The fishermen near the Nastya Strait made their living from the sea. To make fishing and sea angling easier during the peak season, they usually built wooden cabins along the shore or rested aboard their boats.
Over time, a whole industry had gradually developed around this. An endless stream of tourists drawn by the strait also brought the locals a considerable income.
Li Jia finally chose to stay aboard a fishing boat. She had never slept on a boat before, and everything was new and interesting.
Hera had already asked around. Boats of every size had clearly marked prices. The largest ferry could accommodate over a dozen people, while the smallest offered a couple's room that slept only two.
At the fishing boat rental dock, Hera looked at the boat models and their corresponding capacities displayed behind the vendor, then said mildly, "Then we'll take the smallest one."
Li Jia said, "Why can't we stay on a big one? A big one would be roomier."
Hera said, "Because I didn't bring that much money. Winslow has all the money. She manages the finances at Hot Spring Ravine. I have no authority to interfere."
After saying that, she even gave Li Jia a helpless look.
Like hell I believe you. You were the one who wouldn't bring Winslow and Doreen.
Li Jia said, "...Anywhere is fine."
Someone who wasn't paying had no say. A room for two it was. No matter how big the place was, they would still have to sleep together at night anyway.
After they paid, Li Jia held the key between her fingers. A small brass tag hung from it, marked "No. 32."
These were fishing boats that took in guests, and the row of them made an impressive sight. The buoys for the long row of boats were fastened securely to wooden posts on shore, with the boats floating on the sea one after another.
Li Jia counted her way down the fishing boats and finally found the "No. 32" sign on the last one.
The hull was painted a bright rust red, edged with a ring of white. From a distance, it looked like a red lotus in full bloom resting on the water.
The wooden deck creaked underfoot, and the boat carried a faint, salty, damp smell of wood mingled with seawater.
The vendors had cleverly built wooden cabins atop sightseeing fishing boats, turning them into boats for overnight stays.
Li Jia hopped lightly onto the deck, turned the key in the lock, and pushed open the door. Inside, there was simply a bed, a round table, and two chairs. Oars also hung on the deck, their wooden handles smooth and freshly sanded.
A string of kerosene lamps hung at the stern. In daylight, they looked like candy-shaped decorations. When evening came and the sky darkened, Hera lit the wicks, turning them into little lanterns on the water that cast pink and white light over the surrounding ripples.
After a tiring day, Li Jia felt sticky all over. Eastern Lake's climate was like Sanya's, neither hot nor cold, which made her look like an idiot in her cashmere sweater.
There was no shower, but there was a wooden tub on the bed for bathing. Perhaps to encourage spending, the boat had nothing apart from a bed to sleep in and chairs to sit on. Everything else had to be purchased separately at the dock.
It was the same principle as mixing compressed biscuits into buffet dipping sauces or setting up a drinks stand beside a malatang stall. The money all came out of the customer's pocket; no merchant was honest.
Still, since she was already here, she couldn't begrudge the money when it was time to enjoy herself. Besides, it wasn't even her money, so there was even less reason to begrudge it.
Hera asked the people at the dock to deliver a tub of hot water and two dinners to fishing boat No. 32.
Li Jia dug out the white puppy-patterned pajama set she had brought. After hesitating for a while, she braced herself under immense pressure and set another matching set of puppy pajamas, this one black, on the table. "I... I asked the Goddess of Weaving to make Your Majesty a set of pajamas too. I don't know whether they'll fit."
Hera held her as they slept every night, so she had a rough idea of Hera's build and measurements. They should be fairly close, not too far off.
Without knowing whether Hera had picked up the clothes, Li Jia turned and went into the innermost part of the fishing boat, where wooden boards partitioned off a space for washing and relieving oneself.
She didn't dare look at Hera's expression. What if Hera disliked her for it? Li Jia felt hollow inside and somewhat regretted what she had done. Hera was a god; what fine things hadn't she seen? She might not think much of Li Jia's gift.
But Li Jia sincerely wanted to thank her, to thank her for everything she had brought into her life. Somehow, she had ended up giving the Goddess of Weaving the sketch and measurements for this pajama set.
Her thoughts in a jumble, Li Jia stripped completely and sank into the wooden tub filled with hot water. The water covered her collarbones, leaving only her little head exposed and giving off heat.
With her eyes closed, the more Li Jia thought, the more she regretted it. She should never have brought that set of pajamas, much less given it to Hera. Now it would be awkward whether Hera wore it or not. If she did, it would seem as though Li Jia had forced her; if she didn't, Li Jia would lose face.
She was caught between a rock and a hard place.
Suddenly, a large hand stroked Li Jia's fair, tender neck where it was exposed to the air. Li Jia didn't dare open her eyes. She heard the sound of clothing slipping off beside her. There were only the two of them on the fishing boat.
The other woman stepped into the bathtub with both feet. The once-spacious tub became cramped, and the water surged up past the tip of Li Jia's nose. She accidentally choked on a mouthful.
The woman lifted her out of the water and settled her on her knees, raising her whole body. Her back, freshly out of the warm water, pressed against the skin of the person behind her. Li Jia felt her back burn, heat gathering and merging inside her body.
"Open your eyes. Breathe," the woman said mildly.
Li Jia's heart pounded. She was so nervous that even her inhalations were tense. She opened her eyes and slowly breathed in and out, calming herself.
"What are you thinking about?" Seeing her dazed expression, Hera spoke in a low, cool voice that was like poisoned medicine, making her answer involuntarily. "I was wondering whether you would hate me."
"No. Why would you ask that?"
Hearing the little one drop her formal address, the woman curved her lips. Was she less afraid of her now?
When Li Jia heard her say no, her eyes suddenly stung for no reason. Afraid the woman would notice, she lowered her head and didn't dare make a sound, but tears kept running down her cheeks into the bathtub.
The more Hera indulged her and treated her well, the more guilty and uneasy Li Jia felt.
Her motives for approaching Hera had been impure from the start. She was selfish and self-serving. To survive, she had gone against her conscience and said ambiguous, intimate things to Hera.
"What exactly is wrong? Has someone bullied you?"
Hera stroked her slender back. The next moment, soft lips pressed against her cheek, gently licking away the scalding tear tracks.
It wasn't an erotic tease, but more like a kind of reverent cherishing. Wherever her tongue swept, the salty, bitter taste spread between her lips and teeth, yet she seemed to have tasted some treasure, patiently kissing away those broken traces of moisture bit by bit.
Only when she reached the corner of Li Jia's eye did she stop. Resting the tip of her nose against Li Jia's temple, she spoke so softly it was almost a sigh. "Keep crying, and you'll melt my heart."
For one moment, Li Jia wanted to cast everything aside. She wanted to tell Hera everything, but when she opened her mouth, she found that she couldn't make a sound.
Li Jia remembered the system's warning. She couldn't do anything that would disrupt the plot.
If Hera knew she had approached her with an ulterior motive, would she still treat her this well?
Once she discovered what kind of person Li Jia was, she would surely leave her and no longer be willing to let her serve as her attendant.
At that thought, Li Jia suddenly felt rather despondent. She felt the answer was absolutely certain. Who would like a liar?
Tears began pattering down again because she couldn't bear to let go. She couldn't bear to lose Hera's kindness toward her.
Seeing her cry like this, Hera coaxed her for a long time. Only when she had finally cried herself out did Hera lift her from the water, dry her body, and change her into pajamas.