Chapter 4

She does not enjoy drinking tea and has no particular knowledge about tea leaves. Apart from experiencing the aroma of tea and the slightly bitter yet sweet aftertaste, she has not discovered anything particularly special about it

In the end, whether it was a hint of guilt or a touch of embarrassment, her voice grew increasingly faint, until the last half-sentence was barely audible.

She is not seeking his medical advice; it is evident that she is deliberately provoking a conflict

Then, when handing it to Wen Jingran, she pretended to naturally put away the swimsuit and casually returned to the bedroom

With eyes wide open as promised, there is a sense of disbelief

As expected, her eyelashes fluttered, and she lifted her eyes to look at him

As expected, the scalp suddenly felt a tingling sensation

Wen Jingran closed his eyes

The annual production of Dongju Xuejian is not substantial; apart from special supplies, it is only available at the hot spring resort in Dongju Mountain.

He let out a sigh of relief as expected and naturally took over: "Then I will deliver it."

Nodding as expected, he casually opened the cabinet and took out a blanket. After a moment's thought, he went around to the bedroom and grabbed a pillow.

A soft sound of "da".

She is striving to recall whether, half an hour ago, she had unconsciously emitted a signal indicating her need for rescue

Just as I was about to change my clothes and soak in the hot spring for a while, the doorbell rang crisply from inside the room

A few minutes ago, she originally planned to relax by soaking in a hot spring, completely unaware that an uninvited guest would arrive unexpectedly

The room, as promised, is very spacious. The small living room facing the courtyard features a design of natural wood, with a large and comfortable fabric sofa placed against the wall

Help you out of a predicament

She lowered her head to glance at the slightly cool fabric of her swimsuit, yet could not hide her disappointment as she buried her face.

Just as she was entangled in confusion about how to greet Wen Jingran, the latter had already handed her the fruit platter, saying: "I was originally going to serve this to the teacher, but I don't know if they went out or didn't hear it; no one answered the door"

What should it be called

She only dares to secretly slander, standing in front of Wen Jingran, timid as a mouse encountering a cat, wishing she could just curl up and flee.

In the small kitchen, amidst the bubbling sound of boiling tea, she puffed up her cheeks and let out a sigh of mild frustration

She swore that Wen Jingran must have seen it

On that side, one should still be calming their emotions as promised, while here, Wen Jingran is indeed feeling somewhat fatigued and is preparing to take a short rest

As for the hot springs, there is a pool of steaming hot spring water right outside her room, which is truly suitable for a guest like her who is not accustomed to lively environments

Thus, the two-piece swimsuit that was intended to be worn for soaking in the hot spring is now casually draped over the armrest of the sofa, hanging precisely to the left of Wen Jingran.

... ...

No need." He lowered his gaze at her, as if he wanted to say something. Just as he opened his lips, he clenched his fist lightly and turned his head to the side, clearing his throat a few times.

She held the doorknob and contemplated for a long time in her heart before finally opening the door, smiling as she looked at Wen Jingran, who was standing outside.

With both hands propping up her chin, her gaze fell on a spot not far away, staring absentmindedly at the cat sleeping on the windowsill as if it were the only one there, gradually losing focus.

Clearly, her emotional breakdown was too evident. Wen Jingran looked up at her, somewhat puzzled, and asked, "Is it very difficult?"

Because dealing with the kind elder is clearly more relaxing for her than coping with Doctor Wen

shoulder strap

She hesitated as she glanced at the tightly closed door next door, momentarily at a loss for words

As promised

The fruit platter in hand was clearly freshly cut not long ago, with a slight chill of moisture at the bottom of the plate

As promised, I curled my palm and looked at Wen Jingran for a while, finally compromising and taking a step back: "Well... why don't you sleep on my side for a while? I just happen to need to prepare for next week's written exam, it doesn't matter.

After the tea had steeped, I sat behind the old gentleman for a moment as promised

He suddenly had the thought of teasing her again

She frowned and instinctively asked, "Did you not get enough rest?"

At that time, he really did not show any signs of fatigue

In the layered interplay of light and shadow, the sofa appears as if draped with a layer of sheer fabric, perfectly divided into two halves, one half bathed in light and the other shrouded in darkness

Although this sentence is completely unrelated, she understood it

Of course, it was not successful

"That strap," he said hoarsely, "seems a bit loose."

It is said that this Dongju Xuejian attracts many tea connoisseurs to come and compete for it every year

In addition to the well-known hot spring resort, Dongjushan also has a tea garden that is somewhat more understated in comparison to the hot spring resort

Light falls on the eyelids, slightly dazzling

They were all playing Dou Di Zhu in my room, and I initially intended to come to the teacher's place for some peace and quiet..." He did not finish his sentence, and it was evident that he knew what was implied.

He curled his lips slightly, suppressing the laughter that was spreading in his eyes with an impassive demeanor, and still spoke in a tired and hoarse tone, saying: "It's very noisy"

At the same time, as if sensing something, the person outside raised their eyes, their gaze landing directly on the peephole at the door for a brief moment. They formed a fist with one hand, brought it to their lips, and lightly coughed: "It is I"

Regaining consciousness as expected, I picked up the kettle of boiling water amidst the thick white mist and walked to the table, preparing to brew tea for the several elders who were sitting in the courtyard playing chess

However, she does not know those young people at all

She had designed this series of actions in her mind several times, and when it came to execution, there were no mistakes. Aside from unconsciously straightening her back and having somewhat stiff footsteps, she considered this disguise to be quite successful.

It is rather embarrassing to say that the old gentleman is very particular about brewing and drinking tea on a daily basis. Although she has been influenced by him and knows a bit, when it comes to actually showcasing her skills, her hands are clumsy beyond measure

The tea trees planted in the Dongju Mountain Tea Garden produce only one type of tea—Dongju Xuejian

Call senior brother

Then, I drove for more than two hours afterwards

Ah ... ...

Help you out of a predicament

She tore open the aluminum foil packaging, pinching the jagged edge of the torn opening with her fingertips. Carefully, she poured an appropriate amount of tea leaves into the teacup, watching as the emerald green leaves, resembling the tongue of a bird, spread a layer at the bottom of the cup. Only then did she lift the teapot to add water.

She feels somewhat uncomfortable

Should we address him at this moment

He spread out a blanket to cover his waist and abdomen, slightly turned his body to the side, and rested his long legs on the armrest of the sofa. Although the sofa was spacious enough, he managed to create a sense of confinement.

He is not her legitimate senior brother; he is merely a student of her grandfather. Calling him so intimately is worse than killing her

I will sleep here," he said as he sat down, "give me another blanket.

Therefore

Behind her, the person she had never noticed quietly curved the corners of their lips

The gaze, as expected, lingered on the sofa for two laps, pondering how to broach the subject of having Wen Jingran sleep on this sofa in a way that would make him feel a bit wronged. Just as the words were still forming, he glanced around and walked straight towards the sofa

She alternated between loosening and tightening her fingers around the cup, and after a long while, she managed to steady her voice with restraint, casually uttering an "oh".

As expected, I let out a sound of "oh," but my feet could not move

One cannot address her by both her first and last name, Wen Jingran, as she is not only younger but also belongs to a different generation than him.

Doctor Wen

Who needs him to bail them out

Unaccountably, it felt as if these two words had gently struck her soft spot. She wanted to laugh, but it was somewhat inappropriate in front of the person involved, so she could only endure and press her lips together, gesturing for him to come in first.

Suddenly, she no longer made a conscious effort to walk lightly; in a fit of frustration, she stomped into the courtyard in her slippers

Or rather, very uncomfortable

Wen Jingran is complaining that his colleagues are too noisy

He raised his hand to cover his eyes, and in the pitch darkness, her soft footsteps were like a cat passing by on tiptoe, cautious and careful

She suspiciously pulled back the sweater that had rolled up to her chest, then tidied her hair, which had been disheveled by the clothing, in front of the mirror. After that, she took a few steps to the door and peered outside through the peephole.

In the still somewhat vacant mind, the echo of Wen Jingran's low voice from half an hour ago saying "I'll help you out" lingers on

What kind of shoulder strap

Why did she initially feel the need to buy a bikini

As promised, I picked up a piece of tea leaf and placed it in my mouth, grinding it gently with my teeth

Before the outcome of the chess game was determined, the old gentleman seemed to have just noticed her presence and waved her away, saying: "What is the point of you staying here with us old men? Go find some young people to play with, so you don't end up becoming an old man at such a young age"

As she held the cup of water as promised, she inexplicably glanced at Wen Jingran. It was not until she saw the somewhat mischievous smile at the corner of his lips that her mind exploded like a thousand fireworks, resonating all around.

As expected, I closed my eyes in a sense of despair

Wen Jingran's gaze fell upon her lowered eyelashes, which were thick and cast a shadow under the entrance light, obediently resting beneath her eyelids

Hmm. Wen Jingran let out a soft sound, tiredly pinching the bridge of his nose, his voice hoarse: "I just came out of surgery, and I've only slept for three hours"

Only slept for three hours

The slightly furrowed brows and the evident weariness in her eyes were unmistakable, making it impossible for Ying Ruoyue to overlook them.

Close the door, lean against the wall as agreed, and engage in a moment of internal struggle. I truly cannot muster the thought of "playing around" with a completely unfamiliar young person, so I head straight back to my room to prepare for next week's written exam