Chapter 50 An Unexpected Close Encounter: Unbeknownst to her, her breath was gushing out...

His fleeting smile, like a flower in bloom, was carried by the gentle night breeze into Zhu Liushuang's heart.

It triggered an earthquake called "surprise" in her heart. Aftershocks followed one after another, and all the previous loss, confusion, and uncertainty collapsed in an instant.

All that remained was her growing "liking" for him.

"The evening breeze stirs the strings of a lover's heart. I'll play a tune and bring you to my side." As the last word is sung, the male and female leads in the music video embrace.

Zhu Liushuang's eyes inexplicably welled up with tears. She tilted her head slightly, and her burning gaze fell once again on He Ming's profile.

There was no telepathic connection as he had imagined; his gaze no longer lingered on her.

Zhu Liushuang deflated as she put down the microphone. She looked over He Ming's head and gazed at the riverbank not far away. There, a strange couple lay kissing under a sky full of stars.

Those who have never tasted love will always feel envious when they see others in a state of deep affection.

A love duet ignited the restless hearts of the young men and women in the audience. Someone in the crowd shouted, "One more song! One more song!"

Zhu Liushuang's attention was drawn back, but she wasn't in a good mood at the moment and wanted to hand over the microphone immediately.

A slender hand gently patted her shoulder. Zhu Liushuang turned her head and the first thing she saw was a delicate and beautiful light-colored manicure, and then a bright and beautiful face.

The owner of the hand grinned at her: "Little sister, would you mind giving me the microphone?"

Yu Huan went to the restroom, and when she returned, she heard He Ming and Zhu Liushuang singing a love song duet. The clear male voice blended with the sweet female voice, creating an indescribably tender and beautiful sound.

She stood behind them, arms crossed, listening. The two maintained a proper distance and exchanged no glances, yet a subtle, ambiguous feeling lingered around them.

“Teacher Yu…” Zhu Liushuang looked up at that strikingly beautiful face, and felt even more uncomfortable.

Does Yu Huan also want to sing a love song duet with He Ming? The answer is obvious.

A single glance from He Ming could make her feel anxious and uncertain, just like the rollercoaster of emotions she was experiencing right now. Indeed, she wanted to pass the microphone to someone else, but that person couldn't be Yu Huan.

But right now, she had no choice but to give it up. After handing over the microphone, Zhu Liushuang suddenly felt a lump in her throat. She didn't want to stay any longer and just wanted to escape as soon as possible.

"Thank you." Yu Huan took the microphone and walked confidently to the side to say to everyone, "Excuse me, I'll be taking over from Miss Zhu for the next song. Please switch to 'You Are the Most Precious'."

She raised her chin, instructing Xiao Lü to cut the song while keeping her gaze fixed on He Ming.

The people in the audit department could more or less see through the situation. They began to whisper among themselves with great interest.

Those who are unaware of the situation are still shouting and arguing.

"President Yu, I can sing this song. Don't just focus on Teacher He, give the other men a chance too."

"How did you know that Ms. Yu wanted to sing a duet with Teacher He... She didn't mention him by name!"

Yu Huan smiled but remained silent. The sequins on her handmade cheongsam shimmered in the night, swaying back and forth with her graceful movements, firmly capturing the attention of everyone present.

"Tsk tsk—no wonder so many young heartthrobs are flocking to her. I'd love to fall at the feet of such a beauty too." Zhuang Xiaoqian shook her head and sighed.

"Sister Yu really does have feelings for Brother He Ming." Gu Xuting's eyes gleamed with gossip. "I just wonder if Brother He Ming is as stubborn as the rumors say..."

My heart trembled slightly, as if I had been pricked with a needle, a sharp, persistent pain.

Zhu Liushuang deliberately ignored the discussions around her. If there were a hole she could hide in right now, she would be willing to be that self-deceiving ostrich.

He Ming can sing love songs with her, so he can naturally sing duets with others as well.

With everyone watching and his familiar colleagues all around, he'd definitely give Yu Huan face, right?

As a classic love duet, as soon as the intro to "You Are the Most Precious" begins, someone starts singing it a cappella before the person in question even starts singing it.

Surprisingly, when the singing began, the male lead, who was supposed to sing the first line, did not open his mouth.

Everyone looked in his direction with suspicion, only to find that his hands were empty.

Where's the microphone?

Isn't this a blatant rejection? That's just too... ungrateful!

Yu Huan's suitor, hidden in the darkness, angrily cast a disdainful glance at He Ming, wishing he could punch him on the spot.

The scene was dimly lit, and half of He Ming's body was obscured by Yu Huan, so many people did not know what had just happened.

But Yu Huan knew it clearly.

Just as she reached him, He Ming leaned back and handed the microphone directly to Guo Yang, who was standing to his side.

"I drank too much, my stomach hurts. Yang, you're good at Jacky Cheung songs, why don't you sing this one..."

His complexion was perfectly normal; he didn't look drunk at all.

Yu Huan's heart skipped a beat, but she couldn't lash out on the spot, so she had to swallow her anger and pretend nothing had happened. She kept her bright smile unchanged, calmly turning to Guo Yang and giving him a wink, preemptively saying, "Mr. Guo, what are you thinking about so intently? The song has already started! Are you out of tune?"

Her words contained three parts warning and seven parts coquettishness, forcing Guo Yang to speak up and cooperate.

The center of the controversy shifted. To unsuspecting colleagues, Guo Yang's abilities far surpassed He Ming's personal qualities. One was a prospective partner at Zhonghe, the other a wealthy and eligible bachelor; both were of similar age and possessed both talent and good looks.

Everyone suddenly realized that Yu Huan had her eye on Guo, the general manager of Ruixin!

So they immediately began to fawn over the two leaders who were working together seamlessly.

No one cared about that little incident, except for Zhu Liushuang.

She stared blankly at He Ming's indifferent profile, her lips slightly parted.

Why?

Why did he accept Gu Xufeng's microphone but refuse Yu Huan's invitation? As a woman herself, her intuition told her that Yu Huan's goal was very clear.

Although she knew that He Ming was a self-willed person who didn't care about what others thought, she was still surprised by his actions.

Could it be that... Guo Yang wants to pursue Yu Huan?

Therefore, He Ming, as a friend, was simply going with the flow to help Guo Yang.

Regardless of the reason, in Zhu Liu's eyes, He Ming's behavior was a conscious attempt to distance himself from Yu Huan.

What should I do? She seems a little bit happy.

No—it's the smugness of being a "victor."

Stealing a glance at the two figures in front of her, who were waving and singing along intently, Zhu Liushuang guiltily pressed her palms to her burning cheeks to cool them down.

Her secret, gradually growing pleasure went unnoticed. She indulged her desires to spy on He Ming, lingering on his handsome, serene profile.

How lucky she is that the person she's liked for so long is someone who can decisively reject ambiguity!

Her gaze was burning hot. Zhu Liushuang feared that if she continued to indulge in this unbridled infatuation, she would be caught red-handed. So she reluctantly turned her head, only to unexpectedly meet Yu Huan's gaze. Those charming eyes held a hint of sharpness, revealing an ambiguous light.

Zhu Liushuang suppressed her smugness and quickly smiled gently and shyly at her. Her delicate, oval face showed no trace of panic at having her secret exposed.

————

The second half of the bonfire concert turned into a massive sing-along by the entire audience.

Perhaps considering that the two partners were older and went to bed early, the meeting ended just after nine o'clock.

Zhu Liushuang followed the crowd out, surrounded by a cacophony of voices.

Some people wanted to meet up at the card room for a few rounds of chess and card games, while others planned to play a murder mystery game. Some couples left hand in hand, presumably heading off to spend the night together.

Gu Xuting linked arms with Zhu Liushuang and whispered in her ear as they walked.

"Sister Xiaoshuang, my brother is drunk. They had to carry him home. I already told Brother Heming that I'll stay with you tonight... I don't want to serve a drunkard in the middle of the night!"

The young girl acted first and asked for permission later, so Zhu Liushuang couldn't refuse: "It's fine as long as you don't mind the crowd. But... there's Sister Zhuang in the room too, so ask her if she minds having one more person."

Just as Zhuang Xiaoqian was about to reply, a man's shouts suddenly came from behind her.

"Qianqian, wait a minute. Why are you walking so fast..."

The three of them turned around at the same time and saw a young man with thick eyebrows and a square face running anxiously towards them.

The person who came was Zhuang Xiaoqian's husband, Liu Lanjun, whom Zhu Liushuang recognized.

"Excuse me, I need to talk to her about something." Liu Lanjun took Zhuang Xiaoqian's hand and took a few steps back.

Zhu Liushuang and Gu Xuting waited quietly to the side. Judging from the way the two were pulling at each other with their heads down, she could roughly guess what they were talking about.

Sure enough, Zhuang Xiaoqian, her face slightly flushed, walked up to Zhu Liushuang and stammered, "Liushuang... your brother-in-law insists I come over to his place... You know, he's a grown man, and he's acting all cute and clingy with me, what can I do! Sigh... I'm really sorry, but luckily Xiaoting is here, let her keep you company!"

Seeing the usually carefree Zhuang Xiaoqian showing such a shy and helpless expression for the first time in front of her, Zhu Liushuang couldn't help but smile: "I understand, Sister Zhuang. Don't worry, go ahead..."

The couple had registered their marriage two months ago, but the wedding hadn't been held yet. Since they were out having fun, they naturally wanted to enjoy the night. Zhu Liushuang's mind raced with inappropriate thoughts, and she felt her face burning. She dared not think any further.

She had a feeling that Zhuang Xiaoqian probably wouldn't be sleeping in the same room with her for the next two days.

"Sister Xiaoshuang, the internet says the Perseid meteor shower will reach its peak intensity tonight." Gu Xuting looked down at her phone. "I've never seen a meteor shower since I was born. Once when I was little, I stayed up until midnight to watch meteors, and as a result, I couldn't get up for school the next day and got three spankings from my mom."

Zhu Liushuang was amused by Gu Xuting's exaggerated tone: "You want to see that much?"

"Of course! Making a wish upon a shooting star is very effective! Have you tried it, Sister Xiaoshuang?" The teenage girl's eyes sparkled with anticipation.

“No… I still believe more…” Zhu Liushuang wanted to say “she believes more in human will to overcome nature,” but after meeting Gu Xuting’s innocent eyes, she changed her mind and said, “Then let’s wait with you tonight. I remember there’s a small hill outside the guesthouse with a good view; it’ll be perfect to go there.”

Gu Xuting exclaimed "Yay!" and quickened her pace: "Sister Xiaoshuang, you're so kind! I wish you could become my sister-in-law!"

Zhu Liushuang chuckled: "That won't do—"

"Why not! Look at my brother, he's not bad in height or looks, he has a car, a house, and savings... The key is that our family is harmonious and easy to get along with." Gu Xuting began to promote her brother in a serious manner, talking until her throat was dry, but Zhu Liushuang didn't react at all.

She said dejectedly, "Sister Xiaoshuang, you don't like my brother, do you?"

“Your brother is a good guy,” Zhu Liushuang said frankly, “but he’s not my type.”

"So what kind do you like? I have several cousins, older cousins... Our Gu family may not have much else, but we have a lot of male members!" Gu Xuting pressed on.

Zhu Liushuang was both amused and exasperated, and said with difficulty, "Well... I really can't say for sure. We'll know when we meet in the future."

I can't just repeat what He Ming said, can I? Wouldn't that make it easy for him to guess?

She bit her lip, put on a stern face, and tried to change the subject: "Gu Gu, you're so young, why do you like introducing people so much? Instead of wasting your time, why don't we do a few more 'Five-Year College Entrance Examination, Three-Year Simulation' books?"

"Waaaah—I just like you! You can't bully me like this..." Gu Xuting puffed out her cheeks, "You people who got rid of the college entrance exam always try to pressure me with your studies!"

The conversation veered off course as she had envisioned. Zhu Liushuang offered a few token words of comfort to Gu Xuting before pulling her along to the stargazing spot in front of the guesthouse.

The air quality in the mountains is good, and there is little light pollution. On clear nights, you can see a sky full of stars.

The moon, like a silver hook, hangs in the sky, its watery light illuminating the grassy slope.

Zhu Liushuang picked up a thick tree branch from the ground and used it to climb up the slope first. She turned around and told Gu Xuting, "This slope is a bit steep, and there are loose stones on it. Be careful when you step up. I'll light the way for you..." As she spoke, she turned on her phone's flashlight.

Gu Xuting was not as agile as Zhu Liushuang. When she pulled her right leg up, she lost her balance and almost fell. Fortunately, Zhu Liushuang reached out and pulled her up in time.

"Sister Xiaoshuang, you look so small, but you're incredibly strong!" Gu Xuting stood still, still shaken, and didn't forget to praise Zhu Liushuang.

Zhu Liushuang shrugged and joked, "That's right! It's the arm strength I developed from manually whipping egg whites."

The earthen slope was overgrown with weeds, but a narrow dirt path ran through the middle, with a small clearing in the middle of the path, as if it had been specially reserved for stargazers. There were no chairs to sit on, but the two of them didn't mind the dirt and sat down directly on the ground.

In the distance, rolling hills stretched out, and behind me, the windowsill of the guesthouse glowed with warm yellow light. Occasionally, laughter and chatter drifted in, but I didn't feel scared at all.

Gu Xuting turned her head back and forth, getting a little anxious as she waited: "Is the internet lying? Twenty minutes have passed, and I haven't seen a single shooting star. They said 100 shooting stars per hour!"

"The Perseid meteor shower is indeed one of the largest meteor showers visible to the naked eye in the Northern Hemisphere. Be patient, let's wait a little longer," Zhu Liuliang reassured her while brushing away mosquitoes.

Gu Xuting wasn't prone to mosquito bites, and she was wearing wide-leg pants, so she didn't get bitten. Poor Zhu Liushuang, however, became a "hot commodity" in the mosquitoes' eyes.

Having been bitten by three mosquitoes on her calves, Zhu Liushuang stood up, unable to bear it any longer, and began to walk around casually to shoo away the mosquitoes.

Gu Xuting's face scrunched up in a bitter expression as she said guiltily, "I'm so sorry, Sister Xiaoshuang, I didn't even see the shooting star, and I made you get bitten by mosquitoes..."

"It was my own choice to come with you, how can you blame me?" Zhu Liushuang said gently.

After hearing Zhu Liushuang's words, Gu Xuting was even more moved. She "jumped" up from the ground, dusted off her bottom, and then circled around Zhu Liushuang, waving her arms to swat away the mosquitoes.

Zhu Liushuang didn't see the first shooting star streak across the sky; she only heard Gu Xuting shout in surprise, "Shooting star! Sister Xiaoshuang, make a wish!"

"There! There's more!" Gu Xuting pointed in the direction Zhu Liushuang after making her wish.

This time, she saw it for real.

A bright, diamond-like meteor streaked across the night sky, leaving a long tail as it swooped down. One, two, three…

Urged on by Gu Xuting, she clenched her fists and made a wish as if praying.

She silently prayed: She hoped her mother's illness would improve day by day. She hoped she could earn more money to buy her own house soon. She hoped the man she loved would be healthy and have a peaceful life…

Zhu Liushuang felt she was being too greedy; she had so many wishes that she probably couldn't make them all at once.

She hoped that more shooting stars would fall, so that she could make a few more wishes related to He Ming.

Before this, she was someone who only believed in "human effort can make things happen" and did not listen to metaphysics.

"Sister Xiaoshuang, what did you wish for?" Gu Xuting asked eagerly, blinking her eyes.

"It's nothing more than wishing for good health and smooth work," Zhu Liushuang said vaguely, then asked, "And you?"

"I hope I can pass the audition for the school radio station when school starts... and also get good grades in the elective exams!" Gu Xuting shouted at the night sky after saying that, "If my wish can come true, I'm willing to trade five pounds of my body for it!"

Watching her skipping figure, Zhu Liushuang asked curiously, "Broadcasting station auditions?" She remembered that Gu Xuting was also from No. 1 Middle School.

"Yes! I filled out the application form. There will be a selection exam at the beginning of next semester, and it's quite strict." Gu Xuting asked, "Sister Xiaoshuang, which high school did you graduate from? I think every school has a broadcasting station, right?"

“No. 1 High School.” Zhu Liushuang smiled. “Speaking of which, I’m your senior. What’s even more coincidental is… I used to be a member of the school’s broadcasting station.”

Gu Xuting suddenly exclaimed excitedly, "Oh my god! I knew it, Sister Xiaoshuang, your voice is so beautiful!" She hugged Zhu Liushuang's arm and shook it incessantly, "Senior—could you share some tips with me?"

Zhu Liushuang was helpless. She had accompanied Tian Xingyu to register at the time. There was no written test then, and the interview process was very simple. She was selected without really knowing what was going on.

“We didn’t have so many selection procedures back then… To be honest, we didn’t have much experience.” When thinking of Tian Xingyu, one couldn’t help but think of Ye Xingzhi. Zhu Liushuang hesitated for a moment before saying, “Did Teacher Ye Xingzhi teach you? He was the head of our broadcasting station back then.”

"Professor Ye?" Tian Xingyu covered her mouth in surprise. "I took his elective course! The world really is a huge closed loop, and people are all connected..."

"If you want to learn from his experience, you can consult him," Zhu Liushuang suggested.

Gu Xuting shook her head vigorously: "No, no, no... Teacher Ye is so fierce and serious, I don't dare. I'd better prepare on my own..."

Seeing that the girl in front of her seemed a little downcast, Zhu Liushuang took the initiative to ask, "Why do you want to join the radio station so much?"

Gu Xuting didn't expect Zhu Liushuang to ask that question. After thinking for a while, she said, "Sister Xiaoshuang, if I tell you the truth, can you keep my secret?"

Keeping a secret? That must be related to a young girl's feelings. Zhu Liushuang nodded knowingly.

"I have a pretty good voice, and I've always dreamed of being a radio host, that's one reason. Secondly... I have a boy I've liked for two years. But we're in different classes, so we don't talk much. If I could get into the radio station, he could hear my voice every week. I could even play his favorite songs..."

As they were talking, Gu Xuting suddenly turned around and asked, "Sister Xiaoshuang, the No. 1 High School radio station has a popular interactive song request segment that everyone loves. It's said that a senior student started it several years ago... Do you know about this?"

Gu Xuting's mouth was still opening and closing, but Zhu Liushuang seemed to be lost in her own thoughts, unable to hear it.

A few years ago? Was it that incident?

Memories flashed through my mind, and I saw the tall camphor trees on the campus of No. 1 Middle School, their trunks surrounded by blooming light blue hydrangeas.

Through the lush, green branches of the camphor trees, you can see the open windows of the school's broadcasting room.

A fallen leaf clung to the crimson window frame. A girl in a school uniform leaned against the window, holding her lecture notes. During the break before the broadcast began, she picked up the camphor leaf and tucked it into her handouts.

"Liu Shuang, today's news is a bit difficult to pronounce. Shall we go over the words again?" His companion walked over with the script.

She knew the speech so well she could recite it backwards, but she still went over the lines with her partner. After they finished, Zhu Liushuang whispered, "Yuan Yuan, what do you think about adding a song request and blessing segment later?"

"Isn't there enough time?" Yuan Yuan hesitated.

"The senior students are about to take the college entrance exam, and the atmosphere at school has been really tense lately. The lights in the senior building are on every night after 10 p.m.... Let's cheer them on and help them relax," Zhu Liushuang said sincerely.

As a boarding student, she felt the pressure of the college entrance examination more deeply, and she really wanted to do something for the senior high school students who were about to take the exam.

Of course, it was mostly driven by personal motives.

She wanted to use the radio to cheer He Ming on.

The campus radio broadcast that day received a more enthusiastic response than any other broadcast before.

Zhu Liushuang and his team shortened the news broadcast, played several inspirational pop songs at the end of the program, and specially sent their blessings to all the senior students in the school.

"Whenever I can't find meaning in my existence, whenever I'm lost in the darkness, the brightest star in the night sky, please light my way forward." As the last song played, she turned off the microphone and softly sang along in the broadcasting room. The uplifting music reached the ears of every student at No. 1 Middle School through the airwaves.

In the bright and clean classroom, even those engrossed in doing practice problems couldn't help but stop writing and look up.

Ultimately, it became a group of young people singing for their dreams.

The moment Zhu Liushuang stepped out of the broadcasting room, her steps were exceptionally light.

Because she wanted to dedicate a song to the person she liked, she dedicated this song to all the senior high school students.

Even now, when she recalls it, she still thinks it was a really cool thing.

Although... there is still a hint of bitterness.

"I'm not too clear about this," Zhu Liushuang said, finding her voice. "But I believe you'll be selected. Good luck!"

————

I finally saw the shooting star I'd been longing for; the nearly one-hour wait was definitely worth it.

The lights in the guesthouse gradually dimmed, and the noise subsided. Zhu Liushuang's feet ached from standing, and she tugged at Gu Xuting's ponytail, saying, "It's getting late, let's go back, wash up, and go to sleep."

Although the earthen slope was only a few dozen meters from the guesthouse, it was still in unfamiliar mountainous terrain. After the initial excitement wore off, Gu Xuting looked at the dark forest around her and felt a little uneasy. She immediately grabbed Zhu Liushuang's hand: "Sister Xiaoshuang, let's listen to you and go back to the guesthouse quickly."

Downhill roads are more difficult to walk than uphill roads.

Zhu Liushuang took the lead, steadying herself and carefully stepping onto the road. Even so, she still stumbled forward.

She wiped the sweat from her forehead, turned around, and assumed a horse stance, waiting where Gu Xuting should stand.

"Give me your hand! Be careful, the soil here is a bit loose and slippery." She held out her hand to Gu Xuting.

Gu Xuting took a step down using the momentum, but tripped over a pebble hidden in the grass halfway down.

"Ah—" With a scream, she grabbed Zhu Liushuang's hand and lunged downwards.

They were about the same weight, but the momentum from their dive was too great, and Zhu Liushuang couldn't withstand it.

Fortunately, she had already secured her stance, so the two of them didn't fall to the ground together.

A piercing pain shot through her ankle, and Zhu Liushuang glanced helplessly at Gu Xuting, who was clinging to her tightly. She knew her ankle was in trouble.

"Waaaaah—I was so scared! Sister Xiaoshuang, are you alright?" Gu Xuting asked anxiously.

"It's nothing serious... But Gu Gu, let go of me first, I twisted my ankle." Zhu Liushuang patted Gu Xuting's back reassuringly.

"Oh, is it serious?" Gu Xuting jumped back, her face contorted with grief. "It's all my fault. I shouldn't have dragged you to see this meteor shower..."

Seeing that Gu Xuting was about to cry, Zhu Liushuang felt that it wasn't just her ankle that hurt; her temples were also throbbing.

"Gu Gu, come and help me up," she said calmly.

Gu Xuting obediently did as she was told, and shone the flashlight on Zhu Liushuang's legs.

Zhu Liushuang slowly bent down to examine her left ankle. It didn't appear to be very swollen, and pressing on it only caused slight pain. It shouldn't be serious, she thought to herself.

"Can we walk?" Gu Xuting asked timidly.

"I'll give it a try." Zhu Liushuang put her arm around Gu Xuting's shoulder and took a couple of steps.

The pain in her left foot worsened; although it wasn't as "tearing" as when she first twisted it, it still made her gasp.

A sprained ligament? A fracture? Gu Xuting knew she was in trouble when she saw Zhu Liushuang's tightly pursed lips. Several thoughts flashed through her mind in an instant.

What to do? She's not strong enough to carry Sister Xiaoshuang. Should she ask her brother? She doesn't even know if that drunkard Gu Xufeng has sobered up yet.

"It's probably a ligament sprain," Zhu Liushuang said with a wry smile. "I can't walk for the time being."

Gu Xuting nodded as she called Gu Xufeng, but the phone rang repeatedly without being answered.

Her face grew increasingly anxious, and she dialed He Ming's number again.

When the call connected, she stammered, "Brother He Ming, can you come over quickly... Waaah... Sister Xiao Shuang twisted her ankle, we can't go back!"

On the other end of the phone, He Ming said calmly, "Give the phone to Zhu Liushuang."

Zhu Liushuang was close by, and the man's voice came clearly into her ears from the receiver. She forced herself to remain calm and took the phone from Gu Xuting.

"Did you twist your ankle? Is it badly swollen?"

Zhu Liushuang took a deep breath: "Hmm, just a little bit. It'll hurt if you step on it..."

"Where are you now?" There was a rustling sound first, followed by the sound of a door opening.

“Right in front of the guesthouse we’re staying at, there’s a raised earthen slope, and we’re at the bottom of that slope,” Zhu Liushuang replied, switching the phone to her other ear.

"Send me your location on WeChat, it might take ten minutes or so." He Ming's words sounded emotionless, but for Zhu Liushuang, they were a soothing balm.

"Okay, thank you, senior," she replied softly.

After hanging up the phone, Zhu Liushuang handed the phone back to Gu Xuting: "Don't cry. If you really feel bad, help me swat away the mosquitoes. Otherwise... my legs will feed all the mosquitoes within a ten-mile radius!"

Gu Xuting stopped crying and smiled, wiping away the tears from the corners of her eyes as she chased away mosquitoes for Zhu Liushuang.

"Sister Xiaoshuang, I just heard you call Brother He Ming 'senior'. Did you know each other when you were in school?" Gu Xuting had heard of He Ming before, as he was also a graduate of No. 1 High School.

"No...we don't know each other." Zhu Liushuang said something that didn't mean it. "We only know each other because our companies have business dealings."

"Then why did you call him 'Teacher He' when you toasted him?" Gu Xuting was just a high school student after all, so she asked whatever came to mind.

Zhu Liushuang was momentarily speechless, and after organizing her thoughts, she replied, "The dinner table is quite formal, so it's not appropriate to try to get close to him. Now that we need his help, we naturally need to try to build a better relationship with him."

"Oh—I see." Gu Xuting felt that Zhu Liushuang's words made a lot of sense.

The two chatted while waiting, and time passed much faster.

He Ming told her to wait for about ten minutes, and she really only waited for eleven minutes.

When that tall figure walked towards her in the dim light of the phone, Zhu Liushuang was momentarily stunned.

The man walked straight to her side, knelt down to examine her ankle. His warm fingers gently pressed on the swollen and painful area, his movements gentle and careful, making Zhu Liushuang feel a ticklish sensation in her heart.

“If you have a torn ligament, you should avoid activity.” He Ming got up and took two steps, asking Zhu Liushuang for her opinion. “The situation is special. Do you mind if I carry you? The car is parked in front of your guesthouse.”

He's going to carry her across!

That's all that's left in my mind.

She had actually imagined what kind of method He Ming would use to help her go back.

Should we borrow a wheelchair from the hotel? Or should we help Gu Xuting hop back on one leg?

She never dared to hope that he would carry her on his back.

The surprise came unexpectedly. Zhu Liushuang shook her head, suppressing a smile, her large, watery eyes reflecting He Ming's image.

"Tingting, can you help me with this?" After instructing Gu Xuting, He Ming turned his back and squatted down slightly.

With Gu Xuting's help, Zhu Liushuang leaned against He Ming's broad back.

There was no wind on the summer night. When the two young bodies pressed together through their thin clothes, she could feel He Ming's back trembling slightly.

"Put your hands on my shoulders," she heard his deep voice.

Zhu Liushuang, her face flushed, climbed onto his shoulder, her fingers curled up with nervousness.

At the same time, she heard a "Forgive me" in her ear, and the person beneath her quickly straightened his legs and lifted her up. His hands clasped into fists in a gentlemanly manner, and his body swayed slightly a few times before he quickly found his balance.

Zhu Liushuang lay quietly on his back, her head suspended in the air, not daring to move at all.

All she could see was his thick, black short hair; if she got any closer, it would brush against the back of his neck.

The scent unique to young men enveloped her, a cool and refreshing fragrance, like the scent of camphor trees after the rain.

Her deafening heartbeat signaled her unease, and her disordered breathing revealed her extreme tension.

Little did she know, the hot breath she exhaled from her nostrils also unsettled He Ming.

For the two of them, those few dozen meters felt like an eternity.

Only Gu Xuting, who was following behind them, moved with a light step because someone had come to help her sort out the mess.

Zhu Liushuang was petite, and her weight was nothing to He Ming. But he had never carried a girl before. Today was the first time, and he found it particularly difficult to walk.

The young girl's soft body pressed against his back. Although they tried to avoid too much contact, the faint fragrance was impossible to ignore.

He Ming felt extremely agitated. When he finished walking the last few steps, he put Zhu Liushuang down with a sense of relief.

"Brother He Ming, why did you drive the car over here?" Gu Xuting asked at the right moment.

He Ming coughed and explained, "Although the swelling isn't severe, I still need to go to the hospital for an X-ray to check for any fractures."

"It should just be a common sprain, I don't think I need to go to the hospital!" Zhu Liushuang felt bad about troubling people any further. "I can just ice it when I get back to the guesthouse."

The two people next to her seemed to completely ignore what she said.

"Sister Xiaoshuang, it's better to go to the hospital for an X-ray to put your mind at ease. You don't need to worry about me... I'll pay for the medical expenses and examination fees; I have my own little savings!" Gu Xuting said earnestly.

He Ming remained silent and turned to open the car door.

"The nearest hospital is over 20 kilometers away, and the mountain roads are difficult to drive on at night..." Zhu Liushuang's protest gradually subsided, as the two people beside her had already tacitly "escorted" her into the car.

The driver's side door opened and closed again. He Ming took out an ice pack from somewhere and handed it to Gu Xuting, saying, "Put an ice pack on her ankle."

Gu Xuting took the ice pack with both hands: "Brother He Ming, you're so thoughtful! Where did you get this ice pack?"

“I asked the hotel reception for it.” He Ming fastened his seatbelt. Before starting the car, he glanced at Zhu Liushuang’s face through the rearview mirror, as if to dispel her doubts, “There are fewer cars at night, I will try to drive slowly.”

Zhu Liushuang looked up unexpectedly and met He Ming's cold eyes. Her heart felt as if it had been suddenly pulled up, and her heartbeat, which had finally calmed down, suddenly accelerated. The "thump-thump-thump" of her heartbeat resonated throughout her chest.

She turned her head away to look at the ice pack on her ankle. The heat on her face quietly rose, spreading to her ears, as if burning flames were gently licking her skin.

We arrived at the local People's Hospital forty minutes later. The small town in southern Anhui has a sparse population, and the hospital's emergency room was deserted at midnight.

He Ming went to the service desk first and borrowed a wheelchair, saving him the anxiety of having to carry someone again.

With his and Gu Xuting's help, Zhu Liushuang had her X-rays taken, got her medication, and even borrowed a cane from the hospital's shared equipment room.

When the filming results came out, Gu Xuting was the happiest of all.

"Thank goodness, no bones were broken. Otherwise, my sins would have been even greater..."

Zhu Liushuang, leaning on her crutches, walked slowly as she recalled the doctor's instructions in the emergency room.

"Get plenty of rest, and remember to elevate your leg when relaxing. Apply the ointment as prescribed, and alternating between cold and hot compresses can relieve the pain. With proper care, you should recover in a week."

Sigh, it'll probably be at least a week! She probably won't be able to go out with everyone for the next couple of days. That's not so bad, getting home is the real problem—she lives on the sixth floor! And then there's work…

Thinking about all this, Zhu Liushuang was completely overwhelmed. Because she was distracted, she lost her footing and almost tripped on the steps.

Fortunately, He Ming was right beside her and quickly caught her.

When Zhu Liushuang looked up, she saw the serious expression on He Ming's face. Thinking that he was blaming her for not paying attention while walking, she lowered her head and silently watched the road with a flicker in her eyes.

"Let's go back and get some rest tonight. We can think about the rest after we've had a good night's sleep." Zhu Liushuang, who was walking with a limp, relaxed her brow in surprise.

Does he have mind-reading abilities? How does he know what she's thinking?

————

The night had been exhausting for them, and on the way back, the carriage was so quiet that only the sound of breathing could be heard.

Zhu Liushuang and Gu Xuting couldn't resist their sleepiness and fell asleep with their heads together.

He Ming drove back following the navigation route, occasionally glancing at the situation in the back seat.

He was used to staying up late and didn't feel sleepy, but he was a little mentally exhausted.

If Gu Xufeng hadn't been so drunk he was completely unconscious, he wouldn't have had to come out in the middle of the night to clean up his sister's mess.

He Ming decided that after the team building activity ended and they returned to the institute, he would hand over the difficult "pipeline relocation" task to Gu Xufeng, as a way of making up for Gu's sacrifice tonight.

The mountain road was winding, and after navigating one bend after another, the car once again entered the Qinglong Bay Resort Area. He Ming drove all the way to the entrance of the guesthouse before preparing to wake the two girls in the back seat who were fast asleep.

Just as she was about to speak, she saw a ripple appear on Zhu Liushuang's peaceful sleeping face. She frowned, sobbed softly twice, and then curled up in a new position to continue sleeping.

She must be having a nightmare. He Ming's gaze lingered on her; that curled-up sleeping posture was a sign of insecurity.

He felt he was paying too much attention to Zhu Liushuang, so he turned to call Gu Xuting on the other side.

"Tingting, wake up."

Gu Xuting wasn't sleeping soundly, and she woke up rubbing her eyes when called a second time.

He Ming raised his chin and said in a low voice, "Wake up your sister Xiaoshuang too."

"Sister Xiaoshuang, Sister Xiaoshuang—wake up, we're at the guesthouse!" Gu Xuting called out to Zhu Liushuang.

Zhu Liushuang was having a dream in which someone splashed red paint on her security door, and she broke out in a cold sweat. When she woke up, she heard Gu Xuting's gentle voice calling her, and her mood calmed down.

She composed herself, glanced down at her phone, and saw the time: 12:40 AM.

She instinctively looked at the driver's seat, but He Ming was nowhere to be seen.

Where did he go?

"Bang—" The car door next to me was opened.

Zhu Liushuang turned around in response, and the figure she had been searching for was waiting gentlemanly beside the car with a rented cane.

-----------------------

The author writes: "The evening breeze stirs the strings of a lover's heart. Playing a melody, I'll bring you to my side." —From the song "Golden Wind and Jade Dew"

"Whenever I can't find meaning in my existence, whenever I'm lost in the darkness, the brightest star in the night sky, please light my way." — Song "The Brightest Star in the Night Sky"

Having just finished writing 10,000 words, I desperately need an oxygen mask!