The hot spring resort was located on the outskirts of Jingzhou. Although it was quite far from the city center—at least a two-and-a-half-hour drive—the surrounding scenery was beautiful, with clear mountains and pristine waters, and the air was refreshing, so there were still plenty of visitors.
Held by Jiang Hezhou’s hand, Chu Luyu walked all the way from the parking area to the private section in the back hills.
The resort’s butler had been waiting there for a long time. When he saw them approach, he greeted them politely.
“Mr. Jiang, my boss and the other two gentlemen have been waiting for you and Miss Chu in the lobby for some time. Please, allow me to escort you there.”
Before long, Chu Luyu finally met Jiang Hezhou’s friends.
From left to right stood three young men and one young woman. Each of the men had an air of distinction and fine features, while the woman was tall and strikingly beautiful, slender like a supermodel, though her expression was somewhat cool.
When they saw Chu Luyu, they all gave her a quick once-over. She wasn’t sure if it was her imagination, but she thought she caught a hint of surprise on each of their faces.
A moment later, the young man standing next to the only woman spoke first.
“Little sister-in-law, we’ve been wishing upon stars and waiting for the moon—finally, you’re here!”
He then introduced himself as Zhang Jiting, Jiang Hezhou’s childhood friend. The young woman beside him was his girlfriend, Xiao Yan.
After they spoke, the other two young men also smiled and greeted her.
“Little sister-in-law, I’m Ji Chen—another childhood friend of Jiang Er’s.”
“Little sister-in-law, I’m Li Yuebai.”
Chu Luyu felt a bit overwhelmed by their warm reception and quickly nodded in response.
“Hello everyone, I’m Chu Luyu.”
Jiang Hezhou had been standing off to the side watching them talk. Now, seeing his brothers’ gazes fixed on Chu Luyu, he felt a faint wave of irritation rising in his chest.
He didn’t like other men looking at her—even if they were his childhood friends.
Almost imperceptibly, he released her hand and instead wrapped his arm around her shoulder, pulling her gently into his embrace.
Chu Luyu was startled and looked up at him in confusion.
But the man above her didn’t seem to acknowledge her at all. He simply addressed Zhang Jiting: “Is the grilled fish ready in the kitchen? She only had a few bites on the way here—she’s probably hungry by now.”
“Of course. Besides the grilled fish, I also had the chef prepare some barbecue. Let’s head over now.”
As they walked toward the backyard, Chu Luyu wriggled a little, trying to see if she could get Jiang Hezhou to let go.
But the more she moved, the tighter he held on. His cool, slender hand clamped over her shoulder like a brand, showing no intention of releasing her.
Chu Luyu was baffled and asked the system: 【Cuihua, what does the male lead mean by this? Why is he suddenly being so intimate with me? I can’t even break free.】
System Cuihua: 【Haven’t you heard the saying? A man is always a boy at heart. Guys have all sorts of weird competitive streaks. He probably saw his friend being all lovey-dovey with his girlfriend and didn’t want to be outdone, so he’s acting just as clingy with you.】
This explanation left Chu Luyu a bit stunned.
She glanced sideways at the man beside her with a meaningful look. She really couldn’t tell—he seemed so upright and proper on the surface, but deep down, he had this childish side too?
The barbecue spot was in a courtyard within the resort, surrounded by rockeries and an artificial lake. Lanterns lit up every corner, making the area bright as day, with a lively and cozy atmosphere.
Once everyone warmed up to each other, the friends spoke to Chu Luyu even more familiarly, treating her as one of their own.
“Little sister-in-law, be honest with us—you’re crazy about Jiang Er, aren’t you?” It was Ji Chen who spoke, his tone teasing.
Hearing this, Jiang Hezhou’s hand paused as he was peeling grilled shrimp for the girl. He looked up at the opposite side with a hint of warning, but Ji Chen wasn’t intimidated at all—he even gave him a knowing wink.
Zhang Jiting leaned over to Li Yuebai and muttered quietly: “Ji Chen’s doing Jiang Er a favor. That guy is obviously head over heels for the girl now. If he hears her confess some sweet words in public, he’ll be over the moon.”
Li Yuebai smiled gently. “I just wonder if little sister-in-law will play along.”
Chu Luyu had been busy munching on grilled chicken cartilage—the resort chef was genuinely skilled; every skewer was seasoned and marinated according to the natural flavor of the ingredients, and every bite burst with aroma.
Hearing Ji Chen’s question, she looked up blankly, her lips still glistening with a bit of oil, looking utterly adorable.
Chu Luyu: 【Cuihua, what does he mean by that? Why is he suddenly asking me this?】
System Cuihua: 【Isn’t it obvious? He doesn’t like you and wants to embarrass you in public.】
Chu Luyu: 【Huh?】
System Cuihua: 【Think about it—most girls are shy and reserved, especially when it comes to relationships. Asking you so bluntly like that is clearly meant to make you stumble over your answer so he can laugh at you, and also stir up trouble between you and the male lead. After all, you’ve had a bad reputation and have put the male lead through a lot. His brothers are all super close to him, so of course they’d jump at any chance to make you look bad.】
…What a vicious heart!
Chu Luyu: 【So what do I do now?】
System Cuihua: 【Improvise. He wants to see you stammer and come up with nothing—so we’ll do the opposite. Be bold and composed, and leave him no room to find fault!】
Taking the system’s advice, Chu Luyu steeled herself, fixed her gaze, and met the question head-on.
“Wasn’t I obvious enough before? If I weren’t crazy about him, would I have made a huge scene at home and insisted on getting engaged to him no matter what?”
Ji Chen smiled meaningfully, glanced at Jiang Hezhou, and pressed on: “Then tell us more specifically—why do you like him?”
“He has so many wonderful qualities.” At this point, Chu Luyu wasn’t sure if she was being sincere or just picking flattering words. “He’s upright, kind, responsible, works hard and diligently, and despite coming from a wealthy background, he never acts superior to anyone. And most importantly, he’s really handsome—his face… is exactly my type.”
The last sentence came out a little shyly, in a quiet voice.
Ji Chen burst out laughing across the table. “Jiang Er, did you hear that? Little sister-in-law is clearly physically attracted to you!”
“Alright, enough.” Jiang Hezhou seemed to be in a good mood for some reason. Though his words were reproachful, his tone didn’t show it.
He pulled Chu Luyu over and gently wiped her mouth with a wet wipe, as if she were a child.
“Keep eating. Don’t mind them.”
By now, Chu Luyu had grown so used to Jiang Hezhou taking care of her that she didn’t find his actions strange at all. After he wiped her mouth, she even instinctively held up her two little hands, wanting him to wipe them too.
Everyone at the table noticed this. Xiao Yan, who had been quiet all along, muttered quietly to Zhang Jiting: “Look at them, and then look at you.”
Zhang Jiting understood what she meant. He wrapped his arm around his girlfriend’s shoulder and gave an ingratiating smile. “Jiang Er finally got himself a fiancée after all these years—of course he’s going to take good care of her. We’re an old married couple by now; we don’t need to be as clingy as them.”
Xiao Yan felt a little unconvinced, but with so many people around, she didn’t want to make a scene.
Later, as the meal wound down, Zhang Jiting had someone bring over a billiards table and eagerly challenged Jiang Hezhou to a game.
Chu Luyu didn’t know he had that skill and was curious to watch for a bit.
Just then, Xiao Yan came up beside her.
“Hey girl, teach me how to train a man, will you?”
The small fruit Chu Luyu was holding almost dropped from her hand in surprise. She looked at Xiao Yan in disbelief.
“Teach you what?”
“How to train a man!” Xiao Yan had completely shed her cold demeanor from earlier. She grabbed Chu Luyu’s arm excitedly. “You’ve trained Jiang Hezhou so well! I’ve seen him a few times before with my A-Ting, and every time he was like some aloof, untouchable deity. But today, by your side, he’s practically like a dog!”
Uh… “like a dog”? That was an odd choice of words.
Chu Luyu felt a bit overwhelmed, but with Xiao Yan’s intensity, it was clear she wasn’t going to let her off without saying something.
After a moment’s consideration, she didn’t offer any advice, only saying: “Maybe it’s because I’m kind of… high-maintenance? So he has to take care of me in every way?”
Xiao Yan’s eyes lit up. “I get it now—to train a man, you have to be high-maintenance!”
Wait… that’s not quite what she meant, was it?
Chu Luyu wanted to clarify, but just then, Jiang Hezhou suddenly set down his cue stick and walked over for no apparent reason.
She was a little surprised and looked up at him. “You’re not playing anymore?”
“They’ll keep playing. I’ll take you back to the room to rest first.” As he spoke, his gaze swept coolly over Xiao Yan’s hand gripping Chu Luyu’s arm, and he cast her a brief, sharp glance.
Xiao Yan immediately let go, raising both hands with palms out to the sides. “Giving her back, giving her back.”
Later, after the two had left, Xiao Yan ran over to Zhang Jiting and complained with lingering fear.
“Jiang Hezhou is so possessive. I just grabbed his fiancée’s arm, and he already gave me a warning glare.”
Zhang Jiting, who was aiming at the final black 8 ball, didn’t believe her at all. He didn’t even look up. “You’re overthinking it. Jiang Er clearly likes his little sister-in-law, but there’s no way he’d have that kind of twisted possessiveness—he wouldn’t even be jealous of a girl.”
Ji Chen chimed in, “Yeah, Jiang Er’s always been the most rigid and proper since we were kids. When he’s in a relationship, he’ll take perfect care of his partner, but emotionally, he’s probably more restrained—respectful and courteous, like a harmonious marriage.”
Xiao Yan felt her instincts were right. The look Jiang Hezhou had given her just now was clearly unfriendly—he’d been displeased that she’d touched the girl.
She glanced at the three men beside her and wondered if they truly understood their friend at all.
·
On the way back, Chu Luyu was still worried about the conversation she’d just had with Xiao Yan.
She tugged at Jiang Hezhou’s sleeve and spoke softly: “Jiang Hezhou, I think I might have caused some trouble.”
She gave him a rough summary of what she’d said to Xiao Yan, then looked anxious. “Do you think Xiao Yan might twist my words and actually go make trouble for your friend? How are their relationship? If she really starts acting up, will they break up over it?”
“No, Zhang Jiting is very tolerant. And they’ve been together for years—they won’t break up over something this small.”
Even as he said this, his gaze couldn’t help but drop to Chu Luyu’s arm.
He’d noticed it the moment that girl had gotten close to Chu Luyu. He’d already pocketed three balls in a row, but after that, he completely lost focus and missed a shot.
When he looked back, he saw the girl sitting right next to Chu Luyu, both hands gripping her arm tightly.
At that moment, Jiang Hezhou couldn’t stand it any longer. He set down his cue stick, said “This round counts as my loss,” and turned to go find Chu Luyu.
He couldn’t really explain what he was thinking. He knew better than anyone how absurd and unreasonable his emotions had been in that instant.
But he couldn’t help it—even if it was just a girl touching her, he still felt a strong sense of aversion and even anger.
Now, seeing that Chu Luyu was still worrying about someone else’s business, he didn’t say anything. He simply pulled a wet wipe from his pocket—one he’d grabbed earlier—unwrapped it, took her wrist, and wiped her forearm with it.
The cool, refreshing sensation made Chu Luyu look over at him in confusion.
Jiang Hezhou’s eyes were slightly lowered. When he looked down, his long lashes completely veiled the light in his eyes, making his expression unreadable.
“There was oil on your arm. I’m wiping it off.”
“Oh, really?” Chu Luyu didn’t suspect a thing.
The two of them crossed the resort’s main lobby and headed toward the private villa area for their stay.
As they passed through a long corridor, they spotted a group of men and women in business attire up ahead.
The man at the lead had a tall, straight posture and a stern, cold expression. As if sensing their gaze, he slowly turned his head toward them.
His eyes swept over Chu Luyu and Jiang Hezhou one by one, finally settling on Jiang Hezhou. When their eyes met, the man gave him a slight nod.
As they continued walking, Chu Luyu whispered to Jiang Hezhou: “Do you know that person?”
“My older brother, Jiang Qiyou.”
By the time they reached the room, Chu Luyu went to the bathroom first. When she came out, she saw Jiang Hezhou on the phone.
Seeing her, he gestured for her to come over, continuing his call without pausing: “Besides us, there’s Zhang Jiting and the others. Yes, mm, I know. Okay, I’ll tell her later.”
After hanging up, Jiang Hezhou voluntarily explained: “It was my brother. He said he couldn’t chat with us properly earlier because he had business partners present, and told me to tell you not to mind it. He also said he’ll invite us to the old house for dinner in a few days.”
Of course Chu Luyu didn’t mind. She didn’t know Jiang Hezhou’s brother well anyway. But from that brief glance, she did notice how much the brothers looked alike.
“You and your brother really resemble each other—both so serious and unsmiling. Is he just as meticulous as you when it comes to work?”
Jiang Hezhou was silent for a moment. When he spoke again, his voice was a little low: “Actually, no. When he was younger, my brother was very cheerful and optimistic. He had his own dreams and aspirations. But when our father passed away suddenly, the Jiang family needed a qualified heir, and he gradually became this way.”
He’d only learned this later, when his brother had gotten drunk and let it slip one time.
He’d said he hoped his younger brother could be happy—that if one of them had to sacrifice, he’d rather it be him.
Chu Luyu sighed at that. “Your brother is really good to you.”
“Yeah. He’s always been very good to me.”
Just then, the system suddenly chimed in: 【Enough with the mutual compliments—here comes a task!】
Before Chu Luyu could even react, the familiar task notification sounded in her mind—
【Ding, new task! After showering, strip completely naked and have the male lead apply body lotion on you, and say the key line: “Hezhou-gege, come feel how smooth my skin is.”】
…She knew it. After such a long gap, there was bound to be a big one!
·
In a high-end private room somewhere at the resort, two men sat in the shadows on one side of the sofa.
The light in the room was cut in alternating patches, with a large swath of darkness falling over them, making their faces completely unidentifiable.
Each held a glass of whiskey, gently swirling the liquid as it clinked against the sides.
“He already knows about the mechanic getting plastic surgery back then. If he keeps digging, it’s only a matter of time before he finds out the guy has already returned to the country.”
The other man let out a soft laugh at this, seemingly unconcerned.
“In that case, let’s find him something to occupy his time so he can’t keep poking around in old history.”
The man beside him also smiled. “So, we stir up a few more deaths for him to play with?”
“Exactly. Just like before—stir up a few more deaths and let him have his fun.”
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