Chapter 64

This time, they were headed not to the nearby county where they had previously stayed temporarily, but to Luo County, where Lao Mei Valley Village was located. There were no highways here, so they took rural and county roads. Along the way, villagers often spread their grain out on the road to dry. If you ran over it, you’d get scolded; if you didn’t, it was hard to pass.

“Once you get your ID, you should go learn to drive,” she nagged. “Then whenever we go out, you’ll drive, and I can sit in the passenger seat, napping and snacking.”

Although she had previously lectured him about driving, after traveling with Ruan Qing, experiencing the highway, and seeing plenty of cars, he was starting to get used to it. In hindsight, the chance of a car accident was no more daunting than the old risks of being attacked by wolves, bandits, or drowning in a river.

Ruan Qing tossed him her phone, saying, “Open that blue app and book a hotel. It’s just like ordering takeout.”

Originally, Ruan Qing hadn’t planned to leave today, thinking they’d stay one more night in Lao Mei Valley. Aunt Xiangyun had even promised her a pot of lamb stew tonight. But after her argument with Grandpa Qi, she impulsively decided to head out—after all, the county was only about a two-hour drive away. So, they hadn’t booked a hotel yet.

These apps are mostly the same; the basic interface and functions are alike. Once you get used to one, you understand the rest. Young people adapt to these things faster. You can spend hours teaching a sixty-year-old with no luck, but hand a smartphone to a six-year-old, and they’ll figure it out in no time.

“See if there’s a four-star option,” she said, though without much hope. In a small county like this, expecting a five-star hotel or anything resembling a nice B&B was too much. There weren’t any famous tourist spots around here, either. She’d be grateful if they found a four-star hotel.

In the previous, smaller, and shabbier county, they’d stayed in a three-star hotel, but three-star standards in these places were usually closer to two stars in bigger cities. Before, with everything up in the air, Ruan Qing had been too focused on her plans to care. Now that everything was resolved, she wanted some comfort. But Luo County turned out to be just the same, with only three-star options.

“This place is really lacking. Maybe we should just go to Yan City,” she muttered, then quickly dismissed it herself, “No, no, we’re not going there.”

Nian Qi sensed something and asked, “Your parents live over there, don’t they?”

“Yep,” Ruan Qing replied. “They like it there—lots of old friends and colleagues. I grew up there, but we moved to the provincial capital when I started school for better education. As soon as I left for college, they went straight back to Yan City.”

“Then when are you going back to visit them?” he asked cautiously.

“Not going!” she replied firmly. “They’re a real handful—three days with them is my max.”

She continued, “Especially my mom, who constantly sets me up on blind dates.”

“She always tricks me by saying, ‘Oh, there’s a new restaurant; let’s go try it,’ and then I, fool that I am, go along with it,” she said in frustration. “Then we get there, and there are people already seated across the table. She always insists on seating the guy across from me, so we’re face-to-face. Annoying, right?”

“And the worst part isn’t even that,” she added, sighing. “It’s the way all the aunties look at us with this smug, knowing expression. It’s like they already think we’re madly in love or something.”

“How was the first meeting?” Ruan Qing grumbled one last time, “Each person I meet is worse than the last.” What did she mean by that? Nian Qi pondered.

Ruan Qing’s last relationship, which almost led to marriage, had started with a matchmaking introduction. She didn’t actually mind the concept of matchmaking; she was fine with using it as a way to find a marriage partner. But clearly, the recent candidates her family had arranged weren’t to her taste, to the point of irritation. Why was that?

Suddenly, Nian Qi felt a pang of jealousy. It was because of that guy! That one person she instantly liked after one meeting, someone she thought she could marry as their relationship deepened. Even after they broke up, whenever she mentioned him, she couldn’t help but praise his character and abilities. Zhao Hao was a handsome young man with strong features, yet even he was “not fit to carry that guy’s shoes” in her eyes.

But what about me? What about me? Nian Qi wanted to ask but knew he couldn’t. Feeling frustrated, he clicked around on an app, selecting a three-star hotel. Then he chose a room—of course, they’d stay in one room. Next was the bed type, and he hesitated between twin beds or a king. It felt a bit sneaky to select a king-size bed without asking.

As he was considering how to bring it up, Ruan Qing was already driving and asked, “Booked it? Be sure to get a king bed. See if they have a ‘king-size’. English… spelled in pinyin, it would be like ke yi ne ge, si yi zi e.” Since Nian Qi had never studied English, he just tried to repeat what he heard phonetically.

Suddenly, his mood brightened. “I’ll check,” he said, smiling. Of course, a three-star hotel didn’t have a king-size bed. Ruan Qing asked, “See if they have an executive suite or anything better.” They didn’t. Ruan Qing sighed, “Fine, just book any room.”

Nian Qi glanced at her, his expression thoughtful as he completed the booking.

When they arrived in the county town, they found it was indeed just like the last one—far from the level of a real city like Jiangcheng. They found a place to have dinner and then headed to the hotel. Nian Qi was still wearing his old, worn robes and hair tied up in a knot, and hadn’t showered for two days, so he naturally attracted some curious glances at the front desk.

Once in the room, Ruan Qing went to shower first. When she came out, she said, “Alright, your turn.” She used her own travel-size toiletries instead of the hotel’s; they were from her usual brand. Fresh out of the shower, she carried a faint scent of fragrance mixed with steam, which made Nian Qi’s heart race and his throat feel dry.

Hurriedly, he grabbed a clean change of clothes from his suitcase, including Zhao Hao’s clothes, and headed to the bathroom. Ruan Qing reminded him, “Don’t forget to shave.”

Of course, he would shave! That scruffy beard had already caused enough problems! Nian Qi took a cold shower, yet even that didn’t quell the tension building up within him. He sighed—a shame, really.

Ruan Qing, meanwhile, was finishing her skincare routine while on the phone. He could hear the water running, then the hum of the hairdryer, followed by silence.

After a moment, the bathroom door opened. Ruan Qing, still mid-conversation, turned her head and suddenly fell silent.

Nian Qi was standing there in just his lounge shorts, his freshly washed long hair combed back, his upper body bare. His broad shoulders and the defined lines of his waist made her feel hot all over. Ruan Qing had a particular fondness for narrow waists like that.

“Hello? Hello?” The voice on the phone pulled her back to reality. “Oh, yes! Right, that’s basically it. We’ll touch base again later. Yes, okay, bye.” She ended the call, tossed the phone aside, and walked up to Nian Qi, cupping his face in her hands.

“So smooth.” She beamed, touching his face again and again, then leaned in to brush her lips against his cheek. “No more prickly stubble.”

Not only was it smooth—it looked incredible. She’d gotten used to seeing him with a scruffy beard over the past few days, so seeing his clean, smooth jaw suddenly made him look years younger, even giving him a hint of youthful charm. Wait, why did he seem so boyish now? Back home, he had always been clean-shaven too.

Ruan Qing ran her fingers along his smooth cheek, studying him closely, and finally understood. Nian Qi’s expression had changed. His brows and eyes no longer held the restrained gentleness shaped by years of adjusting to difficult environments. Now, they showed a genuine, inner ease and joy.

They say that when a woman is loved and cherished, she retains a touch of innocence, no matter her age. Well, the same goes for men. Nian Qi’s former environment had forced him to grow up fast and serious, stifling any boyishness. But now, with his circumstances and mindset changed, that youthful spirit had finally emerged in his gaze.

Here they were, alone together. Her warmth and passion grew, fingertips tracing his face, lips brushing his skin, a soft laugh caught in her throat, her eyes gleaming with a fire. He could hardly take it. Driven by youthful fervor, he lowered his head, his hand cradling the back of her neck as he kissed her deeply. She tasted like fresh fruit and honey, the sweetness fermenting into a heady wine that left him floating. His hands moved of their own accord, lifting the light summer fabric she wore. His palms grew hotter with every touch, igniting a fire within him.

When Ruan Qing’s hands boldly traced down to the slanted lines of his hip bones, Nian Qi snapped back to reality. They were now tangled together on the bed, and she was daringly tugging at his pants. Ruan Qing was always so direct and confident—never playing coy or bashful. When she wanted something, she went for it. Her hands moved with intent.

Breathing heavily, Nian Qi grasped her hands and pinned her down, stopping her movements. “What are you doing?” Ruan Qing huffed in frustration. “Nian Qi?”

After all, they had finally left the village, he’d showered, shaved, and was ready for this moment, so why was he hesitating now?

Nian Qi didn’t want to stop, and he was feeling the tension more intensely than she was, to the point of actual discomfort. But he held back. He remembered how she had grumbled “lousy hotel” when they entered the room. Sure, by ancient standards, the place was decent enough—a carpeted floor, layered drapes, private bath, and lighting. But here, it was just an ordinary, unimpressive room.

When they were in the car, he had looked up recommendations on the app, seeing listings for high-end hotels, boutique hotels, and unique inns, realizing the difference in quality. Ruan Qing wasn’t even satisfied with this place; he didn’t want their first time together to happen somewhere so unremarkable, in a moment that felt too casual.

He had a feeling that with her previous relationship, the other guy hadn’t taken things lightly. That man had probably planned everything—the time, the place, the mood, the environment. He’d seen scenes like that on TV, where couples’ dates and romantic moments came with evocative background music.

Nian Qi didn’t want to become another Zhao Hao, someone she could easily move on from. He didn’t want to be a mere distraction in lonely moments, someone who wouldn’t be missed when it was over. He wanted to be special to her. So he couldn’t let it happen here, in this random, impersonal place, as if it didn’t matter.

He touched her face, kissing her again and again, comforting her. Even though he was aching inside, he held back. He didn’t want to lose to that other man.