GLIHBN Chapter 21
by VolareAfter browsing a few more stores to aid digestion, the next item on the agenda was soaking in hot springs. The hot springs were located downstairs in the hotel, so Chi Ye told Su Shi to wait in the hotel lobby while he took the purchases back to their room.
Chi Ye had already bought the hot spring tickets, making Su Shi’s role as a hands-off manager very comfortable.
While waiting, Su Shi noticed a swimwear shop near the hot spring entrance and suddenly remembered that they needed swim trunks for the hot springs, and neither he nor Chi Ye had brought any.
Su Shi entered the swimwear shop. There wasn’t anything particularly special about the men’s square-leg swim trunks, so Su Shi casually grabbed what he considered the best-looking pair among them all.
Then, he went to choose one for Chi Ye but discovered that none of the other styles were worthy of Chi Ye, except for the one he had already picked.
So, he simply grabbed two of the same kind, and in the same size.
When Chi Ye came down, he saw Su Shi carrying a bag and asked, “What did you buy again?”
Su Shi proudly said, “Swim trunks, did you not bring any?”
“Oh right, I actually forgot about that.”
They arrived at the entrance to have their tickets checked, and each received a wristband. They passed through the turnstile and entered the area. They found the corresponding lockers, verified them with their wristbands, and took out towels and slippers from inside.
Many people changed clothes directly in the area for convenience, but Su Shi was different. He liked men, and his relationship with Chi Ye wasn’t quite suitable for baring all.
Su Shi went into the bathroom to change, emerging with a towel draped over his body and slippers on his feet. He was already fair-skinned, and his legs, rarely exposed to the sun, were even whiter, long, and straight.
Chi Ye had already changed and was sitting on the soft cushion in the middle of the locker area, waiting. Seeing him come over, he stood up, his face slightly awkward. “Su Shi-ge, the swim trunks are a bit tight.”
“Ah?” Su Shi was surprised. He had bought two swim trunks of the same size because he thought that even though Chi Ye was three or four centimeters taller than him, he wasn’t any bigger built.
Not quite believing it, Su Shi wanted to pull open the towel Chi Ye had wrapped around his waist. “Let me see.”
Chi Ye hurriedly protected the towel with his hand. “Don’t, don’t look.”
Su Shi noticed that Chi Ye’s ears were a little red and realized that Chi Ye was still just a young man.
There were special waterproof bags available to bring phones inside, but Su Shi left his in the locker.
No one should be looking for him so late, besides, playing was about enjoying the moment. What was the point of playing with a phone while soaking in the water?
After passing through a rinsing pool, they entered the hot spring area.
The natural hot springs were scattered with various pools, each with different benefits.
Su Shi, who was most concerned with skincare, first chose a milk bath. After sitting down, the water reached his chest, and the misty air washed away his fatigue.
Far across the ocean, Xu Chongming made call after call to Su Shi, but none went through, and his messages were like stones sinking into the sea.
Su Shi had been ignoring him for days, and the key was that he didn’t even know why.
Xu Chongming stubbed out the cigarette in his mouth, and a soft, boneless hand wrapped around his waist. “Ming-ge.”
Xu Chongming was inwardly agitated and removed the hand.
The man behind him sat up, leaning his body against Xu Chongming’s broad back.
“If he’s ignoring you, why keep calling?”
“What do you know?”
Du Li narrowed his eyes slightly. “I don’t know why you’re thinking about him in my bed.”
Xu Chongming turned around, glaring at the other man. “You’re not qualified to say that. Do your duty.”
“Okay, my duty is to serve you well, so don’t think about anything else right now.”
Du Li wrapped himself around Xu Chongming’s body, filled with endless unwillingness.
But no matter how he teased, Xu Chongming didn’t respond. Du Li stopped in disappointment, his throat bobbing.
Xu Chongming muttered, “Why isn’t he answering my calls? What is he angry about?”
Du Li only found Xu Chongming laughable, acting all sentimental in his lover’s bed, and felt even more laughable himself, having lost his heart long ago in this transactional relationship.
But the other man, his heart was entirely focused on that person.
Du Li gave a foxy smile, observing Xu Chongming’s reaction as he spoke, “Perhaps he’s not angry but getting cozy with your little cousin.”
Xu Chongming was startled, his large hand gripping Du Li’s slender neck, veins popping on his forehead. “What the fuck are you talking about?”
Du Li looked feminine and had a slender build, no match for Xu Chongming’s strength. He coughed twice, patting Xu Chongming’s wrist. “Let go.”
Xu Chongming loosened his grip slightly, threatening, “Dare to spout nonsense again.”
Du Li smiled bitterly. “Isn’t he on good terms with your little cousin? They’ve been living together for so long.”
“Impossible, he’s not that kind of person, and besides, my cousin doesn’t seem like a normal person. He’s never liked anyone, he even loathes the world.”
“Then what kind of person is he, and what kind of person am I?”
“Don’t compare him to you. You’re not worthy.”
Du Li’s pupils shrank, his heart pierced a thousand times by Xu Chongming’s words.
“Right, he’s a saint, high and mighty, while I’m a rotten person in the mud. In your eyes, that’s how it is, isn’t it!”
Xu Chongming didn’t speak, getting out of bed and going into the bathroom.
Du Li’s eyes welled up, and he wiped away a tear with his finger.
Along the way, Su Shi and Chi Ye tried all the milk baths, medicinal baths, and flower petal baths.
Soaking in the hot springs made them thirsty after a while. While drinking water, Su Shi said to Chi Ye, “There’s a fish spa over there, let’s go try it.”
“Okay.”
The temperature of the fish spa was not as high as the previous pools, and it was located by a lake, very close to nature.
The two got into the water and sat down for a while, and a group of small fish gathered around, nibbling at their legs.
Su Shi couldn’t take it after a while. He was really ticklish. “It’s so itchy.”
Chi Ye didn’t feel it. “It’s alright, it’s quite fun.”
It was itchier than being bitten by ants. Su Shi couldn’t bear it and came out of the water and onto the shore. “You soak by yourself.”
Su Shi draped a towel over himself and sat on a nearby rock. “I’ll wait for you here.”
“Okay.”
He had forgotten about the tight swim trunks earlier, but now Su Shi, looking down, his gaze landed on Chi Ye’s lower body.
It seemed a little tight, bulging out in the front.
Uh, Su Shi felt a little disheartened.
Two girls had noticed Su Shi and Chi Ye a long time ago. They were both very pretty, one with long hair and one with short hair, and they had great figures. They approached and struck up a conversation. “Hi, where are you guys from?”
The short-haired girl spoke.
Su Shi said, “From this city.”
The short-haired girl asked again, “Is this your friend?”
“Yes.”
“How about we soak together?”
Chi Ye, who hadn’t spoken the whole time, said, “Sorry, we want to soak by ourselves.”
The long-haired girl said, “Just making friends, we’re all out here to have fun.”
Chi Ye was cold. “No thanks.”
The two girls left, uninterested.
Su Shi looked at Chi Ye’s unapproachable manner. “Chi Ye, they were very pretty.”
Chi Ye tugged at the corners of his mouth. “I don’t like them anyway.”
Su Shi couldn’t help but be curious. “Then what kind of person do you like?”
Chi Ye paused. “I don’t like anyone.”