25. I am not even a sp
Steven was a little unfamiliar with the area, so he took the documents and pointed out the surrounding buildings to Deng Shilang before confirming his location. Deng Shilang quickly left the park to find him and took him to the nearby bus stop to catch the bus back to the hotel.
Once the two of us boarded, we navigated the empty carriage to the back row, no need to squeeze. The bus left the brighter commercial district, passed by glazed tile eaves and pillars, and then the gray streets where clothes and quilts were hung out to dry. The route felt familiar, crossing bridges and waterways. The nightscape flickered through the window, then dimmed.
Ever since Deng Shilang returned to Hong Kong with his parents, he rarely visited mainland China for personal matters. Many places had changed significantly, and occasionally, when he visited, he felt the awkwardness of learning to recognize unfamiliar characters. One thing that hadn't changed much was the park, especially the tree-lined path. Because it was dim and deserted, it was neglected, and only those who knew the way would visit.
He had always disliked looking back, and he knew Yao Ling had returned with the same attitude. They were done, it was a necessary stage in life, and only by accepting each other's perspective could they reach this point in their growth. Two or three years ago, they might have relaxed a little, but time had passed, and both sides had come to terms with the fact that they were now strangers.
Back at the hotel, Deng Shilang and Steven continued preparing for tomorrow's trip to the stock exchange. The work was important, and the pace was slower than in Hong Kong. After work, they dined out and hung out, a welcome respite from their busy schedule. However, the first phase of their mission had been successfully completed, and they would return to Hong Kong in just two days.
He had a habit of showering before returning to his apartment. Fresh and refreshed, he emerged from the bathroom and saw the newly restocked box by the bed. Suddenly, he felt a deep, visceral disgust. Throwing it away was pointless; turning it over and over was a waste of time. There was always a reason for them to have sex, and even if they didn't, they'd still be testing the boundaries. He was best at restraint and maintaining boundaries, but now, with her, he felt a bit unbalanced.
Continuing to mess around after breaking up was consistent with the theorem he'd initially dismissed. He'd previously insisted on maintaining a normal friendship, but now he'd crossed the line and slept with his ex behind his girlfriend's back. He felt frustrated and unbalanced, and even more disgusted with himself. This was a perfect testament to what he'd said in bed: "I'd be going crazy if I wasn't."
Thinking about it gave him a headache. Deng Shilang grabbed a can of beer from the refrigerator and drank it right away. His phone lit up, and he read an iMessage from Chen Li'er.
[Gigi Chen]: How are you these past few days? Don't drink too much. I'll only ask you when I get home.
He sighed softly, then laughed at himself. He had always been innocent and open before, but now he had fallen into a state of guilt because of what he had done. He went into the bathroom, poured the beer into the sink, threw it away, and returned to the bed to reply to her.
[DCHayden]: I was drinking, but when I saw your text message, I stopped.
[Gigi Chan]: Honey, I'm going to Japan on a business trip to take photos, and will be back to Hong Kong on the same day as you.
DC Hayden: Okay, remember to get some rest on the plane and let me know when you land. If I can make it that day, I'll pick you up at the airport.
[Gigi Chen]: I’m going to tan you.
Deng Shilang, unsure whether he was comforted or relenting, smiled and sent her an emoji in response. He turned off his phone, opened the balcony, and the curtains swayed in the breeze. Taking advantage of the cool air to sober up, he sat down at his desk, opened his notebook, and immersed himself in the rest of his work for the day.
Yao Ling returned to the hotel later than both of them. After leaving the park, she went to take a look at her old home. The community was the same, with the same facilities and style, but there were more and more residents, and the real estate was booming.
After the show, she returned to the hotel and walked instead of taking the bus. As she walked, she ran into groups of students in school uniforms on the slope. They were joking around, talking about love, and some were having fun and taking videos on the street, just like they did back then.
Xiao Yu asked in the group whether they had arrived at the hotel. Yao Ling took out her vibrating phone and read it, then took a selfie under the yellow light on the slope and sent it to them.
It was a rather ordinary photo she'd taken, out of focus. The student's face wasn't in the frame, just a fleeting, hazy image of a school uniform. But even with the casual shot, Xiaoyu had an eye for beauty. She quickly praised her photo in the group chat and even shared a link.
Yao Ling returned to the hotel to wash up and charge her phone before carefully looking at the link.
This link was not only sent in the small group, but also appeared in the large group of their Class A. The old school just turned one year old and held an open day this Saturday to allow alumni to go back and visit. At other times, outsiders are not allowed to enter, so it seems a bit precious.
Yao Ling watched, silent, and fell asleep early. After she fell asleep, some of her old classmates, perhaps having heard the news that she was back for a visit, circled her in a group, and Xiao Yu added a few more words, making the conversation increasingly lively. However, since it was a weekday and Yao Ling didn't respond, they soon stopped.
Yao Ling woke up the next morning and grabbed her phone from beside her bed to check the clock. Squinting, she saw a flood of messages flooding the screen. She swiped through it, glancing at gossip about classes A and E, updates on influential figures, and inquiries about her life. She responded with a few polite words, then locked the screen again and dozed off.
Deng Shilang saw a selfie Yao Ling had posted during lunch. It was a bit blurry, but it had a subtle beauty to it. She held up her phone under the yellow light. Her skin was remarkably fair, her neck was graceful, and her eyes were carefree. Behind her stood their old school uniforms. This was the first time he had seen a recent photo of her in a long time. He scrolled down and finally read the link Xiao Yu had posted.
Their E class group chatted with old classmates from other classes, and a lot of messages popped up. He didn't have time to read them all, so he picked the latest reply related to him and promised them that they would get together at school when they had time.
After finishing his work that evening, Deng Shilang loosened his tie, drank some water, and decided to relax in the hot springs. He asked Steven if he wanted to join him, and Steven had already been thinking about it. They hit it off and headed up to the Cuilin Hot Springs on the top floor. Inside, Steven enjoyed the quirky red wine pool, while Deng Shilang opted for a traditional Chinese medicine bath, offering a relaxing soak.
Deng Shilang had just gone down when he smelled the scent of medicine such as angelica, and saw Yao Ling with her eyes closed in the mist.
They were the only two in the pool. She had her hair tied up, her shoulders half exposed, and any skin visible was steamed to a translucent pink. Even when there was a rustle in the water beside her, she didn't even glance at it, just soaking quietly. He didn't bother her, leaning against the tiles, soaking while checking his phone and taking a moment to read the messages in the Class E group chat.
After more than ten minutes, Yao Ling opened her eyes and shifted, only to discover that the person soaking in the water across from her was Deng Shilang. He was casually checking his phone, one hand resting on the tile edge, the other holding the phone. He noticed the movement of the water, looked away from her, then put the phone back in front of his face.
The fountain trickled, mist swirling around. Yao Ling shifted her position, lying on the tiles, her hands resting lightly on her chin. With her back to him, she asked, "Why don't you go to the red wine pool?"
"Headache." Deng Shilang replied to her while scrolling through the messages below.
"Like this." Yao Ling looked at the well-planted plants across from her, where the butterflies she raised tiptoed on the leaves, fluttering their wings. She felt quite relaxed in the soak and asked again, "It doesn't hurt down there, and I can still touch the water."
"It doesn't hurt." He pressed the phone against the tile, dipped his hands into the water, and sank down, letting the spring water soaked with Chinese medicine cover his neck. "The people in Class E don't think we'll show up at school together."
"We look like enemies." Yao Ling turned her head and said to him, "Actually, we have already done it secretly."
Deng Shilang looked at her and suddenly asked, "What did you think after you slept with me that day?"
Yao Ling wasn't surprised. Meeting his eyes, she calmly analyzed, "We're both deceiving ourselves. Sometimes we have strong morals, sometimes not, and we pretend to each other that we won't do it again. I know you care about your feelings, but you also tend to lose control with me. That's all."
He nodded, "I thought about that too. You're not just playing with me casually because your stay is short."
"No." She splashed some water on her neck and shoulders, "I don't want to bother with you. I never intended to have anything to do with you in the first place."
Deng Shilang sighed, realizing what they were thinking. He dove into the pool and emerged, his hair soaked. He wiped his face, swam over, and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. Puzzled, she turned her face to the side, her back pressed against his chest, perfectly positioned to see the water dripping from his chin.
They really should have had nothing to do with each other, but it turned out to be more troublesome than they imagined.
Deng Shilang had a headache. He hugged her and simply leaned back, leaning on her shoulder. He said helplessly, "Now that we've started, we're just deceiving ourselves no matter what we do. What do you think we should do?"
"I don't know. When two people say 'don't want to', it's just dogma, but their actions are all biased." She felt his chin rubbing against her as he held her, but her body still softened at his actions. She said, "What I've learned in the past few years is that if you want to live well, you have to learn to lie."
Deng Shilang didn't know where she got this feeling from, and smiled faintly beside her face, "I still like you to be pure."
This smile made Yao Ling's face numb. She didn't turn around, but leaned against him, lowered her head and splashed the water on her chest, creating a small vortex, and said to herself: "I fell in love with you when I was innocent, but was I also deceived by you before?"
"I didn't do anything. No matter what, you are just deceiving yourself. Maybe you never liked me, but just because I am good-looking, or I am famous in school, and you wanted to conquer me, and then abandon me when you got tired of me." Deng Shilang once thought so, and now stated it to her.
Yao Ling smiled lightly, "Since you think so, then let me think so."
He didn't intend to dwell on this point any further. He raised his head and couldn't help but kiss her face. "Still can't kiss?"
"No," she refused.
He hugged her tightly and chuckled, "I'm not even a sp."
"Then let me ask you, why do you want to kiss me?"
"impulse."
Yao Ling turned, her arms draped around his neck, and peered into his eyes through the mist. He was a bit more mature than before, yet there was still a youthful feeling they'd known each other for a long time. After all, they were only twenty-four, not much different. He had always been handsome, with exceptional temperament and taste, leaving her somewhat dazed. She hesitated, but ultimately, she tiptoed, tilted her head back, and kissed him on the mouth. She held his lip, licked it, and then delved into his mouth, but only for a moment before she pulled away.
"Okay, this is not for sp, it's for first love, just bear with it." Yao Ling noted.
How could Deng Shilang bear it? He looked down at her and lowered his head to kiss her, but he kissed her lips more gently than before, pecking her lips carefully and closely. Her lips had healed, very smooth and soft, without the touch of scabs. She could actually feel him indulging her. In this atmosphere, she did the same as him, simply kissing back, slightly opening her lips to let him in, their tongues entwined, exchanging breaths.
He pressed her to the tiles, his strength combining firmness and softness. She raised her chin slightly in response. Their lips pressed together and separated, their tongues entangled. The feeling of kissing before had faded at this moment, and the sound of water in the fountain masked the smacking sounds of their kisses.
This lasted for a few minutes, then Deng Shilang let her go, took a look at her, and then held her chin and kissed her. He guessed that she would refuse to let him kiss her later, so he might as well kiss her to his heart's content now.
The water temperature didn't rise, but their faces and ears were scorching hot. Yao Ling was already dizzy from the kisses, so she pushed his chest away, separated her lips from his, and took a deep breath, letting the fresh air into her lungs.
The phone rang. It was Deng Shilang. He went back to his phone and answered Steven, who was searching around: "Hayden, I see there are a lot of Chinese medicine pools here. Ginger, tangerine peel, angelica, mugwort, which one are you looking for?"
Deng Shilang smiled and said, "Do you want to come? After soaking in red wine, you can soak in Chinese medicine. You don't have to worry about overnutrition."
"Oh, I see you." Steven walked over and shook his phone. He saw Yao Ling and greeted her, "Hello, you're here too."
Yao Ling nodded expressionlessly, stepped out of the pool, and wrapped herself in a towel. "Take your time, I'm going back first."
Deng Shilang saw Steven here, hung up the phone, and said to Yao Ling, who had already come out of the water, "Bye."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
