What should have been a simple touch, in Lin Ran’s words, inexplicably turned into something suggestive.
Behind Sheng Qingxi was a hard tree trunk, and in front of her was the overwhelming presence of Lin Ran. His eyes lowered as he stared at her, their noses nearly touching. The space between them was so close that their breaths mingled.
Sheng Qingxi avoided his gaze and tried reasoning with him, “Lin Ran, we should follow the group.”
Lin Ran chuckled lightly, “Sheng Qingxi, I’ll ask you again. Where exactly did Gu Mingji touch you just now?”
At this point, Lin Ran clearly wasn’t willing to listen to anything. All he wanted was to hear Sheng Qingxi say for herself what she and Gu Mingji had been doing and talking about.
In the past, Sheng Qingxi would have compromised with Lin Ran, but not this time.
Sheng Qingxi raised her eyes to meet Lin Ran’s, whose emotions were on the verge of spiraling out of control. She softly, but firmly, said each word clearly, “Lin Ran, whatever I do with Gu Mingji is my business. It’s my freedom.”
“You remember what you said, and so do I. Lin Ran, stop being so unreasonable.”
Unreasonable?
Lin Ran almost laughed in anger. Suddenly, he lifted his hand and gripped her small, sharp chin, forcing her even closer. His voice was hoarse as he asked, “You said you wouldn’t date early or tell lies—does that still hold true?”
“So what were you two doing just now?”
Sheng Qingxi, who rarely gets angry, found Lin Ran’s behavior today made her uncomfortable—whether it was his tone or his actions. She felt a surge of frustration in her heart. She didn’t want to answer his questions, nor indulge his unreasonable behavior.
Pressing her lips together, Sheng Qingxi said, “Lin Ran, I don’t want to fight you.”
As soon as she spoke, Lin Ran’s pupils trembled.
The girl who once shielded him from a blow in that alleyway now wanted to fight him over someone insignificant. But he immediately realized that, to Sheng Qingxi, perhaps that person wasn’t insignificant.
Lin Ran was not the only one.
Suddenly, Lin Ran felt a bit wronged. He wanted to ask Sheng Qingxi if she still liked him, wanted to ask why she was speaking to him this way because of Gu Mingji. But he couldn’t bring himself to say anything.
Because it was him who backed away first, and now it was him who was throwing a tantrum.
Slowly, he loosened his grip and said quietly, “You can go.”
The pressure he had been imposing on her disappeared as he distanced himself.
Sheng Qingxi lifted her foot, ready to leave, but when she passed by Lin Ran, she hesitated for a moment. It seemed like she wanted to say something, but in the end, she said nothing.
The sound of her light footsteps gradually faded.
Lin Ran slumped against the tree Sheng Qingxi had been leaning on. He knew his emotions were off and vaguely understood why he had become like this.
But he couldn’t make her any promises. He… he might die.
Lin Ran let out a bitter laugh.
Lin Ran, you look so pathetic right now.
That fire had always been his shackle, trapping him in place, unable to take a single step forward. He didn’t even dare to like someone, afraid of not being able to escape and of someone else stepping in.
–
Five minutes later, Sheng Qingxi caught up with the class group.
Seeing her return, Gu Mingji, who had been anxiously waiting, finally relaxed. He let out a sigh of relief and asked, “Xiao Xi, are you okay?”
Sheng Qingxi shook her head, signaling that she was fine.
Although Sheng Qingxi had returned to the group, Lin Ran was still nowhere to be seen. Even after they arrived at the campsite, Lin Ran’s figure was missing, and He Mo and Xie Zhen started making calls to find him.
Earlier, Old Qu had assumed that Lin Ran was familiar with Sheng Qingxi and Gu Mingji, so he grouped the three of them together.
The campsite was located on the mountainside of Sishi Mountain. They set up tents on a flat area near the shore, with barbecue grills positioned to the left, not far from the tents, and a shallow stream nearby.
Not far to the right of the tents, in the woods, there was also a waterfall. The sound of the rushing water carried through the mountain breeze to their ears.
He Mo and Xie Zhen were still searching for Lin Ran.
Meanwhile, Gu Mingji began setting up the barbecue grill to prepare their lunch. Sheng Qingxi, after putting down her bag, intended to help. But as she set her bag down, she noticed something unusual—there seemed to be extra items inside.
Sheng Qingxi crouched down, unzipped her bag, and looked at the unfamiliar items. It was obvious—they had been placed there by Lin Ran.
She sighed softly. She shouldn’t have said those things to him. At his age, Lin Ran was naturally impulsive, and she hadn’t managed her own emotions well.
Silently, she zipped the bag back up.
Ten minutes later, Lin Ran returned to the campsite.
By that time, Xie Zhen was already eating barbecue, and He Mo stood up to look at Lin Ran. There was no sign of anything unusual about him now. Lin Ran walked over calmly, as if nothing had happened.
He Mo hesitated, but ultimately said nothing.
The atmosphere between the five of them was clearly awkward.
Gu Mingji focused on grilling the meat, occasionally handing a skewer or two to Sheng Qingxi.
Xie Zhen, having nearly exhausted himself climbing the mountain, could only focus on eating. Lin Ran remained silent, sitting beside He Mo, playing on his phone, while He Mo pretended not to notice anything.
Sheng Qingxi nibbled on her vegetables cautiously, sneaking a glance at Lin Ran.
He seemed just like usual, lounging lazily in his chair, his slender fingers casually tapping the screen of his phone. His long legs were sprawled out arrogantly, like a crab waving its pincers in a show of dominance.
Just as Sheng Qingxi was lost in thought, Gu Mingji handed her a grilled chicken wing. “Xiao Xi, have a chicken wing. It’s really good.”
Sheng Qingxi thought for a moment and reached out to take it, but just as her hand was about to touch the skewer, Lin Ran’s cold voice suddenly rang out, “She doesn’t eat meat.”
Gu Mingji froze, instinctively pulling his hand back, then gave Sheng Qingxi a disapproving look. “Xiao Xi, if you don’t want it, just say so. Refusing isn’t that hard.”
Sheng Qingxi pressed her lips together and didn’t respond immediately.
After He Mo finished preparing all the ingredients, he joined Gu Mingji at the grill. His movements were far more skilled than Gu Mingji’s—brushing oil, flipping the skewers, and sprinkling seasoning with practiced ease.
“Wow, this smells amazing!”
“He Mo, you’ve got some skills!”
“I have to get one of these!”
The familiar aroma quickly spread through the campsite, attracting many people who came over to join the fun.
The silence was finally broken, and Sheng Qingxi took the opportunity to head back to Class Six to find Chen Yi. She had promised to stay with Chen Yi that night, so she needed to help her set up their tent.
When Sheng Qingxi returned to Class Six, Chen Yi was just about to pack up the tent. Seeing Sheng Qingxi, she waved her over enthusiastically. “Sheng Qingxi, have you had any barbecue yet? We still have plenty over here.”
Sheng Qingxi nodded, “I’m full. I’ll help you organize.”
Chen Yi smiled, “Then let’s take a nap together later. Do you want to join us this afternoon? They say there’s a pavilion at the top of the mountain, and you can see most of Chucheng from there.”
Sheng Qingxi had been to Sishi Mountain many times before, and she had seen Chucheng from the mountain top several times—though that was a future Chucheng.
She responded softly, “Sure.”
…
The light-blocking tent shut out most of the sunlight, and the dim, cramped space made Sheng Qingxi feel slightly relaxed. They could still hear faint laughter and chatting from outside.
Inside the tent, it was quiet. Chen Yi lay on her side, facing away from Sheng Qingxi, debating whether or not to tell her what she had seen. She still wasn’t sure what was going on between Sheng Qingxi and Lin Ran.
After hesitating for a long time, Chen Yi finally asked tentatively, “Sheng Qingxi, are you asleep?”
Sheng Qingxi’s voice was soft and gentle, “No, what’s wrong?”
Chen Yi hesitated before saying, “When Lin Ran came back and passed by our class, I noticed his hand looked hurt. There seemed to be blood on it. But I didn’t get a close look, so I’m not sure if it was his blood.”
Sheng Qingxi froze.
The last time, at the Guangnian Club, it had been the same.
Chen Yi didn’t get any response from Sheng Qingxi for a long time. Just as she was about to fall asleep, she heard Sheng Qingxi quietly getting up, the faint sounds of her movements gradually fading from her ears.
Sheng Qingxi gently picked up some medicine and water, then slipped out of the tent. After zipping the tent back up, she headed toward Class One’s area.
By the time Sheng Qingxi arrived, most of the people by the shore had already left—some had retreated to their tents to play games or rest, while others had grouped up to go hiking. Only a few people remained, still eating barbecue.
It was clear that Lin Ran’s group was among those few.
As Sheng Qingxi approached, Xie Zhen was loudly declaring, “As long as Xie Zhen is here, no food will be wasted. I respect every bit of food; they are all equal in my eyes!”
He Mo muttered, “…Are you a pig?”
Lin Ran was still sitting in his chair, holding a bottle of water in his left hand, his right hand in his pocket.
Sheng Qingxi noticed that his left hand seemed perfectly fine, but she couldn’t tell what condition his right hand was in, hidden in his pocket.
She slowly walked up behind him and called his name softly, “Lin Ran.”
Lin Ran had already sensed her approaching, her footsteps were distinct from others—light and unhurried. He unconsciously tightened his grip on the water bottle, but this time, he didn’t dare exert too much force.
When he heard her say his name, a flicker of hope rose in him despite himself.
Lin Ran stiffened for a moment before turning his head to look at her, slightly tilting his head to meet the girl standing against the light.
Lin Ran’s pupils were pitch-black, glinting like obsidian even in the sunlight. When he was in the shadows, his eyes appeared deep and dark, giving his gaze an intense, almost invasive quality.
Just like now.
Sheng Qingxi spoke quietly, “Come with me to the tent.”
Lin Ran froze.
What did she mean, come with her to the tent?
For what?
Just the two of them?
While Lin Ran was lost in his chaotic thoughts, Sheng Qingxi had already turned around and headed into the tent. Lin Ran stood frozen in place, staring at her back, momentarily unsure of what to do.
His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed, then he turned to He Mo. “He Mo, hit me.”
He Mo: “…What?”
What kind of request was that?
Impatient, Lin Ran urged him, “Hurry up.”
Hesitantly, He Mo balled his fist and lightly tapped Lin Ran’s chest. “Brother Ran, is that force enough?”
Lin Ran: “…”
For a moment, Lin Ran couldn’t tell which one of them was the idiot. Shoving the bottle of water into He Mo’s arms, he stood up and strode off after Sheng Qingxi, entering the tent right behind her.
He Mo and Xie Zhen stood there, dumbfounded.
Wait… how did they just go in together?
And Lin Ran even zipped up the tent?
Has Brother Ran stopped caring about appearances?