Chapter 37 – Let’s Go on a Date (Part 4)

Xu Shiqi argued with mild annoyance about the differences between this tofu and that tofu, while Wen Jialuo cheerfully gathered the beads. By the time they went downstairs, they could already smell the aroma of chicken soup.

Today, they bought a black-boned chicken. Xu Shiqi heard her mom say that women benefit more from eating this type of chicken.

The hot pot for two was not filled with a lively atmosphere but rather an unusually warm one. Their chopsticks sometimes crossed as they passed dishes to each other, followed by shared smiles—a perfect lunch.

Although they had eaten together before, they had never felt this way. Watching Wen Jialuo enjoy her meal sweetly stirred something within Xu Shiqi; a thought slowly took shape in her mind, but she didn’t voice it. Once a decision was made, it would be more surprising to act on it later. Didn’t girls say that if only one person is brave, it’s pointless? Shouldn’t she do something?

It felt as if she wanted to give everything to Wen Jialuo.

It was actually a very simple lunch, but both were content. After a break from the snow that had stopped once they arrived, the afternoon sky brightened slightly, and they decided to go for a walk.

Wen Jialuo took out the hat and gloves she had bought. Xu Shiqi realized that the cuteness of the hat was due to the large pom-pom on top. It looked too adorable; she hesitated to put it on, but after shaking her head, found it quite amusing.

Both the hat and gloves were made of colorful striped wool, which felt significantly warmer. As they pushed open the villa’s big door, the ground was slightly damp, leaving two rows of footprints that encircled the villa, forming a circle.

Xu Shiqi yawned as she strolled, thinking she should probably hibernate in the winter.

Noticing that Xu Shiqi’s nose had turned slightly red, Wen Jialuo pulled her hand back into the villa for a nap. Her habits were always obvious and easy to remember.

Although she wasn’t really sleepy, Wen Jialuo still took off her sweater and lay down next to Xu Shiqi. As long as they were together—whether playing chess, eating, or under the same quilt—it was a perfect date. She kept her eyes open, watching as Xu Shiqi gradually relaxed, leaning against her side, and slowly drifted into a happy drowsiness.

When they woke up, it was already past three in the afternoon. Nearly half of their two-day, one-night trip had gone by, feeling as if they had done nothing yet filled with a sense of contentment.

“Let’s go soak in the hot springs,” Xu Shiqi said, feeling energized after her nap. She took out her swimsuit from her bag, eager to enjoy the steaming hot water.

Wen Jialuo also fished out her blue one-piece swimsuit. She glanced at Xu Shiqi’s and noticed they had similar styles. This wasn’t due to a natural affinity; rather, it was because of their personalities, which made them similar in how they presented themselves in front of others. If one remembered how they both averted their eyes when they saw their cousin’s towel drop, they would understand.

The avoidance of suspicion that others didn’t know about was instinctively revealed due to the different feelings in their hearts.

While Wen Jialuo was distracted by her thoughts, Xu Shiqi had already changed into her swimsuit in the bathroom. Inside, there was only a large towel, as if it hadn’t been prepared for two people.

Wrapping herself tightly, Xu Shiqi stepped out, her feet slightly cold. “There’s no more towel; you can go to another room to get one.”

Wen Jialuo looked her up and down, her skin exposed like that of a poached shrimp, the little bit of skin visible turning pink. Yet, she stood there with a calm expression, as if unbothered, though the way she clutched the towel betrayed her.

In fact, Wen Jialuo also had her own worries. Standing before the beautiful figure, even when wrapped in a towel, she felt her own weight wasn’t enough. Although Xu Shiqi knew she was very slim, she had never seen her look this exposed before. While holding her swimsuit to change in the neighboring room, Wen Jialuo frowned, wishing to catch Xu Shiqi’s eye and not let her gaze wander, realizing it was time to take better care of her body. She… wanted to live until her teeth wobbled but could still eat tofu with Xu Shiqi.

That desire was distant and not quite tangible, yet it couldn’t be contained.

Both of them wrapped in towels walked to the back of the villa, immediately spotting a quaint courtyard with a few showerheads on either side. In the center were two hot springs, one square and one round, aptly named “Heavenly Square” and “Earthly Round,” both slowly emitting steam. The hot springs drew water from a nearby spring, always fresh and flowing. The villa’s entire water source was hot spring water, the best enjoyment in winter.

However, the courtyard wasn’t large; it was just enough for the two of them.

Xu Shiqi reached down to test the water in the “Earthly Round,” and it was indeed very warm. Wen Jialuo walked over and squatted down to touch it with her hand.

“One pool for each of us, isn’t that great?” Xu Shiqi said with a smile as she loosened her towel and stepped into the hot spring. The pool was indeed small; squatting down submerged her chest, leaving no possibility of hiding her head.

Wen Jialuo remained squatting nearby, gazing from below. Watching Xu Shiqi’s slender waist, the rounded hips wrapped in her swimsuit, and her long legs gradually disappearing into the water, she could only admire the graceful curves of her neck and shoulders above the surface.

Beneath the water, what was visible stirred Wen Jialuo’s thoughts. Her fingers dangled in the water, seemingly about to be scalded, sending a shiver through her heart.

The nutritionist her mom invited said that poached shrimp is low in calories, but consuming it now would surely set her ablaze. Wen Jialuo gently bit her lower lip, splashing the water with her hand, feeling the heat on her face as the humid air threatened to boil.

Xu Shiqi had been immersed in the hot spring for a while and hadn’t heard any movements beside her. She turned slowly in the water, creating waves. Through the steam, she saw Wen Jialuo’s eyes, dark and profound, drawing her heart in like a black hole.

Could she still be sulking over what she said earlier? Xu Shiqi felt anxious and gradually moved closer to Wen Jialuo. She scooped water and splashed it at the girl, forcing a smile. “What’s wrong? Aren’t you getting in?”

The girl who hadn’t received the invitation remained calm, slowly revealing a hint of grievance. Well, if she had a flat figure, then so be it; if that bothered Wen Jialuo, it could be a motivation.

Roughly tugging off her towel, Wen Jialuo almost bounced into the hot spring, splashing water all over Xu Shiqi. Just as Xu Shiqi wiped the water off her face, she saw the girl standing right in front of her.

What kind of posture was this? Both were squatting; if one looked down, it resembled two children playing in the dirt under a tree. Xu Shiqi thought to herself, unable to help but laugh.

“What are you laughing at?” Wen Jialuo grabbed her hand, both of them feeling warm.

Not understanding what Wen Jialuo was upset about, Xu Shiqi pushed her lightly. Wen Jialuo lost her balance and fell back into the pool, her legs floating slightly as she stretched them forward, as if to trap Xu Shiqi.

Unexpectedly, it seemed to have a hint of ambiguity.

The playful feelings in Xu Shiqi’s heart ignited again as she leaned forward on one knee, placing her hands on either side of Wen Jialuo’s body. She was almost entirely submerged in the water, which pressed down on her, making her feel a little suffocated. Leaning forward brought her extremely close to Wen Jialuo. The girl’s legs involuntarily opened a bit, a hint of embarrassment on her face as she shut her eyes.

As Xu Shiqi looked on, it dawned on her. Judging from the girl’s slightly cowering posture and her stiff neck, she was probably concerned about her figure, trying to push through it.

Was she afraid Xu Shiqi would find her unattractive? This thought struck Xu Shiqi, prompting her to kiss the side of Wen Jialuo’s neck. The slender neck was indeed not particularly attractive; it was tense and not soft enough. Yet Xu Shiqi continued to kiss, again and again, until Wen Jialuo relaxed and turned her head to rub her forehead against Xu Shiqi’s.

Xu Shiqi raised her head to meet Wen Jialuo’s eyes, which had lost their embarrassment. In close proximity, words were unnecessary; as they kissed, the entire universe faded into the distance, leaving just these lips and this heart.

The kiss descended, and Wen Jialuo opened her eyes slightly, looking down to see a different scene. Her collarbone bobbed just above the water’s surface, and the deep cleavage seemed to hide a paradise within. The edge of her swimsuit had dark shadows, wrapping around a pair of perfectly rounded arcs, both modest and bold. Wen Jialuo propped herself up, wrapping her arms around Xu Shiqi, gently nibbling on her earlobe. Her gaze traveled from shoulder to waist, from waist to the modest hem of her swimsuit, finding no more enchanting rises and falls, and all of this was hers.

In this nearly seductive position, Wen Jialuo curled her legs around Xu Shiqi, slowly rubbing her feet against her legs. She didn’t realize how entangled this posture was; she just wanted to get closer to this woman.

The one who couldn’t take it any longer was Xu Shiqi. Perhaps she had soaked in the hot spring for too long, her waist and knees felt weak. She straightened up, kneeling in the hot spring. Her long hair curled into strands, and the water slid down her shoulders, dripping like materialized poppy flowers, instantly releasing a seductive scent in the hot spring.

What a beautiful scene of a woman bathing.

Wen Jialuo slowly propped herself up, suddenly realizing that if she weren’t in love with Xu Shiqi but displayed such allure in front of someone else, she would probably be consumed by jealousy.

Just thinking this made Wen Jialuo unable to bear it any longer. She reached out to embrace Xu Shiqi’s waist, pressing her face against her chest. She had said she wouldn’t take off the necklace, so Xu Shiqi really didn’t. Wen Jialuo turned her face and kissed the chain and the skin beneath it. The water in the hot spring remained comfortably warm, but this constant temperature, combined with the passage of time, gradually made both of them a bit dazed.

This was a too quiet place, with no one to disturb them, almost completely bare in their exposure. When all external distractions were stripped away, only two simple beings remained—humans, and the simplest of desires.

The swimsuit was actually very easy to slip off; the straps were so thin that with a little tug, it fell from her arms. The soaked swimsuit stubbornly clung to her chest, creating a teasing ripple with the half-fallen straps. As it slid down further, the scenery escaping seemed to shiver as if meeting a cold wind, yet also resembled a proud red plum blooming atop a winter snow-capped mountain, restrained yet proud.

Before her flat belly, breaths fluctuated from the touches of hands, the slender waist appearing as if it might soften at any moment, exuding a powerless resistance.

The swimsuit gradually floated to the surface of the water, the hem barely covering anything, revealing all. The water was warm and transparent, just like love.

In the quietest moments, the slightest moans became the center of sound. Some people adored this sound, cherished every melodious note of its owner. To satisfy this private desire, she could only devise ways. When lips weren’t enough, there were hands; when hands weren’t enough, her entire being became his. It was kissing or caressing; it was getting close to listen to each other’s heartbeat, or understanding unspoken desires…

“I’ll send you to your paradise, and I can reach my fulfillment too.”

The seductive moans began to fade, and what followed was the sound of water pouring from the showerhead, crisp and passionate. From the hot spring to here, smooth floors left two lines of wet footprints that gradually approached, then disappeared into the watery patches.

Two people who hadn’t separated for a shower embraced under the rain-like spray, enjoying the same nectar.

After wrapping themselves in towels and hand in hand back to the room, the bed was larger than the hot spring pool, yet they pressed even closer together. Whether it was from staying in the hot spring for too long or the heat in their hearts that hadn’t dissipated, even a gentle touch could spark gorgeous fireworks within them, radiating through their limbs, leaving them unable to control themselves.

On this first day of their meeting, it felt like a child who had just tasted sugar, savoring it carefully on their tongue and in their heart. Xu Shiqi and Wen Jialuo didn’t leave the room until nightfall, even if they were just lying side by side, shoulder to shoulder, without saying a word, doing nothing at all.