Chapter 159 Summer Cool-Off: Which Humanoid Air Conditioner is the Best?
Summer in Jiangnan is like an oven, hot and humid, sticky and suffocating.
The cicadas chirped listlessly in the trees, a sound that was both irritating and unsettling.
Shenyuan is a waterside pavilion overlooking the water.
Jiang Mianmian lay sprawled on the bamboo mat in a "big" shape, wearing the thinnest gauze dress and holding a huge palm-leaf fan, fanning herself idly.
【hot……】
It's so hot!
[This awful weather! Am I a steamed bun thrown into a steamer? Or am I going to be cooked through?]
I miss air conditioning! I miss ice cream! I miss that bottle of 1982 Coke in the fridge!
She turned over and felt the bamboo mat beneath her was burning hot from her body heat.
Where's Shen Jin? Where did that bastard go?
[Didn't you promise to be my 'human cooling machine'? You let me down at the crucial moment! Thumbs down!]
Just as she was mentally ranting, a cool breeze suddenly blew in from the doorway.
It wasn't a natural wind, but a wind imbued with a chilling aura... an internal force.
"Your Highness, you're awake?"
Shen Jin, dressed in a snow-white single garment, walked in with unhurried steps. In his hands, he carried a huge jade plate piled high with crystal-clear crushed ice, on which lay slices of red-fleshed watermelon, and a bowl of chilled plum juice.
Most importantly, he exuded a unique "chilling aura".
He used all his life's energy to release his extremely yin and cold internal force, turning himself into a walking "central air conditioner".
"Wow! My savior!"
Jiang Mianmian sat up with a jolt, her eyes fixed on the jade plate.
"Quickly! I'm dehydrated! I urgently need supplies!"
Shen Jin walked over and sat down beside her, placing the jade plate on the bamboo table.
He didn't rush to feed her; instead, he first reached out a hand and placed it on her back.
A cool and refreshing breeze instantly flowed into Jiang Mianmian's body, dispelling the sticky and hot feeling.
"Mmm...so comfortable..."
Jiang Mianmian let out a satisfied sigh, like a cat being stroked, and squinted her eyes.
This is the only advantage of marrying a martial arts master!
No electricity bills in summer, built-in cooling! Plus, it's inverter-driven with adjustable temperature!
[Shen Jin, although you're usually a bit reserved, in the summer, you're my god!]
As Shen Jin listened to her heartfelt praise, a slight smile appeared on his lips.
"Open your mouth."
He forked a piece of chilled watermelon and fed it to her.
Jiang Mianmian took a bite.
The cool, sweet juice exploded in my mouth and flowed down my throat, it was so refreshing!
"Delicious! So delicious!"
Jiang Mianmian was so happy she wanted to cry, "This is the meaning of life!"
Just as the couple was enjoying their quiet time together, a commotion suddenly broke out outside the pavilion.
"Get out of the way! Let me in!"
"No! Dad said Mom is taking a nap, we can't disturb her!"
Immediately afterwards, there was a loud "thump".
It sounded like something heavy had fallen into the water.
Jiang Mianmian and Shen Jin exchanged a glance.
"round and round?"
The two got up and walked to the railing of the waterside pavilion to look down.
In the lotus pond, Tuantuan, who had grown into a half-grown boy, was splashing around shirtless in the water, holding a block of ice as big as a millstone.
On the shore, Jiang Guoguo was holding a black umbrella, coldly giving instructions:
"Yes, just leave it there. I'm going to make a chilled corpse... cough, chilled model experiment."
"But cousin, this ice is so cold!" Tuantuan shivered in the water.
"It's cold, that's fine. Just bear with it," Jiang Guoguo said mercilessly. "Otherwise, I'll throw your gold bricks into the furnace and melt them down."
Tuantuan immediately hugged the ice cube tightly: "I'll endure it! For the gold bricks!"
Jiang Mianmian: [...]
These two kids are really... a real headache.
But...where did they get such a huge block of ice?
Shen Jin glanced at it and said calmly, "I had Ying Yi bring those out of the cellar. I originally planned to use them to make ice lanterns for you tonight."
"Ice lanterns?"
Jiang Mianmian's eyes lit up. "Playing with ice lanterns in the summer? How luxurious! I love it!"
[As expected of the former regent, his family fortune is truly substantial!]
However, it's not good for my son to be soaking in the water.
"Tuantuan! Come up here!"
Jiang Mianmian called out, "Stop playing on the ice, come up and eat watermelon!"
Upon hearing that there was watermelon to eat, Tuantuan immediately threw away the ice and darted ashore like an eel, quickly climbing into the waterside pavilion.
"Mom! Dad! I want to eat!"
Tuantuan was soaking wet, like a drowned rat, but her eyes were shining as she stared at the jade plate on the table.
"Go dry yourself before you eat." Shen Jin frowned and tossed him a cloth.
"oh."
Tuantuan wiped herself haphazardly a couple of times, then squeezed next to Jiang Mianmian, opening her mouth wide to wait for food.
Jiang Mianmian chuckled and fed him a piece.
"Where's my cousin? Tell her to come in too."
“She’s not coming,” Tuantuan mumbled between chews. “She said she doesn’t like sweet things, and she’s going to catch frogs to dissect.”
Jiang Mianmian: 【…Sorry to bother you.】
The afternoon sunlight filtered through the bamboo blinds, creating dappled patterns.
Inside the room were ice blocks, watermelon, a "human air conditioner" named Chen Jin, and a silly son who was always scrambling for food.
Outside, there were cicadas chirping, lotus flowers blooming, and a cousin's daughter causing trouble for the frogs.
It was a bit noisy and messy.
But this is probably... the most beautiful thing about summer.
"Calm and cautious."
Jiang Mianmian leaned against him, feeling the continuous coolness.
"Um?"
"Next summer... shall we go to the Summer Palace?"
"I heard the spring water there is even cooler."
Shen Jin held her hand, their fingers intertwined.
"good."
"I will accompany you to the ends of the earth, wherever you wish to go."
【Hehe, it's settled then!】
But now... give me another slice of watermelon! The sweetest one in the middle!
Shen Jin picked up the fork with a mixture of helplessness and indulgence.
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