Afternoon came.
The sun blazed overhead, and not a cloud marred the sky.
Zhao Linchuan, Yan Lingji, and Bibi Dong returned home.
"I'm going to wash up. I'll come back and make you something to eat in a bit."
Yan Lingji set down what she was carrying and headed for the bathroom, casually unfastening the buttons at her collar.
"Wait for me! I'm coming too!"
Bibi Dong hurried after Yan Lingji and linked arms with her.
Soon, the bathroom door closed, and water began to rush inside.
Mist drifted through the crack beneath the door, carrying the faint scent of soapberry, and spread through the hall.
Then, the two women's clear laughter spilled out from the bathroom. They laughed and joked back and forth, delighting in themselves.
Standing outside the bathroom, Zhao Linchuan listened to their laughter and the sound of water. He muttered under his breath:
"These two girls... Could they be trying to seduce me?"
He thought it over, took a step forward, and gently pushed the bathroom door open.
The hinges gave a faint creak. Warm, damp air billowed through the crack and washed over him.
"My dear wives~~~ Let me help you scrub your backs."
He slipped inside and quietly shut the outer door behind him, then turned toward the inner door.
It was ajar. The splashing water and the women's laughter inside came through clearly to Zhao Linchuan.
He couldn't quite make out what Yan Lingji was saying or what Bibi Dong was laughing at, but their soft, sweet voices made Zhao Linchuan's blood boil.
He gently pushed open the inner door, a wicked smile playing on his lips.
"My dear wives~~ Here I come~~"
"Hm?"
When Zhao Linchuan stepped inside, he was surprised to find that the bathing pool was completely empty.
Its surface