved Bai Chen…”

“Save her…” Bai Chen’s face was grim as he stared at Mo Xiao.

****