As soon as he said this, the little Water Nymph behind him paused noticeably.
Varesa tightened her grip on her waist, remaining silent for a long time.
She'd seen it all on stage, but she always seemed to be Bai You by Bai You's rambling and blunt remarks.
My heart pounded so hard I felt weak; there was nothing I could do.
"... You little rascal, your words are getting sweeter and sweeter."
After a long while, she chuckled hoarsely and scolded, rubbing her chin against Bai You's head, "Who taught you to talk like that?"
"No need to teach me, I'm just telling the truth; it comes from the bottom of my heart."
Bai You nestled in her arms, its tail still wrapped around her, showing no intention of moving.
"It's nice staying in the cave, but what's the point of me coming here alone without you?"
"Alright, alright, if you keep talking, neither of us will get up here today."
Varesa's ears burned from what she said, and she quickly stopped, but couldn't resist kissing her puffed-up cheek.
"Sweetie, go upstairs and eat first, you've been hungry all morning. If you really can't bear to leave, after the performance the day after tomorrow, I'll come with you to soak every day, okay?"
"Really?"
"Really, when have I ever lied to you?"
After a long while, Bai You reluctantly let go of its tail.
The two of them retracted their fish tails, transformed into legs, and stepped onto the shallow steps inside the large seashell to reach the shore.
As soon as they left the water, the coolness of the cave enveloped them. Varesa first grabbed the larger towel.
He wrapped Bai You from head to toe, carefully wiping her hair, shoulders, and arms, and when he got to her feet, he gently pinched her cold toes.
"Her feet are so cold, yet she says it feels comfortable in the water," she muttered.
"Isn't it cold soaking in the water?" Bai You pulled her feet back, grinned, and picked up a towel to help her wipe her back.
While wiping his hands, he couldn't stay still; he got some water on them and pressed them coolly against Varesa's neck.
"Hiss—" Varesa shrank her neck, turned around and glared at her, "Not again? We just had one this morning."
"Hehe." Bai You pulled her hand back and was about to run away when she almost slipped into the water while laughing, as her feet were on the slippery stone surface.
Varesa, quick-witted and agile, grabbed him by the back of his collar.
"She falls eight times a day." Varesa steadied her, both amused and annoyed, and carefully gathered the towel around her neck.
Put your clothes on quickly, do you want to catch a cold? Do you still want to see my performance tomorrow?
"I want to—" Bai You drawled, obediently letting her help her put on her inner clothes and a warm coat.
She also helped Varesa wring out the water and dry her long hair, then loosely gathered it behind her back.
After tidying up, the two returned to the innermost small cubicle.
The pink wallpaper glowed softly in the dim light, and the wind chimes by the door tinkled softly as a breeze blew in.
After a busy morning, the two of them breathed a sigh of relief as they stepped into the little nest they had decorated themselves.
"I'm starving!" Bai You's stomach rumbled in perfect unison. Without any shame, she clutched her stomach and sat down on the stone bench.
"I knew you were hungry," Varesa smiled, taking a food box from her bag and placing it on the stone table.
" Odette insisted on giving me this when we left this morning, saying that we'd definitely be too busy to eat."
Bai You had an idea, and rummaged through her storage space to find a few more items she had bought while shopping the day before yesterday.
A small bag of cheese cubes, a few slices of dried meat, and some fruit and bread provided by the system were laid out on the stone table.
When Varesa opened the food box, she found thick slices of bread filled with pickled vegetables and meat.
There were also two pastries wrapped in parchment paper lying next to it, which Odette must have baked early in the morning.
"Odette's skills are getting better and better." Bai You's eyes lit up as she smelled the aroma.
"Eat slowly, no one's going to take it from you." Varesa, seeing her hurried manner, broke her own bread in half first.
He handed over the half containing the meat slice, then switched the firmer side of the Bai You portion for himself.
Bai You her mouth stuffed full, Bai You mumbled, "Why do you always eat the edges?"
"I love the edges, they're chewy." Varesa said without batting an eye, casually pushing one of the two pastries in front of her as well.
"We also had some dessert. The Odette had honey in it when it was baked, since you like sweets, right?"
Bai You chewed on her bread, glanced at the overflowing food in front of her, and then at Varesa's portion.
Suddenly realizing what was happening, she reached out and broke the pastry in half, stuffing the larger half back into Varesa's mouth.
"Let's eat together." She stared at him.
"You always give me the good stuff, do you think I can't see it?"
Varesa had a mouthful of pastry stuffed into her mouth; the sweet honey melted on her tongue.
She paused for a moment, looking at Bai You's earnest, protective expression—no, her little face—and suddenly smiled, her eyes softening as she obediently ate the half-piece.
"Okay, let's eat together."
After that, Bai You kept a close eye on things, glancing at Varesa's portion every two bites, only to find her just munching on bread.
They would stuff a piece of cheese or a piece of meat into her mouth, and in the end, she ended up feeding her more.
Varesa initially tried to give in, but eventually let her have her way. She ate a bite from her hand, and the smile in her eyes never faded.
Halfway through her meal, Bai You pulled out a fruit, rubbed it against her clothes, and took a bite. It was delicious.
She squinted and held the remaining half to Varesa's lips. "This is sweet, you try it."
"You've already eaten, why are you asking me to eat too...?"
Despite saying that, Varesa still took a bite from her hand; it was indeed sweet.
"Mmm, sweet." She looked at Bai You, but her answer seemed to have a different meaning.
Bai You felt her face flush under her gaze, withdrew her hand, and lowered her head, pretending to concentrate on eating fruit, but the tips of her ears turned bright red.
They ate lunch slowly, and towards the end, they leaned against each other, shoulder to shoulder, sharing the last bit of food.
The small cubicle was warm and cozy, with the wind chimes occasionally chiming.
"Are we still doing it this afternoon?" Bai You suddenly asked, her voice a little lazy.
"The major items are all done; only the smaller items remain, so there's no rush."
Varesa closed the food box. "Now that we've rested enough, let's go for another walk and see if we're missing anything. We'll write it down and bring it next time."
"Don't waste the whole day here, Odette will worry. Besides..."
She pinched Bai You's cheek. "I have to go on stage again tomorrow night, so I need to be well-rested tonight."
"Okay, whatever you say." Bai You leaned on her shoulder, finding a comfortable position.
"I'll take a short nap, just a little while. Wake me up when it's time."
"Sleep well." Varesa reached out and draped the thick robe over her, wrapping her arms around her to let her lean against her. "I'm here to watch over you."
The small cubicle quieted down again. Bai You, having eaten her fill and enveloped in warmth, soon regained her even breathing.
Varesa looked down at her peaceful sleeping face, listening to the soft sound of water outside, one gentle splash after another.
She didn't move, just let Bai You lean against her, her fingertips gently stroking her hair.
His gaze fell on the budding lily on the stone table, and he thought to himself.
"Lilies? They are indeed very beautiful."