RAHHSFL - Chapter 70
Chapter 70
Qin Juran and Ruan Nan slept soundly. They woke up in the afternoon and had a light meal in the hotel restaurant. Ruan Nan messaged Lin Wei, but he was probably still asleep and didn't reply.
Wang Yuan Yuan created a group chat for everyone, naming it "One Person's Loneliness, Six People's Party."
Zhou Ziqing sent a question mark, followed by a photo of Lin Wei sleeping.
Quite a handsome young man, sleeping like a beached fish.
Zhou Ziqing: [Me partying with this guy?]
Yu Ran: [How come Lin Jin started snoring after all these years? Is he still the same boy he used to be?]
Zhou Ziqing: [Like brothers, indeed. Thumbs up/Thumbs up/]
Wang Yuan Yuan: [Stop, stop, stop. At least you guys have someone breathing in your rooms. Do you know what it feels like to be alone in a foreign country, guarding an empty room?]
[Why don't you ask Nan Jie if you can join them?]
Qin Juran: [?]
[...]
Wang Yuan Yuan: [On second thought, I prefer the non-breathing company.]
Ruan Nan: [?]
Wang Yuan Yuan: [No offense, Nan Jie, I didn't mean anything by it...]
They continued to chat, the messages quickly accumulating to 99+. When Lin Wei finally woke up, he was bewildered, scrolling through the chat history before asking, [Have you guys had dinner?]
Everyone except Qin Juran and Ruan Nan replied that they hadn't.
Lin Wei: [Wait, I've ordered Switzerland's most luxurious delicacies. They'll be delivered to your rooms shortly. Meet at the Polar Spa at 8 p.m. Swiss time. Don't be late!]
Qin Juran messaged Qin Haotian and her family, letting them know she had arrived safely in Switzerland. She then wondered, what Swiss delicacies could be considered "top-tier luxury?" Cheese and beef were traditional, but perhaps he meant caviar?
The group continued to speculate about what extravagant treat Lin Wei had in store for them. Half an hour later, the first notification pinged in the group chat.
Lin Jin: [Damn.]
Followed by a photo of instant noodles – Master Kong braised beef flavor.
Lin Jin: [Swiss delicacy?]
Yu Ran: [Traditional cuisine?]
Wang Yuan Yuan: [Top-tier luxury?]
Ruan Nan giggled at her phone. Qin Juran also couldn't believe Lin Wei's antics. It was a good thing she and Ruan Nan had already eaten; otherwise, after such anticipation, receiving this would probably make them want to beat Lin Wei to a pulp.
Lin Wei: [No, guys, do you know how luxurious it is to taste a bit of home in a foreign land? Do you know how much love and care is packed into this little cup of noodles?]
Zhou Ziqing: [Image] – Also a photo of Master Kong braised beef noodles.
Zhou Ziqing: [You didn’t even spare your own roommate?]
Lin Wei: [Of course not! Look closely, I bought us the BIG size!]
[...]
In the end, Lin Wei was thoroughly roasted by the group. Not far from the hotel was a traditional Swiss restaurant, run by a friendly couple with prominent noses. The small establishment had an old-world charm. The wooden building, nestled in the snow-covered landscape, looked like a fairytale cottage that would magically come to life at midnight.
The food at these traditional restaurants wasn't expensive; it was the location that commanded a premium.
People started queuing in the afternoon, both locals and tourists. Lin Wei ended up buying a spot in line from a Japanese couple at a hefty price.
Seeing Lin Wei's wallet noticeably thinner by half, everyone felt a pang of sympathy for him... not really.
Qin Juran and Ruan Nan weren't hungry, but the aroma of cheese wafting from the little wooden house was too tempting to resist. Even while waiting in line, Ruan Nan kept craning her neck to peek inside. When their turn was almost up, Ruan Nan said she wanted to go back to the hotel to get her instant camera. Since the hotel was close, Qin Juran went with her. As they left the hotel, they encountered an elderly foreign couple.
The gentleman politely tipped his hat to Qin Juran, seemingly about to ask for directions. He spoke, but Qin Juran didn't quite catch it and replied, "Pardon?"
The gentleman paused, then repeated his question more clearly and loudly. Qin Juran realized it wasn't English.
She was about to pretend she didn't understand when Ruan Nan came over and fluently conversed with the gentleman, gesturing to show them the way. Ruan Nan took Qin Juran's hand, giving it a subtle squeeze. It seemed Ruan Nan would be guiding them. When they reached the small restaurant with the long queue, the gentleman shook Ruan Nan's hand warmly in thanks.
Qin Juran subtly stepped back. After Ruan Nan finished talking with them, she politely nodded and smiled, not engaging in further conversation.
It had been Spanish.
The elderly couple joined the back of the queue. Ruan Nan pulled Qin Juran along. "Ju Ju, why didn't you tell them you understood?"
Qin Juran coughed slightly. "I've read too many news stories about strange things happening, so I'm a little wary of talking to strangers in a foreign country.”
This was, after all, Qin Juran’s first time abroad. Having endured the long flight and managed to hold herself together so far was already commendable. Besides, the kind of situations she mentioned could indeed happen.
Ruan Nan swayed her arm. "It's okay, Ju Ju, I'll protect you! Besides, most people are good. Otherwise, they wouldn't have complimented you just now~"
Qin Juran smiled, instinctively asking, "Complimented me on what?"
Ruan Nan paused. "Didn't you hear?"
Qin Juran stopped walking, forcing a smile. "My Spanish is only at a basic conversational level. I was a little nervous just now and didn't catch the gentleman's accent."
"Oh..." But the compliment about Qin Juran's oriental beauty had clearly come from the lady... And based on Qin Juran's past performance, she had no problem understanding spoken Spanish since high school.
Ruan Nan felt a flicker of suspicion but didn't dwell on it as they entered the restaurant.
A thick, roasted beef steak, seasoned with rosemary, arrived at their table, along with various other Swiss specialties. A blond, blue-eyed waiter brought over a large wheel of freshly baked cheese, expertly sliced off a portion after checking its thickness, the rich, melted cheese cascading onto the plate.
Lin Wei and the others were practically drooling. Zhou Ziqing ordered a bottle of absinthe, and they all gathered around the wooden table and began to eat. As they ate, Ruan Nan took out her instant camera and fiddled with it. She didn't usually like using a DSLR; she found instant cameras more convenient and fun.
Ruan Nan asked everyone to sit together, slightly staggered. Qin Juran couldn't quite fit into the frame, so she stepped aside. "Just take a picture of them."
Before anyone could object, Ruan Nan put down the camera. "What, are you afraid of being photographed?"
Qin Juran was puzzled, smiling slightly. "Why would I be afraid of being photographed?"
Ruan Nan leaned close and whispered teasingly, "Afraid the person in the photo won't be you~"
...
A chill ran down Qin Juran's spine.
This teasing little imp.
They took a group photo first. Wang Yuan Yuan, ever perceptive, then took the camera and said, "Juran Jie, Nan Jie, the background over there is nice. Let me take a couple of pictures of just the two of you."
Qin Juran thought it was a good idea. They had been together for so long, yet they hadn't taken any photos together. Behind them was a rustic, charming wall with a brown tree in front. Wang Yuan Yuan raised the camera, and everyone looked at them. Qin Juran felt a little self-conscious.
Lin Wei joked in English, "Why are you two so stiff, like you're taking wedding photos?"
Hearing the word "wedding" and seeing that Qin Juran and Ruan Nan were a couple, the other diners in the restaurant cheered and applauded.
Qin Juran smiled and thanked them, putting an arm around Ruan Nan.
"Three, two, one, eggplant!"
"One more, with a different pose!"
Two clicks of the shutter, and the photos slowly emerged from the camera. Qin Juran laid them on the table. In the pictures, Ruan Nan, wearing a turtleneck sweater and her hair in a bun, looked beautiful. However, perhaps due to Wang Yuan Yuan's lack of photography skills, Qin Juran looked better in one, while Ruan Nan looked better in the other.
"How do we decide who gets which?" Qin Juran asked.
"Give them both to me?"
Qin Juran smiled. "One each. We'll choose at the same time.”
Ruan Nan nodded. Qin Juran counted down, and they both reached for the photo where they thought the other looked better. They exchanged a knowing smile. It went without saying; they both wanted to keep the photo where the other looked their best.
And as long as they were together, they were both at their best.
After their meal, Lin Wei and the others took a taxi to the Polar Spa. It wasn't far, and unlike large public bathhouses, this spa consisted of private wooden cabins, offering more privacy and a higher-end experience. Beyond the opulent lobby were individual cabins nestled among the trees, the rime-covered branches twinkling with fairy lights, creating a magical atmosphere.
The seven of them always had endless things to talk and laugh about. Soon, a waiter carefully approached with a wooden tray holding seven glasses and two bottles of fine wine.
The waiter poured six glasses, the tray floating on the water, the ruby-red liquid swirling invitingly in the glasses.
Lin Wei pulled the tray to the center. "Alright, everyone except Nan Jie, raise your glasses! Today, we celebrate experiencing warmth in the coldest place!"
Lin Wei's unintentionally profound words resonated with the group, and they all clapped. Qin Juran smiled and nodded as well. Lin Wei had forgotten to order a non-alcoholic drink. Ruan Nan, without any wine, looked longingly at the others raising their glasses. Qin Juran finished hers in one gulp, then, seeing Ruan Nan's yearning gaze, asked, "Want some?"
"Not really," Ruan Nan pouted.
She didn't usually like alcohol, but for some reason, Qin Juran always looked so elegant and unrestrained when drinking, and her eyes always seemed more alluring afterward, more feminine. It always tempted Ruan Nan to experience that slightly tipsy feeling herself.
Qin Juran smiled. Instead of giving Ruan Nan her glass, she pulled her close and kissed her.
The taste of wine, slightly tart and mellow, spread through Ruan Nan's mouth.
Zhou Ziqing: "Hey, hey, hey, can you two not be so lovey-dovey in public?"
Ruan Nan, blushing, gently pushed Qin Juran away. They put their glasses back on the tray. Lin Wei, his face also slightly flushed, said with some emotion, "Look, among us, me, Lin Jin, and Yu Ran are high school brothers who went through thick and thin together. I thought the people I met in university wouldn't be as close, but Nan Jie, Qin Juran, Zhou Ziqing, you guys are all amazing people. And not only that, but we're all such good friends. Tell me, aren't I lucky?"
For a moment, no one spoke. Qin Juran, surprisingly, didn't tease him, simply replying, "You deserve it."
This was high praise coming from her.
In their group dynamic, Lin Wei had always played the role of the "naive rich kid." He was the first to accept Qin Juran, and whenever Ruan Nan or Zhou Ziqing needed help, he was always the first to jump in.
If Ruan Nan was the love of her life, then Lin Wei and Zhou Ziqing were the friends worth cherishing forever.
And both this love and these friendships were brought to her by Ruan Nan.
After a while, Yu Ran, who had been quiet, spoke up. "Wait a minute, Lin Wei, are you hiding something from us?"
His words immediately drew everyone's attention to Lin Wei. Yu Ran knew him well; on the surface, he was always cheerful and eager to help, but when things got serious, he tended to retreat.
Prompted by Yu Ran's question, Zhou Ziqing also felt something was off. He punched Lin Wei lightly. "You dragged us all the way to Switzerland at such short notice, it can’t just be for skiing, right?”
Lin Wei: "Isn’t it also to announce the good news that my family acquired another mine?"
The three guys immediately started to playfully roughhouse him.
Seeing his head almost dunked into the hot spring, Lin Wei quickly begged for mercy. "Okay, okay, I'll talk, I'll talk! I wasn't planning on hiding it from you guys anyway. Now it looks like I have some terminal illness or something!"
Ruan Nan: "Don't jinx yourself!"
"Okay, okay. Look, it's nothing really. As you all know, with my grades, after graduation, I'm destined to go back and inherit the family business. But Young Master Lin here doesn't like being spoon-fed. So, I applied for a study abroad program in the UK. I've passed the IELTS and TOEFL and plan to really buckle down for three years and make up for all the time I wasted in university. "
He said it jokingly, but no one laughed.
Three years of studying abroad meant that, in the future, even simple get-togethers would become precious.
Zhou Ziqing punched him again. "Didn't we agree to start a business together after graduation?"
Lin Wei: "You go ahead and start it, brother. I'll go abroad and improve myself. What's that saying? 'Learn from the barbarians to control the barbarians.' When I return, triumphant and educated, we won't even bat an eye at Qin Yuan and Chengmao Group.”
It wasn’t funny at all.
Everyone took a sip of their wine. Lin Wei studying abroad was just a catalyst. For each of them, leaving university meant taking on new roles and responsibilities. Starting businesses, working jobs, the nine-to-five grind, flying across the country for meetings, or perhaps even reaching positions where casual meetups like this would become difficult.
Lin Wei raised his glass. "Alright, alright, I'm still in my third year. I'm not leaving until my fourth year. It's just one year ahead of you guys leaving S University. And transportation is so convenient nowadays, I can come back every now and then.”
Zhou Ziqing's face was flushed, perhaps from the alcohol, perhaps from anger at not being told sooner. He punched Lin Wei on the shoulder again. "You jerk, will you even remember us once you're abroad?"
Lin Wei raised an eyebrow. "Of course I will! Everyone here tonight are my best friends from my student days, the purest and most innocent friendships. I cherish them. Don't you all agree?"
Lin Wei raised his glass. His words, though crudely put, were undeniably true and hard to refute. Friends from school days always held a special place in one's heart.
Qin Juran was the first to raise her glass. "Then, to Young Master Lin's smooth sailing in his future endeavors. We'll await your triumphant return!"
Everyone raised their glasses, even Ruan Nan, who poured a small amount for herself. Qin Juran didn't stop her. This toast held a significance far beyond any meaningless celebratory occasion.
After they finished the two bottles of wine, Lin Wei put down his glass, his eyes slightly unfocused, and pointed a wavering finger at Qin Juran. "Qin Juran, I have a question for you."
Qin Juran also put down her glass. "When did this happen?"
"Just now. I'm asking in front of everyone. "
"Okay."
"I just want to ask, when did you and Nan Jie get together?”
This question brought both Qin Juran and Ruan Nan to silence.
When exactly had they gotten together? Despite all that had happened between them, all that they had shared, both physically and emotionally, since the night they left Fan Chuan’s apartment after the class reunion, when Qin Juran asked if she could "pursue" Ruan Nan...
But it seemed like they had been together since that day. Neither she nor Ruan Nan had cared about defining the exact moment they became a couple.
Before Qin Juran could answer, Zhou Ziqing interlaced his fingers. "Qin Juran.”
"I don't care about what happened before. Now, it seems Nan Jie truly likes you, so I won't hold any prejudices against you anymore."
"You probably understand Nan Jie's personality as well as I do. What she wants, what she fears, you should be able to sense it. So, there are certain things, even if you think they're superfluous or just for show, you must do them.”
Qin Juran understood what he meant. Because of the unusual way their relationship developed, she and Ruan Nan hadn't had the usual rituals of a typical couple.
Secret crush, confession, pursuit, acceptance, announcement.
They seemed to have skipped many of these steps. They hadn’t even had a formal announcement with their closest friends, like Lin Wei had done.
Before Qin Juran could speak, Ruan Nan said, “Ah Wei, Ziqing, you’ve misunderstood. Qin Juran has confessed to me many times. From the beginning until now, from rivals to lovers, so many things have happened between us, we don't really need those clichéd rituals.”
Ruan Nan was defending her, but Qin Juran's heart sank.
Lin Wei and Zhou Ziqing never argued with Ruan Nan. Since she'd said so, there was no need to press Qin Juran further. As long as Ruan Nan was happy, that was all that mattered to them.
They finished their drinks and chatted for a long time, until it was getting late. Remembering they had to wake up early for skiing, they started to head back.
Lin Wei had drunk the most and was the most intoxicated. Qin Juran and Ruan Nan had only had a little; they weren't even slightly tipsy.
Back at the hotel, after a quick shower, Ruan Nan emerged from the bathroom to find Qin Juran already in her nightgown, sitting on the bed.
"Why aren't you wearing your bathrobe?" Ruan Nan asked curiously.
Qin Juran shook her head, her answer laden with meaning. "Not formal enough."
Ruan Nan blushed and went to the bathroom to dry her hair and apply lotion.
Qin Juran sat patiently on the bed, waiting. When Ruan Nan finally finished her routine, she shrugged and asked, "Done?"
"Uh... yes."
Qin Juran adjusted the bedside lamps, leaving only the faintest, warmest yellow wall light on, barely illuminating the outline of the bed. "How's this lighting?"
Ruan Nan blushed even deeper. "Uh, it's good..."
There were two beds in the room. Qin Juran sat on one, and Ruan Nan, feigning obliviousness, walked over to the other and climbed in.
Qin Juran smiled at her. "That one first?"
Ruan Nan almost gasped. The room was warm, and the dim light accentuated Qin Juran's slender figure, making her look breathtakingly beautiful.
The box of finger cots sat on the nightstand.
Qin Juran stood up and slowly walked over to Ruan Nan's bed. As usual, she straddled her, gently pushing her down and kissing her lips.
The kiss was soft and tender, slightly tart from the wine, melting into sweetness.
Qin Juran's hand slowly moved up her thigh.
Ruan Nan trembled.
Qin Juran kissed her chest, and after Ruan Nan shivered, she lifted her head, her eyes hazy as she looked at her and whispered, "Ah Ruan, are you scared?"
Ruan Nan exhaled shakily. "No, not entirely scared.”
She bit her lip, her breathing quickening, her face flushed as if she were ill.
"Are you also shy? And worried? Worried that after I have you, I won't cherish you as much as before?"
...
Bullseye. Ruan Nan could only nod slightly.
"Ah Ruan, don't be afraid," Qin Juran said, gently taking her hand. "Enjoying love with someone you love is nothing to be ashamed of or shy about. We cherish each other, we trust each other."
"Ah Ruan, our sincerity will be the most beautiful adventure we embark on together."
Qin Juran's gentle gaze was almost overwhelming. Just as she said, the thought of experiencing this with Qin Juran filled Ruan Nan with a melting warmth.
Ruan Nan's body gradually relaxed. Qin Juran's kisses rained down on her, soft and lingering like a warm spring rain.
Ruan Nan felt a distinct shift in her body's response.
Qin Juran reached out and, while Ruan Nan was still dazed, swiftly put on two finger cots. Her slender fingers trailed downwards, her hair brushing against Ruan Nan's neck, the familiar scent of freesia enveloping her.
"Ah Ruan, here we go."
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