“Ahhh, looks like we’re not making it back tonight.”

Night had poured down like spilled ink, and the far-north wind sliced like thin knives, so Dreamsound booked us a hotel up here.

“Sis Qing… has Tangxue not snapped out of it yet?” Xuanxiao asked, worry pooling in her eyes like dark water.

Little Shengsheng sat like a doll set on a shelf, dolled up in a mini Lolita princess dress; baby-soft cheeks dusted pink, and those once-bright eyes unfocused like misted glass.

“Don’t worry,” Dreamsound said, breezy as a spring wind, “I’ve seen this before. Let her rest a bit and the cloud will pass.”

Qingsheng Tangxue’s body suddenly shivered, like a leaf in a night breeze, then stilled again.

“Besides,” Dreamsound added, fox-smile curling like a crescent moon, “isn’t this even better? When we hit the bath later—eheh.”

“What are you plotting, you old hag, Dreamsound!” I blurted, heat sparking like flint.

“Aww, not pretending anymore, little Shengsheng?” She pouted, a kitten voice rubbing against me. “You were just cuddled in Mama’s arms, and now you toss me aside, boo-hoo.”

“As for what I’m plotting… what do you think, little Shengsheng?” Dreamsound’s gaze traced my flushed cheeks like a tongue of flame, and she actually licked her lips.

…They’re way too experienced, Xuanxiao thought, a bead of amusement glinting like dew.

A multi-person bath… It used to be just me and Dreamsound, two petals in one pool. Now Xuanxiao-jie joins—her figure’s so good, she’s pushing a C-plus; not Dreamsound-tier, but a half-veiled dragon maiden is still lightning under silk.

White hair, a dragon maiden, an epic bust, and group play—too much fire for one hearth!

I whipped my head away like a startled bird. My face had to be scarlet, a coal under snow, right?

I could feel the heat blooming on my skin, a feverish peach.

I kind of wanted to go… but how do I say it without sounding thirsty, like rain begging the cloud?

Sigh, Shengsheng’s too shy, Dreamsound mused, her thoughts flowing like tea. We can soak at home as long as we want, but this is her first time since she fully transformed. Before, it was only a tail… and so tiny. I need a plan.

Xuanxiao watched our dazed faces, but her mind spun like a pinwheel in a mountain breeze.

Hot springs, hot springs! A super-rare mother-daughter combo—awsl, I’m gonna die of cute! A tall loli paired with a pocket-sized loli—my sanity meter’s empty! No, I’ve gotta trick little Tangxue into soaking!

“So, um… this hotel’s a very special hot spring hotel,” she said, voice light as bamboo chimes. “Didn’t Sister Qing already book the whole place? It’d be a waste not to go, right, Sister Qing?”

“Mhm, mhm, it cost ten purple gold coins,” Dreamsound nodded, casual as sunlight. The imperial treasury was basically in Qingyu Mengyin’s hands; this was pocket change. But Shengsheng didn’t know that.

“I…” If I agree right away, won’t it sound like I’m the one eager to jump into the fire? Maybe I should dance around it.

“But I’m so tired today,” I tried, words dragging like a sleepy cat. “We ran around a lot. I don’t want a soak…”

“You don’t even have to mo— I mean, a hot spring isn’t the same as a regular bath,” Xuanxiao backpedaled, cheeks puffing like little sails. “Hot springs are for relaxing, okay? Right, Sister Qing?”

“Mhm!” Dreamsound chimed, bright as a bell.

Now I didn’t want to go… It felt like I’d be volunteering to warm someone’s bed, a little kettle set on their stove.

“Also, this place’s milk bath is world-famous,” Xuanxiao added, eyes gleaming like stars caught in jade. “They keep the milk’s nutrients, make it silky not sticky, and it smells sweet as fresh cream. Most folks have to book way ahead!”

“Milk bath? Is this the White Moon Pavilion that everyone talks about?” Back when I was Ling Yehan, an adventurer, the line I heard most was, “Man, if I could soak in the White Moon Pavilion’s milk bath just once.”

“It is! And this is the very first White Moon Pavilion—the main pavilion,” Xuanxiao said, brimming with pride like a peony in full bloom.

“I want it, I want it—I want the milk bath!” I burst out, a spring bubbling through stone. The legendary main pavilion’s milk bath—one soak said to be life well lived! I never even knew where the main pavilion was; the rumor said you had to search the branches one by one. I did search… but I never finished.

She’s hooked, she’s hooked! Xuanxiao nearly giggled out loud, a sparrow hiding laughter in its wings. If I’d known Tangxue hadn’t been to the main pavilion, I would’ve pitched this spot the second we arrived. No need to fish—this one jumped into the basket.

“Let’s notify the staff first,” Dreamsound said, clapping once like a soft clap of thunder. “Have them prepare.”

“Okay, I’ll go, I’ll go!” Right now, I didn’t care about anything—just let me soak in that milk like a snowflake sinking into cream.

“Aww, little Shengsheng’s that eager?” Dreamsound sang, eyes curling like crescents. “Then you and Xuanxiao go. She’ll guide you; you’d get lost. I’ll prep the bathrobes and such.”

“Alright then, let’s go, little Tangxue!” Xuanxiao chimed, hand reaching like a warm ribbon.

“Got it…”

We left the room together, our footsteps tapping like rain on stone. Later Xuanxiao told me her room was on the other side—she’d just come to help tidy up.

“Xuanxiao-jie, um… what kind of person was Meng… before?” I asked, heart fluttering like a moth at a lantern.

“‘Meng’… You mean Sister Qing?” She tilted her head, smile soft as cherry petals. “She used to be very cold. Like a… doll without feelings? Mmm, harsh, but pretty true.”

Huh? You’re telling me that Qingyu Mengyin—the weirdo, the kitchen disaster, and a little bit black-bellied—is a feelingless doll? You’re kidding me, right?

“Don’t give me that look, little Tangxue,” she laughed, voice tinkling like beads. “I’m just being honest. But these past years, Sister Qing’s changed a lot—way more cheerful, like snow melting into spring.”

“Ah, we’re here,” she said as lights bloomed ahead like lanterns. “I’ll talk to the lady at the desk. You wait here, okay?”

“I’m coming with you.” I gripped her hand, firm as an anchor.

I didn’t want to come for nothing.

“Alright, alright,” she grinned, pulling me along like a kite string. “If you can’t bear to part with big sis, then let’s go together!”

Xuanxiao’s social skill was scary-good—three sentences and the staff’s smiles opened like flowers, their respect rising like warm steam. They seemed to really respect her…

Well, duh! She didn’t even tuck her dragon tail away. Might as well write “I’m a dragon” on her face.

Once that was settled, Dreamsound already had the toiletries laid out, neat as ripples on a pond. All that was left was to wait for the staff to tell us the spring was ready.