Chapter 27: Springtime in Full Bloom (Second Update)

When the two of them emerged from the clothing store together, they were nothing short of a dazzling sight. One was as beautiful as a celestial maiden, the other as charming as a prince. To call them a golden couple would hardly suffice to capture their splendor at that moment.

Just then, Zhang Liming and Liu Cuilan also finished browsing and exited the store, catching sight of Du Gu Ming and Lin Xiaowen nearby. “Well, what did I tell you? Isn’t my big brother simply stunning?” Zhang Liming declared with pride.

“And my Xiaowen too, she’s simply descended from the heavens,” Cuilan replied.

“So, do you think I should bring these two together?” Zhang Liming went on.

Liu Cuilan nodded. “Then what do you plan to have them do next?”

“Heh, I’ve already prepared everything,” Zhang Liming said, a sly smile spreading across his face. He spoke silently to himself: Big brother, your little brother is only trying to help you out. If I’ve overstepped, please forgive me. Then, he took Cuilan to another part of the mall.

Meanwhile, a group of staff led Du Gu Ming and Lin Xiaowen to the very top floor of the shopping mall, into a five-star restaurant. They were shown into the most luxurious private dining suite.

“Please come in, both of you. This is our most opulent private suite. See these roses? They’re a rare breed from the Western Regions, their fragrance is said to make lovers even more enamored with each other. The carpet is imported from Persia, woven by hand from the wool of purebred Persian lambs just past a month old. Step on it—it’s like walking on clouds. And look at this…”

The attendant went on at length, extolling the suite’s luxury and the value of its furnishings. After a while, he said, “Please wait a moment, we’ll soon serve you our finest dishes,” and closed the door behind him.

Now, only Du Gu Ming and Lin Xiaowen remained. Alone together in the lavish room, with the intoxicating scent of those Western roses swirling around them, it was almost inevitable that something would happen.

“Um, Xiaowen…” Du Gu Ming’s tone changed, addressing her more intimately. “Why… why didn’t you explain yourself just now?”

Lin Xiaowen blushed furiously, her voice barely above a whisper. “You didn’t explain either…”

Du Gu Ming wanted to say it was because of the look in her eyes that he hadn’t spoken, but thought better of it.

He fell silent, simply gazing at Lin Xiaowen. Du Gu Ming was no love-struck fool—he was, in fact, quite handsome and had been the object of many confessions back in America, but he’d never accepted any because such things didn’t interest him.

Yet now, as he looked at Lin Xiaowen seated across from him, he didn’t know if it was the pounding of his heart or the influence of the roses, but she seemed more beautiful than ever—so alluring he felt himself sinking into a gentle dream, powerless to resist.

Lin Xiaowen, too, gazed back at him with dreamy eyes. She had always been curious about Du Gu Ming, her heart fluttering every time they met, but today, for some inexplicable reason, her feelings for the man before her seemed ready to burst forth unstoppably.

Their eyes met, and in that silent exchange, emotions took root and grew in the quiet soil of their hearts.

Just then, the waiter returned, bringing in a sumptuous array of dishes, shattering the dreamlike moment.

Du Gu Ming snapped awake, startled—had he just been caught in some kind of enchantment? He glanced at the myriad roses in the room, thinking, these flowers truly are something else, their charm almost supernatural. Little did he realize that if his heart hadn’t already been moved, the flowers would have been powerless—he simply shifted all the blame for his emotional turmoil onto them.

Lin Xiaowen, too, emerged from her reverie, though she felt only embarrassment. Recalling her bashful thoughts from moments ago, she wished she could disappear into the floor.

After the waiter left, the two sat in awkward silence, eating slowly. Neither spoke, and time seemed to stretch indefinitely.

At last, the waiter returned and said, “Your lunch is concluded. Please follow me.” He led them down to a grand bathhouse on the lowest floor of the mall.

“This is the final stop of your experience. You may each enjoy a sauna in the private rooms to the left and right. Shortly, our staff will be at your service,” he said, then withdrew.

After a full day, both Du Gu Ming and Lin Xiaowen felt exhausted—a bath was a perfect indulgence. The mall had truly thought of everything; if only they were a real couple, it would have been the perfect day.

They exchanged a glance and went their separate ways as indicated.

Upon entering, Du Gu Ming surveyed the room. Even for someone as worldly as himself, the sheer luxury was impressive. There were soaking tubs, showers, a sauna, and even a gigantic LCD screen playing Hollywood blockbusters. In a corner, a table held every possible brand of cosmetics and bath products. No wonder, he thought, people say the Chinese know how to enjoy life—his years in America now seemed rather provincial.

He enjoyed a long, relaxing soak, over an hour, when a middle-aged man entered. “Sir, I’m the top masseur here, and I’ve come to offer you a complimentary massage. Would you like one?”

Having just spent so long in the bath, Du Gu Ming felt pleasantly tired and gladly accepted.

During the massage, he asked whether the young lady next door would be receiving similar service.

“Yes, indeed,” replied the masseur, “but our best female masseuse will attend to her.”

Du Gu Ming felt a wave of relief.

If Zhang Liming had overheard, he might have said, “Big brother, do you think I’m stupid? I may be a bit slow, but I wouldn’t mess up something this obvious.”

The masseur’s skills were indeed top-notch—Du Gu Ming had rarely experienced such comfort, even in the U.S.

Time slipped by unnoticed. After a brief nap, Du Gu Ming awoke to find the massage complete. The masseur handed him a fresh set of pajamas. “Please change into these.”

As soon as he touched the fabric, he couldn’t help but marvel at the softness. Wearing them was a true delight.

“Please follow me, sir,” said the masseur. “This is your final stop.”

With each step, Du Gu Ming found himself increasingly fond of this outing. Despite the earlier awkwardness with Lin Xiaowen, the service had been impeccable. He was genuinely curious about what the last stop would hold.

He followed the masseur down a long corridor and stopped at a door. “Please, go inside,” the masseur told him.

Du Gu Ming stepped in—and saw Lin Xiaowen lounging lazily on a vast bed, while across from her loomed a massive, ultra-high-definition projection screen.

From the doorway, the masseur announced, “Please enjoy our bathhouse’s private home theater. No one will disturb you. Should you need anything, simply press the button by the bed.” With that, he closed the door behind them.

Lin Xiaowen had just finished her massage and been brought here, where she was told she could watch a film, so she lay quietly on the bed. She hadn’t expected Du Gu Ming to walk in so suddenly. Startled, and clad only in her pajamas, she quickly pulled the covers up to hide herself.

Seeing her reaction, Du Gu Ming was mortified and hastened to apologize and leave.

As he turned to go, Lin Xiaowen, almost without thinking, blurted out, “Don’t go.”

Thus, Du Gu Ming stood awkwardly, neither able to leave nor stay.

Lin Xiaowen then said, “Come sit over here. I’ll cover up with the blanket.”

Hearing this, Du Gu Ming was momentarily dazed, but he walked over and sat by the bed. Together, they watched a movie—Titanic, a classic love story.

Meanwhile, Zhang Liming and Liu Cuilan, after a day’s shopping, headed toward a hotel.

“Honey, do you think your plan will work?” Cuilan asked.

“I wasn’t too sure at first, but now I have a secret weapon. They won’t be able to resist,” Zhang Liming replied with a wicked grin.

“What secret weapon?” inquired Liu Cuilan.

Without a word, Zhang Liming produced a small bottle from his pocket. Liu Cuilan took a close look and covered her mouth in shock. “You actually used this on them? Aren’t you afraid they’ll come after you?”

Zhang Liming shrugged. “They’ll be too busy enjoying themselves to care. Really, they should be thanking me. Honey, shall we try it ourselves tonight? I hear it works wonders,” he said mischievously.

(Author’s note: I’m sure you all can guess what this is—no need to spell it out, heh.)

Back in the bathhouse’s private suite at the bottom of the mall, Du Gu Ming and Lin Xiaowen sat together on the bed, watching the film.

But gradually, Du Gu Ming felt a wave of heat spreading through his body, a strange fire kindling in his core. His focus drifted from the screen, and his mind grew hazy.

When he turned, he saw Lin Xiaowen’s face flushed with desire, her skin tinged with a rosy hue, her eyes glistening with longing. The blanket had slipped away, exposing her ivory skin—a scene charged with spring’s promise.

Suddenly, like a lioness, Lin Xiaowen threw her arms around him, and Du Gu Ming’s last shred of self-control vanished.

In that moment, the room was awash with the heady atmosphere of spring’s awakening.

(Author’s note: At last, our hero and heroine have come together. In compliance with national regulations, this scene must end here—use your imagination for the rest, heh. There will be another chapter tonight—three updates today! If you appreciate my hard work, please take a moment to register and add this story to your favorites. Your support means the world to me.)