Xie Bian wanted to talk with Fan Wujiu, so taking advantage of Wei Xiangsi's absence, he crossed the pavilion to sneak into his bedroom. The door had barely shut behind his back when he realized he might have miscalculated.
The reason why he hadn't seen Jiang Lu anywhere became apparent as they stared at each other over the bucket of water he had just emptied into the tub Fan Wujiu was soaking in.
"Uhm, I suppose I should have announced myself," Xie Bian said, gaze glued to Fan Wujiu's bare chest. Soap and the tub's dark wood obscured his view, but he couldn't help thinking about how the entire situation was a mirror of what had happened back at the Blooming Fragrance.
Except for Jiang Lu's presence.
"Should I leave the two young masters alone?" he asked, head lowered as if he'd been caught doing something unseemly.