Chapter 109

Chapter 109

"I heard Ying An wore a costume and went to toss gold coins at your doorstep?" Fan Qing hooked arms with Lin Tingyue, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

Lin Tingyue thought carefully. "Well, Qing Qing, I guess you could put it that way?"

"Ah," Fan Qing lifted Lin Tingyue's chin. "Wow, our Yue Yue is something else! Others go to temples to welcome the God of Wealth, but you? The God of Wealth came knocking at *your* door!"

Lin Tingyue felt a little embarrassed and whispered, "Actually, I didn’t expect it either."

"Not just you, right? Did your mom, dad, eldest brother, second brother, or sister expect it?"

Recalling their stunned expressions, Lin Tingyue scratched her cheek. "I guess they didn’t either."

More than unexpected—they probably thought Ying An was *proposing*! They were *freaked out*.

Fan Qing looked up. "Oh, we’re *here*. Yue Yue, let’s go in quickly."

"Okay."

Lin Tingyue had come with Fan Qing to hit the hot springs today.

As soon as they stepped inside, Lin Tingyue was *blinded* by the steam rising from the pool. Hand in hand, the two walked to the edge, and Lin Tingyue said in surprise, "Qing Qing, what’s with the basket of petals here?"

Fan Qing eyed the petals. "I heard this place is *modeled* after Huaqing Pool, just like when *Yang Guifei* bathed back then."

"Wait, *Yang Guifei* bathed in petals?"

"Isn’t that how it’s always shown in dramas?" Fan Qing said excitedly. "Yue Yue, get in *already*. I’ll sprinkle petals on you."

Lin Tingyue sighed. "Qing Qing, don’t you have anything better to do?"

"Come on, hurry up!"

"Fine, *only* my bestie spoils me like this."

Lin Tingyue stepped into the water, and petals *went flying* as Fan Qing scattered them. Lin Tingyue found it fun too. When Fan Qing joined her, more than half the petals remained in the basket, and the two had a *full-on* petal fight until they were both *reeking* of roses.

Just as they were *having a blast*, they heard chatter from *next door*.

"No worries. I’ll have your partner go get it."

It sounded like someone had forgotten something.

"No need, sister-in-law. I’ll go find him myself."

"It’s nothing. You’re already in the water. I’ll go get your partner for you."

"Sweetheart, come here for a sec..."

The voice gradually faded away.

Fan Qing first remarked, "*You can hear everything here!*"

Then she added, "But… did she just say *‘your partner’*? *Sketchy, no?*"

Lin Tingyue laughed. "Qing Qing, *since when are you so nosy?*"

Fan Qing huffed. "*Who *doesn’t* live for drama?*"

Here’s the refined translation incorporating the expert suggestions:

As she spoke, Fan Qing splashed water onto Lin Tingyue.

The two played around for a while until they grew tired, leaning against the pool to snack. The woman from the neighboring hot spring, who’d left earlier, returned.

"I already asked him to get it."

"Thanks, sister-in-law, but... why do you always call my partner 'sweetie'?"

Bi Yue looked embarrassed. "Just an old habit. I used to teach kids, so it stuck."

"Oh, I see. Sorry, sister-in-law—I wasn’t doubting you..."

"I know. If anything, *I’m* the one who should apologize."

Fan Qing, listening in, murmured, "Glad that’s sorted out."

Lin Tingyue chewed her boba pearls as her mind raced.

*"Too much of a coincidence. Who knew the sister-in-law dated the younger brother?"*

*Splat*—Fan Qing’s fruit tumbled onto the pool edge. *Oops.*

Bi Yue and Mei Yijun had clearly heard that thought.

Meeting Mei Yijun’s gaze, Bi Yue hesitated. "I just didn’t want misunderstandings... Yijun, I swear I’m over him."

Bracing for a fight, Bi Yue froze when Mei Yijun grabbed her hand with a grin. "Of course I believe you."

"Just like that?"

"Yeah. Why would you lie?"

"True. Besides, the liar’s someone else."

Their hands squeezed tighter. *Had someone played them?*

*"Right now, the Yu brothers are definitely in bed together."*

Mei Yijun and Bi Yue gasped.

*Cheating! With both brothers!*

Bi Yue stood. "Let’s get out of here."

"Okay," Mei Yijun agreed.

They’d catch them in the act—no excuses.

Mei Yijun had thought Yu Shui’s hot spring idea was fishy. *Who does this for New Year’s?* Now it made sense: they’d wanted to sneak off unnoticed.

Next door fell silent. Fan Qing tugged Lin Tingyue. "Yue Yue, let’s go back."

"Why?"

*Why else? To rush back for the tea.*

Pouting, Fan Qing complained, "This outfit’s ugly. I need to change—come on!"

The moment Fan Qing started whining, Lin Tingyue was helpless against it. She had no choice but to relent, "Alright, alright."

"Qing Qing is such a spoiled brat."

Fan Qing pouted—who was the real drama queen here, anyway?

Coincidentally, Bi Yue and Mei Yijun's rooms were next door and the one after that.

Bi Yue swiped her keycard and opened the door, then shook her head at Mei Yijun. Her husband wasn’t in her room, so that meant...

Mei Yijun couldn’t believe it. Lowering her voice, she asked, "Are all four of them fooling around in bed together?"

Bi Yue suppressed her anger. "We’ll see when we look."

Just as Mei Yijun pulled out her keycard, Fan Qing was playing dumb while fumbling for hers.

"Where’s my keycard? I swear I put it right here..."

With a beep, the door opened, and Fan Qing and Lin Tingyue both turned to look.

Well, well. Two brothers cheating at the same time—this was not your everyday drama.

Blinded by rage, Bi Yue and Mei Yijun didn’t even bother closing the door before barging in. Only Yu Shui was on the bed—Yu Shan was nowhere to be seen.

Yu Shui stammered, "Yijun, why are you—"

Before he could finish, Mei Yijun slapped him.

Cupping his cheek, Yu Shui demanded, "Yijun, what was that for?"

Arms folded, Mei Yijun snapped, "Yu Shui, have you no shame?"

Bi Yue was even angrier. She searched every corner of the room but found no trace of Yu Shan. She stormed over to the bed and demanded, "Where’s your brother?"

"Sister-in-law, what brother? Isn’t he in his room?"

"Still pretending?"

Bi Yue strode to the window and yanked the curtains open. "Unless your brother yeeted himself out the window with some fling—this is the third floor. Here’s hoping he bit it."

Yu Shui frowned. "Sister-in-law, no call for that kind of talk."

"If she doesn’t check soon, that might just come true."

"You serious?"

Bi Yue and Mei Yijun exchanged glances when suddenly, a scream came from outside. The three rushed to the window—a man was splayed out on the grass below. It could only be Yu Shan.

"Brother!"

Yu Shui roared and tore out of the room. Seeing this, Bi Yue and Mei Yijun quickly followed downstairs.

Fan Qing tugged Lin Tingyue along, tagging after them like nosy shadows. By the time they reached the lawn, Yu Shui was already sobbing over Yu Shan.

"Either call an ambulance or at least get your brother some pants. What good is all this crying?"

Yu Shan was butt-naked.

Yu Shui hurriedly took off his jacket to cover his brother’s junk. In the chaos, he hadn’t brought his phone, but thankfully, some Good Samaritan had already called 120.

Bi Yue stepped forward, staring at Yu Shan's agonized face and said, "You deserve this! Cheating while Yijun and I were at the hot springs—talk about karma!"

"Cut the crap, sister-in-law! If you accuse my brother and me of cheating, where's the woman? Where is she?"

Bi Yue sneered, "Look at your brother now, and you're still making excuses?"

"Point is, you have no proof. You can't falsely accuse me and my brother. There were only the two of us in the room—unless you're suggesting I cheated with my own brother?"

"Ding ding ding! With his own brother."

Bi Yue, Mei Yijun, Fan Qing: "???"

Bystanders: "???"

"As the younger one, Yu Shui was always the parents' favorite. Yu Shan couldn't accept it, and that resentment never faded, even after they grew up. Yu Shan got into some porn and ended up dragging Yu Shui into bed."

Holy shit.

Should I even be hearing this?

Do people really not get it?

And if it's like this, why don't you two just stay locked together? Why mess with other girls?

"Just now, Yu Shui and Yu Shan were in the room... When they heard the door open, Yu Shan thought Mei Yijun had returned. He scrambled onto the windowsill bare naked, planning to come out after she left. But... tsk tsk tsk, he was still half-hard when he fell. Probably out of commission for good."

"HA!" Bi Yue laughed mercilessly. "Yu Shan, you deserve it!"

She turned to Mei Yijun. "Yijun, let's go."

"Right... Bi Yue."

They left arm in arm. Not long after, the ambulance arrived.

"Why didn't you at least put on clothes? This... you're screwed for good."

Watching the ambulance drive off, Fan Qing clapped her hands. "First time I've seen instant karma like this. Instant karma, much?"

"Damn right. So we should still do more good deeds."

"Of course."

Fan Qing and Lin Tingyue decided to return to the hot springs. Just then, Lin Tingyue's phone buzzed. With one glance, her lips curled up.

"Ooooh, a message from the God of Wealth?" Fan Qing teased. "No wonder you're grinning like that."

"Qing Qing, stop joking."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever."

Fan Qing waited patiently as Lin Tingyue replied, watching her smiling profile. She was grinning like a fool too. They're not even dating yet, are they?

Could've fooled me.

Ying An texted asking what Lin Tingyue was up to.

Lin sent him a photo of the hot spring resort.

Yesterday, she'd taken a picture of Ying An dressed as the God of Wealth, saying she'd use it as her lockscreen. Now, that photo wasn't just her wallpaper—it was also the background of their chat.

Lin Tingyue poked the photo and said, "Strange, why do I feel like money is pouring in as soon as I see Mr. Ying?"

Fan Qing perked up—wasn’t there more to it? Like a love life blooming, perhaps?

"Alright, let’s go in."

"Okay."

On the other side, Ying An gazed absently at the photo Lin Tingyue had sent him. After a while, he exited the chat, and his phone wallpaper clearly showed Lin Tingyue in the vineyard.

...

The next day.

Before Ying An began his shift, he heard someone was looking for him. He thought it might be Ying Ning.

Since he hadn’t gone home for the New Year, Ying Ning had been visiting him every other day, bringing loads of snacks and essentials.

When he reached the entrance, who greeted him was Lin Tingyue, holding a small cake with a beaming smile.

Ying An picked up his pace.

He asked, "Miss Lin, what are you doing here?"

Lin Tingyue looked up at him, lifting her hand as high as possible. "I heard that on the seventh day of the New Year, you’re supposed to drop by?"

Ying An took the things from her hands and let out a quiet laugh. "That’s a thing?"

"I don’t know."

"Miss Lin came even though you don’t know?"

"'Better safe than sorry.'"

As she said this, her eyes gleamed playfully, sly as a fox.

Ying An muttered under his breath, "Good thing Miss Lin believes in 'better safe than sorry.'"

Lin Tingyue turned to him. "What did you just say?"

"Nothing."

"Really nothing?"

"Nah. If you didn’t hear it, forget it."

Seeing how serious Ying An looked, Lin Tingyue burst out laughing. "But what if my hearing is bad?"

"No way Miss Lin’s hard of hearing."

"Just humor me."

"Then I’ll say it over and over for Miss Lin, till you get it."

"So, what did you say just now?"

She’d totally set him up.

Well, since I'm already in this deep, what else can I do?

Ying An said softly, "Good thing Miss Lin decided to believe it."

"You know it," Lin Tingyue nodded in satisfaction. "I'm totally superstitious."

Ying An chuckled. "Sometimes I'm totally superstitious too."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

The assistant looked back and forth between them—why don't you two just get a room already!