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I have a wildlife zoo-Chapter 569 : The Secluded Hot Spring Inn
The hot spring hotel was built right beside the cherry blossom forest.
The usual blooming season for cherry blossoms is from March to April, with April being the most exuberant. However, to extend the cherry blossoms' blooming period and allow visitors more time to enjoy their beauty, this forest was planted with varieties blooming at different times; the earliest opening in February and by May, one can still see plenty of pretty pink blossoms hanging from the trees.
But this was also their last splendid display!
A refreshing evening breeze blew through, the treetops swayed, and instantly, a flurry of delicate petals fell from the branches, as if a light pink mizzle had begun.
The petals drifting down, bathed in the glow of the red sunset, looked like sprites dancing in the sky.
Dying at their most radiant moment, they exuded a sense of purity and breathtaking beauty, yet also revealed a touch of valiance and boldness.
The fragile and lovely petals fluttered in the air before slowly descending to the ground, or being swept up by a gentle breeze, dispersing the fragrance of the cherry blossoms, refreshing the soul.
The surrounding grass was also carpeted with a layer of powder-pink petals, while light-vented bulbuls chirped merrily from the branches. Enveloped within this scene was the classical hot spring hotel, its atmosphere serene and delightful – it was simply a paradise on Earth.
Petals caught by the wind wafted over the courtyard walls, igniting boundless reveries and aspirations.
Taking a dip in such a beautiful hot spring was truly a double delight for both mind and body.
After a relaxing bath, a barbecue would be simply scrumptious.
After closing time, the employees couldn't help but pause to admire the splendid cherry blossom scenery when they arrived at the hot spring hotel.
Walking into the courtyard, their faces blossomed with joy.
Though Linhai Zoo was located on the outskirts, making trips to the city rather inconvenient, everything else was great.
Seeing adorable and therapeutic animals every day, earning high salaries, and the wealthy zoo owner would even occasionally distribute perks.
Especially the former programmer, Zhou Ke, felt this most deeply!
When he was working in the company, he was bogged down with endless codes and bugs to fix, product managers would occasionally propose "simple requests," pressuring him to complete them quickly. The stress was immense, and he often worked overtime late into the night, struggling to find transportation home.
A young man in his twenties was developing bald patches.
Now, he clocked in and out regularly, finding time to exercise in the morning and evening, running in the zoo.
Feeling relieved, the bald patches naturally disappeared, and he was even planning to find a girlfriend soon.
The employees all felt a strong sense of belonging to Linhai Zoo.
Meng Shi and Bao wrapped up their work at the tiger exhibit and came over together.
Meng Shi said with a smile, "The environment of this hot spring hotel is really good!"
Bao sighed, "It's a pity that we can't see such beautiful cherry blossoms after this period."
Entering the courtyard of the hot spring hotel, what came into view was a pond with a rockery.
On the surface of the pond floated green lotus leaves and some pink cherry petals, while the rockery was constructed from variously shaped large stones, with ferns and ornamental plants growing in the crevices between the rocks.
Clear water flowed down the slate steps, converging into the pond below. There was also a stone sculpture of a chubby and flat toad squatting on a rock, with a few broad green leaves overhead providing shade, bulging Big Eyes scrutinizing the passersby, adding a touch of whimsy to the scene.
In the middle stood a Huangshan pine, its twisted and bent branches spreading out like a green umbrella over the path.
With lotus-lined paths and pine-flanked streams, the secluded and elegant scene was as beautiful as a painting.
Admiring the exquisite landscaping, one's mood would involuntarily relax.
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Past the front hall was the hotel, where guests could stay overnight.
Behind the hotel was a more spacious courtyard, where today's barbecue party would take place on the lawn.
There were also some private bathhouses scattered across the corners of the hotel, each room paired with a small, roughly ten-square-meter hot spring pool.
The lobby was quite lively at this moment; many staff members had already arrived.
He Yifei was sitting on the sofa, munching on a cucumber, and when he saw Meng Shi and the others, he waved with a beaming smile, "Yo, Meng Shi, you're here!"
He pointed to the plate on the table, which was piled with clean cucumbers, "These are cucumbers grown by the zoo director. Have a taste quickly! Once you leave this village, there won't be this shop. One for each person!"
Fang Ye wasn't stingy, but the reason it was one per person was that these cucumbers were pretty big; eating one was already filling, fearing that if everyone ate their fill of cucumbers, who would still have room for barbecue?
After all, they had roasted an entire sheep today, and it would be such a waste if they couldn't finish it.
Meng Shi's eyes lit up, and he couldn't wait to pick one up!
He turned it in his hand, admiring it for a moment, and gently squeezed it.
Although the cucumber was big, it felt high-quality, and squeezing it, you could feel a bouncy resistance.
Not like some cucumbers, limp and squishy as rubber, eating them felt like chewing on rubber, not refreshing at all.
He joked, "Such a beautiful cucumber, it grows like a work of art; I almost can't bring myself to eat it!"
Of course, while he said that, he was certainly going to eat it.
Just by placing it under his nose, the fresh scent it emitted was already making his mouth water profusely.
With one bite, the cucumber made a crisp and delightful "crunch" sound!
"Holy shit!"
A refreshing coolness burst forth in his mouth, carrying a light sweet cucumber flavor!
Meng Shi couldn't help himself and "crunch, crunch" bit into it a few more times.
Savoring the sweet juice flowing down his throat, he squinted his eyes!
It was as if he had arrived by the cool seaside, where the sea breeze kept blowing towards him continuously.
The heat of summer vanished in an instant.
Bao also took a "crunch" bite, feeling so refreshed that his whole body shivered.
He licked his tongue, "My gosh, why is everything grown by the director so delicious!"
He Yifei watched the two's reactions, smiling silently; he had already experienced this once before.
Reluctantly throwing the cucumber end into the trash can, if it wasn't for the fact that it had no taste, he even wanted to eat the end.
After Meng Shi and the others finished eating, they picked up their swimsuits and slippers, and the keys to the lockers for their clothes, and headed to soak in the hot springs together.
The environment inside the hot spring hotel was even more tranquil than it looked from the outside.
The path was paved with flat stones arranged to have a certain rhythm of bumps, without being too hard on the feet. Surrounded by green trees, you could see some cherry trees and bamboo forests, with simple and elegant bamboo walls dividing the bath areas section by section.
It was already 7 o'clock at this point, and the light wasn't as bright; the small lights along the path emitted a soft and warm yellow glow.
He Yifei came to the edge of the hot spring and first tested the water with his foot, feeling the temperature!
After acclimating for a moment, he eagerly sat down in it.
He closed his eyes, feeling the bubbling hot currents below as if someone was endlessly massaging him.
Warm and cozy all over, he let out a comfortable sigh, "Ah~ I feel like all worldly cares are drifting away from me!"