The beautiful scenery returns to the courtyard, and the true feelings are hidden in the layers
The unexpected scenery and incidents did not delay the planned itinerary. I simply moved forward again, unknowingly burdened with so much more worry.
Although Xue Jiuyue acted as if everything was normal, Ke Yike still had deep doubts and was also brewing his next plan.
It was just the cry that burst forth like life under the golden sunlight, and the romance that transcended time and space in the entanglement with memories, that completely released Xue Jiuyue's thoughts that had been barely suppressed.
"If that is the expression of love, why doesn't he have it? Is it because of his personality, or is it that he doesn't have enough emotions? Or is all this just my wishful thinking?...?" All kinds of question marks are tangled together, confusing my heart, blurring my eyes, and even my lower abdomen is aching.
Fortunately, the gradually growing sunlight and the sweat from the hike washed away all the haziness of youth, brightening the scenery along the way again. However, the physical discomfort did not ease, making the heavy luggage a burden.
This time, Xue Jiyue didn't refuse Ke Yike's kindness and handed him both bags. They both set off again, feeling relaxed...
At noon, just like two days before, we camped on the green grass by the water. The water was vast, misty, and heavy white clouds curved the blue sky.
Everyone worked together and soon the table was filled with a bountiful feast. Chef Ke Yike meticulously prepared a variety of delicious dishes, including salads, braised meats, sandwiches, sushi, and more. All of them were kept fresh with ice, so they didn't need to be cooked again, making them convenient and delicious.
In contrast, lunch with Liu Che the day before yesterday was like a plum rain shower in the south of the Yangtze River. Gentle, delicate, and graceful, a veil veiled the enchanting beauty between heaven and earth. Only by escaping under an umbrella and glimpsing it could one delightfully see the lush green bamboo and banana trees, each like a page of scripture, captivating and captivating.
The delicacies before me are like a torrential downpour in the north. Passionate, generous, and unrestrained, the sheer joy of expressing one's feelings makes the world seem transparent. Letting go of all rationality and reflection, savoring the present moment is the most appropriate moment.
The flavors differ, each with its own merits, making it difficult to distinguish which is better. But this doesn't affect the broadening of the mind, nor the improved mood brought on by the delicious food. A breeze, cooled by the rippling water, brushes through my hair, carrying away the lingering heat from the trees along the way, making the joy of the meal even more refreshing...
The midday merriment delayed their journey, but it couldn't hold back the sunset. By the time Xue Jiuyue and her group arrived at their reserved farmhouse, the pale grey sky was barely holding onto its last glimmer of orange.
Several old houses enclose an old courtyard on the edge of a cliff, shrouded in twilight and dotted with flickering lights, a perfect setting. Faint footprints tread on the mossy path, and a few steps bring a sense of peace.
The little beast on the roof ridge gazed up at the sky with pity, as if yearning for the carved beams and painted buildings of the past, as if lamenting the vicissitudes of the present. With no answers or revelations from the stars, it waited silently, composing its own shadow into a verse and planting it in the soil.
Are the uneven walls shedding constraints, or memories? The bones within, revealed not as bricks but as earth, or perhaps as the clay of a pottery mold, have been transformed by time and fire, carving a fish's dream of water into eternity.
Knock lightly on the doorknob, rusty iron, rotten wood, time is like a circle of wind echoing in the valley, counting the silent folds of the old house on the eaves.
The courtyard is not big. On one side there is a long corridor supported by a grape trellis, which shades a long table for dining.
On the other side stood an old Chinese hackberry tree, its branches and leaves luxuriant, its branches and leaves like a canopy. Unlike the marks of growth rings, which remain only in the heart and every confession of love is a scar, each leaf on the branch is filled with a story of experience. Read carefully and you will naturally smile.
Beneath the tree stood a well, a wheel mounted on top. The damp rope, polished by time, had long since become gentle and pleasant. Whether it had been wounded or not, it brought no fear.
Next to the well, there's a stone mill. The heavy millstone rests on the stone plate, like a ship at anchor at night. A faint rumbling sound mingles with the aroma of beans lingering in the cracks between the stones...
The old lady, as kind as the old house, with hair as mottled as the wall paint, pointed behind the grape arbor and said, "Those are the three rooms that Miss Chen has booked."
"Ms. Chen?" Ke Yike and Qiu Nian thought the old man had made a mistake.
"I ordered it, thank you." Zhou Ying replied quickly.
The old lady continued, "We only have three guest rooms, so you are the only guests today. The food needs to be prepared freshly. Please decide when to eat."
Xue Jiuyue looked at the sky and made up her mind: "It's not too early, please arrange it now."
"Okay, then you guys take a break first."
The three rooms were on one side, with Xue Jiuyue living in the innermost one. Next to her were Lin Yiyi and Zhou Ying, and on the outermost side were Qiu Nian and Ke Yike.
Three rooms, nestled under the same roof, appear scarred by the erosion of wind and rain, their poetic bones remaining, still brimming with a dignified dignity. But once the doors are pushed open, a warm and intelligent living environment emerges, making all the previous experiences seem like a dream. This striking contrast, a fusion that transcends time, resonates with the same essence as the art gallery previously designed by Qian Jianjun's friend.
The extreme softness relieved the fatigue, but the pain in the lower abdomen frightened the unprepared relaxation.
"Yiyi, I'm MC, did you bring...?" A message summoned Lin Yiyi and Zhou Ying, who were also unprepared.
Supermarkets, takeout, and this place are probably in a completely different world. Zhou Ying went to the store to ask for help, and Lin Yiyi reminded her, "Didn't your psychiatrist send two emergency kits? Take a look."
"How could a grown man like him prepare that?"
"Have you seen it?"
It was true that I was only concerned with expressing myself this morning and didn't check everything thoroughly. Lin Yiyi helped me pack both bags.
I took one out of my backpack and found that there was actually a compartment with a label saying "Girls' Secrets" on it.
As expected, it included everything from daily use to night use and sanitary napkins. But how did Liu Che guess the date correctly? Xue Jiuyue tried hard to recall, and finally managed to find the answer.
It was probably half a year ago, during the first two days of the most uncomfortable period, that Liu Che brought out some frozen pears, a specialty of Northeast China, as a treat. Xue Jiuyue said she had a stomachache and couldn't eat anything cold.
Xue Jiuyue remembered that Liu Che was even more embarrassed than she was at that time.
But I never expected that it had been so long and Liu Che could remember the days that I couldn't even remember.
Could it be that Liu Che was so devoted to her at that time? Happiness comes from the unexpected, happiness comes from preparation...
When the meal was ready, the night had already clasped its hands together and everyone gathered under the grape trellis.
The grapes are still unripe, their clusters of green grapes pregnant with harvest. The lush leaves in the fields close the view, thin the distance, and let the stars fly in and out.
The roses send out a pink fragrance, like a hanging veil, creating a pink atmosphere for the dining table.
Dewy bamboo shoots dug early in the morning, freshly ground spring water tofu, free-range chickens from the mountains, live fish from the lake, and meat sealed in jars from farmers... The finest ingredients, coupled with superb cooking skills, do not require any complex seasonings. Every bite is the true taste of nature, and every bite stimulates the taste buds and goes straight to the heart.
With such delicious food, any other flavors would be superfluous. So Zhou Ying proposed, "Split the dining and drinking into two activities, one before and one after." Everyone agreed.
With the caring care and delicious food, even the discomfort in her lower abdomen was relieved. However, Xue Jiuyue still did not participate in the subsequent drinking and chatting, and returned to her room to rest.
"Ahem...Sister Yue, why is she in such a bad mood today? She doesn't even want to drink with us." Ke Yike was the first to raise the question.
"Sister Yue, Sister Yue, I'm not feeling well." Zhou Ying answered hesitantly.
"Are you feeling unwell?" Ke Yike was horrified and was about to express further concern. But when his wide-open eyes met Zhou Ying's somewhat shy expression, a flash of understanding instantly made him swallow back the rest of his words.
"Ahem..." Ke Yike recalled another question, "Ying'er, why did you book a room under the pseudonym Miss Chen?"
"My last name on my ID card is Chen, Chen Zhouying."
The sweet voice was a little wrinkled by the wind blowing through the hall.
"Let's play games!" Lin Yiyi's suggestion cut off Ke Yike's curiosity and quickly received Qiu Nian's mindless support.
Zhou Ying thought for a moment and then returned to normal. "It's really boring for the four of us to just drink. What should we do for fun?"
Qiu Nian still shook his head and looked at his backbone - Lin Yiyi.
Lin Yiyi rolled her eyes at Qiu Nian but didn't offer any opinion.
"Let's play Truth or Dare? Use the dice to roll out two people. They both drink a glass of wine! Then the second person who comes out will ask the first person a dare or a truth question. If the first person can't do it or doesn't want to answer, then they have to drink three more glasses of wine." Ke Yike not only made the proposal, but also took a dice off the keychain so that the activity could be carried out smoothly.
At first, Lin Yiyi's luck was bad. It was like the dice were under a spell, often making her win, and she always chose truth. This made Qiu Nian very excited. No matter which of the three of them asked a question, he would mutter out the question he wanted to know, such as favorite food, favorite color, favorite thing...
Although Zhou Ying and the others were transferred less frequently, they were all caught in the crossfire. The atmosphere quickly became ignited by alcohol, and the questions asked under the influence of intoxication became less and less cautious...
Xue Jiuyue returned to her room, not intending to sleep. She settled herself into the bed in the most comfortable position, but her mind and soul drifted outside, lying in the tranquility of the night, blinking at the stars. An unknown amount of time passed before a dull ache piqued her senses. She greedily opened her emergency kit, searching for any new surprises. Like Liu Che, a man of reserved yet rich imagination, Xue Jiuyue had unexpectedly found several individually wrapped bags of brown sugar.
It may be a psychological effect. Ever since my mother handed me the first cup of brown sugar water, no matter how many sweeter and more delicious drinks have become over the years, I still need a cup of this taste engraved in my memory to soothe my body and mind every month, especially this time.
"Thank you. The brown sugar water is so sweet." Xue Jiuyue sent a voice message to Liu Che. Within seconds, she received a warm reply: "Do you need to be so polite?"
Xue Jiuyue was originally very curious about why Liu Che was so well prepared, but she was too shy to speak up. She just introduced the beautiful scenery along the way to Liu Che through voice messages...
For the umpteenth time, the dice landed on Lin Yiyi again. He chose truth again, but this time, Ke Yi ignored Qiu Nian's whispers and asked a bold question, "Who do you like?"
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