The world is big
"Alright, everyone, let's do the final check before departure." Lu Yu stood in front of the whiteboard, his expression focused, with a certain air of a project manager. "Logistics team, how are the accommodations and local arrangements going?"
"Reporting to Brother Lu!" Fat Jiang raised his hand. He was holding a folder, a rare sight, and reported in a formal manner. "We've confirmed with the owner of the Xiangyang Inn in Qingwa Town. We've booked all six rooms on the second floor. The internet signal is said to be good. We've also contacted Director Zhang of the town's cultural center, and he's agreed to provide the necessary support and guidance for our investigation."
"Very good." Lu Yu nodded and looked at Sun Rui again, "Where are the equipment and data plans?"
Sun Rui pushed up his glasses and clicked on the spreadsheet on his laptop. "The list of core equipment has been confirmed. It includes a DJI drone, two handheld 3D scanners, a total station, and five high-performance graphics workstation laptops. All equipment has completed preliminary debugging in the school laboratory. As for data, I have prepared three 10TB mobile hard drives and implemented a daily double backup plan to ensure data is safe and secure."
"Publicity Team," Lu Yu turned his gaze to Zhao Teng, "Have you finalized the filming schedule?"
"It's out!" Zhao Teng projected a densely packed form onto the screen. "I've divided the entire inspection process into three phases, each with a detailed storyboard. I guarantee our vlog will have cinematic quality!"
Everyone is efficient and professional in their respective positions.
Finally, Lu Yu's gaze fell on Shi Guang.
"Shi Guang, do you have anything else to add regarding the technical equipment?"
"Backup batteries for the drone," Shi Guang's voice was low but clear. "The voltage in the inn might be unstable, so you'll need a voltage stabilizer. Also, the weather in the mountains is unpredictable, so all precision equipment needs to be in a moisture-proof box."
Every point he raised is valuable practical experience that cannot be learned from books.
Lu Yu carefully wrote down everything he said: "No problem, I'll go buy these right away."
The meeting ended, and everyone dispersed, each making their own final preparations. Only Lu Yu and Shi Guang were left in the classroom.
Lu Yu didn't leave. He walked to Shi Guang and saw that he was looking down at the propellers of the drone.
"Are you still thinking about the equipment?" Lu Yu asked.
"Well," Shi Guang's fingers gently brushed across the carbon fiber blades, "It's our eyes, nothing can go wrong with it."
Lu Yu looked at his focused profile, and something moved him. He took out the black thermos cup that Shi Guang had given him from his backpack, unscrewed the lid, and handed it over.
"Drink some water, it's made with honey."
Shi Guang paused for a moment. He raised his head, took the cup of warm water, and drank it silently.
"Thanks."
"Why are you being so polite to me?" Lu Yu smiled and sat down to check the equipment with him. "Honestly, if it weren't for you this time, I wouldn't have any idea what to do."
"You're amazing too," Shi Guang looked at him and said seriously, "You're really good at bringing everyone together."
This was the first time he praised Lu Yu so directly.
Lu Yu's heart felt like it was being gently tickled by a feather, itching and satisfying. He couldn't help but lean over and whisper, "Are we the legendary match made in heaven?"
Shi Guang ignored his nonsense, but the slightly tilted head couldn't completely hide the blush that was quietly appearing on her face.
The night before departure, dormitory 602.
Three huge suitcases were spread out on the ground, and the scene was very chaotic for a while.
"Brother Lu, how much stuff did you bring?" Fatty Jiang stared at Lu Yu's suitcase, which was almost bursting with stuff, in astonishment. "You're going to be gone for a month, not a year."
"Better prepared than not." Lu Yu didn't even look up as he continued stuffing a brand new medical kit into the crevice of the box. It contained not only the usual cold medicine and band-aids, but also ointment to prevent mosquito bites and gastrointestinal medicine to treat acclimatization.
Fatty Jiang leaned over to take a look and muttered, "How come you, who usually doesn't bother to care about a little scrape, suddenly become so attentive..."
Lu Yu said nothing, but just stuffed the medical bag a little deeper. He knew that Shi Guang had sensitive skin and a weak constitution, so these things were prepared for him.
On the other side, Shi Guang's suitcase has been neatly packed, with clothes classified into categories in storage bags, and all electronic devices and wires are packed in special bags, stacked meticulously, full of a sense of order.
Lu Yu walked over and squatted beside him, watching him carefully put the star bracelet that Lu Yao gave him into a jewelry box.
"Why aren't you wearing it?" Lu Yu asked.
"I'm afraid of losing it," Shi Guang answered simply. To him, it was already a very precious item.
Lu Yu looked at him, and suddenly a strong impulse surged in his heart.
"Shi Guang," he held Shi Guang's hand as he was packing his things, "When we get there, let's share a room, okay?"
Shi Guang's body suddenly stiffened. He raised his head and looked at him somewhat bewilderedly.
There are enough rooms in the inn, and it is no problem for one person to have one room.
Looking at Shi Guang's clear yet slightly panicked eyes, Lu Yu immediately realized that he might have been too impatient. He quickly added, "That's not what I meant... I meant that the conditions there aren't familiar, and I'm worried you'll be scared or uncomfortable being alone at night. I'll just sleep on the floor!"
His explanation was somewhat incoherent, like a child who had done something wrong.
As Shi Guang watched his anxious look, the slight panic in his heart was unconsciously replaced by an urge to laugh.
Under Lu Yu's anxious gaze, he nodded slightly.
"……good."
Lu Yu felt as if he was hit by a huge firework in an instant, and all the blood rushed to his head.
"real?!"
"Um."
That night, Lu Yu almost hummed a song while filling up the last bit of space in the suitcase.
He felt that the coming month would definitely be the best month of his life.
The day of departure was a sunny morning.
The sun was shining brightly and the breeze was not dry. All members of the Yuguang team gathered at the east gate of the school, ready to go to the high-speed rail station.
"Oh my god, are we going to work on a project or are we fleeing?" Fat Jiang complained breathlessly, dragging a huge suitcase almost as tall as him. "Half of my suitcase is filled with self-heating hot pot and snail noodles. I'm afraid I won't be able to eat them over there and I'll starve to death."
Sun Rui pushed his glasses up and calmly analyzed, "Local dietary habits are an unknown variable, so it's rational to prepare an emergency plan in advance. I also brought three days' worth of compressed biscuits and a complete set of water purification equipment in my suitcase."
Zhao Teng, holding his precious camera, moved through the crowd like a war correspondent, his lens trained on everyone: "Team Yuguang's expedition record, episode one! Come on, Xiyue, say hello to our fans in front of the camera!"
Lin Xiyue smiled and waved to the camera.
Lu Yu was in charge of the headcount and final equipment check. He was like a patriarch, methodical and orderly. However, his gaze would always unconsciously drift to the time around him.
Shi Guang's luggage was minimal: a simple backpack and a medium-sized suitcase. He stood quietly in a corner of the crowd, watching the morning sun gild the familiar buildings on campus, a subtle hint of anticipation in his eyes.
"Are everyone here?" Lu Yu asked loudly after checking the list.
"We're all here! Let's go!" Fat Jiang was the first to respond.
The group got on the reserved business car and headed to the high-speed rail station.
In the spacious and bright high-speed train carriage, everyone quickly found their seats. Lu Yu and Shi Guang sat by the window, Jiang Xiaopang and Zhao Teng sat in front of them, and Lin Xiyue and Sun Rui sat on the other side of the aisle.
"Do you want to take a nap? We have to change buses there, which will take most of the day." Lu Yu helped Shi Guang put his backpack on the luggage rack and asked softly.
"Not sleepy," Shi Guang shook his head, his gaze drawn to the rapidly receding cityscape outside the window. Skyscrapers, overpasses, and the hustle and bustle of traffic—these familiar modern landscapes were gradually being replaced by vast expanses of fields and distant mountains.
"What are you thinking about?" Lu Yu asked softly, looking at his focused profile.
Shi Guang was silent for a while and then said, "I feel the world is very big."
Lu Yu smiled. He reached out and placed his hand on the back of Shi Guang's hand, which was resting on the armrest of the seat. He then gently passed his fingers through Shi Guang's and interlocked theirs.
"It is very big." Lu Yu looked into his eyes and said seriously, "So, I want to accompany you and see more."
Time's heart was warmed by these words. He turned his head and continued to look at the ever-changing scenery outside the window. However, this time, the scenery seemed to have a few more different colors.
The journey was long, and just looking at the scenery would be boring. Fatty Jiang in front of me pulled out a deck of cards from somewhere.
"Come on! Don't be idle! Let's play a game of competition. The loser will be punished by drawing a turtle!" He suggested enthusiastically.
"I'll join." Zhao Teng was the first to respond.
"Okay." Sun Rui said concisely.
Lin Xiyue also smiled and nodded.
Everyone looked at Lu Yu and Shi Guang.
"We..." Shi Guang subconsciously wanted to refuse. He was not good at this kind of game.
"Let's play, why not?" Lu Yu agreed immediately. He squeezed Shi Guang's hand and whispered encouragingly, "It's okay. If you lose, it's on me."
The card game soon began. Fat Jiang, a typical weakling, relied solely on shouting to play his cards, and within a few rounds, he became the first loser. Zhao Teng, with a water-based marker, unceremoniously drew a crooked turtle on his face, drawing laughter from everyone.
When it was Shi Guang's turn to play a card, he seemed a little hesitant, but every time he was able to play the most reasonable card after thinking carefully.
After a few rounds, everyone was surprised to find that Shi Guang had never lost once. He even used a small card to destroy Lu Yu's winning game at the critical moment several times.
"Damn! Boss, have you practiced secretly?" Fat Jiang looked at the turtle on his face and looked at the time in disbelief.
Lu Yu also looked at him in surprise: "You are really good, you are very capable."
Shi Guang felt a little embarrassed by everyone's gaze, and just whispered, "My brother likes to play, and I've played with him a few times."
In the last round, Lu Yu set a trap for Shi Guang on purpose in order to take revenge on him, but ended up getting himself trapped in it and became the ultimate loser.
"Draw! You must draw!" Fat Jiang and Zhao Teng immediately started to cheer, handing the brush to Shi Guang. "Boss, here's our chance for revenge! Draw a big one for him!"
Shi Guang held the pen and looked at Lu Yu's face, which came closer to him with a frank smile. For a moment, he didn't know how to start.
"Draw it," Lu Yu's eyes were filled with indulgence and encouragement, "Draw a special mark for me."
Under everyone's gaze, Shi Guang hesitated for a moment, then finally raised his hand. Instead of drawing a turtle, he gently drew a delicate five-pointed star on Lu Yu's cheek.
After finishing the painting, he looked at his masterpiece and smiled faintly.
Lu Yu looked at the smile in his eyes and felt that the star on his face made him prouder than any medal.
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