Chapter 21: Wu Xie and Xiao Hua's Funny Dialogue

The morning light pierced through the clouds, dyeing the entire desert sea of ​​sand golden red. Wu Xie was awakened by the gradually increasing noise of people outside the tent. As he rubbed his sleepy eyes and crawled out of his sleeping bag, he saw Zhang Qiling walking in with a cup of hot water.

"Good morning, bro." Wu Xie yawned. "Where's Blackie?"

Zhang Qiling handed him the water glass, glancing outside the tent: "Cook."

Holding the warm water cup, Wu Xie recalled the conversation by the campfire last night and couldn't help but lower her voice: "That Xie Yuchen... are you very familiar with him?"

Zhang Qiling paused, his hands still busy tidying his backpack, and said indifferently, "Not familiar."

The tent flap was suddenly lifted, and Hei Xiazi poked his head in, holding a metal lunchbox. "What are you whispering about? Hurry up, we need to finish breakfast before we leave." His gaze swept between Zhang Qiling and Wu Xie, a meaningful smile playing on his lips.

Breakfast was a simple meal of compressed biscuits and canned meat. Wu Xie leaned close to Hei Xiazi and whispered, "Brother Hei, are you familiar with Xie Yuchen? What's his background?"

Hei Xiazi was putting the largest piece of meat into Zhang Qiling's lunchbox when he heard this and raised an eyebrow: "What, little one, are you interested in Xiaohua?"

"Little Flower?" Wu Xie was taken aback. "Who is Little Flower?"

Hei Xiazi gestured with his chin towards Xie Yuchen: "It's him. The Ninth Master of the Xie family. He looked like a little girl when he was young, so we all called him Little Flower."

Wu Xie's biscuit fell into the lunchbox with a "thud". He turned his head sharply to look at Xie Yuchen, whose excessively delicate face suddenly overlapped with a blurry shadow from the depths of his memory.

"No way..." Wu Xie muttered to himself, "That crybaby Xiao Hua?"

Black Bear became interested: "What, you know them?"

Wu Xie opened his mouth, but before he could speak, Xie Yuchen walked over with a lunchbox: "Mind if I sit here?"

"Of course I don't mind!" Wu Xie quickly moved to the side, but his eyes remained fixed on Xie Yuchen's face.

Xie Yuchen sat down gracefully, his gaze falling on Wu Xie's face: "I've heard Third Master mention you before; today I finally have the chance to formally meet you." He extended his hand, "Xie Yuchen."

Wu Xie grasped his hand and blurted out, "Did you live in Hangzhou when you were little? The one with two little braids and wearing a pink dress?" (Original setting, original setting)

Xie Yuchen's smile froze on his face instantly. Hei Xiazi burst out laughing, and even Zhang Qiling raised his eyes.

"...Wu Xie," Xie Yuchen took a deep breath, "that's my sister."

"Impossible!" Wu Xie exclaimed excitedly, gesturing wildly. "It's definitely you! I even said I'd marry you when I grow up!"

Suddenly, everything fell silent. Hei Xiazi was trying so hard to suppress his laughter that his shoulders were shaking. Zhang Qiling silently handed him a water glass, afraid that he would choke.

Xie Yuchen's ears turned red at a visible speed: "You've mistaken me for someone else."

"Absolutely not!" Wu Xie swore. "You have a small mole on your left eyebrow, it's especially noticeable when you cry!"

Xie Yuchen subconsciously touched his left eyebrow. This action made Wu Xie even more certain: "Look! It's you!"

"That's my cousin..." Xie Yuchen was still struggling.

Black Bear finally couldn't help but burst into laughter: "Alright, Little Flower, just admit it. Wu Xie has the best memory, especially for pretty girls."

Xie Yuchen glared fiercely at Hei Xiazi, but when he turned to Wu Xie, he had regained his composure: "Alright, it's me. But my mom forced me to wear that skirt."

Wu Xie's eyes lit up: "It really is you! Why did you suddenly move away? I've been looking for you for so long."

"My father was transferred to another job," Xie Yuchen said casually, though his ears were still red.

Hei Xiazi whispered in Zhang Qiling's ear, "Dumb guy, don't they look like a young couple reunited?"

Zhang Qiling glanced at the two chatting animatedly, then silently pushed Hei Xiazi's lunchbox towards him: "Eat."

Just then, Ah Ning's whistle blew, urging everyone to pack up their gear. While packing his backpack, Wu Xie kept asking, "Xiao Hua, did you continue practicing calligraphy? Your handwriting was so beautiful when you were little."

Xie Yuchen said helplessly, "My handwriting is actually not bad now."

Before setting off, Hei Xiazi pulled Wu Xie aside: "Not bad, kid, you even have this connection with Xiao Hua."

Wu Xie scratched his head: "I didn't expect that either. But, Blackie, you and Little Brother..."

Hei Xiazi pushed up his sunglasses: "Some things are better left unsaid." He turned and walked towards Zhang Qiling, naturally taking the backpack the other handed him.

The convoy struggled through the desert. Wu Xie and Xie Yuchen rode in the same car, initially a little reserved, but the atmosphere relaxed considerably after they started talking about their childhood memories.

"I didn't expect you to remember it so clearly." Xie Yuchen looked out the window at the sand dunes rushing past. "I had almost forgotten the fragrance of osmanthus in Hangzhou."

"The osmanthus tree in your yard is still there," Wu Xie said with a smile. "Every autumn I go to pick osmanthus blossoms, and it reminds me of how you used to fall down the tree when you were little..."

Xie Yuchen coughed lightly: "Let's not talk about those embarrassing things."

The driver in the front seat couldn't help but interject, "Gentlemen, we're going on an adventure, not a class reunion."

The two looked at each other and smiled. Xie Yuchen suddenly lowered his voice: "Seriously, don't you think Zhang Qiling has been acting strangely lately?"

Wu Xie immediately perked up his ears: "What's wrong, Brother?"

"Especially their attitude towards Hei Xiazi." Xie Yuchen said thoughtfully, "That carton of milk yesterday... I just felt something was off."

Just as Wu Xie was about to say something, the convoy suddenly braked sharply. Aning's urgent voice came through the walkie-talkie: "Anomaly detected ahead! All personnel on alert!"

Wu Xie peered out and saw several desiccated corpses standing on a distant sand dune, arranged in a bizarre pattern. Zhang Qiling and Hei Xiazi had already gotten out of the car and were walking side by side in that direction.

Xie Yuchen gently nudged Wu Xie's arm: "Be careful. I have a feeling this matter isn't simple."

Wu Xie nodded, but his gaze followed the two figures walking side by side in the distance. The desert wind whipped up sand, blurring their outlines, but it couldn't blur the unspoken understanding between them.