Next door.
Keqing forced down her sense of shame, once again feeling that ultimate sensation from that night.
What's more, because she knew Xiangling was right beside her, this strange state of mind only made it all the harder for her to pull herself free.
Especially when she inadvertently caught sight of Xiangling covering her cheeks with her little hands, yet sneaking peeks through the gaps between her fingers.
She really wanted to stuff herself into a crack in the ground and never come out again!
However, what Keqing never imagined was that, next door, there were several other girls secretly watching too.
Ye Xi stroked Keqing's little head: "How about we call it here for today's soak?"
"I see your face is so red—the hot spring's temperature isn't low, and soaking too long will make you dizzy."
"Let me take you upstairs—turn in early today?"
Keqing shook her head and said, "I... I'd like to soak a little longer. There's no need for you to keep me company, Master."
"Why not go have a drink with Dehya and the others?"
She still had to take Xiangling to Ye Xi's room—if she left, what would become of Xiangling?
Hearing Keqing's words, Ye Xi pondered for a moment: "You don't need me to stay with you a while longer?"
He knew that at a time like this, a girl was very much in need of companionship.
To leave heartlessly would inevitably feel a bit like treating her as a tool to be used.
Keqing put her hands on her hips with a smile: "Master, I'm not that delicate. I'll soak a little longer and then head back!"
"Mm."
Ye Xi had originally planned to keep Keqing company a bit longer, but seeing her air of it being no big deal, he nodded in agreement.
After soaking for so long, going to have an ice-cold mint wine would be downright heavenly.
"Since you put it that way, then soak a while longer. This Master will go have a drink first."
Ye Xi rose to his feet, thoroughly pleased, and left the hot spring pool.
He dried himself off, changed into a bathrobe, and went back to the parlor to drink.
Watching Ye Xi's departing back, Keqing finally couldn't hold on any longer and slumped into the water all at once, like some sort of floating debris.
"Keqing, are you all right!"
Xiangling hurriedly came over and wrapped her arms around Keqing to keep her from sinking to the bottom.
Keqing let out a long sigh, her face and ears flushed crimson: "I'm fine, I'm fine—it's just that... I feel I've made a fool of myself in front of you."
"How could that be!"
Xiangling hurriedly shook her head: "Keqing, I think you're amazing! I..."
"Stop right there!"
Keqing covered her face: "Don't go on any further, or I'm really going to die of embarrassment!"
In a situation like this, saying anything at all felt so awkward!
It was too humiliating!
If Xiangling were already [family], then it would be a different matter.
After all, in that case, it wouldn't matter who came along.
But the Xiangling before her was still a young girl—it must have been a very strong visual shock for her.
She really couldn't show her face to anyone!
Xiangling gave a giggle and asked, "So, what should we do next?"
Before Keqing could answer, several figures suddenly burst into the hot spring, interrupting the two's secret scheming.
"Next, let us help you!"
It was Amber, walking in with Collei and the others.
"Eh——!?"
Keqing jumped with fright and hurriedly sat up primly, doing her best to look just as she usually did.
If everyone were to find out that just now she'd been here...
that would be losing face in the biggest way!
"Y-you all are...."
Xiangling was thrown into a bit of a fluster by these several people who had suddenly turned up.
Ningguang said, arms folded, "Don't worry. I've told them about your situation, and everyone's going to help you."
Hearing this, both Xiangling and Keqing breathed a sigh of relief.
Right after, everyone got acquainted with one another.
"Don't worry, Xiangling!"
"For the sake of getting to eat the feast you cook, we'll definitely help you!"
Xiangling hurriedly nodded: "Mm-hm!"
"Amber, and everyone, I'll definitely bring out my very best skills and cook you all a grand feast!"
While Xiangling and Amber and the others were talking it over, Yae Miko and Ningguang, off to the side, sized up Keqing with playful gazes.
Noticing these looks, Keqing felt thoroughly bashful inside.
"What are you... what are you looking at me for..."
Seeing Keqing's guilty-conscience look, Yae Miko didn't make any teasing remarks.
In truth, she could have laid her cards on the table entirely.
That way she'd get to see Keqing's coy, bashful look—it would be very amusing!
But she already understood Keqing.
If the joke went too far, it would inevitably backfire.
So she merely leaned in close to Keqing and gave a light sniff: "There's such a lovely fragrance on you~"
"A fox's nose is very keen, you know."
"Eh!? No! There's no smell at all!"
Keqing hurriedly sat back down into the water, terrified that Yae Miko would sniff out some clue.
Yae Miko lightly covered her little mouth and laughed.
On the other side.
Xiangling and Amber had hashed out a new plan.
"Next, all Xiangling has to do is quietly slip back into Master Ye Xi's room!"
"We'll handle covering for her, and on the side quietly let the others know about this."
After all, every night at home there'd be a girl coming to keep him company.
If they didn't let the other girls know Xiangling had come, someone might just blunder in by accident and spoil the surprise.
Tonight, after all, was the most important day for Xiangling!
"Thank you, everyone!"
Xiangling hadn't expected everyone to be so accepting of her, and to help her out so much!
This place truly was different.
In any other wealthy household of Liyue Harbor, the wives and concubines would all be vying for favor, scheming openly and in secret.
Yet in this household, things were actually so harmonious!
This atmosphere put her completely at ease.
She wouldn't have to worry about being ostracized by everyone in the future!
Not only that, she grew all the more eager for the wonderful life to come!
After the plan was settled, Eula suddenly pulled Amber aside.
"What is it, Eula!"
Amber was in high spirits, eager to help Xiangling carry out the plan.
She hadn't expected Eula to look so grave.
"Amber, I was thinking...."
"You're not even one of Ye Xi's little wives—why are you helping Xiangling?"
Eula couldn't help feeling that Amber was perhaps getting a little too excited.
No matter how you looked at it, Xiangling joining the family was Ye Xi's own domestic affair.
Both she and Amber were outsiders; for them to meddle like this was clearly inappropriate.
Of course, the reason she asked this was really just to find an objective-sounding excuse.
In truth, she had a little scheme of her own in mind.
She kept worrying whether, one day, Amber might suddenly come out of Ye Xi's room, then cling to Ye Xi's arm and call him [dear big brother].
It wasn't that she was worried about Amber being snatched away by Ye Xi—she was worried about being left behind herself.
By then, with both Collei and Amber having become Ye Xi's, she'd be all alone by herself—how lonely would that be?
So she really wanted to know what was on Amber's mind.
If Amber was going to fall for him, she wanted to get there before Amber did!
Hearing Eula's words, Amber knit her brows slightly and fell to pondering.
"Oh, right—why am I doing so much?"
Reminded like this, Amber came to her senses too.
It seemed she'd been thoroughly enjoying herself.
Seeing Amber lost in thought, Eula forced down her embarrassment and gave a dry cough: "Ahem..."
"Amber, don't tell me you've gone and fallen for that fellow Ye Xi too?"
"If you're going to fall for him, could you tell me in advance?"
....
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