Chapter 70 – Hot Springs
Bai Jinyan carried Qiao Huaiyao back to the bedroom and casually closed the door.
It was already late when they returned from finishing the experiment.
A slight delay while handling other matters, and midnight had easily passed.
The second hand of the clock ticked rhythmically around the dial.
The lights outside had long since been turned off, and the darkened living room was only faintly illuminated by a sliver of light from under the bedroom door.
The night wind was strong, howling as it slammed against the windows of the high-rise.
Muffled sobs filled the room, and his voice, shaky with emotion, carried a hint of a sob.
The clock moved silently past midnight.
The sky began to lighten, and the turbulent wind finally calmed down after a whole night of chaos.
In the end, they hadn’t gone all the way.
With nothing in the dorm to use, it was easy to get hurt.
Considering many factors, Bai Jinyan restrained himself, kissing Qiao Huaiyao’s reddened eyelids and gently wiping away his tears.
Qiao Huaiyao hadn’t fallen asleep yet, lacking the strength to even push him away.
Bai Jinyan held his hand, kissed the marks on his wrist, and drew him into his arms, his voice lazy, “It might get even more intense later…”
His words trailed off into Qiao Huaiyao’s ear. Qiao Huaiyao silently snuggled closer to Bai Jinyan.
“You’re already crying like this,” Bai Jinyan gently patted his back, speaking nonchalantly, “How will you handle it in the future?”
Qiao Huaiyao: “…”
“Hmm?” Bai Jinyan’s fingers lightly rubbed his reddened earlobe, “Tired?”
Qiao Huaiyao gave a barely noticeable nod.
Bai Jinyan looked at the person deeply nestled in his arms, eyes filled with amusement. He didn’t tease him further, instead raising his hand to turn off the bedroom light.
He wrapped Qiao Huaiyao in his arms, pulled up the covers, and softly said, “Goodnight.”
Qiao Huaiyao still didn’t raise his head. When he spoke, his voice was slightly muffled and carried a faint hoarseness, “Goodnight.”
…
The air conditioning in the laboratory was running on full blast.
While waiting for the experiment results, there was nothing that could speed up the machine.
Qiao Huaiyao sat at the desk, resting his chin on one hand, his unfocused gaze fixed on the machine operating not far away.
His mind was filled with thoughts of the previous night.
Glancing down at the marks on his wrist, he paused, then lowered his hand and tugged his sleeve down a bit to cover half his hand.
Although they hadn’t gone all the way, they had done almost everything else.
Qiao Huaiyao pursed his lips, feeling his face grow warm.
His phone on the desk vibrated twice, pulling Qiao Huaiyao out of his memories.
The class group chat showed that the instructor had tagged everyone.
Instructor: [The school is organizing a skiing trip this afternoon. If you’re interested, please message Qiu Shufeng to sign up. It’s a recreational activity, not a competition, but the department strongly encourages everyone to balance work and leisure. Everyone who participates in this skiing event will receive three extra credits.]
The weather was getting colder, and the ski resort, which had been quiet all summer, was starting to open.
The ski resort used artificial snow. Although it had snowed heavily in recent days, it wasn’t enough to keep the resort running.
The instructor had just posted the message, and Qiu Shufeng forwarded it to the smaller group chat.
Qiu Shufeng: [Anyone who likes skiing can join. The ski resort just opened and is collaborating with the school for promotion. The spots are free and unlimited, so anyone who wants to go can go.]
Just opening up, instead of extensive advertising, partnering with the school was a smart move.
Although free spots didn’t bring in money, it attracted a lot of students.
Qiu Shufeng: [Study god, how’s your experiment going? Is it going smoothly today?]
Qiao Huaiyao: [Waiting for the results in 72 hours.]
If these results don’t come out, the next experiment can’t proceed, so all they can do is wait.
Wang Zhan: [Hey? Does that mean you don’t need to stay in the lab now, Study god?]
The equipment runs by itself and doesn’t require anyone to watch over it, and since it’s not class time, Qiao Huaiyao can go wherever he wants.
Qiao Huaiyao: [I’ll wait another half hour.]
He can leave only after the machine stabilizes and shows normal operation.
Wang Zhan: [Study god! Come skiing with us!]
Qiu Shufeng chimed in: [Yeah, yeah. Ever since you came down from the lab, you’ve always stayed in the lab. Just thinking about it makes me tired.]
Working late in the lab has become the norm.
Some advisors leave the hard work to the students while they rest.
Qiao Huaiyao doesn’t distinguish between hard and easy tasks; he does everything himself.
Yu Luofan: [Study god is the one who truly balances work and rest.]
While they spend their spare time on various activities, Qiao Huaiyao relaxes by studying when he’s tired of experiments.
Qiao Huaiyao: [You guys go ahead and have fun. I’m heading to the film set.]
It’s been a while since he last went, and now that he finally has time, he can add some new photos to his phone.
Qiu Shufeng: [I feel like a dog lying on the roadside getting kicked.]
Wang Zhan: [Sigh, Brother Bai’s daily routine is working with study god. Study god’s daily routine is experiments with Brother Bai. You two are really something.]
Yu Luofan: [I’m single, and I’m jealous. Just saying.]
Qiao Huaiyao raised an eyebrow at these messages, coughed lightly, and explained: [I’ve been too busy lately and haven’t been able to visit. Today I finally have time.]
Qiu Shufeng rationally analyzed: [If you posted this explanation on Weibo, CP fans could write dozens of essays.]
[So, aside from study god, do you two want to go skiing? It’s three credits, and an elective course only gives you four. Think it over.]
Qiao Huaiyao’s credits are already high, so three more are insignificant to him.
Qiu Shufeng turned to persuade the other two, whose credits aren’t as abundant. Every point counts.
They’re all top students but still understand each other well.
Qiao Huaiyao was about to put down his phone when he saw Bai Jinyan send an emoji.
It was the one he often used, a peeking cat.
Bai Jinyan: [Is your leg feeling better?]
Qiao Huaiyao paused, watching the snow fall outside. He had taken the school bus to the lab, hadn’t stood for long, and hadn’t walked much. That neglected feeling of discomfort subtly resurfaced as he leaned back and typed: [Yes.]
Bai Jinyan: [I’ve ordered takeout for you. I have some things to do this afternoon and might not make it back, so eat by yourself. pat head.jpg]
The countdown alarm on Qiao Huaiyao’s desk went off. It was just after ten o’clock, and the cafeteria’s lunch was likely still being prepared and not yet delivered.
He thought for a moment and replied: [Send it to the set.]
Though he didn’t explain further, Bai Jinyan evidently understood: [Okay, I’ll arrange for a driver to pick you up at the lab.]
Qiao Huaiyao: [nodding cat.jpg]
While waiting for the driver, Qiao Huaiyao repeatedly checked the separated portions. Both the color and the data were consistent with the substances produced in his previous life’s experiments.
The machine also synced data to his phone in real-time. Even outside the lab, he could monitor the changes in the experimental solutions.
As Qiao Huaiyao left, he noticed many students heading toward the sports field. The buses for skiing were parked there, leaving once they were full, and returning the students at the end of the day.
The ski resort had put in considerable effort to attract crowds for its grand opening—
The filming was entering its final stages. Most of the major scenes had been shot, leaving only reshoots, large-scale scenes, and environmental shots.
Completing several tasks in one day was still a significant workload.
Qiao Huaiyao arrived early. Bai Jinyan was in the middle of a scene with some extras.
Lu Lu had known Qiao Huaiyao was coming and waited at the entrance. Seeing him, he hurried over, “Good morning, Brother Qiao. Brother Bai will be busy for another half hour or so. You can wait inside.”
Snow that hasn’t melted is colder than melted snow. Today’s temperature had plummeted below freezing. Walking outside was unbearable, let alone staying outside with just a thick down jacket.
“No need, I’ll wait outside,” Qiao Huaiyao said, holding his phone. “I’ll take a few photos.”
Lu Lu replied, “Um… okay. Let me know if you need anything, Brother Qiao.”
He didn’t offer to take photos for Qiao Huaiyao, understanding that sometimes the process was just as important as the result.
Qiao Huaiyao responded quietly, “Okay.”
The cold weather made Qiao Huaiyao’s fingers stiffen after just a few shots since he wasn’t wearing gloves. He paused to warm up before continuing.
The director sipped hot tea and glanced at the monitor. The partially melted snow created a natural scene. The mix of snow and mud on the ground added a touch of bleakness, perfect for the group scenes.
Previous scenes hadn’t required extras. The ones present were acquaintances filling in. Without professional studios or extras in the area, changing locations or bringing in extras from elsewhere was inconvenient. However, the results were satisfactory, and the director was content with the outcome.