Chapter 244

"But a guesthouse... wouldn't it be different from a hotel, with no front desk and room checks instead?" Hua Xin could almost picture the "male" on her ID card paired with her current appearance—a beautiful young woman who could charm countless young men with a mere flick of her finger—and Xia Yan's silent expression after finding out. Something seemed seriously wrong. The sense of disconnect and conflict between the girl's body and the "male" social information seemed to grow stronger after she left home. The girl pondered briefly, a sudden thought crossing her mind. Should she... find a way to change her ID card...? It seemed like changing her current ID wouldn't have any impact, and there probably wouldn't be any issues like a tissue scan... After all, Hua Xin had no close relatives left, and Xia Yan was the only person she cared about. In short, she'd just have to take it one step at a time. After thinking it over, Hua Xin tightened the backpack strap on her shoulder and said casually, "Left or right?" "My backpack's getting heavy..." "Come with me! I have the key!" Xia Yan let out a shout and walked to the left. The wheels of his suitcase made a dull thud as they rubbed against the ground. Looking at the no longer composed Xia Yan, the girl couldn't help but smile. The feeling of being alive. It's so good. Hua Xin composed herself and slowly followed behind Xia Yan, who was deliberately slowing his pace. Until they were side-by-side. 185. A plan within a plan. As the saying goes, "A close call but no real danger." It often refers to being quite frightened, but ultimately having a good ending, fortunately with some twists and turns along the way. For Hua Xin, this phrase often came up in situations like, "Why did Niu Niu fly away after I woke up?", "Why do I only have a few dollars left today?", and "Who stole my coupons?", but the final result was usually something she could still manage to salvage, except for the first one. She could still find a few cents hidden in a corner of her wallet, which only had a few green bills left, and she could get some more coupons from mysterious places, but the vanished Niu Niu was definitely gone forever. She remembered that those few cents, when put together, seemed to have become a few dollars, enough for a meal—hahaha, it was probably a delicious Thirteen Spices- spice, scallion, and soy sauce fried rice! But when was that?... The girl vaguely remembered it was during her first year of high school, not too long ago, but the joy she felt when she collected that "windfall" was something she had never forgotten. But then again... these were just fleeting thoughts that Hua Xin used to distract herself... or perhaps, to recall old memories when she didn't know what to do. In an instant, the meticulously planned strategy the girl had devised before setting off seemed to melt away along with the chaotic mess of past memories, turning into a mushy mess. She walked slowly forward, the main gate drawing ever closer. The distance closed little by little... "Xia Yan!" "...What?!" Xia Yan seemed startled, a hint of panic in his expression. Hua Xin's sudden call of name brought back memories of the tense state he had in high school. Some strange memory seemed to resurface. Well, not a bad one. Because in high school, Xia Yan had undergone a transformation, and both his grades and interpersonal skills were different from his previous withdrawn and timid self. So... being Xia Yan out wasn't 99% likely... it was probably 100% to receive praise. But this time, being suddenly called by the girl gave him an ominous premonition. "I..." "I want iced tea, Kang Shuaifu." Hua Xin paused for a moment, then said seriously, turning her head to look at him earnestly. Her eyes, illuminated by the gleaming shop signs and neon lights, were as gentle and tender as spring water, reminding Xia Yan of the lush greenery he had once seen on a spring day. A gentle breeze brushed his cheeks, bringing the fresh scent of nature's new life... Okay, Xia Yan admitted he couldn't resist the pleading look in the girl's eyes. All the fatigue of the day's journey seemed to melt away instantly. Xia Yan felt an indescribable power surge through him. Rest didn't necessarily have to be lying in bed, right? Buying the girl an iced tea seemed to be the best way to relieve his fatigue. Xia Yan didn't even entertain the thought of a perfunctory reply like, "Let's put our luggage away first, then we can buy it when we go out to eat." "I'll go now." "I'll be right back!" He said decisively, even mentally checking if the girl was currently in her period. Xia Yan moved quickly, grabbing his suitcase the moment Hua Xin made her request, heading towards some unknown small shop nearby. "?" The girl hadn't expected her plan to go so smoothly. She was momentarily stunned, watching Xia Yan turn and leave before belatedly realizing her plan hadn't succeeded. "Wait!" "Give me the suitcase!" "It's not heavy, I can carry it myself..." "And your ID card." The girl said softly, trying to appear relaxed and avoid arousing Xia Yan's suspicion... Seeing the hint of doubt in Xia Yan's eyes, Hua Xin sighed with feigned helplessness, then took the suitcase from his hand with her right hand, still adorned with a bracelet. You know. Especially at times like these, there can be no mistakes. "The place we're staying is so close, I'll go in and register first, then you can go up when you get back..." "That way we won't waste time." "..." "Wife, you're brilliant!?" After only a few seconds of hesitation, Xia Yan released his suitcase without any suspicion, then took out his ID card from his pocket and handed it to the girl. His unwavering trust made Hua Xin feel a little guilty. She felt somewhat sorry for Xia Yan's trust, but at this moment, she seemed to have no other choice. (Sorry, brother, I was forced to do this to betray your trust. I can guarantee with my reputation that there will be no next time we deceive each other!) The girl silently promised in her heart, then, remembering that the plan was going smoothly, a hint of relaxation appeared in her eyes. "I just need to go to the front desk to verify my ID and get the key, okay?" Although Hua Xin wanted to pretend she understood everything, not understanding was not understanding, and when you don't understand, you have to ask to understand. After all, it was her first time in a hotel, and she obviously had no experience with the check-in process... "Yes." "The payment and everything else have been booked online. It's room 307 on the third floor. Just show my ID and I can go in." "It's past seven o'clock now, which is check-in time. I estimated I'd be here around seven." Xia Yan blinked, slightly...