Chapter 234: Why's His Tail Growing Backwards?!
By the time Yae Miko snapped back to her senses, she realized Bai Luo had already dragged her all the way into the changing room—and was now actively undressing himself.
"What are you staring at? Strip. Who takes a bath with their clothes on?"
With a flick of his coat, Bai Luo revealed the form-fitting suit underneath, which outlined his well-toned body.
Not hulking like some bodybuilder, but definitely firm. Solid. Athletic.
"..."
Yae Miko hesitated.
Should she really keep pretending to be Kuroda at this point?
Something about this whole situation felt... off. If this went on, she might end up getting completely led around by the nose.
But if she dropped the act now, it'd be an admission of defeat—and that was something she couldn't accept.
Forget it. He can't see her real body anyway.
Might as well use this opportunity to fish some intel out of him.
After all, who was really taking advantage of whom here…?
Little did she know—Bai Luo was thinking the exact same thing.
"I'm going in first. Don't take forever," he said, stepping into the bath on his own initiative, giving the fox no room to retreat.
Of course, it wasn't entirely altruistic. He just didn't want to spook her and force her to bail. Give the fox too much pressure, and she'd bolt.
But the moment Bai Luo lowered himself into the water, a disappointed look crossed his face.
Unlike the Royal Hot Spring, Aisa Bathhouse's springs had a strong sulfur scent and… that was it.
No aroma of medicinal herbs. Not even that sweet floral scent stronger than Sweet Flowers he'd experienced before.
So this was just a regular bathhouse after all.
Well, whatever. Even if the ambiance was lacking, the warm water did feel good.
Now, why exactly had Bai Luo chosen this moment to mess with the pink-haired fox?
Simple. She started it.
Had she come as herself, as Yae Miko, Bai Luo probably wouldn't have dared to act so cocky.
But in her current disguise, she had no choice but to play along as "Kuroda." And as someone who'd once worn both the hats of Battousai and Ausbilder, Bai Luo knew this kind of game very well.
As long as Yae Miko didn't want to blow her cover, she had to abandon her usual personality and stick to the persona she'd created.
That meant Bai Luo could act however he wanted. But she? She was stuck in the box called "Kuroda."
It was like fighting a fully armed opponent with your hands and feet tied.
That kind of Yae Miko—so restrained and vulnerable—was a rare sight. Too rare to pass up.
If Bai Luo didn't seize the chance to mess with her, then what kind of man was he?
To be fair, he was holding back. Just enough not to scare her into revealing her true form.
Meanwhile, back in the changing room…
Once Bai Luo stepped into the bath, Yae Miko gave a small wave of her hand.
Clink—the iron latch on his locker popped open with a soft thud.
Her fingers twitched slightly, and under the influence of her youki, Bai Luo's clothes floated into the air, slowly unfolding.
Aside from a pouch with dog paw prints and a few Sunsetias, there was nothing of note.
Expression calm, she neatly restored his clothes, then paused as a sly thought entered her mind.
Reopening the locker, she took out the pouch, pulled out a small vial of colorless, odorless powder, and gently blew it inside.
Satisfied, she gave a nod and locked it again.
After all, if Bai Luo wasn't Bai Luo without stirring up trouble, then even disguised as Kuroda, Yae Miko wasn't Yae Miko without pulling a few tricks of her own.
With Bai Luo out of the room, there was no longer a need to maintain appearances.
Without even taking her clothes off, she snapped her fingers.
Flash—a pulse of light flickered through the room.
The "Kuroda" disguise melted away, revealing a toned, shirtless man with a towel casually draped around his waist.
As for what lay beneath the towel… Well, whether that was out of genuine modesty or sheer ignorance, only she knew.
While walking among humans, she usually wore the ceremonial outfit of the Guuji. But in most other cases, her clothing was nothing more than an illusion—an outfit shaped by pure youki.
And underneath that illusion… was the true form of a fox spirit.
That said, she didn't reveal her full form this time. No fur, no ears, no tail.
Why?
Because her real body tended to shed, and if Bai Luo noticed stray fur in the bath, he might start connecting the dots.
Nope. This time, she'd be careful.
Even if she was playing his game… that didn't mean she'd play it on his terms.
The moment she stepped out of the changing room, Yae Miko's expression shifted subtly.
That usual glint of mischief faded, replaced by a more awkward, almost simpleminded smile.
And so, the leading man and lady began yet another act in their ongoing drama.
"Kuroda, over here."
Bai Luo patted the spot beside him, gesturing for her to sit.
Yae Miko, having never once entered a men's bath before, had no idea if it was normal for men to sit so close while bathing.
But to keep Bai Luo from growing suspicious, she didn't hesitate. She sat down right next to him.
To further avoid exposing herself, she even suppressed the natural fragrance that usually clung to her body.
"You sly dog. Didn't you say you barely came here? Yet the owner acts like seeing you is better than seeing his own dad."
Throwing an arm casually over Yae Miko's shoulder, Bai Luo spoke in a teasing tone—just like any close guy friend might.
There was not a single hint that he suspected her true identity.
"Just… come here once in a while," she replied with a sheepish smile, though her thoughts were far from calm.
That damn Kuroda… wait 'til I get back.
Who would've thought that behind that quiet, unassuming face was someone who practically lived at this bathhouse?
Truly, you can't judge a book by its cover.
Though, in Kuroda's defense, it wasn't entirely his fault.
Before meeting Bai Luo, his status at Yae Publishing House wasn't all that great—just a run-of-the-mill editor.
The writers under his wing were either lazy or vanished, and he had so much free time he'd been helping out at the sales counter.
But after taking on Bai Luo's novels, his career had skyrocketed.
From a low-tier employee to executive editor, his reputation and pay both saw meteoric rises.
And it was during this career boom that he fell in love with hot springs.
Wait a sec— so that was all part of your plan too, Bai Luo?!
Yae Miko narrowed her eyes slightly.
You really had to hand it to her—Yae Miko was still Yae Miko, even under the guise of Kuroda.
Sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with a completely naked Bai Luo, not a flicker of panic or embarrassment crossed her face.
With practiced ease, she fielded his every question and quip like a true veteran.
"My back's kinda itchy. Kuroda, be a pal and scrub it for me?"
After chatting for a while, Bai Luo gave an offhanded scratch at his back, pretending it was no big deal.
But in truth, he had just laid a trap.
"Right here? Won't the dead skin dirty the bathwater?"
Without realizing it, Yae Miko gave the exact answer Bai Luo had predicted.
"Yeah, true. Let's move to the scrubbing station," he said cheerfully as he stood up with a loud splash.
His shadow, stretched by the warm lights overhead, loomed across Yae Miko's face—
And in that instant, she froze.
Wait a second…
Why is his tail… growing the wrong way?!
It wasn't until Bai Luo casually wrapped a towel around his waist and laid face-down on the nearby scrubbing table that she managed to snap out of it.
"Come on, Kuroda. Give me a good scrub."
Still frozen in the bath, "Kuroda" stared at him, mouth slightly agape, as Bai Luo's voice took on an amused edge.
He knew exactly what he was doing.
He had even gone the extra mile—slipping a hefty sum to bribe the professional bath attendant away for the day.
Just for this moment.
Now then, dear Guuji… even after all this—are you still going to keep up the act?
<+>
Note: The 'tail' that Yae Miko saw is Bai Luo dick.
. . . . .
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