Although they couldn't enter the legendary semi-outdoor hot spring said to have all sorts of effects, the one Chu Chu had chosen still had its own unique advantage—its size. It was massive, so large that even if a hundred people soaked in it at once, it wouldn't feel crowded.
By Chu Lian's rough estimate, the area was at least 150 square meters. For this Wafuu Inn, it was an exceptionally large facility. She couldn't help but wonder what the purpose behind building such a huge bath was. Did they really design it just so a crowd of people could soak together?
She grumbled silently about the design, but her eyes couldn't help drifting from side to side. After all, there were nearly ten girls standing around her now.
To her left were four: Chu Chu, Inori, Li Xiu'er, and Kurosaki Satsuki. To her right stood another four, who had suddenly shown up and inexplicably decided to join them: Cai Ya, Lux Lyle, Ruriko Nana, and Liu Yanran.
The two groups stood apart, polite on the surface, yet with a clear divide between them.
In truth, it was only Chu Chu and Cai Ya who were butting heads. But since neither Chu Lian nor Inori said a word, the tension naturally drew attention, and anyone could sense the sparks flying beneath their courtesy.
Restless, aren't they? Can't they just enjoy a hot spring properly? Chu Lian sighed inwardly, but she knew she couldn't just stand there doing nothing. So she spoke up: "Let's go change first. Do you all plan to stand here forever?"
The moment she spoke, Chu Chu and Cai Ya were forced to pause their standoff. They exchanged a glance, snorted, and at the same time reached out to grab Chu Lian's hand.
But Chu Lian had been ready for this. Just as their hands reached out, she feigned a casual turn and instead grasped Inori's quiet little hand, pulling her toward the changing room.
Her movement looked almost like a hasty retreat. And perhaps it was—when two girls were quarreling over her, and she couldn't openly favor either side, what else could she do but run off with Inori?
Watching Chu Lian's figure vanish with Inori, Chu Chu and Cai Ya both froze for a moment. Then, without a word, they turned and headed toward the changing rooms themselves.
Though Kurosaki Satsuki didn't understand the language, she could sense the subtle tension between the two sides. Meeting Li Xiu'er's wry gaze, both shared the same helpless thought: What is even going on here?
"Lian, running away won't solve anything…" Inori's voice drifted out as she slowly removed her pink-and-white dress.
"I know, Inori. But now isn't the time to deal with these things. Love… a word that tangles for a lifetime, impossible to sort out." Chu Lian's hands paused at the clasps of her blouse before resuming, her voice lowering into a murmur.
"Is that so, Lian?" Inori didn't fully understand Chu Lian's feelings, but she could sense her helplessness. It seemed she wasn't unwilling to face it—she simply couldn't.
Placing her clothes in the locker, Chu Lian wrapped a white towel around her body, covering her chest with one hand, her slender back exposed.
Beside her, Inori was dressed the same. Both had chosen to wear towels to the bath rather than go completely bare.
For Chu Lian, it was because of her strong sense of modesty—she avoided doing anything that could be avoided. As for Inori, it was because Chu Lian had asked her not to bare herself before anyone else, even other girls.
Perhaps that was her possessiveness speaking.
"Honestly, whether it's me, or Chu Chu, or Cai Ya—we all understand." Listening to the rustle of clothes from the nearby cubicles, Chu Lian lowered her head slightly before continuing. "But knowing and making it plain are two different things. If ignorance can spare us pain, then let it remain ignorance… perhaps that's better."
Her words stirred a faint, indescribable feeling in Inori's chest—something like sorrow, and something like joy. She couldn't name it.
When the other girls had finished changing and left, Chu Lian finally took Inori's hand. Together, they stepped out of the changing room and into the 1.2-meter-deep indoor hot spring.
The hot spring was already alive with noise. A few girls darted around, splashing water and playing noisily.
Chu Lian looked closer—it was Chu Chu, Ruriko Nana, and Li Xiu'er. It seemed Chu Chu and Nana had gotten restless and started fooling around, and Li Xiu'er had been dragged into their water battle. The other girls, not wanting to get caught in the chaos, had moved away, leaving this lively scene.
Chu Chu and Nana showed no signs of tiring. Both skilled in the water, they moved with ease across the 150-square-meter pool, raising sprays of white foam with every splash. Li Xiu'er trailed after them with effort, her face caught between a smile and a grimace.
Rubbing her forehead, Chu Lian didn't know what to say. If it had just been Chu Chu and Nana, she could have scolded them sternly. But with Li Xiu'er caught up in it, that option vanished.
She decided to ignore the trio for now and turned her eyes toward the others.
Then she noticed something—besides herself and Inori, only Liu Yanran and Kurosaki Satsuki had towels wrapped around them, modestly covering their bodies. The rest had boldly revealed their figures without a hint of shyness.
So it really is just me… In a place full of girls, there's nothing shameful about baring ourselves. Why am I even less at ease than Xiu'er?
Wait—Xiu'er was wearing one… but it had drifted away?
Her gaze fell on a floating white towel, and her heart sank. Of course, she realized immediately whose it was.
True enough, Li Xiu'er, always a beat behind, suddenly noticed her towel drifting away. With a sharp cry, she stopped paddling, flustered hands scrambling to cover herself. Her face burned crimson, her eyes welled with tears—she was about to cry in embarrassment.
Seeing this, Chu Lian knew the real issue wasn't Chu Chu and Nana, but Li Xiu'er.
Wrapping her own towel around herself, covering from collarbone to hips, she leapt from the pool's edge, her slender feet pushing off with strength. In a graceful arc, she landed near the drifting towel, snatched it up, and swam toward Li Xiu'er.
Just as the girl stood frozen in panic, on the verge of tears, a warm towel was draped gently across her back.
She turned and saw Chu Lian's tender smile. The sight broke her composure completely. Forgetting modesty, she threw herself into Chu Lian's arms, clinging tightly.
Feeling her warmth, her vulnerability, her dependence, Chu Lian didn't check whether tears had fallen. She simply stroked her hair gently, whispering soft words of comfort.
Her appearance naturally drew everyone's eyes. Seeing this scene, Cai Ya turned her head with a slight frown of displeasure. Kurosaki Satsuki stared blankly, while Inori, seated on the edge with her legs soaking in the water, hid a quiet laugh.
Sensing the shift in mood, Chu Chu and Nana awkwardly stopped their antics. With hands behind their backs, they shuffled toward Chu Lian like guilty children awaiting punishment.
Chu Lian shot them a glare but said nothing. Instead, still holding Li Xiu'er, she led her to the edge of the pool and sat down against the wall.
Naturally, a bath this large had resting spots. The designers had set stone benches, carved from whole slabs, into the floor. Though clearly meant for adults around 1.7 meters tall, they were a little awkward for this group of girls, most under 1.5.
After sobbing in Chu Lian's arms for a while, the shy girl finally raised her head. She didn't dare meet Chu Lian's eyes, but glanced around nervously as she spoke in defense of Chu Chu and Nana: "They were just playing… they didn't mean it. Please forgive them."
Chu Lian lowered her head to study her quietly for a moment, then nodded. "Alright. Since you think they should be forgiven, I won't scold them."
Hearing that they wouldn't be punished, the two girls immediately sighed in relief. Somehow, among this group, everyone instinctively treated Chu Lian as a guardian figure.
Whenever problems arose, being scolded or disciplined by Chu Lian never felt wrong to them. Perhaps it was that faint aura of maturity she occasionally revealed, making them unconsciously rely on her.
"Alright, cover yourself up properly, or you'll end up crying again." Chu Lian tapped Li Xiu'er's nose gently, her voice filled with fondness.
"Mhm…" Li Xiu'er tugged the towel up from behind, using Chu Lian's body as cover to slowly wrap it around herself again.
"This place is really big…" Inori's voice drifted from nearby, her words a quiet sigh. Chu Lian heard and answered with a soft smile: "Yes, it is very big…"
Over 150 square meters, with only nine little girls scattered within—it truly did feel vast. But wasn't that nice?
At times like this, a larger space was better. It kept things from becoming awkward. After all, aside from their own small groups, most of them weren't very familiar with each other. With more distance between them, it was easier to feel at ease.
"I suppose so…" Chu Lian murmured softly, bowing her head. Closing her eyes, she let the quiet warmth of the spring surround her.