Through the misty steam, porcelain skin gleamed before her eyes. Soaked strands of hair clung tightly to a smooth spine, their dark ink bleeding across pale flesh.

Water droplets slid from the ends of her hair, tracing down the unblemished back, outlining a slender waist and the soft curve below. Just one glimpse—utterly mesmerizing.

Jianglai stared at the bathroom door she’d slammed shut a second after opening it. A faint hope lingered: *If I hadn’t reacted so fast, Yingyu Chi would’ve seen everything.*

It wasn’t intentional, yet baring herself like this felt like deliberate temptation.

She’d already shown her sister-in-law too many shameful moments. Her dignity couldn’t survive another blow.

Dizziness from the hot bath had made Jianglai unsteady. She’d tried to stand from the tub to dry off and catch her breath—only to slip on the wet tiles and crash straight down.

Pushing herself up proved impossible. Her bottom throbbed painfully, as if she’d cracked a bone. Even the slightest shift sent sharp jolts through her, rooting her to the floor.

Tall and willowy with a narrow waist and long, straight legs—Jianglai had a model’s flawless frame. Not an ounce of excess anywhere. Yet to her, this perfection felt almost sickly.

*Too thin. One fall, and bones take the hit. No reserves to fight illness.* She’d always wanted her daughter to eat more. Now, she understood firsthand: a single slip left her utterly helpless.

After failing to rise several times, shame burning her cheeks, she called out to her sister-in-law waiting outside.

“Y-Yingyu… could you… help me?” Her voice was barely a whisper.

Yingyu Chi heard it clearly. “Come in?”

“Yes. I fell… can’t stand up…” Jianglai’s words trembled with pain—and something else.

Yingyu wasn’t fooled. Hearing Jianglai couldn’t even stand, she flung the door open. Seeing her sprawled on the floor, she rushed in and lifted her without hesitation.

Jianglai felt Yingyu’s body press close. Dry clothes turned damp against her skin, sealing them together. Heat radiated from Yingyu’s frame.

As Yingyu carried her, the pain vanished. Only Yingyu existed.

“Brother-in-law, I’ll take you to the couch. I’ve got a blanket—wrap up first. Where did you fall? Let me check.”

Yingyu held her tightly, all traces of playfulness gone. Only concern remained.

*If this weren’t an emergency…* The thought of holding Jianglai like this—naked and vulnerable—would’ve made her giddy. Now, only fear gripped her: *How badly is she hurt?*

“Watch your step—water on the floor. Be careful,” Jianglai murmured, face crimson despite her worry.

Cradled in Yingyu’s arms, her head dipped toward the crook of that shoulder. Yingyu’s scent filled her senses. Warmth. Softness. Jianglai’s breath hitched; her heart hammered. She’d never felt so exposed.

*A bath slip? Needing a princess carry?* All her authority as an elder had evaporated. She wanted to vanish.

“When you set me down… close your eyes?” Jianglai’s voice shrank to a whisper. She couldn’t meet Yingyu’s gaze. “We shouldn’t be this close…”

Yingyu nearly laughed. *“We shouldn’t be this close”?* Now?

“But we’re both girls now, brother-in-law. What you have, I have too. I know this body better than you do—every curve, every contour.”

Yingyu had never been drawn to women. Only Jianglai had ever held her heart. Now, in this new form, Jianglai’s body fascinated her—a masterpiece she longed to study.

Her attraction wasn’t to men or women. It was to Jianglai alone. A truth too dangerous to speak.

*What if I crossed that line? What would she think of me then?* Sometimes, Yingyu wished she were a stranger—someone free to chase this impossible love.

Near the couch, Yingyu shut her eyes as instructed. Jianglai wriggled onto the cushions and yanked the blanket tight.

“You can look now…”

Jianglai knew logically they shared the same anatomy. But this new body felt alien—even to herself. In the bath, she’d scrubbed with eyes closed, unable to face the reflection.

While Jianglai wrestled with modesty, Yingyu saw only injury.

“Where exactly did you fall? If it’s serious, we need a hospital.”

Silence stretched. Jianglai stammered, cheeks burning. “M-my… backside…”

Before she could finish, Yingyu’s urgent voice cut in:

“Lift up. Let me see. If you cracked a bone, it’s serious.”