After enjoying a lively and sumptuous lunch, the afternoon sun gently shone on the earth, and time quietly entered a leisurely afternoon.
Lu Fan looked at Ling Yue beside him and saw that he was covered in dust and his hair was messy, looking like a clump of withered weeds.
His clothes were still speckled with bits of grass, who knows where he'd gotten them from, making him look like a wild knight who'd just popped out of a haystack.
Lu Fan couldn't help but laugh out loud, and immediately decided to take him to the small pool to take a good bath and wash away his fatigue and "wildness".
Lu Fan nimbly picked up the soap pods he had prepared beforehand, and then rummaged through the storage room to find two pieces of animal skin clothing.
Although the clothes are simple and plain in style, without too much decoration, they are clean and give off a faint sunshine vibe.
He smiled and waved to Ling Yue, saying warmly, "Brother Ling, come on! I'll take you to a nice place to wash away the dust of the journey."
Looking at his own dirty body, Ling Yue couldn't help but laugh: "I really should take a shower."
He then strode after Lu Fan.
Anlan stayed at the shelter, since the home still needed someone to look after it.
She sat in a comfortable chair, intently examining the precious medicinal herbs.
Big Black lay lazily to one side, wagging its tail from time to time, enjoying the pleasant afternoon.
"You two be careful on the road, and come back soon," An Lan said, looking up at her with concern in her eyes.
Soon, Lu Fan and Ling Yue arrived at the edge of the pool.
When Ling Yue saw the crystal-clear pool, its shimmering surface sparkling in the sunlight like a giant mirror, his eyes lit up instantly.
He was so excited that he didn't care about his image at all. Like a wild horse that had broken free of its reins, he jumped into the water with a "whoosh".
The tremendous impact of the water splashed up a huge spray, water droplets flying everywhere, and Ling Yue shouted loudly, "That was awesome!"
The commotion was so great that it seemed to turn the entire pool upside down.
"Brother Ling, you take care of your washing first. I'll go explore the area and maybe find some ingredients for tonight's extra meal."
After Lu Fan finished speaking with a smile, he picked up his bow and arrow and began to search the surrounding area carefully.
He crouched low, moving cautiously forward, his eyes wide and round, not missing any corner that might be hiding prey.
He rummaged through the grass, looking like a little thief searching for lost treasure.
However, after a hard search, he didn't even see a single rabbit hair.
Lu Fan pursed his lips helplessly and muttered softly, "My luck isn't great today. Where did all this grain reserves go?"
When he returned to the small pond dejectedly, Ling Yue had already finished washing up, looking refreshed.
He was wearing animal skins and sitting on the shore, intently washing his dirty, dusty clothes.
He scrubbed the clothes vigorously with both hands, making a "crackling" sound, as if the clothes were waging a fierce "struggle" against him, protesting this overly intense "cleaning offensive".
Lu Fan plopped down next to Ling Yue, and the two naturally started chatting.
Ling Yue suddenly looked at Lu Fan with a gossipy expression and asked with a grin, "Brother Lu, are you and An Lan a couple?"
Upon hearing this, Lu Fan felt a little embarrassed and stammered, "This... um... I guess so."
Upon hearing this, Ling Yue pretended to be angry, widened his eyes, and became serious. He then reached out and patted Lu Fan's shoulder heavily.
"What do you mean by 'should count'? We men should bravely admit what we like and clearly state what we don't like. Look at you, so hesitant and timid! You're nothing like a real man!"
Lu Fan scratched his head, looking embarrassed, and said, "Of course I like An Lan, but I've never been quite sure what she thinks, so I'm a little hesitant to speak up."
Upon hearing this, Ling Yue burst out laughing, laughing so hard he almost lost his balance.
He laughed as he said, "You two are so blinded by your own feelings. Anyone with eyes can see that the way you look at each other is so tender and affectionate, it's like you've written 'I like you' on your foreheads. Besides, Comrade Anlan has been with you every day, going up mountains and down to the sea, going through so much together. Doesn't that prove her feelings?"
Lu Fan became even more embarrassed by what was said, and his old face turned a little red.
He quickly changed the subject, asking, "Brother Ling, what about you? Do you have someone you particularly like?"
Upon hearing this, Ling Yue's face instantly lit up with a happy smile, a smile as bright and warm as a flower blooming in spring.
Without saying a word, he carefully took out a photo from his pocket and handed it to Lu Fan.
In the photo, a gentle-faced woman is smiling at the camera, holding an adorable baby in her arms.
The baby's chubby cheeks look like a pink little dumpling.
Her eyes were big and round, like two black gems, and she was waving her little fists as if she were warmly greeting the people in front of the camera.
Looking at the photo, Ling Yue's eyes were full of tenderness and love. He said softly, "These are my wife and daughter. They are the most precious treasures in my life."
Lu Fan was immediately filled with envy and couldn't help but exclaim, "I never expected Brother Ling to be married and have such a lovely daughter! I really didn't expect that!"
Ling Yue nodded gently, his eyes sparkling with longing, and then said, "Yes, I've been out there for so long, and I've missed so many moments of my child's growth."
When I go back this time, I plan to apply for a transfer to do some clerical work so I can spend more time with my family and not miss any of the important moments in my child's growth.
You wouldn't believe it, but last time I went home, I felt she had grown up so much all of a sudden. I felt both gratified and a little lost, realizing I hadn't spent enough time with her.
As he spoke, Ling Yue's smile grew even brighter, as if he could already see the heartwarming scene of returning home and embracing his family tightly, enjoying the joys of family life.
Lu Fan watched with genuine envy.
The two chatted enthusiastically for a long time, discussing everything from the interesting daily life of Ling Yue's family to their future adventure plans in the wilderness.
They laughed heartily at times, and pondered deeply at others, sharing each other's joys and sorrows.
Before we knew it, the sun was gradually setting in the west, and a magnificent sunset glow appeared on the horizon.
The sunset was like an overturned palette of paints, with red, orange, and purple colors intertwining to create a stunning oil painting, turning the whole world into a dreamlike landscape.
It was only then that they realized it was getting late.
Indeed, when men start bragging, they are not bound by the laws of time.
So the two packed their things and slowly walked back along the familiar path.
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