Chapter 45: A Moment of Unconscious Comfort

The steamy heat of the hot spring was already making one drowsy. Coupled with her earlier ordeal and the intense emotional swings, Jin was already feeling somewhat drained.

Now, immersed in the overly hot spring water and mentally exhausted by the ‘cup-size’ blow, she felt her head growing heavier, her vision blurring. Lin Wan’s laughter and Yu Niannian’s worried inquiries seemed muffled by a veil, distant and unreal.

“Mmm…” she whimpered unconsciously as the towel covering her face slipped away, revealing cheeks flushed with an unnatural redness. Her eyes glazed over, and her body began to slide limply into the water, her mouth and nose on the verge of being submerged by the spring water.

“Hey! Jin?!” Lin Wan was the first to notice something amiss. Her laughter abruptly ceased as she quickly reached out and grabbed her.

Xia Yue also frowned and moved closer, her fingertips touching Jin’s scorching skin. Calmly, she assessed, “She’s been in too long; she’s dizzy from the bath. Take her out.”

Yu Niannian panicked as well, rushing to help.

The three of them no longer cared about continuing their soak. They scrambled to pull the semi-conscious Jin, limp as a puddle of mud, from the hot spring.

Lin Wan and Yu Niannian supported her, one on each side, while Xia Yue swiftly grabbed a large bath towel nearby. With practiced efficiency, she wrapped Jin in it, soaking up most of the water.

Jin felt dizzy and disoriented, as if she were walking on clouds, her body uncontrollably leaning against the warmth beside her. She vaguely sensed herself being wiped down, then dressed in dry, soft pajamas (who had prepared them, she didn’t know, but they fit surprisingly well).

Throughout the entire process, she remained muddled, only able to utter meaningless sounds, like a docile—or rather, powerless to resist—ragdoll, allowing herself to be handled.

Finally, she was half-supported, half-carried out of the bathhouse, through the base’s quiet, brightly lit corridor, and back to their assigned temporary lounge.

The lounge was spacious, furnished with several comfortable beds. The three of them settled Jin on the innermost bed against the wall.

The moment she touched the soft bedding, Jin let out a sigh of contentment, curled up, and almost instantly succumbed to sleep.

Yet, before fully plunging into darkness, a lingering wisp of her consciousness could vaguely perceive the movements around her.

Lin Wan seemed to stand by her bed for a moment, muttering, “She’s truly so frail.” She then gently tugged at Jin’s cheek, only to be stopped by Xia Yue’s silencing gaze.

Yu Niannian, meanwhile, carefully tucked the blanket around her and felt her forehead, whispering, “Rest well, Jin.”

Xia Yue checked her condition one last time, confirming it was only fatigue and mild dizziness, nothing serious. She then gestured to Lin Wan and Yu Niannian.

The three of them lightened their steps, withdrawing to the other side of the room, where they conversed in hushed tones, likely discussing their next steps and reports.

These faint sounds, like a lullaby, lingered in Jin’s ears.

Her body was exhausted, her mind hazy, yet strangely, she felt little fear or unease in her heart.

Despite her delicate situation, despite a future fraught with unknowns, and despite the peculiar behavior of these three ‘guardians’ beside her, at this moment, nestled in the warm, dry embrace of the bedding, listening to their hushed conversation, and savoring this moment of tranquility…

A long-lost sense of being cared for and safe, like the hot spring water, quietly permeated her taut nerves.

‘Perhaps… for now… this isn’t so bad?’

With this vague thought, Jin completely relaxed, sinking into a dreamless sleep.

Her lips even unconsciously curved into an almost imperceptible smile, one she herself had never noticed.

This was the first time since her transmigration, and perhaps in a very, very long time, that she had slept so defenselessly, so peacefully and soundly, in such a ‘complex’ environment.

At the other end of the room, the three magical girls, still conversing in low voices, occasionally glanced at the figure curled up in bed, breathing evenly. Their eyes revealed different, yet equally complex, emotions.

It seemed this ‘harmless’ witch who needed to be ‘supervised’ was quietly embedding herself into their lives in a way they had never anticipated, even… stirring their hearts.

Tonight, for Jin, was destined to be a rare and tranquil night.

****

Night deepened. The base’s corridor lights dimmed, leaving only the faint green glow of the safety indicators.

A profound silence filled the lounge, broken only by the soft hum of the air conditioning system and the even breathing of the three occupants on their beds.

Lin Wan and Xia Yue had already fallen asleep. One sprawled carelessly with limbs outstretched, while the other lay neatly flat on her back, both immersed in their own dreams.

Yu Niannian, however, tossed and turned. She lay on her side, her gaze piercing through the dim light to land on the innermost bed.

Jin’s curled-up figure appeared exceptionally small and fragile in the moonlight. Her loose black hair fanned out on the pillow, resembling an ink painting.

Yu Niannian recalled Jin’s collapse in the hot spring that evening. An ineffable urge to protect welled up within her, along with a deeper curiosity.

She quietly sat up, her bare feet touching the cool floor, and approached Jin’s bed as silently as a cat. Moonlight filtered through the blinds, casting dappled shadows across Jin’s face.

Yu Niannian squatted by the bedside, observing the witch they were ‘supervising’ at close range. Jin’s sleeping face was serene; her long eyelashes cast faint shadows beneath her eyelids, and her lips were slightly parted, exhaling warm breaths.

Yu Niannian reached out, her fingertips gently brushing against the stray hairs on Jin’s forehead. Her movements were feather-light, fearful of waking her.

But as she prepared to withdraw her hand, Jin unconsciously nuzzled against her fingers in her sleep, like a small animal seeking comfort.

This unconscious gesture made Yu Niannian’s heart skip a beat.

She hesitated for a moment, but ultimately lifted a corner of the blanket and carefully lay down beside Jin.

The bed slightly dipped with the added weight. In her sleep, Jin instinctively gravitated towards the warmth, tumbling into Yu Niannian’s embrace.

Their warm bodies pressed close together. Yu Niannian could feel Jin’s steady heartbeat thrumming through the thin pajamas.

Yu Niannian’s arm encircled Jin’s waist, finding it even more slender than it appeared. Her fingers unconsciously traced Jin’s back, feeling the supple lines of muscle beneath the sleepwear.

Jin let out a soft murmur of contentment in her sleep, snuggling closer to Yu Niannian. Her forehead nestled into the hollow of Yu Niannian’s neck, her warm breath fanning against sensitive skin.

Yu Niannian looked down at the person in her arms. In the moonlight, Jin’s neck curved gracefully, her collarbone faintly visible.

She couldn’t resist gently tracing that curve with her fingertips, feeling the warm pulse beneath the skin.

Jin seemed to enjoy the touch; she slightly tilted her head back in her sleep, exposing more of her neck.

This unconscious invitation quickened Yu Niannian’s breath. She leaned down, her lips lightly brushing against Jin’s neck, without pressure, merely savoring the warmth and softness.

Jin carried a faint fragrance, like the lingering scent of gardenias from bath gel, mingled with her own unique, subtle magical aura.

Yu Niannian’s hand unconsciously slipped to Jin’s waist, her fingertips delving beneath the hem of the pajamas, touching smooth skin.

The skin there was exceptionally delicate, warm with the heat of sleep.

Her palm pressed against Jin’s side, feeling the subtle rise and fall beneath—the rhythm of her breathing.

Jin, in her sleep, seemed to sense something. Her body subtly twisted, causing the collar of her pajamas to slip, revealing a rounded shoulder. Moonlight illuminated that patch of skin, giving it a pearl-like luster.

Yu Niannian’s throat tightened. Her fingertips gently stroked the exposed skin, reveling in its velvety texture.

Just then, Jin stirred, her eyes half-opening in a daze. Yu Niannian froze, thinking she had woken up.

But Jin merely glanced at her with a confused expression, then, as if confirming something, burrowed deeper into her embrace, mumbled a vague, “So warm,” and drifted back into a profound sleep.

Yu Niannian let out a sigh of relief, simultaneously feeling a thrill of guilty excitement. She tightened her arms, pulling Jin fully into her embrace until their bodies fit perfectly together.

She could feel the softness of Jin’s chest pressed against her own, and her heart rate involuntarily quickened.

In this silent night, within this warm bed, holding the witch they were supposed to be supervising, Yu Niannian felt a peculiar sense of satisfaction.

She lowered her head, pressing a soft kiss to Jin’s forehead, then closed her eyes contentedly.

Outside the window, the moon had quietly ascended to its zenith, casting silvery light across the room, enveloping the embracing figures in a hazy glow.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the room, Xia Yue, who should have been fast asleep, slowly opened her eyes in the darkness. Her gaze, complex, fixed on that bed before she quietly closed them once more.