ski

After the video conference with Linzhou headquarters in the afternoon.

Cui Yu closed his laptop, stretched, and turned to look at Meng Yihe, who was still checking the final version of the meeting minutes.

"Finally all settled." He said in a relaxed tone, leaning slightly towards Meng Yihe. "So, Director Meng, now that we're finally free tomorrow, what are your plans? Continue to save on the budget and discuss work at the hotel?"

Meng Yihe looked up from the screen, glanced at him, and simply asked, "Do you have plans?"

"Smart!" Cui Yu snapped his fingers, his smile widening.

"If you come all the way to Hancheng, wouldn't it be a waste not to experience the fun of ice and snow? I know a place called Feixue Ski Resort. It's not far from the city center, the area is big enough, and the equipment is new. How about I take you skiing tomorrow?"

Upon hearing this, Meng Yihe pondered in silence for a moment.

Seeing his expression, Cui Yu immediately put on a serious one.

"Director Meng, your ideological awareness needs improvement."

"This isn't just a casual trip; it's an in-depth experience of the local winter tourism and cultural projects, serving as preliminary research for potential future investments in the ice and snow industry for the group. This is part of a high-end business trip, and the travel expenses are reimbursable."

Cui Yu spoke with such seriousness, as if tomorrow wasn't for skiing, but for attending some major business forum.

Meng Yihe: "..."

He was speechless for a moment, choked by Cui Yu's sophistry, and could only stare at him expressionlessly.

Seeing that he didn't immediately object, Cui Yu pressed her advantage, moving closer: "Besides, I've heard that the mulled wine at the mountaintop rest stop there is absolutely amazing. Work needs a balance of work and rest to produce the highest efficiency, right, Director Meng?"

Cui Yu smiled and winked.

"Consider this a reward for your cooperation yesterday with the inhibitor injection and follow-up treatment?"

The last sentence was full of implications, making Meng Yihe's ears burn slightly. He looked away and remained silent for a few seconds.

"Whatever you want." In the end, he uttered two words, which could be considered as tacit consent.

The next day.

Cui Yu rented a decent SUV and drove Meng Yihe to the Feixue Ski Resort on the outskirts of the city.

Upon arriving at the ski resort, it was indeed as Cui Yu had described—large in scale, bustling with people.

Despite the biting cold wind, the tourists' enthusiasm remained undiminished.

Cui Yu took Meng Yihe to complete the formalities and rent ski equipment and ski suits. When Meng Yihe changed into a professional ski suit, she looked upright but was a little restrained because she was not used to it, Cui Yu smiled.

"Director Meng, dressed like this, you don't look like someone who's here to ski, but rather like a domineering CEO inspecting his business as he comes to acquire a ski resort."

Meng Yihe pulled up the collar of her snowsuit, covering the lower half of her face, revealing only a pair of cold eyes as she glared at him.

The two, carrying skis and ski poles, headed towards the beginner slope.

As Cui Yu walked with him, she explained the most basic standing, braking, and falling postures: "Remember, lean your center of gravity forward, don't be afraid of falling, it won't hurt if you fall in the snow."

He demonstrated how to safely land on your butt.

"Most importantly, if you do fall, remember to let go of the ski poles, cover your head and curl up. Protecting yourself is the most important thing. Don't hold on to it like you're clutching your precious project documents."

This analogy made Meng Yihe glare at him again, but she still watched his actions intently.

However, theory is one thing, practice is another.

When Meng Yihe actually stepped onto the skis and stood on the slightly sloping slope, her body immediately began to lean backward uncontrollably.

"Hey! Shift your weight forward!" Cui Yu quickly reminded him from the side, reaching out to support him.

Meng Yihe frowned, her whole body tense, trying to control the skateboard with her strong willpower. But she became even more stiff, like a clumsy robot, and staggered a few times.

In the end, he couldn't resist gravity and fell flat on his backside in the snow, kicking up a cloud of snow.

Cui Yu suppressed a laugh, quickly slid over, and reached out to pull him up: "Are you alright? I told you it didn't hurt. Come on, get up. It's normal for our Director Meng to have a little trouble on his first 'business trip'."

Meng Yihe pursed her lips, used Cui Yu's strength to stand up, brushed the snow off her body, her face was expressionless, but her ears were a little red.

I don't know if it was from the cold or from embarrassment.

The following time became Cui Yu's "Meng Yihe Skiing Special Training Course".

Cui Yu was extremely patient, protecting Meng Yihe from falling too hard while guiding him with his unique "Cui-style teaching method".

"Yes, like that, knees slightly bent... Hey, I told you to do a horse stance, relax, are you preparing to fight in the snow?"

"Turning a turn isn't about twisting your neck to see the direction; it's about using your feet and center of gravity... Never mind, you should practice braking while going straight first."

"Wow, that's a perfect wrestling move! I give it nine points, deducting one point because the ski poles weren't thrown far enough."

Meng Yihe initially tried to maintain her image, but after falling several times and being constantly teased by Cui Yu, her awkwardness was gradually replaced by her competitive spirit.

He learns things quickly, and once he grasps the basics, he progresses rapidly.

After finally managing to glide a short distance and come to a steady stop, he subconsciously turned to look at Cui Yu, who had been protecting him the whole time, and a rare glint of accomplishment appeared in his eyes.

Cui Yu immediately noticed this, and he slid over to Meng Yihe's side, smiling and giving her a thumbs up.

"Excellent! I knew Director Meng was exceptionally talented! At this rate, we can go to the intermediate-level Dao assessment this afternoon!"

At noon, the two ate lunch at the ski resort restaurant.

Meng Yihe's forehead was covered in fine sweat from exercising, and her cheeks were much rosier than usual.

Cui Yu ordered him hot soup and high-energy food. Seeing that he was unusually lively, she smiled and asked, "How was it, Director Meng? Were you satisfied with this business trip? It wasn't a waste of time, was it?"

Meng Yihe sipped his hot soup, glanced at the people still happily skiing outside the window, and looked at Cui Yu across from him with a bright smile. He gave a soft "hmm" and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly.

His progress was indeed rapid. After mastering the snowplow braking and turning, Cui Yu suggested trying a wider beginner track with a gentler slope to experience a longer gliding distance.

As Meng Yihe rode the magic carpet up the mountain, she looked at the snow-covered ground receding into the distance beneath her feet, and her body tensed slightly.

Cui Yu stood half a step behind him, naturally supporting his waist, and chuckled, "Don't be afraid, you won't fall. If you do fall, I'll be your cushion, I guarantee it'll be softer than the snow."

Meng Yihe: "...No need."

That being said, the strong hand behind me and the scent of cedar so close at hand did bring a sense of reassurance.

Stepping off the magic carpet and standing at the top of the slope, the view suddenly opened up. This slope was longer and a bit more crowded. Skiers would occasionally whiz past, or tumble and fall a short distance away, laughter and screams rising and falling in waves.

"Ready?" Cui Yu adjusted his ski goggles and looked at him.

Meng Yihe took a deep breath of the cold air and nodded. He imitated others, lightly tapping his ski poles and gliding forward.

At first, I was a little cautious, but after gliding for a while, I gradually found the knack for balancing and my speed increased slightly.

The wind blew in my face, stinging a little, but it brought an unprecedented sense of freedom and exhilaration. The snow scenery on both sides rushed past, and all that remained in the world was the snowboard under my feet and the howling wind.

Cui Yu followed him at a steady pace, keeping a safe distance from putting pressure on him while still being able to keep an eye on him and provide protection.

During a short turn where she was trying to pick up speed, Meng Yihe lowered her center of gravity slightly, her skis dipped too deep into the snow, and her body lurched forward, almost losing her balance.

"Watch out!" Cui Yu's voice rang out almost simultaneously.

He quickly moved closer, gliding in a graceful arc to block Meng Yihe from falling, while shouting a warning: "Sit back! Shift your weight backward!"

Meng Yihe subconsciously did as she was told, suddenly shifting her body weight backward.

The snowboard kicked up a cloud of snow, slowing the speed abruptly. She stumbled a few times, but managed to regain her balance and avoid falling. Meng Yihe stopped, slightly out of breath, her heart pounding from the thrill and excitement of the ordeal.

Cui Yu slid over to his side, her tone approving: "Not bad! That reaction speed! You handled that situation well, a close call, you've really graduated."

Meng Yihe calmed his breathing and turned to look at Cui Yu. He didn't speak, but simply nodded, adjusted his posture again, tapped his ski poles, and continued gliding forward. This time, his movements were noticeably more confident and fluid.

As the sun sets, the ski resort is about to close.

The two returned the ski equipment and headed towards the parking lot.

Once inside the car with the heater on, Meng Yihe truly felt the soreness and cold in his muscles. He took off his gloves, and his fingers were red from the cold.

Cui Yu started the car, naturally pointing the air conditioning vents at him, and handed him a thermos cup.

"Have some hot water to warm up. How was it, Director Meng? Was this 'high-end business trip' worth the price of admission? Did you discover any potential investment value?" Cui Yu didn't forget his initial joke.

Meng Yihe took the thermos and drank a sip of hot water.

He paused for a few seconds before speaking in a low voice, his tone light: "We haven't checked out the mulled wine at the ski resort yet."

Cui Yu paused for a moment, then chuckled softly, shaking his head as he laughed.

"My mistake, I was so focused on inspecting the ski slopes that I forgot the most important part: the evaluation process."

The car was warm and cozy, with soothing music playing. Feeling tired, Meng Yihe leaned back in her seat, looked out the window, and unconsciously closed her eyes.

When he woke up again, he found the car parked downstairs at the hotel, and he was covered with Cui Yu's coat, which carried the familiar scent of cedar.

Cui Yu didn't wake him up, but just sat quietly in the driver's seat looking at his phone, the light from the screen illuminating his smiling profile.

"...Why didn't you call me when we arrived?" Meng Yihe sat up straight, her voice still hoarse from just waking up.

"Seeing you sleeping so soundly, I couldn't bear to." Cui Yu put away her phone, turned to look at him, her eyes appearing particularly gentle in the dim light. "You must be exhausted. Go back and take a hot bath to relax."

The two got out of the car and walked into the hotel lobby.

After a full day of ice and snow sports, the feeling of being surrounded by warmth again is especially comforting.

Back in the room.

Meng Yihe immediately grabbed her clothes, intending to take a hot shower to warm herself up. However, as she passed by Cui Yu, he gently pulled her wrist.

“Wait a minute.” Cui Yu looked at him. “Taking a bath after exercise can easily make you dizzy. Just take a quick shower first. Also…” He paused, his fingertips lightly touching the back of Meng Yihe’s neck.

"Here, be careful not to use water that is too hot to rinse it, or it may cause inflammation."

Meng Yihe quickly hummed in agreement and practically fled into the bathroom, closing the door behind her.

Cui Yu couldn't help but chuckle and shake his head.

The sound of water in the bathroom stopped.

After a while, Meng Yihe came out wearing a dark cotton nightgown, her hair wet and hanging over her forehead, exuding warm moisture and the scent of clean shower gel, which diluted the slight cedar scent.

He went straight to his suitcase to find a hairdryer, while Cui Yu also took his clothes and went into the bathroom, quickly taking a shower to wash away the chill and fatigue.

When Cui Yu came out drying her hair, Meng Yihe was already sitting on the edge of the bed, head down, awkwardly trying to dry his hair with a hairdryer. He was obviously not used to doing this, his movements were a bit clumsy, the warm air blew haphazardly, and a few strands of hair stood up unruly.

Cui Yu found it amusing and walked over, naturally extending her hand.

"I'll do it."

Meng Yihe paused, his grip on the hairdryer tightening as if he wanted to refuse, but Cui Yu took it without a word, adjusting the airflow and temperature. Standing in front of Meng Yihe, she gently ran her fingers through his hair, beginning to dry it for him.

The warm breeze felt wonderful on my scalp.

Meng Yihe's body slowly relaxed under the gentle movements. He lowered his eyes, his gaze falling on the buttons of Cui Yu's pajamas. He could feel the other's focused gaze and the occasional fingertips brushing past his ear. The only sound in the room was the buzzing of the hairdryer.

Did you have fun today?

Cui Yu's voice was muffled by the noise of the hairdryer, but Meng Yihe heard it clearly.

Meng Yihe was silent for a few seconds, then nodded and gave a soft "hmm".

Cui Yu chuckled softly and turned off the hair dryer.

In the sudden silence, his voice became clear and gentle: "I'm happy too."

Cui Yu used his fingers to gently comb Meng Yihe's soft, dry black hair.

Seeing you relax is more worthwhile than anything else.

Meng Yihe looked up and met Cui Yu's deep gaze. That gaze was so direct, so focused, filled with undisguised satisfaction. It made his heart skip a beat, and he hurriedly looked away, his ears burning uncontrollably once more.

Cui Yu stopped teasing him and put the hairdryer back in its place: "Are you hungry? Want to order some late-night snacks? You've burned a lot of energy after exercising."

"Not very hungry." Meng Yihe shook her head; the energy she had expended skiing had turned into a deep weariness.

"Okay, get some rest." Cui Yu lay back down on his bed.

They both lay down and turned off the lights.

His tired body craved sleep, but Meng Yihe couldn't fall asleep for a while. Scenes of skiing during the day replayed in his mind. He slowly opened his eyes in the darkness and looked at the blurry outline on the bed opposite him.

The air still carries the scent of cedar.

In the darkness where no one could see, the corners of his mouth curved upwards slightly.