My Girlfriend is a Cold and Aloof Sickly Beauty 161

Chapter 161: The Massage Chair

Jiang Xue felt that it was a very peaceful melody.

The musician seemed to be in a bamboo forest deep in the mountains, a cold moon hanging high above. With her head lowered, she plucked the strings as wisps of white smoke curled upward from the incense burner beside her.

The music shifted, and she was dressed in white, carrying a guqin on her back, lightly leaping over a babbling brook and puddles, wearing a veiled bamboo hat, descending the mountain without hesitation.

…Who would she meet at the foot of the mountain?

The answer was obvious.

“It’s the female traveler the runaway bride met, right?” Jiang Xue looked at Xiao Luohan. “An important NPC in the ‘Travel the World’ route. I remember there’s also a happy ending where ‘the love story of the runaway bride and the traveler becomes a timeless legend.'”

“Yes, it’s her character theme song,” Xiao Luohan said, her voice filled with a smile, having been guessed correctly by her beloved. “I like this character very much. Brave, free-spirited, and resolute, walking her own path until the very end.”

Meeting her smiling eyes, Jiang Xue remembered that Xiao Luo also liked traveling.

In the ancient world, due to her frail health, unable to go out, Xiao Luo could only read travelogues for comfort.

—”Visiting the mountains and rivers mentioned in travelogues and recording them in paintings, hopefully collecting them into a series… this has been my dream since I was young.”

So, the first original song Xiao Luo submitted to Non-Dream was for this character.

“If this collaboration is successful, will you write songs for other characters too?” Jiang Xue asked curiously.

“Probably, but it depends on whether the music director of Non-Dream needs them,” Xiao Luohan said. “The atmosphere created by the guqin is more ‘tranquil,’ melancholic and solitary, or leisurely and peaceful. Although it can also be adapted into solemn and steady pieces, it still lacks the grandeur of the guzheng.”

“That’s true… there aren’t many characters in Non-Dream suitable for pure guqin music,” Jiang Xue recalled the information and interviews she had been studying. “And they’ve also collaborated with other traditional musicians.”

Considering popularity, music style, and character suitability, it wasn’t unusual for a relatively small game studio like this to invite a “rising internet star” to participate and assist with some non-essential content. It was a mutually beneficial way to attract fans.

Since she had to discuss the collaboration, Xiao Luohan brought her new, lightweight business laptop, and her guqin, packed in its custom-made case.

The next day, Jiang Xue carried the laptop, Xiao Luohan carried the guqin, and they got into the car Yin Yuan had driven to their house.

On the way, they canceled their high-speed rail tickets to the neighboring province, but kept the return tickets.

If the collaboration discussion only took one day, and there were no urgent follow-up matters, they would continue with their original two-person trip plan, and Yin Yuan, who had work and was only here to help with the collaboration, could drive back first.

The CP-loving, socially anxious person drove silently and diligently.

Xiao Luohan had already sent the address of their high-end hotel to Yin Yuan last night. Yin Yuan set the navigation and, upon arriving, helped them with their luggage before driving away without looking back.

“Isn’t Yin Jiejie staying here?” Jiang Xue, who wasn’t very familiar with Yin Yuan, couldn’t help but ask.

“She’s frugal when traveling,” Xiao Luohan said. “She probably booked a cheaper hotel nearby.”

The first day of their trip deviated slightly from their plan. They had originally considered the physical exertion of taking the high-speed rail, transferring subway lines, and walking, so they had planned to mainly rest today and then visit the famous “night market” in the evening.

But because of the Non-Dream collaboration, Ms. Silin had sent the reliable Yin Yuan, who had driven them directly to their destination, so they weren’t tired at all, just a little stiff from sitting in the car for so long.

Their hotel room had a massage chair, but only one, so they had to take turns.

Jiang Xue pushed Xiao Luohan onto the chair without a word, adjusted the settings, and let her enjoy it first, while she made tea and revised their travel plans, sinking into the soft sofa.

“There’s a glass walkway nearby, specifically for thrill-seekers. Although it’s not as ‘dangerous’ as the glass walkways in the mountain scenic areas in the south, it’s still quite well-regarded,” Jiang Xue said, browsing the local social media platform. “We originally planned to go there tomorrow, either during the day or in the evening.”

“When do you want to go today?” Xiao Luohan asked knowingly. “Daytime? Evening? Night?”

“Since we have the opportunity, I do want to watch the sunset from the glass walkway,” Jiang Xue said, looking at the pictures on the social media platform and imagining herself and Xiao Luo cuddling there, bathed in the red-orange sunset glow. It seemed perfect.

Xiao Luohan only used the massage chair for a while before turning it off and trying to pull Jiang Xue over. “We can revise the plan while you’re getting a massage.”

But Jiang Xue wanted her to relax more and shook her head. “No, I…”

Before she could finish, she felt a hand on the back of her head, and then a shadow loomed over her.

Catching Jiang Xue off guard with a kiss, before she could react, Xiao Luohan pulled her into an embrace and, lifting her slightly off the ground, half-carried, half-dragged her to the massage chair!

“…You’re getting stronger!” Jiang Xue said, looking at her in surprise as she sat down. “No wonder you were able to handle that fish the other day!”

“I’m just making up for what I lacked before,” Xiao Luohan said, bending down to turn on the massage chair, her hands resting on the armrests as she continued kissing her.

Jiang Xue was practically trapped in the massage chair, which was very sturdy and didn’t even wobble.

The massage function vibrated faithfully, making her tremble all over, while she also worried about biting Xiao Luo’s tongue.

That was the tongue that was going to negotiate a collaboration!

Xiao Luohan, however, wasn’t afraid at all and wasn’t holding back.

The so-called “revising the plan while getting a massage” was completely forgotten. She had already had this idea while sitting in the massage chair herself, and now she was simply putting it into practice.

She explored with gusto, only retreating after she was satisfied, then gently nuzzled Jiang Xue’s flushed cheek with her forehead, like a mischievous cat seeking affection from its owner after being naughty.

Jiang Xue was drenched in sweat. Before going to the scenic spot, she had to take a shower and change into something more comfortable and photogenic.

“How do you want to get there? Taxi or bus?” she asked Xiao Luohan after getting ready. “For the bus, just follow the local public transport account in the payment app.”

“Let’s take the bus. I remember there’s a special line for the scenic area, the one that costs 2 yuan,” Xiao Luohan said, following her instructions. “If we see any interesting spots along the way, we can get off and explore. It won’t cost much.”

She didn’t mention that she actually enjoyed the leisurely pace of the bus.

It was the most common mode of public transportation, and she could observe ordinary people on the bus, their clothes, expressions, movements, and demeanor.

And being among them, she felt like she could experience a bit of “ordinary life.”

As they left hand-in-hand to find the bus stop, Xiao Luohan recalled Dr. Qi’s private advice from six months ago.

—”After you’ve been here for a while, you might experience some psychological issues. It’s not your fault, it’s inevitable.”

—”For the past seventeen years, you’ve been confined to a closed environment due to your illness and status. Now you’re free, but you might not be able to adapt immediately.”

—”If you feel your ‘condition worsening,’ come to me immediately. Observe the ordinary people in this world, and even if it’s difficult to fit in, don’t limit yourself with an ‘outsider’s’ perspective.”

Lost in thought, she and Jiang Xue arrived at the bus stop, checking the real-time updates for the scenic area line.

It was also Jiang Xue’s first time in this city. Even though she had done her research and watched many vlogs about the scenic area, actually taking the bus, with her girlfriend, who trusted her completely, by her side, she still felt a little nervous.

It wasn’t that she was afraid of making mistakes, but she was worried about wasting time and making Xiao Luo walk more than necessary.

They ended up getting off the bus twice during the six-stop journey.

Once was because Xiao Luohan wanted to see the flower garden and the stone sculptures of goddesses, and to pray before each statue, wishing for their blessings; the second time was when they passed by a large lake, with many tourists waiting on the shore for the arrival of the antique-style tour boats, while some couples or families chose the pedal boats nearby.

Confirming that the pedal boats could also reach the glass walkway, Jiang Xue pulled Xiao Luohan off the bus to buy tickets.

For safety reasons, each pedal boat had a professional “captain.” Unlike the boat tour in Gaoyuan Ancient Town, which provided commentary along the way, the captains here usually just paddled silently, only speaking when asked by the tourists. They could also freely explore the nearby waters. The captains were essentially “water taxis.”

They were both satisfied with this arrangement. Jiang Xue scanned the QR code at the ticket booth, and then scanned another code on the boat to start the timer—these pedal boats were charged by the hour.

Their captain was a woman who looked to be in her forties, with a high ponytail and a refreshing outfit. After paddling for a while, she asked enthusiastically, “Are you going to the glass walkway?”

Seeing them nod, the woman smiled. “I knew it. Young people your age all love going there. It’s a ‘couple’s sanctuary’! My daughter also said she would take her girlfriend there when she grows up.”

She chattered a bit more, about the strong wind on the mountain, not to buy the ginger tea there because it was expensive and tasted bad, and not to look down if they were prone to dizziness, to look ahead instead, not caring whether Jiang Xue and Xiao Luohan were listening, then focused on paddling, her words like the automated announcements in vehicles reminding passengers to “check their belongings before leaving.”

Jiang Xue had come prepared, bringing light jackets, snacks, and drinks. While waiting for the cable car to reach the glass walkway, she and Xiao Luohan put on their jackets and, as soon as they stepped out of the cable car, were greeted by the cool mountain breeze.

“We should really thank that auntie,” she said to Xiao Luohan. “But the point of walking on a glass walkway is the ‘thrill,’ so I still plan to look down.”

Xiao Luohan nodded, but after stepping onto the glass walkway, she kept looking ahead and around.

—And waiting for Jiang Xue, who was determined to “experience the thrill,” to come to her.

She had only walked about ten meters when Jiang Xue caught up and hugged her from behind.