Master, Hold It In

"What the hell? You're just a little kid, who taught you all this?" Dugu Yan turned her head and glared at her.

Xiao Wu stuck out her tongue. "From the story Brother Lin Chen told me!"

"You're with him every day, do you often hear this kind of nonsense?" Dugu Yan squinted her eyes.

"Never mind that, but Sister Yanyan, look how red your face is!" Xiao Wu added, oblivious to the danger, "If all else fails, I'll go talk to the senior and ask him to agree directly."

Dugu Yan suddenly stood up, splashing water everywhere, and strode up to Xiao Wu in two steps, pinching her cheek. "You little rascal, you think you can get away with anything just because I give you a little credit!"

"Ugh! I know I was wrong!" Xiao Wu's cheeks puffed out from being pinched, and she mumbled as she begged for mercy, "Sister Yanyan, have mercy! I won't tell! I promise I won't tell!"

"Too late!" Dugu Yan reached out with her other hand, cupping her face and rubbing it roughly. "I'll let you talk! I'll let you talk! Do you still dare to gossip about me and that blockhead?"

Xiao Wu's hair was all messed up from being rubbed. She finally managed to break free, jumped back to the other side of the pool, leaned against the pool wall, opened her mouth wide and gasped for breath. Then her eyes lit up and she slapped her hands hard on the water.

Splash! A bright white wave swept across and slapped directly onto Dugu Yan's face.

"Sister Yanyan!" Xiao Wu grinned mischievously, "You started this! I'm warning you, don't come any closer, or I'll retaliate!"

"Hey, you dare to fight back?" Dugu Yan wiped the water from her face, a glint of excitement in her eyes. She bent down, scooped up a handful of water, and splashed it at Xiao Wu's face. "I think you're incredibly arrogant!"

"Pfft--"

Xiao Wu was drenched, but she didn't bother to wipe the water off her face. She grabbed the water ladle next to her, scooped up a full ladle, and retaliated.

Unfortunately, her aim was a bit off; the water splashed in mid-air, forming a fine layer of droplets that soaked Dugu Yan completely.

"That's it?" Dugu Yan laughed heartily. "You call this an attack? Watch me!"

She slapped the water with both hands at the same time, and two waves of water came from the left and right, drenching Xiao Wu. She choked on the water and coughed repeatedly, "Cough cough cough! Sister Yanyan, you're bullying me too much!"

Dugu Yan smiled, her eyes crinkling. "Surrender? If you surrender, I won't splash you."

"No!" Xiao Wu wiped her face, her eyes darted around, and suddenly squatted down in the water, submerging herself completely, with only her pink face showing on the surface.

"Hey, you dare to back out now?"

Just as Dugu Yan was about to give chase, Xiao Wu suddenly popped half her body out of the water, cupped her hands into a megaphone shape, and shouted at her, "Sister Yanyan! You're thinking about Senior Yu Tianheng again! I just saw you smile!"

With a whoosh.

Without saying a word, Dugu Yan pounced on him.

Water splashed everywhere in the pool, and two figures tumbled together, laughing and shouting, rolling around in the rising steam.

"How dare you say that!"

"I knew it! Senior Yu likes Sister Yanyan-- "

"Aaaaaah, I'll fight you to the death!"

The splashing water was mixed with the sound of silvery laughter, which drifted out even through the wooden wall.

On the other side of the wooden wall, Lin Chen's eyelids twitched, he opened his eyes, and silently looked at Dugu Bo opposite him.

Dugu Bo remained in the same position, his eyes half-closed, leaning against the edge of the pool, as if he hadn't heard anything.

But Lin Chen noticed that the old poisoner's lips were twitching imperceptibly, once, twice, like a taut string.

"... Sister Yanyan, I'm going to tell Senior Yu as soon as I get back—oh my god, help!"

Xiao Wu's voice rang out again, this time accompanied by Dugu Yan's angry roar, "Xiao Wu, you stop right there!"

A loud splash of water erupted, as if someone had plunged directly into the water.

Lin Chen clearly saw Dugu Bo's eyebrow twitch suddenly.

Dugu Bo opened his eyes, his gaze piercing through the mist as he looked toward the wooden wall. The "meditative monk" expression on his face was gone, replaced by a solemn look as if a storm was brewing.

"Um, Master," Lin Chen quickly interjected, "It was just the girls joking around, Master, please don't take it too seriously."

Dugu Bo didn't say anything, but the veins on his neck seemed to bulge.

"Xiao Wu doesn't keep her mouth shut; she just talks nonsense," Lin Chen added, his tone slightly admonishing. "Girls often joke around and say silly things. If you went over and asked her about it, I'm afraid Senior Sister Yan would lose face."

Dugu Bo was grim, as if he was trying hard to hold back his emotions.

The sounds of laughter and commotion from next door continued to drift over—the sounds of chasing, splashing water, and shouting. Through a wooden wall, all that could be heard was the commotion of two girls having a wild time.

"Xiao Wu! What are you doing with my clothes! Give them back!"

"Promise me you won't pursue me anymore!"

"I'll count to three, and you'd better put it down obediently! One! Two!"

"Three!"

Splash—plop!

Another loud splash.

Dugu Bo, his face grim, submerged his entire head in the water, remaining submerged for a full ten breaths before suddenly surfacing, exhaling a long, wet breath as if trying to drown all the noise.

He sat in the pool in silence for a moment, then suddenly stood up from the water, water droplets running down his back.

"Alright, you've soaked enough."

He grabbed a towel, draped it over his shoulder, and without drying himself, strode out of the men's bath, his steps so fast it seemed as if something bad would happen if he stayed any longer.

Lin Chen watched his master's figure disappear outside the door, then looked down at the still steaming water in the pool, feeling that he had soaked for about enough.

He slowly got up, dried himself off, changed his clothes, and walked back to the courtyard along the stone path he had come from.

Moonlight bathed the courtyard, casting dappled shadows on the bamboo fence.

The lights in Dugu Bo's room were already on, and the curtains were drawn low. A figure in a blue robe could be vaguely seen sitting under the lamp, holding a wine bowl in his hand, as if he was slowly catching his breath.

Lin Chen didn't disturb him, but went back to his room and made himself a cup of tea.

Just as I finished my tea, light footsteps sounded outside the door, followed by the creaking sound of the door being pushed open.

"Brother Lin Chen!" Xiao Wu's voice carried the contentment and languor of someone who had just finished soaking in the hot spring, "Are you all done? Where's Senior?"

Lin Chen looked up and saw Xiao Wu's half-dry long hair draped over her shoulders, water droplets sliding down the ends of her hair and disappearing into her collar along her fair neck.

Her cheeks were still rosy from the bath, glowing with a soft sheen from the steam. Even her eyes seemed brighter than usual, and there were still a few damp patches on her thin bathrobe.

As Xiao Wu took a few steps toward him, a faint medicinal fragrance wafted over on the wind. It was a mixture of the herbal soup from Moon Spring Inn and her own delicate scent, refreshing yet warm.

Lin Chen paused, his hand holding the teacup tightening slightly. A strange dryness rose in his throat. He subconsciously looked away, took a sip of tea, and said, "Ahem, Master has finished brewing it and gone back to his room to rest."