"Thank you, Bai Li," she breathed with frightened relief as he pulled her clear of the water. She felt in her hair. "Oh dear, that was one of the hydrangea yanbin clips I bought with Sofya. It survived the attack by the assassins, but now it's lost," she said sadly. "I hope that's not an ominous omen," she said with a shiver of concern for this trip.
This damn girl would be the death of him, thought Bai Li with a heavy sigh.
He stripped off his armour, his robe and his shoes and rolled his pants up with a grunt.
"It's okay Bai Li. It doesn't matter," she assured him, when she saw what he was planning. "I can easily buy another one. Please don't go in there," she looked doubtfully at the cold, dark pool. It didn't look at all inviting. Or safe.
He looked her in the eye and shook his head despondently, before he waded into the deep pool. "It's bloody freezing in here girl," he growled. "You'd sure as hell better make this up to me."