Tengchong Hot Pot

Wen Chongyue didn’t move his hand but instead patted Xia Jiao’s head. Her hair was as soft as freshly bloomed dandelions, and a gentle touch seemed to brush his heart with the tender tips of spring grass.

Wen Chongyue asked, “Is it time for a homework check?”

Xia Jiao replied, “It’s time for Teacher Wen to assess the teaching results.”

Last time, Li Lian had sent Wen Chongyue some files and letters, which included Xia Jiao’s homework and Wen Chongyue’s revision comments. At that time, although Wen Chongyue and his friend were doing this work for money, he was also diligent in his teaching. That was just his character—if he did something, he did it responsibly.

The most important thing in life was to take responsibility for one’s actions. Since he had chosen to be an educator, he needed to be responsible for his students. Educating and nurturing others, even if only as a tutor, should never contradict the title of “teacher.” At least, back then, both Wen Chongyue and Li Lian shared the same ideal.

However, at that time, Wen Chongyue didn’t see much difference between Xia Jiao and the other students. He treated them all equally, with no bias. When he graded her assignments, he corrected her grammatical mistakes, marked the misspelled words, and pointed out the problems with tenses. Wen Chongyue remembered that this student had a weak foundation, so in the early assignments, he left words of encouragement. Even though Xia Jiao’s compositions weren’t very good and had many mistakes, Wen Chongyue still praised her progress, whether it was the use of a more advanced word or correctly applying a relative clause.

He always found the shining points in her clumsy writings, no matter how small, and never overlooked them.

Wen Chongyue had always believed in encouraging education and treated all his students the same way. However, those words of encouragement were always directed from teacher to student, not from a husband to his wife.

There were some forms of encouragement and support that Wen Chongyue only gave to Xia Jiao. Over time, he taught her how to enjoy certain sports better, how to understand each other, encouraged her, and embraced her. But some things, he didn’t need to teach her—she was smart and understood them instinctively. It was like when her fingers were wrapped in warmth, Xia Jiao felt like she was eating chocolate ice cream or like when she sucked on an oatmeal grain through a milk tea straw. She didn’t try to make any deliberate expression, just looking focused and determined to eat. Her cuteness was irresistible, making Wen Chongyue’s heart race, and he wanted her to have more than just what was before her now.

Xia Jiao was definitely an excellent student. She firmly believed that hard work could make up for any lack of talent. The conditions she had for her education were not ideal, and her foundation was poor, so she worked hard, step by step, burying herself in her studies.

She was equally determined in this matter. She knew Wen Chongyue liked it when people touched his back, especially when Xia Jiao would hug him from the front, placing her palm on his back and leaving marks. Wen Chongyue would always hum in satisfaction. His preferences were easy to figure out—like when she bit his shoulder, he would smile and comfort her, becoming even more aggressive; or when she kissed his neck, he would pull her in tighter; and even when she spoke some unconscious phrases from her instincts, they made him relax.

Pleasing each other wasn’t difficult. Or rather, mutual pleasure? Under the guidance of a qualified teacher, Xia Jiao had successfully learned to enjoy these moments with ease. The wind drifted through the half-open window on the balcony, and Xia Jiao sat on the moon, swaying back, only to be embraced by the moon again. The light was vast, the moon warm, and the water gently babbling.

It was an ordinary November night. Two cats had run to the balcony, leaning on each other, while the moonlight shone brightly.

The next day, at work, Xia Jiao brought all the candy that Wen Chongyue had packed for her to the shop. According to him, she was to thank her colleagues and distribute them. Most of her colleagues smiled as they took the candy, but Yu Qingzhen seemed absent-minded, her thoughts elsewhere.

Xia Jiao couldn’t help but ask a few questions. Yu Qingzhen came to her senses and finally managed to speak, “…I feel like something’s not right.”

As she said this, Xia Jiao was categorizing the flower scissors.

That morning, the shop wasn’t particularly busy, so Xia Jiao casually tidied up her work table.

She felt like she had been “assimilated” by Wen Chongyue—she also liked to tidy things up when she had nothing else to do. She preferred things to be neat and orderly.

Yu Qingzhen was standing beside her work table, slowly eating candy as if suffering from a toothache.

Xia Jiao didn’t look up but asked, “Did you get all the money back?”

Yu Qingzhen hesitated, “…No, not yet.”

Xia Jiao turned her face to her and gave her a serious look. “Are you crazy?”

Yu Qingzhen had never seen her like this before. Xia Jiao was well-known for having a good temper, and now this typically kind person suddenly looked fierce, leaving Yu Qingzhen at a loss.

She raised her hand helplessly and said, “But… it’s to make money, Jiao Jiao.”

Yu Qingzhen had her own troubles.

In the world of wealth, risks were inevitable. She had witnessed the volatility of the stock and fund markets. She only planned to take advantage of this opportunity and then never again.

She thought of doing it just this once, but now it felt a bit like taking a risk. She just hoped to earn a little more, just a little more, and then stop. People’s hearts were never satisfied, and she was only greedy for this one time.

“How are you planning to make money?” Xia Jiao asked, calming down. “Did you invest more money?”

Yu Qingzhen’s gaze drifted. “No.”

“To be honest,” Xia Jiao said seriously. “Qingzhen, this is a big deal.”

Finally, unable to resist her, Yu Qingzhen confessed. “Actually, it wasn’t much, I only invested an additional 20,000 yuan—5,000 of that was from what I earned a few days ago…”

Yu Qingzhen had never seen Xia Jiao like this. For some reason, she felt guilty, as if she were a student caught not doing their homework, facing the teacher’s questioning.

She reflected on the events of the past few days, explaining that the money she invested was to “build up the position,” according to her boyfriend. He called it “getting the funds ready.” He said this way, they could make a big profit, though it was a high-risk endeavor. Yu Qingzhen didn’t have enough money, so her boyfriend offered to cover part of it for her, transferring over 50,000 virtual currency into her account.

Xia Jiao asked, “How do you know the software is safe?”

Yu Qingzhen froze for a moment. “He wouldn’t create software just to scam me, would he?”

Xia Jiao was noncommittal. “Have you seen the news lately? Someone made a fake app mimicking the academic verification system, tricking people into believing fake diplomas—what if the person you’re dealing with is part of a group and is using fake software and data to scam you?”

Yu Qingzhen was startled by Xia Jiao’s words and remembered the news. She murmured, “But my money is still in that software…”

“Didn’t you successfully withdraw some money a few days ago?” Xia Jiao said firmly. “Withdraw it right now.”

Without hesitation, Yu Qingzhen was reminded of the possibility and realized that no one around her was using this software. She felt a bit scared and immediately pulled out her phone to open the app and request a withdrawal.

She planned to withdraw all the money.

…No matter what, it would be safer to keep it in her own hands.

She had been using the app for virtual currency transactions, so she first needed to withdraw the virtual currency, convert it to RMB, and then transfer it to her own account. This process sounded complicated, but it wasn’t that difficult. Just like the previous times, Yu Qingzhen applied for the withdrawal.

But this time, the customer service rejected her request.

A message popped up, informing her that there was a daily limit of 50,000 yuan and that she should try again tomorrow.

Yu Qingzhen’s heart sank. “He didn’t tell me about this.”

Xia Jiao was quick to decide: “It’s fine to withdraw fifty thousand first.”

Yu Qingzhen listened carefully and applied for a withdrawal of fifty thousand. However, the message changed once again, informing her that there was only one opportunity to withdraw per day.

Since she had already submitted a withdrawal request once, she had to wait until tomorrow to submit another.

Before she could fully process this information, her “boyfriend” called.

Xia Jiao asked, “Is it convenient for you to put the phone on speaker?”

At this point, Yu Qingzhen had already cleared her head. She switched to speakerphone, cleared her throat, and chatted with the other person as if nothing was wrong.

Xia Jiao could hear every word clearly.

As expected, the first thing the person asked was about the withdrawal.

Although Yu Qingzhen hadn’t shared any details about her actions, he seemed to know everything clearly.

Yu Qingzhen was not stupid. She quickly calmed down. She told him she wanted to do a beauty treatment in advance. Her “boyfriend” chuckled and said there was no need to rush, that it would be fine to wait a few more days, and once she made money, she could do it. At this point, the man finally revealed his true intentions, bluntly saying he was having some financial difficulties and probably wouldn’t be able to help her cover the remaining amount for her investment.

However, he had found a “friend” who worked at an online loan platform, which was “reliable.” He suggested Yu Qingzhen take out a loan of one hundred thousand, exchange the money for cryptocurrency, and once she made money from it next month, she could pay it back.

Xia Jiao shook her head vigorously.

Online loans were a definite no-go.

When she was in college, platforms like “Bei” and “Tiao” were not yet popular, but there were still many people handing out loan flyers around campus. They made it sound wonderful, but in reality, they were traps, especially for inexperienced students.

Later on, the “naked loan” incidents caused a huge uproar.

Xia Jiao had seen these news reports. She knew well that this was something to avoid.

Yu Qingzhen held her phone, her fingers nervously tapping on the table. She said, “I’ll wait a bit and see if I can borrow some money from friends. If I still can’t get enough, I’ll apply for an online loan.”

Her “boyfriend” laughed brightly, sounding casual: “My friend works at that loan company, and it’s very easy to apply.”

Yu Qingzhen smiled faintly. “Okay, I’ll check it out.”

After chatting for a while, they ended the conversation, and Yu Qingzhen almost crushed her phone in frustration: “…Damn.”

Xia Jiao quickly came up with a plan. “Report it to the police first. You still have two days. You can slowly string the scammer along. Just tell him you need money for things like beauty treatments or buying stuff. It’s difficult to withdraw all the money at once, so take out whatever you can.”

Yu Qingzhen clenched her teeth and nodded.

Since she was working at a store, there were fewer restrictions, and the police station was just a short walk away. She quickly told Sister Lan and rushed off to report the scam. However, cases of online fraud like this weren’t easy to handle. The scammer’s IP address was overseas. The guy she had met last month, who had gone out with her, turned out to be an accomplice. He had laid the groundwork earlier by saying he was working abroad. Though she was able to provide photos, they were of little use—

Yu Qingzhen hesitated, mentioning that the photos didn’t quite match the person she had met. She dismissed it as the effect of a beauty camera and didn’t think it was worth using for reference.

Despite this, the case was registered.

With this type of scam and the use of virtual currency transactions, it would be hard to track. Yu Qingzhen searched the software’s name online and what she found made her heart sink.

She saw victims posting in distress and reporting the scam to the police, but the “pig butchering scam” rarely resulted in recovered funds.

Xia Jiao comforted Yu Qingzhen for a long time. Gao Chan seemed to sense something was wrong too and had been quietly getting along with her. Unlike before, they weren’t teasing or bickering with each other.

Earning money was never easy, and Xia Jiao had become very clear that Yu Qingzhen had likely fallen for a “pig butchering scam.” This term, created by scammers, referred to their victims as “pigs” and the process of luring them in as “raising pigs.” The scammers pretended to be interested in dating or making friends, but in reality, they would steal photos, create false identities, and craft a perfect persona based on the victim’s desires to cheat them of money and loans, then run off with the funds.

Yu Qingzhen was psychologically strong, and after taking a blow, she focused on how to get her money back. She remained calm and continued talking to the scammer without alarming him.

It was already impossible to recover all the money, but Xia Jiao advised her to keep up the act, withdraw whatever she could, and cut her losses quickly.

As expected, the next day, before making the withdrawal, Yu Qingzhen called her “boyfriend” and casually said she was still preparing the loan materials for the beauty treatment. She’d sign the contract in the next couple of days.

Perhaps because Yu Qingzhen had been acting like a “girlfriend who wanted to make money” recently, or maybe the scammer was too greedy and wanted her to commit to the one hundred thousand loan, this withdrawal went smoothly without any problems, and she managed to withdraw fifty thousand.

The next day, she applied again for another fifty thousand, claiming a colleague had been injured and hospitalized. Gao Chan and Xia Jiao worked hard to simulate various sound effects and background noise, creating the illusion that she had broken her leg and was in the hospital.

The scammer believed it and approved another fifty thousand.

On the third day, Yu Qingzhen called the scammer and began with, “I ran into some trouble today…”

The scammer immediately hung up, and when she tried to call again, her number was blocked.

It seemed he had realized something was wrong and had blocked her number.

Yu Qingzhen stared blankly at her phone for a long time before sighing.

She muttered a curse.

“Damn it.”

Because the scammer’s IP address was overseas and the software transaction was also international, Yu Qingzhen’s account was now completely inaccessible. The only silver lining was that she had managed to withdraw some money, though she lost sixty thousand.

Sister Lan, seeing that Yu Qingzhen wasn’t in a good mood, probably guessed the situation. After lunch, she directly gave her half a day off to rest.

Yu Qingzhen didn’t leave. She went to the employee lounge for a while. Sister Lan took out some beer from the fridge and drank with her. Seeing her condition, she didn’t feel reassured and hesitated before calling Xia Jiao to come and keep her company.

Xia Jiao was wrapping flowers for Grandma and Grandpa Song while chatting cheerfully. Grandma Song mentioned that her granddaughter’s birthday was on the third of next month, and they would have a family reunion dinner. She hoped Xia Jiao could help pick out some flowers to send over.

This was, of course, no problem. Grandpa Song paid for the order upfront, and the specific plan would be discussed next week. Grandma Song was going to the hospital for a follow-up check-up in the next few days and would return next Tuesday.

Before leaving, Grandma Song patted Xia Jiao’s hand, smiling as she said, “You’re such a good child, just like my granddaughter.”

Her hands were old, covered with wrinkles and not very smooth, with some rough spots. Xia Jiao looked at her hand and, for a moment, saw a faint image of her own grandmother.

It lasted only a second before Sister Lan called her over in a low voice, asking her to check on Yu Qingzhen. Yu Qingzhen didn’t seem to be doing well, and Sister Lan knew that most of the others in the shop had some conflicts with her. Since Xia Jiao was gentle and always smiling with everyone, she thought it would be best for her to go.

Xia Jiao agreed.

When she entered the break room, Yu Qingzhen was drinking alone in silence.

Drinking on an empty stomach wasn’t good, and drinking to drown one’s sorrows hurt the spleen and stomach.

Xia Jiao rummaged through her bag and found a box of dried sweet potatoes. It wasn’t the hard kind, but soft, air-dried strips made from small sweet potatoes without any sugar, giving them a chewy texture.

She also found a box of walnut-flavored sunflower seeds, which she opened and shared with Yu Qingzhen.

Xia Jiao said, “Look forward and think positively. At least you didn’t lose all your money.”

Yu Qingzhen finally set the beer can down. She picked up a strip of sweet potato and, after a long pause, muttered, “Xia Jiao, how many years will it take to save enough for a house deposit just by working? Take Suzhou, for example—I’ve forgotten the average price, but a house deposit costs hundreds of thousands, then decades of loans.”

She knew she was being greedy, but there was no way around it. Earning money wasn’t easy, and Yu Qingzhen really wanted to own her own home.

She smiled faintly as she continued, still looking down, “Don’t tell me my parents will give me money… Let me put it this way, I have a younger sister and a younger brother. You should understand.”

Xia Jiao understood.

“Back then, it was considered having too many children, so we were fined. My parents refused to pay and took my younger brother to hide somewhere else. My sister and I stayed home with our grandparents,” Yu Qingzhen suddenly said. “But the fine couldn’t be avoided. After two or three years, when things settled down, they still had to pay the fine and figure out how to register my brother’s household. When my mom gave birth to him, I was already in high school. Now that I’ve started working, my brother is still in middle school.”

Xia Jiao moved the beer can from Yu Qingzhen’s right and poured her a cup of warm water. She found some sugar packets from the coffee shop and added a little to the water, pushing it back toward her to help with the hangover.

Yu Qingzhen was already drunk.

She covered her face and whispered, “Have you ever heard the saying, ‘A child without an umbrella in the rain can only run’? Back when I was in school, the teachers said it every day. They said we came from a poor county, with bad economy, bad education, and poor teaching resources compared to the big cities. All we could do was study hard. If we couldn’t win with our family background, we’d win with our efforts… I thought studying hard was the way out, but no, I fought to get into a good university, thinking I’d be on the same starting point as the kids from the big cities—but no, their English was actually good, not like my ‘mute English.’ They could play the violin, the piano, they could dance… As for me, my parents taught me to take care of my brother and sister while studying. Why?”

Yu Qingzhen had no sorrow on her face, only a calm, confused look as she asked, “Why is it that no matter how hard I study, I can’t compare to them? The diligence and effort I thought could change my destiny, in their eyes, is just rote learning, a rigid approach to education, a ‘small-town test taker’… Other than solving problems, I know nothing. Social skills, artistic talents—I have none of those. No matter how hard I try, no matter how much I chase, I can never be like them.”

Xia Jiao didn’t say anything, she just listened quietly.

“People with good luck have everything: money, love, and friends,” Yu Qingzhen murmured. “‘The thinner the rope, the easier it breaks, and misfortune always finds the unlucky.’ I don’t have good luck, not even money… they’ve cheated me out of so much…”

She choked up, finally breaking down: “I’ve saved money for so many years! Damn it, they’ve stolen all my money!!!”

“It’s not ‘the child without an umbrella in the rain can only run,'” Yu Qingzhen said. “I don’t have an umbrella, I don’t have shoes, and I have to pull my elderly parents and my underage siblings on a cart… How am I supposed to run, Xia Jiao? Tell me, how am I supposed to run?”

She finally burst into tears, sobbing uncontrollably, her makeup smeared all over her face. Xia Jiao said nothing but held Yu Qingzhen tightly. Yu Qingzhen was tall, so it was a little hard for her to lean on Xia Jiao, but it didn’t matter. Xia Jiao gently patted her back, mimicking the comforting taps that Wen Chongyue had given her before.

“I’m the same,” Xia Jiao said to Yu Qingzhen slowly. “I can’t sing or dance either, and I don’t have any artistic talents. All I could do was solve problems and get into college through that—and my school isn’t even as good as yours. Have I told you before? I used to work in a luxury store. Sounds impressive, doesn’t it? But honestly, I did a terrible job. I couldn’t do anything right, and I’m not as good at socializing as you are now. In short, I was pretty bad at it.”

Yu Qingzhen cried for a long time. After she was done, she asked in a muffled voice, “Then how did you get through it?”

Xia Jiao thought for a moment and told her, “I used to envy people with abilities, feeling like I could never catch up to their pace. Compared to them, I felt like moss in a corner, small and cheap, waiting desperately for a little water, just a little.”

“But someone told me that people are like flowers.”

“Everyone has a different blooming period.”

At five o’clock in the afternoon, it was time to leave.

Sister Lan was feeling a little tired and was dozing off when she heard footsteps. She quickly stood up, pressing her hand on the table. Her eyes were a bit weary, but when she saw Xia Jiao walking over, she quickly shook off her sleepiness.

Xia Jiao must have had some beer. Her cheeks were a bit flushed, but she seemed fine otherwise.

Xia Jiao said, “Qingzhen just left.”

Sister Lan glanced at the time. Oh, it was indeed past working hours.

She stretched and stood up, saying, “Thank you for your help today.”

Xia Jiao quickly said it was no trouble at all.

After hesitating for a moment, she added, “I want to see Qingzhen home, but I still have a customer coming to pick up flowers later—”

Sister Lan understood immediately. She glanced at her watch and said, “It’s fine. Just send me the customer’s details, and I’ll wait in the shop for a while. Take care on the way back. Can you manage on your own, or should I ask Xiao Wang to help?”

Xia Jiao hurriedly waved her hand, smiling and saying it wasn’t necessary.

Yu Qingzhen really had drunk too much. She had knocked back five cans of “Brave Venture” in the afternoon, and now she could barely walk straight. Xia Jiao knew she had to walk 600 meters to the bus stop, so she hurried after her, hoping to take her home.

Yu Qingzhen was a woman working alone in the city, and today she wasn’t feeling well, plus she was drunk… Xia Jiao couldn’t help but worry.

The incident happened after Xia Jiao turned a corner.

This area had some older residential buildings, and the small shops on either side often changed every few months, with few lasting for long. By one of the stores with a sign reading “Good House for Rent” on its roller shutter, Xia Jiao saw Yu Qingzhen, dazed, lying on the ground. The red-haired man, who often loitered near the flower shop, had his lips pressed against Yu Qingzhen’s.

Xia Jiao’s blood rushed to her head.

She grabbed her bag and swung it hard at the red-haired man’s face, trying to scare him away. “Pervert!!!”

Her scream caught the attention of passersby, and several people rushed over to hold the red-haired man down. He cursed loudly, spewing filth as Xia Jiao helped Yu Qingzhen up, calling her name repeatedly.

Half-drunk and half-conscious, Yu Qingzhen finally managed to stand. She was covered in dirt and looked as though she had fallen. When she saw the red-haired man so close, and felt his lips still lingering on hers, the memory of him trying to clumsily pry open her mouth flashed in her mind…

Yu Qingzhen snapped back to her senses a little. She felt so disgusted that she wanted to vomit everything she had eaten. After dry heaving a couple of times, she muttered incoherently, “Damn it, even like this, they still want to pick at my corpse…”

Someone had called the police, and they arrived quickly. Both Xia Jiao and the bystanders could testify to the red-haired man’s inappropriate behavior toward Yu Qingzhen.

The passerby actually saw more. He was certain that the red-haired man had been holding Yu Qingzhen and kissing her. He had initially assumed they were a couple, not thinking much of it. Only when Xia Jiao screamed did he realize something was wrong, and he rushed over to help.

At first, the red-haired man kept shouting and refused to admit it, arrogantly claiming he was helping her. His face was red, and his voice was shaking with rage.

But when Qingzhen said, “This pervert was trying to pick up my corpse,” he froze, hung his head low, and didn’t say a word.

He admitted it.

The red-haired man already an adult. So according to the rules, he was given fifteen days of administrative detention, a 500 yuan fine, and some education.

By the time this was all settled, it was already dark.

Xia Jiao still insisted on taking Yu Qingzhen home. Only when she saw Yu Qingzhen safely enter her residential area did she finally turn around, exhausted.

The full moon hung high in the sky, and the evening breeze gently caressed the crescent moon.

The afternoon winds had been strong, cooling the air. Xia Jiao hadn’t expected to be out so late, and now, with the wind, her neck and ankles felt chilled. She pulled her coat tightly around her.

After walking a few steps, she noticed headlights flashing.

She stopped and looked curiously.

Ah!

It was Teacher Wen!

Xia Jiao ran over, pulled down her mask, and, surprised and happy, exclaimed, “Chongyue!!!”

Wen Chongyue smiled and gestured for her to get in. The car was air-conditioned, and there was a cup of Xia Jiao’s favorite cheesy berry drink, with two Oreo egg tarts in a paper bag.

The warm air inside the car made Xia Jiao relax as she sighed in relief. Wen Chongyue didn’t rush to drive. Instead, he handed her a wet wipe. Xia Jiao threw her mask into the trash bag, wiped her hands and face with the wipe, threw that in too, tied the trash bag, and placed it temporarily in the car. She then happily asked, “How did you know I was here?”

As soon as she saw Wen Chongyue, stars seemed to appear in her tired eyes again.

Wen Chongyue said, “From the moment you called me and said you were seeing a colleague home, I asked my aunt and found out where your colleague lives. I have a car, so it’s more convenient. Plus, it’s getting colder tonight, and you weren’t wearing much when you left.”

Xia Jiao happily took a sip of fruit tea and then bit into an egg tart. It was flaky, and some crumbs fell. She quickly finished it, swallowed, and then said to Wen Chongyue, “Good thing you came. We ran into a pervert this evening…”

Wen Chongyue patiently listened as his wife shared her day’s experiences while he drove slowly toward home.

Xia Jiao talked the whole way, only pausing when they were almost home, waiting for the final traffic light. She held up the last bite of egg tart and leaned it toward Wen Chongyue’s lips. He leaned over and took a bite, finishing it in one go.

Xia Jiao didn’t mention Yu Qingzhen’s personal matters. She had only been talking about the red-haired guy. Perhaps because of the bullying she had suffered in middle school, Xia Jiao hated people like that, especially those who harassed drunk women.

Xia Jiao spoke passionately, and didn’t stop even when Wen Chongyue parked the car in their underground garage.

What interrupted her was a hug.

Once the car had stopped, Wen Chongyue unbuckled his seatbelt, leaned over, and embraced her, closing his eyes with a sigh.

Xia Jiao: “…Teacher Wen?”

“I haven’t seen my wife in so long,” Wen Chongyue said, “Let me hug you a little longer.”

His voice was natural but slightly low, sincere and touching.

Xia Jiao didn’t move.

Ah.

Teacher Wen… was he asking her for a hug?!

Yes, surely! She must not have been wrong!

Xia Jiao felt like she was about to transform into a little swan, tiptoeing on her toes as she danced ballet in Wen Chongyue’s palm. After a brief pause, she fought to calm the wild, screeching excitement in her heart, her face flushed as she seriously hugged his back.

“Yes,” Xia Jiao said, “It’s been a long time since I hugged my husband.”

Wen Chongyue had clearly fulfilled all the promises he made during their blind date.

He couldn’t bear the long separation from his wife and desired stable companionship in their married life.

After finishing some work, Xia Jiao took two days off for the New Year and, together with Wen Chongyue, headed to Yunnan.

They went to Tengchong! To soak in the hot springs!

Although November is considered the off-season for tourism, it’s the perfect time to catch the “Golden Mountain” in Deqin Tibetan area before the heavy snow falls, trek to Yubeng, and visit the sacred waterfalls and ice lakes.

What many people don’t know is that Yunnan has an abundance of delicious food. The famous Dali Nodu Ham praised in A Bite of China, fresh matsutake mushrooms can be tasted in Shangri-La in the summer, Kunming has a street dedicated to wild mushrooms during the rainy season, and if you want to try Dai cuisine, head to the border cities of Ruili and Mangshi. There’s also the famous roasted tofu in Shiping and Jianshui…

Tengchong too offers a variety of delicious foods.

Wen Chongyue and Xia Jiao didn’t stay at a hotel; his friend Old Qin owned a private hot spring villa here. Old Qin, along with his wife Li Zhi, was recovering and had invited them to stay.

Old Qin’s full name is Qin Shaoli. Xia Jiao had met Old Qin before. His wife, Li Zhi, had a beautiful and gentle demeanor. She worked as an executive director at a gaming company and spoke with a calm, steady voice. Having lived here for a while, Li Zhi had heard her husband mention how much Wen Chongyue appreciated good food, so she invited them to have authentic Tengchong dishes.

The mountains and water in this area are pristine, and the local vegetables have an innate freshness. Even a simple stir-fry tastes amazing. There’s a local delicacy called “tounao,” a sweet dish topped with a fried egg, which is traditionally served to guests but now available in most restaurants, so Xia Jiao had no hesitation in trying it.

Fragrant matsutake cakes cost only two yuan per piece, and the classic breakfast of rice flour with vermicelli and grilled pancakes is a must-try. In restaurants, a bowl of soup made from ginger, pickled vegetables, and small chili peppers is served, named “Qinglong Guohai Soup.” The local specialties include grilled pork with cold pea flour, beef tendon hotpot with tender beef, and classic hand-pulled rice noodles with fragrant grilled meat.

However, there was one dish Xia Jiao couldn’t bring herself to try—”sa pie.”

This strange-sounding dish is a soup made from bitter beef intestine liquid, which locals typically pair with rice noodles or beef offal.

Xia Jiao couldn’t stomach it, so Wen Chongyue ended up finishing it for her.

The first dinner they had in Tengchong was at the villa. They ordered a traditional clay pot dish made with local ingredients—vegetables, egg dumplings, pork ribs, pork belly, and yam—all cooked over charcoal. The meal was accompanied by a delicious chicken soup made from locally raised chickens, which had an aroma that made everyone sigh in appreciation.

After a satisfying meal, Xia Jiao and Wen Chongyue returned to their room on the second floor. The room was far from the couple’s room, and the night was exceptionally quiet. Xia Jiao lay on the lounge chair, listening to the sound of birds chirping clearly.

After his shower, Wen Chongyue came out, towel in hand, and gave her a kiss infused with the scent of mint.

His kiss was so gentle and skillful that it made Xia Jiao feel as if she were melting, but she still managed to keep a little composure and pushed him away. “…Your friend is probably still awake. I just saw him talking with his wife in the yard.”

Xia Jiao could clearly see the couple in the garden below, walking together, with Li Zhi playfully patting her husband on the shoulder.

Wen Chongyue took her hand and kissed each fingertip. “What’s there to be afraid of? I’m just washing the body of my tired, legitimate wife. Is that a crime?”

Xia Jiao replied, “Teacher Wen, your gaze right now doesn’t seem like it’s just for washing.”

Wen Chongyue grasped her wrist. Her sleepwear was loose, and as her arm lifted, the sleeve slid down, revealing a section of her fair arm.

Indeed, Xia Jiao had gained some weight since they first met. Her arms were no longer thin and bony, and her cheeks had more color, looking healthy and vibrant.

Wen Chongyue was pleased with her health.

He kissed her arm, and his voice was low and unclear. After having some drinks, his words became a bit more mischievous: “Why not wash everything, inside and out, if we’re going to do this?”