The bright moon often shyly looks at love, and the setting sun always wishes to shine on the echo
The scenery of Phoenix Ridge rivals that of "River Mountain Green Valley," and it's a mature scenic spot. The winding mountain roads carry the fragrance of earth, cleansing away the remnants of steel and concrete. Sometimes, amidst the dense forest, a gentle whisper emerges, while from a perch on the cliff edge, a few passionate shouts are unleashed. But the memories that occasionally evoke a feeling always distract Xue Jiuyue, making her seem absent-minded.
"Ahem..." Ke Yike, who was paying close attention, asked with concern, "Sister Yue, why do you seem so unhappy?"
"Oh, it's great, I'm very happy! Maybe I didn't sleep well last night and I'm not in good spirits." Xue Jiuyue didn't want to ruin the atmosphere because of herself.
"Then I'll help you carry the bag so you can save some energy."
"I'm fine, so I only have two bags, and they're not heavy. Isn't the point of going out to play to work up a sweat?" Xue Jiuyue declined the offer and added, "Let's go quickly, you're the pioneer."
"Okay! Then you do what you can and don't force yourself. I'm still very relaxed." In order to show his physical strength, Ke Yike jumped a few times before quickly walking to the front of the team to continue leading the way.
Ke Yike's concern made Xue Jiuyue try hard to control her emotions and blend in with everyone as much as possible, "seeing the charm of the green mountains" among the mountain flowers as brilliant as clouds.
Behind the towering peaks lies an unexpected lake. The suddenly open horizon, with the shimmering water reflecting the youthful brightness of the rising sun in the east.
Slowly approaching the lake, approaching its silence. The shadow of the mountain falls into the water, sinking with the sky. A gentle breeze ruffles the clouds, revealing its thoughts, still dancing with the birds. A rustling sound scatters a few petals of red petals, drifting across the water, attracting fish to swim and then depart... High and low, movement and stillness, past and future, are all perceived by the lake as silence, recorded for eternity...
“There’s bungee jumping over there.”
The lookout from "vanguard officer" Ke Yike broke through Xue Jiuyue's feelings.
Looking in that direction, I saw that there was indeed a rapid fall that was bringing the clouds and the lake closer.
"We can stop by and take a look. It's on our planned route." Ke Yike looked into the distance for a while and came to a conclusion.
With a goal in mind, the journey accelerates unnoticed, but it also makes it easy to withdraw your attention from the scenery. It's always difficult to reconcile rational single-mindedness with emotional divergence.
The bungee jumping location is a bay surrounded by mountains, the surrounding emerald greenery dripping into the water. This is probably a place for tourists to enjoy the scenery and relax. In the valley, there are several rows of buildings, including restaurants, shops, and restrooms.
There was a teahouse, built by the water, imitating an antique bamboo building with an ancient charm. It was still early and there were not many customers, so Xue Jiuyue and the others chose a table on the second floor by the window.
A pleasant cool breeze, embracing the mountain scenery, caresses the water, penetrates the whitewashed windows of bamboo, and transforms into the delicate fragrance of a cup of tea, spreading across the surface. Soft and glutinous cakes, crispy nuts, and refreshing fruits are laid out on the wooden table. These exquisite delicacies, untainted by the traces of time, ripple in a poetic and picturesque boat, naturally radiating elegance.
The shop also offers free Hanfu clothing, satisfying customers' immersive experiences. Unlike the generic Hanfu seen by many, the clothing in this shop is organized by dynasty, with accompanying text explaining how to brew tea in the Tang Dynasty, make tea in the Song Dynasty, and brew tea after the Ming Dynasty. The idea is to pair guests with clothing from different periods based on their tea-drinking habits, a truly thoughtful gesture.
Xue Jiuyue, however, remained unmoved. "It's not the sunset that's romantic, it's the person watching it with you." Without the lingering sentimentality of dreams, without the gentleness and consideration of reality, even the most beautiful scenery lacks soul. Xue Jiuyue's understanding of tea culture, in particular, was all influenced by Liu Che.
The beautiful scenery and Xue Jiuyue's distraction were soon ruined by screams outside the window. It turned out that the bungee jumping was on the rock wall at the corner of the window.
"Ahem... Who wants to give it a try?" Ke Yike was very excited and asked his companions.
Xue Jiuyue was the first to speak out, "I don't dare. Last time I dived..."
"I'll go..." Qiu Nian was eager to try, but then he looked at Lin Yiyi and changed his tone to a question, "Or not?"
"I'm not going. Do whatever you want." Lin Yiyi's eyes were still on the Hanfu.
"Then I won't go. I'll take pictures for you." Qiu Nian was being attentive, but Lin Yiyi ignored him.
Zhou Ying's sweet voice made people unable to believe what she said, "I'm going too. It's just right that Sister Yue and the others can have tea and rest here."
Xue Jiuyue made the final decision, "Okay, go ahead, we'll sit here and admire your bravery."
An elevator carried Ke Yike and Zhou Ying to the top of the cliff. Looking up, one wouldn't realize how high it was. Only when standing there did they realize the teahouse they had just visited was now like a chess piece on a chessboard. Clouds waited to be plucked, and a gentle breeze blew beneath their feet. The vast expanse of water, now in full bloom, captured the sunlight just filtered through the mountains, appearing enchantingly beautiful.
Xue Jiuyue's gaze followed the two of them. From her perspective, a line of golden light meandered in from behind the cliff where they stood, as if it were channeling through layers of buildings, soft and bright. The mountains and the water were eclipsed, becoming a backdrop, a playground, a grandstand.
At the source of that brightness, a figure, a tiny speck, plummeted like a meteor, yet seemed to stand firm, unmoved, like a mountain. His vision was hazy with memory, but the voices in his ears were crystal clear.
"Xue! Ji! Yue! I! Love! You!"
Unlike the soft, gentle rubbing of ears in dreams, the voice was sonorous, powerful, clear, and bright, representing the courage gathered after overcoming the fear of death, and the vigor of life bathed in the morning light and dew. Xue Jiuyue was dizzy from the collision.
"Ye Yi? Ke Yike?" His gaze and consciousness were no longer distinguishable. Hearing was the only sense that took in the entire world.
"Xue! Ji! Yue! I! Love! You! ... Love, you, love, you, you..."
The sound continues, composing a symphonic harmony with the endless echoes, echoing on the playground in the early morning, echoing in the emerald green valley, echoing today, echoing yesterday, echoing through the long river of time, allowing the happiness blocked deep in memory to burst out. It is as warm as a hug, as sweet as candy, and as mellow and intoxicating as fine wine.
Xue Jiuyue was intoxicated by it, traveling through a passage without light, without time, and even almost without consciousness. After an unknown amount of time, at the end of the darkness, she finally pushed open the half-closed, light-transmitting door...
The world finally reappeared, but it was still intoxicating.
The same blue sky, the same sunshine, different stands, runways, mountains, lakes... They are silent, yet they roar collectively; they are indifferent, yet they witness heartbeats; they are numb, yet they feel youth and the rising sun - the most vivid romance in the world.
"Sister Yue, can you accompany me to the bathroom?"
Lin Yiyi's clear voice brought Xue Jiuyue back to reality.
"Bathroom?" Xue Jiuyue didn't react for a moment. But the echoing sound outside the window made her quickly understand, "Let's go together."
Zhou Ying experienced bungee jumping after Ke Yike.
There were no cries of love, no screams of excitement. This fragile girl remained surprisingly silent from beginning to end. She was a cloud in the sky, drifting across the lake. A mere shadow, describing her presence, vanished with the wind. A scattered raindrop might fall, insignificant and soundless, hushed in the lake, indistinguishable from each other. "The sky leaves no trace, but the birds have already flown by." Nothing has changed, save for the heartache...
The shouting drained all his courage, and Ke Yike returned to the teahouse, feeling as uneasy as a child facing his parents after doing something wrong. Only Zhou Ying walked silently behind him, like his shadow, providing him with the support he had become accustomed to.
There was no clearing of clouds or a sudden storm, not even a hint of haze. Xue Jiyue and Lin Yiyi, transformed into Tang Dynasty ladies, stepped into Qiu Nian's lens.
"Ahem...Sister Yue, we're back!" Ke Yike greeted her tentatively.
"Okay, you two can have some tea and take a break first. The tea on the table was brewed by us with the help of the store owner according to the ancient Tang Dynasty method." Xue Jiuyue's reply was neither sad nor happy, and his tone was normal.
A bowl of tea, a legacy from the Tang Dynasty, could not quench Ke Yike's doubts and imagination. Fortunately, Zhou Ying took over Qiu Nian's photography work.
"Ahem... Nian'er, did you hear any sound just now?"
Ke Yike's question was in a roundabout way, and Qiu Nian didn't understand. "Sound? What sound?"
"Just now we went bungee jumping. Did you hear the screams and shouts?"
"No. I didn't hear anything. What happened? Zhou Ying was frightened and screamed? Could it be you?" Qiu Nian asked half-jokingly. His cute and handsome face showed a somewhat silly expression that made Ke Yike believe it.
"I didn't scream." Ke Yike changed the question, "Then what were you doing just now?"
"Us? Yiyi and Sister Yue will try on the Hanfu, and I'll be in charge of taking pictures."
"That's all?"
"Oh, I even learned how to make tea from the shop owner. That's the bowl you're drinking."
"No more?"
"What's wrong? Is there something wrong?" Qiu Nian looked at Ke Yike with suspicion.
"Ahem..." Using coughing to delay his departure, Ke Yike found an excuse, "No, nothing, I'm just worried you'd get bored waiting for us."
Although Qiu Nian was deeply afraid of Lin Yiyi, he didn't want to leave even for a second. So after drinking a sip of tea and taking a short rest, he quietly returned to his orbit, circling around Lin Yiyi.
Zhou Ying, replaced again, leaned against the window, gazing at the beautiful scenery outside. A gentle breeze caressed her face, ruffling her soft hair. She tucked it behind her ear, revealing a clear forehead and a hint of determination between her brows, admiring the delicate green outside the window.
With a question mark on his forehead, Ke Yike quietly leaned over and called softly, "Ying'er?"
"Hmm?" The sweet voice returned to its sweetness.
"Just now, when I shouted, did Sister Yue hear it?"
"Looking at Sister Yue's expression, she probably didn't hear it."
"What should I do then?"
"You have to ask yourself, are you going to be content with the status quo, or keep moving forward?"
"I'm asking you for help because I don't know what to do." Ke Yike's slightly gentle face was twisted into a bitter gourd again.
"Listen to your own heart. Are you willing? Are you at peace? Or do you simply lack the courage?"
Zhou Ying pointed out the direction as always.
Ke Yike quickly revived, "Thank you, Ying'er! Meh!"
The usual thanks still brought a smile from Zhou Ying. Her smile was still so sweet, so it shouldn't be bitter...
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