“Sheng Qingxi—”
Sheng Qingxi lifted her gaze and met Lin Ran’s eyes.
He was looking down at her, his dark eyes slightly shadowed, his emotions hard to discern.
After a moment, Lin Ran shifted his gaze toward Gu Mingji, speaking calmly, “I don’t like having someone behind me. Move ahead of me. Sheng Qingxi, you stay still for now.”
Gu Mingji: “…”
He had never realized before how awkward Lin Ran could be.
Clearly, Lin Ran wanted to be closer to Sheng Qingxi, but he didn’t dare to make it obvious. It seemed Lin Ran himself hadn’t figured out what he truly wanted.
Gu Mingji obligingly moved in front of Lin Ran and didn’t bring up the backpack again. He sighed inwardly—at least Lin Ran was braver than him. Gu Mingji didn’t even dare to get close.
His feelings for Sheng Qingxi were complicated. Most of his impressions of her were still from their childhood, where he instinctively treated her like a younger sister. But the current Sheng Qingxi was different from before.
She was beautiful, smart, and radiant.
He found himself drawn to her.
Gu Mingji smiled bitterly. It wasn’t just Lin Ran who didn’t know what he wanted—he didn’t either.
Sheng Qingxi, ordered by Lin Ran to stand still, obediently stayed in place. Lin Ran walked behind her, and she could feel his gaze still lingering on her.
After the class monitor finished counting the group, they set off.
It was 10:10 in the morning, and it would take them nearly fifty minutes to reach the campsite. To motivate them, Mr. Qu told them that the barbecue grills and ingredients were already set up at the campsite, just waiting for them to arrive.
As soon as Mr. Qu said that, the group’s morale surged.
They started moving forward.
Sheng Qingxi took one step forward before stopping. Her backpack had been pulled. The force from behind wasn’t too strong or too light—Lin Ran had hooked his finger around her backpack strap, preventing her from walking forward.
She turned her head to look at him.
Lin Ran lifted his chin slightly, “Give me your bag. You go ahead.”
Sheng Qingxi was silent for two seconds before softly saying, “Lin Ran, don’t do this.”
He couldn’t act the same way towards her as before after saying those things. Even though Sheng Qingxi was inexperienced with matters of the heart, she knew that the way they were interacting now was wrong.
Don’t do this.
Those simple words fell lightly on his heart like a feather—painless and soft, yet rendering him speechless.
Lin Ran stared at her, slowly loosening his grip on her backpack strap.
Yes, Lin Ran.
You were the one who drew the line between you and her. You shouldn’t be the one to mess with her again.
Seeing Lin Ran let go, Sheng Qingxi turned and caught up with the group. After a brief pause, the sound of footsteps resumed behind her.
The weather was great today—a rare sunny day lately. The brilliant sunlight poured down on them without restraint. The blue-and-white uniforms of No. 1 High School looked especially beautiful in the sunlight.
The mountains were quiet, and the sound of clear water flowing could be heard through the dense, lush forest.
Not far off, colorful birds with shimmering feathers flitted between the branches, and a cool mountain breeze passed through the vast woods, dispersing the lingering heat.
At the front, Mr. Qu waved a bright red flag, which fluttered in the wind. The first part of the trail wasn’t difficult, but after some uphill walking, several of the girls were starting to tire.
Noticing this, the boys from the class took the initiative to help carry the girls’ backpacks.
Sheng Qingxi raised her hand to wipe the thin layer of sweat that had formed on her forehead. They had been climbing for about half an hour now, and her breathing and pace remained steady, keeping up with the same rhythm as when they started.
Her stamina had improved significantly compared to three months ago.
Sheng Qingxi exhaled lightly. It had been a long time since she had climbed a mountain this easily. In the past, when she went on missions in the mountains, every second counted. Whether it was windy, raining, day, or night, she had to run without hesitation.
Her life now felt like a dream.
Whether it was the days at No. 1 High School or Lin Ran.
–
Mr. Qu glanced at his watch. At their current pace, they could reach the campsite before 11 o’clock. He stopped and waved the flag, shouting loudly, “Take a ten-minute break. Drink some water or take photos if you want. We’ll set off again at 11:40.”
As soon as Mr. Qu gave the signal, the group loosened up. The exhausted girls helped each other find shade under the trees to escape the sun, while the boys, eager for fun, picked up branches and ran into the woods to play around.
In no time, only a few remained standing in place, including Lin Ran and his group.
Xie Zhen and He Mo waited for Lin Ran’s reaction.
Gu Mingji, caught awkwardly between them, adjusted his glasses and cleared his throat before asking, “Xiao Xi, shall we go over there to sit, have something to eat, and rest for a while?”
Sheng Qingxi nodded.
The two of them left the group and headed to an open spot under the trees.
He Mo glanced at Lin Ran, who was still standing there in silence, and sighed, “Brother Ran.”
Only then did Lin Ran snap out of his thoughts. He gathered his emotions and started walking toward them. The three of them found another place to rest. As soon as Xie Zhen sat down, he began rummaging through his bag for snacks, while He Mo tossed Lin Ran a bottle of water.
Lin Ran caught it effortlessly, twisted the cap open, took a sip, and then stayed still.
Not far away, Gu Mingji thoughtfully laid out a picnic cloth on the ground before inviting Sheng Qingxi to sit down.
They sat side by side, both gazing out at the endless mountain scenery. The vast expanse of green looked like a jade ocean, with waves of green undulating as the mountain breeze swept through.
Gu Mingji chuckled softly as he stared at the mountains, his voice carrying a hint of nostalgia. “Xiao Xi, do you remember that time when Mama Sheng took us on a spring outing, and it rained heavily? Your candy got soaked in the rain, and you cried the whole time.”
Sheng Qingxi was momentarily stunned before she managed to pull the memory from the distant past. After they returned that day, Gu Mingji had given her all his candy—exactly five pieces.
Gu Mingji stopped for a moment and then turned to look at Sheng Qingxi, his voice so soft it sounded like he was talking to himself, “So when I left, you gave me five pieces of candy too.”
Only now did he realize that Sheng Qingxi had never really changed. She had always been the same person, accustomed to keeping a certain distance from others. Her distant attitude at the start of the school term wasn’t caused by time or change.
The only exception in her life was Lin Ran.
A bitter feeling welled up in Gu Mingji’s heart. Some things no longer needed to be said aloud.
Sheng Qingxi spoke softly, “Thank you for the candy back then, Brother Mingji.”
As she said “Brother Mingji,” the mountain breeze grew stronger, sweeping through the trees.
The heavy weight pressing down on Gu Mingji’s heart was finally lifted. He thought with a sense of relief that this was how things were supposed to be between them. They were childhood playmates and, after all, would remain just that—playmates.
Smiling, he gently ruffled Sheng Qingxi’s black hair. “Xiao Xi, you can call me whatever you want, it’s just a name. I’ll always take care of you like I did when we were kids.”
Gu Mingji understood now that Sheng Qingxi felt the same. They would always be there for each other.
Suddenly, a loud *pop* echoed.
The cap of a water bottle burst open with a sharp crack.
He Mo and Xie Zhen jumped in surprise, both turning to look at Lin Ran.
Lin Ran stood there, his expression dark and unreadable as he watched Gu Mingji and Sheng Qingxi in the distance. From his angle, he could only see Gu Mingji affectionately touching Sheng Qingxi’s hair, and she wasn’t avoiding it.
The water bottle Lin Ran had been gripping in his hand had been crushed so forcefully that the cap flew off somewhere, and water spilled all over the ground.
His fingers, now white from the pressure, still clenched the nearly empty bottle.
He Mo, sensing the tension, didn’t dare stay silent. He quickly stepped forward, grabbing Lin Ran’s arm to remind him, “Brother Ran, there are a lot of people here. Whatever it is, let’s deal with it later.”
Lin Ran lowered his gaze.
The spring sunlight was supposed to be warm and comforting, yet he felt like he was standing in the scorching heat of summer, being burned by raging flames. The heat started in his veins, spreading through every nerve, then burning all the way to his limbs and bones.
Lin Ran couldn’t tell which pain was worse—the fire from back then, or what he was feeling now.
His mind was a chaotic mess. All he wanted at that moment was to pull Sheng Qingxi to his side and make sure she stayed there, close to him, unable to leave. Yet a voice in the back of his mind told him he couldn’t do that.
It would hurt her.
Lin Ran didn’t know what had gotten into him, why his emotions were so wildly affected by Sheng Qingxi.
He took a step forward, intent on going to her, but He Mo was quick to hold him back. Lin Ran didn’t realize it, but He Mo and Xie Zhen could both see it—his eyes were already beginning to redden.
Before the situation could escalate further, Mr. Qu blew a whistle. “Everyone, line up! In twenty minutes, we’ll be eating!”
The tension in Lin Ran snapped at the sound of the whistle.
He Mo couldn’t hold Lin Ran back any longer.
Gu Mingji was in the middle of folding the picnic cloth, facing Lin Ran, while Sheng Qingxi had her back to him. Gu Mingji noticed Lin Ran’s emotional state first, his expression dark and barely concealing his anger.
Instinctively, Gu Mingji wanted to shield Sheng Qingxi, but he was a step too late.
Just as Sheng Qingxi was about to turn around, a strong hand suddenly grasped her wrist. The sudden warmth from Lin Ran’s touch contrasted sharply with her cool skin, and she instinctively tried to pull away.
That small movement only made Lin Ran tighten his grip.
Sheng Qingxi turned her head, her eyes meeting Lin Ran’s deep, shadowed gaze.
She froze for a moment, then whispered, “Lin Ran.”
Ignoring whether it was time to line up or continue their journey, Lin Ran pulled Sheng Qingxi along, heading toward a small side path.
The long line of students blocked Mr. Qu’s view, and the class monitor, prompted by He Mo, reported that everyone was accounted for. The group set off again, and no one noticed that two people were missing from the back.
Gu Mingji wanted to go after them, but He Mo and Xie Zhen stopped him.
He Mo offered a genuine piece of advice, “When Brother Ran’s temper flares up, there’s nothing we can do to stop him. But he won’t take it out on Sheng Qingxi. If you go after them now, you’ll only make things worse.”
Gu Mingji glanced worriedly in the direction of the woods but ultimately decided not to follow.
Beyond the small path lay a spacious broadleaf forest, where scattered sunlight filtered through the gaps between the trees, casting fragmented patches of light on the ground. The hurried footsteps startled the grass at the edge of the trees, causing it to sway and bow down.
Sheng Qingxi was cornered by Lin Ran against a tree trunk, unable to advance or retreat.
Suddenly, the boy leaned in close, his warm breath brushing against her ear. His husky voice, carried by his breath, slipped into her ear, “Sheng Qingxi, where did he just touch you?”