Chapter 42

After saying this, Shen Youwei expected Guan Shanyan to protest, but instead she saw his ears faintly pink.
It was rare to see Guan Shanyan shy, so she casually lifted her phone and snapped a photo.
Guan Shanyan: “…”
“What are you taking a picture of now?” he asked, frowning slightly.
Shen Youwei turned the screen toward him, smiling: “Your ears are red, just like when you carried me last time.”
Guan Shanyan: “…”
He withdrew his hand and stepped through the Luming Hot Springs Resort gate.
Shen Youwei followed behind. Their luggage had already been delivered to the front desk, and after verifying their identities, the staff handed them their room cards.
The two rooms Guan Shanyan booked were adjacent. He specifically instructed the staff to deliver both of their meals to the same room later.
Hearing this, Shen Youwei sighed: “You see, if you’d just booked one room, we wouldn’t have all this hassle.”
“…” He seemed willing to go through the extra trouble. Covering his mouth, he coughed lightly and changed the subject: “Have you booked the hot spring for tonight?”
“Yes, I booked 8:30. What about you?”
“Same.”
“Then we…”
“Not in the same hot spring.” Guan Shanyan guessed what she was thinking and interrupted directly.
“Oh? Who asked you?” Shen Youwei muttered internally, as if it made her look like she was craving him.
Well, she did feel a little tempted.
The resort had scheduled dinner for seven, so it was just about time. After quickly tidying up, the restaurant staff began delivering dinner to Shen Youwei’s room.
Shen Youwei sent Guan Shanyan a message to come eat. When he arrived, he had changed clothes again.
The daytime pink shirt and white pants were replaced with a loose white T-shirt with a wide neckline. When he bent down to sit, Shen Youwei felt like she could see his chest.
Wait, this guy is wary of me but still changes into this kind of outfit in my room?
He had perfectly maintained this hypocritical persona.
“Ahem.” Shen Youwei coughed deliberately, making sure not to glance at his chest. “I remember last time we came here, we explored after ten and accidentally saw a meteor shower.”
“Mm.” Guan Shanyan nodded, holding his bowl.
“So do we still have to sneak around after ten tonight?”
“…” Guan Shanyan looked up at her. “You saw the rules at the foot of the mountain, fifteen years ago, we were kids, so Uncle Xi didn’t pursue it. Now, he really would kick us out.”
Shen Youwei had only been to the resort once, but Uncle Xi left a deep impression. Stricter than a school dean, always forbidding this and that, threatening to throw people down the mountain. It was a miracle the resort had survived this long.
“What happened last time probably had little to do with the timing. The main thing was that blue stone we found in the courtyard.”
“Right, right! I remember that.” Shen Youwei perked up. “It was so pretty, sparkling in the night! But when we tried to pick it up, it disappeared, right?”
“Mm, ” Guan Shanyan frowned, thinking. At the time, he assumed the stone vanished, but now he wasn’t so sure. “Let’s check the garden after dinner.”
“Okay.” Shen Youwei nodded. “Do you even remember where the garden is?”
Guan Shanyan: “…”
Luming Hot Springs Resort was a Chinese-style garden resort, full of gardens. Asking which one it was back then, he honestly didn’t remember.
“Looks like you don’t remember either.” Shen Youwei knew from his expression. “No problem, we’ll just wander around after dinner, burn off some food before the hot spring.”
Guan Shanyan nodded, taking another bite: “The resort owner, Lu Jin, is said to have exceptional calligraphy.”
“Exceptional?” Shen Youwei frowned. “Like magic brush Ma Liang? Whatever he writes comes true?”
“Not exactly.” Guan Shanyan said slowly. “He once wrote a safety charm for a guest, who later had a severe car accident but only suffered minor injuries. After that, word spread that his writing was powerful, and many wealthy people came seeking him.”
“I see.” Shen Youwei nodded. “I heard you even need a lottery to get in?”
“Right.”
“Why does it seem some people make money so easily?”
Guan Shanyan glanced at her: “In many people’s eyes, you’re also someone who earns easily.”
Shen Youwei: “…”
She was working herself to exhaustion every day, how was that easy?
“They just misunderstand.” Shen Youwei smiled slightly. “I just earn a lot.”
Guan Shanyan: “…”
He took some soup and continued: “I mentioned Lu Jin because, since he has a touch of mysticism, we might as well ask him tomorrow.”
“Makes sense!” Shen Youwei’s eyes lit up. “I heard he’s extremely handsome!!!”
Guan Shanyan: “…”
“Hehe.” He chuckled softly, looking at her. “Fifteen years away, yet you know all these things inside out.”
Shen Youwei blinked: “Are you jealous?”
“Heh, why would I be jealous?” Guan Shanyan smiled faintly. “Lu Jin already has a girlfriend. They’re almost married.”
“So what?” Shen Youwei was stubborn. “Marriage doesn’t make him ugly. I’m just admiring a handsome guy.”
Guan Shanyan was silent for a moment, then said: “Even married, not necessarily. My dad was very handsome when he was young, what do you think now?”
Shen Youwei: “…”
Whoa, even selling her dad now? She remembered thinking her godfather was handsome as a kid. Time had left its marks.
“Beauty needs upkeep, it doesn’t depend on marriage.” Shen Youwei summarized. “Many people stop maintaining themselves after marriage. Look at my godmother, she can’t even get my godfather to jog downstairs.”
Guan Shanyan said nothing. Shen Youwei continued: “You must also maintain your looks after marriage. Good for family harmony.”
Guan Shanyan: “…”
Someone claims to like him, but he knows she just likes his face.
After dinner, they wandered the resort but didn’t find the garden. Memories fade over time, and renovations may have changed everything.
No matter, they had fun, especially after soaking in the hot spring. Shen Youwei felt her trip was worthwhile.
The next morning at 6:30, a staff member woke her for breakfast.
Breakfast at Luming Hot Springs Resort is strictly from six to six-thirty, everyone must wake to eat. Part of the resort rules.
Shen Youwei internally cursed the resort for still being in business, yet ate delightedly, amazed at how good the food was.
After breakfast, Shen Youwei and Guan Shanyan planned to find Lu Jin. Though the owner, Uncle Xi managed most things. Seeing Lu Jin wasn’t easy.
Guan Shanyan had a personal connection, so they went straight to Lu Jin’s residence.
His house was deep inside the resort, hard to reach. As they entered, a muscular orange cat leapt from a tree, meowing at them.
Shen Youwei looked at its taut muscles, thinking: “This cat could probably knock me out with one punch, ”
“Lu Jin’s cat. It trains with him.” Guan Shanyan recognized the cat, nodded to it. The cat observed them, then let them pass.
Shen Youwei worried: “Lu Jin isn’t also muscular like this, right?”
“…” Guan Shanyan tilted his head: “Actually, I’m pretty muscular too.”
“Oh? Really? I don’t believe you.” Shen Youwei’s gaze roamed over him. “Unless you show me.”
Guan Shanyan snorted, and just then Lu Jin emerged: “You’re here? Perfect, someone’s already waiting for you.”
Guan Shanyan frowned slightly: “Who?”
“Master Chang.” Lu Jin led them into the courtyard, and the orange cat suddenly appeared again, following at his feet.
Shen Youwei hadn’t even had time to admire his looks when her attention was drawn by the words “Master Chang”:
“You don’t mean the famous mystic from City A, Master Chang Xin, do you?”
Lu Jin glanced back at her and said: “Fifteen years ago, Master Chang also lived at the resort. He came to see me this morning and said that an old acquaintance would visit.”
“Old acquaintance, could he mean us?” Shen Youwei, a native of City A, had long heard of Master Chang. Many friends in her circle had sought his fortune-telling. He seemed to only take wealthy clients, charged high fees, yet business never slowed.
But Shen Youwei had never visited him herself. Could she really be considered an old acquaintance?
“Did you go to Master Chang for a reading?” She turned to Guan Shanyan.
Guan Shanyan said: “I only used AI for fortune-telling.”
“…” Alright, she suddenly wanted to ask Master Chang his opinion on AI fortune-telling.
But this Master Chang seemed remarkable, how did he know they would come to see Lu Jin today?
Could he really have predicted it?
“Here you are. I’ll leave you to talk; I have other matters.” Lu Jin led them to the reception room and then turned to leave. Shen Youwei watched him walk away, doubting Guan Shanyan’s words: “He really has a girlfriend? He actually dates?”
He looked purer than any deity in a temple!
“Don’t judge by appearances. I may be young and handsome, but I don’t look like a fortune-teller, right?” Master Chang’s voice came from inside. Shen Youwei looked up and saw a well-dressed, handsome man sitting with his legs crossed.
No wonder Master Chang charged so much, yet business was booming.
It was all on his face.