In the bath, Cloud Retainer and Mada Ping were soaking together.
Cloud Retainer eyed her companion strangely. "Tell , Ping…"
Mada Ping didn't even look at her. "What now?"
"eting soone under the tree at night—don't you think that's a little… improper?"
"Oh? Are you jealous?"
Cloud Retainer didn't hesitate. "Yes. I am."
"Then why aren't you jealous of Shenhe?"
"Why would I be jealous of Shenhe?"
"She ca first, didn't she?"
"Yes."
"But the first one to et Mr. Xia wasn't her—it was you, wasn't it?"
"…"
"You were the one who sent her to take care of him."
"…"
"Regretting that now?"
"…"
Cloud Retainer sighed quietly. "You really have a nasty tongue, you know that?"
"So what?"
"I'd love to find sothing to shut you up with."
"Oh, but all you'll do is think about it."
"Hmph… whatever. I'm going for my massage. Enjoy your soak."
She rose gracefully from the bath, wrapped a towel around herself, and left.
Mada Ping leaned back against the pool's edge, eyes half-lidded and relaxed.
After thousands of years, Cloud Retainer was still the easiest to tease.
---
In the massage room
"She bullied again."
Cloud Retainer's tone was laced with quiet resentnt.
"Why is she like that?"
Xia Zhi chuckled softly. "Don't take it to heart."
"How can I not? She always knows exactly where to poke, rubbing salt into every wound. She might as well spit on it while she's at it."
"You really regret it?"
She frowned. "That's not the point. The point is she bullied ."
"So what do you want to do about it?"
"Get back at her for ."
"How?"
"You're playing for her later, right?"
"Hm? You want to play sothing badly on purpose?"
"Of course not! That'd tarnish your na."
"I don't really care about that…"
"No. You'll play sothing beautiful."
Cloud Retainer thought for a mont, then said, "When you're done, she'll be lost in your music. That's when you cut her off—snap her out of it—and tell her you're going to see next. She'll hate that. Then, when you get to , you'll play the sa piece again. I'll record half of it and send it to her, telling her that the thing she has to earn is sothing I get whenever I want. That'll drive her crazy."
Xia Zhi stared at her for a mont. "…You really know how to play gas."
She chuckled under her breath. "Exactly. So pick your best piece, make it exquisite, make her dream about it."
He smiled helplessly. "Fine. As you wish."
What else could he do?
She was his little crane, after all.
And after those legs… well, a little favoritism was only fair.
When the massage was done, Cloud Retainer leaned close and whispered her instructions again before leaving with a satisfied smile.
---
Outside, a few girls were waiting in line.
Xia Zhen, Ei, Yae Miko, and Hanachirusato were among them.
Yae Miko watched Cloud Retainer glide out of the room, eyes narrowing thoughtfully. "I've noticed sothing… Their skin all glistens slightly, as if with oil."
Xia Zhen nodded. "That's his signature treatnt—Essential Oil Massage. A must-try."
Yae Miko turned to the flushed Hanachirusato. "You've had it already?"
She nodded shyly. "Yes."
"Is it really that good?"
Hanachirusato's cheeks turned even redder. "It's not just good… I don't even know how to describe the feeling…"
"A curious sensation, hmm…"
Yae Miko's eyes glead as she looked toward the closed door, a lazy, sultry smile curling her lips.
"Hearing that, I can't wait to experience it for myself…"
---
In Order
Xia Zhen was the first to go in for a massage.
She'd done this plenty of tis already, so she moved with easy familiarity.
"Cousin."
"Hm?"
"That ssage you sent before—was it real?"
"Of course."
"You really wanted to convince Ei to get a massage just so you could 'check her condition'?"
"What else?"
"You're seriously not interested in her?"
He gave her a flat look. "What do you think? You and your sister have identical bodies. What's there to be interested in?"
"So you're not interested in anymore, either?"
"…Why are all of you determined to test my patience today?"
"All of us? Who else?"
"Guess I'll have to use that trick again."
"What trick?"
"Just relax and enjoy yourself."
She frowned in confusion—then gasped softly as a wave of pure, almost overwhelming pleasure spread from his hands across her body.
Xia Zhi had activated his trait [Enjoynt].
"Ah—!"
And just like that, his cousin went quiet.
When he finally withdrew his hands, he spoke gently. "All done, cousin."
Xia Zhen lay there a little dazed, breathing softly, before she finally managed to glare at him with flushed cheeks. "You're gonna be the death of ."
"Why? Dissatisfied?" he asked, face perfectly serious. "Then I won't offer this kind of service to you again."
"You just love ssing with people, don't you?"
She gave him a half-annoyed, half-defeated look. "Help up. I can't even move—my whole body's gone limp."
He chuckled and cast a divine-level healing spell on her.
She sat up slowly, savoring the lingering warmth running through her limbs. "Make sure to give Ei the sa treatnt later."
He sighed. "What kind of sister are you?"
"The kind that cares," she said matter-of-factly. "She's been working hard for five hundred years. Don't you think she deserves a little enjoynt?"
He paused, then nodded slightly. "…That's actually a pretty good point."
Satisfied, Xia Zhen slipped back into her bathrobe, leaned in to steal a quick touch from him, and finally left the room looking pleased.
The door swung open—and there stood Ei, Yae Miko, and Hanachirusato waiting in line.
Xia Zhen smiled sweetly. "Ei, you're up next. Go on."
Ei glanced at her radiant, freshly relaxed sister and gave a quiet nod. "Alright."
Once Ei went in, Xia Zhen waved at the other two and headed back to the bathhouse. She'd broken a light sweat during the massage, and the towel was sticking to her skin—it was uncomfortable. Better to wash up again.
Yae Miko watched her retreating back and subtly inhaled.
As a kitsune youkai, her senses were far sharper than any human's. She caught the faint scent of sakura petals clinging to Xia Zhen's skin—and sothing else underneath, sothing… warm.
Only after the woman vanished from sight did Yae narrow her eyes and murmur, "Did you sll sothing?"
Hanachirusato blinked in confusion. "Sll what?"
If Kitsune Saiguu had been there, she'd have noticed it too. But Hanachirusato wasn't like them. The [Golden Circlet] around her neck suppressed her youkai senses until she was no different from an ordinary girl.
Yae Miko's lips curved into a slow, knowing smile. "Nothing at all."
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