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Shen Xi: “...”
Naturally, Shen Xi ignored Lin Zhan’s absurd request to call her “Sweetheart.”
Insomnia had thickened Lin Zhan’s skin, and she pressed him: “Say it, I really want to hear it.”
Shen Xi: “...No.”
Lin Zhan: “If you don’t say it, I might not be able to sleep tonight.”
Shen Xi: “If I say it, you’ll sleep even less.”
Lin Zhan reined in her teasing expression and spoke earnestly: “Were you just responding to me?”
Shen Xi fell silent.
Lin Zhan said with difficulty: “I think you were just teasing me. That’s not okay.”
Shen Xi: “...Go to sleep.”
This time, Lin Zhan refused: “No.”
Shen Xi urged her: “I’m going to sleep soon too.”
Lin Zhan sighed helplessly: “But I really can’t sleep. If you’re tired, go ahead and sleep. I’ll sit here alone for a while.”
Shen Xi didn’t move: “Last time, I saw you sleeping well. Don’t scare yourself.”
Lin Zhan: “That was because you were talking to me...”
“Then I’ll talk to you this time too,” Shen Xi set down what he was holding. “Go back and sleep first.”
Lin Zhan: “Will you come with me?”
Shen Xi seemed to sense what she was thinking, glanced at her briefly, and silenced her with his gaze.
Lin Zhan stood up reluctantly: “Alright, no need for you to keep me company. I’ll obediently crawl into bed by myself.”
Taking one step forward with three backward glances, she finally heard the voice of Shen Xi calling her back as she wished.
“Wait a moment.”
Lin Zhan hurried over and asked softly: “What is it?”
He rummaged through his bag and pulled something out.
This night made Lin Zhan feel that the barriers between them had been broken. He wasn’t as distant with her as before.
Shen Xi handed her the item: “An eye mask. Take it.”
The warmth in her palm as she accepted the eye mask left Lin Zhan momentarily stunned. She said: “You’re so thoughtful to bring this.”
Shen Xi cleared his throat: “My mom packed it for me. I just noticed it.”
Lin Zhan chuckled awkwardly: “Your mom is very thoughtful then.”
Shen Xi: “Mm.”
While Shen Xi was putting the Kao eye mask box back into his backpack, Lin Zhan leaned over to peek inside his bag.
Shen Xi suddenly felt the air near his ear grow a bit hot.
Lin Zhan moved closer: “Wow, did you bring binoculars too?!”
Shen Xi: “It was my mom...”
Lin Zhan: “And there are two pairs! We can watch together! Your mom is great!”
With that, Lin Zhan sat down, forming a visor over her brow with her right hand, and began looking upward.
Shen Xi: “...Why are you sitting down?”
Lin Zhan replied naturally: “To look at the stars, of course. The timing, location, and companions are all perfect—let’s get started.”
Shen Xi zipped up his backpack without taking out the binoculars: “Not tonight.”
Her hopes of receiving the binoculars dashed, Lin Zhan looked like a cat that hadn’t caught any fish: “Why not?”
Shen Xi: “I don’t feel like it.”
Lin Zhan: “...”
Just because Shen Xi didn’t want to look tonight didn’t mean he’d want to tomorrow.
And tomorrow might not have such a good atmosphere. She might not be sitting beside him, and there might not be only two people.
After much deliberation, adhering to the principle of doing things thoroughly, Lin Zhan decided to throw a tantrum—or rather, act cute.
She thought about how girls should act adorable but couldn’t come up with anything after much frustration.
——Come on, just watch with me, you jerk?
Forget it, too disgusting.
Switch to a resolute, heroic approach.
Lin Zhan: “I won’t leave unless I get those binoculars today.”
“This star, Franklin-Zhan must see.”
Shen Xi: “...What Zhan?”
Lin Zhan: “That’s not important. Don’t change the subject!”
Shen Xi: “...”
After a long standoff with Lin Zhan, Shen Xi relented, shaking his head: “The weather isn’t good tonight—it’s not suitable for stargazing.”
Lin Zhan: “How do you know it’s unsuitable if you don’t try? It’s like dating—if you don’t interact with someone, how do you know if they’re a match?”
Shen Xi clenched his teeth, not intending to say more.
But realizing that if he didn’t give her a convincing answer, she’d nag him endlessly.
The night was deepening.
Shen Xi: “...I checked a guide.”
These five simple words successfully silenced Lin Zhan.
Lin Zhan exclaimed in surprise: “So thorough? You actually checked a guide?”
Shen Xi smoothly continued: “Zhang Ze sent it to me.”
Lin Zhan nodded knowingly.
“So when would be a good time?”
“...”
“Probably the day after tomorrow.”
“Alright,” Lin Zhan rose reluctantly. “Don’t deceive me, or I’ll cry.”
Shen Xi: “...”
Lin Zhan’s eyes burned with determination.
Shen Xi nodded: “I won’t deceive you.”
Lin Zhan stood up and walked toward her tent.
“Then I’m going to sleep. Goodnight.”
///
In truth, Lin Zhan was still a bit excited.
Thinking about watching the stars with Shen Xi tomorrow or the day after, imagining various scenarios...
...
Lin Zhan turned over.
She heard some noise outside.
A shadow cast by the moonlight appeared on the side of her tent.
Lin Zhan braced herself, thinking that if someone came to steal things, she’d beat them until their mothers wouldn’t recognize them.
The shadow sat down next to her tent.
??
“During the Jin Dynasty’s Taiyuan era, a fisherman from Wuling made his living by fishing.”
What was this? Studying The Peach Blossom Spring under lamplight?
No, that was Shen Xi’s voice.
Lin Zhan furrowed her brows. What was he doing?
Suddenly, she remembered his earlier words—”This time, I’ll talk to you. Go back and sleep first.”
Was he really coming to talk to her?!
Lin Zhan rested her chin on her arm, pressing against the tent to listen to his voice.
“Following the stream, he forgot how far he had traveled. Suddenly, he encountered a peach blossom forest, stretching hundreds of steps along both banks, without any other trees in between. The fragrant grass was fresh and beautiful, and petals fluttered down like confetti.”
His speech was slow, each word pronounced exceptionally clearly. She could almost feel the tones roll off his tongue, lingering in her ears.
She recalled a line from A Small Stone Pond Record they had studied earlier, which perfectly described his voice.
—Through the bamboo grove, we heard the sound of water, like the tinkling of jade pendants and rings, bringing joy to the heart.
It was like the crisp sound of jade pendants and rings clinking together, pleasant and soothing.
At this moment, the eye mask began to warm up, its perfect temperature resting gently on her eyelids, making her reluctant to think of anything else.
A strange sensation welled up in her throat.
…Overwhelmed by sweetness.
It was like a shaved ice placed in front of her—initially a bit cold, but once the chill faded, only surging sweetness remained.
Lin Zhan didn’t remember how she fell asleep.
She only vaguely recalled hearing him softly recite in that half-dreamlike state.
—There was a small opening in the mountain, faintly lit.
Moving toward the light.
///
After finishing washing up the next morning, Zheng Yi Mian told Qi Lijie: “I don’t think Zhan Zhan looks like someone who was up all night.”
Early in the morning, she couldn’t be woken up, but once awake, she was unusually energetic, almost invigorated…
Lin Zhan was dragging out her painting bag when she heard a commotion and saw someone approaching. Lin Zhan grew uneasy.
Lin Zhan asked Sun Hong: “Why is Yu Qing here? Did you invite her?”
Sun Hong shook his head vigorously: “No way! How could I invite her?!”
Lin Zhan: “...Then how did she get here?”
“She came on her own,” Sun Hong said. “We’ve got a traitor among us.”
“Forget it, it doesn’t matter,” Lin Zhan consoled herself. “Anyway, Shen Xi doesn’t like anyone right now. We’re competing fairly.”
Sun Hong fanned the flames: “I think your chances are better.”
///
To the left of the mountain path was a developed area where not only could one enjoy beautiful scenery, but there were also many shops at the end of the trail.
There were souvenir shops and places for eating, traveling, and taking photos.
To the right, however, was an undeveloped area, mostly pristine and untouched. Food options were scarce, and one had to fend for oneself.
Whether to go left or right, the group split into two choices.
Some wanted to go left, others wanted to go right.
In the end, everyone decided to split into two groups: those who wanted to go left would follow Zhang Cheng, and those who wanted to go right would follow Shen Xi and Zhang Ze.
The entire grouping process happened without Lin Zhan’s knowledge. After she finished cleaning her paints, she heard someone call: “Lin Zhan, come and join a group!”
///
After hearing the grouping rules, Lin Zhan asked: “So what’s the situation now?”
Zhang Cheng said: “The situation is that you and Yu Qing haven’t been assigned yet. My group and Shen Xi’s group each have one spot left.”
With that, Zhang Cheng smiled mischievously: “Don’t tell me you two both want to go to Shen Xi’s side—I won’t agree. I know your intentions aren’t pure.”
“But today, one of you has to come with me, or I’ll lose face.”
Lin Zhan was taken aback.
Just as Lin Zhan was about to speak, Sun Hong whispered to her: “Zhang Cheng is deliberately provoking you. Actually, splitting evenly into groups of ten is the best option. Shen Xi’s side doesn’t have enough food prepared, and Zhang Cheng’s side needs ten people to start the bus. So… no matter how you calculate it, the best scenario is for you two to split—one on each side.”
“Besides, Zhang Cheng does care about his reputation. If you both go with Shen Xi, he’ll think you look down on him. When you’re out having fun, harmony is key. Don’t ruin the mood.”
To be honest, Lin Zhan did feel that she and Yu Qing shouldn’t be in the same group.
Otherwise, they’d compete over everything.
Lin Zhan waved her hand: “Fine, let Shen Xi choose, or we can vote.”
There was no other way—it had to be done this way.
Under the condition that both of them were willing, it would make the decision on the other side fairer.
Yu Qing muttered: “Everyone on that side are your friends…”
Lin Zhan glanced—this side had Shen Xi, Zhang Ze, Zheng Yi Mian, and Sun Hong; she wasn’t close with the others…
And Shen Xi and Zhang Ze might not even choose her…
Forget it.
Lin Zhan said: “Let’s play rock-paper-scissors?”
Yu Qing whispered: “...Let Shen Xi choose.”
Wow, bold move.
Everyone started cheering, always eager for drama.
“Let Shen Xi choose! Let Shen Xi choose!”
“Such thrilling entertainment on the first day—I love it.”
“President, hurry up and choose. Once you’re done, we’ll go eat…”
Lin Zhan smiled at everyone, stealing a glance at Shen Xi.
Why was Shen Xi looking at her with that ambiguous gaze? Was he planning to abandon her?
Yu Qing softly urged beside her: “Shen Xi...”
Her voice was different from her usual tone—deliberately soft and coquettish.
Lin Zhan stared wide-eyed.
Could one gain favor by acting cute? Was this a matchmaking show where female contestants gave final speeches to win over the audience?
Countless “bullet comments” scrolled through Lin Zhan’s mind.
…I couldn’t think of anything.
At this point, Zhang Cheng laughed.
“I say, Lin Zhan, just come with us. Our side has all girls, and we need someone strong to help out.”
—No, I can’t put myself at a disadvantage.
Shen Xi was about to speak.
Lin Zhan raised her hand: “Wait a moment, I haven’t given my final speech!”
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