Welcome to Paradise (II)

Lingxin playfully rolled his eyes.

"Don't giggle, Lai," Lingxin sighed, "Na is just being sarcastic as always."

Na laughed, and when the elevator doors opened, she muttered, "Who said I was being sarcastic?"

When the gang entered their separate rooms, they started unpacking their clothes. What was lovely about the hotel was that everyone had a room inside the ensuite.

Each room included a shower and toilet, so they didn't have to share the bathroom. Each room had a closet where they could hang their clothes.

Each room likewise had a king-sized bed and a full-length mirror. Lai's jaw dropped when she examined her room.

She opened her suitcase and took out her clothing, hanging them in the closet. Placing her phone in her back pocket, she stood up and stepped out of her room.

She discovered Zhenya sitting on the leather couch, nibbling on the complimentary snacks on the table. The woman was watching a cooking show. She sat next to her.

"Want some?" Zhenya offered, holding a bag of pretzel sticks, her eyes glued to the TV screen.

"Ah, no thanks," she politely declined.

Zhenya nodded and continued eating, her eyes concentrated on the dish being prepared by the chef on TV.

"You enjoy cooking shows?" Lai asked her a minute later.

"That obvious?" Zhenya grinned with a nod.

"Zhenya," Na stated as she strolled out of her room, "is an incredible chef. Her food is to die for!"

Zhenya blushed profusely at that compliment.

"That's too much," the woman shyly muttered.

"It's true, though," Na beamed as she sat opposite her and Lai.

Zhenya abruptly stood up, causing Lai to jump in surprise. The woman switched off the TV.

"W-we...we can g-go to the spa now," Zhenya stammered, her face as red as a tomato.

Lai observed as the woman hastily rushed to the door, unlocked it, and stepped out quicker than she could blink.

She glanced at Na with widened eyes and an expression that asked, "What just happened?"

Na chuckled as she headed for the door.

"Don't be alarmed," Na informed her as she strode to the door, "Zhenya is not great at accepting compliments, specifically about her cooking. She's almost allergic to compliments."

Zhenya was waiting by the elevator, her face still a blushing mess.

"But really," Na persisted, "You should try her food one day. Whoever's going to marry her will be one lucky human being."

They strolled out and headed for the spa. Meanwhile, Jingyi and Lingxin were waiting in the lobby for the women they had met in the elevator.

"You know, Na kind of had a point. Why would these ladies wanna hang out with us?" Jingyi wondered with a straight face.

"Really?" Lingxin asked, mouth agape, "You are seriously asking that question? Don't entertain her sarcasm."

Jingyi tilted his head in confusion.

"What's wrong with what I'm asking?"

Lingxin sighed in defeat.

'Figures,' he pondered, 'Some handsome guys don't know they're handsome. They are either clueless about it or know but don't care. I'm jealous.'

Jingyi raised an eyebrow as he waited for an answer to his question. Lingxin pulled out his phone and began to scroll through it, vowing not to answer his friend's question.

Just as Jingyi was close to asking why he was not replying, the elevator doors opened, and they saw Lai and the others.

Lai waved at them upon seeing them and smiled. She was mouthing to them that they were heading to the spa.

She and the others stepped out of the hotel using the back entrance. Lingxin and Jingyi watched as Lai, Na, and Zhenya's figures disappeared.

The girls were in high spirits, especially Na.

'Ah,' Lingxin thought upon realization, 'Lai is another person who also either doesn't know she's beautiful or knows she's a beauty but chooses to ignore it. I think, no, I believe she's the latter while Jingyi is the former. He's always been clueless. That's why he doesn't realize that Chi-Chi has liked him all these years.'

While Lingxin was lost in thought, the elevator doors opened again, and the two women they had met earlier had walked out in high spirits.

"They're here," Jingyi informed him, snapping him out of his thoughts.

The women closed in on them with friendly smiles on their faces.

'My god,' Lingxin thought as his heart skipped a beat, 'It pays to be friends with a handsome guy. I get to hang out with two beautiful women.'

The women stretched out their hands.

"We haven't properly introduced ourselves," the brown-haired woman smiled.

They had changed into elegant dresses and pretty-looking jackets.

"My name is Le Qi," the woman stated.

"And I'm Mei Qi," the black-haired woman added, "Lei Qi and I are twins."

The men shook their outstretched hands.

"I'm Jingyi," Jingyi informed them.

"And I'm Lingxin," the man introduced himself, "You both have beautiful names that are as beautiful as a jade."

The twins blushed slightly and smiled. Mei Qi entwined her arm around Lingxin's arm while Le Qi chose Jingyi.

The twins had already decided on who they were aiming for earlier when they were changing into their room.

"Well then, shall we go to the café?" Mei Qi proposed.

They nodded and, arm in arm, headed for the café. Meanwhile, Lai and the others were at the spa.

"Oh yeah," Na let out a relieved sigh, "That hits the spot."

The lady massaging her back was delicate and experienced. Her fingers felt like magical fairies dancing on her moisturized back.

"I agree," Lai slightly bobbed her head.

They were having the time of their lives. Since Lai came from a poor background, the spa was a mere luxury for her.

It was the first time she had ever gotten a full body massage by a professional - and at such a luxurious place.

"I wish I could live here all my life," Zhenya softly added.

Lai thought living here all your life would require millions, if not billions, of money, considering how expensive everything was.

'It must be nice being rich,' she thought, sighing.

Na lifted and turned her head to look at her.

"What's wrong?" the woman asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, it's nothing," Lai smiled at her.

"I wonder how the guys are doing," Zhenya furrowed her brows.

Na shrugged and placed her head back down.

"Beats me," she tilted, "I still don't get what those twins see in them. Different strokes for different folks, I guess."

Lai and Zhenya chuckled. Around 9 P.M, they all met up to have dinner together at a restaurant within the hotel.

As they sat down, Na gave Jingyi a questioning look. He looked back at her, tilting his head in confusion. He was unsure why she was looking at him like that.

"Is something the matter?" he finally asked her as a waiter approached them to take their order.

Na crossed her arms, observed him, and then turned her attention to Lingxin. They both had different expressions - one nonchalant and the other bothered.

"Hi," the waiter began, pen and notebook in hand, "My name is Rong, and I'll be your waiter for the night. May I take your order?"

Rong smiled at them. One by one, they pointed at a dish they each wanted on the menus they were holding.

They ordered cocktails and red wine. Rong nodded and bowed as he left to place their orders.

"What's wrong with you both?" Na asked Lingxin after Rong left.

She leaned forward and stared at him intently. Lingxin sighed and told them how Jingyi decided not to give one of the twins, Le Qi, his number—saying he wasn't interested or ready to be in a relationship.

"She was so disappointed!" Lingxin exclaimed, almost slamming his hand on the table.

Na chuckled while Lai and Zhenya exchanged glances.

"Well," Jingyi said casually, "It's my choice if I want to date or not. Besides, she's a lovely woman. I don't want to string her along when I don't reciprocate her feelings."

Lingxin facepalmed and sighed.

"What a good guy," Lai added, and Zhenya nodded.

"Whatever, whatever," Lingxin raised his right hand and waved dismissively, "It's your loss, I guess."

Their orders came, and they enjoyed their food. When the time came to leave the hotel and resort, they were reluctant to go.

"Alas," Lai sighed as Na drove them out of their short-lived paradise, "All good things must come to an end."

Everyone in the car sighed.