092 Hot Springs—Not for Bathing?

When it came to masterpieces like “Light Rain,” Lin Xia genuinely admired them. If not for Xu Yin being among the instructors for their training, she would never have come to City B. After all, there was always the risk of her identity being exposed, and Lin Xia had no idea how her friends would react if they learned about her other side. Life as it was now felt comfortable, leisurely, and happy—her parents and their family had completely veered off the path they’d once been on.

Her second aunt had bought an apartment in Rongcheng, and her uncle called to say he’d return after clearing out his stock over the winter break. Lin Hui’s personality was still as unreliable as in their previous life, but thanks to Lin Xia’s tough yet loving guidance, his grades had improved by leaps and bounds. With such an exceptional elder sister, being the younger brother was no easy task—he was under a lot of pressure.

Good grades, writing books for income, and a calm, steady demeanor in public—almost everyone who met Lin Xia, upon meeting Lin Hui, would exclaim, “Oh, so you’re Lin Xia’s little brother? You don’t seem much like her at all!” And then Lin Hui would be left bewildered and lost in the wind.

Of course, Lin Hui had one outstanding trait: he was better looking than his sister. Since the family moved to Rongcheng, he started receiving gifts even at his young age. The Lin family, from initial shock and disbelief, eventually grew accustomed and handled it with composure, all thanks to this little fellow.

Lin Xia couldn’t help but smile when she remembered the first Valentine’s Day, when Lin Hui came home with a backpack full of gifts and love letters, leaving their parents dumbfounded. Children in the county matured faster than those in town—writing love letters at such a young age made their mother mutter for days.

After that, their mother would relentlessly nag at the siblings, telling them no early romance, no dating, no fighting—it was an exhausting ordeal for Lin Xia. During that time, she either hid at Xie Butong’s house or locked herself in her room or study, never daring to be alone with her mother.

That day, as usual, Lin Xia was tutoring her little brother, explaining, “If you substitute this formula, using the rule that the sum of any two sides is greater than the third, you’ll get…” when Lin Hui complained, “Another girl gave me a note today wanting to be friends. So annoying! She can’t play video games, can’t skateboard, doesn’t even know billiards, and cries all the time.”

He sighed like a little adult, “Girls are just troublesome.”

Lin Xia laughed, “So what did you say?”

“I told her, when you look like a Transformer or Naruto from the anime, come find me then.” Lin Xia couldn’t hold back and burst out laughing, “How could you say that to her?” Lin Hui shrugged innocently, “That’s what I thought, and then she cried.”

After finishing the last problem and closing his notebook, he shook his head, “Kids these days aren’t serious about feelings, but I’ve always been a serious person.”

Lin Xia punched him, tears streaming from laughter.

Lin Hui, after being hit for no apparent reason, tossed out, “I’m going to watch TV first. I’ll write the essay in thirty minutes,” and ran to the living room to watch cartoons.

Looking at her unorthodox brother, Lin Xia suddenly felt sympathy for all the girls who confessed to him. If they had faces like anime characters, or mastered ninja arts like in Naruto, maybe they could catch his attention.

Turning to Lin Hui’s diary, Lin Xia sat in the study, chuckling to herself.

“A joyful day—so happy Aunt’s family came over. Mom generously opened the study so my cousin and I could play on the computer. There are lots of games, but not many chances to play. Sis treasures the computer and strictly controls my game and TV time. She only lets herself play alone in the study, and every time I play, it’s under her watchful eye—she claims she’s supervising me.

Humph, when I have money, I’ll buy three computers and play one each day, let her envy me.

But today I got to play for two hours, which made me happy.

So, let’s have guests every day, or my cousin’s family visit daily—then I can always play games.

Today was truly a joyful day.

So, as an elementary student, girls are far less appealing than games.

Maybe that’s why Chen Zi Mo always ignores Liu Zi Qing, who’s been by his side.

Because he’s immature, because they grew up together, and boys usually awaken their feelings later than girls. She could understand.

In her previous life, reading rebirth novels, she always wondered why the heroine would get fixated on little boys and groom them.

More baffling was how those little boys could sense the heroine was different from other girls and develop special feelings.

Like herself, facing Chen Zi Mo, though her memories from a past life stirred countless emotions, she managed to keep a calm facade.

At least, the teenagers around her couldn’t see through her.

Only when faced with a mature man like Jin Ye did her true girlish heart and shyness emerge.

This difference in aura came from age and experience.

Just as Lin Xia was lost in thought with her eyes closed, Chen Qing sat nearby and asked, “What’s wrong, Xia Xia?”

Opening her eyes, Lin Xia smiled, “My stomach’s a bit uncomfortable.”

Chen Qing smiled, handing her a thermos cup. “I knew you weren’t feeling well, so I bought you a cup. Drink this water, it’ll warm you up.”

Lin Xia smiled as she took it, feeling warmed inside. “Brother Wu is truly lucky, having a girlfriend like Sister Miao. I’m a little jealous.”

“Alright, you’re always teasing me. Yesterday at dinner, you weren’t nearly so sharp-tongued.” She smiled at Qin Mo and the others, “It’s true, birds of a feather flock together. The uncle Xia Xia bumped into is actually my junior. He’s only just over twenty, hardly an ‘uncle’.”

“Wow, Sister Miao’s junior! Is he still in university?” Wan Wan asked curiously.

“No, he’s doing postgraduate studies now. He’s smart—finished all his credits by sophomore year, caught the eye of a professor and became his direct disciple.” Chen Qing felt a bit sour remembering, “Comparisons really are infuriating.”

Qin Mo said, “A twenty-year-old graduate student, so young.”

Wan Wan added, “Xia Xia, such an outstanding young man, and so fated—hold on to him!”

Xiao Yu was curious, “Sister Miao is from Qing University, right? Xia Xia’s grades are good too, maybe she’ll get into Qing University and become your junior.”

Lin Xia smiled, “No, Qing’s engineering is famous, but I want to apply to Jing University. Jing’s literature department is renowned nationwide.”

Chen Qing laughed, “That’s right. If Xia Xia pursues literature, Jing University is better. Besides, Qing and Jing are close, and our magazine collaborates with Jing’s literature department. I know some professors there—if you ever need anything, Xia Xia, come to me and I’ll introduce you.”

Lin Xia squinted, smiling, “Alright, if I do get into Jing University, I’ll definitely trouble you.”

“By the way, it’s just coincidence, but in a few days it’s Hei Bai’s birthday. Let’s have a gathering and celebrate.” Wan Wan suggested with a smile, “Of course, since Xia Xia is here, we won’t pick places unsuitable for minors, like bars.”

Xiao Yu’s eyes lit up, “Let’s go to a hot spring, how about that?”

Qin Mo perked up, “I wholeheartedly agree.”

Wan Wan declared, “I wholeheartedly agree with both hands and feet.”

Lin Xia, ...

They’d joked in their group that hot springs had three benefits: one, beauty; two, healing; three, you could feast your eyes on handsome men.

So these days, people loved hot springs.

Lin Xia frowned, “Are hot springs really clean? So many people soaking in one pool—if someone has gynecological issues, wouldn’t it spread?”

Chen Qing laughed, “No, hot spring water is high-temperature and kills germs. It’s not just relaxing, it can help treat some modern women’s ailments.”

Qin Mo added, “Sister Miao’s partly right. Ordinary hot springs don’t spread disease, but there are exceptions. High-temperature water is sterile, but if the temperature drops below a certain point, bacteria can grow.

“Also, because of women’s unique physiology, soaking too long can disrupt the normal acidity and beneficial flora, making it easier to get infections.

“And gynecological infections are contagious—if you share a hot spring or use the same towel with someone who’s sick, a healthy woman could get infected.”

Wan Wan shuddered, “Ugh, maybe we shouldn’t go. That’s terrifying. We’re still virgins—if we caught that, it’d be a disaster.” Xiao Yu nodded, “Yeah, we don’t even have boyfriends. No hot springs for me.”

Qin Mo chuckled, “Are you planning never to soak in a hot spring? If you’re careful about timing and avoid special periods, it’s generally safe. Hot springs are all the rage—we should enjoy them, not be too squeamish.”

Chen Qing smiled, “Everything has risks. Some people are lucky and sail through life unharmed, others get hit on the head by a flowerpot just stepping out. It’s unpredictable.”

Lin Xia nodded in agreement.

Just like the “gutter oil” scandal that broke out two years later—a hidden danger. Even when people knew restaurant food was full of gutter oil, they still ate with gusto. In a few years, almost no restaurant in China would be free of it.

Yesterday’s meal—they had no idea how much gutter oil they’d consumed.

Street food stalls, fried snacks, skewered lamb and gluten—all unsanitary, but people still ate happily.

“I don’t care about others, I just don’t want to go to a hot spring right now,” Wan Wan said, firmly shaking her head. “Besides, Xia Xia’s at a special time—are we going to soak while she sits on the side watching?”

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