【038】 Xi Lang's friend
About an hour outside the city, the SUV left the highway and, following a sign, turned onto an old cement road. The cement road was cracked with countless fine lines, and tenacious weeds grew in the cracks. Small gravel, from nowhere, was scattered everywhere. Fortunately, the road was not bumpy and was quite wide. In the wheat fields beside the road, lush green seedlings had grown to finger-lengths, brimming with vitality.
The light outside the car dimmed a little. At some point, light dark clouds began to float in the sky, and the sun became hazy.
Half an hour later, the road came to an end, and four huge, irregularly shaped rocks came into view, with the words "Xianye Farm" written in large green characters on them. Looking through the vine-covered wall, evergreen trees intertwined in the distance like clusters of green clouds, and even the undulating mountains in the distance could be seen.
The car drove into the farm's gate. On the right side of the gate was a spacious parking lot. At this time, dozens of cars were parked there, including some luxury cars.
Xi Lang parked the car, and Gu Juan took the cardboard box down. The wind was so strong that it almost blew off his fisherman's hat. Xi Lang quickly pressed his head, "Give me the box."
"It's the same if I carry it." The cardboard box was wrapped with tape several times to make a simple handle, and Gu Juan carried it with one hand, very easily.
"Third brother."
Gu Juan looked over and saw a tall, slender young man standing next to a blue sedan, examining him critically. He was about twenty-three or twenty-four, handsome and elegant, dressed in a white T-shirt and a black casual blazer, his air of nobility unmistakable.
"Cao Jie, you're here too." Xi Lang was a little surprised and turned to Gu Juan and said, "Xiao Juan, this is the son of my uncle, Cao Jie. Cao Jie, this is Gu Juan."
Cao Jie looked at him as if he were judging whether he was qualified to be Xi Lang's friend, which Gu Juan disliked. But he knew how to pretend, so he said politely, "Mr. Cao, nice to meet you."
Cao Jie nodded and said with a smile, "Nice to meet you. Since you're here, have fun." He walked to Xi Lang's side, and whether intentionally or unintentionally, he just happened to insert himself between Xi Lang and Gu Juan.
"Third brother, long time no see, how are you doing recently? I also went to your house on my aunt's birthday, but you were gone when I arrived."
"Really? There happened to be an urgent matter at the company that day." Xi Lang walked to Gu Juan's side and took the cardboard box from him. "Don't be fooled by the unassuming gate of this farm. The interior is well designed. We'll meet them later. Let's see how they arrange it. Then I'll take you around."
Gu Juan smiled and nodded, "Okay."
Although it was late autumn, the farm was still teeming with greenery. Trees and vines were lush and vibrant. Ginkgo trees lined the wooden paths, and the wind blew the fallen leaves through the air, dancing in the sunlight like golden butterflies. Little girls in dresses puffed their cheeks, puffing out air as they blew on the fallen leaves, chasing after them with silvery laughter. A thin layer of dust also covered the ground, a deliberate absence of sweeping, creating a unique atmosphere. Many tourists were taking photos.
Xi Lang said, "On the farm, you can go hiking, fishing, playing CS jungle battles, playing ball games, barbecuing, picking your own vegetables...there's a lot to do."
"Are we late?" Gu Juan asked.
Xi Lang said, "No. The others seem to have brought friends with them, and they're probably having a great time right now. As long as we can arrive before lunch, they won't mind if we're late."
Cao Jie couldn't get in, so he had to walk on the other side of Xi Lang.
When he arrived at his accommodation, he finally had the chance to speak.
"Third brother, Brother Han has already booked a room, and we're all staying at Maixiangju. However, he didn't know I was coming, and now there's a room missing, and I don't want to go to another courtyard alone. Look at this..."
Xi Lang said nonchalantly, "It's nothing. Xiaojuan and I will live in another courtyard."
"How can we do that?" Cao Jie stopped him. "Aren't we going to play here for two days? It's more lively if we all live in the same courtyard. How about you, Third Brother, share a room with me?"
Gu Juan raised an eyebrow, wondering if he was overthinking it. Cao Jie's attitude towards Xi Lang seemed strange.
"No need." Xi Lang asked Gu Juan, "Xiao Juan, do you mind staying in the same room with me?"
"No problem." Gu Juan noticed Cao Jie's shocked expression and raised his eyebrows slightly.
Xi Lang asked, "Cao Jie, which room should my wife and I stay in?"
Cao Jie came to his senses and led them over. After Xi Lang went in, he glanced at Gu Juan coldly and turned away.
Gu Juan was baffled. Why was Cao Jie so neurotic? He was so hostile to him on their first meeting. However, since he was Xi Lang's friend, he didn't bother to argue with him. It was a rare occasion for them to hang out, so he didn't want anyone to affect his mood.
Hearing Xi Lang urging him to go in and pack his luggage, he responded.
The exterior and interior surfaces of the farm houses are made to look like they are built entirely of wood, giving it a very natural feel.
Gu Juan admired the design of the house for a while before packing his luggage.
After the two of them packed up, they didn't see Cao Jie.
Xi Lang made a phone call to ask where the others were.
Passing through the corridor made of reed stalks, there is a large lake not far away. Some people are fishing on the winding wooden bridge.
The sun was completely blocked by dark clouds, the sky darkened, and the wind grew stronger.
Cao Jie saw Xi Lang and Gu Juan coming side by side, their shoulders touching from time to time. Xi Lang would occasionally reach out to press Gu Juan's hat that was blown up by the wind, his expression becoming increasingly gloomy. Because of something that happened when Xi Lang was a child, Xi Lang didn't like women, and everyone in that circle in the imperial capital knew about it. When he first knew about it, he was extremely happy, because he was born gay, and Xi Lang was undoubtedly the perfect choice in his eyes. He quickly confessed his love to Xi Lang, but was rejected without hesitation by Xi Lang. A few years later, he still couldn't let go of Xi Lang and had been secretly keeping an eye on him. When he learned that Xi Lang had never had a boyfriend, he began to suspect that Xi Lang didn't like men either. But now, Xi Lang was so close to that person who came out of nowhere!
Han Lin had his left arm around a pretty short-haired girl, a fishing rod in his right hand, and his legs crossed. He noticed Cao Jie's expression and laughed to himself. He followed his gaze and a look of surprise appeared on his face.
Having known Xi Lang for so many years, he'd never seen him dress anything other than the most conventional. This was the first time he'd seen him so stylishly. A base sweater with a geometric pattern in silver-grey and indigo, topped with a long, glossy dark brown trench coat, and a black and white checkered scarf tied around his neck, paired with slim-fit trousers and ankle boots, created a classic and elegant look. The young man next to him wore a bucket hat, a short jacket, jeans, and Doc Marten boots. His gait was steady and unhurried, like a leisurely stroll in the garden, exuding an aura that was impossible to ignore. This alone made him stand out against the impetuous Cao Jie.
Next to Han Lin was a slightly older man in a gray, stand-up-collared jacket. He was handsome, with a hint of fatigue from the journey. He said sourly, "Han Lin, let me ask you, has Xi Lang taken any elixirs recently? Why does he look so young?"
Han Lin's mouth twitched and he gave him a thumbs up, "Brother, you observe very carefully!" His girlfriend beside him smiled secretly with her hands covering her lips.
Behind them was a young man wearing sunglasses, his back to them, standing and fishing, his arm around a charming, curly-haired woman. He laughed heartily at the words and turned to Han Lin, saying, "Linzi, don't say that. Brother Mu Heng turned 40 last year, so it's a good thing he's starting to pay attention to his skin!"
"Li Ruicheng, shut up!" Zhang Muheng glanced at Li Ruicheng with an unfriendly tone.
"Okay, okay, I'll shut up." Li Ruicheng suppressed his laughter and raised his hands in surrender.
It's time to extend the olive branch again. I'm begging for one. (*^__^*) I love you. 】
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