Front Hall
Baishi, with a faint blush on her cheeks, listened to the sounds of Lady Ningguang's voice emanating from the backroom. She leaned closer to Yelan and whispered, "Miss Yelan, you don't need to feel nervous."
Yelan looked at her. "I'm not nervous."
"Oh, that's good. I was worried you might misunderstand something after hearing the noises Lady Ningguang is making."
"It's just a massage. It's completely normal to make some sounds of relief and comfort when the body feels good. What's there to misunderstand?"
"You're right…"
Baishi lowered her head further, her face growing even redder.
Yelan's calm and straightforward response made Baishi feel a bit ashamed of her own thought process.
How impure her mind must have been back then, to let her imagination run wild simply because Lady Ningguang's sounds felt a little... odd.
Pah!
Would Lady Ningguang be that kind of person?
Would Mr. Xia be that kind of person?
As these thoughts occupied her mind, Baishi, seated on a chair, unconsciously tightened her legs.
It had been two days since her last massage, and her body genuinely missed Mr. Xia's hands.
Was she becoming dependent on him?
Ugh…
Yelan glanced at Baishi out of the corner of her eye and noticed her growing blush.
Was this woman running a fever?
Curious, Yelan's gaze shifted to the curtain hanging at the entrance of the backroom, her interest piqued even further.
For someone as disciplined as Ningguang to indulge in a daily massage—just how comfortable could it be?
Hopefully, it would live up to the anticipation.
Taking a sip of the tea in front of her, Yelan's thoughts lingered.
Her sharp eyes inspected the tea leaves in the cup as she raised an inconspicuous eyebrow.
The tea was excellent.
As the owner of a teahouse in Chihu Rock and a tea enthusiast herself, she could tell it was newly sourced from Qiaoying Village.
But she noticed something odd—the tea leaves were slightly fragmented.
Generally, tea only becomes this broken when you've nearly emptied the bag and are left with the dregs.
This suggested that Mr. Xia's stock of tea was running low, and he hadn't yet restocked.
Yelan took another sip.
While the taste wasn't significantly different from intact tea leaves, the fragmented leaves floating in the cup could slip into the mouth when finishing the tea, leaving a slightly unpleasant texture.
---
Just as she was finishing her tea, Lady Ningguang emerged from the backroom, looking utterly refreshed.
Her face glowed with a faint sheen of essential oil, her cheeks brushed with a seductive flush of pink, exuding a rare, enchanting allure.
It was the first time Yelan had ever seen Ningguang in such a soft, almost languid light—a stark contrast to her usual composed and commanding demeanor.
"Yelan, it's your turn," Ningguang said softly.
"Yes," Yelan replied and set her cup down, standing as she made her way toward the backroom.
---
Entering, Yelan caught the faint yet peculiar blend of fragrances lingering in the air. Her gaze swept toward the incense burner, where a steady flame burned quietly.
"You can lie down here," Ningguang instructed. "Mr. Xia will take care of your hidden injuries."
"Alright."
"I'm going to take a bath. Enjoy yourself."
"Okay."
Ningguang turned and said to Xia Zhi, "I'll leave her in your care."
"No problem."
Ningguang smiled and left.
Yelan, with natural composure, lay down on the small bed.
"Miss Yelan, please remove your clothing," Xia Zhi said politely.
"Alright, Mr. Xia."
"Thank you for your cooperation."
Silently, Yelan removed her fitted leather suit, revealing a well-toned figure adorned with a patchwork of old scars and fresh wounds.
She refrained from asking any unnecessary questions, behaving as if she were simply awaiting treatment from a doctor.
Xia Zhi washed his hands in a basin nearby, then moved closer.
As he approached, a faint blend of medicinal and floral fragrances wafted from Yelan's body.
Reaching out, Xia Zhi pretended to "examine" her injuries, lightly touching her skin.
Yelan's brows furrowed, though her expression wasn't one of pain. Rather, it hinted at... a peculiar sense of satisfaction.
Xia Zhi silently mused, I haven't even started the massage yet—why do you already look so comfortable?
As he continued, he noticed something unusual. Yelan's response to pain seemed... unnatural.
"You have quite a lot of injuries, Miss Yelan," he commented.
"It's inevitable when completing assignments," Yelan replied.
"Are your tasks always so dangerous?"
"The ones I handle personally are usually high-risk."
"As Lady Ningguang's intelligence leader, shouldn't you avoid direct involvement?"
"So you already know my identity, Mr. Xia?"
"Ningguang mentioned it just now."
"I see… Well, there's no choice. Liyue lacks manpower these days. Besides, I personally enjoy the thrill of walking the line between life and death."
"But if something ever happened to you…"
"Don't worry, Mr. Xia. I'm not reckless. I meticulously plan every mission. In fact, some of these injuries could have been avoided—I sustained them intentionally."
"…I see."
This woman… really isn't normal.
Xia Zhi surmised that years of working in intelligence, coupled with immense pressure, had likely led Yelan to associate the pain from injuries as a twisted form of stress relief.
---
He retrieved a bottle of essential oil.
"I've finished examining your injuries. While there are many hidden wounds, none are too serious."
"Good to hear."
Hidden injuries, while not debilitating, did affect Yelan's combat efficiency. It was best to address them.
"I'll begin treatment now. It might hurt."
"No problem. Go ahead, Mr. Xia."
A hint of anticipation flickered in Yelan's eyes.
Xia Zhi nodded and began the massage.
---
Time passed, and Yelan lay soft and relaxed on the small bed, her breathing gentle while a faint mist hovered in her gaze.
So this is why Lady Ningguang keeps coming back for daily massages…
The experience was far more enjoyable than the dull ache of pain—this was nothing short of bliss.
"Take a moment to rest, Miss Yelan, then you can wash up in the bathroom," Xia Zhi advised.
"Understood."
A short while later, Yelan sat up, marveling at how unprecedentedly rejuvenated her body felt.
Not only were her lingering hidden injuries gone, but even the recently sustained, unhealed wounds had vanished. Her skin was smooth—devoid of any scars.
The effects of the essential oil were truly miraculous.
Still, a fleeting thought crossed Yelan's mind: If only this could be adapted for use by the military…
However, she quickly dismissed the idea, letting the thought fade into nothingness.
---
"How do you feel?" Xia Zhi asked.
"Wonderful. Thank you, Mr. Xia."
"You're welcome."
"If I get injured in the future, may I trouble you again?"
"Of course. I'm friends with Lady Ningguang, which makes you my friend as well."
"Friend…" Yelan murmured, smiling faintly.
"I don't have many friends. Gaining someone like you as one is a fortunate thing."
"Friends or not, the massage fee still applies," Xia Zhi quipped.
Yelan paused, then smiled further, a sparkle in her eyes.
"Of course. By the way, Mr. Xia seems to enjoy tea. I own a teahouse in Chihu Rock. Next time I visit, I'll bring you some of the finest tea."
----
Join my Patreon for early access to 60+ chapters and to support my work: Patreon.com/rivyura