Dusk descended, and a gentle flurry of snowflakes scattered through the night.
Dozens of kilometers northeast of Liao City, within the Caesar Forest Hot Spring Club, steam was rising, music was soaring, and a warm fragrance enveloped the surroundings.
There’s a saying that goes, there’s nothing quite like staying exclusively in a Villa.
When setting out, Mr. Lu had already booked the accommodations in advance—a two-story luxury family villa.
Outside was a private Japanese-style courtyard enclosed by brick walls, with white sand, pathways, a pond, wooden bridges, pine trees, and stone lanterns composing a picturesque scene.
At this moment, snowflakes fell in waves, covering everything with a natural frost, which added to the tranquil and elegant atmosphere.
But what truly defined this hot spring resort was the hot spring pool by the veranda near the rooms, formed with round stones, roughly 7-8 square meters in size, and sheltered by a canopy.
At Caesar Forest—well, at most hot spring clubs—there are generally four types of hot spring pools.
The first is the large outdoor open-air hot spring, with about seven or eight large pools and a dozen or so small ones scattered across different areas. Claimed to be fed by natural mountain spring water, these are the resort’s main attraction.
The second type is actually an indoor hot spring swimming pool, intended for children and guests to leisurely enjoy, but it’s really just boiler-heated water.
The third type is the double or multi-person hot spring bathtub found in the villa rooms, meant to offer a romantic ambiance and evoke tender, lingering feelings.
But since these are essentially tubs connected to plumbing, the so-called "hot spring water" that bubbles out is clearly boiler-treated as well.
The fourth type is the most exquisitely atmospheric.
In just a handful of luxury family villas, near the rooms, there is an outdoor but covered courtyard hot spring pool, which retains the natural quality and adds a touch of private romance.
This small pool of fragrant water, shielded from the snow by the canopy but open to the cool night breeze, is nature’s own.
The naturally hot spring water, crystal clear with a hint of pale pink, flows like liquid jade, emanating a misty steam that envelops the courtyard, creating a dreamlike play of light and shadow, as if it were a fairyland on earth.
In this fairy-tale setting, Lu Jincheng, dressed in a loose robe, his sharp features framed, shuffled around in a pair of cotton slippers, leaning back on the tatami in the living room, legs propped up, gazing at the spectacular view before him.
Zhong Ruixi was wearing a fluffy pajama set, with delicate silver lace trimming, subtly shimmering, her bare feet exquisite, her hair damp with unrinsed water droplets.
Lu Jincheng knew she was beautiful, captivating, and that she had a hanger’s charm, where everything she wore took on its own style.
But he had never imagined that a simple set of pajamas could so extremely and aptly accentuate her beauty.
Of course, there was also the large butterfly hair band, holding up her hair that wasn’t completely dry yet.
She sat on the tatami, her long, straight legs crossed, playing a PS4 co-op game with Tan Huilin.
On the large screen of the living room TV, two characters worked in cooperation, mixing the correct ingredients to create delicious fresh meals.
Electronic music tinkled in the background, punctuated by comedic sound effects, as the young woman, just emerged from the hot spring, shed her mundane mask and embraced the misty warmth in a coral fleece pajama set that faintly revealed the contours of her figure, emanating an adorable, girl-next-door aura.
Zhong Ruixi and Tan Huilin were giggling and carelessly enjoying their game.
Warm air flowed from the central heating system, stirring the ends of her hair.
Lu Jincheng found himself utterly absorbed in this relaxed, comfortable atmosphere.
Lowering his guard, ceasing all thoughts, he lay there softly, watching the gaming scene unfold, admiring Zhong Ruixi’s silhouette.
Without a hint of selfishness.
The coral fleece pajamas, her slender legs, the misty black hair, her graceful outline, the cartoon characters on the TV, the animated little chefs.
And the warm air inside the room, the endless snow outside.
Everything was just so effortless, so natural, so delightful, so warm.
He lay there half-reclining, watching Zhong Ruixi play her game, the corners of his mouth gently curled up.
The four of them had checked in at the hot spring club as night fell.
Throughout the journey, it was Lu Jincheng who drove, while the three girls giggled and chatted merrily, behaving as if no one else existed, treating Lu Jincheng as if he were a mute driver.
They spoke of various gossips from Liao City First Middle School, of the scandals within the celebrity circle, and of the rare delicacies in the streets and alleys of Jiang City, laughing at the fool Xu Zhiyuan who couldn’t tell right from wrong, and thus kept them entertained all along the way.
After completing the check-in, everyone changed into one-piece hot spring swimsuits.
Although coming to soak in the hot springs was a spontaneous decision, and they only had the one-piece swimsuits prepared by the club, certainly no sexy bikinis,
the simply clad Zhong Ruixi, with her figure and poise, adorned in a tight swimsuit, her curvaceous and graceful body, was a sight people just couldn’t take their eyes off.
Without comparison, there would be no hurt feelings.
Appreciating beauty is an instinct, regardless of gender.
That’s why even Pan Xuan and Tan Huilin, during the soak, couldn’t stop sizing up the former school beauty.
Although Lu Jincheng himself had quite an outstanding physique, he still could not outshine the smiling Zhong Ruixi.
Unfortunately, this beauty was already spoken for.
After soaking for a while to relieve their fatigue, they changed into loose clothing and headed to the public area to call for a massage service.
Then, they went to the resort’s Japanese small restaurant to enjoy some Wagyu beef sukiyaki.
Those who come to Caesar Forest to soak in the hot springs are of course men and women, including loving couples.
But a grouping of one man and three women like theirs was still a rare sight.
Even though others didn’t know their relationship, the other guests couldn’t help but cast envious glances their way.
This kind of envious gaze is sometimes the ultimate achievement a man could experience.
Even Mr. Lu, who wasn’t fond of showing off, couldn’t help but enjoy it a little.
However, the three girls didn’t care at all.
They kept ordering delicacies like Kobe Wagyu beef, small phoenix black pork, and caviar.
Pan Xuan even consulted everyone before ordering a bottle of plum wine, as no meal is complete without alcohol.
Lu Jincheng was more than happy to accompany them, letting the three girls chatter away happily while eating and drinking.
The sukiyaki pot shimmered with a warm flame, the plum wine exhaled its faint fragrance, and the girls’ cheeks were tinged with a slight blush.
After dinner, the large pot of plum wine had also reached its end. The rightful source is novel★fire.net
By the time they returned to their room, it was nearly ten o’clock.
After taking a shower, Lu Jincheng changed into a set of pajamas.
Zhong Ruixi also rinsed off and put on a coral fleece nightgown, then joined Tan Huilin to play games.
And every time it was the same with Pan Xuan, taking a bath always seemed to take an eternity.
So, Lu Jincheng simply held a bottle of sparkling water, laying back leisurely and watching Zhong Ruixi play her game.
Outside the window, the snowflakes gradually blurred in the night.
Flake by flake, the evening breeze swept them close to the room, where they immediately got enveloped in the steam rising from the hot springs, turning into streaks of water droplets hanging on the glass window, like the traces of tears.