Chen Lan walked along the foot of the mountain, retracing her steps from the previous day. Once she confirmed her direction, she continued uphill, inhaling deeply. The hot spring was currently outside her 500-meter search radius, so she had to rely on her senses. After about half an hour of climbing, Chen Lan detected a faint hint of sulfur in the air. She immediately activated her system's search function for hot springs within a 500-meter range. The system screen displayed several small red dots to her left, about 450 meters away, suggesting there was more than one hot spring.
As Chen Lan moved closer in the direction indicated by the system, the smell of sulfur grew stronger. She also noticed that the trees and grass were exceptionally vibrant, with every leaf and blade of grass glistening in the sunlight, exuding an aura of vitality. Wildflowers of unknown species were scattered everywhere along the path, which was covered with various wild grasses. As she ventured further in, she saw several steaming pools. The largest of these pools covered an area of about a hundred square meters, surrounded by lush, dense trees and a profusion of wild flowers. Red pine trees and a large patch of goji berry bushes also grew beside the pools.
Chen Lan approached the largest pool. Upon closer inspection, she found the spring's source right in the middle of the pool. The opening was about the size of a small bowl, and the pool was not very deep, approximately one meter. As she neared the spring, the smell of sulfur became intense in her nostrils. The hot spring water was incredibly clean, clear to the bottom, and periodically emitted steam. Chen Lan dipped her hand into the water and felt its warmth, estimating it to be between forty and fifty degrees Celsius, perfect for a bath.
What puzzled Chen Lan was how small, unknown fish could swim in water that was so hot. The bottom of the pool was covered with fine white sand, and bubbles occasionally rose to the surface. Mixed with the sulfurous scent in the air was a subtle salty aroma.
Chen Lan then looked at the other spring sources. Water continuously flowed from the openings in the rocks, emitting wisps of steam. The areas around the springs were shrouded in mist, making them indistinct. The trickles converged into a stream that wound through the jumble of rocks and cascaded down a cliff, flowing erratically through the overgrown, thorny terrain.
On the hillside not far from the springs, a dense forest provided ample shade. Upon closer examination, Chen Lan realized it was a goji berry grove.
Chen Lan gazed at this idyllic scene. In her past life, she had only heard about the health benefits of soaking in hot springs, but she had never experienced it herself. It wasn't that she couldn't afford it; she always felt a bit uncomfortable with the idea of so many people sharing a large pool. Here, with no one else around, Chen Lan felt a strong urge to immerse herself in the large pool. She had been so busy these past few days and longed to soak away her fatigue. Seizing the moment, she decided to act on her impulse.
Chen Lan quickly used her system to scan for anyone within a 500-meter radius. The system indicated no one was present. Still, feeling a bit uneasy, she cautiously entered the pool fully clothed. At first, the water felt a little too hot, but she gradually adjusted. Relaxing her mind and body, she embraced nature's embrace, reveling in the essence of this "natural oxygen bar" and the pure joy of bathing in a natural hot spring. Su Dan Novel Network.
Chen Lan didn't know how long she had been soaking. It was incredibly enjoyable, as if every pore was opening, and her entire body felt relaxed. She began to feel drowsy and cautioned herself against falling asleep. In an instant, she was fully awake, relieved that she hadn't succumbed to sleep. She checked the time using her internal clock and realized it was already 11:40 AM, time for lunch at the meeting point. There was no more time to delay. Chen Lan quickly got out of the water, went to the goji berry grove, and retrieved the dry clothes she had packed and stored in her system warehouse at home. She quickly changed, putting the damp clothes from her soak into the system warehouse.
After changing, Chen Lan carefully examined herself. Finding nothing amiss, she headed down the mountain towards the valley.
By the time Chen Lan rushed to the meeting point, everyone was nearly finished with their meal. Her mother-in-law handed her a large flatbread with an egg. Having gone to bed early the previous night and overslept that morning, lunch was already prepared when she woke up. Thus, she had to settle for the flatbread with an egg, or more accurately, wild eggs.
Her mother-in-law watched Chen Lan eat. Chen Lan, feeling a bit curious, asked, "Mother-in-law, is something the matter?"
Seeing Chen Lan's question, her mother-in-law directly asked, "Everyone else is back for lunch, but you're nowhere to be seen. I asked around, and no one knows where you went. When I asked Uncle Fu and Uncle De, they said you left early after finishing your business with them. Where have you been busy?"
Upon hearing her mother-in-law's inquiry about her whereabouts for the past few hours, Chen Lan quickly swallowed the bite of bread and said mysteriously, "Mother-in-law, you won't believe it! Let me tell you! I discovered a wonderful place today!"
Her mother-in-law replied dismissively, "What wonderful place? This mountain is full of rocks and trees. What good place could there be?"
Chen Lan continued mysteriously, "Mother-in-law, if I don't tell you, you'll never guess! I think it would be difficult for anyone else to guess too."
Hearing Chen Lan's words, her mother-in-law's interest was piqued. She eagerly asked, "Xiao Lan, tell me quickly, what wonderful place is it?"
Chen Lan decided not to prolong the suspense and said, "Mother-in-law, it's a hot spring. You'd never guess, would you?"
Her mother-in-law exclaimed excitedly, "Really? Xiao Lan?" drawing the attention of the other diners.
Noticing everyone looking their way, her mother-in-law blushed slightly and whispered, "Xiao Lan, is it really a hot spring?"
Chen Lan nodded and affirmed, "It's true! I even soaked in it. I spent these past few hours there, soaking in the hot spring. If you don't believe me, smell my arm. Don't I have a faint smell of sulfur?" She extended her arm for her mother-in-law to smell.
Her mother-in-law leaned in and sniffed, exclaiming with surprise, "There really is a sulfur smell! I never imagined this place could have a hot spring. I've only heard people talk about how good hot springs are for the body! But those hot spring pools are all occupied by the rich, places for the wealthy to indulge. Where would ordinary people like us find a place to soak?"
Chen Lan replied, "Now, this hot spring belongs to us. You can soak whenever you want. We can go soak this afternoon if you like."
Her mother-in-law said excitedly, "Great! We'll work for a while this afternoon, finish up early, and I'll take all the women to soak in the hot spring!"