117: bath

"Alright, alright, here you go, here you go."

Lu Fan had a smile on his face as he responded, serving a full bowl of soup for Da Hei, specifically adding several pieces of fresh, tender duck meat and crisp bamboo shoots.

Da Hei had been staring longingly for a while. As soon as it saw the food, it immediately began to wolf it down, devouring everything like a whirlwind; in no time, the soup and meat in the bowl were completely wiped clean.

After finishing, Da Hei licked the bowl with lingering desire, then lay on the ground contentedly and let out a loud burp of satisfaction.

"It seems Da Hei likes it too." An Lan looked at Da Hei's adorable appearance and couldn't help but burst into a giggle.

In this warm and cheerful atmosphere, Lu Fan and An Lan finished this delicious dinner.

After the meal, the sky hadn't completely darkened yet. The sunset glow on the horizon looked like a spilled palette, dyeing the sky in shades of orange and red, as beautiful as an oil painting by Monet.

At this time, a sea breeze blew gently, bringing a hint of coolness to the sweltering weather.

An Lan stood up, lightly patted the dust off her clothes, and suggested to Lu Fan with a smile, "Let's go for a walk by the sea, feel the sea breeze, and digest our food."

Lu Fan readily agreed, and the two of them walked leisurely toward the seaside along the winding path.

Da Hei was also incredibly excited, frolicking behind them, running ahead to scout the way one moment and jumping back the next, as if infected by the pleasant atmosphere and eager to play by the sea.

Arriving at the seaside, the cool sea breeze carrying the unique salty-damp scent of the ocean blew against their faces, instantly making them feel refreshed.

The waves gently lapped against the beach, making a pleasant "shua shua" sound, like a beautiful movement played by nature.

An Lan closed her eyes and took a deep breath, her face brimming with a happy smile as she exclaimed from the heart, "Wow, this feeling is wonderful. I really wish time could stay in this moment forever."

Lu Fan looked at An Lan's entranced expression, the corners of his mouth curling up unconsciously, his eyes full of tenderness.

The two walked side by side, slowly moving along the coastline, leaving a trail of footprints of varying depths. Under the afterglow of the setting sun, these footprints were gilded with a golden edge, looking exceptionally warm.

As they walked, An Lan suddenly stopped and pointed ahead, exclaiming excitedly, "Lu Fan, look, what's that?"

Lu Fan looked in the direction she was pointing and saw a massive sea turtle lying quietly on the beach, bathing in the afterglow of the setting sun.

Its shell was large and round, covered with unique and mysterious patterns that shimmered with an ancient luster under the sunlight, like a precious work of art.

Lu Fan's heart skipped a beat. He stepped forward quickly to observe the turtle closely.

When he saw the familiar patterns on the turtle's shell, he said in surprise, "An Lan, this seems to be the turtle I rescued before!"

It turned out that Lu Fan had previously encountered a Giant Sea Turtle by the sea that had accidentally flipped over on the beach and couldn't move. He had spent some effort helping the turtle flip back over and sent it back to the ocean.

An Lan leaned in curiously, staring at the turtle and asking, "Really? Does it still recognize you?"

Lu Fan smiled and reached out to pat the turtle's head, as if greeting a long-lost friend, "Turtle Prime Minister, do you still remember me?"

Miraculously, the turtle seemed to really recognize Lu Fan. It gently moved its limbs and slightly raised its head, affectionately rubbing against Lu Fan's hand.

"How magical!"

An Lan marveled, "It really remembers you!"

Lu Fan smiled and took An Lan's hand, saying, "Come, touch it, and get some of its longevity blessing."

An Lan reached out somewhat nervously and excitedly, gently touching the turtle's shell. The turtle didn't resist at all; instead, it narrowed its eyes contentedly, looking very much like it was enjoying itself.

Just then, something even more miraculous happened.

The turtle suddenly opened its mouth and spat out a large, round bead.

This bead emitted a soft and enchanting glow under the reflection of the setting sun. Looking closely, you could see a blue light shimmering inside, brilliant and dazzling.

"Wow, is this a gift for us?" An Lan covered her mouth in surprise, her eyes filled with wonder and disbelief.

Lu Fan was also delighted. He carefully picked up the bead, his heart filled with emotion and surprise: "It seems it came to thank us."

The turtle completed its gift and then slowly crawled toward the sea.

Its movements were slow but full of power, as if expressing a deep attachment to this ocean.

Lu Fan and An Lan stood on the beach, watching the turtle leave until its figure gradually disappeared into the vast ocean.

Lu Fan held the bead and examined it closely; it was quite large.

"This should be a pearl, right? It looks like one, but why didn't it trigger a Rebate?" An Lan asked curiously.

Lu Fan was stunned for a moment, then pondered, "It is indeed strange. Could it be that this thing has no value outside anymore? That's why there's no Rebate?"

Although he guessed this in his heart, Lu Fan still carefully put the pearl away. After all, this was a gesture from the Giant Sea Turtle, a gift from an elder, and had to be cherished.

Moreover, all things have spirits. Perhaps this pearl had some unknown miraculous properties. With mysterious things, it's better to believe they might be true than to dismiss them.

After wandering by the sea for a while longer, night gradually fell, and the stars filled the sky. Only then did the two of them hurry back to the Shelter by starlight.

The moonlight was like water, spilling over them and stretching their shadows long, outlining a peaceful and beautiful scene.

Returning to the Shelter, the day's fatigue gradually set in.

Lu Fan stretched lazily and said to An Lan, "Today was truly a bountiful day, but it was also exhausting. I need to get some good rest."

An Lan nodded in agreement with a smile, her face still carrying the joy and satisfaction from their walk.

Before going to bed, as usual, Lu Fan carried a bucket to the Spring Eye to fetch water for a wash.

The forest at night was quiet and mysterious. Moonlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground.

Lu Fan hummed a little tune and walked briskly toward the Spring Eye. The cool spring water pouring over him made him shiver uncontrollably.

Men were always quick at bathing; in a few minutes, Lu Fan had finished washing and put on his iconic Sheepskin Battle Suit.

Just as he was about to leave, he suddenly thought of An Lan.

"On such a hot day, she must want to take a bath too, but she's probably too embarrassed to ask." Thinking of this, Lu Fan decided to bring some water back for An Lan.

He moved quickly and soon filled several Bamboo Tubes with clear spring water.

Returning to the Shelter, Lu Fan set the water aside and said to An Lan, "An Lan, I've brought the water back. You should take a bath too so you can sleep more comfortably tonight."

An Lan looked at the bucket of water emitting a slight chill, her eyes full of surprise and gratitude. After all, in this hot wilderness, being able to take a cool bath was the most pleasant thing imaginable.

"Then help me keep watch. I'll just do a simple wash in the room," An Lan said somewhat shyly.

Lu Fan nodded quickly and promised with a smile, "Don't worry, I'll be right outside. I won't let anyone disturb you."

After saying that, he even walked to the door of the Shelter and looked around pretentiously, as if patrolling for any potential "threats," looking exactly like a dutiful guard.

Looking at Lu Fan's comical behavior, An Lan couldn't help but laugh out loud. "Alright, stop being silly. Hurry and bring the water in for me."

Lu Fan carried the water into the room, carefully pouring it into a relatively large ceramic basin, and then thoughtfully prepared the honey locust liquid for An Lan.

"Call me if you need anything, I'll be nearby," Lu Fan said as he handed the Bamboo Tube containing the honey locust to An Lan.