235: Chapter 234 Calm Down

After reaching the shore, Lu Fan was panting heavily as he hurriedly wiped the water from his face.

He looked closely and saw several Small Golden Snub-nosed Monkeys gathered together, throwing pieces of wood for fun. One piece had happened to land right next to where he and An Lan had been.

He didn't have time to think much; he didn't even dare to glance in An Lan's direction before turning around and running away as fast as he could.

He ran all the way to the other side of the hot spring and then leaped into the water, not surfacing for a long time.

Meanwhile, An Lan gradually calmed down from her state of panic.

Her face was still a deep crimson, and the tips of her ears were so hot they felt like they might bleed.

Thinking back to that intimate and bashful scene just now, her heart felt like a deer racing wildly. She felt she could no longer look at Lu Fan with normal eyes.

At the same time, the livestream room had already exploded with activity.

"Is anyone there?! Why did the screen suddenly go black!"

"Someone's here, someone's here. What on earth is going on?"

"Wait, why did it go black just as Great God Lu Fan stood up to help An Lan with a massage?"

"This is so unfair! What exactly happened!! I'm dying of anxiety here!!"

"Since the screen went black, it must be something unsuitable for viewing."

"Waaaah, I don't believe it, I don't believe it, ahhh!!"

"Ahhhh, I can pay for a membership! I want to see, I want to see~"

Meanwhile, Lu Fan soaked in the water for a long time before slowly poking his head out.

Like an otter just waking up from hibernation at the bottom of the water, his wet hair hung limply over his face, making him look both comical and pathetic.

He let his body half-float on the surface, his expression somewhat dazed and his eyes staring blankly at the sky.

It was as if he could find the answer to that crazy farce just now within the deep blue firmament.

He really couldn't believe what had just happened. Although nothing much had actually happened, he had indeed been too impulsive.

That impulsive yet restrained kiss was like an absurd dream, leaving his heart full of regret and self-reproach at this moment.

His consciousness was somewhat scattered, and he couldn't help but recall his past life.

Should I really move forward... This thought was like a sharp little hammer, striking his nerves over and over again.

Each strike made his soul tremble.

But An Lan is good, really good... He had known that for a long time.

Lu Fan's heart struggled frantically.

Images of his past and present lives constantly overlapped and shifted, surfacing and then vanishing in his mind.

Finally, after a long time, Lu Fan stood up from the water. A trace of nostalgia was hidden in his eyes as he couldn't help but murmur, "Bless me..."

He then seemed to have made a certain decision.

"Whether I stick my head out or pull it back, it's still a blow. Whatever, I don't care anymore!"

Lu Fan took a deep breath, like a soldier about to head to the battlefield, and summoned the courage to swim toward An Lan.

An Lan, who was in a daze, still had a hint of blurriness and bashfulness in her eyes. Her mind was filled with images of her intimate contact with Lu Fan just now.

Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, she caught a dark shadow emerging from the water. Looking closely, she saw it was Lu Fan.

This gave her quite a fright; like a startled little rabbit, she almost jumped right up.

Her face instantly turned as red as a ripe tomato, and even her neck was flushed. She instinctively shouted, "Don't come over here!"

Her voice was both bashful and urgent, echoing over the hot spring.

Lu Fan was stunned in place by that shout, nearly falling face-first into the water.

He didn't know where to put his hands and feet, feeling so awkward he wished he could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

But he still forced himself to apologize: "An Lan, I'm... I'm sorry. I was too impulsive just now. My head got hot and I... I acted like a fool. Please don't take it to heart."

As he spoke, he secretly looked up to observe An Lan's expression, feeling incredibly nervous.

An Lan tried her best to steady herself. Although a blush still remained on her face, she tried to make her tone sound calm.

"I know you're still a young man, it's normal to be unable to control your hormones. I... I don't blame you."

Despite saying that, her eyes were still dodging his, not daring to meet Lu Fan's gaze.

Hearing this, Lu Fan felt a slight sense of relief, but he still felt bad. After thinking for a moment, he called out loudly.

"I'm really so sorry. If you're still unhappy, you can punish me however you want, I won't say a word. If you're willing, I'll take responsibility for you!"

He looked so sincere he was just short of raising his hand to swear an oath.

Hearing Lu Fan's words, An Lan's face turned red again in her urgency. She quickly spoke to stop Lu Fan from continuing: "Stop talking! I don't blame you for this!"

While Lu Fan was still incessantly apologizing, a mischievous Small Golden Snub-nosed Monkey popped out from somewhere.

Holding a tree branch like a little Monkey King wielding his Golden Cudgel, it hopped and skipped all the way to Lu Fan's side.

Before Lu Fan could react, the Small Golden Snub-nosed Monkey raised the branch high and—*thwack*—hit Lu Fan squarely on the head.

"Holy crap!"

Lu Fan cried out in pain, clutching his head and looking at the Small Golden Snub-nosed Monkey in a daze.

The Small Golden Snub-nosed Monkey's eyes darted around as it squeaked excitedly, seemingly inviting Lu Fan to play its "stick-hitting game."

Lu Fan didn't know whether to laugh or cry as he rubbed his struck head.

Suddenly, he had a bright idea. He took the branch from the Small Golden Snub-nosed Monkey and carefully handed it to An Lan, saying with a fawning expression, "How about... how about you hit me too, to vent your anger?"

His cautious manner was like a child trying to please a parent after making a mistake.

Seeing Lu Fan's comical appearance, An Lan's previously awkward and nervous mood was instantly dispelled by amusement. She couldn't help but burst out laughing.

This laugh was like a flower blooming in spring, bright and moving, instantly easing the awkward atmosphere.

"I really don't know what to do with you."

An Lan said with a smile, the bashfulness in her eyes gradually replaced by mirth.

"I'm really not angry, so don't bring this up again," she said, waving her hand gently.

Hearing this, Lu Fan's tense nerves finally relaxed completely. He let out a long sigh of relief, a smile of genuine relief appearing on his face.

Then, An Lan looked at Lu Fan, who was still standing there soaking wet, and said, "Turn around first, I need to get dressed. Unless you want to keep standing there staring at me?"

As soon as she said this, Lu Fan's face turned red with embarrassment again, and he quickly turned around.

The two of them quickly finished dressing. Looking at the neatly dressed An Lan, Lu Fan felt another moment of daze and stood frozen in place.

Seeing his awkward state, An Lan couldn't help but laugh out loud. Her laughter was as clear as silver bells, echoing by the hot spring.

"You, usually you seem so clever, but why do you drop the ball at the critical moment?" An Lan teased with a smile.

Lu Fan scratched his head and gave an embarrassed chuckle. "Maybe... maybe my brain just hasn't shifted gears today."

Lu Fan looked at An Lan's wet hair. Water droplets kept falling from the ends, wetting her shoulders.

He hesitated for a moment before summoning his courage and saying, "An Lan, let me... let me help you dry your hair."

An Lan was slightly taken aback, then smiled and agreed: "Alright, then I'll have to trouble you."