Sylvia sampled each of the treats Tingyun had brought over.
Given her current physical condition, Sylvia could easily have polished off every last bite by herself if she'd wanted to.
But since eating had essentially become a form of indulgence for her now, she thoughtfully set aside half for Acheron, carefully repacking it into the container to keep warm.
As for Tingyun, after spotting those assorted bottles and jars, she grew curious—could Sylvia really have such skills?
So she positioned herself behind Sylvia, studying her long hair with keen interest.
When it came to fighting, Tingyun was naturally no expert.
But judging people? That was her specialty.
Compared to how she looked yesterday,
Sylvia's hair and the skin visible to the eye had undergone quite noticeable changes.
What's more, she now carried a faint, pleasant fragrance.
It wasn't a complete transformation, but it was enough to surprise Tingyun.
When she'd seen her yesterday, Sylvia's hair had clearly been maintained mostly by good genes—it was obvious its owner hadn't given it much deliberate care.
Yet after just one night, while no single change stood out dramatically, everything from that subtle fragrance to its sheen and softness showed clear improvement.
The key point was—Tingyun looked closely and realized Sylvia's white hair genuinely seemed… even nicer than the fur of her own tail.
Had her recent adventures left her too busy to pay proper attention to grooming?
Almost instinctively, Tingyun found herself making excuses for Sylvia.
Meanwhile, after finishing her task, Sylvia picked up a bottle of SoulGlad, took a sip, and turned to ask: "Tingyun, when are we setting off?"
"No need to rush. Lady Yukong only wishes to thank you in person for your assistance."
As she spoke, Tingyun's tail swished lightly through the air. With a playful smile, she added,
"Speaking of which, judging by the ingredients you asked for, might you also be knowledgeable about tail care?"
Sylvia paused. The items piled in the corner were mainly leftovers—more than she could use all at once.
"Well, I do know a little. I had some free time yesterday, so I gathered a few things and mixed up some ointment to tidy up my hair."
Her original plan was to make more of the balms and essential oils to carry with her, so she could pamper herself regularly from now on.
She hadn't expected Tingyun to notice so quickly.
Hearing Sylvia's reply, Tingyun's interest was immediately piqued.
"No wonder your hair looks so much lovelier today! So that's why you kept staring at this humble one's tail yesterday~"
"Ah, well… yes. But your tail is already quite well-maintained too."
Now equipped with professional knowledge, Sylvia could clearly see that the tail fur she'd found incredibly soft and fluffy yesterday still had room for improvement.
It could be even better—softer, smoother, fluffier.
Her master-level skills made her fingers itch with the urge to get to work, to shape it into her idea of perfection.
But reason held her hands back from acting rashly. Even though she'd really wanted to touch that tail before, she and Tingyun still weren't that familiar.
Plus, her hands were… a bit extraordinary. Who knew what might happen if she actually started petting it.
But Tingyun was no fool.
That tone alone told her that, in Sylvia's eyes, her tail maintenance was probably just "passable."
Phrases like "quite well-maintained" usually meant the speaker wasn't impressed, but didn't want to offend.
That realization only made Tingyun more curious.
She treasured her tail, thank you very much!
"Well then, benefactor~ What does this humble girl's tail still need in terms of care?"
As she spoke, Tingyun deliberately turned sideways, lifting her fluffy tail and bringing it closer to Sylvia.
Sylvia watched Tingyun shift her posture, her hips tilting up slightly, and fell silent for a moment.
Oh, you think you can tempt me, is that it?
If you're offering so freely, then don't blame me for helping myself!
Sylvia swallowed lightly, then said:
"The detailed stuff would take too long to explain, but… if you don't mind, Tingyun, I could give your tail a simple treatment?"
"Of course~ If you wanted to touch this one's tail, you only needed to ask. Nothing would make me happier."
Deliberately turning her back, she let her fluffy tail sway gently before Sylvia. Meanwhile, Tingyun rested her chin on a folded fan, glancing over her shoulder with a smiling, slightly blushing face, her expression full of anticipation as she gazed directly at Sylvia.
Tingyun had agreed so readily that Sylvia was caught off guard—she'd expected at least a little back-and-forth first.
"Th-then, alright. Tingyun, maybe you should make some preparations first? I'll mix a fresh batch of ointment."
As she spoke, Sylvia pulled over a chair and sat down. But Tingyun, seeing this, simply drew closer and sat down right beside her, their shoulders almost touching.
"To think you've learned such a skill, benefactor~ Might this humble one take a closer look?"
Tingyun's fragrance—alluring but not overpowering—drifted gently toward Sylvia.
"Sure, go ahead."
With that, Sylvia lowered her head and began preparing the mixture.
Caring for hair and caring for a tail were, after all, somewhat different.
Her hands moved steadily, but her mind was racing—surely grooming a tail wouldn't cause as intense a reaction as it had with her and Acheron?
Judging by the skill's name, it seemed tailored for foxian races.
Things like haircare and body massage were probably just secondary extensions.
But still!
It's just one tail… It shouldn't be a problem, right?
Probably…
Sylvia felt a little uneasy.
Even though she'd agreed readily, the thought that Tingyun might have a reaction like Acheron's…
Well, the idea was… kind of thrilling.
If Tingyun ended up unable to resist, then hehehe—she could have her way!
In those brief moments, at least a hundred thousand words of unspeakable scenarios flashed through Sylvia's mind.
But if things did get intense, it'd be better to move to her room. She didn't want to disturb Acheron.
Even though the room had good soundproofing, with only a single door between them, Sylvia wasn't entirely confident.
Having at least two walls in between would give her just that little extra sense of security.
Compared to Sylvia, with her endlessly scheming little mind, Tingyun remained the picture of calm.
Especially when she saw how skillfully Sylvia handled the ingredients, her delight only grew.
Sylvia's expertise seemed even greater than she'd imagined.
She couldn't help feeling a little excited.
If the results were really good, maybe she could ask Sylvia to make some extra for her to take home later.
Traveling all over for trade really took a toll on the quality of one's fur.
Leaning close to Sylvia, chin in hand, Tingyun wagged her tail expectantly, breathing in the aroma rising from the ointment.
Completely unaware of the particular "hell" that awaited her.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.