Chapter 10
As soon as they reached the foot of the mountain, Zhao Guofu led everyone to the canteen to buy water, snacks, and other supplies. In case they got thirsty or hungry during the climb, there were places selling snacks and water on the mountain, but the higher you went, the more expensive they became. Therefore, buying at the foot of the mountain was the wisest option.
Although it's a popular local attraction, it attracts a significant number of tourists during holidays, many of whom are locals or those from neighboring counties. There are sightseeing buses that run directly up the mountainside, and many elderly and children choose to take them. However, Ren Qiao'an and his group were primarily here for the hike, so they couldn't possibly take the bus. So, confidently, they chose the pedestrian route, undeterred by the long journey ahead.
But as they walked, the eight people split into two groups. One group was Tang Mu, Zhao Guofu, Yan Yiyi and a tall and thin boy in the front, and the other group was Ren Qiao'an, Xu Haoran, Jin Xi and a slightly fat boy wearing glasses in the back.
Perhaps after their conversation in the car, Xu Haoran decided that Ren Qiao'an was easier to talk to, so he kept clinging to him, and Ren Qiao'an didn't reject Xu Haoran. The two of them chatted and laughed the entire way. The slightly chubby guy initially tried to strike up a conversation with Jin Xi, but Jin Xi acted reserved, so he and Mingzhi chose to join Ren Qiao'an and the others.
With one more person joining, the topics of conversation among Ren Qiao'an and the other two became more diverse. Ren Qiao'an also learned that this silly-looking chubby boy was Xu Haoran's roommate, named Xu Xing. He majored in architecture and was a 2D otaku. He was dragged to this mountain climbing activity by Xu Haoran.
The three of them did not ignore Jin Xi, who was out of tune with them. They would intentionally or unintentionally ask her about every topic, but Jin Xi's replies were always cold. Gradually, the three of them tacitly believed that Jin Xi was probably a quiet person, and they did not care that she was not keen on their discussion. Gradually, the atmosphere became more and more harmonious.
But as they circled the mountain again and again, walked up the long gentle slope, and climbed countless stairs, the people spoke less and less, and were replaced by frequent drinking of water and heavy breathing.
The first to surrender was Xu Xing, who was clearly out of practice. He gasped for breath, his shirt soaked with sweat. "I can't walk any more! I'm so tired! You guys go ahead. I need to rest here for a while." Xu Xing knew that if he followed their pace up the mountain, he would surely die before achieving his goal! It would be better for him to recognize his own strength sooner rather than later and walk slowly, slowly at the back.
Ren Qiao'an, Jin Xi, and Xu Haoran left first. It wasn't long before Ren Qiao'an suggested they rest in the rest area, hoping to wait for Xu Xing. Ten minutes passed, and with no sign of Xu Xing, Xu Haoran couldn't sit still anymore. He told Ren Qiao'an he was going back to find Xu Xing, and they could contact each other via WeChat if anything else mattered.
Ren Qiao'an and Jin Xi continued to wait there for a while, but the two of them did not show up. Ren Qiao'an also received a message from Xu Haoran asking them to go ahead, so she suggested: "Let's go first."
"Yeah." Jin Xi maintained her "cold" feeling along the way.
Suddenly, only Ren Qiaoyuan and Jin Xi were left, and the atmosphere suddenly became quiet.
Ren Qiao'an had no idea what topic to talk about, and Jin Xi didn't seem particularly interested in anything along the way, so he could only hurry on his way and climb the stairs in silence.
As they walked, she didn't know if it was Ren Qiao'an's illusion, but she always felt that Jin Xi was walking faster and faster!
Gradually, the two of them went from walking side by side to walking one in front and one behind, Ren Qiao'an's short legs swiftly chasing after them. After a while, Ren Qiao'an began to tire herself out and began guzzling water. In a matter of moments, her bottle of mineral water was empty. Ren Qiao'an had never imagined that mountain climbing would be so water-consuming. She had only bought one bottle of water, hoping to reduce her burden, but now she was deeply regretting it.
Having just passed one stall, the next one was probably still some distance away. Ren Qiao'an wiped the sweat from his forehead with his arm, walked up the next step, lifted his trembling left foot, and held on a little longer.
"Here you go." Suddenly a pair of slender hands appeared in Ren Qiao'an's sight.
Compared to Ren Qiao'an's sweaty and red face, Jin Xi still maintained the same cool and dry expression as the one at the foot of the mountain. Only the beads of sweat on both sides of his temples revealed that he was in a state of exercise.
“…Then you.” Ren Qiaoyan was still between surprise and hesitation.
"Buy more." After saying that, Jin Xi took out another bottle of water that was half full from her bag.
Ren Qiao'an swallowed and stopped refusing. After all, she was really thirsty. "Thank you."
"Take a break." After handing over the mineral water, Jin Xi walked towards the bench by the roadside, muttering as she walked, "I'm so exhausted."
“…”
Although Ren Qiao'an was really grateful for Jin Xi's water, she heard every word of Jin Xi's complaints.
The two of them sat quietly on a bench, their eyes focused on the deep valley and the greenery that covered the entire valley and spread all the way to the mountaintops. A mountain breeze blew over, refreshing their hearts.
Ren Qiao'an had an urge to shout, but before she could think about the feasibility of this idea, a continuous "Ah~~~~Ah~~~~~Ah~~~~~~Ah~" came from the opposite side. The strange shouts echoed in the valley and finally disappeared.
Ren Qiao'an smiled in the wind, "Haha, I suddenly understand why some people like mountain climbing."
Jin Xi also smiled knowingly, but Ren Qiaoyuan didn't see it. "Yeah."
The wind dried up Ren Qiao'an's hot sweat, blew away his fatigue, and at the same time brought bursts of coolness and hunger.
It might have been because Ren Qiao'an was sweating a lot, but it was also because the temperature dropped as they went deeper into the mountains. Ren Qiao'an couldn't help but shiver. She was wearing a thin, long-sleeved sports jacket, while Jin Xi was only wearing a translucent sun-protective jacket with a black vest underneath.
Tsk…it looks good. Ren Qiao'an took out a long-sleeved shirt from his bag and asked, "Are you cold? Do you want to put on a coat?"
Jin Xi looked at the folded plaid shirt in front of her, neither taking it nor refusing it.
"It's washed and not worn yet," Ren Qiao'an added. She wasn't being courteous for no reason. After all, he had just given her a bottle of water, so she naturally owed him something in return. "If you brought it yourself, then forget it."
Just as Ren Qiao'an was about to take it back, Jin Xi took it. After taking it, Jin Xi put it on herself neatly. "Thank you."
Ren Qiao'an watched helplessly as her loose-fitting shirt, which she had worn as a jacket, became a slim fit on Jin Xi. She also estimated that the buttons on her chest definitely wouldn't button. Ren Qiao'an was 163cm tall, her eyes just level with Jin Xi's lips. Jin Xi's shoes were thicker than hers, so she was probably around 168cm tall? Most importantly, Jin Xi's figure was far, far better than hers, with a curvier figure, though not as fierce as Yan Yi Yi.
But it seems... quite interesting?
Ren Qiao'an's gaze was so focused that Jin Xi couldn't help but ask, "Is there anything dirty on me?"
Ren Qiao'an was also taken aback by the question, "No...no."
"Then why are you staring at me?" Jin Xi was not used to this kind of gaze from Ren Qiao'an.
"I...I think the clothes look good on you." Ren Qiao'an couldn't say that he was just assessing your figure.
"..." Jin Xi stared at Ren Qiao'an's eyes quietly, as if examining a lying criminal. The next second she smiled, "Are you saying I'm pretty, or are you saying the clothes are pretty?"
A sweet smile... Ren Qiao'an was stunned by this smile. It seemed like the first time she saw Jin Xi smile, or rather, smile at her. "The dress looks nice..." Ren Qiao'an's throat moved and she added, "You look even better."
"..." Jin Xi was dazed for a moment, but nothing seemed to be wrong. "That's more like it." Jin Xi stood up briskly, turned a little in a circle, and smiled at Ren Qiao'an, "Let's go."
"Oh..." Jin Xi didn't know that the moment she turned around, Ren Qiao'an's face, which had finally cooled down, turned red again. Ren Qiao'an didn't know what was going on just now, and said something lewd without blushing or beating his heart.
Beauty really misleads people!
For the next ten minutes, Ren Qiaoyuan followed Jinxi quietly, climbing one stair after another. Looking at her still brisk figure, Ren Qiaoyuan could only lament his own lack of stamina and decided he should exercise more. They finally stopped at another viewing platform. Ren Qiaoyuan looked around. This viewing platform was particularly crowded; it turned out the cable car to the top of the mountain was right here.
"Yi Yi sent a message saying that the four of them took the cable car to the scenic spot above, and asked us to meet up there." Ren Qiao'an explained the situation to Jin Xi.
"Then let's go." In fact, Jin Xi also received Tang Mu's message, which was similar to Yan Yiyi's.
"Aren't you going to wait for Xu Haoran and the others?"
Jin Xi didn't answer but asked, "Do you want to wait?"
Ren Qiao'an explained, "There's just enough for four people in one car." Before he could elaborate, Xu Haoran's message arrived. After reading it, Ren Qiao'an explained, "They're not coming. He and Xu Xing are going to take a different route to the hotel first."
To be honest, Jin Xi didn't care about the situation of those two people. "So are we still going up?"
"Of course I have to go up. I finally climbed here." Ren Qiao'an was one of those who rarely climbed a mountain. How could she not go up and take a look when she was almost at the top? Besides, she didn't have to walk the last section.
Jin Xi curled her lips in satisfaction, "Okay."
The scenery on the cable car was beautiful, but after seeing it too much, it became just like that. The initial novelty wore off, and after a few minutes, Ren Qiao'an began to replenish her energy. She took out some chocolate, bread, and candy and placed them in front of Jin Xi. "Do you want any?"
Jin Xi hesitated for several seconds before picking out a candy. She hadn't intended to eat it, but a pair of sparkling eyes stared at her expectantly. The hand that had been reaching for her pocket came out again, and with a light movement, she peeled back the candy wrapper. The milky white candy released a subtle sweetness as soon as it entered her mouth, until the milky aroma filled her entire mouth.
"Is it delicious?" This is Ren Qiao'an's favorite brand of toffee.
"It's okay." Jin Xi has never liked sweets.
"Okay." It's just okay, just average. Ren Qiao'an gave up the idea of feeding him another one and started chewing on his chocolate. "Would you like a Snickers bar to wipe out hunger?"
"Thank you, I'm not hungry."
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