Damn it, I'm surrounded by childhood sweethearts

After soaking for more than half an hour, the moms gradually got out of the hot spring pool.

Although soaking in the pool is comfortable, staying too long can also be taxing on the body.

"Xiaofan, are you going to soak for more?" Zhang Chunxue, second last to leave the pool, asked as she saw he didn't seem ready to move.

"Yeah, I'll soak a bit longer. Anyway, there's not enough room in the bathroom," Xu Qingfan replied, matching eyes with the aunt's particularly pretty water droplet shape.

Zhang Chunxue thought that made sense, so she said, "Then don't soak too long. You could put on some clothes and wait a bit before taking a shower."

"Yeah, yeah, got it, got it," Xu Qingfan nodded obediently.

The five girls also gradually left the hot spring pool. After putting on their yukatas, Lin Wanning was the last to leave, assisted by Zhang Yiyi and Wen Wanqing.

"Brother Chou Fan, hurry up! We're all hungry!" Xiao Ruawen ruffled Xu Qingfan's head with her foot, getting a scolding smack from her mom.

"How can you use your foot to touch Xiaofan's head, don't you know it's dirty!"

"No way, we just cleaned ourselves in the hot spring. You can ask Brother Chou Fan, he doesn't mind!" Xiao Ruawen dropped a bombshell and quickly escaped with Xia Xiaoxiao.

Xu Qingfan: ???

What should he say, what could he say?

"People like Xiaofan are just good-tempered and won't stoop to your level!" Luckily, Zhao YueMin was a good aunt, fully trusting Xu Qingfan's character and apologetically nodding at him.

"No problem, Auntie," Xu Qingfan naturally displayed an innocent, harmless, extremely polite attitude.

"Alright, the aunt will apologize to you on behalf of Ruawen."

"No need for apologies; we're all family, no need to apologize." Xu Qingfan's definition of 'family' remains a mystery to this day.

"Okay, the aunt will go change clothes first. Don't soak too long, Xiaofan."

"Qingfan brother, I just saw fireflies, let's catch fireflies later!"

"Alright, later we'll take Wanning and catch them."

...

After everyone left, Xu Qingfan sat on the stone bench, exhaling deeply.

"Damn, what am I thinking!" He slapped the certain someone underwater but didn't dare use too much force.

It was fine during the massage just now, but he doesn't know why, once idle, the words Zhang Chunxue said kept playing in his mind, and he ended up overthinking.

Sometimes, having overly active thoughts isn't a good thing. When you think crookedly, the imagery is really vivid.

Xu Qingfan recalled reading an article once that said some people could only construct a two-dimensional black-and-white plane model in their minds.

He was not included in that category. Not only models but even sounds automatically adapted to that sentence: "Xiaofan, be gentle, Auntie's old age can't take it."

Xu Qingfan stayed in the water for a little longer, confirming that no one would come back, before he got out of the water.

The bathrooms upstairs were likely all occupied, so he simply didn't bother going back and instead fetched a water ladle from the tap.

Turning the left side of the tap produced hot water, so there was no need to worry about the body not being able to handle sudden changes in temperature.

Since no one was around, he decided to strip even his swim trunks to wash thoroughly.

Ionia: Unyielding and immortal; Xu Qingfan totally didn't believe the growth hormone wasn't used elsewhere.

"If it grows any bigger, I'll be embarrassed to use a public restroom." Xu Qingfan remarked self-deprecatingly.

"Why would you be embarrassed to use the restroom... ah!"

Xiao Ruawen accidentally knocked her phone down and returned to find Xu Qingfan mid-wash.

"Brother, why aren't you wearing clothes!" She glimpsed a sight, didn't dare look again, quickly turned and went back.

Xu Qingfan glanced down at himself, then looked at her, and helplessly said, "How was I supposed to know you'd walk without making a sound."

"I...I forgot to take my phone, quickly put on some clothes!" Naturally, she was trying to sneak up and scare Xu Qingfan, but instead, she got frightened herself.

Xu Qingfan sighed, temporarily slipped on a bathrobe, then picked up her phone after drying his hands.

"It's like I'm the one spying on you; clearly, I'm the one at a loss." He placed the phone in Xiao Ruawen's hand and said.

Xiao Ruawen thought well, good girls shouldn't argue with boys, took her phone without looking back, and quickly slipped away.

"Walk slower, don't fall." Xu Qingfan reminded from behind.

"Got it!"

Xiao Ruawen sprinted to the corner of the stairway with all her might; the villa was quite large, and this back-and-forth was almost a hundred meters.

After leaving Brother Chou Fan far behind, she felt like her energy was drained and slid straight to the floor.

"I guess I must have been seeing things..." Xiao Ruawen was still somewhat in disbelief over the fleeting sight, too shy to take a second look.

But the scale, the size, how could it be possible?

Xiao Ruawen was left puzzled, afraid to ask Xia Xiaoxiao for fear of revealing what happened with Brother Chou Fan, despite there being nothing between them.

Once she gathered some strength, she got up from the floor and returned upstairs to shower and change clothes.

...

Xu Qingfan didn't take long to shower and change; before ten, he was already burning charcoal in the front yard.

In the yard, there's a specially built grill for barbecues, with four long stone benches that can easily seat all eleven of them.

Though it's cold tonight, the wind is not strong, making it a perfect time to gather around the fire for a barbecue party.

The sky is clear and bright; away from the bustling city, without light pollution and smog, those stars that had long disappeared from memory have reappeared.

It was only after the charcoal started to burn that he leisurely went home to get the skewers.

The skewered meat was placed on the grill; it didn't take long before the aroma whetting everyone's appetite wafted throughout the yard.

The girls and moms followed the smell to the yard and, seeing Xu Qingfan earnestly grilling, everyone laughed and said:

"I was wondering where Qingfan was, turns out he's already helping us with the barbecue!"

"Doesn't this mean he can both be present at social gatherings and cook in the kitchen?"

"Men who can cook are the most handsome!"

"Brother Qingfan, I want some shrimp!"

As everyone laughed and joked, only Xiao Ruawen stayed quiet like a quail, clearly still recovering from the shock just now. Seeing the person in question made it even more awkward.

"I just started grilling not long ago; it won't be done so fast. I used the faucet downstairs to rinse, didn't shower," Xu Qingfan explained.

"Oh, Ruawen just said she was coming back for her phone. You didn't run into each other, did you?" Zhao YueMin exclaimed in surprise.

Xiao Ruawen immediately panicked, looking guiltily towards Xu Qingfan.

[Brother Chou Fan, what nonsense are you spouting? You'll ruin me!]

"I was wearing trousers, so there's nothing much to see, right Ruawen?" Xu Qingfan raised an eyebrow at Xiao Ruawen.

[Yes, it can be explained away with wearing pants!]

Xiao Ruawen instantly rejuvenated, perking up, "There's nothing worth seeing anyway."

As for the surprise shout just now, [the villa is so big, probably can't be heard upstairs... right?]

Xu Qingfan just smiled silently, glanced at her, and continued grilling the skewers.

Xiao Ruawen understood his look: nothing worth seeing, so why were you so startled just now?

Xiao Ruawen was quite annoyed, but she had to hold it in, unlike Jing Kun, who vents whenever he wants.

Actually, she completely misunderstood Xu Qingfan. What Xu Qingfan truly meant with his glance was: good thing it's Ruawen, a girl with long hair but short insight. If it were Xiaoxiao, he wouldn't even know how to explain!

And explain what? Naturally, explain why soaking in the hot spring suddenly left him unyielding.

This was indeed hard for Xu Qingfan to explain, which is why he thought it was a relief that it was just the fussing and silly Xiao Ruawen.

Seven or eight minutes later, the first round of grilled meat was almost done.

Xu Qingfan picked up a skewer and asked, "It should be cooked; who wants to be the guinea pig and try it?"

He was just saying it for show because he immediately took a bite himself, confirming it was indeed well done, "It's ready to eat. Wanning, wait a bit for the shrimp; it's easy to burn the mouth."

"Got it, Brother Qingfan!"

Everyone immediately started eating; each had at least two skewers in hand, cleaning off the skewers that covered the grill.

The rest was a grill-your-own fest, with barbecue gatherings thriving on participation.

In the bushes, many fireflies were hovering and foraging, their green glow flickering like LED lights.

Lin Wanning wanted to catch one of the nearby fireflies, stretched out her hand, and indeed caught one.

"Brother Qingfan, look quickly!" It flashed in her hand, and she exclaimed excitedly.

Fireflies typically appear in summer, but some types, like the Huangyuan Shorthand Firefly, appear in winter, but they have extremely high environmental requirements, needing clean water, fresh air, and lush vegetation.

When everyone looked over, Lin Wanning opened her hand, and after circling in her palm for a moment, the firefly quickly flew away.

"The environment here is great; I don't know how long it's been since I've seen fireflies," Wen Wanqing said with a smile.

"Fireflies are picky about their environment; in Li City, even moss is hard to find now; the air pollution is severe," Xu Qingfan felt deeply about this.

"Well, nothing can be done; development inevitably brings pollution. Let's not talk about this; instead, let's talk about the New Year's Eve party," Zhang Chunxue clapped her hands, breaking the topic.

"I heard that at the New Year's Eve party, Qingfan gave Xiaoxiao flowers, and then Xiaoxiao kissed him in front of everyone. What was that about?" Zhang Chunxue sat up straight, eager to know gossip written all over her face.

Xu Qingfan and Xia Xiaoxiao exchanged glances. Why bring up old matters again!

"Oh, it was just a plan with Xiaoxiao, no gossip, and not dating. Auntie, don't be nosy," Xu Qingfan waved dismissively.

But Zhang Chunxue wasn't so easily fooled; she read the forums of Licheng Middle School too!

She continued, "But how come I heard that at school they're saying, Qingfan, you're secretly dating Ruawen, and Xiaoxiao only kissed you on stage after learning about it!"

Lin Jing: ???

Zhao YueMin: ???

Yao Jiping: !!!

Xu Qingfan: ...

...

"