Xiao Cui's hand slid down a few more inches, reaching his lower back. She applied a little pressure, her thumb circling over the hollow of his waist.
Tang Monk hissed and jerked upright as though he had been scalded.
Xiao Cui jumped, her hand freezing in midair. "Master? Did I press too hard?"
"N-No." Tang Monk's ears were red enough to drip blood, the flush spreading from his face all the way down to his neck. Even the bit of collarbone exposed above his kasaya collar was pink. "This humble monk... this humble monk thinks... that's about enough."
"Enough?" Xiao Cui blinked, her face full of confusion. "We've only just started. It hasn't even been half an incense stick."
"Enough, enough." Tang Monk climbed off the couch and frantically reached for his kasaya. He missed it twice, and Xiao Cui had to hand it down to him. When he took it, his fingers did not dare touch hers. He accepted it from a distance, threw it over himself, and tied the straps twice without getting them right either time.
Xiao Cui stood beside him with her hands folded before her, head tilted as she watched him. Her lips curled into a smile, and her eyes plainly said, This person is so interesting.
Tang Monk finally got his kasaya tied and hurriedly pressed his palms together at Xiao Cui. "Many thanks, benefactor. This humble monk will... will be leaving first."
With that, he turned and left. He yanked the curtain aside so hastily that he nearly tripped over the threshold.
By the time he crossed the corridor and returned to the main hall, Chu Yang and Sun Wukong had yet to emerge. Only the woman was there, wiping down the tables. Seeing him run out alone with a flushed face, she