Chapter 153: Seeking the Hot Springs
The bamboo feast, as a local specialty of the Shunan Bamboo Sea in Yashi, was truly breathtaking. The hundreds of dishes related to bamboo left Jiang Yan in awe, and she felt much better after leaving the anxiety brought on by the Wang family’s ancestor.
The accommodation for the night was arranged in a charming courtyard not far from the Wang family’s ancestor’s residence. To her surprise, there was a genuine hot spring pool here, showing that the Wang family had put a lot of effort into creating a comfortable living environment.
The amenities of the small courtyard were very considerate, even providing swimming suits for the hot spring. Thus, under the leadership and unquestionable gaze of Wan Yue, Jiang Yan chose to comply and was reluctantly forced to join in the hot spring bath.
It was the first time for both to see each other wearing so little. Wan Yue was in a dark red bikini, showcasing an angelic face and a devilish figure. Meanwhile, Jiang Yan’s petite and slender form elicited a hint of admiration from Wan Yue.
Descriptions like “skin as smooth as cream,” “delicate as silk,” or “smooth as jade” felt unnecessary. Wan Yue’s natural beauty truly left Jiang Yan stunned.
After sneaking a glance at herself, Jiang Yan felt she wasn’t bad either, her curves were ample yet delicate.
“Why are you blushing after not even a minute in? Is the water that hot?”
Wan Yue comfortably leaned against the edge of the hot spring, casually brushing her back, and with a snap, tossed the top of her bikini to the side. The sight of her stunning figure emerging from the misty water made Jiang Yan quickly lower her head, her ears turning red.
“I saw you lost in thought looking at your own body—still thinking about yourself? Hehe, since you go with the flow, just accept it and live well moving forward… Learn from your sister Jiang Yao, don’t think about unnecessary things.”
Wan Yue didn’t bother clarifying things, stretching her arms over the edge of the pool, closing her eyes with a satisfied expression.
……
Jiang Yan tilted her head, tightly pursed her lips, unsure of what to say or even how to respond.
The waters were slightly warm, making all her pores open up; time flowed gently, providing an unprecedented sense of relaxation.
“Come over and take that off!”
After an unknown amount of time, Wan Yue seemingly remembered something, opened her eyes, and coldly told the girl with black hair curled up on the opposite side of the pool.
“Ah… take it off?”
Jiang Yan, still enjoying the hot spring bath, was jolted back to reality, unsure if she had misheard, and froze in shock.
“Are you afraid I’ll eat you, or are you thinking about something else? Hehe, you don’t even have the tools for that… Quit the nonsense, take it off and come let me see!”
Being open and honest? Jiang Yan was completely against it now, lowering her head and shifting backward, planning to get out of the hot spring.
Just then, a splash of water came from behind, and an iron-like grip grabbed her arm, causing her swimsuit top to loosen as a chill ran down her back.
Jiang Yan quickly retreated into the hot spring, holding her bikini top tightly, resolutely not looking back, with a hint of anger crossing her face.
“Hehe, this sulking look is quite unique.”
“Wait, let me determine something, even if it’s a very small probability. Once you become stronger, and I can’t keep up, there won’t be a chance anymore.”
Wan Yue’s voice was calm, her expression serious, without a hint of malice.
“Remove your hand, quickly! Let me see your chest, tsk, not bad… Hmm, raise your arm, let me see under your armpit… Good, switch to the right hand.”
“Turn your arm over, let me see your elbow pit… Stretch your leg out, I want to see the inner thigh… Why are you holding it so tightly, don’t make me do it myself!”
For the next few minutes, Jiang Yan was taken through countless poses and angles by Wan Yue, leaving her completely bewildered.
Aside from the most private areas, Wan Yue nearly scrutinized Jiang Yan from head to toe, feeling utterly absurd to the point of insanity.
Could there be something different about me compared to ordinary blood kin? That was the only way Jiang Yan could understand it; otherwise, it wouldn’t explain Wan Yue’s nearly serious and cold demeanor, with no intention of teasing or joking.
Finally, Wan Yue withdrew from Jiang Yan’s examination, returning to her side of the hot spring, leaning against the edge while resuming a leisurely demeanor, her face showing a hint of a smile.
“Jiang Yan, in a few days, you and Jiang Yao should get a full health check-up, as it’s also the wish of the Wang family ancestor.”
Wan Yue splashed some water on her face, speaking nonchalantly.
“Okay… Sister Wan, I’ll head back now…”
As she exited the water, Jiang Yan hurriedly grabbed a large towel from the edge of the pool, wrapping herself tightly, leaving without looking back in a hurry.
“Hehe, this girl is quite enchanting, just a bit flat-chested… Even a stone like Meng Hun can be enlightened…”
Watching Jiang Yan’s elegant departure, Wan Yue chuckled to herself and then lifted her left leg. Years of yoga practice allowed her to extend her thigh above the water’s surface.
On her left thigh’s popliteal area was a strange tattoo pattern, seemingly composed of three different oracle bone script characters.
……
……
The Bifengxia Hot Spring Resort is located in Y City, Province S, deep in the mountains. The environment is serene and the air fresh.
The geological features here ensure the high quality of the hot springs, and with years of mature development, the resort offers complete facilities, with entertainment options for all ages. During winter, it becomes a popular getaway for families from the surrounding cities and counties.
When Zhong Jing and Jiang Yao checked in, night had already fallen, but the hot spring service center hall was still bustling with guests.
Standing in the visitor service area, Jiang Yao was dazzled by the various styles of hot spring swimwear in front of her, unsure not only of the styles but also which sizes to choose.
It seemed she had worn everything after her blood transformation, except for swimwear, which made her ponder whether it was intentional to choose such a place… Jiang Yao touched a strand of long hair, stealing a glance at a young man nearby selecting men’s swim trunks, feeling oddly excited.
“Sis, can you help me… no, Zhong Jing, can you help me choose?”
After much hesitation, Jiang Yao decided to seek help; after all, her daily life had turned into a hands-off management style, with Jiang Yan taking care of even her underwear purchases.
“Choose? What’s there to choose? Of course, it’s the ‘Dead Pool’ style.”
Zhong Jing came over holding a pair of swim trunks, just glancing around before looking at Jiang Yao’s expression, and then confidently pointed to a nearby shelf.
“Dead Pool… Uh, I think that black bikini with a waist wrap that person bought earlier looks nice… Hmm, it would definitely look better on my sister.”
Jiang Yao mumbled a series of nonsensical words while carefully taking down two one-piece swimsuits, holding them in front of her while also sneaking glances at Zhong Jing.
“Of course it looks good; they’ve already been picked up by someone else… Choose the square-cut ones, make sure they’re smaller, yeah, that black one.”
Zhong Jing appeared impatient, casually pointing, while Jiang Yao could only passively follow his instructions.
Wait… Why did I agree to go to the hot springs with him!? It wasn’t until she was at the payment desk that Jiang Yao suddenly realized this.
Indoor, outdoor, on the hillside, at the foot of the mountain, hot springs of high and low temperatures, oversized and compact… The design of the hot spring area in the resort is quite rich and truly satisfies various hot spring bathing experiences.
Unlike most people who opt for indoor bathing in winter, Zhong Jing and Jiang Yao, wrapped in bathrobes, spent more time exploring the outdoor hot spring areas constructed following the mountain’s contours.
Delicate lamp pillars and winding wooden paths divided the hot spring areas of various sizes, with different appearances scattered around, all emanating misty water vapor; the two continually switched between different hot spring experiences.
In one high-temperature pool, Zhong Jing comfortably stretched out his arms, resting his hands on the edge of the pool, a damp towel draped over his head, most of his body soaked in the hot spring, eyes closed as he dozed off.
Meanwhile, Jiang Yao curled up in another pool, with only her head above water, quietly watching the young man across from her, lost in thought.
In the past few days, without Jiang Yan’s “restrictions,” aside from attending a night shift at the club, Jiang Yao had spend nearly all day with Zhong Jing, exploring around City C.
This carefree life, where every detail was well taken care of, was an unprecedented experience of comfort for Jiang Yao. In a way, her life with Jiang Yan was far too simple and plain by comparison.
Maybe, he is naturally good at dealing with women… Jiang Yao touched her slightly warm face, her mind racing with various thoughts.
At some point, Jiang Yao, draped in a thick bath towel, sat on the edge of the pool, with only her legs unconsciously sliding in the water.
“Zhong Jing.”
“Hmm?”
Pulling away the towel from her head, Zhong Jing opened his eyes. Under a nearby stone lamp column, there was a graceful body half-covered by a white bath towel, with a delicately lovely face framed by beautiful light golden long hair.
“Last time you said, do you really see me as your sister?”
Jiang Yao played with the towel in front of her, her head slightly bowed, her voice soft.
Do I have to be a wife instead…
With a nonchalant expression, he replied, “With my mom’s shallow perspective, you’d be the first not to pass. Being the younger one wouldn’t work either.”
“Ugh, was that what I meant!?”
Jiang Yao huffed in a bit of anger, raising her leg and splashing water at Zhong Jing, who burst into laughter.
“Isn’t being a younger sister nice? After all, you don’t have exclusive authorization from Jiang Yan.”
Zhong Jing waved his hands, sitting at the pool edge, grabbed his bathrobe to put on, while also pretending to consider his words: “A daredevil like me could drop dead at any moment, so for women, I can actually be a burden, unless they’re only after inheriting my family fortune and collectibles.”
“If I were to find a woman to marry, she must have complete self-sufficiency!”
“In a sense, Tsukimi Haruka fits well, coming from a prominent family, great demeanor and conversation skills, good taste in life, reasonably obedient to me, isn’t clingy, and has wealth and power… As for her age, in my master’s words, she’s practically a young flower among blood kin…”
“What shortcomings? Just a bit of a yandere tendency, making me feel very important to her. Hehe, I suppose that’s not even a shortcoming… The key is, a baron, very capable. There’s a sense of security when together!”
Zhong Jing cited a long list of Tsukimi Haruka’s advantages and disadvantages, oblivious to the barely visible darkening of the face of the light golden-haired girl.
“Capable? I could take her down in an instant…”
Jiang Yao turned her head, mumbling in disdain, and feeling a bit aggrieved.
Wait! The advantages he mentioned about Tsukimi Haruka are all my shortcomings!
Jiang Yao finally snapped back to reality, driven by some emotion, furiously tossed her towel aside, jumped into the water, and charged toward Zhong Jing.
A young man in oversized shorts flew in a parabolic arc from one hot spring pool and landed several meters away in another hot spring pool, startling a few nearby tourists.
……
……
It was already past midnight, and due to some minor disagreements, Zhong Jing and Jiang Yao were each locked in their rooms, avoiding further contact, playing games online instead.
Following several rounds of gaming, Jiang Yao’s performance was clearly off; she crumbled mid-way through all games. Tonight, she didn’t seem in high spirits as she quickly logged off to sleep, leaving Zhong Jing helplessly smiling on the other end of the internet.
Exiting the game and opening his work page, Zhong Jing began concentrating on handling various overseas business matters.
Reallocation of substantial funds for the new year was inevitable. The profits from the loot acquired from the Luo family in the south were adding up daily, simplifying his ambitions.
At home, the Spring Festival holiday was underway, meaning all work was theoretically postponed until after the holiday. However, there was no such notion overseas; the registration process for the offshore holding company of the new business still needed to be monitored continuously.
It seemed everything was going relatively smoothly, and possibly by next month, it could be completed. Staring at the English documents for the overseas business, Zhong Jing smiled with satisfaction. A ding sounded as an email appeared in his dedicated overseas business inbox.
Zhong Jing habitually clicked on it and froze at first glance.
“Dear Mr. Zhong, I am the Director of the Overseas Affairs Department of EVN Group (European New Viking Group)… We hope to engage in profound communication and collaboration with Zhong Pharmaceutical Group in the upcoming medical research, market promotion, and academic fields…”
Thousands of words repeated the advantages of EVN Group and their intentions for strategic cooperation with Zhong Pharmaceutical.
If this email had been seen by Zhong Hai, he surely would have been taken aback by EVN Group’s renown in the international pharmaceutical field. After all, it was a giant that dwarfed even North American BTO Pharmaceuticals; compared to Japan’s Kanyaku Pharmaceuticals, EVN Group was unmatched.
However, Zhong Jing, aside from holding the title of Deputy Director of the Overseas Market Department, had no actual power in Zhong Pharmaceutical Group, rendering the content of this email a bit strange.
Yet, Zhong Jing smiled; he understood the implications behind the email—EVN Group was backed by several prominent bloodline families in Europe, such as the Engel family, which instilled fear in even the Wang family.
After mulling it over, Zhong Jing began drafting a reply, using extremely polite language and plenty of flattery, but remained vague on the most critical content.
“What is the Engel family up to? They clearly know about the peculiar relationship between the Zhong family and the Wang family, are they trying to test me personally…?”
After sending the reply, Zhong Jing shut his laptop and lay back on his bed, appearing to stare blankly while his mind raced rapidly.
His phone received a notification for a custom message, from Tsukimi Haruka.
Tsukimi Haruka: Jing-kun, I’m feeling much better today, but you haven’t said goodnight to me yet… (shy JPG)
The cute cat avatar always reminded one of Tsukimi Haruka herself, resembling that elegant Ragdoll cat.
Zhong Jing revealed a reluctant smile. After contemplating for several seconds, he swiftly typed a response.
Outlaw: Recover quickly, your family is waiting for you to come home. Goodnight, sweet dreams.
The reply was clearly ambiguous and even cheesy, but Zhong Jing knew that such emotional comfort was what she needed most right now to endure the pain of her unshared struggles.
This was a form of communication he and Tsukimi Haruka had maintained every night for the past week, or it could be said it was a facade of sentiment.
“Sigh, I’m sure I’ll end up in hell someday…”
Feeling a dull pain in a certain area of his abdomen, Zhong Jing tossed his phone aside, with great difficulty rising to his feet and walking to the window.
Opening the window, the cold wind of the winter night rushed in; Zhong Jing lit a cigarette, smoking slowly to mask the discomfort in his body.
His hand reached into his suit pocket, pulling out a small box.
It was the initial embracing interruption treatment drug that Old Jin had given him, containing a total of six injections. However, until now, Zhong Jing had not used a single one, only carrying it around.
“Everyone hopes I die rather than live comfortably, right?”
Zhong Jing fiddled with the small box, mumbling to himself, a cynical smile on his face.
