Faced with the girl's astonished expression, I couldn't help staring blankly for a moment before hurriedly asking, "Are you all right now?"
She glanced at herself. Only her head was above the water, while her body was inside a huge bubble. Her red-and-yellow dress had billowed wide with the rippling water, and her skin was faintly visible where the garments met. She couldn't help being startled as well.
But since nothing had truly been exposed, she quickly settled down after her initial surprise. Then, with a giggle, she looked at me. "What could possibly have happened to me? Brother Dongren must have noticed that my body temperature was abnormal after I fell asleep just now, so he put me in the water, right? Brother Dongren, you're really gentle."
"Huh? Your body temperature was abnormal after you fell asleep..." I stared at her in astonishment. If she already knew about this and it was a normal condition for her, then my actions had been rather presumptuous toward a beautiful girl.
"Yes. Ever since I was little, my fire spirit root has been overly domineering. Whenever I fall asleep, I can't completely control myself, and my body temperature gradually rises. But once I wake up, it's fine." The young girl smiled as she pulled her hand out from beneath the water, removed her mask, and arranged her hair, which had been spread through the water. Her lovely yet un-alluring, bright and captivating face was revealed before me. "I know about this because when I was little, my parents had several Grand Elders examine me over it. They all gave the same explanation, so I got used to it long ago. That's why whenever I sleep, I often lie in a cavernous residence deep underground where the ice has remained unfrozen for a