Side Story - Trip (2)

Tang Yu felt her cheeks heating up while savoring the rich milky fragrance and sweet taste filling her mouth. At the same time, she couldn't help but wonder how a certain someone could be so handsy regardless of the occasion.

After walking on the pedestrian street for a while, Wen Tao suggested having hot pot, and everyone agreed. In this snowy weather, sitting together, eating steaming hot pot, and enjoying the snowy scenery was most suitable.

When the group entered a hot pot restaurant, the first floor was packed, and the heating inside was turned up. So, many people could be seen with their jackets off and their sleeves rolled up as they dipped various ingredients into the hot pot soup. On the second floor, a table by the window happened to be vacated at this moment. As soon as the customers left their seats, a waiter quickly cleaned the table and disinfected the surface before replacing the used pot with a new one.

Meanwhile, another waiter led Yin Zhao-an and the others to the vacated table on the second floor. However, upon verifying the number of diners, the waiter realized that the window-side table was two seats short, so he politely asked if the group wanted to add more seats or sit separately at another table.

"Let's add seats. Otherwise, the remaining two people will be so lonely." Li Beiyu spoke up.

"Maybe those two people would be happy to get some alone time together," Zhao Yu quickly retorted.

Everyone in the group fell into silence, seemingly considering the feasibility of the situation.

The waiter stood still with a notepad, wondering what was going on.

"We'll have two extra chairs." Yin Zhao-an was the first to break the silence, kindly resolving the situation for the waiter.

"Alright, may I ask if you would like a divided pot or a single mala pot?"

"Divided pot," Yin Zhao-an answered again.

"Okay." The waiter quickly wrote down the order and showed a standardized smile. "There is a QR code on the corner of the table. You can use it to order and pay through your phone. If you need anything, please feel free to contact us. Enjoy your meal!"

Soon, someone came over with the hot pot base and turned on the table's built-in stove.

Tang Yu sat by the window, overlooking the lively pedestrian street below. The snack stalls were crowded with tourists, and everyone left with a full load of food.

Yin Zhao-an noticed Tang Yu's focused gaze, and she couldn't help but chuckle and ask, "Do you want to eat barbecue?"

Tang Yu glanced at Yin Zhao-an with resentment in her eyes and made a soft "hmph" sound. It was neither too light nor too heavy of a response, and hearing it made Yin Zhao-an feel as if a feather was tickling her heart.

"We can buy some later, then."

"Really?"

"Really."

Tang Yu's lips curved into a faint smile, a hint of delight coloring her face. If she had a tail, it would definitely be wagging with joy at this moment. The ordered ingredients quickly arrived, and everyone wasted no time tossing a bunch of meat into the pot before contemplating what to put in next.

Yin Zhao-an helped Tang Yu cook a piece of shrimp dumpling. The translucent shrimp paste turned milky white after it was boiled, and it was both delicious and refreshing.

In no time, the hot pot meal turned into a silent gathering where everyone cooked meat for their respective partners. Yin Zhao-an, the main culprit of this phenomenon, not only felt no embarrassment, but she also ordered a few more servings when the meat was running out, as if she wanted to make sure her wife was well-fed.Li Beining looked at the remaining few slices of meat and silently picked up his phone to continue ordering.

Only Zhao Yu was the most sensible one. When he saw Gao Rang also reaching for his phone, he quickly stuffed a roll of lamb into his mouth and whispered, "That's enough; we won't be able to finish if we order more."

The most distinctive scene was Li Beiyu's side. She wasn't particularly enthusiastic about meat. Instead, she focused on scooping up the cooked meat from the pot and putting it into Luo Sanyi's bowl.

After all, Luo Sanyi was a wolf demon. She definitely loved eating meat.

The hot pot dinner turned into an unusual display of affection. When everyone walked out of the restaurant, their stomachs were warm and stuffed.

As promised, Yin Zhao-an took Tang Yu to buy barbecue, while the others had different plans. Some wanted to continue shopping, and some wanted to return and nap. Hence, everyone went their separate ways, but agreed to meet up in the evening to see the ice sculptures together.

Tang Yu bit into the freshly grilled meat on the skewer, squinting her eyes contentedly. Her lips were slightly stained with sauce, making her look a bit silly.

Yin Zhao-an held several skewers of barbecue and took out a tissue from the pocket of her down jacket. Then, while wiping Tang Yu's mouth, she teased, "You look just like a little kitten."

Tang Yu blushed slightly. Taking the tissue from Yin Zhao-an's hand, she modestly wiped the corners of her lips before neatly folding the tissue and saying, "It's okay; I'll wipe my mouth after I finish eating."

Then, with food in her mouth, Tang Yu mumbled, "Where should we go next?"

After pondering for a moment, Yin Zhao-an answered, "Let's go for a walk in the park and digest our food." "Okay."

…

The two of them walked slowly and steadily along a street covered in winter scenery.

When Tang Yu looked up at the gray sky, she suddenly felt a chill on her face. The air was chilly, and a gentle breeze blew through the street.

But not long after, Tang Yu felt a pair of warm hands gently touch her face. When she looked toward the hands' owner in a daze, she saw that Yin Zhao-an had taken off her gloves at some point and stuffed them into her down jacket. Meanwhile, Yin Zhao-an's warm hands felt like two miniature suns, and Tang Yu couldn't help but have a sense of longing for them.

However, Tang Yu still retained her rationality. After rubbing her face against Yin Zhao-an's hands like a cat a few times, she removed Yin Zhao-an's hands and grabbed Yin Zhao-an's gloves to put them back on for her. Then, with the tone of an elderly person, she admonished, "It's cold; you'll get hurt if you don't wear gloves. You're already this old, yet you still need someone to remind you. How embarrassing."

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry, my little fool." Yin Zhao-an indulgently tapped Tang Yu on the head and helplessly chuckled.

Suddenly, white snowflakes floated in front of them, falling gently like cotton. Some of them mischievously twirled in the wind.

"It's snowing." Tang Yu reached out to catch the snowflakes. A translucent snowflake lay in her palm. Despite a thick layer of cotton separating the snowflake from her skin, she could still feel its chilling coldness.

Yin Zhao-an put Tang Yu's hat on and held her hand, dragging her along hastily, saying, "It might start snowing in a moment. Let's go back to the hotel first."

They hailed a taxi on the roadside and entered the vehicle, the taxi's warm air conditioning restoring the sensation to their cold and stiffened faces.

Though snowflakes were beautiful, they were ultimately cold from inside to outside.

…

Back at the hotel, the room was heated well. After Yin Zhao-an entered the room, she went into the bathroom to fill the bathtub with warm water. Then, after feeling that the water's temperature was appropriate, she called Tang Yu to take a bath.

"I've prepared your clothes. Go take a hot bath. You're all cold, like an ice lolly."Tang Yu resisted and hesitated, her beautiful eyes staring straight at Yin Zhao-an.

"What's wrong?" "Mm… Well… Let's…bathe together." Tang Yu's voice was very soft, the words "bathe together" nearly inaudible.

Yin Zhao-an was a little surprised by the request, but she didn't refuse. "Sure."

…

The hotel bathtub was large enough to accommodate two strong adult bodies, let alone these slender girls.

Tang Yu nestled naked in Yin Zhao-an's arms, her cheeks blushing lightly. The thin curtain partially obscured the view outside the window, but she could still sense the icy world beyond the wall.

"Shall we go see the ice sculptures tonight?" Tang Yu lazily asked as Yin Zhao-an's hands gently kneaded her tired shoulders.

"Yeah, let's go see the ice sculptures tonight," Yin Zhao-an said before pausing. Then, she looked outside at the howling wind and snow with some concern and continued, "I just hope the snow stops soon."

…

Fortunately, as night fell, the wind and snow gradually subsided, leaving behind a thick layer of snow on the ground.

Yin Zhao-an urged Tang Yu to put on a thick sweater, tie a scarf, and wear a hat. Then, only after wrapping Tang Yu in a down jacket did she feel assured letting Tang Yu step out of the hotel room. When the two arrived at the lobby, the others were already waiting there with hints of anticipation on their faces.

The cessation of the wind and snow brought the group much convenience. Yin Zhao-an held Tang Yu's hand through the thick cotton gloves and waited at the entrance for the tickets to see the ice sculptures.

Li Beining had gone to buy the tickets. After ensuring everyone had their ticket, he adjusted his gray scarf around his neck and pulled Wen Tao inside.

When Tang Yu stepped into the venue, she was instantly amazed by the splendid colors and exquisite ice sculptures inside. There were buildings made of ice and snow all around her. They were illuminated by different lights, appearing both beautiful and mysterious. It felt like she had just stepped into a fantastical world of another dimension.

Seeing the radiance reflected in Tang Yu's eyes, Yin Zhao-an smiled gently and silently took out her phone, capturing every dazzling moment she beheld, freezing the scenes into eternal stillness.

"Don't just stand there. Let's go; there's still so much scenery to see," Yin Zhao-an said as she squeezed Tang Yu's hand and guided her along the route indicated on the map.

Every time they stopped at a place, Yin Zhao-an would silently capture the moment while embracing the joy-filled person beside her. Many years later, joy would still emerge in their aged eyes whenever they looked back at these photos, and they would feel as if they were once again freely wandering through the wintry fairytale world.

While Tang Yu was earnestly studying the principle behind the soaring phoenix ice sculpture, Yin Zhao-an received a group message from Li Beiyu.

Li Beiyu: Hey, guys! There will be a fireworks display in five minutes. Find a good spot to enjoy the fireworks!

Yin Zhao-an pursed her lips and chuckled. After searching around for a bit, she found an arched bridge perfect for watching the fireworks display. Immediately, she pulled Tang Yu along as they walked toward it.

Most of the tourists were still immersed in the boundless creativity and skill of the ice sculptors. Only a few visitors anticipated the grand spectacle that was about to unfold, and these visitors had already found a prime viewing spot and looked up into the sky with anticipation.

Stepping onto the sturdy arched bridge, Tang Yu glanced at Yin Zhao-an with a puzzled expression, her expression seemingly asking: What's so special about this place?

Yin Zhao-an didn't say a word and only smiled silently, her naturally attractive features becoming even more enchanting under the dazzling lights.

Suddenly, a long, resonant sound pierced through the darkness of the night. Then, after a few seconds of silence, a splendid display of alternating green and purple fireworks burst open, shattering the veil of darkness.

Of course, no matter how splendid the fireworks were, in Yin Zhao-an's eyes, they paled in comparison to the sparkle in Tang Yu's eyes.

Thus, as countless fireworks exploded in the sky, Yin Zhao-an leaned down and kissed Tang Yu. She also didn't forget to capture the moment with her phone, rendering their kiss and the splendor behind them perpetual.

==The End==