Chapter 117 : Hot Spring

Everyone had heard that the young man from the Fan family had married a girl from another place, but they hadn’t had the chance to meet her until now. Naturally, they didn’t want to miss the opportunity to see her in person. So, wherever they went, there was always a crowd gathering to catch a glimpse.

The girl who had been talked about so much sat gracefully on the sofa, her black coat draped beside her. She wore a white wool sweater on top and black slim-fit trousers on the bottom. The pearl earrings made her appear gentle and refined, but her face was strikingly beautiful and bold.

Her demeanor and appearance were strikingly different, yet surprisingly harmonious on her. She was incredibly beautiful, with radiant, translucent skin that seemed to glow. Her fox-like eyes were slightly upturned, and her delicately pointed chin was slightly raised, exuding natural confidence and pride. When answering questions from elders, she was neither humble nor arrogant, speaking in a clear, organized manner with fluent and natural Mandarin, even better than most of the people present.

As expected, she was a professional in this regard, a broadcaster from the provincial capital’s radio station. Who could speak better than her?

No wonder the Fan family accepted her such an appealing girl, who wouldn’t want to marry her!

For several days, Liang Qingqing and Fan Yanxing met countless people. When they finally had a moment to rest on the sofa, Chu Qi called, suggesting they go out for a meal and soak in a hot spring.

At the mention of a hot spring, Liang Qingqing immediately sat up straight, her eyes brightening with excitement. She grabbed Fan Yanxing’s arm eagerly. Seeing her reaction, he had no reason to refuse. After hanging up, they quickly packed up, and Chu Qi came to pick them up.

As they stepped outside, they saw Chu Qi standing next to a formidable-looking green military truck, dressed in a military coat and looking even more robust and imposing than the last time they met.

“After being reassigned, it’s been nothing but training and drills,” Chu Qi explained with a grin, his white teeth contrasting with his darker skin, adding a touch of humor.

Suppressing her laughter, Liang Qingqing was about to get in the car when the rear window was rolled down from inside, revealing a fresh, pretty face. Surprised to see someone in the car, she froze for a few seconds before responding with a greeting, “Hello.”

“Hello.” The other person’s gaze calmly assessed Liang Qingqing before shifting to Fan Yanxing. Her initially indifferent expression brightened immediately, with a smile forming at the corners of her mouth. “Brother Yanxing, you’re back?”

Upon hearing this, Fan Yanxing’s eyebrows twitched. He instinctively looked at Liang Qingqing, who, as expected, turned to look at him almost instantly, her eyes filled with significance.

“Just call me like before, everyone does,” Fan Yanxing said without hesitation, correcting Yang Manman and explaining to Liang Qingqing that no one had called him “Brother Yanxing” before her.

Liang Qingqing raised an eyebrow, giving Fan Yanxing a deep glance before turning to observe Yang Manman’s reaction. The latter’s smile froze on her face, and after a moment, she reluctantly replied, “Alright, Brother Yan.”

Seeing this, Fan Yanxing let out a small sigh of relief. With Liang Qingqing not looking at him, the weight on his chest seemed to lift a little, though he shot a fierce glare at Chu Qi.

Chu Qi gave a nervous chuckle, using the excuse of adjusting his nose to hide his embarrassment and unease, and explained, “When I invited you, Manman happened to be at my house with my cousin. She said she hadn’t seen you in a long time and wanted to come over to visit and greet your wife.”

“Alright, now that she’s seen us and greeted us, can you take her back?” Fan Yanxing’s tone was nonchalant, almost joking, but beneath it was a coldness laced with sarcasm and harshness, making it hard to know how to respond.

He wasn’t very familiar with Yang Manman, only knowing her because of her brother, Yang Liwei. The sudden, overly familiar address from someone he hadn’t seen in a long time, without any hidden agenda, made him think twice.

He understood the young girl’s intentions well enough, he just didn’t want to expose the pretense. Moreover, with the knowledge of his marriage, her attempt to create misunderstandings and trouble in front of his wife seemed like a deliberate attempt to damage their relationship.

If that was the case, he wouldn’t hold back his words.

“Well…”

Since everyone was already in the car, they were obviously going to the hot spring for a meal. Kicking someone out midway would be like slapping her in the face. If word got out, Yang Manman would become a laughingstock in their circle.

Chu Qi, knowing he couldn’t do that to a girl, especially a friend he had known for years, felt uncomfortable. He hesitated and, without realizing it, looked to Liang Qingqing for help.

Liang Qingqing remained unmoved. She wasn’t naive and saw no reason to involve herself in this matter. In fact, she preferred if the girl who harbored ill intentions left quickly, so the world could be at peace.

She had no interest in petty games and rivalries over men.

With no help forthcoming, Chu Qi had to face Fan Yanxing again, but was met with sharp, impatient eyes as if accusing him of wasting time with pointless delays.

Truly a couple, their “iron-hearted” methods were quite similar.

As Chu Qi was on the verge of tears, Yang Manman spoke up. Her face was flushed red, and she bit her lip as she said, “Chu Qi, could you take me back? I just remembered I have plans with friends to visit a bookstore. Let’s get together another time.”

“Alright, I’ll take you back first, and we can plan for another time,” Chu Qi said, visibly relieved. He hurriedly got into the car, his face showing clear relief at having resolved the awkward situation.

Whether Yang Manman’s story was true or not, it gave them a way out of the uncomfortable situation.

Once the car started, an awkward silence fell over the cabin. Liang Qingqing looked out the window disinterestedly, having no intention of engaging with Yang Manman, who also stared out her own window. Their mutual disinterest made the atmosphere strangely harmonious.

Chu Qi, glancing in the rearview mirror at the two women, regretted agreeing to Yang Manman’s request. The joy of their long-awaited reunion was now completely overshadowed.

Fortunately, Yang’s place wasn’t far. After dropping Yang Manman off, the three continued driving towards the outskirts of the city.

The hot spring was located in a courtyard on the city’s outskirts, usually reserved for hosting foreign guests and leaders. With the proper credentials, they were able to enter smoothly.

The hot springs included both indoor and outdoor sections. Each indoor room had its own private space, while the outdoor area was divided into male and female zones.

Since they planned to stay overnight, they first went to their room to drop off their things before heading to the restaurant for dinner.

Despite it being the holiday season, there were still quite a few people, mostly young adults. With Fan Yanxing and Chu Qi’s extensive networks, they encountered several familiar faces along the way.

Many people hadn’t met Liang Qingqing before and were eager to chat with her once they learned she was Fan Yanxing’s new wife. Liang Qingqing found herself drawn into several conversations.

Once she finally managed to extricate herself, she sat in a corner while they went to get food at the buffet-style restaurant.

“Earlier, they invited us to the outdoor hot spring and to have a drink. Are you going?” Chu Qi asked eagerly, giving Fan Yanxing an enthusiastic look.

Fan Yanxing shook his head, “I’ll skip it.”

Chu Qi was immediately anxious. “Come on, it’s a good chance for your wife to join Tiansheng and the others in the outdoor hot springs. They can help look after you, and you can relax a bit. You haven’t been back in so long, don’t you want to catch up?”

Fan Yanxing was about to respond but was interrupted by Liang Qingqing, “Go ahead. You can’t go to the women’s area anyway. It’ll be more fun for me to have some company rather than being alone.”

She had come specifically for the outdoor hot springs. Soaking in a hot spring amidst heavy snowfall had its own unique charm comforting and relaxing. She had already met the girl named Tian Jing, who was cheerful and emotionally intelligent, so she didn’t worry about feeling awkward around her.

Fan Yanxing’s refusal was clearly because of her, but she wasn’t the type to constantly keep her husband by her side. Everyone should have their own social space. Just as she went out to hang out with Huang Yali and the others, he never restricted her.

Liang Qingqing gave Fan Yanxing a reassuring look. After a few moments of eye contact, he nodded.

“It seems like your wife’s words carry weight,” Chu Qi said with a bigger smile, unable to resist a tease, before cheerfully changing the subject.

After dinner, they first dropped her off with Tian Jing before heading to the men’s area.

The steaming hot spring pools were surrounded by paths paved with warm stones and bordered by snow. Any dirt quickly got covered with fresh snow by the staff, so the view was like a living, beautiful painting.

“Comrade Liang, let’s get in the water first. It’s cold outside, and you don’t want to catch a cold,” Tian Jing said. They were both wearing robes provided by the courtyard and thin clothing underneath. Staying outside for long would indeed be a bit much for the body.

Liang Qingqing smiled and nodded, removing her robe and joining Tian Jing in the hot spring. The warm water quickly enveloped her, dispelling the cold she had picked up. Liang Qingqing closed her eyes slightly, enjoying the rare peace.

Seeing Liang Qingqing’s relaxed state, Tian Jing also closed her eyes for a brief rest.

After a while, they began chatting. Tian Jing was one of Fan Yanxing’s few female friends. They had known each other since childhood and were aware of many embarrassing stories about each other. What surprised Liang Qingqing the most wasn’t these stories, but that Tian Jing actually liked Chu Qi!

“I liked him since middle school. If I hadn’t said anything, he’d probably never guess with that dumb head of his,” Tian Jing said, moving her fingers over the water’s surface nonchalantly. However, her slightly trembling eyelashes betrayed her true feelings.

Hearing Tian Jing’s opinion of Chu Qi, Liang Qingqing’s lips twitched in amusement, and she couldn’t help but recall Chu Qi’s reaction when he mentioned Tian Jing earlier. It hadn’t seemed like he had any special feelings for her.

“I know he doesn’t like me. He likes girls with fair skin and good looks. I’m just plain and dark as coal. It’s strange that he’d like me,” Tian Jing shrugged, a hint of melancholy in her eyes, but she quickly adjusted her mood, “It’s better to just be good friends with him.”

Having known each other for a short time, Liang Qingqing wasn’t sure how to comfort Tian Jing, but fortunately, Tian Jing didn’t really need her comfort. She shared her feelings more as a way to find a listening ear.

Through this conversation, their relationship grew rapidly. Tian Jing even asked for her phone number and address, saying she wanted to write her letters and keep in touch regularly.

Hot springs shouldn’t be soaked in for too long as it can cause dizziness and discomfort. So, the two of them quickly got out of the pool. Tian Jing mentioned that the men were probably drinking in the restaurant and invited Liang Qingqing to join them. Liang Qingqing declined, wanting to rest for a while.

“Don’t worry, I’ll keep an eye on Yanxing and make sure he doesn’t drink too much,” Tian Jing said with a playful wink.

Liang Qingqing smiled lightly and, after a few more words, they parted ways.

In winter, it gets dark particularly early. By the time Fan Yanxing returned, the moon was already high in the sky. Liang Qingqing was curled up on the bed reading a book. As soon as the door opened, she was greeted by a strong smell of alcohol, and before she could say anything, his lips covered hers.