Tong Jialu’s heart was impatient.
She gazed at Chen Xia, only able to emit a whimpering murmur, her eyes watery, as if they were about to overflow.
Chen Cheng caressed Xia Yubing’s smooth hair, even she had her moments to bow in submission despite her usual competence.
Xia Yubing obediently did so, providing Tong Jialu with the best side view.
Tong Jialu made a slight noise, trying to attract Chen Cheng’s attention.
Chen Cheng turned his head and made a silencing gesture.
Xia Yubing looked up and said: "Husband, why not let her off this time?"
Chen Cheng pinched her flushed cheek lightly, "Is that you pleading for her?"
Xia Yubing sweetly smiled, leaning against his broad chest, "She’s just a bit mischievous."
"Aren’t you mischievous too?" Chen Cheng handed his phone to Xia Yubing.
Xia Yubing accepted it with a smile, "I am mischievous, but my heart isn’t as cruel as yours."
Saying that, she pressed the OFF button on the phone.
Tong Jialu’s tense body instantly relaxed, she breathed heavily.
"I’ll go wash up." Xia Yubing stood up and walked towards the bathroom.
Chen Cheng also sat up, walked to Tong Jialu’s side, and crouched down.
Tong Jialu felt revived, suppressing her emotions for an hour, she threw herself into Chen Cheng’s arms without any care.
The murmured words in her mouth could finally be heard clearly, "Brother Cheng, you are so naughty!"
"But I really like it!"
The night in Nara was serene, the private bath at ANDO Hotel was very hot.
Sitting on the terrace, Chen Cheng watched Xia Yubing and Tong Jialu soaking in the hot spring, a smile curling up at the corner of his mouth.
Not only were there beauties in his sight but also the myriad lights of Nara, under the speckled stars, Chen Cheng closed his eyes, deeply inhaling, savoring this peaceful and pleasant moment.
Xia Yubing gently stirred the hot spring water, looking at Chen Cheng, "Hubby, come down and join us."
Tong Jialu also chimed in, "Brother Cheng, come on."
The private bath was very small, precisely like a large clay jar.
Unable to withstand their enthusiasm, Chen Cheng sat down inside.
The overflowing hot spring water gushed down, and the cramped situation turned into an indescribable sweetness.
"I didn’t expect our talk of soaking in hot springs in Beijing would become a reality here," Xia Yubing was quite sentimental.
Chen Cheng: "Actually, we could have chosen a better hotel, a better hot spring, to be squeezed in here."
Tong Jialu leaned closer to Chen Cheng, "This is cousin’s dream."
"Dream?" Chen Cheng turned his head to Xia Yubing.
Xia Yubing smiled slightly, "Don’t listen to Xiao Lu blabbering about dreams."
"I’m not blabbering, didn’t you want to come to Nara while you were a graduate student in Tokyo?"
Chen Cheng recalled the information Jin Baogen gave him in front of Wanbao Hall, indeed it stated that Xia Yubing got her graduate degree from Meiji University.
This was also the reason why Xia Yubing’s Japanese was better than Tong Jialu’s.
Chen Cheng curiously asked, "Why did you want to come to Nara?"
"Because of an anime."
Chen Cheng thought for a moment, "One Piece?"
"Didn’t expect you to like such an intense show," Chen Cheng asked with a smile.
"In the days when I worked part-time in Tokyo, I always needed some inspiration to keep going."
Chen Cheng asked: "So, do you want to be the Pirate King?"
"If you hold onto your dream, the whole world will make way for you."
Xia Yubing recited that classic line.
Her thoughts were stretched long, slowly she spoke, "Xiao Lu and my family weren’t too poor, but not rich enough to let us chase our dreams as we wished."
"So, when I saw this anime, I wanted to come here, to feel that atmosphere of chasing dreams."
Her finger traced circles on the water surface, "The first time I realized how expensive LV was, was in Tokyo’s Ginza."
"I was pushing a cart full of milk cream for making cakes. Watching a wealthy lady, escorted by bodyguards walking out."
Xia Yubing sighed softly, "The staff kept escorting her to the roadside until the car’s taillights were out of sight."
"At that time, I was extremely envious, thinking that owning an LV meant owning the world." She chuckled lightly, "Sounds childish, right?"
Chen Cheng did not reply, continuing to listen to Xia Yubing’s narration:
"At that time, I thought to myself, I want to make a lot of money," Xia Yubing’s eyes turned resolute, "One day, I also want to buy a lot of LV, and I want the whole world to see me!"
She paused and chuckled self-mockingly, "So, when I couldn’t push the cream cart anymore, I would binge-watch One Piece."
A fleeting look of melancholy flashed across Xia Yubing’s eyes, but it was quickly replaced by determination, "I would tell myself, Luffy gets tired too, he also faces difficulties, but he never gave up on his dream of becoming the Pirate King!"
"So, do you also want to become the Pirate King?" Chen Cheng couldn’t help but tease.
"I don’t want to be the Pirate King!" Xia Yubing glared at Chen Cheng playfully, "I want to be the Pirate King’s woman!"
Chen Cheng was amused by Xia Yubing’s answer, he wrapped his arms around her, whispering in her ear, "Alright, then I’ll work hard to become your Pirate King and take you to conquer the stars and the sea!"
Tong Jialu watched the two being intimate, her eyes filled with envy.
She also clung to Chen Cheng’s arm, cooing: "Brother Cheng, I also want to be the Pirate King’s woman."
Xia Yubing pinched Tong Jialu’s nose, laughing, "Aren’t you grown up? Why do you have to compete with me for everything?"
"I’m not small!!" Tong Jialu defiantly puffed out her chest.