Knowing the Warmth of Southern Tea (GL) - Chapter 10

Chapter 10

“If you speak again, I will tie you up.” Nan Nuan glanced at Wen Cha. Wen Cha made a gesture as if zipping her lips shut and remained silent.

“Last sentence: how long are we staying here to play?”

“We aren’t staying.”

Nan Nuan felt that Wen Cha was like a dog she once raised—spinning circles around you when happy, and looking at you with a wronged expression when upset.

Having received her answer, Wen Cha stopped talking. She wasn’t particularly sad; after all, she could always come back in the future. She considered this her first act of chivalrous justice as a “Physician Immortal.” The last time… well, that was an accidental injury. But this time was definitely a good deed.

An Yi handed a letter through the carriage window. Nan Nuan opened it and read.

“We were supposed to leave Bing City before dark, but now it seems we must delay for a night,” Nan Nuan said to Wen Cha, who had been staring outside the window.

“Really? That’s great! I’ve wanted to come to Bing City for so long…” Nan Nuan glanced at her, and Wen Cha immediately returned to her silence.

However, it wasn’t long before…

“Nan Nan, can we go wander the market? I heard the markets in Bing City stay open all night long. There’s so much delicious food in the streets. Since we’re here, why don’t we—?”

“No.” Nan Nuan indicated she had no intention of entertaining the idea. Nan Nan?

“Wei Wei, I beg of you.” Wen Cha began tugging at Nan Wei’s sleeve.

“Let go.” Wei Wei? Nan Nuan felt that bringing Wen Cha along was a massive mistake.

“I won’t! Nan Wei, let’s go. I really, really want to go.” Wen Cha felt that Nan Nuan wasn’t actually a bad person, so her courage was gradually growing.

“I will count to three. If you don’t let go, I’m hanging you up.”

“One.” Wen Cha showed that she wasn’t afraid at all!

“Three.” Nan Nuan instantly tapped Wen Cha’s pressure points.

“Waaaah! This isn’t right! What happened to ‘two’?! Nan Wei, I was wrong, I was really wrong!” Wen Cha wanted to cry but had no tears. She had truly planned to let go once Nan Nuan said “two.” Why didn’t she follow the routine?

Nan Nuan looked at her and suddenly laughed. At that moment, Wen Cha thought she had seen wrong.

While Wen Cha was still dazed, Nan Nuan unblocked her pressure points.

As the saying goes: A single smile makes all other beauties pale in comparison. This phrase kept echoing in Wen Cha’s mind. If this person were a woman, she would surely eclipse every other woman under heaven.

“Do not let this happen again,” Nan Nuan said.

“Understood!” Wen Cha replied, imitating An San’s mannerisms. She wanted to see Nan Nuan laugh again. Have you ever met someone like that? You see them once, and as long as they smile at you, you are willing to give up everything just to keep that smile on their face…

…

In the blink of an eye, dusk fell. Nan Nuan brought Wen Cha to stay at an inn. Because of the Love Gu, they only booked one room.

Wen Cha looked down from the second-floor window at the crowds coming and going in the market and sighed helplessly. Although they had stayed, what was the difference between being in this room and leaving?

Nan Nuan, holding a book, glanced at Wen Cha.

“In a little while, I’ll take you to the hot springs,” Nan Nuan said.

Hot springs!! The hot springs of Bing City were extremely famous. Wen Cha had thought that since Nan Nuan wouldn’t even go to the market, she certainly wouldn’t go to the “Clear Pool.” The Clear Pool was a bathhouse built when Bing City was first founded. Originally, it was meant to welcome back soldiers who protected the country; later, it gradually became exclusive to the nobility. As time passed and Bing City’s commerce flourished, restrictions were eased—anyone with money could enjoy it.

“Really?” Wen Cha was so happy she felt like she could fly. Nan Wei was truly a good person; she liked him so much.

“Mm.”

As time passed, Wen Cha grew sleepy and inadvertently fell into a slumber. In her dream, she was just about to eat a roasted chicken leg. This time she finally got to eat it, and no one was snatching it from her.

“Wake up.” Nan Nuan called Wen Cha awake.

“Mmm, chicken leg…” Wen Cha suddenly opened her eyes and saw Nan Nuan in front of her. She startled and fell off her chair.

“Let’s go,” Nan Nuan said.

“Do we need to bring clothes or anything?”

“No need. I’ve had someone prepare everything.”

Wen Cha thought they would walk toward the central district of the market, but to her surprise, Nan Nuan led her toward a secluded area. Wen Cha was a bit scared and followed Nan Nuan closely. Suddenly, they arrived in front of a courtyard. The cherry blossom trees in the yard were in full bloom, their roots thick and lush, looking as though they were hundreds of years old. Wen Cha could faintly hear the sound of water.

Nan Nuan stepped forward and knocked three times. An old man opened the door.

“Military matters are of vital importance to the state,” the old man said.

“The province of life and death, the path to survival or ruin; it is a matter that must be thoroughly examined,” Nan Nuan replied.

“All warfare?”

“Is based on deception.”

“Distinguished guests, please enter.” The old man stepped aside to let Wen Cha and Nan Nuan into the courtyard. Walking through the corridor, they saw the full view of the cherry blossom trees. The petals were fluttering in the air, and Wen Cha was mesmerized.

The cherry blossoms drifted down, scattering across the ground.

“If you have any needs, please give your orders, distinguished guests,” the old man said.

“Many thanks.” Nan Nuan nodded in acknowledgment, and the old man silently departed.

By the time Wen Cha snapped out of her daze, the old man was long gone. Nan Nuan was slowly removing her clothing.

“You… you… you! Don’t you know that men and women shouldn’t be so intimate? I’m still here! How can you just start undressing?” Wen Cha turned around quickly, her face turning beet red. Nan Nuan ignored her, finished undressing, and stepped into the hot spring pool beneath the cherry blossom trees.

Hearing the sound of water, Wen Cha felt even more at a loss. She could only watch the cherry blossoms fall as steam swirled in the courtyard. Suddenly losing her balance, Wen Cha tripped over a stone and tumbled down. Looking up, she saw the “beauty” bathing and unconsciously gulped. Based on the principle that “one look is a look, and two looks are still looks,” she took a few more peeks.

“You’re a woman?!” Wen Cha shouted in shock.

“What if I am?” Nan Nuan glanced at Wen Cha and asked.

“The world-renowned Young Master Nan Wei is actually a woman? I… wait! You aren’t Nan Wei, are you? I heard Nan Wei has a younger sister who has been sickly since childhood named Nan An. You are Nan An, right?” The world knew Young Master Nan Wei, but no one knew his sister.

“I am indeed Nan Wei’s younger sister, but my name is not Nan An,” Nan Nuan said with her eyes closed.

“Then what is your name?” Wen Cha asked.

“Nan Nuan.”

“Nuan (Warm)? But you aren’t warm at all!” As soon as the words left her mouth, Wen Cha covered her mouth and went silent, secretly watching to see if Nan Nuan was angry. However, she found that Nan Nuan hadn’t even opened her eyes, making it impossible to tell if she was more happy or disappointed.

Nan Nuan glanced at Wen Cha and saw her still standing in the same spot.

“Aren’t you going to soak in the hot spring?”

Only then did Wen Cha remember the purpose of the trip. Since they were both women, there was no need for so many taboos.

She quickly undressed and entered the water. They said soaking in a hot spring was a very enjoyable thing!

Having received such a huge shock, only a hot spring could soothe her. Wen Cha carefully lowered herself into the water.

She was very nervous at first, but perhaps the water temperature was too comfortable; she gradually fell asleep.

Looking at the sleeping Wen Cha, Nan Nuan didn’t know what to say. Was she not afraid of drowning herself?

But Nan Nuan also closed her eyes to rest. Cherry blossom petals from the trees drifted with the wind into the hot spring pool.