Chapter 89 Part 1

It was a little past four in the morning when Chi Nuan woke up.

The room was unfamiliar, the bed was unfamiliar, but the Gu Ningzi in her arms—from her breathing to her body temperature—was familiar to her on a bone-deep level.

It was after midnight now; it was already New Year’s Eve, and they were welcoming the new year at the Hot Spring Villa, a place Gu Ningzi’s mother had often visited in life.

All was silent, as if she could hear the snow outside the window layering down onto the ground.

Chi Nuan reached out and lightly touched Gu Ningzi’s face in the darkness. Over the past year or so, Gu Ningzi had recovered most of her lost memories, and their love and attachment for each other had grown day by day.

Gu Ningzi wasn’t sleeping deeply either; the ticklish sensation on her face quickly roused her. She grasped Chi Nuan’s hand, her voice laced with lazy drowsiness: “Awake?”

Chi Nuan said softly, “Yesterday at your sister’s house, your dad…”

Gu Miaoyan had learned that the three of them had arrived in the North and warmly invited them over for a small gathering at her home. Gu Ningzi’s father had been there too, but the father and daughter hadn’t crossed paths, staying on different floors.

Before mealtime even arrived, Gu Ningzi had taken Chi Nuan and Little Wutong away.

Bringing it up now, Gu Ningzi assumed Chi Nuan was upset and sleepless over not being acknowledged. She pecked gently at her fingertips and comforted her: “Don’t mind it.”

Chi Nuan didn’t mind. Compared to the ruthless tactics from years ago that had torn them apart, simply sharing the same space peacefully now was already profoundly meaningful. Gu Ningzi’s father seemed unwilling to see them on the surface, but he had actually made a silent concession.

Chi Nuan said from the bottom of her heart, “It’s already very good like this.”

Gu Ningzi opened her eyes, and the two gazed at each other for a moment before she asked Chi Nuan, “Want to soak in the hot springs?”

Chi Nuan: “Now?”

Gu Ningzi: “Soaking and then sleeping will feel more comfortable.”

Chi Nuan got up as instructed. Gu Ningzi first went to the next room to check on Little Wutong. Borrowing the dim light from the snow outside the window, she went in and tucked him in properly.

The room had no lights on, and the sky outside was neither bright nor dark. They opened the door leading to the backyard and walked hand in hand along the stone path. The snow had lightened to scattered flurries. But the distant mountains, once lush and verdant, had taken on a new look overnight.

Clad in silver and white.

The Natural Hot Spring covered a vast area, with steam rising from the pool surface—it was no exaggeration to call it a paradise on earth.

Soaking in the hot spring water made her feel warm all over. The fine snowflakes fell onto the water’s surface and vanished in an instant.

After soaking for a bit, Gu Ningzi wrapped herself in a bathrobe and sat on the pool’s edge to drink some water. Chi Nuan felt thirsty too and draped herself over Gu Ningzi’s lap, tilting her face up: “Give me a sip.”

She looked just like a cat coquettishly begging for cuddles.

Gu Ningzi handed her the cup.

Chi Nuan reached for it, but Gu Ningzi changed course midway, chuckling as she hid the cup behind her back.

“…” Chi Nuan laughed helplessly: “What are you doing… I want a drink too.”

Gu Ningzi propped herself against the pool edge and leaned down to kiss her.

Chi Nuan blinked, a tiny snowflake landing on her eyelashes. In this icy snow world, Gu Ningzi’s kiss was scorching hot.

Their lips and tongues intertwined in a sweet kiss that lasted a good while before ending. Chi Nuan caught her breath, her face flushed as she turned her persistently upturned neck to ease the stiffness, muttering softly: “So you weren’t going to give me water after all…”

Gu Ningzi: “Is that what you hoped for?”

Chi Nuan: “…”

Gu Ningzi took out the water cup, drank a sip, shrugged off her bathrobe, and slipped back into the hot spring.

Water droplets trailed down Gu Ningzi’s cheek, the waterline level with her bare chest. She hooked Chi Nuan’s chin and drew her close; both of them laughed.

The sun hadn’t risen yet, and the fine snow had just stopped.

Chi Nuan let out urgent, muffled moans. The warm water accelerated her blood flow, multiplying the sensations of arousal. She pressed against the pool wall, clinging tightly to Gu Ningzi’s shoulders as she gently ground against her, making her feel like she was melting from the heat.

The pleasure built up too much; she could hardly bear it.

Gu Ningzi lightly nipped her flushed earlobe: “No need to hold back—no one will come here.”

…

In the afternoon, they took Little Wutong to the supermarket to buy ingredients for the New Year’s Eve dinner.

Following Northern custom, they had to eat dumplings. Chi Nuan pushed the cart around the supermarket, and as she passed the candy aisle, she belatedly realized it had been a long time since she’d eaten any candy.

Those psychological comforts she had sought in her bitterness had found no use since she got together with Gu Ningzi.

Her gaze softened as she turned her head; Gu Ningzi and Little Wutong were trailing behind. Little Wutong hugged a huge puzzle and asked Gu Ningzi happily: “Auntie Gu, when can we go play at Big Sis Doudou’s house again?”