Chapter 104 The Battle to Protect Our Marriage (1)
Y: I'll be back a little later today, you should rest.
When Lin Langyi received this message, she and Hang Qian were excitedly planning a skiing trip.
She raised her hand and gestured for her best friend to pause, then quickly and elegantly covered the nearly empty bowl of soup in front of them. After a quick and meticulous plating, the soup looked as if it had just been freshly served from the kitchen.
Lin Langyi took a photo, and then replied to the WeChat message with boundless enthusiasm:
【picture. 】
[Honey, you've been working so hard overtime. I specially asked Aunt Qiu to make you a pigeon soup with Solomon's Seal and Dendrobium today, just so you could drink it when you got home TT.]
After the message was sent, Yuan Chuyu's chat box remained in the "typing is in progress" state for a long time.
Hang Qian looked down at the whole pigeon that had turned to bones in front of them, then looked up at Lin Langyi's enthusiastic words in the chat box and offered a suggestion:
"Why don't you just say you cooked it yourself? Wouldn't that show how much you care about him?"
Lin Langyi didn't even look up: "I already made up a story last time, and he just looked at me calmly and asked, 'But I remember you can't cook?'"
Oh, so the secret was exposed.
Hang Qian was surprised and puzzled: "He knows you can't cook? You two have only been living together for less than two months?"
Lin Langyi watched as Yuan Chuyu remained silent for a long time, then put down her phone, picked up the small bowl in front of her, and finished the last sip of the delicious soup. She guessed, "Perhaps Ying Yuan conducted a thorough investigation before choosing a marriage partner."
No sooner had he finished speaking than Yuan Chuyu made a phone call.
Lin Langyi took it with one hand, wiped her mouth with the other, and sweetly called out "husband," intending to continue their loving daily routine.
Yuan Chuyu's voice was as pleasant as ever, clear and calm with a touch of unhurried composure. He said slowly, "I definitely can't eat today, you eat."
Lin Langyi pushed the small bowl in front of her, which was empty, forward, and said with even more regret, "I understand, you didn't have an appetite after coming back from your social engagements, right? Well then... I'll make it for you next time."
There was a pause in the voice on the other end, as if the hesitation of "the other party is typing" was reproduced through the air.
After a long pause, Yuan Chuyu slowly said, "It's because I had a bit of an allergic reaction yesterday and couldn't eat any foods that might trigger it."
Lin Langyi's eyebrows twitched, and after finishing her meal, she vaguely remembered that he seemed to have mentioned this to her yesterday.
She completely forgot about that...
"Are you feeling any better now?" Lin Langyi was not discouraged at all, throwing the embarrassment to the back of her mind, and continued to be solicitous, "I remember you are flying to Switzerland tomorrow, right? I was worried about you, so I bought a plane ticket and plan to go with you."
Yuan Chuyu remained silent for a while.
He said, "I went to Sweden."
"Huh?" Lin Langyi's expression was exaggerated. Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at the words "St. Moritz Ski Resort, Switzerland" written in bold, colored pen on the table, and let out two sobs, saying sadly:
“I made a mistake… Oh my god, but I’ve already contacted a classmate who lives in Switzerland, and she promised to act as my tour guide.”
"I originally wanted to avoid disturbing your important business as much as possible, which is why I made an appointment with someone else..."
"It's alright, go ahead and have fun. Safety first." Yuan Chuyu was very easy to talk to, as always. In Lin Langyi's mind, he was a gentle and reserved gentleman.
She finished her performance with a sigh, and after hanging up the phone, she received a transfer notification from her arranged husband within three minutes.
I transferred 520,000 to her.
How wonderful! She married a workaholic husband who's rarely home and loves transferring money to others all the time.
"Alright, let's set off on time tomorrow as planned." Lin Langyi smiled and picked up her pen, drawing a heart on the title of the travel guide.
"You're so lucky to have found this marriage partner," Hang Qian squeezed in and exclaimed. "Yuan Chuyu is so decisive and ruthless in the business world, but it turns out he's such an easy person to get along with in private."
Lin Langyi recalled the process of their marriage and nodded, "I didn't expect it either."
In the eyes of those in the industry, this marriage was practically a "flash marriage." As prestigious as Yingyuan Group was, so was Yuan Chuyu, the person in charge, who was extremely low-key and had never been involved in any scandals.
But ironically, it was he who proposed the marriage alliance.
It was just a first meeting at the lakeside. Later, he invited her to Jinshaxi Island to play with a group of peers for two days. The third time was at the banquet, when Yuan Chuyu respectfully said a few words to Meng Hui.
Meng Hui was probably surprised by how quickly things had progressed, because midway through the banquet he pulled Lin Langyi to the terrace and asked bluntly, "Zhuzhu, what do you think of President Yuan?"
Lin Langyi had a very good impression of Yuan Chuyu when she was on Jinshaxi Island. He took good care of her and was very considerate. When her mother asked about it, she naturally praised him, saying, "He is very outstanding."
Meng Hui spoke more tactfully: "You've reached the age where you can try dating and getting to know more people."
Just now at the banquet, I saw Madam Zhuang holding the "son of Linzi," Zhuang Lan who was emotionally distraught, and the noisy crowd behind her whispering, "Now Miss Zhuang's future marriage is in jeopardy..."
Lin Langyi was startled, thinking that her mother had also been thinking about this.
The gap between Yingyuan and Lin was too great. Lin Langyi did not believe that her mother would be so delusional as to want to tie her to Yuan Chuyu. Therefore, she could only understand it as her mother having her eye on some young master at the banquet.
Lin Langyi took three or four steps back, her voice trembling as she said firmly, "You don't mean to force me into a marriage, do you? Forcing someone together without feelings will only lead to mutual destruction! Even accidentally bumping into the other person makes me feel nauseous!"
When her mother heard the first half of what she said, she raised her hand and her lips were half open, as if she was a little anxious. But Lin Langyi spoke very quickly and finished speaking in one breath.
Only the night breeze and the rustling of the trees remained on the terrace.
"President Yuan..." Meng Hui's words were tinged with awkwardness.
Lin Langyi suddenly turned around and saw the man standing behind her.
The carved glass doors separated the clinking of glasses in the main banquet hall, and those who came and went, chatting and laughing, became silent reflections, like those in a mirror. What pierced through the two-dimensional image was the excessively handsome man in front of him.
He had an expensive suit jacket draped over his left arm, and he had changed his tie to match his dark silk shirt.
Lin Langyi remembered that when the banquet started tonight, he was wearing a smooth, dark gray tie that was both orderly and authoritative, but now he had changed to a slightly flamboyant dark red striped tie.
Even all black couldn't suppress the richness of the color. His head-to-shoulder ratio was too superior, and his every move was refined and elegant. This touch of red on him inexplicably exuded a burgeoning ambition hidden beneath his elegant demeanor. It was a beauty with a sense of conflict and aggression.
"It's a bit cold outside." Yuan Chuyu seemed not to have heard the mother and daughter's conversation, his smile gentle and proper.
Lin Langyi lowered her head slightly and nodded in greeting. Her gaze swept over the area and she suddenly noticed that the satin strapless dress she was wearing today was pomegranate red.
She lifted her skirt and returned to the banquet, where she finished her business as usual. When it was over, Yuan Chuyu personally escorted her back.
Lin Langyi then realized what he was thinking.
Just like his decisive action in business, he showed absolute determination to win her over, even though he always maintained that gentle and amiable demeanor.
When her mother asked about it again later, Lin Langyi remembered Yuan Chuyu's handsome face and changed her answer: "If it's him, we can really give it a try."
The engagement banquet was lavish and grand, and the next day, Yuan Chuyu invited her to move into a newly renovated villa.
They should have been living a blissful, loving life. At least in Lin Langyi's mind, cohabitation was an invitation, and she was indeed very fond of Yuan Chuyu's broad shoulders and narrow waist.
The problem is, I never expected Yuan Chuyu to be so rigid and conservative!
They had been living together for two months, but they still slept in separate rooms. Lin Langyi hadn't even had a sip of soup, let alone eaten meat.
She agreed to the marriage because she was bewitched by his handsome face! In the end, he turned out to be a paragon of chastity, and wouldn't even let her touch him!
Lin Langyi initially planned to take the initiative, but that time she coaxed him back to drink, and after one drink she said she was drunk. She planned to use the "Truth or Dare" method to confess to her crush, a method that was both offensive and defensive, to sleep with Yuan Chuyu.
Yuan Chuyu knew she had a terrible alcohol tolerance, but he didn't know just how bad it was. When she was slumped over the table, whimpering softly, he leaned over to check on her.
His fingers were slightly cool as he brushed aside her long hair and tucked it behind her ear, softly calling, "Zhuzhu?"
Lin Langyi continued to play dead with composure.
After several tentative calls, she clearly felt him gently pinch her earlobe with his index finger and thumb, caressing it tenderly from top to bottom along its contours, as if carefully tending to a flower stem.
As his fingertips slowly warmed up from the repetitive caresses, Lin Langyi felt a tingling sensation down her spine from his touch, and the urge to sleep with him reached its peak in that instant.
She grumbled and took a step back, bumping into a strong arm.
After a two-second pause, the arm remained motionless against her back, unlike its usual respectful and aloof demeanor.
Lin Langyi belatedly realized what was happening, and he turned to the side, placing his left hand behind her seat, loosely encircling her.
This is a subtle and highly possessive gesture, like a male marking out his territory.
She didn't know that he had been in this close embrace ever since he sat down next to her. When she leaned back earlier, the edge of her buttocks and thighs pressed against his fingers, his bony fingers underneath, creating a strong sense of foreignness.
He showed no intention of withdrawing his hand, maintaining the ambiguous posture silently, as if he were allowing a spark to drift onto a dry, abrasive piece of firewood, ready to ignite a raging fire in an instant.
Lin Langyi was itching to get rid of this silent, borderline tug-of-war. She let out a muffled groan and mumbled that she wanted to go to sleep.
Hurry up and get to bed!
Yuan Chuyu finally gave in to her wishes. He put one hand around her knees, and with the hand that was pressed under her buttocks, he used it to support himself on the chair and lifted her up steadily.
Lin Langyi tilted her head and pressed it precisely into the crook of the person's neck.
To feign drunkenness, she deliberately lost her strength and fell down, her outer thigh seemingly hitting something. Yuan Chuyu reacted quickly and lifted her up, until her leg was imprinted only on his cold, square belt buckle.
But the upward movement caused her tilted head to follow, and as she raised her face, her lips brushed against his Adam's apple.
He reacted as if he had been electrocuted, trembling violently for a moment. His Adam's apple bobbed rapidly, and he pulled her away from him again, quickly turning around and carrying her into the room.
Lin Langyi only remembered the burning heat of his skin when she occasionally touched his chin while walking.
After being placed on the bed and tucked in, he removed her jewelry one by one, gently wiping her cheeks and hands with a hot towel. Finally, Lin Langyi heard him let out a soft sigh of annoyance.
In his confusion, he brought her to his room.
The familiar scent of ylang-ylang filled her nostrils. After tucking her in, Yuan Chuyu hesitated for a long time before finally moving her to her bedroom without bothering her.
The house has mostly bedrooms, so he chose to give her the bedroom.
He didn't stay in the room again, except for taking a long shower in the en-suite bathroom.
After that incident, Lin Langyi gave up trying for a long time.
Because she felt that Yuan Chuyu probably had other hidden reasons.
Not long after, she heard Xiao Pucheng's evaluation of this childhood friend, saying that he was "emotionally fastidious" and a person who was self-disciplined and would rather have nothing than something bad.
Therefore, Lin Lang pondered for a moment and concluded that it was very likely that Yuan Chuyu was not fond of her, which was why he kept his distance.
After reaching this conclusion, Lin Langyi completely changed her attitude towards her arranged marriage husband, whom she could only admire but not have, and decided to truly live a life of mutual respect and courtesy with him.
She's a master of superficial concern that's all talk and no action!
Lin Langyi and Hang Qian finalized the travel itinerary, happily saw the guests off, and then began packing their luggage.
She planned to go for a full two weeks, so she naturally brought a lot of things. When she was lying in bed at night, she remembered that she had forgotten to bring her sunglasses, so she jumped up to get them.
The suitcase had already been placed in the living room on the first floor. As Lin Langyi squatted on the ground fiddling with it, the sound of the door lock turning came from the front door.
She raised her head to meet Yuan Chuyu's gaze, which was the first thing he looked at.
"Why aren't you asleep yet?"
Even a full day of work couldn't diminish his upright and refined appearance; his shirt and trousers were impeccably tailored, with every button fastened tightly.
Yuan Chuyu changed into slippers and walked straight towards her: "Are you packing your luggage?"
"Yes." Lin Langyi blinked and lied through her teeth. "I originally planned to go with you, and I split half of the clothes to put in your suitcase. Now I have to repack them, so it's been like this for a while."
Yuan Chuyu pursed his lips, his eyelashes drooping slightly, and a rare hint of regret appeared in his deep, dark eyes.
He said, "After this business trip is over, I'll arrange some itinerary and we can go on a trip together."
Lin's Pearl is steadily rising in value, and the characteristic town is also pushing the industry towards maturity. Lin Langyi is now basically making money while lying down, living a life completely different from the hardworking Yingyuan leaders.
She certainly has the time, but Yuan Chuyu might not.
Lin Langyi gave him a kind and understanding smile, as if she wanted to plaster the word "thoughtful" on her forehead, and said with concern, "It's okay, it's okay. You're busy. As long as I can see you occasionally in the evening like this, I'm very satisfied."
Anyway, there are plenty of people who want to hang out with her.
Yuan Chuyu suddenly bent down because of her sweet words, placed one hand on her shoulder, turned his head and gently kissed her forehead.
The hand on her shoulder tightened slightly. After a brief pause, the scent of ylang-ylang mixed with a faint smell of alcohol wafted down her body, and he gently placed kisses on her eyes and the tip of her nose.
A kiss late at night can easily escalate into something more.
He ran his hand through the hair at the back of her head, and as he kissed her, he couldn't help but curl his fingers and stroke her long hair repeatedly, whispering, "You've washed your hair."
"Hmm." Lin Langyi's gaze swept over his Adam's apple, noticing it bob once more.
"It's not dry yet," he said in his usual pleasant voice. "If I don't dry it before I sleep, I'll have a headache."
Lin Langyi had already put away her sunglasses; all she had to do was zip up the suitcase. Her mind was already in Switzerland. She dodged his persistent caresses, pushed him away against his chest, closed the other half of the suitcase lid, pressed her knees on it, and successfully zipped it up.
No sooner had he finished doing all that than a knee suddenly pressed down on the box. The perfectly pressed suit trousers rode up slightly because of this position, revealing a section of the ankle bone, which was encased in dark socks and showed a strong Achilles tendon.
Very sexy.
When separation is imminent, it should be a time to make the most of every second and try to rekindle the flame.
He spread his fingers on the suitcase with his left hand, slightly raised his face, and silently chased after her for a kiss.
This wasn't the first time Lin Langyi had kissed him.
Although it happened very infrequently, they did kiss, in a polite, gentle, and innocent way, like a dragonfly skimming the water.
But this time, perhaps because of the alcohol, the kiss was more aggressive and longer than usual; he clung to her, refusing to let her back down.
Lin Langyi swallowed unconsciously, leaning back slightly.
Yuan Chuyu closed his eyes, used the tip of his tongue to pry open her teeth, and with a slightly disordered force, licked and swept through every part of her mouth.
Wherever he touched, it felt like a wildfire had been ignited. His breath was very close, and his swallowing sounds were obvious. Lin Langyi leaned back like a bow being pulled back, feeling as if the root of her tongue was being sucked until it went numb.
He would close his eyes and touch her hand, take it, and let it touch his neck, so that his Adam's apple, which kept moving up and down, was pressed against her palm.
"Why aren't you kissing me anymore?" He gently nibbled at her lower lip with the tip of his teeth, asking indistinctly while still clinging to her lips.
It took her a while to realize that he was probably asking her why she didn't kiss his Adam's apple.
But she was drunk that time, so she should pretend to be someone who didn't know anything.
Although this time, it seemed like he was drunk, he couldn't quickly realize his oversights in response to her reactions.
In the quiet night, the two knelt on the same suitcase, stretching the swallowing and possessive kiss on an infinitely long note.
Apart from a very faint taste of alcohol, his mouth was filled with a refreshing and pleasant lemon scent.
Lin Langyi asked him.
"The candy I ate after the show." He chuckled softly, holding her close, his chest heaving. "I wanted to come back and kiss you, but I was afraid you'd get drunk again if you smelled the alcohol..."
"How could you get drunk from such a small amount of alcohol..."
The twin lotus flowers on the windowsill are growing well, and they occasionally nod gently when the wind blows.
After he finished laughing, the corners of his lips quickly fell back down. He sighed and complained softly, "I won't be able to see you for ten days..."
He's going on a business trip for ten days.
Lin Langyi added in his mind, "It'll be longer for me; I'll be away for half a month."
Even the most tender and lingering farewell kiss only went so far as to end abruptly. Before parting, Lin Langyi noticed the tight trousers between his legs.
"Will you do it?" she asked bluntly.
Yuan Chuyu lifted his eyelids, his gaze lingering on her face for a few seconds before looking away and shaking his head: "Not now."
Although it could be explained as him being a rigid man who strictly adhered to the rule of not engaging in premarital sex, Lin Langyi was still somewhat disappointed.
If you can't sleep together, it's hard for the relationship to last.
*
It's already the third day since they landed in Switzerland, and Lin Langyi and Hang Qian have quickly become so engrossed in their fun that they don't want to leave.
She posted quite a few photos in a nine-grid format, and Yuan Chuyu liked them every time. He would also proactively message her privately when she was too lazy to edit the photos before posting them, asking how her day went.
But Lin Langyi usually doesn't have time to take out her phone when she's out having fun, especially today, when she and Hang Qian were fully equipped and skiing and falling all the way on the slopes, keeping them very busy.
She's doing well; she had previously hired a professional coach in China and studied diligently one-on-one for a long time, so her basic skills are quite solid.
However, Hang Qian was still in a state where she could barely maintain her balance and slide down the slope. Lin Lang tried to help her, but nine times out of ten, she tripped over the board with her reckless movements, and the two of them fell into the snow together.
I wanted to teach her, but Lin Langyi was an intuitive person. The tricks she knew could only be done by herself. Asking her to teach was like talking to a foreign language.
Hang Qian stared at her with her almond-shaped eyes as she repeated that string of incomprehensible words over and over again, finally waving her hand in anguish: "Yi Bao, we have a language barrier."
Lin Langyi: ...
"Let's find a coach to mentor us."
The two reached an agreement.
With a shortage of instructors at the ski resort, scalpers have emerged to compete for business, charging as much as 800 yuan per hour per person. Lin Langyi, who had hired ski instructors before, immediately burst out laughing.
"Only a top-level advanced ski instructor would dare to charge 800."
"Yes, we are professionals! You'll know once you try it." The mask was removed, revealing the face of a fellow Asian.
As if afraid she wouldn't believe him, the scalper turned his neck and waved frantically behind him, shouting at the top of his lungs, "Jin Gou! Jin Gou! Business's here, hurry up and get it done, stop dawdling!"
Lin Langyi followed his arm and looked into the distance, where she saw a man leaning lazily against a tree.
He crossed his legs, and only turned his head listlessly when he heard the sound. He slowly straightened the snowboard that was stuck upright in the snow and stood up facing this direction.
He was a tall, strong, and dashing man. Even from a distance, you could see his superior inverted triangle physique, with a high chest and a broad back.
He walked over slowly.
He wore the hood of his black and white ski suit loosely on his head, while his professional face protection was casually hooked onto a horizontal strap around his waist, jingling and rattling with every step he took.
Lin Langyi's gaze swept up and down like a price tag, the luxury brands seeming to be some kind of signal, continuously conveying the information that the person in front of him was a rich young master.
Most importantly, the board he was holding was a champion board, a unique collectible. Instead of being displayed and carefully maintained at home, this guy casually took it out to ski.
Returning to the man himself, he maintained a very steady center of gravity as he walked these few steps, showing no signs of weakness or discomfort as he stepped on the snow, which shows that he is someone who exercises regularly.
Just as Lin Langyi came to the conclusion that this person was somewhat reliable, the young master raised his chin and began to mock her from a distance:
"Guan Pengkun, are you out of your mind? You actually got me an order?"
A very young voice, but with an exceptionally harsh tone.
Guan Pengkun shouted, "Your old man has already threatened to stop your card service. If you don't stand up for yourself, when will we ever get back? Don't let us really end up buried in this snow!"
He pounded his chest in anguish, saying, "You're all alone, but I have Xiaoyu waiting for me back home to buy her souvenirs!"
"I won't let you die here." The arrogant man picked at his ear impatiently, walked closer, and looked Lin Langyi up and down as well, sneering, "You certainly know how to find target customers."
This sounds like it's saying that Lin Langyi and her group are a big fish.
Lin Langyi was wondering where she had shown off her wealth when she was dressed simply, when she heard the arrogant man opposite her continue:
"There's not a single scratch on the board, it's brand new." He turned his head away and said disdainfully, "I don't teach complete beginners, they're too clumsy and slow."
What an infuriating idiot.
Guan Pengkun tugged at his sleeve in a panic and retorted in dialect, "Cheng Yanjin, are you stupid? Newbies are the easiest to fool."
Lin Langyi's brows twitched almost imperceptibly, and she caught a glimpse of Hang Qian out of the corner of her eye, who returned the same look:
The dialect of City A indicates that this person is from the same hometown.
The two girls kept silent, pretending they couldn't understand the dialect of City A.
One of the brothers was busy running around, while the other ignored him completely, put the board on the ground, and nonchalantly made small flipping motions on the spot with his toes.
His movements were clean and efficient; he's definitely a skilled and experienced person.
"Three thousand an hour, teach us both." Lin Langyi interrupted the argument between the two after setting down the bait, removing the face shield that covered most of their faces. "If you don't want to, then forget it."
Upon hearing the price, Guan Pengkun was instantly tempted and turned his head, his eyes flashing with a strange light: "Take it! I'm also willing to serve you both!"
The moment she removed her mask, the arrogant man's gaze swept over her, lingering on her face for a long time.
Even through the goggles, his gaze was incredibly intense, like nails focused on her face.
Lin Langyi was full of ulterior motives about how to hire a coach she liked, and she didn't even bother to think about him. This kind of spoiled brat who was easily provoked was the easiest to deal with and couldn't stand being provoked at all.
She stared intently at Guan Pengkun and smiled slightly at him: "Money is not a problem, but your friend carrying this board doesn't look like he's here to ski properly, but rather like he's here to swindle people."
Cheng Yanjin sneered, stepped onto the exorbitantly priced champion ski, and glared at her: "Why don't I look like a proper skier?"
Lin Langyi took off her goggles so that her gaze could be clearly directed at the target. She tilted her head, her face full of "I understand," and smiled meaningfully: "Your board isn't fake, is it?"
She said his board was fake!
Cheng Yanjin's chest heaved as he took a long, deep breath, staring down at her for a long time before actually smiling.
"Okay, I'll teach you."
Lin Langyi hadn't stopped yet. She clicked her tongue regretfully and shook her head: "3,000 yuan. Besides excellent skills and rich teaching experience, this price usually involves creating a humorous and relaxed teaching style, as well as providing emotional value based on praise."
The second-generation ancestor Cheng did not disappoint Lin Langyi.
He really didn't want to lose in this verbal battle. Making this rich young master bow down for a pittance was worse than shooting him in the head. So he immediately held up two fingers in front of her: "I only need 200 an hour, as long as you can keep up."
That's how a consensus is reached!
Lin Langyi pulled Hang Qian over, but Cheng Yanjin only had eyes for her like a fighting dog. With his long arms and legs, he stretched out his arm to block her from the air: "I will only teach you. I will find another coach for your friend."
Guan Pengkun was anxiously calling out "Hey hey hey" from behind, but Cheng Yanjin ignored him and ordered his brother: "Go up and tell Pihou that she is my friend, and ask him to send someone out to take care of her."
Guan Pengkun tried to salvage his brother's brain, which had been kicked by a donkey: "During this prime time, the price is usually three to five hundred!"
Cheng Yanjin remained unmoved, holding Lin Langyi's hand tightly as if afraid she would run away: "Let him send someone over first, I'll give him the money later."
Guan Pengkun's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets, and he almost couldn't catch his breath. He never expected that after catching such a lucrative deal, his stubborn brother would have to pay out of his own pocket.
Lin Langyi thus managed to hire one, or rather, two, ski instructors who were both excellent and inexpensive.
Hang Qian's teacher was a woman with chestnut hair, firm muscles, rich experience, patience and cheerfulness. She encouraged her with "sweet" and laughter. Hang Qian was no longer afraid of falling and practiced with her repeatedly.
But Lin Langyi's teaching environment was more like hell.
Cheng Yanjin was clearly there to torment her. It wasn't that his teaching techniques were wrong; she hadn't misjudged him. His movements and experience were up to par. However, the techniques he chose were all high-level, showy moves designed to make people fall three times with each step.
But Lin Langyi was also stubborn. She had studied systematically before, so she had a solid foundation and could also do fancy moves. Cheng Yanjin taught her one move, and she followed along, increasing the difficulty level by level. But she was determined and never fell once.
"Are you making fun of me?" Cheng Yanjin's initial amusement gradually turned into displeasure as she repeatedly exceeded his expectations. It was like not having eaten that satisfying main course, leaving him feeling uneasy.
He didn't know what made him uneasy, but he pondered it in his mind... He wanted to hear her beg for forgiveness, and it would be even better if she cried.
If you cry...
He turned his gaze to her face. When they had argued earlier, she had glared at him with those stubborn eyes. It was clearly a provocation, but the way her gaze shifted made it seem like a wild animal had reached out its sharp claws and scratched his chest.
Very powerful.
I wonder... what those eyes look like when they're filled with grievance and tears.
"Want to come again?"
Cheng Yanjin abruptly snapped out of his boundless fantasy, lowered his head to avoid her gaze, and rubbed his itchy nose haphazardly with his fist.
Lin Langyi took a couple of breaths and pushed her face shield up. The intense training had left her sweating profusely, and her face was flushed with a faint blush.
Hearing her panting, Cheng Yanjin raised his eyes again and stared at the small red marks on the sides of her nose caused by the brace.
She hasn't uttered a single whimper in all this time, like a fish relentlessly biting and following behind.
That's pretty impressive.
He had to admit that he quite liked this kind of stubborn, unyielding temperament.
"I'm asking you, Coach Cheng."
Cheng Yanjin's competitive spirit was aroused by her, and his mischievous side was stirring within him. He forced a smile and said, "Let's go to the big airboard."
Lin Langyi turned her face away. It started snowing again, and the wind made her stray hairs, which weren't tucked into her hat, flutter wildly. She smoothed them down and nodded, "Okay."
Cheng Yanjin stood there with his arms crossed, staring at her intently, wanting to hear her soften her voice and beg for forgiveness.
"If you fall from the big air platform, the next stop is the hospital to get a cast."
"oh."
But the person didn't appreciate it and only replied with a dry "oh".
"Don't cry then," he threatened her.
"Don't be a coward." She put her goggles back on.
"Fine." Cheng Yanjin laughed in exasperation.
As usual, he demonstrated for her, sliding swiftly down the slope like an eagle spreading its wings, raising a storm of snow mist behind him. The path he traversed carved sharp scars into the white snow, revealing the gray ground beneath.
Cheng Yanjin did it three times in a row, and each time he completed it perfectly. When he slid back to her, he couldn't help but show a slightly smug expression.
"How about it?"
He wanted to ask her if she was scared, since his movements when he went down from the big air platform involved an aerial spin.
She expected to hear Lin Langyi continue her stubborn taunts, but this time Lin Langyi's expression was very serious. She pulled down the windproof collar that was sticking up to cover her chin, looked up and sincerely praised, "You're so amazing, I knew I didn't make a mistake in betting on you."
Cheng Yanjin, with a whole bunch of prepared drafts in his head, subconsciously lowered his gaze from above her head to the small section of her pointed chin that was exposed.
She had just been sweating, and now, standing in the wind and snow watching him ride his tricycle, the cold wind made her already fair face even more dazzlingly white.
But her lips remained bright red as she spoke, and her breath was hot as she exhaled, like a mountain spirit in folk tales who could take away the lifespan of mortals with a single breath.
With her alluring lips, she uttered sweet words, saying, "You really are the most athletically gifted person I've ever met."
"The posture is graceful, the movements are sharp, and it is very beautiful."
The protective gear wrapped tightly around him, but Cheng Yanjin felt as if her few words had also forced him to sweat profusely. His bodily functions began to rise, and the adrenaline made him forget his fatigue and soreness. He finally experienced the tension and endless motivation of being watched by the girl he had a crush on during a basketball game.
Oh no, no, ptooey! What do you mean, having a crush on a girl?!
"When you do the jumping motion later, your ankle should be like this..." Cheng Yanjin changed the subject, trying to ease his embarrassment at being praised for a moment. He squatted down as if fleeing and directly reached out and grabbed her ankle through her snow boots.
The shoes were very tight, outlining the girl's small frame. Holding them felt completely different from when I wore heavy snow boots.
He clenched his fingers, his thoughts drifting away once more... If she were bare-legged, her delicate ankles should be here.
But she possesses immense strength and incredible flexibility; if you were to be kicked or stomped on by her…
Cheng Yanjin was lost in thought for a while, only intermittently hearing things like, "I've actually tried it too," "Sometimes it works," "Sometimes it doesn't," and "It's rare to find someone of your caliber"...
Her voice was actually very pleasant, clear and bright, with breath coming from deep within her body, making her voice very penetrating when she spoke. He noticed her voice from the moment Guan Pengkun called him.
He didn't know why he had started thinking about so many random things. Only when he heard no more voices did he suddenly come back to his senses and look at her.
Lin Langyi checked the equipment on his body and assumed a ready stance to gather strength.
Cheng Yanjin looked at the silver-white helmet on her head and felt nervous for some reason. He was used to performing advanced moves and hadn't felt this nervous in many years.
He looked at Lin Langyi, then suddenly straightened his face and raised his voice, shouting, "This is difficult, do you want to look at it again—"
Before he could finish speaking, Lin Langyi lunged forward, the gray-green board instantly creating a cloud of snow mist as it whistled past him in the blink of an eye.
Her movements as she rushed up the big air platform were perfect. Lin Langyi reduced the spinning motions in the air, and the wind made her ski suit billow like a kite. The arc helped her fly to the top of the parabola before rapidly descending.
She fell like a burning star, the diving platform obscuring her figure.
Cheng Yanjin's breath hitched. Without thinking, he tensed his calves, gripped the ground, and accelerated past.
He sped past the big air jump and spotted the figure lying in the snow. Suddenly, the breath he had been holding in his chest was pulled down by a boulder, and the instantaneous weightlessness made him dizzy for a moment.
He shouted from a distance, "Hey!"
His voice trembled; he didn't even know her name.
Did he really fall?
As he sped along the road, Cheng Yanjin's mind was filled with overwhelming regret. He gritted his teeth, thinking that he must have lost his mind to encourage her, who had only learned for such a short time, to try such a difficult trick.
When he rushed to her side, he didn't even manage to brake properly, and the snow sprayed onto her.
Her goggles were thrown aside, and her helmet was loose, but she still didn't react at all.
Cheng Yanjin's heart was pounding like a drum. He didn't care about the precious wooden board anymore. He twisted his knees and knelt down next to her with a "thump". He hurriedly grabbed her shoulders, wanting to turn her over, but stopped himself from touching her.
He recalled the excruciating pain of his broken bone and felt even more helpless... Please, she mustn't cry.
"Hey, did you really fall?" Cheng Yanjin patted her shoulder carefully, his movements so gentle it was as if he were afraid of knocking down a petal.
He couldn't hide his anxiety and stammered as he comforted her, "Don't cry, don't cry, I'll take you to the hospital right away."
Lin Langyi rolled over, revealing a rosy face, bright eyes like autumn water, and a radiant smile.
Cheng Yanjin's remaining long string of words stuck in his throat. He stared at the snowflakes fluttering on her eyelashes, unable to utter a word for a long time.
"What a perfect move!" She excitedly gave herself a thumbs up, then sat up a couple of times. "This is the first time I've ever cleared the Big Air platform so easily! Wow! I should have brought a drone to film the whole thing!"
She was so happy that she plunged headfirst into the snow.
The tragic ending he had imagined did not occur, but Cheng Yanjin was still unable to shake off the forty seconds that felt like he was drowning in the deep sea. The feeling of his heart being squeezed tightly still lingered.
He asked, as if he had just escaped a disaster, "You didn't fall?"
"I've done big air before, I'm not a complete beginner, I just got so tired I threw up." She opened her mouth and breathed heavily through both her mouth and nose, the snowflakes clinging to her lips quietly melting, turning into a layer of glistening water covering her rosy cheeks.
Cheng Yanjin stared intently at her lips as if his soul had been ripped out, feeling a thirst in his throat.
It must be because I haven't drunk water for so long.
He forcibly looked away, touched his nose again, and whispered, "Cough, let's drink some water and continue."
"Let's stop here." But she refused, pointing to the sky, "It's so late, I'm really too tired."
He finally heard her plead for mercy, but he felt no joy at all.
"Aren't you going to play anymore?" Cheng Yanjin didn't know why he sounded so disappointed when he said that.
"Hmm." Lin Langyi got up and brushed the snow off her clothes.
But Cheng Yanjin remained kneeling in the snow, looking up at her like a little dog abandoned in the wilderness.
"So, are you still coming to practice tomorrow?" he reasoned with you. "Sports require perseverance. You can't get good results if you only practice sporadically. Look at you today, you didn't add any cool moves when you came off the big air. If you practice some more—"
"No, my legs are so sore." Lin Langyi picked up her goggles and waved her hand repeatedly. "All I want to do right now is take a hot bath to relax."
Cheng Yanjin was annoyed and stared at her silently until she turned to leave without a second thought, at which point he called out to her.
"Have you forgotten something?"
Lin Langyi had just taken out her phone to text Hang Qian about going to the hot springs later when she heard this, she stopped in her tracks and suddenly realized what was going on.
“Yes, I’m so tired my brain can’t work.” She walked closer to him, each step she took on the snow making a soft, rustling sound, like the rustling of a hunter pulling in his net.
Lin Langyi, bending over with a good mood, placed the phone in front of him and said, "I'll transfer the money to you."
Cheng Yanjin took out his phone, but instead of opening the payment code, he opened the "Add Friend" button.
Lin Langyi didn't notice it when she scanned the QR code, and only paused for a moment when the friend notification page popped up.
Cheng Yanjin kept his attention on her the whole time. When he saw her finger suddenly stop in the air, he pretended to be calm and explained, "I think you have a good foundation. If you want to learn skiing again, ordinary coaches can't teach you. You can continue to come to me."
Lin Langyi moved her phone away from her eyes and met those round eyes that held both expectation and feigned indifference.
His pupils were rather light, like marbles that could refract light under the sun.
"I guarantee you'll learn it, and I'm available anytime. As long as you have orders, the price is negotiable."
"Alright then." Lin Langyi still highly regarded his skills and readily added him on WeChat under his focused supervision.
Cheng Yanjin secured her friend status, resisting the urge to browse her Moments, while his mind was filled with excited fantasies.
My phone vibrated briefly.
He looked down and saw that the cartoon mother-of-pearl avatar had sent him a transfer.
800 per hour, the price we agreed on beforehand.
"That's too much." He stood up abruptly, not wanting to take her money.
Lin Langyi quickly sent a second transfer: "This is from my friend, thanks."
Cheng Yanjin gripped his phone, feeling somewhat defeated by the two money transfers. It was as if he had pressed his heart into a frozen wasteland, the extreme cold beginning to escalate into another extreme of burning heat.
It's a strange mentality; it's as if taking money from her is something absolutely unacceptable.
But his steps, which led him to turn away, did not falter at all because of his endless, wild imaginings.
*
"You've worked hard, brother." Guan Pengkun swallowed a mouthful of beef, his face glowing.
The client he chose today proved to be a good one, and the hard-earned commission was a result of his choice and his efforts.
I'll earn this money for a few days, and then I can go back to China soon.
"Eat up," he urged. "You need to eat your fill so you can continue teaching tomorrow."
“No teaching tomorrow.” Cheng Yanjin had been listless all evening. He put down his knife and fork, with only half a steak left, and had no appetite.
"What's wrong?" Guan Pengkun was very surprised. This dad of his was always full of energy, able to eat and move around, how could he be so tired from today's training that he looked so detached? He didn't even eat the high-quality protein that he said he needed to replenish after exercise.
"Let's finish eating early and go get some rest." Cheng Yanjin looked out the window. They could see the start of the ski slope from where they were sitting. Although there were bronze-painted gold streetlights on both sides, it was too dark and visibility was extremely low. There were only a few skiers coming and going.
He sighed and continued to stare listlessly out the window.
"What time is it?! You're going back to your room to sleep after you finish eating?" Guan Pengkun took half a steak from Cheng Yanjin's plate and kept it for himself. "Wait, aren't you going to the hot springs tonight? You've already spent this money to go to the mountaintop resort, aren't you going to get a spa treatment?"
Outside the restaurant, children were building a snowman. The body wasn't big enough, so the head just wouldn't sit properly and looked like it was about to fall over.
Cheng Yanjin stared at the children building a snowman with the boredom of an old monk in meditation. He remembered that in Lin Langyi's WeChat Moments yesterday, there was a photo of her smiling sweetly in front of a big-bellied snowman. The snowman's nose was the same color as her little red knitted hat, lively and cute.
Unfortunately, her WeChat Moments were only visible for three days, abruptly ending his lingering interest in spying.
Cheng Yanjin sighed heavily again: "It's boring. What's so great about soaking in a hot spring? There are men, women, and children everywhere. It's not peaceful at all."
"There are so many hot springs, just find one that's less crowded." Guan Pengkun, holding the task of taking photos for his girlfriend who was thousands of miles away, frantically encouraged his buddies, "Besides, after exercising, you should soak in hot water to stretch your muscles!"
With a "bang," the snowman, which had lost its balance, finally crashed its head to the ground, kicking up a cloud of snow.
Cheng Yanjin's expression changed slightly. He turned his neck back, his eyes fixed, and repeated, word by word, "You need to soak in hot water after exercising!"
"yes."
"Let's go." Cheng Yanjin suddenly stood up, rolled up his coat hanging behind the chair, and impatiently urged Guan Pengkun, "Stop eating! All you do is eat all day, hurry up!"
Guan Pengkun stretched his neck and forcefully swallowed the beef in his mouth. He was dragged a few steps by Cheng Yanjin, who suddenly became as excited as if he were on drugs, and cursed:
"You're really sick tonight!"
...
Meanwhile, Lin Langyi and Hang Qian, following their detailed prior preparations, changed into their swimsuits and went to soak in the hot springs.
The natural hot spring is located on one of the lower hilltops, surrounded on all sides, offering both privacy and ventilation. It has been expanded considerably after being developed by humans, and every year, tourists staying at the Fengxue Mountain Villa choose to come here to relax.
It was the peak season for skiing, but thankfully it wasn't a holiday. After looking around, Lin Langyi and Hang Qian chose a relatively quiet hot spring pool and soaked in it comfortably.
"Hey, Yibao, do you know that handsome guy who taught you today? The Sarah he introduced was incredibly patient, and she even gave me a little gift at the end, saying we're all friends." Hang Qian let go of her hand, and a mini yellow duck floated leisurely in front of her palm.
"I don't know her." Lin Langyi lowered her body, revealing only her mouth and nose.
“We’re both from City A, I thought you’d met him before,” Hang Qian said. “At first, he seemed so arrogant, but since he introduced me to Sister Sarah, I’ll give him some face next time we meet.”
Lin Langyi leaned up slightly, smiling, and said, "Meet? The world isn't that small—"
With a splash, a spray of water rose from the shore. The two men looked over at the same time and saw Guan Pengkun wipe his face, glare fiercely behind him, then turn around and say with a smile, "Hello, you two! What a coincidence! What a small world!"
Lin Langyi paused, then turned her gaze and saw Cheng Yanjin, who was only wearing a bath towel around his lower body.
His face was a little red. He kept his head down, staring at his feet, with one hand on the artificial rockery by the hot spring pool. He glanced quickly into the water.
His eyes were wet, as if he were the one who had just fallen into the water.
Lin Langyi didn't blink for a long time.
Seriously... my god, his chest muscles are huge...
The muscles from the arms to the shoulders and neck are excellent and smooth, the chest is so voluptuous that it's hard to look away, and the waist and abdomen are quickly tightened, without a single ounce of excess fat.
While she was wearing a ski suit, her figure was already quite impressive, but once she took it off... she has such an amazing figure!
Perhaps it was because Lin Langyi's gaze was too direct, but Cheng Yanjin, who was once a force to be reckoned with on the ski slopes, seemed to be trapped by that bath towel. He didn't take a single step towards the shore for a long time, like a shy and demure flower that would melt into a lump of water-soluble rice paper if it got wet.
"Hi," Lin Langyi greeted first.
Cheng Yanjin nodded quickly, first replying in a very low voice with a "hi," then, realizing that he was being a bit petty, raised his voice and replied, "What a coincidence."
"Get down!" Guan Pengkun stood up from the water. "Weren't you just now acting like a goose that can only chase people for two miles?"
Cheng Yanjin glanced at him quickly, his expression sinister.
He turned his back to the pool, untied his towel, turned sideways, and slowly and gracefully entered the water.
"Thank you for today," Hang Qian greeted warmly. "My skiing skills have made a major breakthrough."
Lin Langyi laughed too: "Me too."
Cheng Yanjin was like a faulty light bulb, only coming to life when Lin Langyi spoke, quickly glancing at her with his eyes raised; otherwise, he was as quiet as a chicken.
He slowly circled the pool for most of the time, finally leaning against the artificial hill facing her, his arms naturally hanging to his sides, so that his well-developed and beautiful pectoral muscles were fully exposed on the surface of the water, making it impossible for anyone not to see them.
It's so rude to keep staring at people. Lin Langyi looked away and chatted quietly with Hang Qian. The little yellow duck in front of them floated freely, and the two girls drifted aimlessly along with it.
But whether it was just her imagination or not, Lin Langyi always seemed to see Cheng Yanjin, who was covering his face with a towel and taking a nap. Wherever the two of them wandered off, he would move unnoticed to the opposite side where they could see him as soon as they looked up, casually displaying his voluptuous physique.
It looks like a peacock spreading its tail feathers wildly.
When Lin Langyi moved to the opposite side again, she made no attempt to hide it and looked up, not missing his little action of lifting a corner of the towel as if to get some fresh air but actually glancing in their direction.
Lin Langyi was puzzled, but since the two of them had made eye contact, she simply threw the question back at him and made a photo-taking gesture in front of him in a very generous manner.
Let's look again?!
With a "click".
After a brief moment of surprise, Lin Langyi's eyes sharpened as she realized what was happening. She turned sharply to look behind her, the sound of rushing water filling her ears, and a gust of wind swept past her before she could point and reprimand.
In the blink of an eye, Cheng Yanjin teleported to the shore. With a push of one hand, he leaped onto the rugged rocks protruding from the artificial hill, rushing to the panicked middle-aged man in a few steps. He snatched the phone the man was trying to hide and shouted in English, "What are you doing, sneaking around taking pictures of my girlfriend?!"
His voice was loud, and his words were so powerful that almost instantly, everyone in the surrounding hot springs poked their heads out.
That's pretty clever of him. He knew to just tell his girlfriend that she was being secretly photographed, and he immediately took control of the situation.
"No cell phones allowed in the hot spring area and bathing area." Cheng Yanjin's physique naturally exudes a huge intimidating aura when confronting someone. He grabbed the hand of the man who was struggling desperately, and with a forceful pull, the man started wailing incoherently.
"Give me the photo!"
When the phone was found, it turned out that this person was a repeat offender who had secretly taken many photos of the hot spring pool, using a low and concave angle, zooming in to specifically photograph a few body parts.
Flipping to the last page, seeing a familiar profile in the album, Cheng Yanjin's anger flared up instantly. He grabbed the person by the neck, slammed him against the artificial hill, and growled, "Delete it all, then get to the police station!"
The man gripped Cheng Yanjin's hand tightly against his throat, his face turning a deep purplish-red from fright. He could only repeatedly utter shrill apologies from his throat.
Lin Langyi had already leaned half her body out from behind, trying to get ashore. At this not-too-close, not-too-near distance, her voice was somewhat deep: "What did you film?"
Cheng Yanjin's hands were covered in vertical scratches from the middle-aged man's grip. He was furious, and the veins on his arms bulged. But then he heard Lin Langyi behind him say, "Don't do it."
A simple sentence acted as a rope binding him, and Cheng Yanjin responded immediately like a well-trained dog, loosening his grip and turning to look at her.
That usually smiling face was now extremely serious, its mood ruined by a single bad apple.
Not wanting to upset her, he comforted her, saying, "He's a repeat offender, but he didn't get a chance to film anything, only my face was shown."
Staff came and took the person away.
Hang Qian cursed under her breath, her mood ruined by someone's hot and relaxing bath. She had originally planned to order some iced sweet wine and fruit to eat while soaking in the bath, but now her appetite was completely gone.
Lin Langyi went ashore and was already planning to leave.
Cheng Yanjin was both angry and annoyed. He watched helplessly as she was about to leave, and even soaking in the hot pool, he no longer felt the relaxed and blissful mood he had just experienced.
Lin Langyi twisted her hair on the shore, turned around, and said to Cheng Yanjin, "Thank you. What would you like to eat? It's on me."
The hot springs do not allow you to bring your own food, and the prices here are outrageously high, practically screaming rip-offs.
Lin Langyi's offer to treat everyone was very generous.
Guan Pengkun's eyes lit up after wolfing down his food that night, which had forced him to cut back on his eating time. He quickly said, "Of course, of course. My brother is the kind of person who can't stand social scum and is willing to stand up for what's right when he sees injustice... Um, we really didn't eat enough tonight."
Lin Langyi recalled their earlier conversation about being unable to return to China due to their credit cards being suspended, and assumed they were so strapped for cash that they couldn't even afford food. She asked, "Are you short of money?"
Guan Pengkun let out a long sigh, his meaning unspoken.
But Cheng Yanjin just stared at him like a statue waiting for his wife and said, "We're short of orders."
Why refuse handouts at a time like this!
Guan Pengkun was exasperated, thinking that this guy was going to reject the girl's kindness again, just like before, and wished he could poison him and make him mute.
"How many days are you staying here?" Cheng Yanjin only asked the questions he wanted to know. "If you don't practice tomorrow, will you practice the day after?"
Lin Langyi turned her gaze to Cheng Yanjin's face and saw his listless eyes and dejected expression.
"Maybe we'll practice tomorrow too."
That sentence slightly lifted the spirits from that dejected face.
A thin layer of water covered his face, and his bright, round eyes stared intently at her. His next question suddenly came in a low voice: "What's your name?"
His attention didn't seem to be on the meal at all.
Lin Langyi casually replied, "Lin Xiao."
He paused, then retorted in a low voice, "But I heard your friend call you Yibao."
Lin Langyi lied through her teeth: "That's my nickname."
Cheng Yanjin's lips moved slightly, silently uttering the name "Yi Bao." His mouth shape wasn't covered, and when he met her gaze, his face turned red first.
Lin Langyi straightened up, saying, "Then I'll bring you some things," while re-pinning up her wrung-out long hair. She turned to the side, hooked the folded towel on the shore with her toes, and then draped it over her back.
Cheng Yanjin's gaze was fixed on the slender spine that was reflected on her back as she bent over to hook up the towel. The tight swimsuit completely covered her body, and although nothing was exposed, he inexplicably thought of the time when he held her ankle through her snowshoes, which was also a kind of tickling through her boots...
He followed his uncontrollable reverie and stared blankly downwards. The bath towel wiping the water droplets off her body swayed as she took a few steps barefoot and slipped on her slippers. In those fleeting seconds or two, he caught a glimpse of a deep red birthmark on her thigh.
For a moment, his mind went completely blank. He thought of all sorts of red: the face flushed from sweating profusely, the red corners of his eyes from being frozen in the snow, the small red marks on the sides of his nose from taking off his goggles, and now, the birthmark on his leg that looked like a cinnabar mole had been gouged out, but from which thick, bright red blood flowed.
"A towel." Lin Langyi suddenly reached out her hand to him.
Cheng Yanjin's brain seemed to be malfunctioning, and all his actions were based on instinct. He grabbed the indigo towel draped around his neck and threw it to her.
The towel traced an arc through the air, but it didn't reach her hand.
Because she dodged her outstretched hand to the side, the towel fell to her toes with a "thud".
Lin Langyi caught another towel, which Hang Qian had thrown ashore.
Everyone looked towards Cheng Yanjin.
Cheng Yanjin then realized that Lin Langyi was talking to Hang Qian behind him. They were leaving and packing their belongings.
He foolishly tossed his indigo towel to her, as if he were standing on a pavilion throwing a bridal bouquet at his beloved.
The air seemed to freeze. Cheng Yanjin felt all the blood rush to his face. Those inexplicable emotions he couldn't explain were like premature chicks, forced to be exposed to the sun before they were fully formed, making him both fearful and full of anticipation for the future.
He wanted to avoid eye contact, say something, or do something to hide his panicked and helpless feelings.
But his body was out of control, his legs seemed to be rooted to the spot, and all night long, no, ever since he met her, he had never taken his eyes off her.
The towel was still covering the instep of her feet, like a white flag he clumsily raised.
"Kick it, kick it to me, sorry." Cheng Yanjin struggled to find his voice, trying to sound nonchalant.
She hooked the towel with her toes and bent down again, just as she had picked up her own bath towel five minutes earlier.
Her body can bend into such beautiful arcs, looking both soft and resilient.
With a "snap".
Cheng Yanjin's eyelashes trembled, and suddenly his vision was filled with water. The figure in front of him was like a blurred movie scene, which slowly became clear in his rapid blinking.
The towel was tossed precisely back into the water in front of him, splashing warm water all over his face.
Lin Langyi and Hang Qian left.
Cheng Yanjin continued to stare intently at her retreating figure.
The water splashed on his face slowly trickled down, seeping into his lips.
The continuous heat of the hot spring made him feel hot and parched. His throat tightened, as if all the water had been drained from him, and he was desperately thirsty. His stomach burned in waves, and he couldn't tell whether this intense, maddening hunger was coming from his stomach or from somewhere else.
She was finally out of sight.
Cheng Yanjin lowered his eyes, his Adam's apple bobbing repeatedly.
He stared at the indigo towel slowly sinking in front of him, slowly licked his lips, wiped away the water that had splashed onto them little by little, and finally swallowed it all.
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