Behind the closed door, An Bing Qing sighed, 'I hope they can be friends'. Then, she smiled and went to prepare her own bathe.
As she filled the bathtub with clean water, she thought, 'Hah. I feel so tired, I just want to sleep; but I can't. That refinement failed and I don't know why. Could it be because the cauldron suddenly changed? Hmh… I don't think so. Oh, whatever, once I have relaxed I will give it another try. Sigh, it's a good thing I could refine the Bone Marrow Regenerative Cells Liquid or else I would be worried to death. I can just praise that book. Oh my…! Now that I thought, I totally forgot to give Xue Zi Hui some of the pills my eldest brother gave me. It's not that urgent though, now that the medicinal liquid was a success. But…' She stopped her wonder and warmed the water with her flame.
She disrobed and entered the scented water, "Splash. Hah, it feels so good". She paused and furrowed her beautiful semblance, "But why does the atmosphere feel so gloomy?" She pondered and stood up; she bent her body to reach her qiankun bag on the floor. She let herself fall back into the water, "Splash. Oh, Bing Nan got it after all", she said happily as a green incense stick with a white jade censer with lotuses carved appeared.
She placed the censer on a side table and lit the incense.
"Hah. It is much better like this". She merrily inhaled the sweet but fresh fragrance. 'Though it isn't warm jade spirit bamboo incense, this aroma is still good'. She enjoyed her bathe time; every time the water cooled, she will warm it again. Thus, her bathe lasted hours without An Bing Qing realising it.
"Thud", she suddenly heard a loud sound coming behind her door, she opened her eyes and looked towards it, 'They can't be…' with such sudden thought popping out from her mind, she stood up and took a set of clean robes to wear on. She more or less secured her clothes and walked towards the door.
The squeaking door was opened and she was met with the back of a tall purple figure and silky white hair, she couldn't see anything besides Xue Zi Hui; thus, she stepped sideways and saw something incredible, she exclaimed, "Eh! Eldest brother what are you doing on the floor?" She guessed what had happened but she still feigned ignorance.
An Yu Yong whose mood was already low, got depressed even more when he heard his little sister question. He drifted his gaze and his heart sank at her sight; she was all wet and her skin was rosy because of the heat, making her looks very charming. He sprang up to his feet and strode towards her, he didn't reprimand her but joked, "My...! My little sister has become an old woman now. Tsk, tsk, should this handsome young man call you -granny from now on?"
"Huh?" An Bing Qing who was containing her laughter got puzzled. She followed his eldest brother sight and looked at her hands that where placed before her mouth; they were really like the ones of a granny. She pressed her lips and raised her eyes, saying, "Hmph, this will pass with time but your defeat won't do it. Heh heh…"
She was pleased when she saw her eldest brother face darkening but soon, she will come to regret it.
An Yu Yong semblance changed to a serious one and without caring about Xue Zi Hui presence, he asked, "Now that you mention it, who is he? Isn't it being time for you to tell me?"
"Ah… that…" She opened her mouth and didn't really know what to say. In fact, she didn't know Xue Zi Hui's background and aside from her, she didn't remember seeing him with someone else in friendly terms; even thought at first their relationship was troublesome and she was pretty afraid of him, they came to be good friends to the point where she considered him like a big brother. Therefore, she never asked him twice when she was sure he didn't want to talk about it. After a pause, she gave a silly smile, "Hasn't I told you before? He is surnamed Xue and his name have two characters, Zi and Hui. Hence, we have a Xue Zi Hui". She raised her hands in a presentation motion.
"Uhu…" An Yu Yong expression didn't change but seeing her little sister like this, he knew he would only be wasting time. At length, he sighed as he caressed her wet hair, "All right, you don't tell me anything. But you can't put a step out from this room now, nor until we arrive".
"Eh?!" Her silly smile froze, 'It seems my eldest brother got swapped. I don't remember him being this annoying in my previous life'.
As she was wondering within the sudden quietness, Xue Zi Hui voice arose, "Little girl, this Lord doesn't have the time to be part of this nonsense. I'm going". He turned around to walk towards the ship exit, 'This is the worst decision I have made. It is better to look for another method or I will die from anger with myself. Not only is that little girl getting bolder but I feel I'm becoming stupid without time to react'.
"Wait!" An Bing Qing exclaimed as she reached for his wide sleeves.
Xue Zi Hui ignored her call but not long before, he felt a little force pulling his sleeves. He turned his head around, and with an impatient and cold face, he heard An Bing Qing's voice, "We still need to talk about something".
He didn't say anything and just looked down to where An Bing Qing was holding his sleeves.
"Heh heh, sorry; but we must talk". She freed his sleeves and said again with a voice full of seriousness.
He flapped his sleeves but he hadn't time to deliberate as An Yu Yong said, "You have nothing to talk about. Little sister, your new punishment has already begun. You can't be here, go inside".
'Now, eldest brother is becoming unreasonable as well'. She couldn't believe it, 'Why is he being like this?' She shook her head and a bright idea emerged in her heart.
An Bing Qing spread out her energy and took both by surprise. She pulled a musing Xue Zi Hui from his hand and entered with him into her room.
The door smashed closed and An Yu Yong finally woke up from his shock. He quickly extended her hand but the door's protective formation was activated. He tried to use his elemental energy and his knowledge regarding this ship's formations but was unable to open it. After a while, he gave up and walked away.
Inside the room, An Bing Qing sighed in relief, "Uffh. Eldest brother finally gave up". She turned around her head and saw Xue Zi Hui's black face.
"Little girl, if you can do this, why make me guard your door?"
An Bing Qing pouted her mouth, "If I could I would. That's why I asked you to imbue your elemental energy instead of mine. With my little amount of energy, my brother will surely be able to open it".
"Aren't you afraid of me getting hurt?" He asked randomly, looking for an excuse to be mad.
"As if, you could run very well before and with the medicinal liquid; I'm sure you can even fight a thousand strong men".
Xue Zi Hui couldn't help but raise a brow and felt something not right; seeing her confidence, he asked, "Don't these ships can be opened by the one operating it?"
"Yes, but it is the Great Elder and not my eldest brother".
"Can't he ask him?"
"Uh… that…"
His lips rose a bit without him being aware at her bafflement.
Light came across An Bing Qing's eyes, she shook her head, "I don't think so. We are quite free in the family but there's still some appearances to be hold even within our family". She paused and added, "Anyway we are going to be quick, though I don't care about appearances at all now". In the past she cared and followed the proper ways of the gentry but living once again, it will be better for her to enjoy as much as she can with her loved ones. At least, it's what she thought for now.
"Then, what did you bring me here for?" Xue Zi Hui asked.