Chapter 2: Hot Spring

After returning to her room, Fan Shengmei glanced at the spacious, comfortable bed and the delicate decorations around her. A trace of regret flickered in her eyes.

She had been on guard ever since Qu Xiaoxiao arrived, and because of that, she hadn’t even had the chance to enjoy any of this.

Letting go for once, Shengmei flopped down onto the bed. The mattress was so soft it bounced slightly under her weight, and she couldn’t help but smile.

The bathroom had an oversized bathtub. Feeling indulgent, Shengmei picked up the phone and called the front desk.

“Hello, I’d like some rose petals for a bath, please. Yes, the room number is xxxx.”

Just as she hung up, there was a knock at the door.

When she opened it, she found Andy, Guan Ju’er, and Qiu Yingying standing there.

Shengmei even had the energy to tease them.

“What are you three doing here? Afraid I might do something foolish?”

Qiu Yingying, always straightforward, immediately objected.

“Sister Fan! At a time like this, don’t pretend in front of us.”

Shengmei pulled the door wide open and let them in. With a playful look, she asked,

“Xiao Qiu, are you wishing bad luck on your Sister Fan? Can’t I really be fine for once?”

Yingying froze, flustered. That wasn’t what she meant at all. She only worried that Shengmei was forcing herself to act strong, but now her clumsy mouth had gotten her into trouble. She didn’t know how to explain.

Thankfully, Guan Ju’er came to the rescue.

“Yingying, can’t you see Sister Fan is teasing you?”

The moment she caught Shengmei’s smile, Yingying relaxed, though her eyes still carried worry.

Andy was more direct.

“Shengmei, are you really alright?”

Shengmei handed them the bottled water prepared in the room and nodded seriously.

“I’m really fine. When I wanted to keep things a secret, it was because I thought Wang Baichuan would respect me more if I hid the truth—that it would stop me from looking small in front of him. But after Qu Xiaoxiao stirred things up, I realized it didn’t matter. Paper can’t cover fire. If it’s exposed, then so be it.”

She laughed lightly, though when Qu Xiaoxiao’s name came to mind, her expression tightened a little.

“What I don’t like is Qu Xiaoxiao’s attitude, as if I’ve committed some terrible crime, as if I’d harm Wang Baichuan, and as if she’s the righteous savior. Maybe that’s just her way of doing things, but I don’t have to like it. I don’t have to accept it. After all, I’m human too, and I don’t like being made a fool of, with my dignity trampled underfoot.”

Qiu Yingying immediately puffed up, eager to show loyalty.

“Sister Fan, I get you completely! I can’t stand her either. She always acts so clever, like I’m some idiot. I’m on your side—always!”

Guan Ju’er adjusted her glasses and spoke slowly but firmly.

“Sister Fan, I’m with you, too. What Qu Xiaoxiao did yesterday really was over the line. Even if she’d talked to you beforehand, the way she went about it showed she was being deliberate. Don’t worry, I’ll always stand by you.”

Even Andy’s expression showed disapproval of Qu Xiaoxiao.

Shengmei couldn’t help laughing. Looking at their earnest faces, she reached out and pinched both Guan Ju’er and Qiu Yingying’s cheeks.

“Alright, what is this? You girls act like you’re still in school, forming cliques against classmates. I know how you feel, and that’s enough. You don’t need to go any further.”

“Really, I’m fine.”

Just then, the waiter arrived. Shengmei opened the door, took the rose petals and some snacks she had ordered, and waved them over.

“Come on, you three barely ate because of me earlier. Have some of this. I ordered plenty.”

She noticed Wei Wei’s subtle glances at her throughout the evening. Of course, she wasn’t oblivious. The villa was beautiful, the food was even better—and since Wei Wei was paying, why shouldn’t she enjoy it?

Since she didn’t have to pay for it, there was no reason not to enjoy everything to the fullest.

Qiu Yingying was the first to dig in. Munching on a little cake, her face full of satisfaction, she still couldn’t resist criticizing Qu Xiaoxiao.

“Sister Fan, you’re a few years older than us, and it really shows in your experience. If it were me, I’d be bawling my eyes out right now. But you’re so calm! I need to learn from you. If it weren’t for that awful Qu Xiaoxiao, we’d still be enjoying the chef’s dinner instead of this!”

Guan Ju’er tugged on her sleeve, signaling for her to stop talking.

She knew very well that Sister Fan minded her age, and here Yingying was bringing up the dinner incident again. Truly…

Shengmei only smiled faintly and shook her head, showing she didn’t mind.

She nibbled at fruit and small tomatoes instead of the cakes—she had to watch her metabolism and didn’t want to gain weight.

Andy’s eyes fell on the basket full of rose petals and she asked curiously,

“Shengmei, what are those petals for?”

“These?” Shengmei glanced at them with a laugh. “I originally asked for them to take a bath in the room. But why don’t we go soak in the hot spring instead? Since we’re here, it would be a shame not to enjoy it.”

They had spent the day walking around the villa grounds, even picking oranges. Now, in the evening, a soak in the hot spring would be perfect for relaxation.

Yingying, cheeks stuffed with cake, immediately nodded eagerly.

“Yes, yes, yes! I want to go! I’ve never been in a hot spring before. I want to go, I want to go!”

Guan Ju’er also nodded in agreement. A hot spring soak would be the perfect way to ease Sister Fan’s mood.

Andy had no objections either—her main concern right now was Shengmei’s state.

The four of them quickly reached an agreement and headed out.

The villa had swimsuits for sale. After buying them, the group went straight to the hot spring.

When her body sank into the warm water, Shengmei let out a sigh. The heat seeped into every tired muscle, loosening her tension. The weariness of reality melted away in an instant.

After a while, as she relaxed, her thoughts turned to the future.

She needed to change—early, decisively. To pull herself out of the swamp she had been trapped in.

Reflecting on how things had developed over the next few years in her past life, she began to form some ideas. Still, those could wait until she returned to Shanghai.

After a long day of touring the villa and a tense evening, the hot spring brought both physical and mental fatigue to the surface. Drowsiness began to settle in.

Soon after, Shengmei dried off, gathered her things, and headed back to her room.

On the way, she happened to run into Qu Xiaoxiao.

Qu Xiaoxiao had been wandering around the villa. The moment she spotted Shengmei, her eyes lit up, and she couldn’t resist giving her a once-over.

“Well, Sister Fan, looks like you’re in pretty good spirits after all. I told you it was nothing serious. But Guan Ju’er and Andy just had to make such a fuss. If you can still enjoy a hot spring, then everything’s fine, right?”

She still carried that careless, cocky air, fearless of heaven or earth.

At her side, Yao Bin kept tugging her sleeve, signaling her to stop.

But Qu Xiaoxiao refused to hold her tongue, muttering under her breath:

“Why are you pulling me? What’s wrong with talking a little? It’s not like it’ll cost me anything.”

Yao Bin’s face darkened. He gave Shengmei an apologetic glance. Just because she wasn’t saying anything didn’t mean she didn’t care. And Qu Xiaoxiao’s repeated jabs weren’t justified.

Shengmei, however, wore the same calm smile as before. Her gaze toward Qu Xiaoxiao was steady, without a ripple.

“Qu Xiaoxiao, you’re right. Talking a little won’t cost you anything. But I hope you never find yourself in this kind of situation—looked down upon casually, arrogantly, and without manners by people who think they’re above you. I hope you always stay up there in the clouds.”