Soul Land: Heartbreak Makes Me Stronger

In the bedroom, atop the bed.

Shui Bing'er wore a slightly conflicted expression. "Then... can you fill the bath for me? I'll wash myself..."

"You'll wash yourself?"

Qin Jian questioned skeptically, "Do you really have the strength for that right now?"

"I can still bathe myself..." Shui Bing'er whispered, lowering her head.

Qin Jian chuckled. "Alright, I'll go fill the bath for you."

Seeing Qin Jian so agreeable, Shui Bing'er's face revealed a look of surprise.

After all, his mischievous ideas had left her utterly defenseless before. How could he give up so easily today?

If he insisted a little more, she'd have no choice but to let him... cough cough...

A faint blush slowly crept across her face.

The sound of running water came from the bathroom.

After a while, Qin Jian walked back out. "Bing'er, the water's ready. Come, I'll carry you in."

He stepped over and picked her up but suddenly paused as if remembering something.

"What... what's wrong?"

Shui Bing'er nervously clutched his neck.

Qin Jian looked at her and said, "There's no chair in the bathroom. If I carry you in, there won't be a place for you to sit and undress."

"Ah?"

Shui Bing'er's eyes widened slightly, her face tinged with unease.

She thought about trying to stand, but she knew her strength was barely enough to wash herself, let alone stand upright.

"Then... what should we do?" she asked softly.

Qin Jian smiled gently. "How about... undressing here first?"

"Here?!"

Shui Bing'er's face turned bright red. "Then I'd rather not bathe. After some rest tomorrow, I'll have enough strength."

"Alright," Qin Jian replied.

Just as Shui Bing'er sighed in relief, she heard him add, "Then I'll have to sleep with a smelly Bing'er tonight."

She couldn't bear it anymore. "No way... I want to be clean!"

"Then let's get you undressed," Qin Jian said, stepping closer and reaching for the zipper on her back.

"No... no!"

Shui Bing'er squirmed and blocked his hand.

"Then what should we do?" Qin Jian asked, exasperated, hands on his hips.

"I... I don't know..." Shui Bing'er mumbled, her head lowered.

Qin Jian covered his face dramatically. "Bing'er, where did your newfound confidence go?"

Shui Bing'er's cheeks flushed crimson. "Confidence isn't meant for letting you undress me!"

"Alright, how about this?" Qin Jian offered. "What if I close my eyes while helping you undress?"

"Close your eyes?"

Shui Bing'er blinked her bright eyes. "That... might work..."

"Okay, I'm closing them now."

Qin Jian shut his eyes and reached out, his hand accidentally landing somewhere soft.

"Qin Jian!"

Shui Bing'er yelped in alarm. "You're touching the wrong spot! The zipper is on my back!"

"Ah, sorry..."

Qin Jian withdrew his hand and carefully reached around her sides to her back.

"Too low! You're touching my...!"

Shui Bing'er exclaimed, stopping mid-sentence.

Qin Jian nodded hurriedly, adjusting his hands until he found the zipper along her slender back.

"Zip..."

He swiftly pulled it down, then grabbed her dress, ready to help her remove it.

"Qin Jian... don't touch my skin," Shui Bing'er pleaded, her voice almost breaking.

"This is really hard..." Qin Jian sighed.

The more careful he tried to be, the more he inadvertently touched areas he shouldn't.

"You… you better hurry!" Shui Bing'er finally relented. Qin Jian's hesitating and retreating only made the situation drag on endlessly.

"Alright then... You weren't this bashful during dance practice."

Qin Jian muttered under his breath as he helped her remove the dress without much concern for where his hands landed.

"We were clothed during practice!"

Shui Bing'er protested, then added, "Wait... What are you doing?"

"I need to lift you a bit to get the dress off completely," Qin Jian explained helplessly.

Shui Bing'er turned scarlet and stayed silent.

"Phew... Finally got the outer dress off. That wasn't easy."

Qin Jian exhaled in relief but hesitated again. "Bing'er... now comes the undergarments..."

"The... undergarments..."

Shui Bing'er's voice quivered with tears on the verge of spilling. "Can't I just leave them on?"

"Uh... are you planning to bathe with them?" Qin Jian asked, dumbfounded.

They both subconsciously overlooked the simpler option—asking someone else to help Shui Bing'er bathe.

"You... you..."

Shui Bing'er's face turned crimson as she finally muttered, "Keep your eyes shut tight!"

"Alright, alright," Qin Jian agreed, closing his eyes once more and reaching out.

What followed was an indescribably awkward yet oddly intimate process.

Once everything was removed, both of them breathed a sigh of relief.

"Alright, I'll carry you in now. Don't forget to guide me."

After some fumbling and stumbling, Qin Jian finally managed to place the now bare Shui Bing'er into the bathtub.

"The water's gotten cold," he remarked, finding the hot water faucet and warming it up again.

Shui Bing'er gazed at Qin Jian with a gentle expression, an unprecedented sense of closeness welling in her heart.

Such an intimate series of actions—it felt no different from what a married couple might experience.

"Are you sure you can wash yourself?" Qin Jian asked.

"Mm... I'll just soak," Shui Bing'er murmured.

Qin Jian shook his head. "How about I help? I'll keep my eyes closed."

"No!" Shui Bing'er immediately refused.

She couldn't even imagine what it would feel like if Qin Jian bathed her.

"Alright then," Qin Jian proposed another idea. "How about I use a towel? I'll try not to touch you directly."

Shui Bing'er blinked, staring at him. "How do you always come up with these ideas?"

Qin Jian grinned. "So, what do you say?"

Left with no alternative, Shui Bing'er could only let him proceed.

Naturally, the process was yet another scene filled with indescribable awkwardness and closeness.

After helping her bathe, drying her off, and dressing her in fresh sleepwear, Qin Jian finally opened his eyes.

He collapsed onto the bed, arms spread wide, and sighed, "Washing you was more exhausting than my fight with Feng Xiaotian."

Shui Bing'er, leaning against the headboard with a post-bath glow, pouted. "You got all the benefits, and you still complain..."

"I had my eyes shut the entire time. What benefits did I get?"

Qin Jian leaned closer to her, inhaling the faint fragrance wafting from her.

"Your hands definitely felt something," Shui Bing'er retorted indignantly.

"What did I feel? I have no idea..."

Qin Jian whispered near her ear with a teasing smile, "Why don't you describe it to me?"

"Ugh, you're impossible!"

Shui Bing'er turned her head away with a huff.

Qin Jian pulled her into his arms. "Alright, time for bed."

The lights dimmed, and they fell asleep in each other's embrace.

-----------------------------

Join my patreon to access advance chapters: patreon.com / igotneonlight