Chapter 26: The Hot Springs of Blossom Water Bay

Chen Xiaofei’s lip twitched when he heard Lu Yu’s words.

“Can you talk properly, please? I’ll give you another chance—try saying that again.”

Lu Yu continued typing away. “Did I say anything wrong?”

“It’s not exactly wrong, but it just feels off somehow.”

“If it feels off, then it’s probably right.”

“Oh? Now you’re being clever with words?”

“Never mind, you wouldn’t get it. You lack the gift for insight.”

“Excuse me, I don’t want any insight anyway. I’m just that hopelessly unrestrained.”

Lu Yu ignored him. Zhang Kexin glanced at the live chat, then pointed her phone at Lu Yu. “Hey, Lu, what are you writing?”

Lu Yu turned to look at her. “Would you even understand if I told you?”

Qianqian asked, “Are you writing code? Programming?”

“Yes, there was a step I hadn’t finished earlier. It bothers me to leave it incomplete.”

Zhang Kexin dropped the subject, and she and Qianqian pulled out ukuleles from behind their seats, strumming softly as they sang.

Within an hour, Lu Yu finished the step, saved his work, shut down the laptop, and stared out the window, lost in thought.

From the back, Qianqian was singing and playing: “That day was so cold it made people want to cry, but on that day I saw love—thin ice at the lake’s edge and ancient trees...”

The melody was gentle, tinged with sweetness and a hint of melancholy; Qianqian’s voice was soft and perfectly suited to the tune.

Lu Yu listened quietly. When she finished, he asked, “What’s the name of that song?”

She smiled. “‘At Least There Was That Day.’ Did you like it?”

He nodded. “Yes, you sang beautifully.”

...

Xiling Snow Mountain wasn’t far from the city. By noon, they’d arrived at a hot spring hotel called Huashui Bay, one of the most renowned establishments near Xiling.

After checking in, the four of them set off to explore the nearby scenic spots.

Qianqian and Zhang Kexin snapped countless photos of the scenery and themselves, especially at the boundary called Yin-Yang Realm and the Cloud Viewing Terrace.

The weather was perfect, with a touch of sunlight—one side bathed in golden rays, the other shrouded in mist.

The mountain ridge was barely two meters wide, the cliffs sheer and precipitous, the “Yin” and “Yang” realms sharply divided, ever-changing and unpredictable.

Looking out, the white sands seemed to stretch endlessly, with the two realms clearly distinguished.

From the Cloud Viewing Terrace, the swirling mists were even more mesmerizing.

Qianqian and Zhang Kexin took selfies with their phones, sometimes asking Chen Xiaofei for help with group shots.

Lu Yu wandered along with them, pausing here and there. Since leaving the lab, he hadn’t felt this relaxed.

Every so often, Qianqian glanced at Lu Yu, but he always shifted his gaze away without a trace.

...

The truth was, the two of them were mutually attracted.

It wasn’t love, perhaps, but there was definitely a spark.

Especially remembering how Lu Yu had carried Qianqian back to the hotel—at that moment, a strong desire had surged within him, thoughts far from innocent flickering in his mind.

Yet Lu Yu still chose to avert his eyes.

It wasn’t that he wasn’t interested in Qianqian, nor that she was lacking in any way.

He simply felt he couldn’t bear the weight of a serious relationship.

Not to mention, he already had two women at home, but that was pure desire, not affection.

Even if those two weren’t in the picture, Lu Yu would still have kept his distance.

How to put it? From their interactions, he could see that Qianqian was a genuinely good girl.

And he meant that in the truest, most complimentary sense.

Qianqian studied music, was naturally reserved, and strikingly beautiful.

A girl with such a gentle temperament tended to take relationships seriously.

It was her sincerity that Lu Yu feared.

He knew his own heart.

Having seen too much of the world alongside Chen Xiaofei, having been battered by reality, he didn’t really believe in true love anymore.

Even if it did exist, it was something confined to student days.

That first awakening of feelings, that naive and fearless age—falling for someone just because, on a sunlit afternoon, she happened to wear a white dress he liked.

That was real, carefree, unsullied love.

...

Because of these notions, Lu Yu especially avoided serious relationships.

How could someone who didn’t truly believe in love ever shoulder the responsibility of sincerity?

Besides, he couldn’t even promise himself to be utterly faithful—he wouldn’t dare utter such a lie.

So, as the saying goes: if you don’t love, don’t hurt.

That was Lu Yu’s belief.

With Shi Zixuan and Qin Xiaomian, there were no such worries, no burden on his conscience.

It was a transaction—he paid, they offered their company.

Fair and square, neither side felt shortchanged.

But if it were Qianqian, it would be a real relationship placed before him.

To be together was easy, but to be together seriously—that, Lu Yu found daunting.

...

He admitted his thinking might be irresponsible, but not entirely scoundrel-like.

If he were a real scoundrel, it would be purely about physical desire—where would there be any of this hesitation or avoidance?

Frankly, Lu Yu just wasn’t ready to face a relationship.

He always felt that, unless he was prepared to see it through to the end, he shouldn’t even begin.

It was stubborn, perhaps foolishly so.

He didn’t think of himself as some chosen hero, destined to gather all kinds of love and keep everyone in harmony.

He didn’t believe he had that ability.

Love, to him, was always a luxury—and just as selfish.

As for selfless devotion for love’s sake, even to the point of giving up riches or life itself—Lu Yu could only sneer.

That’s either stupidity or sainthood.

In short, no normal person would do it.

...

After touring the scenic spots, they went to soak in the hot springs.

Despite Lu Yu’s efforts to avoid deeper feelings, when Qianqian appeared before him in a swimsuit that was both modest and alluring, he couldn’t help but stare.

His mind said no, but his body betrayed him.

After all, Qianqian was an 87-out-of-100 beauty even without makeup.

Her figure was flawless, her age just right—the prime of a woman’s beauty.

Lu Yu had to try very hard to look away, now just wishing he could hurry back and lose himself in wild abandon with Shi Zixuan and Qin Xiaomian to quell the fire within.

The hot spring left him relaxed but also tormented.

Afterwards, they showered, dined at the hotel, and each retreated to their rooms to rest.

An afternoon of hiking and soaking in the springs had left them exhausted.

Before bed, Lu Yu replied to Qin Xiaomian’s message, saying he wouldn’t be back until tomorrow. Moments later, Qin Xiaomian sent him a photo of Shi Zixuan—half-draped, half-revealed.

Lu Yu felt a surge of reverence, promising that when he got back, he’d try that pose several times.

Qin Xiaomian assured him she’d cooperate enthusiastically.

He gave her a thumbs-up, praised her attitude, and encouraged her to stay humble and keep up the good work.

He set his phone on the bedside table, felt a wave of sleepiness, and soon drifted off.

...

The next morning, he woke feeling refreshed.

No wonder so many people loved hot springs—it really was a wonderful way to relax body and mind, to relieve stress.

Chen Xiaofei, Zhang Kexin, and Qianqian were up too. After breakfast, they drove back to Shudu.

After dropping the two women off at their university, Chen Xiaofei drove Lu Yu home.

On the way, Chen Xiaofei asked, “By the way, I never asked—you’re not living alone in that new apartment, are you?”

Lu Yu nodded. “No, I’ve also got those two young ladies who’d rather not work hard.”

Chen Xiaofei stared. “Wait, what? What’s going on?”

“It’s just what you’re thinking. I’m supporting them.”

Chen Xiaofei gave him a thumbs-up. “Man, I never would’ve guessed. You, with that honest face—turns out you’re quite the player!”

“Fair trade, no cheating. After all, I’m a normal man with normal needs.”

Chen Xiaofei pressed, “But what about Qianqian? Do you have feelings for her or not?”

“Of course I do. I’m not blind, am I? And they’re strong feelings!”

“It’s just… after hanging around you, I find it hard to open myself up to a serious relationship.”

Chen Xiaofei protested, “Hey, why am I getting blamed for this? That came out of nowhere!”

“Don’t point fingers at me. I get the feeling Zhang Kexin might be your downfall.”

Chen Xiaofei sighed. “You might not believe it, but I’ve had plenty of chances to get lucky, yet every time I end up playing the gentleman.”

Lu Yu glanced downward. “Is something not working down there? I’ve warned you before: ‘What’s precious is wasted in youth, only to be mourned in old age.’”

Now it was a matter of masculine dignity. Chen Xiaofei exploded, “Hey, I’m perfectly fine, and more than that—I’m a beast!”

Lu Yu mocked, “Sure you are.”

Then, remembering something, he said, “By the way, I’ve got a way to make money. Interested?”

Chen Xiaofei was curious. “What is it? Don’t tell me it’s coding—I can’t do that.”

Lu Yu didn’t hide it. “I’ve been secluding myself lately because, after some reading, I developed two kinds of cosmetics—one for hydration, one for whitening. They’re on a whole other level compared to the flashy stuff on the market—genuine hydration and whitening.”

“You can imagine how popular they’ll be, right? The main ingredients are herbal. You could invest in a plantation—size is up to you. As long as the herbs meet my standards, I’ll buy them all.”

Chen Xiaofei hit the emergency lights, braked, and pulled over, staring at Lu Yu. “You’re not kidding about the hydration and whitening, right? Does it really work?”

Lu Yu nodded seriously. “Better than you think. The results are immediate.”

Chen Xiaofei lit a cigarette, took a few deep drags. “Are you about to soar to the heavens? You sure you don’t have some secret system?”

Lu Yu replied with utter certainty, “No system!”

In his heart, he thought, Well, just some scientific data—that doesn’t count as a system, right?

So technically, he wasn’t lying.

See? That’s me, Lu Yu—an honest man!

In this world, honesty is everything.

Chen Xiaofei said, “Alright, I’ll go home tonight and apply for funding.”

Lu Yu added, “If you’re setting up a plantation, invest in my hometown.”

“Why?”

“I’ll be building a raw materials processing center there. If you set up your plantation nearby, it’ll save on shipping costs. More importantly, it’ll help the local economy.”

“No problem. When are you going back? I’ll go with you. In the meantime, I’ll research how to start a plantation. My family knows a professor at Shudu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine.”

“Soon, as soon as I get the production line up and running.”

“Great, let me know ahead of time.”

Lu Yu nodded.

Chen Xiaofei finished his cigarette, started the car, and dropped Lu Yu off at his apartment before hurrying off to ask his father for a hefty investment.

When Lu Yu got home, Shi Zixuan and Qin Xiaomian were still at work.

He sat on the sofa for a while, then went to the study, turned on his computer, and continued coding along the thread of his thoughts.

He didn’t even notice as dusk fell.

...