Chapter 65

Chapter 65

◎Hotel Incident◎

The suite Xiao Ye booked had a king-size bed and was luxurious, complete with a living room, bedroom, and balcony. The bed was large, measuring two meters, which was more than enough for two guys.

Ji Nanxing looked around the room, both inside and out. Due to the high floor and the fact that they were already on the mountaintop, the view from the balcony was expansive, offering a panoramic view of the entire forest.

Additionally, since the Cold Clothing Ritual (a traditional ceremony) had been performed earlier that day, the mountain air was crisp and fresh, with a gentle breeze carrying the scent of greenery, making it especially refreshing.

Xiao Ye put down his backpack and walked to the balcony, standing side by side with Ji Nanxing as they gazed into the distance. "It's a pity we booked a bit late and didn't get a room with a hot tub on the balcony. Otherwise, we could have soaked outside at night. How comfortable would that be?"

Ji Nanxing once again ruined the mood: "The water might not feel cold, but once you get out, the mountain wind will hit you, and you'll freeze."

Xiao Ye laughed: "Then let's come in the summer, during the summer break. Soaking in the tub while enjoying the mountain view—how beautiful would that be?"

The Maple Leaf Hotel, a popular resort, had plenty of activities to offer. In the summer, there was an outdoor swimming pool, and in winter, there was an indoor hot spring. Ji Nanxing wasn't a fan of water activities, but he couldn't resist Xiao Ye's constant nagging.

Ji Nanxing had always known Xiao Ye had a great build, but when Xiao Ye stripped down to just swim trunks, revealing his firm muscles, well-defined abs, and the youthful vigor of a teenager, still carrying the youthful softness of a teenager, combined with his handsome face, he drew attention wherever he went.

Ji Nanxing kept his shirt on, wearing swim trunks with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Although he was on the slender side, he had a slim waist, long legs, and an upright posture. The slightly open collar showed off his collarbone, which was undeniably attractive, making Xiao Ye stare in awe. Xiao Ye suddenly regretted suggesting they go swimming. Wouldn't it have been better to stay in the room and play video games?

Ji Nanxing didn't notice Xiao Ye's distraction. He just ruffled his hair, adjusted his shirt and swim trunks, and then warned Xiao Ye: "Don't do something like suddenly pushing me into the water. I'll really get angry."

He knew how to swim, but he didn't enjoy being in the water. Learning to swim was just part of his family's mandatory training. In their family environment, swimming, combat, untying ropes to escape, and knowing how to protect oneself in critical situations were all required skills. They might never need these skills, but they had to learn them just in case.

Xiao Ye followed him, said "Oh," and then threw a large towel over his shoulders: "Don't catch a cold."

After changing in the locker room, the two entered the indoor pool area. The warm air inside was a welcome change from the cold outside.

People were walking around in swimsuits, mostly groups of young folks. There were pools of various sizes, slides, and water activities.

Since they were already there, Ji Nanxing figured it would be a waste of money to just lounge around, so he followed Xiao Ye and tried out some of the less crowded activities before finding a spot with lounge chairs to relax.

Xiao Ye was having a blast. When Xiao Ye heard Ji Nanxing was tired, he didn't pressure him. Instead, he ordered a bunch of food and drinks for him, placed them nearby, and used a towel to dry his wet hair. After making sure Ji Nanxing didn't need his company, he joined a group of people he had just met to play water volleyball.

Ji Nanxing draped a towel over himself and pulled out his phone. Seeing a message from his older brother, he snapped a photo of Xiao Ye playing volleyball and sent it back.

Soon, his brother replied, telling him to have fun and be safe.

Ji Nanxing replied with a cute nodding emoji and had just put down his phone when someone approached with two cocktails, smiling at him: "Alone? Want a drink?"

Ji Nanxing didn't move from the lounge chair, just glanced up at the person. The man wasn't bad-looking—he was decently attractive by most standards—but he had deep eye bags, dark lips, grayish cheekbones, and cloudy eyes filled with lust, clearly a man worn out by indulgence.

Ji Nanxing looked away and said coldly: "Inviting a minor to drink? Are you looking for a trip to the police station?"

Hong Hao was taken aback, then laughed: "Kids these days have such good genes. I thought you were a college student. My apologies."

He looked regretful. Such a good-looking person was rare, both in appearance and demeanor, and it had completely captivated him.

Still unwilling to give up, he sat down nearby: "So, little brother, how old are you? If you can't drink, how about I buy you some juice?"

Ji Nanxing kept his head down, scrolling through his phone: "Harassing a minor. If you don't leave, I'll call the police."

Hong Hao's expression stiffened. He had been polite, but this kid was being too rude: "I just saw you sitting here alone and thought you might be bored. I was just passing by to chat. You're a grown person; it's not like I'm going to kidnap you. No need to be so unfriendly."

Seeing that this kid wasn't the type to fall for sweet talk, Hong Hao, who was just looking for some fun and didn't want trouble, decided to get up and leave, not wanting to push further.

But just as he stood up, a ball flew from a distance and hit him square in the face.

The ball came flying with such force that Hong Hao stumbled from the hit, and the two cocktails he was holding fell to the ground.

Rubbing his sore face, he turned angrily to see a young man, equally fit, striding over: "Who the hell are you? What do you think you're doing? Don't you know this is a private spot we paid for!"

The chairs here were set up in pairs with a small canopy overhead, creating a private, paid seating area, not just any passerby could sit there.

Xiao Ye walked over, saw the fallen glasses, and immediately stepped in front of Ji Nanxing: "What’s with the drinks? What are you trying to pull? Trying to get my brother to drink? You’re asking for it!"

Hong Hao was livid: "Did you aim that ball at me? You looking for a fight?"

Xiao Ye wasn’t usually impulsive; he tended to be pretty level-headed, but when it came to Ji Nanxing, things were a bit different.

Although he hadn’t indulged in the wild parties of some second-generation rich kids, he had seen enough. This guy was holding drinks and leering at Ji Nanxing, his eyes repeatedly wandering over Ji Nanxing's waist and legs, which Xiao Ye could see from a distance.

He couldn’t hold back any longer and, without a word, swung his fist straight at the creep’s face.

Chaos erupted instantly. The guys who had been playing volleyball with Xiao Ye rushed over to break up the scuffle. Ji Nanxing also got up from his chair to pull Xiao Ye back: "Xiao Ye, stop fighting!"

Hong Hao was no match for Xiao Ye. After a few swings, he was completely subdued. Xiao Ye kept his cool; after a couple of hard kicks and punches, he backed off.

Hong Hao, clutching his bruises, shot Xiao Ye a venomous glare: "You’ll pay for this! This isn’t over!"

After saying that, he picked up his phone from the ground and called the police. He wasn’t about to let this slide!

Xiao Ye snorted, pulled out his phone, and snapped pictures of the spilled drinks. He wasn’t finished; who’s scared of calling the cops?

Ji Nanxing felt a headache coming on, wishing he’d checked his horoscope before heading out.

There was a Taoist temple and a nearby resort hotel. To handle any disputes among tourists, there was a police booth on the mountain for convenience. Soon, hotel staff and the on-duty police arrived.

The involved parties were all escorted to the office.

Xiao Ye adjusted the towel around Ji Nanxing: "You cold?"

Ji Nanxing pushed his hand away: "You went too far."

He had already shooed that guy off. If Xiao Ye hadn’t intervened, none of this would have happened.

Xiao Ye snorted lightly: "I wasn’t impulsive. I knew how much force to use."

With the way that creep was eyeing him, not punching him would’ve been too lenient. He brought Ji Nanxing out to enjoy himself, not to be leered at by some pervert!

Hong Hao was still milking the victim card in front of the cops: "He not only hit me with the ball but also attacked me for no reason! I don’t even know him, haven’t even spoken a word to him!"

An older police officer looked at Xiao Ye and Ji Nanxing. Xiao Ye directly took out his phone: "My brother was just relaxing on the rented lounge chair. This guy came over with two drinks and wouldn’t leave. My brother is still a minor, a high school freshman. Officer, his intentions are pretty clear, right? If it were a girl lying there and a guy came over with drinks, wouldn’t his intentions be clear? Just because he’s a guy, does that make it okay to harass him?"

After speaking, Xiao Ye glanced at Hong Hao and added: "I’m also just sixteen, a high school freshman. If this gentleman wants to sue, no problem, my family’s legal team is ready at any time."

Hong Hao’s expression changed instantly. Damn, most high school freshmen look like kids, but these two, especially the one who hit him, could easily pass for college students!

The police looked at Hong Hao: "It was wrong of them to hit you, but approaching a minor with alcohol is even worse. If you want to sue, we’ll file the case for you. If you want to settle privately, then apologize to them, and we’ll have them back off too, and let this matter drop."

Hong Hao looked at the police in disbelief: "I have to apologize to them?"

Xiao Ye chuckled lightly: "Maybe I should call my family’s legal team. Harassing a minor and trying to force them to drink, I wonder how long that would get you detained."

Ji Nanxing raised his hand to stop Xiao Ye and said to the two police officers: "Although this person harassed me first, hitting him was also wrong. An apology isn’t necessary, let’s just drop this matter."

Hong Hao thought Ji Nanxing was scared, after all, he was just a student, and students are most afraid of the police and having their parents involved. Hearing this, his expression changed again: "Why should we just drop it? What does being a minor have to do with it? Minors can’t just hit people! I said this isn’t over, and it’s not over!"

Ji Nanxing saw that he was still pushing it and laughed: "Alright then, go ahead and file a lawsuit. My name is Ji Nanxing, remember it well. Oh, and officer, could you please provide him with a copy of my ID address? I'll be waiting for his legal notice. Similarly, Mr. Hong Hao, right? Regarding your harassment, my family's lawyers will contact you soon."

Ji Nanxing then turned to Hong Hao and said, "If you find it troublesome, you can also directly contact the legal department of Ji Group. Ji Group is easy to find; just search for the headquarters of Jimin Pharmaceuticals on Baidu, and you'll get the address."

Hong Hao was just an ordinary person with slightly better conditions, not even considered wealthy. He didn't know about Ji Group, but hearing it referred to as a group and mentioning a pharmaceutical headquarters, even a fool would realize that this person must be from an incredibly wealthy family.

No wonder his demeanor didn't seem like that of a high school student. In that moment, he deeply regretted not taking the opportunity to back down earlier.

Unfortunately, Ji Nanxing had given him a chance, mainly because Xiao Ye had thrown the first punch. Since this person didn't want to let it go, then so be it.

"We'll be staying at this hotel for another night. Later, my family's lawyers will come to follow up on this matter. If there's anything, you can contact my lawyer directly."

After saying this, Ji Nanxing made sure there was nothing else to handle and left with Xiao Ye. Hong Hao, no longer caring about face, quickly chased after them: "Ji, Ji Nanxing, right? How about we just let this go? No need to involve your family's lawyers. I'll apologize to you, okay?"

Ji Nanxing smiled at him and said, "Too late."

People who judge others by their status can't just decide when to stop or let things go. The consequences of their actions are theirs to bear.

Seeing them about to leave, Hong Hao tried to chase after them but was quickly stopped by the police.

After leaving the office, Xiao Ye followed Ji Nanxing, occasionally glancing at him cautiously. When they returned to their room, he finally asked, "Are you mad at me?"

Ji Nanxing, holding clothes ready to change in the bathroom, stopped and looked at him: "Why would I be mad?"

Xiao Ye: "I got into a fight again. I actually don't like fighting, but that guy was so disgusting I couldn't help but throw a couple of punches."

The lecherous gaze that had lingered on Ji Nanxing's body was unbearable to recall. Thinking about it now, he felt he had been too lenient and should have hit him a few more times.

Ji Nanxing said, "I'm not mad. I knew you were in control when you acted. I just didn't think it was necessary with someone like that. But since it's done, there's no point in discussing necessity anymore. My family's lawyers will handle the rest; we don't need to worry about it. Since we're here to have fun, let's just enjoy ourselves and not dwell on it."

Hong Hao, judging by his appearance, was about to face a major downfall, which was why Ji Nanxing had initially ignored him. But since Xiao Ye had acted, it was done. It wasn't a big deal and not something to get angry about.

Seeing that Ji Nanxing really wasn't angry, Xiao Ye sighed in relief and added, "I'm actually quite civilized and not one to start fights, but with some people, you just can't be civilized. So, it really depends on the person, doesn't it?"

Ji Nanxing smiled and nodded, then went into the bathroom with his clothes.

Although the incident at the hot spring had dampened their spirits, it didn't affect them much. Such a small matter wasn't worth their concern. Seeing that it was getting late, they headed straight to the restaurant.

Xiao Ye mentioned, "I heard there's a famous pastry at Yuchun Taoist Temple called cherry pastry. My grandfather used to come here with his comrades to hike Maple Leaf Mountain and would bring back a box or two of cherry pastry from Yuchun Taoist Temple. I just asked a Taoist priest there, and he said they didn't make any today because they were short-handed for the Cold Clothes Festival."

Ji Nanxing: "If you like it, you can order it through the Human Realm Network App."

Xiao Ye was puzzled: "Really? Would they deliver, or would I need to call a courier to pick it up?"

Ji Nanxing explained, "You can have a courier pick it up from the management office. They deliver directly to the office, but not every day. They accumulate a certain amount before making a delivery."

Xiao Ye laughed: "I had no idea. I thought I had explored the Human Realm Network App thoroughly. By the way, a couple of days ago, I saw a case on the app where someone had a dream with a very clear address and had the same dream for several days. Out of curiosity, the person went to that place and then disappeared. His family reported it to the police, and his mother thought it was eerie. Besides reporting to the police, she also went to a temple to see if a Taoist priest could help. I've seen similar news online before. Could it really be a ghost sending a message through a dream?"

Ji Nanxing: "Usually, such dreams are from ghosts looking for substitutes. Once you go to those places, it's hard to come back."

Xiao Ye sighed: "So, that person is probably in grave danger?"

Ji Nanxing had also seen the help request, but it was in a neighboring province, not their city. Each area has its own Taoist priests. Seeing Xiao Ye's curiosity, he said, "You can keep an eye on it. Usually, there's a case report you can check afterward."

This wasn't the first time they had spent the night together, but previously at his house, although they shared a bed, they had separate blankets. Now, in the hotel, there was only one blanket. Whether Xiao Ye forgot or intentionally didn't request an extra blanket from the hotel was unclear.

Ji Nanxing lay in bed playing with his phone for a while. When Xiao Ye came out of the shower, he hesitantly got into bed from the other side, slowly moving closer but maintaining a certain distance in the middle, like a shy newlywed.

Ji Nanxing sighed: "It's not like this is our first time sharing a bed. If you don't want to sleep with me, just get another room. You're so far away, there's a gap in the blanket letting in cold air."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Ye rolled over halfway and snuggled up next to him: "I just took a shower and didn’t want the heat to bother you."

Glancing at the time, Xiao Ye pulled the blanket down and lay down: "Let’s sleep; it’s getting late."

Ji Nanxing glanced at his phone; it wasn’t even ten yet, but seeing Xiao Ye ready to sleep, he assumed he was tired from climbing the mountain and playing in the water all afternoon. So he put his phone down and lay down: "Let’s sleep."

Xiao Ye reached out and turned off the room’s light.

Since they were on the mountain, there were no streetlights, only the bright moonlight. The winter chill had silenced the insects and birds, making the night exceptionally quiet.

Xiao Ye groped under the blanket for a while until he found Ji Nanxing’s hand, clasping it in his own, and whispered: "Naonao."

Ji Nanxing murmured, "Hmm?"

Xiao Ye: "Goodnight."

Ji Nanxing smiled: "Hmm, goodnight."

Ji Nanxing was a sound sleeper and drifted off quickly.

On the other hand, Xiao Ye found it hard to sleep. He lay on his side, watching Ji Nanxing. The moonlight cast a faint glow into the room, allowing Xiao Ye, now accustomed to the darkness, to clearly see the outline of the person beside him.

Such a handsome Naonao, what kind of exceptional girl would be worthy of him in the future? Remembering the disgusting look that person gave him today, Xiao Ye couldn’t help but reach out and pull Ji Nanxing into his arms, his fists itching, wanting to hit someone again.

Before dawn, Xiao Ye lightly poked Ji Nanxing’s cheek with his finger: "Naonao, Ji Naonao? Time to wake up."

Although Ji Nanxing was a sound sleeper, he remained somewhat alert even while asleep. When Xiao Ye poked him, he woke up immediately, opening his eyes to see Xiao Ye’s face close up, almost punching him instinctively.

Seeing him awake, Xiao Ye chuckled and handed him his clothes: "Come on, get up."

Ji Nanxing glanced towards the balcony; it wasn’t even dawn yet. He frowned: "What, did you only pay half the room fee, and now you’re kicking us out in the middle of the night to check out?"

Xiao Ye pulled him out of bed: "You can’t come to the mountain and skip the sunrise! Hurry up, let’s go greet the sun!"

As Xiao Ye dragged him to the mountaintop viewing platform, Ji Nanxing thought to himself, thankfully he didn’t have a temper upon waking, or else Xiao Ye wouldn’t see today’s sun.

The viewing platform was already packed, with some people standing casually to enjoy the view, while others sat on sofas placed near the best spots.

Xiao Ye had reserved a spot early, and as soon as they sat down, the breakfast he had ordered earlier was served.

Warm red bean porridge, sizzling pan-fried dumplings, and a bowl of steaming spicy noodles.

Xiao Ye handed him a pair of chopsticks: "Have breakfast while watching the sunrise, and after we’re full and the sun’s up, we can go back to sleep."

Ji Nanxing took the chopsticks, glanced at the food on the table, and placed the bowl of noodles in front of himself. He didn’t have much of an appetite in the morning, so something spicy would help wake it up.

Xiao Ye chuckled; he’d known Ji Nanxing would go for the noodles.

While others chatted or waited for the sunrise, some older folks sipped tea slowly, but only they were heartily enjoying their meal, making even those who hadn’t planned to eat so early feel hungry.

Soon, more people started ordering food. Eating something warm while waiting for the sunrise felt quite nice.

The sun rose as promised, like a tender egg yolk, peeking out bit by bit at the eastern horizon, gradually dispelling the darkness and the cold accumulated during the night.

Xiao Ye sat next to Ji Nanxing, wrapping his arms around him and resting his head on Ji Nanxing’s not-so-broad shoulder: "Look, Naonao, it’s the sunrise."

As the sky slowly brightened, Ji Nanxing nodded: "I see it."

Xiao Ye sighed: "It’s so beautiful—full of hope."

Especially since he had just witnessed a ritual for the dead yesterday. While others treated the Cold Clothing Festival as a sacrificial ritual, he knew that it was a real event where lingering ghosts found peace and moved on. Therefore, today, seeing this sunrise, he felt even more reflective.

Ji Nanxing slightly tilted his head, squinting at the distant sunrise still climbing higher: "Yeah, the beauty of hope."

It wasn't that he hadn't seen a sunrise before. Sometimes, when deeply affected by lingering ghosts, he would stay up all night and then watch a sunrise.

But today's sunrise felt somewhat different, perhaps because there was someone by his side, and the weight of someone's head on his shoulder.

Xiao Ye hugged him tighter: "Are you cold?"

Ji Nanxing shook his head: "Not cold."

Xiao Ye smiled: "Good, you're not cold. Want to grab something else to eat? Or should we go back to sleep and eat something after waking up?"

Ji Nanxing had already eaten a bowl of rice noodles and a few pan-fried dumplings, so he wasn't too hungry. He said, "Let's just sleep for now."

It was still early, and they could sleep for a few more hours, then get up directly for lunch.

Xiao Ye took out his phone and started taking photos of him from various angles, sometimes calling for him to look at the camera, sometimes asking him to smile, running around like a pro photographer.

But Ji Nanxing pretended not to hear any of it, just propping his chin on his hand and gazing at the distant scenery. As for Xiao Ye, who was bouncing around next to him, trying to get the perfect shot, he didn't want to engage and just let him do as he pleased.

At that moment, someone's phone rang, which was a bit jarring but not completely out of place on the crowded observation deck.

Li Minan answered the call, and after hearing what was said on the other end, his expression changed immediately. He quickly said, "I'm on my way!"

After hanging up, he wanted to leave, but as if drawn by some unseen force, he turned his head and looked at the young man sitting on the edge of the observation deck not far away.

The young man also happened to turn his head, his chin propped on his hand, looking totally at ease. His eyes were clear and cold, with a depth and calmness that didn't match his age.

The words "stay in the hotel for three days" suddenly rang in his ears again.

At that moment, Li Minan was truly breaking out in a cold sweat. Coincidentally, it had been exactly three days, and coincidentally, his son had just called to say he had fallen and was in the hospital, urging him to come quickly.

Meeting those eyes that seemed to see through everything, Li Minan's palms were soaked with sweat.