On their way back, Liang Zhiyi and Pei Chen eventually walked onto the flat beach.
After they released each other’s hands, a sense of melancholy welled up in Liang Zhiyi’s heart, and she let out a light sigh.
Why did time pass so quickly?
But even with just this short walk, it was enough to make her feel utterly sweet today.
At this moment, Xuan Xia and Fan Gao had also finished collecting things and emerged from the rocky shore in another direction. Upon seeing the two of them, they exchanged knowing glances and teased:
“How was it? Did you two enjoy collecting things?”
“…”
Both of their faces showed mischievous smiles, and Liang Zhiyi guessed that they had intentionally wandered off earlier.
This group—how did they become so gossipy today?
Finally, they returned to the camp. Liang Tongzhou and two other girls had returned earlier and were already preparing dinner.
Ji Fei’er and Zhi Mian were the first to come back. They planned to set up the grill in advance, but neither of them was very skilled at it. Just as they were struggling, Liang Tongzhou returned, so they asked him for help.
Liang Tongzhou set up the grill, lit the charcoal, and placed some food on it to cook. At that moment, the food was sizzling with oil, making everyone’s mouth water.
When Fan Gao saw it, his eyes lit up. “There are grilled wings and lamb skewers too? Tonight’s feast is amazing!”
“Of course! I made a special trip to the supermarket for a big haul last night,” Ji Fei’er said with a cheerful smile. “How about you guys? Did you collect a lot of seafood?”
“A decent amount,” they said as they combined the seafood they had gathered, filling up a large bucket. “It should be enough, right?”
“It’ll be enough, as long as Fatty here doesn’t eat too much,” Xuan Xia said, patting Fan Gao on the shoulder.
“If it’s not enough, we’ll send him back to get more.”
“So you’re just out to torture me, huh…”
Everyone laughed, and Liang Zhiyi, along with a few of the guys, took the seafood to be cleaned. Meanwhile, Ji Fei’er continued grilling the meat. Suddenly, there was a “pop” sound as some oil splattered out, and she yelped softly, covering the back of her hand.
Zhi Mian immediately looked over. “Fei’er, are you okay?”
Liang Tongzhou, hearing the commotion, also came over to Ji Fei’er, his brows furrowed. “Are you alright? Did the oil splatter on you?”
Ji Fei’er frowned slightly and muttered.
Without a word, Liang Tongzhou grabbed some cold water and helped rinse her hand. Seeing his concerned expression, Ji Fei’er felt a warmth in her heart and shook her head. “It’s nothing, just a little oil splatter.”
Liang Tongzhou’s lips curled up slightly. “Why didn’t you let me do the grilling like I offered?”
“I just wanted to give it a try…”
“Let us guys handle this. You girls can go take care of other things.”
The guy’s assertive attitude left Ji Fei’er momentarily stunned, but she obediently nodded in agreement.
So, Liang Tongzhou took over the grilling, while Ji Fei’er and Zhi Mian went off to help Liang Zhiyi with other tasks.
As Ji Fei’er worked, she glanced over at Liang Tongzhou, who stood by the grill, his sharp features highlighted by the firelight. She suddenly sighed and said, “Zhizhi, your brother seems pretty decent sometimes.”
Liang Zhiyi smiled, “Oh? Didn’t you say this morning that he was really annoying?”
Ji Fei’er pouted, “He can be annoying at times, but sometimes he’s not that bad.”
“Oh, really now…”
Ji Fei’er’s face inexplicably turned red from the teasing. “Hey, stop it…”
After they finished cleaning all the seafood, they used the portable stove they brought to cook a pot of it. By then, Pei Chen and the other two had returned from gathering firewood nearby. As the sky darkened, they lit a bonfire in front of the campsite, instantly enhancing the atmosphere.
After a while, Liang Zhiyi finished what she was doing and headed over to help at the grill. Although she had never done this before, she insisted on giving it a try.
Pei Chen made some space for her and warned her to be careful not to get splattered by the oil. She responded, “I’m not as clumsy as someone else.”
Ji Fei’er, from not too far away, shouted, “Who are you talking about!”
“If the shoe fits…”
Liang Zhiyi leisurely flipped the chicken wings on the grill, occasionally checking on how they were cooking, and was surprised by her own natural cooking skills.
After a while, Pei Chen returned. Liang Zhiyi proudly showed him the fragrant, grilled chicken wings. “So, what do you think? Didn’t I do an amazing job?”
Pei Chen looked down into her eyes, paused for a moment, and a faint smile flickered in his eyes as he replied softly, “Yeah, it’s pretty successful.”
She was puzzled, “What’s with that look?”
Why did it feel like there was more to his words?
The girl pressed him for an answer, but in the end, Pei Chen just walked over to the side and handed her a napkin. “Wipe your face.”
Liang Zhiyi: ???
“Is there something on my face?”
Liang Tongzhou turned around and burst out laughing, “Sis, did you just come back from a coal mine?”
“…”
She rushed to look in the mirror and saw that her face had been blackened by soot, making her look exactly like a coal miner. TVT.
After wiping her face, she returned, only to face more of Liang Tongzhou’s relentless teasing, so she hit him twice in frustration.
Finally, Pei Chen looked at her, suppressing a smile, and said, “I’ll take over. Don’t get your face dirty again.”
Liang Zhiyi sighed, “Alright, I guess I’m more suited to just eating…”
As the night slowly fell, the warm atmosphere enveloped them.
Once the barbecue and the big pot of seafood were ready, the seven of them sat around the bonfire, enjoying the meal they had prepared themselves, feeling a special sense of accomplishment.
As they ate, they chatted, joked, and teased each other. At their age, making friends came easily. Although some of them weren’t familiar with each other or were shy and introverted before the trip, after spending the day together, they all got along well and had fun.
Pei Chen watched everyone around the bonfire and suddenly realized that if it had just been him and Xuan Xia today, he wouldn’t have experienced this much happiness.
Growing up, he was used to not having many friends around. But he was genuinely happy to have met this group during the best years of high school, making his life less dull and boring.
As the conversation grew livelier, Xuan Xia boasted about playing the guitar to entertain everyone, then dashed back to the tent to grab his guitar.
“Xuan Xia, you really thought ahead, bringing a guitar on this trip!”
“Of course! I cleverly thought that a bonfire and a guitar would go perfectly together.”
“Come on, let’s hear something from Xuan Xia!”
Everyone clapped enthusiastically, and Xuan Xia eventually played Pu Shu’s “Life as Blossoming Flowers”. After that, he asked if anyone else wanted to play. Ji Fei’er suggested, “Zhizhi can play too!”
“Zhiyi, you can play the guitar?” Xuan Xia was surprised.
Ji Fei’er laughed, “You don’t know? Our Zhizhi can play a lot of instruments.”
“Come on, play us something!”
Liang Zhiyi smiled as she took the guitar handed to her, “I haven’t played much recently, so I might be a bit rusty…”
She strummed the guitar strings, and as her fingers danced across them, the melodious sound of the guitar gently filled the air. Smiling, she began to sing:
“If you have too many complaints about this world
You’ll fall down and be afraid to move forward
Why are people so fragile and so lost?
Please turn on the TV and take a look
At how many people are striving and courageously moving forward with their lives
Shouldn’t we be content?
Cherish everything, even if we don’t possess it all…”
Jay Chou’s “Rice Field” instantly transported everyone back to their childhood memories, and they began to sing along, completely immersed in the moment. Ji Fei’er and Zhi Mian held hands and swayed to the music, turning the scene into a mini concert.
Pei Chen sat across from Liang Zhiyi.
In the flickering firelight, the girl’s face was softly illuminated, her high ponytail resting on her shoulder. Her eyes were slightly lowered as she played the guitar, her lips curved into a gentle smile. Even among the crowd, she shone with a distinct beauty that was hard to look away from.
It was the first time he had seen her like this, and he couldn’t take his eyes off her.
“Cherish everything, even if we don’t possess it all…”
Turning the fleeting moments into memories to be treasured is, in a way, a form of possession.
These three years of high school, once lived, would never come again. But as long as one has no regrets, looking back on them in the future will always be a remembrance of the most beautiful years.
They sang and chatted until past ten o’clock at night.
As it got late, everyone began to tidy up the campsite.
Xuan Xia brought up the plans for the next morning, “Who’s planning to get up early to watch the sunrise?”
“I am!”
The three girls raised their hands enthusiastically. Pei Chen then mentioned that there would be another low tide around four or five in the morning, so they might be able to collect more seafood. They all agreed to wake up early for another round of gathering.
After washing up, the three girls returned to their tent. They chatted for a bit before lying down to sleep.
Ji Fei’er quickly fell asleep, exhausted from the day. Liang Zhiyi lay in the middle, and when she turned her head, she saw Zhi Mian holding her phone, a sweet smile playing on her lips. It was clear something was up.
She leaned closer, “Why is someone smiling so happily?”
Zhi Mian’s cheeks flushed as she put down her phone, then, as if she had remembered something, she whispered, “Zhiyi, I think you’re really brave.”
“Hm?”
“I mean, admitting in front of so many people that you like the class monitor. I really envy you for having that kind of courage.”
Liang Zhiyi smiled, “Why, Xiao Jiu, do you like someone too?”
Zhi Mian’s face turned even redder. Liang Zhiyi propped herself up, curiosity piqued. “Is it someone in our class? Or from another class?”
“No… not from our school.”
“That’s a pity; I’d like to meet them.”
Actually, you’ve already met him…
Zhi Mian was too shy to reveal who it was.
With her mind filled with thoughts, Zhi Mian hesitantly asked, “Zhiyi, does the class monitor know that you like him?”
“I told him directly, and he even rejected me.”
Zhi Mian, usually shy and introverted, was taken aback by this revelation. Her eyes widened slightly, “Weren’t you embarrassed? Isn’t it awkward if you confess and don’t end up together? Wouldn’t it ruin the friendship too…?”
“It’s a little awkward, but it depends on the person’s personality. Some people prefer to quietly like someone, but for me, if I like someone, I have to say it. If I don’t, I’m afraid we won’t have any chance at all. So, even if we couldn’t stay friends, I’d accept that.”
Of course, not everyone is willing to take that risk. It’s a personal choice, neither right nor wrong.
“Are you struggling with whether or not to confess to the person you like?” Liang Zhiyi asked Zhi Mian.
“I’m not very confident…”
Given their current relationship, she felt the other person wouldn’t have those kinds of feelings for her.
Liang Zhiyi smiled, “Honestly, no matter what you decide, as long as you don’t regret it, that’s what matters.”
She playfully pinched Zhi Mian’s cheek, “And besides, who wouldn’t like someone as cute as you, little Zhi Mian?”
Zhi Mian’s cheeks turned as red as a tomato. After chatting for a bit longer, she got sleepy and gradually drifted off. In the boys’ tent next door, the talking had stopped too, replaced by the sound of snoring.
The temperature dropped considerably on the autumn night by the sea, making it especially chilly.
Liang Zhiyi tossed and turned for a while. Not being used to the bed, she found it hard to fall asleep, so she decided to go for a walk.
She wrapped herself in a jacket and stepped out of the tent, only to find Pei Chen sitting alone by the bonfire, reading a book.
“Pei Chen…”
Hearing her soft voice, Pei Chen turned around to see Liang Zhiyi walking towards him, rubbing her eyes. Her voice was soft as she asked, “Why aren’t you sleeping yet?”
He paused for a moment, “I wanted to finish reviewing some vocabulary.”
Liang Zhiyi huffed lightly, “You’re such a bookworm, working so hard even on a trip.”
“Weren’t you asleep?”
She grinned, “I couldn’t fall asleep. Maybe we’re on the same wavelength—I knew you were out here, so I came out.”
“…”
She pulled up a chair and sat beside him. The deep blue sea reflected the moonlight, and the only sound was the gentle lapping of the waves against the shore.
She stretched her hands out towards the bonfire, and Pei Chen glanced at her. “Are you cold?”
“Not really. Warming up by the fire helps.”
Pei Chen got up, added some more firewood, and stoked the flames to burn brighter.
Feeling warm and cozy, Liang Zhiyi smiled, “Pei Chen, it seems like you can do just about anything. I’d feel really safe going on trips with you in the future.”
Pei Chen’s gaze faltered slightly. “What do you mean by ‘going on trips’?”
She smiled, her eyes curving into crescents. “Like going on a date, for example.”
His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed, responding awkwardly, “Don’t… don’t say things like that.”
“I said ‘for example,’” she teased, “but you know, it’s not entirely impossible.”
Ignoring her, Pei Chen continued studying his vocabulary, while Liang Zhiyi swung her feet and glanced around.
After a while, the drowsiness started to take over.
As Pei Chen reviewed his words, he turned and saw the girl nodding off, her head bobbing slightly as if she was about to fall asleep.
“Liang Zhiyi.”
She snapped out of her daze. “Huh…?”
“You’re so sleepy, why don’t you go inside and get some rest?”
“It’s fine,” she mumbled, “I don’t want you sitting out here alone. I’ll stay with you until you finish reviewing…”
Pei Chen’s heart softened. He leaned slightly towards her, meeting her tired eyes, his voice low and gentle:
“I’m almost done. You should go back to sleep. Don’t you want to wake up early to watch the sunrise tomorrow?”