Tea Mountain
As soon as dawn broke, Ling Xiao quickly got up, washed and dressed, then quietly opened the door to his room and hurried into the kitchen to start preparing breakfast.
Today is Monday, the first school day after moving.
"Why are you up so early?" Liang An stood at the kitchen door, wearing a light gray sweatshirt, his hair slightly messy, as if he had just gotten up. The aroma of food from the kitchen kept wafting into his nose, making his stomach protest and growl.
Ling Xiao was making vegetable and tofu pancakes when he glanced back at Liang An and smiled, "Good morning, hurry up and wash up, breakfast will be ready soon."
"Okay, I'm coming right away." Liang An clutched his protesting stomach, hurriedly returned to his room, quickly brushed his teeth and washed his face, and rushed back to the kitchen without even having time to style his hair.
"You're quite quick." Ling Xiao came out carrying two servings of fried eggs. "Young Master, please take a seat."
"Hmph, if it's not delicious, I'll give it a bad review." Liang An quickly sat up straight, pretending to be arrogant.
"I guarantee you'll be satisfied," Ling Xiao said indulgently, then served up a variety of dishes, including a porridge made with brown rice, oats, millet, and red beans; freshly baked vegetable and tofu pancakes; a plate of steaming hot and bouncy meat buns; and freshly cut seasonal fruits.
"Let's try a Chinese breakfast today." Ling Xiao placed a glass of freshly squeezed soy milk next to Liang An.
"It's so delicious! No wonder it's my personal male mom!" Liang An said contentedly, like a little squirrel stealing food.
Ling Xiao smiled helplessly, his fingertips running through Liang An's soft, messy hair, gently stroking it with a hint of indulgence. Then he picked up a spoon from the table, slowly scooping up the warm porridge from the bowl and drinking it spoonful by spoonful.
Like two fledglings just leaving the nest, they clumsily but earnestly built their own little home, meal by meal.
Life flowed by in this everyday warmth, and before we knew it, it was mid-April. The midterm exams, like a dark cloud hanging overhead, were drawing ever closer.
For the next week, their lives consisted almost entirely of studying. Their desks were piled high with exercise books and notes, the refrigerator was covered in formula sticky notes, and even the bathroom mirror was covered in English words. Ling Xiao devised a detailed review plan, while Liang An was responsible for compiling a collection of their incorrect answers.
"Here, on the third question, you made the same mistake again." Ling Xiao circled Liang An's paper in red.
"This is so annoying, I always get this knowledge point mixed up." Liang An scratched his head.
Ling Xiao put down her pen, turned to face him, and said, "Come on, I'll teach you a memory technique..."
Liang An enjoyed watching Ling Xiao explain problems; his expression was focused, his language clear, and his gestures simple yet effective. Ling Xiao also liked the way Liang An listened attentively, his eyes sparkling, and he would occasionally ask unexpected questions.
The night before the exam, Ling Xiao brewed lavender tea, and the two of them relaxed on the balcony watching the stars.
"Everything is ready, except for the final push," Ling Xiao said softly. "Giving it my all and looking forward to the exam is a particularly addictive feeling."
"Hmm... everything is under control." Liang An said with feigned profundity, holding a warm teacup, then exchanged a smile with Ling Xiao.
Give me your hand.
Liang An reached out his hand, and Ling Xiao grasped it, their fingers intertwining. The night breeze was cool, but his palm was warm.
“No matter how we do on the exam, we’re in this together,” Ling Xiao said.
Liang An nodded and leaned on his shoulder.
After the midterm exams, on the day the results were announced, they crowded together in front of the bulletin board.
Their names were prominently displayed on the list. They looked at each other and smiled, then spontaneously gave each other a high five.
Just as they were planning their weekend celebration, the school announced an event: all students and faculty would travel to a tea plantation in the suburbs for a day of natural tea picking and tasting.
This academic year, Haicheng No.1 Middle School has been plagued by unexpected events, experiencing a series of incidents that have made it a frequent topic of trending searches.
With the midterm exams successfully completed, school leaders, together with the parents' committee, planned a tea-picking activity, hoping to leverage the healing power of nature to better protect the students' mental health.
"Perfect for a break," Ling Xiao said, looking at the notification.
"A tea plantation? I've never been there before," Liang An said with some anticipation.
On the morning of departure, the bus was filled with excited chatter. Liang An and Ling Xiao sat side by side, sharing a pair of headphones to listen to music. The city view outside the window was gradually replaced by pastoral scenery; the fields in April were a vibrant green, and the air was filled with the moist scent of earth.
"Look, that's the tea plantation over there," a student in the front row pointed out the window.
On the rolling hills, neat rows of tea bushes stretched out like a green velvet carpet woven by the earth. The bus stopped at the parking lot at the foot of the mountain, and the students filed out, taking a deep breath of the fresh air.
The tea plantation manager was a kind middle-aged man surnamed Chen, with skin tanned a healthy bronze by the sun. He led everyone on a tour of the tea-making workshop, explaining the entire process from picking to processing.
"Our tea leaves are all hand-picked to ensure that every leaf is intact and tender." Master Chen demonstrated the standard tea-picking action, "Like this, gently pinch it with your fingertips, you can't pull it hard."
The students were divided into groups to try picking the tea. Liang An and Ling Xiao were in the same group, carrying small bamboo baskets on their backs, moving among the tea bushes. The sunlight shone through the sparse clouds, warm but not scorching.
“You pick them faster than I do.” Liang An looked at Ling Xiao’s bamboo basket, then at his own.
“The quality of the tea leaves you picked is better.” Ling Xiao picked up the tea leaves from Liang An’s basket. “Look, they’re all intact.”
After lunch, Master Chen arranged a tea tasting experience. The students sat around a long table, watching the tea master elegantly brew the new tea. The clear tea soup swirled in the cups, releasing a delicate fragrance.
"It smells so good." Liang An took a small sip. "It's a little bitter, but with a sweet aftertaste."
Ling Xiao nodded and poured Liang An another small cup: "Drink slowly."
As the event drew to a close, Master Chen announced the final activity: "Students, we have reclaimed a new hillside on the east side of the tea garden, intending to expand the tea planting area. Today, each student can plant a tea sapling as a memento of this event. These tea trees will remain here to grow, and you can find the tea tree you planted whenever you come back in the future."
The students whispered excitedly. Guided by the staff, they received saplings and simple tools and headed towards the newly cultivated land.
Just as Liang An and Ling Xiao had chosen their spot and were about to dig the pit, a familiar voice rang out.
"Liang An, Ling Xiao! How about I join you?"
Wen Zhi came over with a grin, holding a tea sapling in his hand as well.
Liang An and Ling Xiao exchanged a glance. After the Zhang Rui incident, Wen Zhi remained silent for a while, and he was almost never seen at school.
Ling Xiao subconsciously took Liang An's left hand and stroked the black bracelet on his left wrist.
"It's alright," Liang An said reassuringly, taking Ling Xiao's hand in return.
Wen Zhi's gaze kept sweeping between them, and a strange feeling rose in his heart again. He felt that their intimacy was beyond his comprehension.
He shook his head and, before they could refuse, chose a spot next to them, saying, "The three of us will plant them together, and these three trees will be neighbors from now on."
[That idiot Wen Zhi doesn't seem to be very bright in this life either.] Liang An thought to himself, exchanged a glance with Ling Xiao, and continued digging the hole with his hoe.
The soil was soft and carried the fresh scent of tilling.
Unable to get a response, Wen Zhi could only swing his hoe and dig diligently.
Suddenly, the hoe in his hand seemed to hit something hard. "Huh? What's that?"
He curiously dug down a bit, then stopped.
"What's wrong?" Ling Xiao asked.
Wen Zhi didn't answer. His face turned pale visibly, his eyes widened as he stared at what was in the pit. The next second, he let out a short scream, fell backward, and collapsed to the ground unconscious.
Liang An and Ling Xiao immediately went over to look. In the pit, half a pale arm protruded from the mud, fingers slightly curled, dirt clogging the fingernails. It was clearly not a prop; the texture of the skin, the faintly visible bone outline...
Ling Xiao instinctively pulled Liang An behind him, shielding him in front. But Liang An had already seen it. He saw more than just the arm—a blurry, semi-transparent human figure slowly rose from the severed limb, like condensed mist or a phantom refracted by light. The spirit had no face, only a hazy shadow, yet it exuded a chilling aura.
Liang An felt a chill rise from his spine, quickly spreading throughout his body. He wanted to speak, to look away, but he couldn't move. The spirit hovered in the air for a moment, then, as if drawn by some force, suddenly lunged at him.
After the altar developed a fever that day, the black bracelet, which had fallen silent again, seemed to be activated and started operating wildly.
A chill enveloped Liang An, as if he were immersed in icy water. He heard Ling Xiao calling his name anxiously, but the voice grew fainter and fainter. His vision gradually blurred, and finally, darkness enveloped him.
Someone has fainted!
"What is that? Oh my god, it's...it's an arm!"
"Dead! There's a dead person!"
The surrounding students noticed something was wrong, and screams of terror rose and fell. A few bolder students came over to look, and then they too screamed. Panic spread rapidly like ripples, plunging the entire hillside into chaos.
Ling Xiao held the unconscious Liang An tightly, while shouting to the nearest classmate, "Quickly call the teacher! Call the police!"
The teachers leading the group rushed over upon hearing the news, and their expressions changed drastically upon seeing the scene in the pit. A young intern teacher couldn't help but gag, but the experienced grade head suppressed his discomfort and immediately organized the other teachers to maintain order.
"All students, stand back immediately! Don't come any closer!" The grade head's voice trembled with tension, but remained clear. "Teacher Wang, call the police! Teacher Li, contact the tea plantation manager! Everyone else, organize the students to evacuate to the parking lot and take a headcount!"
The teachers acted quickly, leading the terrified students away from the scene. Several students were too frightened to walk and had to be helped away by their teachers.
Ling Xiao tried to wake Liang An, but Liang An was pale, his lips were blue, and his body was so cold that he didn't seem like a normal person. Ling Xiao took off his coat and wrapped it around him, kissing his lips repeatedly as if giving him artificial respiration, trying to bring him back to life.
"Liang An! Liang An! Wake up!"
Liang An's eyelids twitched slightly, but he did not wake up.
Wen Zhi was shaken awake by his classmates, and seeing the chaotic scene before him, he almost fainted again. He was carried away from the hillside by two classmates.
Police arrived twenty minutes later and quickly cordoned off the area. The tea plantation workers were also shocked by the sudden incident. Mr. Chen, his face pale, kept muttering to himself, "How could this be... this land is newly cultivated... it was just tilled last week..."
The students were gathered in the parking lot, while three police cars and an ambulance were parked at the entrance to the tea plantation. Police set up a cordon, and forensic experts and technicians entered the scene to conduct an investigation.
"All students, please remain calm. We have contacted the school and your parents," a police officer said through a megaphone. "Please cooperate with us for a brief inquiry, and then a bus will take you back to school."
Ling Xiao stayed by Liang An's side, holding his cold hand. Paramedics checked Liang An's vital signs.
"His body temperature is very low, but his heartbeat and breathing are basically normal." The medical staff frowned. "It seems like he fainted due to extreme shock, but his body temperature... is not normal."
The medical staff covered Liang An with a warm blanket and prepared to lift him into the ambulance. Just then, Liang An suddenly opened his eyes.
“Liang An!” Ling Xiao gripped his hand tightly.
Liang An's eyes were vacant, staring blankly at the sky, his lips trembling slightly. Ling Xiao leaned closer to hear what he was saying.
"Cold...so cold...she's crying..."
"Who's crying?" Ling Xiao asked softly.
Liang An didn't answer, only repeating, "Cold...she's crying..."
The medical staff exchanged a worried look. "Let's take him to the hospital for a checkup first."
Ling Xiao requested to accompany them and was allowed to get into the ambulance. Outside the window, police lights flashed, and the beautiful scenery of the tea plantation was juxtaposed with the yellow lines marking the crime scene. The terrified faces of the students flashed past the window, while the teachers tried their best to calm them down.
The ambulance drove away from the tea plantation, leaving the chaotic scene behind. Ling Xiao held Liang An's hand, feeling the icy temperature slowly rise under the thermal blanket, but Liang An's eyes remained vacant, as if a part of his soul still lingered on that hillside, entangled with the severed limb and the unseen spirit.
Outside the car window, the April sky was still bright, and the outline of the tea mountains gradually blurred in the distance, like a beautiful painting that had been torn apart.
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