8mi Chapter 194 What is the prize?
Chapter 194 What is the prize?
Previously, in order to dredge silt to fill the city walls, the embankment along the Zhouxue River, stretching for thousands of meters, was dug up and became pitted and unrecognizable.
The only way to restore it is to wait until the city wall project is completed and then build a riverside park along the riverbank.
Since we're going to build a park anyway, let's go all the way and add a water park as well. That way, residents can relax and it will become a unique feature of Chiffon Town.
Swimming isn't considered unusual; many people bathe in rivers, and the North has a tradition of soaking in hot springs, with Snowfox Territory having a natural hot spring.
Lucy once said that every winter when the mountains are snowbound, wealthy freemen like Oscar would spend the long, cold winter there with their families.
There's no water park in sight yet, and it's quite hot and humid in the summer. Last time, he and Lucy had a romantic bath together in the pool inside the castle at Frost, which he still can't forget.
After returning, I decided to build a pool, just to serve as a model room for the future water park, and also...
Um...
Observe the maids' "working status" in the water!
...
Seeing that Wendy was a little shy, Richard deliberately put on a serious face and said in a solemn tone.
"After the riverbank is repaired, a water park will be built to provide the people with a place for leisure and entertainment in the summer. As the chief minister, how can you know where the design is unreasonable or where there are safety hazards if you don't personally go into the water and experience it?"
These words sounded perfectly reasonable, but Wendy wasn't stupid. She knew Richard was trying to take advantage of her under the guise of official business. She bit her lip and decided to refuse.
"Why don't you just go and experience it yourself? Why do you have to drag me into it? This is really against the rules."
Seeing her embarrassed expression, Richard's smile deepened, and he chuckled:
"Rules? Didn't we soak in the artificial hot springs at Wolf Castle when we were kids? Back then, you dared to have a water fight with me wrapped in a towel. Why are you acting all coy now that you're older?"
Upon hearing this, Wendy felt her cheeks burning! That was so many years ago, and what did a little kid like her know back then!?
Now, one is the Lord of Chiffon, and the other is the chief minister assisting the lord. They must abide by the rules in every word and deed. Their statuses are worlds apart. How can they be compared to what they were back then?
"Shall we go?"
Richard's tone was ambiguous, neither a request nor a command, as he took her hand and led her out of the study.
"If you're shy, I'll have someone prepare a one-piece swimsuit for you, covering you up completely. Is that alright?"
Wendy's heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was going to jump out of her throat. She was both ashamed and annoyed, and a strange, indescribable flutter rose in her heart. In the end, she didn't pull her hand away from his.
...
The temporary swimming pool wasn't large, about 300 square meters. The bottom and edges were covered with smooth stone flooring, with two layers of waterproof canvas and tanned thick cowhide in the middle to prevent water seepage.
The water source is a branch of the Zhouxue River, clear and clean, shimmering in the sunlight.
To protect the maids' privacy, the pool was surrounded by thick canvas, and a ring of starfruit saplings and maple trees was planted around the edge.
The intertwined branches and leaves not only block the outside view but also add a touch of greenery, bringing a refreshing coolness to the sweltering summer days.
...
Wendy dawdled as she changed into a dark blue one-piece swimsuit, which accentuated her beautiful figure. Seeing the private setting, her tense nerves relaxed a little.
But when she saw the scene by the pool and in the water, she was instantly dumbfounded!
Is this the bikini he mentioned?!
A few palm-sized pieces of brightly colored fabric barely covered the key areas, perfectly outlining the youthful curves of the girls!
Nicole, in particular, had fair skin that shimmered under the water droplets. Her chest and pert hips swayed with the ripples of the water, making her look like a beautiful statue.
Her curvaceous figure was particularly eye-catching in the sunlight. She and Masha were splashing each other in the water, their laughter clear and melodious.
A group of dogs chased and played by the pool, wagging their tails and splashing water, occasionally barking at the maid.
Richard was only wearing a pair of loose beach shorts, his muscular upper body completely exposed, and he was lying on a beach chair under a starfruit tree.
Lina stood behind him, obediently massaging his shoulders. The wooden table was filled with all kinds of fresh fruits and drinks.
"Don't just stand there."
Richard waved to her, pointed to the maids frolicking in the water, and grinned mischievously:
"Go down and try it. The water isn't very deep. It only reaches your waist when you're standing in it, so don't worry about choking on it."
Wendy's gaze quickly shifted from his bare chest to her toes resting on the warm stone slabs, and she whispered:
"I'll just take a look..."
Richard stopped teasing her and took a sip of blueberry wine.
Who says swimming has to involve splashing around in the water? Isn't this picture of a beautiful woman playing in the water the best form of entertainment?
Looking at the maids' innocent and radiant smiles, and listening to their cheerful laughter, the gloom that had been weighing on my heart for days due to the bloody chaos in the North was somewhat dispelled.
Looking at the maids' innocent and radiant smiles, and listening to their cheerful laughter, the gloom that had been weighing on my heart for days due to the bloody chaos in the North was somewhat dispelled.
Richard squinted, enjoying the moment of tranquility.
...
Wendy stood by the pool, slowly infected by the lively atmosphere, and the slight awkwardness in her heart was gradually replaced by a subtle envy and longing.
Since separating from Freya, in the vast Chiffon Collar, the only girls her age she could barely talk to were these maids she saw regularly.
At this moment, Nicole wiped the water droplets from her face and, laughing, loudly suggested:
"Let's play a game! Each of us chooses a dog, and we'll see who paddles the fastest. The first one to swim ashore wins, and the prize remains the same!"
Martha was the first to clap her hands in agreement.
Okay, okay!
Celia smiled and agreed.
"This is fun!"
Betty and Snow Moon exchanged a glance and nodded in agreement, and even Lina looked curiously into the pool.
Wendy's heart skipped a beat. Seeing the maids all so enthusiastic, the urge to join in overcame her reserve.
Can I participate?
...
The air seemed to freeze for a moment, and the maids all turned to look at her with strange expressions.
Celia blinked her bright eyes and tentatively asked:
"Miss Wendy, are you sure you want to participate in this competition?"
Wendy assumed they were being considerate of her status, so she quickly put on a smile as natural as possible, trying to close the distance.
"If you can all play, why can't I? Don't treat me like some high-ranking official, just treat me like a friend who wants to play together."
Xueyue opened her mouth, about to say something, but Betty quietly pulled her back.
Betty shook her head at her, pursed her lips and smiled secretly, then waved enthusiastically to Wendy.
"That's wonderful! Miss Wendy, please choose a dog!"
Wendy, unsuspecting, glanced at the group of dogs by the pool and spotted a slender greyhound. The other maids also picked their targets.
"Ready?"
Nicole stood in the water, tightly hugging the restless big dog, her voice full of joy.
"start!"
As soon as the words were spoken, everyone simultaneously threw the dogs they were holding into the air.
Whoosh!
Splashes of water!
Seven dogs were thrown into the water. After a brief moment of confusion, a strong desire to get ashore drove them to immediately use their ancestral doggy paddle, frantically thrashing about in the water with their four legs.
In an instant, the shadows of dogs darted about in the pool!
"Go for it, Xiao Hei!"
"Lightning! Charge!"
The maids stood in the water, cheering enthusiastically for the dogs they had chosen, creating an extremely lively atmosphere.
This was Wendy's first time participating in such a novel entertainment activity, and her shyness had long since vanished.
Imitating the maids, I yelled at the greyhound that was struggling to paddle in the water.
"Keep it up!"
But she didn't notice that behind her back, Celia winked at Susan.
Susan understood immediately and secretly used the mind contract, deliberately letting the greyhound Wendy had chosen take the lead and leave the other dogs far behind.
Soon, the Greyhound swam ashore first, shook off the water droplets, and Wendy instantly beamed with joy, clapping enthusiastically!
"We won!"
"Miss Wendy has excellent taste!"
"Miss Wendy wins!"
A group of maids surrounded her and loudly congratulated her on winning the competition.
After a while, Nicole clapped her hands to signal the others to be quiet, and then shouted:
"Congratulations, Miss Wendy, on winning the competition! As usual, the prize is—"
She deliberately dragged out the melody, and then the maids burst into laughter in unison:
"Spend the night alone with the master!"
...
boom!
These words were like a thunderclap from a clear sky, exploding in Wendy's ears!
The smile on my face froze instantly, the corners of my mouth still curved in a happy way, my mind went completely blank.
stiffly...
He turned his head little by little...
Richard was seen leaning back in a beach chair, holding a wine glass in one hand and covering his mouth tightly with the other, laughing so hard that his shoulders were shaking violently, spilling a lot of the wine in the glass.
Clearly, he already knew he was the winner!
Once she realized what was happening, Wendy's face turned bright red. She screamed and quickly crouched down, immersing herself completely in the pool!