Chapter 12: Chapter 578: Checking into the Hot Spring Inn
Yan Ganghui finished booking the room and said to his girlfriend Su Hui, "Honey, let's go to the zoo on May 20th!"
Su Hui happily replied, "Sure, sure! How come your boss is being so generous this time and gave you a day off?"
Yan Ganghui got annoyed just thinking about it: "I haven't asked for leave yet! Damn, I have a pile of compensatory leave forms about to expire. Every time I ask for leave, it's like I'm begging like a dog. When I work overtime, the boss never appreciates it, but when I ask for leave, he always has something to say.
This crappy company is always pulling these stunts. If the company can't function without me, then why don't they give me a raise? This time, I've made up my mind to take a day off and spend a good day with you."
Su Hui laughed, "Alright, don't tell your boss you're going out to have fun. Say you're... eating hot pot, and it's so spicy it hurts your butt, you're passing blood, and you need to go to the proctology department. Make sure your request is firm."
Yan Ganghui was dizzy, "That's not a good excuse, it's too embarrassing!"
Su Hui said, "Then... say you have a toothache and need to see a dentist."
"That's a better reason," Yan Ganghui said enthusiastically, "I booked a hot spring inn for the night of the 19th. We can soak in the hot spring first, rest for the night, and go straight to the zoo to see the animals in the morning!"
He thought Su Hui would be very happy, but she seemed less than enthusiastic, her tone a bit disdainful: "Oh, soaking in a hot spring at the zoo?"
Yan Ganghui scratched his head, not knowing what had upset his girlfriend: "Yes, soaking in a hot spring is good for your health, helps you relax."
Su Hui said, "We can just go to the zoo for a day. When did Linhai get a hot spring? It must be boiler-heated water, no fun soaking in that. Instead of that fancy stuff, you could've just bought me a lipstick."
Yan Ganghui suddenly understood; that was why she didn't want to go.
He smiled and explained, "I asked Zhou Ke about it. It's a real hot spring! Last winter, when the zoo was planting cherry trees and digging pits, a hot spring was discovered. Isn't that amazing? They've been building the hot spring inn for a while, and it's just about to open!"
Su Hui instantly brightened up: "Really? Then we must soak in it!"
So, the plan to spend a day at the zoo and soak in the hot spring was happily decided, but there was still one more challenge ahead.
...
The next day, when Yan Ganghui went to work, he approached his supervisor's desk with a serious face: "Supervisor, I'd like to request a day off!"
The supervisor looked up and stared at him.
Yan Ganghui coughed twice: "I've had a terrible toothache recently and have an appointment with the dentist. I need a day off on May 20th."
The supervisor chuckled, "You don't sound like someone with a toothache!"
He gestured for him to sit down, took a sip of tea, and began to persuade him gently: "I understand you young people. You want to go out with your girlfriend, right? It's not like you're getting married, what difference does a day off make? You can go out after work. Don't waste your youth..."
Yan Ganghui mentally rolled his eyes. Getting off work at 9 PM, what fun could he have then? The boss had promised promotions and raises so many times, but how often did they actually happen?
The supervisor tried to persuade him for a long time, but seeing that he was determined to take the day off, his expression turned cold: "If you must take the day off, make sure you work extra hard these days and don't delay the project's progress."
...
He finally managed to get the day off.
On the evening of May 19th at 7 PM!
Yan Ganghui finally finished the tasks assigned by his supervisor, looking utterly exhausted.
He had been overloaded with tasks these past few days, not even having time to slack off or take a break.
But thinking about the upcoming hot spring soak and rest, his mood improved a bit. He grabbed his briefcase and cheerfully said goodbye to his colleagues: "I'm leaving early today, bye-bye~"
His colleagues, who were busy coding, looked at him enviously.
"Have fun, Brother Yan!"
"Bye-bye, Brother Yan~"
Stepping out of the company, Yan Ganghui looked at the brilliant sunset, feeling a bit dazed.
Usually, when he left the building, it was already dark, with a long line of people waiting for the shuttle bus at the tech park's entrance.
Today was different; he could actually see the sunset.
Su Hui was waiting for him near the tech park, sipping on a cup of milk tea and waving at him with a smile.
Naturally, she took his arm: "Let's go, let's go, I can't wait."
They hailed a taxi: "Driver, to Linhai Zoo!"
The driver kindly reminded them: "Are you planning to visit the zoo? They close at 6 PM. If you want to visit, you should go tomorrow morning. How about I take you to a cinema for a movie instead? 'Fast & Furious 12' is pretty good."
Su Hui laughed, "Linhai Zoo's hot spring inn has just opened, so we can stay there tonight!"
"Wow!" The driver was surprised, "I hadn't heard about that."
In the taxi, Yan Ganghui remained silent.
He leaned back, closed his eyes, and massaged his temples.
Su Hui looked at him worriedly, blew a breath in his face, and waved her hand in front of him: "Why aren't you talking? You look so weak, like you're about to collapse! Do you need to see a doctor?"
Yan Ganghui smiled wryly, "It's nothing, I'm just too tired. I just need some rest."
Although he said it was nothing, he was genuinely worried.
After all, stories of programmers collapsing from overwork were common in the tech park. Who knew when it might be his turn?
Su Hui gently said, "Let's rest well at the hot spring inn."
Then she remembered something: "By the way, a colleague recently recommended an old Chinese doctor to me. They say he's great at health maintenance. Do you want to give it a try?"
"Let's go when we have time..."
Yan Ganghui and Su Hui chatted intermittently until he gradually fell asleep in the car.
When he woke up, they had arrived at the zoo.
...
After asking the security guard for directions, they found the hot spring inn.
The lobby was lit with warm yellow lights, with simple walls and sliding wooden doors, exuding a strong Japanese style.
A female staff member stood at the counter, smiling and greeting them.
Yan Ganghui glanced around, muttering, "The decor is pretty nice!"
He had booked a room with a private bath, costing 1200 yuan per night.
Since it was the grand opening, there was a 20% discount, so it was only 960 yuan per night.
It was a bit pricey compared to regular hotels, but considering it had a hot spring, the higher cost was understandable.
After all, you can't take money with you when you die, so why not splurge a little today and hope it's worth the price?
The staff handed them their room key, and Su Hui asked, "Can we use the hot spring right away? Are there any precautions we should take?"
The staff smiled, "It's best not to soak for too long at night, or you might get too excited to sleep! A short soak can still relieve fatigue and help you sleep better."
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