Iron Xuanxuan stood in front of the steamed-up bronze mirror, wiping away the fog with a towel. Beneath the damp strands of hair clinging to her face, her sharp yet elegant features emerged. Though lacking the delicate softness of a traditional beauty, there was a bold radiance to her, a strength that few women—and fewer men—could match.
With a height nearing six feet, limbs sculpted from years of martial training, and an air of unshakable pride, she was every bit her father's daughter. She didn't care much for silks or cosmetics—but she kept her skin spotless, her body strong, and her scent faintly fragrant like mountain orchids.
She stepped into the petal-filled bath, sighing with satisfaction as the hot water embraced her. Her muscles relaxed, her mind wandered, and the world outside faded—
Until she heard it.
A whisper of sound above the ceiling. So faint that a lesser warrior might have missed it entirely. But she didn't.
A spark of suspicion ignited in her chest. In the next heartbeat, she raised her hand, curled her fingers, and flicked her thumb—launching a crackling shockwave toward the roof with a technique known as Silent Shatter Finger.
"Boom!"
Tiles exploded. Rain poured in. And then—he fell.
A drenched figure crashed through the hole and into her bath with a mighty splash, landing chest-deep in the floral water, eyes wide with innocence, lips curled in a sheepish grin.
"…Cousin Xuanxuan," Qin Ren said brightly, shaking water off his fan. "What a coincidence. I was out enjoying the rain and, well, here we are!"
"You—!" Her voice caught, halfway between shock and fury. "What are you doing here, you little pervert?!"
"Oh, come now," he said, still seated comfortably. "We used to bathe together when we were little, remember? Besides, Father said you'd make a good wife for me, didn't he?"
She flushed crimson. "That was when we were children!"
"Still counts," he said, eyes sparkling. "Besides, you've always been the only one who could beat me up. That must be fate!"
"You—You rascal!"
As she lunged toward him, intent on teaching him a lesson he wouldn't forget, Qin Ren splashed backward with a laugh. Petals flew. So did fists.
Outside, the rain continued to fall—but inside, the battle of youth, pride, and unresolved feelings raged on.