Twentieth Century Chronicle

Page 17

Although Ito Hirobumi was referring to "you," he actually pushed the manuscript in front of Matsukata Masayoshi. Although both had great influence in the financial world, Ito also believed that Matsukata was more professional than his old friend Inoue. The latter was more like a spokesperson for the interests of the zaibatsu, while Matsukata was the financial tycoon who truly laid the foundation for Japan's gold standard.

Matsukata Masayoshi picked up the manuscript and started flipping through it. At first, he seemed quite casual, but then he frowned, relaxed, and finally fell into deep thought. However, the two people in the room didn't urge him. It wasn't until he put the manuscript away and handed it to Inoue beside him that Inoue casually asked, "What's written in there?"

After considering it for a moment, Matsukata said, "It's an interesting idea: to use land development as a pretext to actually increase the issuance of paper money, thereby allowing Japan to maintain some independence under the international gold standard."

Inoue Kaoru then opened the manuscript in his hand and began to read it. He read it much faster than Matsukata. After reading it, he put down the manuscript and said to the two of them, "Aside from the part about increasing the money supply to create so-called mild inflation, I am not sure about it. Regarding the Tokyo land development plan, I think it is feasible to force the settlement of foreign exchange. However, will the latter impair the free flow of funds for enterprises and affect their business operations?"

Matsukata Masayoshi stated, "Issuing currency in an orderly manner based on the prospect of rising land prices, that is, creating currency away from the gold standard, can be considered a form of land-based currency. For the Japanese, land and gold are of course valuable, so they will not lose confidence in the currency."

However, for foreign capital, Japanese land is naturally not as valuable as gold, which can be taken away at any time. Therefore, after the implementation of the mandatory foreign exchange settlement policy, funds that only want to speculate in Japan in the short term will withdraw, but funds that want to invest in Japan in the long term will stay and invest their profits in Japan in the ever-growing real estate market, thereby stabilizing Japanese land prices and, consequently, stabilizing the Japanese currency.

Therefore, mandatory foreign exchange settlement is complementary to the policies of increasing currency issuance and land development. Removing any one of these three policies would cause the mild inflation plan to fail and lead to significant economic problems. Therefore, we must either accept all the suggestions or reject them all, because they are interconnected.

However, land development in Japan is already underway spontaneously by the private sector; this isn't a problem that won't exist if we don't participate. Due to a lack of currency, such development is not only slow but also prone to causing numerous social problems. But what does this have to do with preventing a deterioration in relations between Japan and Russia?

Inoue Kaoru also turned his attention to his old friend. This monetary and fiscal policy adjustment plan based on the Tokyo Metropolitan Development Plan had both advantages and disadvantages for the zaibatsu, but it still had considerable benefits in the short term, especially for the landowners. It created an opportunity for them to get rich quickly, but he couldn't see how it had anything to do with preventing the Russo-Japanese War.

Ito Hirobumi rubbed his temples before calmly saying, "The two largest groups supporting the Russo-Japanese War are the lower-class people who can't find jobs and see no hope in the country, and the zaibatsu who hope to recreate the economic prosperity brought by the war."

This plan is designed to attract these two groups: allowing the wealthy to make money and providing jobs and hope to the lower classes. In the short term, voices supporting the war will be suppressed by those advocating for wealth. If we can hold out for these five years, the army will find it very difficult to decide to launch another war.

Matsukata and Inoue had a relatively clear vision for the army. The army's urgency for war stemmed not only from Russia's occupation of Manchuria, but also from the construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway. They believed that the railway should be completed within five years, which would significantly alter Russia's power in the Far East, and Japanese warmongers might not dare to risk war against Russia.

Inoue was mentally calculating how much benefit supporting this plan would bring him, while Matsukata on the other side chuckled and said, "A radical solution? That's not like Ito-kun's style."

Ito Hirobumi smiled without speaking. This was indeed not his style, nor was it the Japanese way of thinking; it was more like the thinking of the Chinese and the British. This also made him increasingly satisfied with a certain person. Perhaps they could meet once the other person entered the First High School. Right now, he simply didn't want Yamagata to notice the changes around him, which was why he consistently avoided direct contact with Hayashi Shin'ichi.

Since his third cabinet's collapse, the differences between him and Yamagata had widened. Yamagata wanted to maintain the feudal clan system, but he felt that it was outdated and that popular-led politics would become the mainstream, which was also the direction that politics in various countries were moving towards. They had to guide popular politics before the common people awakened, so as not to be abandoned by the people, otherwise they would become the next Tokugawa shogunate.

However, Ito was well aware of his old classmate and political ally's character. He didn't want Hayashi Nobuyoshi to be forcibly drawn into the Choshu faction, thus becoming a pillar of the domain clique. In his view, Hayashi Nobuyoshi was the future talent of Japan, who should surpass the domain cliques. This was also why he continuously promoted the appointment of bureaucrats from the Imperial University to various government positions.

The only thing he hadn't expected was that Lin Xinyi's views on politics and economics would be so advanced, which amazed him. However, this also caused some problems. Such people are not very popular in Japanese schools because they are bound to be unsociable, and geniuses who don't fit in are always suppressed.

In the past, Takasugi Togyo was initially an outsider at Matsushita Shonjuku. It was only under pressure from the shogunate and the conservative faction within the domain that the students were forced to unite against external forces, allowing Takasugi Togyo to truly integrate into the group. However, in present-day Japan, it seems there is really no need for the students to unite with Hayashi Nobuyoshi.

Just as Ito was worrying about Hayashi Nobuyoshi's school life, Inoue Kaoru finally made up her mind and said, "I think it's feasible. Forced foreign exchange settlement is also necessary for Yamagata. If he wants to launch a war, he also needs to control the outflow of gold. The essence of this plan is to strengthen Japan's economic foundation. Even if Yamagata eventually discovers the true purpose of this plan, he can't stop it because it's an open conspiracy..."

Seeing that Inoue Kaoru had expressed his opinion, Matsukata Masayoshi was relieved. If Inoue Kaoru had not agreed, it would have meant that the zaibatsu would not have accepted the policy of mandatory foreign exchange settlement. Without this policy to restrain the outflow of funds, this would not be a mild inflation, but a plan for foreign capital to plunder Japan's reserves.

He nodded and said, "Since Inoue has agreed, then I have no objection."

Hirobumi Ito readily agreed, "Then let's discuss where we should begin..."

At that moment, at the Datong School in Tokyo, Cai E was also gathered in a classroom with a group of classmates learning a song. After one of them finished singing, he was so excited that he couldn't help but ask Cai E, "What song is this? I think it's very suitable for soldiers going to the battlefield to sing."

Cai E was also filled with mixed emotions. He recalled the atrocities committed by the Eight-Nation Alliance in Beijing and the resistance of the Chinese people against the Alliance. His desire to return and join the fight grew even stronger. When asked by his classmate, he composed himself and said, "This is the Song of the Volunteers. It was written by Comrade Lin Feng for our compatriots who resisted the invasion of China by the Eight-Nation Alliance."

Upon hearing Lin Feng's name, the students in the room became somewhat excited. Lin Feng had practically single-handedly written most of the Labor Party's editorials, which had propelled the party from an obscure group to prominence among Japanese students and within Japan. Compared to other editorials, Lin Feng's analyses of the domestic and international situation were clearly much more calm and accurate, and he even foresaw a series of actions by the great powers and the Qing government. This gradually silenced those writers who had criticized the Labor Party for being unpatriotic.

Chapter Fifty-Eight: Divergence

The Boxer Rebellion and the subsequent invasion by the Eight-Nation Alliance exposed the ignorance, stubbornness, cowardice, and despicable nature of the Manchu court. In order to suppress the power of Han Chinese governors and vie for the throne, the court did not hesitate to make the absurd move of declaring war on all nations. However, when the foreign powers showed their fangs, the court immediately abandoned the people and knelt down to beg for mercy from the foreign powers.

It can be said that in such a farce, the so-called national identity and the so-called glorious military achievements of the Manchus have been stripped bare, and the expectations and hopes of the Han people for this court have been shattered. The national consciousness of the Han people began to awaken, especially the Chinese students in Tokyo who began to lean towards the nationalism advocated by Sun Yat-sen.

However, Sun Yat-sen's nationalism could only vent the grief and indignation of Chinese students studying abroad, but could not find a way out for China. This was because Sun Yat-sen always said that China's current poverty and weakness were caused by the Manchu rule. He believed that as long as the Manchu court was overthrown and a Han Chinese republic was established, China could become strong and independent. However, Sun Yat-sen did not say how this Han Chinese republic should be established.

If Lin Feng, a theorist of the Workers' Party, hadn't emerged, then with no other way out, the only option would have been to follow Sun Yat-sen's direction and first destroy the corrupt and incompetent old China. As for what came next, things would have worked out in the end; one can't let oneself be held back by trivial matters.

However, after Lin Feng, this new guide, appeared, most of the angry but rational international students, except for a small number of hot-blooded nationalists, immediately turned to the direction Lin Feng pointed out.

Although Lin Feng also raised the issue of Han Chinese national consciousness in his articles, Han Chinese national consciousness was not the entirety of the revolution. In at least a series of articles, he analyzed why China was poor and weak, why the great powers were getting stronger and stronger, and why a small country like Japan could achieve self-strengthening through the Meiji Restoration, while the Qing Dynasty could only suppress peasant uprisings and was easily defeated when it encountered foreign enemies.

Lin Feng practically dissected old China and laid it out before them, telling them which parts should be discarded and which parts should be preserved. Then, through comparison with the great powers, he showed them how a new China should be built. This was much more acceptable than the vision that China would become better simply by overthrowing the Manchu dynasty.

It was precisely because of Lin Feng's articles that more and more progressive people gathered around the Labour Party. However, what surprised these people was that the Labour Party was not like the Revive China Society or other revolutionary parties, which would invite anyone they caught to join and then talk about how to launch a revolution. Their sense of urgency made you feel as if China would perish tomorrow if you didn't start a revolution today.

However, there was no such urgent revolutionary atmosphere within the Labour Party. The Labour Party preferred to analyze China's social problems with people and discuss solutions to these problems. In the process of discussion, the Labour Party always tried to prove to them that the revolution was not an uprising that they, as revolutionaries, wanted to launch, but a conscious action taken by the people to protect their own interests.

In the view of the Workers' Party, awakening the people's revolutionary enthusiasm did not rely on repeated assassinations and armed uprisings, but rather on providing the people with a profound class education, making them understand their class, the class oppression they suffered, and what their fundamental interests were. The Workers' Party preferred to spread revolutionary theories to the masses rather than directly confront the Manchu court.

This revolutionary approach also led some moderates and centrists to embrace revolution. While the violent revolution advocated by the Revive China Society often stirred people's blood, many backed down once they left that environment. Moderates and centrists, in particular, turned pale at the mere mention of revolution.

Furthermore, the Labour Party conducted extremely rigorous screening of its members. While the Revive China Society was recruiting worldwide, the Labour Party had already begun expelling some members who violated its principles. However, it was precisely because of the Labour Party's strict recruitment methods that it became increasingly united internally, completely unlike the autocratic style of the Revive China Society.

However, Cai E was well aware that what was holding the Workers' Party together was not its strict discipline, but Lin Feng's series of perfectly correct articles. Because the Workers' Party correctly pointed out the future of China, more and more people were attracted to its circle. It had even begun to attract the attention of the Qing Dynasty's ambassador to Japan. However, due to the current chaotic situation in China and the fact that Datong School was a school opened by a criminal wanted by the imperial court, the other party was helpless against the Workers' Party's actions.

In a sense, Lin Feng has become the spiritual leader of the Labour Party. Both party members and friends outside the party are eager to meet with Lin Feng and ask him questions about China.

Cai E also discussed this issue with Lin Xinyi, but Lin Xinyi told him: "What the Chinese need is revolutionary theory, not a savior. They don't need a Japanese savior either. They can send their questions to me through you, but there's no need to discuss them in person."

Cai E was eventually persuaded. Given Lin Xinyi's status and age, it was indeed inappropriate for him to appear before Party members and non-Party members, as some people valued seniority and status above all else. Thinking of this, he changed the subject from the questions about Lin Feng's whereabouts and asked the crowd, "What are everyone's thoughts on Lin Feng's translation of the Communist Manifesto a few days ago?"

This rhetorical question did attract a lot of attention. Opinions on Lin Feng's translation of the declaration were mixed. Someone immediately said to Cai E, "I deeply admire Mr. Lin's scholarship and insight, but I have some different opinions on the declaration he translated and promoted."

Viewing social history as a history of class struggle, dividing society into oppressors and the oppressed, isn't this dividing society? Our country is currently facing internal and external troubles. At this time, instead of promoting unity, we should divide society and call on the lower classes to overthrow the upper classes. Aren't we becoming accomplices to the great powers?

Several people nodded in agreement with this man's words. Cai E was about to speak when someone unexpectedly retorted, "That's a strange thing to say. The Boxer Rebellion, launched by the lower classes, didn't demand the overthrow of the upper class; they only demanded the overthrow of the foreign powers. But how did the upper class deal with them? First they used them, then they betrayed them. It's clear that this upper class had to be overthrown, because without overthrowing this upper class, the country cannot be saved."

Another group of people echoed this sentiment, but the first person immediately retorted, "I'm not trying to defend the Manchu court; I support overthrowing it. But after we Han people rebuild this country, are we going to have to fight another civil war?"

The second person retorted just as defiantly: "Is this a question of Manchus versus Han Chinese? Weren't the Han Chinese governors and viceroys the ones who helped the Manchus suppress the Boxers? Mr. Lin is absolutely right. This is a struggle between oppressors and the oppressed. If we don't identify the right enemy, how can the revolution succeed? We'll just be used as pawns by those Han Chinese oppressors. Whether Manchus or Han Chinese, as long as they are oppressors, they should all be overthrown. That's why labor is sacred."

The first person was speechless after being refuted, but someone immediately defended him, saying, "If we overthrow all the upper classes, can the laborers lead China to independence? What about us? Aren't we also among those to be overthrown? According to your logic, isn't this revolution just a revolution against ourselves?"

Seeing the increasingly heated debate among his comrades, Cai E regretted mentioning the declaration. In the past two days, whenever the declaration was mentioned, the originally harmonious discussion would immediately turn into two opposing factions. At this point, the Manchus were no longer an issue; it seemed that everyone wanted to overthrow the other side first.

Cai E could only try his best to mediate between the two sides, but this kind of struggle based on class consciousness obviously could not be resolved by personal relationships. In the end, several people simply could not accept that they were the targets of the revolution and announced their withdrawal from the rally, no longer siding with the Workers' Party. Those who remained had mixed feelings, but they had basically accepted the term "class struggle."

During the last week of November, Lin Xinyi, who had spent the morning reading with Lin Muzi in the Imperial Library, walked out of the library with the girl in a cheerful mood and asked her, "What should we eat for lunch today?"

Lin Muzi was silent for a while, then said to him, "I'm going to Hiroshima the day after tomorrow."

Lin Xinyi paused for a moment before asking, "How many days will you be gone?"

Lin Muzi didn't answer the question, but just looked at him and asked, "Will you take me there?"

Chapter Fifty-Nine: A Trip to the Hot Springs

Considering the safety of a girl traveling alone, and thinking that going to Hiroshima for a hot spring in the winter would be a wonderful thing, and that he had earned some money in the past few months enough to support such a trip, Lin Xinyi decided to accompany Lin Muzi to Hiroshima.

When he returned, he briefly told Ogawa Heikichi about it. Ogawa, upon hearing that he wanted to travel to Hiroshima, was very supportive, saying, "You really should relax a bit. Living like an ascetic every day is just too much. However, the scenery in Hiroshima is nice, but the women are a bit lacking. Speaking of which, the women in Osaka..."

"Mr. Ogawa, you should go take a bath." Mrs. Ogawa, her face dark, dragged her drunken husband away, not forgetting to apologize to Lin Xinyi and tell him not to listen to her husband's nonsense.

On November 29th, Lin Xinyi sent Cai E his latest commentary on the Chinese political situation. He then went to Lin Muzi's house to pick her up. Lin Xinyi carried two canvas bags, while Lin Muzi carried a package and an umbrella. They went out and waited at the door for a horse-drawn carriage to go to the Shinbashi parking lot. In that era, Japanese train stations were often called parking lots, a term that Lin Xinyi frequently misused.

They bought tickets to Osaka departing at 1 p.m., expecting to arrive the next day at noon. At that time, trains were divided into first, second, and third class carriages. The third class carriage was similar to the hard seats on the old-fashioned green trains of later times, the second class carriage was like an eight-person compartment, and the first class carriage was a single deluxe compartment. The ticket price was also several times higher.

Knowing he would be traveling for a day and a night, Lin Xinyi bought a second-class ticket. There were quite a few people traveling from Tokyo to Osaka, but the second-class carriage wasn't full. After boarding, Lin Xinyi discovered that this compartment was at least equivalent to two sleeper compartments in later times. The seats were fixed along the walls, with three people sitting by the window, three by the aisle, and two on the other side. There was a luggage rack near the door.

Lin Xinyi gave up his window seat to Mu Zi. Then, two men and a woman entered the carriage. The man and woman sat opposite them, while the other man sat alone to the side. As the train started moving, no more new passengers entered the carriage.

As Lin Xinyi was observing his fellow travelers in the carriage, he suddenly heard Mu Zi beside him exclaim softly, "So beautiful."

He turned his head and saw Mu Zi leaning against the window, staring at the scenery outside. His gaze lingered on Mu Zi's long, dark, and glossy hair for a few seconds before he looked out the window. It turned out to be a plum grove in full bloom. The red plum trees reflected in the white snow were indeed a rare and beautiful sight.

It was an extremely pleasant trip, and it would have been even better if no one else had bothered her. During the journey, two men in the same carriage kept trying to chat up Mu Zi, which made Lin Xinyi feel that it was indeed very unsafe for women to travel by train in this era. When they got off the train at noon the next day, the single man even wanted to ask them where they were staying in Osaka, but Lin Xinyi coldly refused.

Although this was Lin Xinyi's first time in Osaka, whether in his past or present life, he felt a greater sense of familiarity with Osaka than with the historical weight that Tokyo gave him. It was so much like the rural-urban fringe of a county town in China from his past life, with a dirty and chaotic appearance but strangely energetic pedestrians.

Lin Muzi was clearly visiting Osaka for the first time and was not quite used to the Kansai culture. Looking at the chaotic streets, she couldn't help but tug at Lin Xinyi's sleeve and ask, "Where should we go next?"

Lin Xinyi thought for a moment and said, "Let's find a place to stay, and then try some of Osaka's delicious food..."

Lin Muzi glanced at him shyly, then nodded and agreed. The two quickly found a clean-looking inn near the station; the newly built three-story building didn't look dirty.

Upon seeing Lin Xinyi and the girl behind him enter, the innkeeper, without hesitation, called out, "Welcome! Please come in, guests. Hua Zi will lead the way. Room number four, Plum Blossom..."

Under the boss's enthusiastic greeting, Lin Xinyi was led upstairs by a maid before he could even ask for two rooms. Lin Muzi silently followed behind him without saying anything. After entering the room, the maid left and closed the door. Seeing that only the two of them were left in the room, Lin Xinyi said somewhat awkwardly, "Should I go ask for another room?"

Lin Muzi seemed not to hear her. She went to the balcony, opened the curtains but quickly pulled them back. "Ah, there's a main street right outside."

Just as Lin Xinyi was about to speak, another maid came in, bringing tea and a register. At that moment, Mu Zi suddenly said, "I'd like to wash my hands; please register."

Under the maid's watchful eye, Lin Xinyi, his heart pounding, wrote in the register: "Lin Xinyi, Kobe Village, Nagano Prefecture, 18 years old, student." In the place where women should register, he wrote: "Same prefecture, same village, same surname, name Hana, 18 years old."

The maid took back the register and left, finally putting Lin Xinyi's mind at ease. Just then, the sound of running water came from the bathroom, and Mu Zi exclaimed in surprise, "Ah, there's still hot water here. Xinyi-kun, I'm going to take a bath before going out to eat."

Lin Xinyi gave a perfunctory reply, but listening to the sounds of splashing water coming from the bathroom, he felt somewhat distracted. Finally, he picked up the newspaper placed by the door and started reading it, which calmed him down a bit.

Not long after, Mu Zi suddenly called his name again, "Xinyi-kun, I forgot to bring my towel, could you get it for me?"

"That's a pretty obvious hint," Lin Xinyi said after a moment of silence, then tossed aside his newspaper and eagerly stood up, replying, "Okay..."

Lin Xinyi excitedly opened the bathroom door and rushed in, but upon seeing Mu Zi, who was fully dressed, he stammered, "You, weren't you taking a bath?"

Lin Muzi looked at Lin Xinyi, who had already taken off his clothes and was only holding a towel, and immediately blushed and said, "Idiot, I said I wanted to take a bath, not that I had already taken a bath. What are you thinking? Fine, since that's the case, you can take a bath first."

As Lin Muzi stepped out of the bathroom, Lin Xinyi stared at the tub of hot water in front of him, lost in thought. Had he been too hasty? Osaka's cuisine was indeed far more diverse than Tokyo's; both fried meat and Akashi-yaki were quite unique. Muzi seemed to quickly forget about the afternoon's events, only that she specifically asked the maid to prepare two quilts for the evening.

The Sanyo Main Line from Kobe to Hiroshima is not yet fully completed, but it is almost finished. Therefore, the time spent changing trains on the way to Hiroshima takes longer than the actual train journey, and the trip that should have taken one day ended up taking two days.

Looking at Hiroshima before him, Lin Xinyi felt that there was little to look forward to on this trip, even though it had been quite enjoyable. He suppressed his romantic fantasies and asked the girl beside him, "Will your father come to pick you up?"

Lin Muzi linked arms with Lin Xinyi. She was already somewhat used to such close contact. She shook her head and looked around the streets of Hiroshima, saying, "No, my father wouldn't let me come all the way from Tokyo alone."

Lin Xinyi asked in surprise, "How can it be just one person? Aren't I here too?"

Mu Zi rolled her eyes at him and said, "Then he'll be even more worried."

Lin Xinyi felt that Hiroshima's winter was a bit cold. After a moment of silence, Mu Zi seemed to have made up her mind and said, "Let's go to the hot springs. After we're there, we can go find my father."

Lin Xinyi was a little taken aback and subconsciously said, "Didn't you refuse to get off the bus in Tomonopura? Are we going to have to take the bus back again?"

Muko looked at him and said, "It's not like Tomonoura is the only place with hot springs; there are hot springs here too. Let's go to Miyajima. My father said the hot springs there are quite nice, and we can also visit Itsukushima Shrine..."

Miyajima Onsen Iwasō, a hot spring inn built on the edge of a primeval forest, boasts a completely Japanese-style decor and is undeniably luxurious. Lin Xinyi was initially puzzled as to why such a luxurious hot spring inn would be built in this godforsaken place. However, seeing the white military uniforms coming and going, he began to understand.

Mu Zi, standing nearby, asked him curiously why. Lin Xinyi replied sarcastically, "Although the Emperor ordered that brothels and red-light districts not be built next to the Naval Academy, the higher-ups can't be made to suffer, can they? Miyajima is separated from Etajima by a vast ocean, so it's definitely not nearby. The students can't afford to sail here by yacht. This is a perfect paradise..."

listed

I heard this book will be available this Friday, so as usual, I'll give a heads-up and share some thoughts. Honestly, I don't think there's much to say, because writing is just a pleasure. I actually quite enjoy sharing my ideas with everyone; for example, this book started from a single idea, with no outline, no preparation, and no drafts. I always feel like you'll all be criticizing me after it's released.

Chapter Sixty Miyajima Onsen

Despite the mockery, seeing the strange looks the naval elites were giving them, Lin Xinyi couldn't help but ask the girl beside him suspiciously, "Are you sure this place is open to the public?"

Lin Muzi smiled at him, then let go of his hand and said, "Wait a moment, let me go ask."

Before Lin Xinyi could call out to her, she had already strode towards the door. As expected, the doorman stopped her, but she said a few words to him. Soon the doorman came over, took the canvas bag from Lin Xinyi, and politely greeted him, "Please follow me, guest."

Lin Xinyi hesitated for a moment, but finally followed the doorman through the gate. However, once inside, the girl beside him seemed much more nervous than before, clinging to his arm and leaning almost her entire body against him, which made him relax.

Several naval officers, who were already curious about why there were young boys and girls here, watched as the doorman led the two to the backyard. One of them couldn't help but ask, "Whose children are these? This girl is really pretty."

After a moment of silence, someone said quietly, "That's the officers' quarters over there, so they're either generals' daughters or sons. But coming here at this time, could they be students from the Naval Academy?"

Someone immediately expressed their dissatisfaction, saying, "Naval Academy students here? Isn't this going a bit too far? What if they recognize him at school later? How are we going to teach him?"

However, someone quickly smoothed things over, saying, "They're probably just here to meet someone; they wouldn't be staying here permanently. Besides, the facilities over there are much better than here. Why would they come here? Who cares whose young masters and misses they are? Let's go in and have a drink; I'm going out to sea tomorrow..."

Following the doorman through a small door into a more elegant courtyard, Lin Xinyi finally came to his senses, frowned, and asked the girl hanging on his arm, "Could he have led us the wrong way? This place doesn't seem like a place for ordinary people, does it?"

Lin Muzi didn't speak, but her body was trembling violently. Seeing the girl's condition, Lin Xinyi calmed down and followed the doorman. They eventually stopped in front of a detached Japanese-style wooden house. The doorman put the luggage inside and then said to the two of them, "If you need service, just press this doorbell and a maid will come. For dinner, just fill out a form here and put it in the wooden box by the door, and the maid will come and collect it. Put the laundry in this basket..."

After explaining the furnishings inside, the doorman politely took his leave. Lin Xinyi stood on the veranda watching the doorman walk away and couldn't help but smile and say, "He's got the air of a British butler. Everyone says the navy has British blood, but I didn't expect even the doorman to be following the British example."

Lin Muzi was somewhat at a loss. Lin Xinyi's behavior was completely outside of her expectations. Whether Lin Xinyi was angry at her or turned to leave, it could be considered a normal reaction, but his current nonchalant attitude seemed really abnormal.

Lin Xinyi walked to the side of the house and opened the closed door. He saw a pool built in the center of the water-milled floor. The other three walls were surrounded by bamboo curtains. Although it was indoors, one could see the trees and snow scene outside. It was indeed a top-class hot spring hotel designed by a master.

"Aren't you angry?" Lin Muzi finally mustered up the courage to ask.

Lin Xinyi, his hands gripping the doorframe, turned to look at her curiously and asked, "What's there to be angry about? Just look at the furnishings here. You can't refuse anyone's requests anyway, so even if I'm angry, I shouldn't be angry at you. Honestly, this place is really nice. It seems the navy's spending is worthwhile. Before those people show up, I'm going to enjoy myself to the fullest, otherwise it would be a huge waste..."

As he spoke, Lin Xinyi took off his clothes and walked naked into the indoor hot spring. The water temperature of just over 40 degrees Celsius was just right. Lying in the pool, Lin Xinyi quickly felt his whole body warm up, and his face, which had been chilled by the sea breeze, regained its color.

Just as he was comfortably soaking in the warm water with his eyes closed, he soon heard a splash of water beside him. He opened his eyes and saw a pair of fair legs stepping into the water. Then, Lin Muzi quickly submerged her body in the warm water, just like him, with only her neck and head floating on the surface.

Lin Muzi, who had boldly entered the hot spring, was nervous for a while. When she realized that Lin Xinyi next to her did not make any special moves, she felt a little relieved and said, "I know it's useless to say this, but I still want to say to you: I'm sorry."

Lin Xinyi leaned his head against the steps, relaxed his whole body, and looked at the sky outside the bamboo curtain. He suddenly said, "The winter sky here is really beautiful."

Lin Muzi turned her gaze to the sky outside the bamboo curtain. After a moment of silence, she began to talk about her childhood. This time, Lin Xinyi didn't interrupt her. Lin Muzi talked and Lin Xinyi listened, until the sky darkened and the maid came to ask them what they wanted to eat for dinner.

Lin Xinyi then asked the other party to recommend some local delicacies. When the two returned to the living room in their yukatas, the food had already been served. The food consisted entirely of seafood from Hiroshima Bay, with the oysters being particularly delicious.

After dinner, the maid made up the bedding for the two of them and cleared away the tableware. Lin Xinyi took a couple of sips of tea, checked the time, and said, "It seems they intend to let me get a good night's sleep tonight, so I'll rest now."

Just as Lin Xinyi lay down, Lin Muzi turned off the light and entered the bedroom. A rustling sound came from the darkness, which was quite suggestive. Soon after, a hot body crawled into his bed.

Lin Xinyi sighed and said, "I'm not a monk, I can't help myself if you keep doing this."

Lin Muzi, nestled against his chest, listened to his heartbeat and said softly, "Why did you have to endure it? Didn't you already decide you didn't want to endure it anymore?"

Lin Xinyi inhaled the pleasant fragrance emanating from her long hair and said casually, "I didn't expect it to be a transaction. I haven't even seen the bill yet, it wouldn't be good to deny it after eating it, would it? Ah."