Chapter 62
Dawn had only just begun to break; the snowy valley was still asleep.
Wen Yan had barely opened her eyes when the first sliver of pale light seeped through the tent canvas.
In her arms, Jin Zijin was still fast asleep. Her cheeks were faintly pink from the lingering effects of alcohol and the warmth inside the tent; her breathing was long and even, and in her sleep she had buried half her face in Wen Yan’s shoulder hollow.
The tent still held the warmth left behind by last night’s charcoal fire and their body heat, along with the faintest trace of lingering citrus.
After starting her doctorate, Wen Yan had thrown herself into the laboratory.
And with Jiang Linyue having crossed the ocean, those outdoor gatherings had gradually receded from her life like the tide going out.
She had grown used to being alone, used to silence, used to carefully gathering her emotions within the frame of reason.
But last night, the long-absent bustle had flared up like a campfire suddenly lit.
Chi Chunxin’s uninhibited laughter and mischief, the occasional startlingly frank remarks from the older sisters, and Jin Zijin, after a little wine, shedding all her defenses and leaning into her with complete trust...
All those sounds, colors, and temperatures merged into one warm current, soaking the heart that had always known only calm observation until it softened almost to the point of melting.
She was too happy.
So happy it felt like a hot-air balloon steadily rising, light and weightless, full of colorful light and laughter, suspended in the air; the whole person seemed to shimmer with an endless buoyancy.
But that abundance of joy was too unfamiliar, and so it gave rise to a subtle unease.
It was as though everything before her were a rainbow refracted through morning mist; beautiful, yes, but fragile enough to shatter at a touch.
She quietly took several long breaths. The cold, crisp air poured into her chest, easing that illusory sense of drifting just a little.
Her fingertips absentmindedly stroked the smooth skin at the back of Jin Zijin’s neck, feeling her warmth and pulse, and only then did she gradually anchor herself back in the present.
Still, she could no longer fall asleep.
So she held the other woman and waited for dawn.
Around five or six, the faintest movement came from outside the tent.
After a soft creak, there was the subtle sound of a neighboring tent zipper being slowly drawn open, distinct in the utter stillness before daybreak.
Wen Yan shifted slightly. Jin Zijin, still asleep, made a dissatisfied sound and tightened her hold on her.
She laughed softly, and had just been about to give up on investigating and close her eyes again when low voices drifted in from outside.
It was Jiang Linyue and Jin Ziyu; their hushed conversation was especially clear in the cold wind.
Wen Yan considered it for a moment, then finally drew her arm free, carefully slipped out from the down sleeping bag, and reached out to unzip the tent.
Icy blue dawn light spilled in at once, and the world beyond was shrouded in a pale, quiet stillness.
Not far away, Jin Ziyu and Jiang Linyue were bundled in heavy jackets, stepping away from camp across the snowlit ground.
At the sound, both of them turned back.
Their eyes met. In Jiang Linyue’s gaze, a flicker of unmistakable surprise flashed by—so quick it was almost impossible to catch—before she returned to her usual calm. “Awake?”
Her voice was lower than usual, roughened with morning hoarseness.
“Mm.” Wen Yan nodded, her breath instantly turning to white mist. “Senior, you two are...?”
“Couldn’t sleep anymore, so we thought we’d go look at the sunrise from the slope up ahead,” Jin Ziyu replied with a bright smile, nodding toward the direction hemmed in by the two snowy mountains. “The view’s best there. Want to come? It’s quick on horseback.”
Wen Yan subconsciously glanced back into the tent.
Jin Zijin seemed to have been bothered by the cold air and unconsciously curled deeper into the sleeping bag, leaving only a stray lock of disheveled black hair exposed.
Her heart softened. She looked back with an apologetic smile. “No. Zijin’s still drunk; I’ll stay with her a little longer. You two go ahead, and be careful.”
“Alright.” Jiang Linyue answered, her gaze resting on Wen Yan’s face for a brief moment.
Very soon, she turned away and hid the dimness in her eyes behind the raised collar of her jacket.
The two of them walked shoulder to shoulder into the thinning morning mist, their figures gradually swallowed by the snow-bright landscape.
Almost the instant they left, the zipper on another tent was pulled open as well.
Ye Jianlan poked her head out; her hair was a little fluffy for once. She squinted to adjust to the light, then quickly locked onto the two faint figures in the distance.
“Wait up!” she called out, her voice clear and bright in the silence. “How can you go watch the sunrise and leave me behind?”
She swiftly climbed out of the tent and hurriedly straightened her clothes.
Just as she was about to set off, a sleepy mutter came from inside the tent behind her: “...Huh? Lao Ye? Where are you going... wait for me...”
Ye Jianlan glanced back, a helpless smile flickering in her eyes. “Sunrise. Coming or not?”
“Sunrise?!” Chi Chunxin’s voice shot up at once, all sleep gone. The tent immediately erupted into a burst of frantic rustling. “Coming! Of course I’m coming! Give me ten seconds—no, five!”
The zipper was yanked open with a snap, and Chi Chunxin burst out wrapped in her jacket, her hair sleep-tousled and crooked in every direction.
Her eyes were astonishingly bright, and she was still clutching her camera in one hand. “Let’s go, let’s go! Time for some blockbuster shots!”
That commotion finally woke Jin Zijin completely.
Frowning, she sat up in her sleeping bag like a wriggling silkworm, sleep still clouding her eyes as she clung to Wen Yan’s shoulder. Her voice came out soft and sticky. “Wifey... what happened? So noisy...”
Wen Yan turned slightly and wrapped an arm around her, gently combing her sleep-mussed hair with her fingertips as she explained in a low voice, “They’re going to watch the mountain sunrise. They asked if you want to go too.”
“Sunrise...” Jin Zijin repeated under her breath. She blinked once, and the confusion under her lashes was quickly replaced by a spark of excitement.
She practically sprang out of the sleeping bag. The lingering alcohol made her movements a little unsteady, but it couldn’t hide the sudden burst of interest. “Go! Of course we’re going! The last time I saw a mountain sunrise was...”
She paused and didn’t continue, only using both hands and feet to start climbing out of the tent. “Quick, help me get my clothes!”
Watching her instantly come alive again, Wen Yan felt even the slight fatigue brought on by the early hour and the cold dissolve away, leaving only indulgence.
Smiling, she answered and handed over the clothes, then quickly dressed herself as well.
Well. Now everyone was going.
The resort staff had already prepared six horses for them.
They were waiting quietly at the edge of camp in a little wooden shelter, breath steaming white into the air.
Chi Chunxin took the lead, nimbly swung into the saddle, patted the neck of her brown horse, and declared with great spirit, “Comrades, objective: the slope viewing point. Move out!”
Jin Zijin mounted “Starlight,” then turned and extended a hand to Wen Yan. In the dim snowlight, she looked dazzlingly beautiful, like a spirit full of energy. “Come on, Yan Yan. I’ll take you.”
Wen Yan took her hand and used the leverage to mount, settling securely behind her.
Her arms naturally circled Jin Zijin’s slender but supple waist, drawing herself close to the other woman’s warm back.
Jin Zijin took the reins, lightly squeezed the horse’s flank, and “Starlight” set off at a steady pace, following the group ahead.
They followed a branch path along the edge of the frozen lake and climbed higher. The world grew ever more silent and pure.
The thick snow absorbed most of the sound, leaving only the muffled rhythm of hooves stamping down, a soft thud and crunch that was regular and reassuring, like the steady heartbeat of the sleeping earth.
Snow mountains stood towering on both sides, wearing age-old silver armor; as the light gradually brightened, their profiles grew increasingly steep and sharp, as though cut by a blade or chiseled by an axe.
Milky-white morning mist wound around the mountain slopes, drifting slowly in the wind like immortal vapor exhaled by some giant from myth.
The wind brushed their faces, biting and crisp, though most of it was blocked by the person in front.
Wen Yan rested her cheek lightly against the back of Jin Zijin’s head and listened to her clear voice as she occasionally bickered with Chi Chunxin beside her. She could feel the subtle movement of the muscles in Jin Zijin’s arms as she handled the reins, and that light, buoyant hot-air balloon in her heart finally seemed to find a stable anchoring point.
She couldn’t help leaning forward a little more, brushing her face against Jin Zijin’s hair.
Jin Zijin glanced back and asked, “What’s wrong?”
Wen Yan smiled. “Nothing.”
It was just that she felt...
very good.
As long as you’re with me, my heart has somewhere to settle.
The tangible closeness, carrying warmth and heartbeat, slowly sank into place.
About half an hour later, they reached the slope viewing point.
It was a broad platform nestled between the saddle of two snow mountains, like a lookout deliberately left behind by giants.
Everyone dismounted, tied the horses beside wind-sheltering rocks, and walked through ankle-deep snow to the edge of the platform.
In the eastern sky, that pale rim of fish-belly white had already spread into layers, seeping into the leaden clouds and the hard, cold mountain peaks.
The whole world was waiting for a magnificent ignition.
Chi Chunxin had already gone into full battle mode, her camera mounted steady as she kept adjusting the settings and muttering to herself. “The light’s about to be perfect... the cloud layers are insane... Jin Zijin, stop blocking my shot!”
Jin Zijin couldn’t be bothered with her. She simply tightened her hand around Wen Yan’s and drew her closer, lowering her voice to ask, “Cold?”
Before Wen Yan could answer, she had already taken off her own cashmere scarf and wrapped it around Wen Yan’s neck without another word; the warmth left behind by her body instantly enveloped the cool skin.
Wen Yan’s heart trembled. She looked up into those eyes full of concern, then shook her head and clasped Jin Zijin’s fingers completely within her own palm. “Not cold.”
At that moment, it felt as if an invisible giant hand had suddenly struck a match across the sky.
A perfect red sun abruptly leapt out from the gap between two intersecting snow peaks!
A torrent of golden light, vast as a breach in the dam, poured down with a roar and swept across the sleeping mountains, the frozen lake, the silent forest!
Everything was gilded in scorching firelight; the snow reflected tiny diamond-bright sparkles.
The morning mist caught fire and turned into billowing golden-red veils across the sky. The whole world was filled with a solemn, overwhelming vitality so beautiful it made the soul tremble, almost forgetting to breathe.
“...So beautiful.” Wen Yan heard herself exhale the words unconsciously, her voice so soft it seemed afraid to disturb the miracle.
In her eyes, the entire sky was reflected in a blaze of rosy color, her clear pupils transformed into shimmering brilliance.
“Quick, quick, group photo!” Chi Chunxin was the first to recover from the shock; all her professional instincts overpowered everything else. She waved her arms to direct them. “Everyone, move to the middle! Wen Yan, Jin Zijin, center! Yes, there!”
“Dr. Jiang, Lao Ye, stand a little more to the left, more natural! Sister Ziyu, right side, yes!”
Jin Zijin’s arm looped over Wen Yan’s shoulder as she pulled her firmly to her side, chin lifting slightly.
The morning breeze lifted the loose hair by her cheek, and her face shone with a proud, satisfied brightness.
Wen Yan leaned into her, feeling that strong possessiveness and care, her cheeks warming; yet the corners of her mouth still rose unconsciously.
She looked at the camera, then couldn’t help turning her head a little, her gaze falling on Jin Zijin’s profile, etched with such exquisite clarity by the golden light. Her tenderness nearly spilled over.
Jiang Linyue stood quietly a little to the side. The rosy light fell over her calm face, dispersing that usual trace of chill between her brows and making her seem softer, more relaxed.
She hadn’t deliberately posed at all; she merely looked quietly toward the distant sea of burning clouds.
Ye Jianlan stood half a step beside her, equally at ease, her gaze distant, as though she were looking through this brilliant sunrise into some farther, more remote stretch of time; the corner of her mouth carried that familiar, reassuring smile.
Jin Ziyu had both hands in her jacket pockets, standing tall and carefree, smiling into the light without a trace of gloom, savoring the grandeur nature had gifted them.
“One, two, three—!” Chi Chunxin drew the count out.
“Cheese—!” everyone said together, laughter blending into the rosy glow.
The shutter clicked crisply, freezing six vivid, distinct smiling faces in the snowy dawn.
“Perfect!” Chi Chunxin lowered her head to check the screen and punched the air with excitement. “The lighting and composition are unbeatable! Wait, let me get a few individual shots too!”
“Wen Yan, Jin Zijin, you two get a little closer. Ah, yes. Jin Zijin, don’t just stare at the camera; look at your wife! Your eyes are supposed to be glued together, get it!”
Jin Zijin’s ears turned warm from being shouted at. She shot her a glare, but still obediently turned her head.
Her nose was almost brushing Wen Yan’s forehead as she lifted her eyes and looked fixedly at the love of her life right in front of her.
Wen Yan’s heart fluttered under that gaze. Her lashes fluttered, and she instinctively lifted her arm, holding Jin Zijin even more tightly around the waist.
The two of them pressed together in the golden morning light, as if they had formed a little world of their own that no one else could disturb.
Chi Chunxin clicked away furiously, clicking her tongue all the while. “Unreal... this one could honestly be the cover for a wedding invitation.”
“Cut the nonsense,” Jin Zijin said, though the corners of her mouth were impossible to suppress.
“Dr. Jiang, Sister Ziyu,” Chi Chunxin turned her lens again. “You two too? Don’t be so formal; just relax!”
Under Chi Chunxin’s arrangement, the two of them quickly took a photo as well.
Then Ye Jianlan suddenly spoke up. “Chunxin, help me take one with Dr. Jiang.”
Chi Chunxin gave an “OK” sign, and Ye Jianlan turned to Jiang Linyue. “Dr. Jiang, let’s take one too.”
Jiang Linyue met Ye Jianlan’s eyes and nodded in full view of everyone.
Ye Jianlan smiled faintly and naturally lifted a hand, resting it lightly in the air over Jiang Linyue’s shoulder in a polite, not overly intimate pose.
Jiang Linyue gave a slight nod and did not avoid it, meeting the camera with a calm gaze.
The two of them stood side by side on the snowy slope, with the golden light blazing behind them; their temperaments were quiet and harmonious, like two snow pines that had weathered the frost and still stood shoulder to shoulder.
“Beautiful!” Chi Chunxin praised without stint. “There’s story in this one!”
After taking photos of everyone, Chi Chunxin finally joined the whole group for a big group shot.
By then, the sunrise was over, its brilliance gradually receding as daylight became full.
Everyone had a layer of warmth over them now, though in their eyes, more or less, there was still a faint weariness from staying up all night.
Jin Zijin’s gaze swept over the pale blue shadow beneath Wen Yan’s eyes. After a moment’s thought, she said, “Since it’s already this late and everyone’s been up all night, let’s cancel the ice fishing.”
Her voice rang especially clearly in the cool air. “Let’s just go straight back to the lodge, soak in the hot springs, eat well, and catch some sleep.”
“Tomorrow’s Monday; the ones who need to work should go to work. Don’t force yourselves.”
Wen Yan immediately understood where this consideration came from. Her fingertips quietly hooked into Jin Zijin’s palm as she murmured, “Okay.”
“Ohhh, look at you!” Chi Chunxin instantly caught that subtle atmosphere and howled. “Did the sun rise in the west? Our President Jin actually learned compassion?”
“You even know there are workdays and rest days now? Didn’t you call yourself ‘Hengxing never sleeps, the boss never sleeps’?”
“My Wen Yan isn’t an iron machine,” Jin Zijin shot back matter-of-factly, her arm tightening around Wen Yan, her brows and eyes full of protection. “Unlike you, so idle you can rest all 365 days of the year.”
The group burst into laughter and agreed unanimously.
When they mounted up for the ride back, everyone’s mood was even lighter and more buoyant than on the way there.
No one knew when it had begun, but fine snowflakes had started drifting down again. Sunlight pierced the crystalline flakes and refracted rainbow halos, like frosting sprinkled across the sky.
Laughter, hoofbeats, and the soft rustle of snow falling intertwined into a cheerful melody.
At nine in the morning, the refined front entrance of the hot spring resort came into view.
The butler came out with a well-trained smile and led the group into the warm inner hall.
After breakfast, they returned to their rooms to change.
Once back in their suite, they washed up briefly. Wen Yan opened the wardrobe and took out the bikini that had already been prepared.
With her back to Jin Zijin, she removed her robe and began to change.
The slender straps slipped through her fingers as the black fabric gradually wrapped around her taut, supple body.
The lines shaped by years of training and outdoor activity were smooth and distinct, containing a restrained strength within.
Her shoulders and back were broad and elegant, her waist supple yet powerful; the faint rise and fall of her abdominal lines followed her breathing, extending all the way down into the mysterious triangle below.
She was just lowering her head to fasten the side clasp when she suddenly felt a warm breath draw near.
In the next instant, a slightly cool fingertip hooked the narrow bikini tie at the back of her neck and gave it a gentle tug.
Wen Yan froze.
“Dr. Wen...” Jin Zijin’s voice sounded right behind her ear, lowered to the point of near intimacy, openly praising her. “So sexy.”
The tips of Wen Yan’s ears flared red at once. She instinctively reached for her robe, but Jin Zijin lightly caught her wrist.
Jin Zijin stepped forward and caged her half within herself and the wardrobe, her gaze falling as if made physical upon Wen Yan’s back.
“Your lines are so beautiful...” Jin Zijin’s fingertips traced slowly down the groove of Wen Yan’s spine, sending out a fine tremor of sensation. “And your muscles are so firm... I really don’t want to let you go out.”
Her voice grew lower and lower. Her warm body pressed against Wen Yan’s back, her lips almost touching the reddened curve of Wen Yan’s ear. “I just want to hide you away, let only me see you.”
Wen Yan’s heartbeat was thrown off by her blatant gaze and words.
Desire that had been suppressed through an entire week of busyness, together with the passion she had forcibly held down last night, was easily ignited at this moment.
She turned to face Jin Zijin, lifted a hand to cradle her cheek, and threaded her fingers into her soft hair. Her voice, too, turned a little hoarse. “Then... should I not go out?”
The two of them stood very close; between their mouths and noses there was only the familiar scent of each other.
Jin Zijin looked up at her wet, shining eyes and felt as though her whole body were burning.
She pressed her lips together, and in the end couldn’t hold back any longer. She cupped Wen Yan’s face, pried open her teeth, tangled with her tongue, and kissed her deeply.
Wen Yan almost immediately responded with even greater heat, meeting her with her tongue and exchanging breath.
With one hand she wrapped around the back of Jin Zijin’s head and pressed her whole body toward herself.
Her other hand, almost by instinct, slipped into the loosened front of Jin Zijin’s robe and stroked the delicate, warm skin beneath.
The air instantly turned thick and scorching.
Jin Zijin was kissed until her breathing grew ragged and her body softened, but when Wen Yan’s hand tentatively drifted lower, she still managed to seize her wrist with the last of her rationality.
Breathing hard, she pulled back a little until their foreheads touched.
Wen Yan’s eyes were already veiled in a wet mist, carrying the grievance and question of not being sated. She panted lightly and asked, “Don’t want it?”
Her voice was soft beyond belief.
“I do... I want it badly.” Jin Zijin bit her lower lip, her cheeks flushed like evening clouds, struggle and longing tangled in her eyes. “But... wait until tonight, okay?”
She lifted a hand and gently stroked the lips Wen Yan had kissed red and even more alluring. Her breathing was unstable. “That little brat Chi Chunxin is here... if she notices anything, she’ll mock us for an entire year... say we’re... shameless in broad daylight, inseparable as glue...”
Looking at the way she forced herself to endure while her eyes still shone with desire, Wen Yan’s heart softened into a puddle; yet she was also tickled by those words, “shameless in broad daylight.”
She lowered her head and stuck out her tongue, licking back and forth over Jin Zijin’s fingertip, which still lingered at the edge of her lips. Her wet eyes were full of naked seduction.
The instant that electric numbness shot through Jin Zijin’s entire body, she nearly lost her footing and a stifled sound slipped from her throat.
“Are you afraid of her?” Wen Yan asked deliberately, lifting her damp eyes at her like some little creature knowingly misbehaving and waiting for its owner to soften.
“W-who’s afraid!” Jin Zijin insisted, though the wet slickness at her fingertips sent her heart pounding like a drum. “I just don’t want to give her the chance to get carried away!”
Wen Yan said nothing more. She only took Jin Zijin’s hand and licked at it in her mouth.
While her tongue wrapped around the other woman’s fingers, she leaned in on purpose, her nose brushing against Jin Zijin’s.
She held Jin Zijin’s fingers between their lips, allowing them to touch faintly.
Warm breath fell across Jin Zijin’s sensitive skin, silently urging her on.
Jin Zijin was completely routed; she abruptly pulled her hand back, wrapped both arms around Wen Yan’s waist, and buried her burning face in the warm hollow of Wen Yan’s neck, pleading in a muffled voice, “Okay, okay... tonight, tonight I’ll make it up to you, definitely; I’ll make it up to you double...”
“Let’s go out first, soak in the hot springs, relax a bit, okay?”
She lifted her head, her eyes carrying a pitiful little attempt at appeasement and the lingering shimmer of desire.
In the end, Wen Yan gave in. She lowered her head and pressed a gentle, restrained kiss to Jin Zijin’s forehead, then compromised. “Alright. I’ll listen to you.”
They held each other quietly for a while longer. Only after the surging desire had eased a little did they tidy their robes and step out of the room one after the other.
The resort had been reserved exclusively, and at that moment it was so still that only the sound of falling snow could be heard.
The outdoor hot spring area steamed with white mist, meeting the swirling snowflakes and instantly dissolving them into nothing.
Several hot spring pools of different sizes were set like emeralds in the snow, exhaling inviting warmth.
The surrounding pines and cypresses were heavy with glittering frost; within the haze of steam they appeared and disappeared like an immortal realm.
Ye Jianlan and Chi Chunxin were already soaking in the largest pool.
Chi Chunxin was holding a small jade cup and sipping warm Maotai. The moment she saw them, she immediately waved enthusiastically. “Over here, over here! The temperature’s perfect, and the alcohol’s warmed too; hurry up!”
Wen Yan smiled and followed Jin Zijin to the poolside. Together they untied their robes.
In the billowing heat, her long, well-proportioned body with its beautiful lines seemed carved in sharp relief.
The black bikini made her skin look even more like white jade; the gorgeous contours of muscle were faintly visible through the steam, full of healthy, powerful beauty.
“Wow—!” Chi Chunxin exclaimed without restraint, eyes wide. “Wen Yan, your figure... it’s gorgeous! You even have abs, and that beautiful mermaid line!”
As she said that, she set down her cup and paddled over with both hands. “Let me touch, I’ll see if it’s real!”
Jin Zijin was faster than she was. An arm shot out to stop her cleanly in front of Wen Yan, shielding her from behind, her gaze as vigilant as a leopard guarding its territory. “Chi Chunxin, keep your claws to yourself. If you want to touch something, go train your own body.”
“Oh come on, stingy! It’s not like one touch will make you lose a pound of flesh.” Chi Chunxin kept at it, trying to break through from the side. “Wen Yan, just let me touch it once, okay? I swear it’ll only be once. I’m curious!”
Wen Yan was so flustered that her cheeks turned red. She instinctively shrank behind Jin Zijin, at a loss.
Chi Chunxin took advantage of the opening to reach again; Jin Zijin swiftly slapped away her “demonic claws,” and the two of them immediately began splashing and thrashing in the hot spring, water flying everywhere, laughter and scolding rising nonstop.
Ye Jianlan shook her head helplessly and beckoned Wen Yan over, indicating that she should come to the other side. “Dr. Wen, come here. It’s quieter.”
Wen Yan felt as though she had been granted amnesty and quickly swam over to sit beside Ye Jianlan. The warm water wrapped around her, so comfortable it made her sigh.
She looked at the two still “battling” in the pool and couldn’t help asking Ye Jianlan, “They’ve always been like this?”
“Mm.” Ye Jianlan took a sip of wine, expression calm as ever, not surprised in the least. “Always.”
“When they’re stressed, or just bored, they have to make a scene. Once they’ve burned off their energy, it’s fine.”
She blinked and added teasingly, “You’ve never seen adults like this, have you?”
“They’re obviously all successful young people, top of their field when they go out; but in private, they’re like kindergarten kids. So childish.”
Wen Yan smiled. “It’s fine, really.”
She looked at Ye Jianlan with a bright smile. “There’s a child in everyone’s heart; no one gets to define what counts as an adult. Besides, being able to play carefree with friends is a blessing beyond measure.”
As she spoke, Wen Yan’s sharp eyes caught sight of Chi Chunxin trying to press Jin Zijin’s head underwater, only to be splashed full in the face in retaliation.
She paused, then summed it up, “It’s rare for friends to stay young.”
Ye Jianlan was slightly surprised and turned to look at her. Her gaze lingered on Wen Yan’s clear, open face for a moment before she suddenly smiled. “Seeing how close they are, teasing and fighting without any restraint, you don’t mind?”
“Mind?” Wen Yan tilted her head slightly and seemed to think seriously about it.
Then she shook her head, her eyes clear of even a trace of gloom. “Why would I mind? That just means Zijin has very precious, very rare friends.”
“Having people who can help her set all her defenses aside and play like a child, people who can accompany her through so many years and share joy and sorrow with her... I’m happy for her before anything else.”
Ye Jianlan froze.
She looked at Wen Yan; in those always gentle, smiling eyes, she could now clearly see the other woman’s unfeigned sincerity.
After a few seconds, she softly sighed. “I think I understand now... why Dr. Wen is someone people can’t seem to forget.”
“Mm?” Wen Yan blinked, a little puzzled.
“You’re too clean.” Ye Jianlan’s voice was very light, as though afraid of disturbing the quiet at this moment. “There seems to be a crystal in your heart without a single impurity; what it reflects is always the best in other people, always thinking for them first.”
“Pure, bright, warm. Someone like that...” She paused, her gaze drifting almost imperceptibly toward Jin Zijin, who was laughing triumphantly in the pool. “Once encountered, who wouldn’t treasure you? For Zijin to be with you is her luck.”
Being praised like that made Wen Yan a little embarrassed. Her cheeks turned faintly red, but she still said earnestly, “I think it’s your kind of friends that are Zijin’s luck.”
“You tolerate her, stay with her, and let her remain... so vividly alive.”
She paused, then added, “Really, that’s something very precious. I’m very glad for Zijin, and I’m also a little envious of her.”
Ye Jianlan looked at her, and in the end only smiled and shook her head without saying anything more; but something in her eyes had fully settled.
At that moment, Jin Ziyu and Jiang Linyue also arrived together.
As soon as Jin Ziyu reached the poolside, she saw the fierce battle already underway in the water, splashes nearly flying onto the shore, and couldn’t help laughing. “You haven’t even started soaking yet and it’s already turned into this?”
Chi Chunxin looked up, and as her gaze passed over Jin Ziyu, she happened to see Jiang Linyue untying her robe.
Jiang Linyue’s figure was of a different type from Wen Yan’s, more long and slender, but just as free of excess flesh; her waist and abdomen were taut, and the lines of her arms and calves were smooth and strong, carrying the refined beauty of years of discipline and exercise.
“Wow! Dr. Jiang!” Chi Chunxin’s eyes lit up again. She temporarily let Jin Zijin go, turned, and paddled straight toward Jiang Linyue, shouting, “Sister Jiang, you’ve got muscle lines too; let me see them—ah no, let me touch them!”
Jiang Linyue clearly hadn’t expected such a sudden “attack.” Standing there, she showed a rare flash of blank surprise on her face.
Just before Chi Chunxin’s “demonic claw” could reach Jiang Linyue’s arm, a figure swiftly stepped in.
Ye Jianlan had somehow risen and was now standing in front of Jiang Linyue. She lifted her hand and gave Chi Chunxin’s outstretched wrist a not-too-light smack, scolding with authority, “Chi Chunxin, enough. You’re acting like a little hoodlum; what kind of nonsense is that?”
“Ow!” Chi Chunxin yelped and pulled her hand back, looking hurt and aggrieved. “Lao Ye, you hit me again. I’m just curious!”
“Curiosity needs boundaries.” Ye Jianlan’s tone remained flat, but it carried undeniable authority. “Apologize.”
Chi Chunxin pouted, but she was straightforward enough; she immediately turned to Jiang Linyue and cupped her hands. “Dr. Jiang, I’m sorry. I was wrong. I just... got a little excited seeing such a good figure. I absolutely didn’t mean any offense.”
Jiang Linyue had already recovered from her initial surprise. Looking at this farcical scene, then at Ye Jianlan standing in front of her with a serious expression, she let a trace of something strange flicker in her eyes.
She pressed her lips into a slight smile and said lightly, “It’s fine.”
She stepped calmly into the hot spring and sat on a step not far from Jin Ziyu.
Jin Ziyu, who had already entered the water, caught the expression in her eyes and a hint of mischief flashed there.
While Chi Chunxin was still rubbing her wrist, she quietly scooped up a big handful of hot spring water and splashed it hard at her. “Ambush!”
“Ah! Sister Ziyu, you cheated!” Chi Chunxin was soaked squarely and immediately retaliated.
But her aim was too wild; most of the water she splashed went right past Jin Ziyu and landed on Jiang Linyue beside her.
Water droplets slid down Jiang Linyue’s hair and cheeks, and she froze slightly.
“Sorry, sorry!” Chi Chunxin hurried to apologize again.
This time, before Jiang Linyue could react, and before Chi Chunxin could say anything else, Ye Jianlan had already scooped up water again and decisively splashed it at Chi Chunxin. “That’s your punishment!”
As though receiving a signal, the battle instantly expanded.
Jin Ziyu joined the campaign against Chi Chunxin with a laugh; Chi Chunxin dodged while refusing to back down and counterattacked just as fiercely. Water burst wildly through the small pool at once.
Cries of surprise, laughter, mock scolding, and splashing water all mixed together; even Jiang Linyue, usually so composed, got pulled into it and, for once, showed a helpless but amused expression.
Wen Yan had already quietly moved to the very edge of the pool, leaning her back against smooth rock as she smiled at the sudden melee and enjoyed a patch of peace all to herself.
But that peace did not last long.
A handful of warm water was mischievously splashed onto her shoulder.
Wen Yan turned in surprise.
Jin Zijin had somehow broken away from the main battle and swum over near her. Tilting her head, she looked at Wen Yan with the sly smile of someone who had succeeded in a prank, her eyes reflecting the steaming mist and little points of snowlight, bright to the point of dazzling.
So vivid, so happy, so wholly and completely focused on looking at her.
Wen Yan blinked, and suddenly she too felt playful.
She bent slightly, carefully cupped up a small handful of hot spring water with both hands, then with a little shyness and a little hesitation, softly splashed it toward Jin Zijin.
The water traced a brief arc through the air and landed precisely on Jin Zijin’s nose and cheeks.
Jin Zijin froze, apparently not expecting Wen Yan to “retaliate.”
She wiped her face and, seeing the teasing smile on Wen Yan’s lips, the light in her eyes suddenly blazed.
“Oh, Wen Yan,” she drawled, the corners of her mouth rising higher and higher as she lunged forward with a splash. “You dare splash me? Just wait till I get hold of you—”
Wen Yan laughed and dodged to the side, but Jin Zijin easily caught her wrist.
More warm water was flicked up, splashing over each other’s bodies and faces, their laughter ringing clear as it blended with the snow falling from the sky and the steaming mist, impossible to tell whose was whose.
The distant “battle” continued on, while the play nearby flared up anew.
In the silent snowy valley, in this warm spring of rising steam, it felt as though even the whole winter’s cold could be driven away.
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What exactly is an adult? [bear cat head]
Damn it, this month finally made it to the end [splits open]
I actually managed to do two updates a day for a whole month!