Chapter 2354: 2273: Sub-disciplines of Hot Spring Soaking

Just as Lin Ge had expected, Zheng Lao Ban refused the invitation from the president and vice-president of the children's hospital without hesitation, taking the medical team straight back to rest.

But Zheng Lao Ban still made a bit of progress compared to before, saying a few polite remarks, like being too tired, giving the women and children's hospital an excuse.

Lin Ge thought Zheng Lao Ban was fine in every way, except he was unwilling to socialize.

But this is also an advantage, putting all events and attention into the surgery. Otherwise, Zheng Lao Ban probably couldn't have completed so many high-difficulty surgeries.

After leaving the women and children's hospital, Zheng Ren didn't rush back to catch up on sleep; he wasn't tired yet.

First he went to the community hospital to see patients, then returned to check on surgeries and make rounds, just as usual. Everyone else was exhausted, went their separate ways, went home, washed up, and fell asleep.

Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye it was the weekend.

During this time, the Chu sisters stayed in the imperial capital, waiting for the weekend to go out and have fun before returning.

Everyone else was looking forward to it, but Zheng Ren felt nothing. To him, group activities and strolling around in the evening with Yi Ren and Heizi were no different.

As for the location, they chose a hot spring village near Hai Cheng. It was said to be a pure underground hot spring, not just boiled water passed off as one.

Driving to the hot spring resort, the medical team numbered over a dozen, which left Zheng Ren feeling a bit dazed.

Without realizing it, the team had actually grown to this size.

This time no one was left at home; the entire medical team came, making it a group activity, plus seeing off Professor Rudolf Wagner.

Doctor Mei Ha'er had already booked next week's surgery in advance; after the operation, he would fly back together with Professor Rudolf Wagner.

Time really flew by; Zheng Ren occasionally recalled when Doctor Mei Ha'er first came for surgery, and he had thought the next operation would be far off.

But now he saw that the time for the Nobel Prize judging was already near.

This period was busy, time passing like a white colt through a gap, gone in the blink of an eye.

Life is indeed rushed, yet there are hardly any regrets. Recently, Zheng Ren has almost refused all dinner gatherings, coming home each night to eat, then after meals taking Yi Ren and Heizi for a stroll.

……

"Boss, come out and play, can't you stop always putting on a stern face like you're about to do surgery?" Su Yun glanced at Zheng Ren's profile and said disdainfully.

"Oh, you guys play your thing; watching you play already makes me happy." Zheng Ren said with a smile.

"Do you want to play together with everyone?" Su Yun said, "Otherwise there's no fun."

"No way." Zheng Ren took Yi Ren's hand and walked into the resort, saying gently, "Watching you play makes me just as happy."

"Blockhead." Su Yun said contemptuously, then ran off to take photos and record short videos for everyone.

Zheng Ren squeezed Xie Yiren's hand and smiled, saying, "You go join the fun too."

"And you?"

"I'll just look around."

Everyone has their own source of joy; Zheng Ren felt that just watching was already enough to make him happy, with no need to join in.

Amidst the laughter and chatter, Zheng Ren felt delighted, leisurely sitting on the stone steps watching everyone play happily.

The decor here leans toward a traditional Chinese style, but the materials are still new, giving it a slightly odd feel.

Nevertheless, the decorative pines and cypresses are quite proper, and the flow of guests is endless.

After completing check-in formalities and hastily eating dinner, everyone began changing clothes to go soak in the hot springs.

"It would be nice if it were winter." Su Yun and Zheng Ren said, "Snowing would feel different."

"I haven't experienced it."

"Boss, now that you have a girlfriend, what's the most important thing before getting familiar?" Su Yun suddenly changed the topic, asking with a grin.

"Huh?" Zheng Ren blinked in surprise.

"Bring her to soak in the hot springs?" Su Yun said, "Nowadays makeup skills are on par with disguise techniques; once in the water, the true face shows."

"Uh..." Zheng Ren had no idea about that.

"Look at you like that; life can't be lived this way, it's utterly meaningless."

"This year's Nobel Prize, I have at least a 30% chance of winning." Zheng Ren replied coldly.

"No, it's different; even if you could fly to heaven, you still need to live." Su Yun laughed heartily, his mood clearly good.

"Come on, come on, taking a bunch of girls out to bathe while keeping a straight face—only someone like you could pull this off; nobody else could."

"No, what you said isn't right." Zheng Ren said.

"Huh?"

"There should be a way to keep makeup on in water, I think I saw it in a news article." Zheng Ren said, "But I'm not interested, so I didn't look further."

"There definitely is, but it's a secret; I bet they don't know it." Su Yun said proudly.

Zheng Ren looked at Su Yun and really didn't know why he was so pleased with himself.

"First step, use waterproof sunscreen. After basic skincare, apply waterproof sunscreen all over the face; usually waterproof sunscreen forms a good film, so the face already has a waterproof layer."

"..." Zheng Ren looked bewildered.

"Second step, use primer—it's not the key; the third step is the point! Use lipstick as blush. Apply lip stain before foundation to the cheeks, ensuring lasting blush and an extra base layer underneath, so even in water there's no worry. Foundation covering that layer of blush creates the true white-within-red, crafty makeup effect."

Zheng Ren was speechless; truly, knowing worldly affairs is scholarship—just the act of soaking in a hot spring involves so many sub-disciplines.

As for the later waterproof foundation, setting spray, and so on, Zheng Ren heard it all as if it were just mist.

No wonder that after Zheng Ren and Su Yun changed into swim trunks, the girls still showed no movement.

"We're going first; you guys take your time getting ready!" Su Yun shouted loudly.

The girls' giggling laughter could be heard.

Fugui'er, Lao He, and Feng Xu Hui came out one after another; Su Yun patted Fugui'er's beer belly and laughed, saying, "Fugui'er, drink less beer when you go back."

"Mm, heading back to our neck of the woods, I've got to fly off busy." Professor Rudolf Wagner said, "Before the Nobel Prize announcements in October, there's no time to idle. Who has time to drink? As long as one can work without going bald or needing a cane, that's fine."

"All right, let's go." Su Yun, familiar with the route, led everyone to the hot springs.

It was already late; the sun set and night fell gradually. There was still some light pollution here; according to Su Yun, only after everyone had fallen asleep and was soaking in the hot springs in the latter half of the night could they see the sky full of stars.

The water temperature was around 44°C, a bit hot, but Zheng Ren didn't feel it. He entered the water, listened to Su Yun explain that hot spring water has different buoyancy from ordinary water, didn't think much of it, and let himself completely relax.

Take a good rest, I've really been exhausted lately.

Half-sitting, half-floating in the hot spring, Zheng Ren suddenly caught a whiff of a strange smell.

He sniffed hard, then suddenly opened his eyes and looked around.