Chapter 19, Hot Springs
He didn't go up to greet them, but the other party approached him after seeing him.
"Classmate Ji." Lin Muxin was dressed appropriately, her tone polite. If he hadn't personally witnessed her frantic and terrifying appearance last time, who would believe she had such a side to her?
"I haven't properly thanked you for what happened last time. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't dare imagine what they would have done to Xiaoxi."
Lin Muxin stroked Gu Zixi's head, her eyes filled with heartache.
Ji Linxue's tone was somewhat disgusted, "You don't need to thank me. The one you should thank is Gu Hengzhi. He was the one who asked me to help save him."
If it wasn't for Gu Hengzhi, he wouldn't have taken such a big risk at all.
Gu Hengzhi claimed he didn't like Gu Zixi, but deep down, he still cared about his younger brother. Otherwise, he wouldn't have gone to the kidnappers' den alone, he just happened to be a step ahead of him.
And Lin Muxin spoke of gratitude, yet she never once visited him during his hospitalization, which was disgustingly hypocritical.
The smile on Lin Muxin's face solidified somewhat. She tightened her grip on her handbag, "I know you and he are friends and want to speak well of him, but you shouldn't tell such lies."
"I know what kind of person he is all too well. If I hadn't protected him, it's questionable whether Zixi would have grown up safely."
Ji Linxue felt that she truly suffered from paranoia. Talking to such a person was meaningless and only a waste of time.
"Since that's what you think, then I have nothing more to say," Ji Linxue said flatly. "Madam Gu, I advise you to go to the hospital for a check-up. After all, a problem with your brain is a very serious matter."
Lin Muxin was so angry she lost her composure, her face subtly contorting, "How dare you speak to me like that?"
Ji Linxue met her gaze without flinching. Just as the atmosphere reached a stalemate, Gu Zixi suddenly stepped forward, shielding Lin Muxin, "Brother Linxue, although I really like you, you can't talk about my mom like that."
Looking at his stubborn, angry little face, Ji Linxue finally understood why Gu Hengzhi had developed such a personality in the original novel.
It wasn't just his mother's favoritism and his father's indifference, but also his younger brother's betrayal.
Lin Muxin was genuinely good to Gu Zixi. So, between a mother he spent every day with and a brother who often ignored him, Gu Zixi chose the former. Even though he knew his mother was displeased with his brother, he remained indifferent, indulging freely in his parents' affection.
Their relationship was like a dead knot, tightening with years of pulling until it was impossible to untangle, with no other option but to cut it.
The conversation thus ended on a sour note. Lin Muxin pulled Gu Zixi away. Ji Linxue silently watched their retreating figures. A familiar voice came from behind him, "Why did you take so long?"
He turned his head. Gu Hengzhi stood quietly not far behind him, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, he didn't know how long he had been there.
Looking towards the door, Lin Muxin and Gu Zixi had already left. He didn't know if Gu Hengzhi had heard, or how much he had heard, "I just ran into someone I knew and chatted for a bit."
Gu Hengzhi took the plate from his hand, his tone somewhat nonchalant, "You know people in S City other than us?"
"Of course."
"Was the chat enjoyable?"
"Not really."
The two chatted desultorily. In a place he couldn't see, a cold light flashed in Gu Hengzhi's eyes.
They brought the fruit back, and the two large plates of cut fruit were quickly devoured. Shen Shaoyan licked his lips, suggesting, "After resting for so long, shouldn't we go take a bath now?"
Lu Yu stood up and stretched, "Let's go then."
The establishment had separate male and female hot spring pools, ensuring privacy. Unlike large bathhouses in the north where everyone was completely exposed, they were divided into small private rooms.
Upon learning this, Ji Linxue secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Whether in his past life or this one, he had lived in the south and had never experienced being scrubbed down. Just thinking about the scene made his face flush.
Shen Shaoyan had reserved a private room for four. The decor was similar to a Chinese-style open-air courtyard, with plenty of space. Various foods and drinks were arranged nearby, and in the center was a circular hot spring pool, steaming with misty vapors.
Shen Shaoyan stripped off his clothes, revealing the newly changed swimsuit, which was a very flashy pair of swimming trunks.
Lu Yu couldn't bear to look, "There's no one else here, who are you showing off for?"
"I'm showing off for you!" Shen Shaoyan grinned, jumping into the hot spring and swimming comfortably in the water, like a pale, plump little chick.
Lu Yu pointed to the pool he was in and said to the other two, "Does this look like chicken soup that's just come out of the pot?"
Shen Shaoyan exclaimed, "Who are you insulting? Does your chicken have abs?"
Lu Yu said, "I've never seen a chicken with one pack abs."
The two exchanged barbs for a few rounds. Lu Yu soon stripped off his outer robe and got into the water, playfully wrestling with him.
Gu Hengzhi shook his head and chuckled, asking Ji Linxue, "Can you get into the water?"
He still remembered Ji Linxue's performance in swimming class and was a little worried.
Ji Linxue looked at the steaming pool. The hot spring pool wasn't deep, and the water was warm, "I think so. I'll try."
Gu Hengzhi untied the belt of his outer robe, revealing his strong, lean physique, "I'll help you get down."
Shen Shaoyan's head popped out of the pool, his voice filled with undisguised envy, "Wow, Heng Ge, your abs seem even more defined now."
What was originally just a thin layer now had clear divisions, with firm, well-defined muscles.
At his words, the others also looked over.
Ji Linxue was also envious in his heart. Even though he and Gu Hengzhi exercised together, he just didn't have as good a physique as Gu Hengzhi.
Ji Linxue took off his outer robe, revealing the black swimming trunks underneath. He and Gu Hengzhi wore the same style, but compared to Gu Hengzhi's overwhelming sensual aura, anyone looking at him for the first time would only notice his skin.
It was simply too fair. Contrasted with the black fabric, there wasn't a single mark on his entire body, as if he were glowing. His skin was smooth and lustrous, like fine jade, making one want to hold it gently and play with it.
Because of his previous injury, his right hand was slightly thinner than his left, and although his build wasn't as robust as Gu Hengzhi's, it was well-proportioned and firm.
Shen Shaoyan rubbed his flat belly, sighing, "Xiaoxue's physique is pretty good too. I should join you guys in your workouts."
Lu Yu, from the side, debunked him, "Talk after you can actually get up. You sleep until noon every day, like a pig."
"Lu Xiaoyu, are you asking for a beating again?" Shen Shaoyan scooped up a large handful of water from the pool and splashed it towards Lu Yu. "This young master will teach you a lesson today!"
Lu Yu was not to be outdone, mimicking him and retaliating.
"Elementary schoolers." Gu Hengzhi snorted, gripping Ji Linxue's arm, gently supporting him, "Should we go down too?"
"Okay."
Ji Linxue nodded, and with Gu Hengzhi's help, carefully got into the water.
Compared to the coldness of a swimming pool, the hot spring water temperature was incredibly comfortable. Ji Linxue slowly sat down along the edge of the pool. The pool water gently enveloped his body, every pore lazily opening, letting out a comfortable sigh.
Ji Linxue slowly closed his eyes, a faint smile on his lips. Gu Hengzhi watched this scene, his heart swelling with a warm emotion, feeling that he looked exactly like a cat.
Seemingly cool and aloof, but incredibly soft when it came to things he liked.
"Splash—"
Water splashed onto Gu Hengzhi's face, instantly interrupting his thoughts.
He slicked his wet forehead back, his dark eyes slightly deepened, and looked at Shen Shaoyan, "Feeling feisty?"
Shen Shaoyan slapped the water surface, "Heng Ge, come play in the water!"
His hair was already soaked by Lu Yu, and his eyes were barely open, but he still stubbornly wanted to play.
Gu Hengzhi leaned against the edge of the pool, closing his eyes, "No, it's boring."
Shen Shaoyan rolled his eyes at the sky, "You're so boring."
After soaking for a while, Gu Hengzhi went up and got some fruit, bringing it to Ji Linxue, "Have some."
Ji Linxue drowsily opened his eyes, clearly on the verge of falling asleep.
He rubbed his eyes. Water droplets clung to his long lashes, gently fluttering, making him look wet and incredibly innocent. Coupled with his cheeks flushed from the steam, he resembled a delicious dessert.
Gu Hengzhi's mouth instantly went dry.
He licked his parched lips, thinking he must be thirsty from soaking for too long.
"Thank you." Ji Linxue forked a piece of cantaloupe from the plate and slowly chewed it, his full pink lips gleaming with a dewy luster, like delicious, soft, and firm jelly.
Gu Hengzhi hastily placed the plate on the ground and went to drink some cold water nearby. The heat on his face instantly subsided.
Hmm, he was indeed thirsty.
By the time he returned, Ji Linxue was fully awake. This was because Shen Shaoyan had swum beside him and made a gesture similar to "Guanyin sprinkling water," splashing water droplets all over his face.
"Xiaoxue, wake up—"
Ji Linxue wiped his face and retaliated without backing down, scooping up a large handful of water and splashing it back.
Shen Shaoyan deftly dodged, smiling, "You can't hit me."
All the water landed on Gu Hengzhi, who had just gotten into the water. He wiped his face, his eyes dangerous, "Who splashed that?"
Shen Shaoyan unhesitatingly sold out Ji Linxue, pointing a finger, "Him!"
"Oh?" Gu Hengzhi cupped his hands, and twice the amount of water from before was splashed over, drenching Ji Linxue.
Ji Linxue smoothed his hair back, his clean, soft face completely exposed. His lips curved upwards, his tone cheerful, "Gu Hengzhi, you're done for."
Gu Hengzhi looked at him, smiling, "What can you do to me?"
Water splashed up. Gu Hengzhi turned his head to dodge, and all of it landed on his back.
The two of them thus started to playfully roughhouse.
Shen Shaoyan, who was clearly nearby but completely ignored, gave an awkward but polite smile, "Didn't you say water fights were boring?"
Lu Yu swam over and patted his shoulder, "I thought you were used to it by now."
Gu Hengzhi's personality had changed a lot recently, especially after the kidnapping incident, becoming more composed.
But in front of Ji Linxue, he was still that childish.
Comments Box