NOVEL NEXT Chapter 17: Do You Want to Touch Again?
Chapter 17: Do You Want to Touch Again?
Ji Wutong’s boudoir was originally an unused spare room.
Having been vacant for so many years, it had rarely been lived in.
But after she moved in, she had decorated it to be exceptionally cozy.
On the shelf by the window, she had even planted a few pots of flowers and herbs.
Though it was already winter, they were thriving, now sprouting tender green shoots.
The moment Lin Mu stepped inside, an intoxicatingly fresh fragrance filled his senses.
“It smells so nice~”
Lin Mu couldn’t help but murmur.
Yet the next second, he immediately shut his mouth.
Because this scent was all too familiar—it was exactly the same as Ji Wutong’s natural fragrance.
Openly praising a woman’s body scent like this was hardly gentlemanly behavior.
Fortunately, Ji Wutong didn’t seem to mind, pretending not to have heard.
“Sit here for a while. I’ll go pour the bathwater~”
Ji Wutong pressed her lips together, guiding Lin Mu to sit on the edge of the bed before speaking softly.
“Need any help?”
“No, you’d just get in the way~”
She rejected his offer with obvious disdain before turning to leave.
Before long, Lin Mu heard the sound of water being poured into a wooden tub.
Ji Wutong carried steaming buckets effortlessly, one in each hand, filling the bathtub in several trips.
Once it was full, she retrieved a small cloth pouch from her dressing table drawer.
Inside were flower petals she had bought in advance, now releasing waves of fragrance in the warm water.
After finishing these preparations, Ji Wutong smiled with satisfaction.
Finally, she double-checked that the door was securely locked before gently removing her clothes.
Lin Mu could only hear the faint rustling of fabric sliding against skin.
Then came the sound of splashing water, followed by Ji Wutong’s quiet call.
“Come over slowly~”
“Be careful not to bump into the tub.”
Her voice was muffled as she kept just her head above the water.
Following her instructions, Lin Mu stood and carefully felt his way toward the bathtub.
Though blind, sometimes the involuntary images conjured by his imagination were far more unsettling than reality.
Thankfully, years of discipline had tempered his mind into stillness—otherwise, he might have embarrassed himself.
“Just… wipe my back~”
Ji Wutong handed him a damp towel, her voice barely audible, her entire body flushed from neck to forehead.
Lin Mu said nothing, simply taking the towel and nodding.
In this situation, silence was the wisest choice.
As he wiped her back, his fingers occasionally brushed against her neck.
Each time, she would instinctively let out a soft gasp before immediately covering her mouth.
The sounds made Lin Mu’s imagination run wild.
“So she’s pretending to be calm too!”
He thought to himself, exhaling in relief.
If both parties were awkward, then no one was truly awkward.
Despite being a martial artist, Ji Wutong’s skin was impeccably maintained—
Smooth as satin, warm as jade, soft and delicate to the touch.
Lin Mu couldn’t resist stroking it a couple of extra times.
“Is it soft?”
A splash of water sounded as Ji Wutong turned to face him, her eyes glinting as she studied Lin Mu.
His eyes remained shut, his expression neutral—as if the wandering hands just now hadn’t been his.
“What are you talking about?”
Lin Mu feigned ignorance.
“Do you want to touch again?”
“This is slander against a disabled man and an insult to my character!”
He erupted in righteous fury, as if deeply wronged.
“Fine, don’t touch then!”
Ji Wutong huffed and turned back around in the tub.
“Wait… you’re serious?”
“Guess~”
She fell silent after that, though her cheeks were already burning crimson.
She didn’t even know why she had said something so suggestive.
But whenever she saw Lin Mu’s face, she couldn’t resist teasing him.
Meanwhile, Lin Mu was now filled with regret.
Had he just missed an opportunity?
Woman, you’re playing with fire!
In petty retaliation, he scrubbed her back with slightly more force, only stopping when he heard Ji Wutong’s pained gasp.
“Oops, used too much strength.”
“You did that on purpose!”
“Of course not. How could I bear to?”
“You absolutely did~”
Ji Wutong snatched the towel back, her voice sweet but firm. “Go sit on the bed. I don’t need your help anymore!”
Defeated, Lin Mu groped his way back to the bed.
Eventually, he shifted from sitting to lying down, the sounds of splashing water filling his imagination.
In winter, once you started bathing, it was hard to stop.
Ji Wutong was no exception.
She lost track of how long she soaked, only realizing the water had gone completely cold when she finally stepped out.
On the bed, Lin Mu had already fallen asleep at some point—
Even lightly snoring.
“How could you sleep with a beauty like me bathing right beside you?”
“Honestly, unbelievable!”
She grumbled under her breath.
Wrapping herself in a robe and pulling on socks, she walked to the bed and nudged Lin Mu’s hand with her foot.
When he didn’t react, she pressed down harder.
Lin Mu jolted awake, feeling something soft and smooth brush against his palm before quickly slipping away.
He instinctively reached out to grab it but caught nothing.
“Was that an illusion?”
Bringing his hand to his nose, he sniffed in confusion.
Why was it damp?
And where was this fragrance coming from?
“What are you sniffing?” Ji Wutong demanded, her cheeks burning.
If the elders of the Demon Sect saw their Holy Maiden pouting like a lovestruck girl, their eyes might pop out from shock.
They’d probably suspect an imposter had replaced her.
“Nothing.”
Lin Mu didn’t dwell on it, casually wiping his damp palm on the blanket.
He must have sweated in his sleep, picking up the scent from the bedding.
“I’m done bathing~” Ji Wutong bit her lip, her voice trembling slightly. “You should go back to your own room to sleep!”
“Oh~”
Yawning, Lin Mu shuffled out the door.
Ji Wutong watched until he safely felt his way into his own room before closing the door and sitting backseat on the bed.
The lingering warmth in the blankets deepened her flush.
Fresh from her bath, she looked like a blooming lotus—stunningly beautiful.
A pity there was no one to appreciate the sight.
“This leecher… if he weren’t my savior, I’d have slapped him dead already!”
Remembering how Lin Mu had sniffed his palm, she felt both annoyed and strangely curious.
“It… shouldn’t smell bad, right?”
Leaning down, she took a tentative sniff before finally relaxing.
It’s fragrant!!!