She slipped her hand free and hurried back into the cave, grabbing a small woven basket.
From her system space, she carefully took out the bathing soap and placed it inside, covering it with a folded leaf like it was something precious.
Which, honestly, it was.
Then she turned and hurried back outside.
Weijie was still standing exactly where she left him, eyes following her the moment she emerged.
"Ready?" he asked.
She nodded and took his hand again, this time more confidently.
Together, they walked.
The air outside was cooler now, the sky dipping into soft shades of amber and violet.
The sounds of the tribe faded as they moved farther from the settlement, replaced by insects chirping and the distant murmur of water.
"This is nice.." Ningning said quietly.
"Yes," Weijie agreed. "The lake is peaceful at this hour."
She glanced up at him. "Do you come here often?"
Weijie shook his head, he only came here for water and to bathe.
"No. Though it really is peaceful at this time of the day.."
They walked a little farther, the sound of flowing water growing clearer until the trees finally parted.
Ningning stopped in her tracks.
"…Wow."
The lake spread out before them like a sheet of glass, so clear she could see smooth stones resting quietly at the bottom.
The water reflected the fading sky, soft gold melting into blue, and just beyond it, a slender waterfall spilled down from the rocks, catching the light as it fell.
It was beautiful.
No—beautiful wasn't enough.
This was the clearest lake she had ever seen in her life.
She stepped closer without thinking and crouched by the edge, dipping her fingers into the water.
Warm.
Not uncomfortably so, but pleasantly warm, like it had been gently heated by the sun all day just for this moment.
"I like it…" she murmured, letting the water slip between her fingers. "It's warm."
"Yes," Weijie replied. "The stones beneath hold heat.
Ningning nodded, completely absorbed until she felt something shift behind her.
She turned.
And immediately saw something she was absolutely, one hundred percent, not prepared to see.
"…AH—!"
She slapped both hands over her eyes so fast she nearly lost her balance.
Her heart tried to escape her chest.
Her soul left her body.
Her brain short-circuited.
[Oh my. Straight to the main event?]
"DOUDOU—!" she hissed internally, face burning.
She had only meant to glance back.
It was… huge.
Not in a subtle way.
Not in a maybe I'm imagining it way. But in a why does that exist in nature kind of way.
Her thoughts derailed completely.
That thing could be classified as a weapon.
Is that even proportional?
Is this man legally allowed to carry that around?
"Ah—!" she yelped again, clamping her eyes shut so hard she saw stars. "Why is it so—so—so—"
[So healthy? So promising? So genetically superior?]
[Congratulations, Dumpling. You hit the jackpot.]
"DOUDOU!" she screamed internally. "I DID NOT CONSENT TO THIS VISUAL ASSAULT."
[Huhuhu]
[He's got a big shlong, you should be happy heh.]
Her heart was beating so fast she thought she might faint on the spot.
While she was still spiraling, she heard footsteps approaching.
Closer and closer until a shadow fell over her.
"Ningning?" Weijie's voice came directly in front of her. "Are you feeling unwell?"
She swallowed.
Slowly opened her eyes and immediately wished she hadn't.
Because she was still squatting.
Which meant she was now eye-level with the infamous ding-dong.
"Hi, it's me ding-dong. Nice to meet you. Heh"
...
Her soul ascended, finding it's way towards the clouds as Doudou had rope it back in place.
[Didn't you see your soul leaving?! You'd have died the third time woman and all because you saw a shlong.]
"…"
She let out a strangled noise and turned her head away so fast she nearly sprained her neck.
"We—Weijie!" she squeaked. "Personal space! Is a very important human concept!"
He froze.
"…Ah." A pause. Then, genuinely confused. "But we came here to bathe. We are meant to be naked."
"I KNOW.." she cried, face flaming. "BUT SEEING IT UP CLOSE IS A DIFFERENT KIND OF TRIAL."
[Trial failed. Emotional damage: critical.]
She scrambled to her feet and backed away like her life depended on it, pointing frantically toward the waterfall.
"We can u-use the waterfall for..privacy.."
She quickly picked the basket and practically ran to the waterfall, she heaved a sigh of relief when she saw a small opening behind it.
"We bathe here. It's best not to let anyone see our bodies. I'll help you with the soap. Don't ask me how I got it, but it's good for you and it smells nice, here smell it.."
Weijie leaned forward slightly when she held the soap out.
He sniffed it.
His brows lifted almost imperceptibly.
"It smells… good.." he said, clearly surprised. "Like flowers after rain."
Ningning puffed up a little. "Right? It's good for the skin too."
He nodded, then hesitated, glancing at her then at the water.
"…Are you not going to take off your clothes?" he asked, genuinely puzzled rather than impatient.
Her face instantly heated.
"I—!" She looked away, fingers tightening around the basket. "I'm just… a little shy."
Weijie paused, then after a moment said calmly, "Then I will turn around."
Before she could respond, he added, earnest and serious, "I will close my eyes too. Will that help?"
She peeked at him, startled.
"You'd do that?"
"Yes.." he replied simply. "We did come here to bathe."
Her heart softened.
"…Okay.." she nodded. "That's fine."
Weijie did exactly as promised.
He turned his back to her and closed his eyes, standing perfectly still, like a statue carved from stone.
Ningning didn't even need to ask Doudou if he was peeking.
She trusted him.
She quickly took out the soap, set it on a flat rock, then reached for her clothes.
Even so, her movements were hesitant.
This wasn't her first time being naked in front of a man, she'd had boyfriends before but Weijie was different.
He was the first man who had looked at her without judgment.
Without criticism.
Without that faint disappointment she'd grown used to seeing in others' eyes.
That made it… harder.
She swallowed.
Her body was still her body.
She still had her two little folds, stubborn as ever.
Her face burned as she covered herself instinctively, using her hair to shield her chest and her hands to guard everything else.
"Y-You can turn around now.." she said, barely above a whisper.
Weijie turned.
And froze.
It was his turn for his brain to stop working.