Hot Spring Resort

The next evening.

The sweltering heat gradually faded as the sun began to set in the west, and a magnificent sunset began to appear on the horizon.

Aemeath booked a spacious and comfortable private car directly on her phone to go to the resort.

The black car drove smoothly towards the scenic coastal area on the outskirts of the city.

The air conditioning in the carriage was just right, and Lu Yan and Aemeath sat side by side in the spacious back seat.

Aemeath naturally rested her head on Lu Yan's broad shoulder, her hands tightly wrapped around his arm, occasionally stroking the back of his hand.

As the car gradually drove away from the bustling urban jungle, the scenery outside the window began to change visibly.

Towering office buildings are gradually being replaced by low-rise, quaint coastal villas and lush windbreaks.

As the car drove onto a winding coastal highway, the view suddenly opened up.

Outside the car window, the boundless blue sea unfolded before my eyes like a painting.

The setting sun generously poured its last rays onto the sea, dyeing the shimmering waters with large patches of scattered gold and orange-red.

At the horizon where the sea meets the sky, a few fiery clouds, tinged with the glow of the sunset, drifted slowly by.

The car window rolled down slightly, and a cool, damp sea breeze carrying a faint salty smell immediately rushed into the car, brushing against Aemeath's soft, long hair and grazing Lu Yan's cheek, instantly dispelling the last trace of stuffiness from the city.

"How beautiful..." Aemeath murmured as she looked out the window at the sunset.

Lu Yan turned his head, gazing at Aemeath's stunning profile bathed in the soft glow of the setting sun, a gentle smile playing on his lips.

"Yes, it's beautiful."

The car drove along the coastline for about twenty minutes before finally coming to a stop in front of a Japanese-style hot spring resort nestled between mountains and the sea.

This upscale resort, named Wave-Watching Pavilion, retains a pure traditional Japanese architectural style.

Beneath the enormous wooden plaque, two rows of staggered stone lanterns emit a quiet, warm yellow glow, echoing the distant sound of the waves.

Aemeath and Lu Yan stepped out of the car, a mature woman in a dark, high-end business suit with her hair neatly styled in a bun, accompanied by two waitresses in kimonos, quickly approached them.

This is Manager Yue of the resort.

Manager Yue has worked at the resort for many years and has hosted countless top celebrities in the entertainment industry. She considers herself to have seen it all.

But the moment she saw the faces of the young man and woman before her, a look of amazement and shock still flashed uncontrollably in her well-traveled eyes.

The man standing on the left is tall and straight. His simple white casual shirt accentuates his broad shoulders and narrow waist, giving him a perfect proportion. Even just standing there casually, he exudes a sense of composure.

His features were deep and handsome, especially his eyes, which shone with a golden light in the twilight, possessing a gentle yet composed quality that made people afraid to look directly at him.

The girl beside him was breathtakingly beautiful. Her long, flowing pink hair cascaded over her shoulders, her face was so exquisite it seemed otherworldly, and her skin was as white as the finest mutton fat jade.

Wearing a simple white dress, she exudes a pure and innocent charm.

"They're practically a match made in heaven..."

Manager Yue was secretly amazed, momentarily lost in thought. Quickly regaining her composure, she adopted her most impeccable professional smile and gave a respectful slight bow.

"Are you Aemeath and Lu Yan? I'm the manager here, Manager Yue."

Welcome to the Wave-Watching Pavilion.

When facing outsiders, Aemeath instantly sheds the soft and gentle demeanor she displays in front of Lu Yan.

She calmly asked, "Manager Yue, have you taken care of everything I asked you to do on the phone yesterday? Has the area been cleared?"

Sensing the powerful aura suddenly emanating from this stunningly beautiful and innocent young woman, Manager Yue immediately replied respectfully:

"Miss Ai, please rest assured, everything has been arranged according to your instructions. Starting from sunset today, all guests in the entire resort, except for the necessary staff to provide exclusive services for the two of you, have been vacated."

"This beach and all the hot spring facilities will be exclusively yours for the next three days, and you will not be disturbed by anyone else."

"Very good." Aemeath nodded in satisfaction, her aloof aura vanishing instantly.

She turned to look at Lu Yan, reverting to her charming and clingy girlfriend persona, and smiled sweetly, "A-Yan, let's go inside."

"Miss Ai, Mr. Lu, this way please." Manager Yue stepped aside and personally led the way, gesturing to the waiter behind her to bring the blue suitcase filled with various swimsuits.

The group walked through the resort's quiet courtyard.

Underfoot is a smooth bluestone path, flanked by meticulously trimmed bamboo groves and babbling brooks where deer roam. Water flows through bamboo tubes and then falls onto the stones, making a crisp "clang, clang" sound, adding a touch of serene tranquility.

Manager Yue led them to a top-tier suite called Wave Room, located at the deepest part of the resort and in the best location.

As you pull open the heavy sliding door, a faint scent of rush and wood wafts out.

The suite was extremely spacious, with high-end tatami mats throughout.

The living room and bedroom are separated by an exquisite ukiyo-e screen.

What's most amazing is the huge floor-to-ceiling glass door at the far end of the living room that can be fully opened.

The waiter respectfully pushed the glass doors open to both sides, and a refreshing sea breeze instantly rushed into the room.

Outside the door is an extremely spacious wooden terrace, and in the recessed center of the terrace is a large open-air private hot spring pool with wisps of steam rising from it.

Just a few wooden steps away from the hot spring pool lies a private, pristine white beach.

The seawater lapped against the beach, making a splashing sound, and the waves were so close to the room that it felt as if you could reach out and touch them.

After putting away their luggage, Manager Yue and the waiter respectfully left the room, considerately closing the door behind them.

The moment the door closed, Aemeath took off her sandals and stepped barefoot onto the soft tatami mat. Like a happy kitten, she ran around the spacious room once before finally plopping down on the soft bed in a starfish position.

Wow, this place is amazing!

Aemeath rolled around on the bed excitedly twice, then suddenly sat up, her pink hair slightly messy but making her look even more charming.

She glanced at Lu Yan, who was leisurely surveying the room, her eyes gleaming with eager anticipation, and loudly announced:

"A-Yan! After tonight, for the next three days, we're going to have a really good, really fun time here!"

Looking at her vibrant and energetic appearance, Lu Yan's eyes were full of doting affection.

He walked to the bedside, pulled her into his arms, and ran his long, slender fingers through her slightly disheveled hair. "Okay, whatever you say. You're in charge for these three days. Do whatever you want."

Aemeath leaned against his waist, glanced at the vintage clock on the wall, and rubbed her stomach. "A-Yan, I think I'm a little hungry. It's almost dinnertime."

"Ding-dong~~"

Just then, the pager at the room door rang, and a gentle voice from the waiter came through:

"Miss Ai, Mr. Lu, excuse me. It's time for dinner. The kitchen has prepared a top-quality Japanese kaiseki meal for you two. Would you like it delivered to your room's terrace now?"

"Japanese kaiseki cuisine! It must have top-quality sashimi!" Aemeath's eyes lit up, and she was just about to say yes.

Lu Yan gently squeezed her hand, then walked to the door, pressed the call button, and spoke softly into the pager:

"Send it over now. But please tell the kitchen that I don't need sashimi or any raw meat for my order. Please replace it with cooked food, whether it's grilled, roasted, or braised. I'm a little averse to undercooked meat. Also, no alcohol."

The attendant on the other end of the pager paused for a moment, clearly accustomed to hearing guests at Japanese resorts not requesting Japanese specialties, but her exceptional professionalism prompted her to immediately reply, "Okay, Mr. Lu, I'm very sorry, we'll have the chef prepare a separate meal for you right away, please wait a moment."

After hanging up the call, Lu Yan turned around and met Aemeath's gaze, which was filled with both heartache and some annoyance.

How could she forget? Back in her hometown, the elders had told her that he had never eaten fish since he was a child, let alone raw meat with its raw, fishy smell.

The man who never ate cooked fish since childhood once forced himself to drink a whole bowl of blackfish soup, which she had cooked for the first time and which had a fishy and bitter taste, just so as not to upset her.

"A-Yan ~" Aemeath stepped forward, wrapped her arms around his waist, and pressed her face against his chest. "I'm sorry, I was just happy and forgot to specifically tell them."

"What's there to apologize for?" Lu Yan chuckled and playfully pinched her nose, his tone brimming with boundless indulgence. "You eat your top-quality sashimi, I'll eat my cooked food, it doesn't conflict. As long as I can see you enjoying your meal, everything I eat tastes like heaven."

"However..." Lu Yan changed the subject, lowering his head slightly, his warm breath brushing against Aemeath's ear, his voice slightly hoarse with a hint of suggestion, "After we've eaten, later... shouldn't we change into that white one-piece swimsuit and show it to me alone in the hot spring?"

A blush instantly spread across Aemeath's cheeks. Without flinching, she tilted her head back, her eyes gleaming with seductive light.

"You can change all three sets if you want to watch them."

As night fell completely, a bright moon hung between the sea and the sky, generously casting its silvery-white light onto the shimmering surface of the sea.

With a few soft knocks, a resort staff member pushed an elegant food cart and delivered dinner to the ocean-view terrace with its private outdoor hot spring.

As expected of top-tier Japanese kaiseki cuisine, all the tableware was made of simple and elegant lacquerware and coarse pottery, and the presentation of each dish was like a miniature work of art.

Especially the enormous ice sculpture sashimi boat placed in front of Aemeath, with swirling dry ice mist at the bottom and neatly arranged bluefin tuna belly, crystal clear botan shrimp, and thick, plump slices of salmon sashimi with distinct textures.

"Wow, it looks pretty good!" Aemeath sat cross-legged at the low table, holding a pair of delicate wooden chopsticks in her hand, her eyes filled with intense curiosity.

"A-Yan, you don't know, when I was surfing the internet before, I saw so many people from other countries raving about sashimi," Aemeath said, picking up a thick slice of salmon sashimi. "I want to try it and see what this supposedly top-tier delicacy really tastes like."

Following the example in the video, she spread some freshly ground wasabi on the salmon, dipped it lightly in soy sauce, and then eagerly put it into her mouth.

Lu Yan sat opposite her, with a platter of premium Wagyu beef pan-seared in butter and cooked seafood specially made for him in front of him.

He didn't touch his chopsticks, but instead rested his chin on his hand, a gentle smile on his lips, quietly watching Aemeath's expectant little expression.

However, after only two chews, Aemeath's bright eyes instantly dimmed, and her beautiful eyebrows furrowed.

"Wow!"

Aemeath forced herself to swallow the fish in her mouth and quickly picked up the freshly squeezed, chilled juice next to her and took a sip to suppress the lingering taste in her mouth.

"What's wrong? Is it not good?" Lu Yan asked with a light laugh, casually grabbing a tissue to wipe the soy sauce stain from the corner of her lips.

"What kind of top-notch delicacy is this!" Aemeath complained bluntly, her little face scrunched up. "It's all soft and mushy, with no chewiness at all."

She glanced disdainfully at the remaining salmon on the ice boat, and pursed her lips. "Especially this salmon, it's so greasy, it leaves your mouth feeling all oily! I really don't understand why so many people like to eat this undercooked stuff, it's like paying to suffer."

Lu Yan couldn't help but laugh when he saw her adorable expression of disappointment and frantic complaining.

He reached out with his chopsticks, picked up a piece of top-grade Wagyu beef that was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, sizzling with oil, and brought it to Aemeath's lips.

"Here, try this. Top-grade Wagyu beef, medium-rare, with butter and black pepper flavor."

Without hesitation, Aemeath opened her mouth and bit into the piece of beef.

The rich meat juices burst in your mouth, the savory beef flavor blending perfectly with the creamy butter, creating a complex and layered sensation that sashimi can never match.

Mmm! This is delicious!

Aemeath instantly brightened, and she squinted her eyes contentedly, like a cat that had just enjoyed a delicious dried fish. "Indeed, cooked meat is the best! A-Yan, I want some from your plate!"

"Okay, it's all yours." Lu Yan affectionately pushed his plate in front of her, and the two of them shared a hearty, homey dinner under the moonlight, accompanied by the sound of waves.

The meal ended in a warm yet slightly comical atmosphere.