Xiao Jinyi felt a stir of desire at those soft little whimpers, but before he could act, a knock came at the door. The inn attendant had brought their meal.
Shen Shixu was far too comfortable to get up and open the door, and he did not want Xiao Jinyi to go either, so he called out.
"The door isn't locked. Come in!"
With a tray in each hand, the attendant pushed the door open with his back. He set the dishes on the table, then quietly withdrew without letting his gaze wander even once, leaving a good impression.
They had not asked the owner to prepare an elaborate spread, only a simple meal. They had barely set down their bowls when another knock came at the door.
"Guests, I've come to collect the dishes. Have you both finished eating?"
"We're finished. Sorry for the trouble." Shen Shixu went over and opened the door. It was the same attendant who had brought their meal, and he deftly gathered up the bowls and chopsticks.
Then he asked whether they needed bathwater. If they did, he would go heat some right away.
With the weather so hot, and after spending most of the day on the road, they certainly needed a good soak to ease their fatigue.
"Of course we do!"
The attendant soon heated the water and helped carry it upstairs.
Xiao Jinyi took the two buckets of hot water from him and poured them into the bathtub behind the screen.
He added a bucket of cold water, bringing it to just the right temperature.
Shen Shixu eagerly stripped off his clothes and stepped into the tub on his long legs.
Soaking in the warm water, Shen Shixu felt as though every bone in his body had softened and every pore