197: Chapter 196 Hot spring bath

Halfway through, Lu Fan keenly noticed that An Lan was getting a bit tired; her footsteps were gradually becoming heavy.

So, without a word, he bent down and, ignoring An Lan's protests, hoisted her onto his back.

"What are you doing? I can walk by myself," An Lan said with a coy pout, though her voice was filled with emotion.

"I want to carry you, so don't worry about it," Lu Fan said with a smile, his tone carrying a hint of unquestionable tenderness.

An Lan smiled helplessly and could only pull the bear skin tight, gently shielding Lu Fan from the wind.

Leaning against Lu Fan's back, she felt his warm and powerful heartbeat, her heart filled with sweetness.

In this way, amidst mutual support and warmth, they walked for about half an hour and finally reached the Hot Spring they had discovered earlier.

The Hot Spring before them was like a dreamlike wonderland, surrounded by layers of thick snow that looked like a pristine white velvet carpet.

The Hot Spring itself was steaming, the vapor rising slowly into the cold air to form a hazy mist, adding a touch of mystery to the entire scene.

A few golden fallen leaves floated on the water's surface, swaying gently with the rippling waves, appearing exceptionally serene and beautiful.

Seeing this, the Monkey troop immediately exploded with excitement, cheering and dancing for joy.

A few impatient Little Monkeys couldn't wait and jumped into the water, splashing crystalline droplets everywhere.

They swam happily in the water, diving to the bottom one moment and popping up the next, having a wonderful time.

Just then, a familiar "squeak-squeak" sound came from the other side of the Hot Spring.

Lu Fan and An Lan looked up and were pleasantly surprised to find that it was the group of Golden Snub-nosed Monkeys they had met before!

The Golden Snub-nosed Monkey troop clearly spotted them too; their eyes sparkled with excitement as they immediately ran over, cheering.

When the two Monkey troops met, the scene instantly became even more lively.

The monkeys chased and played with each other, their joyful cries echoing throughout the valley.

The Monkey King and the Golden Snub-nosed Monkey King sized each other up, and then actually began a unique "friendly" interaction.

The Monkey King's gaze was suddenly drawn to a female Golden Snub-nosed Monkey with bright fur and an elegant posture, his eyes shining with a strange light.

He immediately puffed out his chest and, like a confident dancer, began to show off his "charm."

He would leap high into the air, tracing a graceful arc, and then roll nimbly on the snow, displaying his vigorous physique.

He even performed several difficult "aerial rotations," trying to catch the female Golden Snub-nosed Monkey's attention.

Watching this amusing scene, An Lan couldn't help but chuckle. "It looks like the Monkey King has found his 'true love'!"

Lu Fan also laughed so hard he couldn't stand straight, clutching his stomach as he joked, "I didn't expect the Monkey King to be such a 'smooth operator'!"

The Golden Snub-nosed Monkey troop was clearly interested in the Monkey King's performance.

Especially that female Golden Snub-nosed Monkey; her eyes sparkled with curiosity and admiration, and she even responded with a few "squeaks," seemingly expressing her approval of the Monkey King.

Seeing this, the Monkey King became even more excited and performed with even greater effort.

He jumped up and down, dancing about, until he accidentally almost plunged headfirst into the Hot Spring, drawing a burst of laughter from everyone.

Amidst the laughter, Lu Fan and An Lan carefully took off their outer clothes and slowly stepped into the Hot Spring.

As usual, they were separated by a rock, enjoying this warm and cozy moment.

The warm current instantly enveloped their bodies like a pair of gentle hands, softly stroking their skin and dispelling all the cold from their bodies.

An Lan sighed comfortably, her face brimming with a happy smile. "This feels amazing! It's almost like being back in civilized society."

Lu Fan leaned against the edge of the Hot Spring, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath, fully enjoying this rare moment of relaxation. "Yeah, soaking in a Hot Spring in this kind of weather is truly one of life's greatest pleasures."

The livestream room.

"I want to soak too; it looks so comfortable."

"Over here, we can already buy tickets for Hot Springs—the mixed-gender kind. That Hot Spring is so white, and the legs look very warm."

"Huh? Why does that sound a bit weird?"

"Am I the only one who noticed the Monkey King is in love?"

The heat from the Hot Spring kept rising, and the surrounding snow slowly melted under the steam, forming a dreamlike "Misty Forest."

In this mist, the Monkey troops played even more happily.

The Little Monkeys chased each other in the water, splashing and playing; the water droplets sparkled with multicolored light under the sunshine.

The Monkey King took the opportunity to get closer to the female Golden Snub-nosed Monkey, his eyes full of tenderness and expectation as he tried to "further the relationship."

One moment he would hand the female Golden Snub-nosed Monkey a fresh leaf, and the next he would show off a newly learned "skill" in front of her, making her "squeak" with laughter.

After soaking for a while and feeling their bodies completely warmed up, the two of them got out of the Hot Spring, wrapped themselves in bear skins, and sat by the edge to rest.

They watched the Monkey troops playing in the water, their faces filled with satisfied smiles.

The Monkey King was having such a great time that he actually learned to slap the water with his paws, sending up crystalline splashes that made the female Golden Snub-nosed Monkey double over with laughter.

Watching this heartwarming scene, An Lan remarked with emotion, "Actually, the happiness of animals is very simple. As long as they have food and warmth, they can be very happy."

Lu Fan nodded and said thoughtfully, "Yeah, sometimes we humans end up making life too complicated."

Just then, the Monkey King suddenly jumped out of the Hot Spring, soaking wet, with crystalline water droplets still clinging to his fur.

He trotted all the way to Lu Fan and An Lan, tightly holding a wild fruit he had found from who-knows-where.

He handed the wild fruit to Lu Fan, his eyes full of gratitude and trust.

Lu Fan took the wild fruit and handed it to An Lan, smiling as he patted the Monkey King's head. "Thanks, brother!"

After the Hot Spring soak, warm vapor still lingered among Lu Fan and An Lan's hair as they prepared to set off back to the Shelter.

The Monkey King and the female Golden Snub-nosed Monkey stood side by side, their eyes full of reluctance. They squeaked a few times, the sound soft and melodious, as if expressing the sorrow of parting.

The female Golden Snub-nosed Monkey reached out with a furry paw and gently patted the Monkey King's shoulder, her movements intimate, as if tenderly advising him: "Come back and play again next time!"

The Monkey King puffed out his chest, his face beaming with spirit and his tail held high, looking very proud as if he had already won her heart, immersed in sweetness.

The way down the mountain was even more difficult and treacherous than the way up; the snow-covered ground was like a giant skating rink, so slippery it was terrifying.

Lu Fan and An Lan took every step with extreme caution, their feet testing the icy surface, but even so, they almost slipped several times.

An Lan gripped Lu Fan's arm tightly, her fingers turning slightly white from the tension as she muttered, "This road is way too slippery, it's practically a skating rink! If this keeps up, we're definitely going to end up as snowmen."