At the end of December, the weather was exceptionally cold.
Inside the cabin, tall bath tubs, four-and-a-half feet high, were placed side by side with a screen serving as a divider; icy winds blew outside the window, while inside, steam curled and rose.
The air was filled with a thick medicinal fragrance, that bitter scent built up from years of accumulation.
Reddish-brown medicinal solution surged beneath him, and each pore relaxed and opened wide... Liang Qu rested his arms on the edge of the tub, feeling his tense muscles rapidly soften.
This wooden tub, specially made for bathing, was much more luxurious than the rice storage bin at his home, with a raised area in the middle to sit on, and even the rim was designed with fine grooves to prevent slipping.
The hot water quickly dissipated the cold in the room, turning it warm as spring in an instant.
