Even though this man had seen every inch of her body, he hadn't made any untoward moves.
Sir Tao was truly a gentleman of integrity.
However, his suggestion to change universities and move to a different city would be incredibly difficult for me...
Tao Bai hadn't clarified that his surname was "Tao" as in "peach（桃）," so in Pan Yaoyin's mind, he remained "Tao" as in "pottery（陶）."
"Is two hundred thousand enough?"
As Tao Bai spoke, he retrieved two hundred thousand in cash from his earthy-yellow storage bag.
Pan Yaoyin didn't even see clearly where the money came from.
In the blink of an eye, as soon as his voice faded, the money was there by her bed.
Is Sir Tao an immortal?
"Is this real money?"
Pan Yaoyin picked up a stack, feeling the unique texture of the banknotes, and asked in disbelief.
Tao Bai didn't answer.
Pan Yaoyin looked up at him, her eyes shimmering, conveying a hidden affection.
She didn't believe there was such a thing as a free lunch.
The man before her had helped her so much, yet she had no way to repay him...
"Sir Tao..."
Her voice was faint, as if she wanted to whisper something.
When Tao Bai leaned in, she planted a soft kiss on his cheek.
Everything was understood in silence.
"Miss Pan, we shall meet again if fate permits."
Tao Bai stood up, opened the door, and walked out of the room.
"Grandma, the matter has been successfully resolved.
We need to get going."
Tao Bai interrupted the grandmother and Gui Nianqiu's chat.
"Young man, it's so late.
Why don't you stay the night and leave tomorrow?"
"No need to trouble you, Grandma."
Tao Bai grinned, then effortlessly lifted the travel bag from the wooden sofa with one hand.
Seeing this, Gui Nianqiu also picked up a smaller travel bag.
Seeing that they were determined to leave, the grandmother didn't try to stop them further.
Instead, she unzipped Gui Nianqiu's bag and stuffed a jar of candied fruit inside.
"Take this flashlight!"
The grandmother picked up a flashlight and handed it to Gui Nianqiu.
"No need, Grandma. We can see the road."
Seeing Gui Nianqiu hesitate, Tao Bai declined on her behalf.
Gui Nianqiu shot a disgruntled glance at Tao Bai.
You can see, but what about me?
By this time, Pan Yaoyin was fully dressed, but she didn't come down to see them off.
She simply watched silently from upstairs as the two walked out the door, holding hands, until they vanished into the night.
After walking for a while, Tao Bai put his travel bag into his storage bag.
Gui Nianqiu did the same, stowing her heavy bag away.
Tao Bai summoned his wooden sword, had Gui Nianqiu stand on it and hug him from behind.
Under the stars and moon, an hour later, the two walked hand-in-hand into the Chenzhou International Hotel in Hunan Province.
They took a business suite at 1080 yuan a night.
"Did you do that thing?"
Inside the suite, Gui Nianqiu looked at Tao Bai, asking in an interrogating tone.
"What thing?"
Tao Bai feigned ignorance.
"Tao Gege, I realized you're really..."
Gui Nianqiu pounced and punched him lightly, then nestled into his chest, speaking with a hint of jealousy.
"Don't you know my character by now?"
Tao Bai looked down at Gui Nianqiu's high ponytail, then grabbed it, combining the two tails into one and tugging gently.
"I'm not some 'three-second man'..."
"Ah~"
Gui Nianqiu let out a soft cry, pushed Tao Bai's hand away, and immediately squatted down...
…
They checked out at 1 pm and wandered the streets.
Gui Nianqiu, having been nourished by spiritual energy again, looked even more radiant.
Compared to a month ago, she was like a different person;
Her chest seemed to have grown a cup size, reaching a C.
"Old Chenzhou Restaurant, let's eat there!"
Gui Nianqiu pointed at a Hunan cuisine restaurant.
The restaurant was crowded, mostly with nearby office workers.
The owner, speaking with a heavy Xiang accent, asked,
"Handsome and beauty, what would you like to eat?"
"Jiahe Blood Duck, Sautéed Pork with Sour Beans, and a plate of water spinach,"
Gui Nianqiu replied in standard Mandarin.
The owner confirmed the spice level for the last two dishes with Gui Nianqiu, saying,
"No problem. Handsome boy, what do you want?"
"Farmhouse Bowl of Fragrance, and add a portion of egg drop soup."
Before long, the Jiahe Blood Duck was served in a rough porcelain bowl, red oil brimming over the edge.
The Sautéed Pork with Sour Beans and water spinach were ordered mild, but Gui Nianqiu still ate until she was sweating profusely, constantly grabbing tissues to wipe her face.
Meanwhile, as Tao Bai ate the Farmhouse Bowl of Fragrance, he used his Xuan Ice power to neutralize the internal heat, so he didn't sweat at all.
A moment later, the egg drop soup placed in front of him was moved away by Gui Nianqiu.
Seeing this, the corners of Tao Bai's mouth lifted in a smug smile.
In the afternoon, the two went to climb Suxian Ridge; tickets were 15 yuan each.
Suxian Ridge is located at the northern foot of the Nanling Mountains and is known as the "18th Blessed Land under Heaven."
A breeze blew on the mountain;
It was damp and cold.
The temperature here was unlike Yangcheng;
It had dropped below double digits, hovering around 5 degrees Celsius.
Fortunately, Gui Nianqiu had bought a relatively warm cape.
Standing on the stone slab at Peach Blossom Residence, Tao Bai sensed carefully;
The density of spiritual energy here was indeed more than fifty percent higher than in the city center.
Gui Nianqiu took out her phone and, amidst the cold wind, snapped away at the surrounding scenery, asking Tao Bai to take a few photos of her as well.
They climbed the uneven stone steps, which had weathered countless years, and reached White Deer Cave, where Tao Bai took a few more photos of her.
After photographing some stone tablet calligraphy and walking through a lush bamboo forest, they finally reached the Suxian Ridge, which offered a panoramic view of Chenzhou.
Gui Nianqiu bought some water and ate some pickled radishes, praising them endlessly.
She even took two photos of the radishes.
Tao Bai was puzzled by her behavior.
What's so good about photographing pickled radishes?
By then, the sun was about to set.
Gui Nianqiu took a few photos of the sunset until her phone notified her that the storage was full, so she had to stop.
"Tao Gege, come look! The sunset is so beautiful..."
Gui Nianqiu called Tao Bai over to stand with her and watch the sunset.
Once the sun had completely set, they retraced their steps.
By the time they reached the foot of the mountain, Gui Nianqiu's feet were sore and aching, so Tao Bai carried her on his back for a while.
Seeing this, some other women started acting spoiled with their boyfriends, demanding to be carried too.
Lying on Tao Bai's back, Gui Nianqiu felt a secret delight, a smile playing on her lips.
"BenZuo am worn out..."
Tao Bai found a long stone bench and made to put Gui Nianqiu down.
"Liar, how could you be tired?"
Gui Nianqiu didn't want to get down.
"Normal people get tired."
Tao Bai put her down without further discussion.
Leaving the scenic area, they strolled around the nearby ancient town, ate a round of snacks, and then booked a suite at a nearby hotel.
Clean wooden floors, a clean large bed, and a clean large bathtub.
Since she had climbed a mountain and walked a long way, Gui Nianqiu felt she needed a good bath, and her clothes needed washing too.
She walked straight into the bathroom, and the sound of running water soon followed.
She took a hot shower first, then shifted her gaze to the large bathtub.
She had never used a bathtub before...
After fumbling around a bit, she quickly filled the tub with hot water.
She slowly leaned back against the tub, letting the hot water soak every inch of her skin...