Staring at the presidential suite’s luxurious decor and vast space, Wen Yaqian nervously tugged her cousin’s sleeve.
“Hey, be honest with me. Is that Li Xiao *really* just your so-called ‘ordinary friend’??!!”
She put special emphasis on the two words “ordinary friend.”
Wen Churen heard the insinuation in her cousin’s question and rolled her eyes in exasperation.
“Of course! Mr. Li and I are really just ordinary friends. I’ve only known him for less than a month.”
“So don’t you go spreading nonsense!”
Having known each other for twenty years, Wen Yaqian knew her cousin well.
‘If they were really dating, she would have admitted it openly and honestly.’
‘They weren’t even staying in the same room, and she just denied it. This means my guess was likely wrong.’
But a moment later, a mischievous glint appeared in her eyes. She slung an arm around her cousin.
“So, are *you* interested in this Li Xiao, then?”
Wen Churen’s heart skipped a beat at the question, but she still denied it out of reflex.
“No way. I’m not interested in guys younger than me.”
Hearing her cousin’s denial, Wen Yaqian’s spirits immediately lifted.
“Since you’re not interested in him, how about you help me make a move?”
“Look at Li Xiao! He’s handsome, rich, kind-hearted, and so generous to his friends. And look, he definitely doesn’t have a girlfriend. Otherwise, he’d be traveling with her, not inviting a bunch of us along.”
“I’d die if I let an amazing bachelor like that slip away!”
“If you’re not interested, then I’m making my move!”
For some reason, Wen Churen felt a pang of discomfort at her cousin’s words, but she still smiled and nodded.
“If you’re interested, then of course I’ll support you wholeheartedly.”
“But for now, we should hurry and get ready. We’re leaving at 3:30, which means we have to be up by 3:00 at the latest.”
“By the way, do you want to shower first, or should I?”
Hearing this, Wen Yaqian giggled, scooped her cousin up in her arms, and ran toward the bathroom.
“This bathroom is huge! Of course we’re showering together!”
“I saw earlier that the glass can be turned transparent. We should try it! It’ll be so thrilling!!”
Wen Churen struggled, exclaiming,
“Thrilling, my foot! You little troublemaker, what are you trying to pull now?! You may have no shame, but I do!”
As they played and teased, a captivating scene unfolded in the bathroom.
······
Meanwhile, Zhou Shishi also felt like she was in a dream as she gazed around the luxurious presidential suite.
She had been on business trips before, but the best accommodations she’d ever had was a room at a budget express hotel.
The difference between a discounted room in a budget hotel and this five-star presidential suite, however, was astronomical.
Faint petals drifted across the surface of the water in a large bathtub big enough for three or four people.
Infused with aromatherapy oils, the water in the oversized tub gave off a heart-soothing fragrance and glowed a mesmerizing shade of pink.
The room was filled with the soft glow of candles, creating a dreamlike atmosphere.
The massaging jets in the marble tub pulsed rhythmically against Zhou Shishi’s lovely figure—sometimes fast, sometimes slow, sometimes strong, sometimes gentle.
The exhaustion from the three-hour drive melted away in just a few short moments in the bath.
A stream of bubbles rose from the edge of the tub, and Zhou Shishi’s head slowly emerged from beneath the surface.
She let out a long, contented sigh, her face flushed with a subtle blush from the heat.
She leaned gently against the edge of the tub, closed her eyes, and savored the gentle sensation of the water caressing her skin.
Zhou Shishi gently opened her eyes. Her gaze traveled through the bathroom’s large floor-to-ceiling window and was captivated by the city’s nightscape.
Beneath the night sky, the city lights twinkled like countless stars, each one telling a story.
In the distance, brilliantly lit skyscrapers stood tall against the darkness, like gateways to another world.
Zhou Shishi gazed at the city night, an indescribable feeling of being moved washing over her.
The glittering spectacle showcased the city’s prosperity, yet it also possessed an ineffable, tranquil beauty.
In that moment, all her worries and stresses seemed to drift away with the steam.
Zhou Shishi stared blankly out the window. No one knew what was going through her mind at that moment.
·········
The alarm clock rang promptly at 3:20 AM. Li Xiao struggled for a moment before quickly opening his eyes.
He’d come all this way to Chaoshan; he wasn’t going to miss the main event by sleeping in.
He splashed his face with cold water, and most of his lingering grogginess instantly vanished.
After getting dressed, Li Xiao headed for the door, casually opening the small group chat the four of them had just created. The other three were already chatting away. He subconsciously glanced at the timestamps of the messages.
A moment later, the corner of his mouth twitched.
‘Good grief,’ he thought. ‘The three of them got up even earlier than I did.’ Especially Wen Churen and her cousin—they had been up at 2:50 AM.
He remembered a joke he’d seen online.
“If you tell a young person from Chaoshan to be at work by 9:00, they might still be sleeping at 9:30. But if you tell them to get up at 3:00 in the morning for the Lord Camp procession, they’ll probably be there by 2:00.”
It seemed the joke was actually true. ‘This must be what they mean when they say art imitates life, but is loftier than life,’ he mused.
He pushed the door open, and sure enough, the three women were already waiting outside.
Li Xiao wasn’t sure if it was just his imagination, but the three women standing before him seemed even more beautiful than when he’d seen them earlier.
He was taken aback for a second before he realized why: they had all put on makeup.
After a moment of thought, he understood their reasoning.
In Chaoshan, paying respect to the gods is an extremely important occasion.
It was perfectly normal for them to wear light makeup to show their respect for the event.
The four of them didn’t drive. The area around the event was surely under traffic control by now.
Wandering God, whose full name is the Wandering God Divine Competition, is a grand traditional Chinese folk custom in the Chaoshan region of Guangdong Province.
The term Divine Competition is a compound, referring to two types of folk activities: the “Wandering God” processions and the “competitions” or festivals themselves.
The Wandering God tradition, also known as Camp God or Lord Camp, involves a procession. The character “Yíng” (, as in Camp God) in the Chaoshan dialect means “to circle” or “to patrol a territory.” Lord Camp is the practice of carrying the divine statues out from the temple to patrol the community. This folk custom is believed to purify the land, drive away evil, protect the region’s peace, and pray for a bountiful harvest.
This folk custom is generally held during the first, second, and third months of the lunar calendar.
This period also includes the Lantern Festival. In some places, the Wandering God procession is combined with the festival of lanterns, making it an even more lively and spectacular event.
Since it was currently autumn, this wasn’t an official Wandering God event. It was a trial tourism program launched by the Shantou Bureau of Culture and Tourism in response to visitor requests.
It served a dual purpose: allowing the local villagers to practice and familiarize themselves with the procession ahead of time, while also giving tourists in Chaoshan a chance to experience the local culture.
Even though it wasn’t an official festival day, the atmosphere was already quite lively. As soon as Li Xiao’s group stepped out of the elevator, they saw many other tourists, just like them, emerging from other elevators in twos and threes.
Although everyone had tired expressions, they were all chattering excitedly, clearly interested in the upcoming activity. Some dedicated enthusiasts had even changed into traditional local costumes for the occasion.
[PS: My knowledge on the Wandering God traditions comes entirely from online research. If there are any inaccuracies, please feel free to point them out so I can correct them immediately. My apologies in advance for any mistakes.]