Chapter 103: "Weren't we supposed to avoid poaching?"

Su Mo, Ke Yu, and the others were sentenced to fifteen days of administrative detention.

Luo Xing saw this news at the top of the mountain.

When they climbed to the summit, the evening glow was breathtaking. The setting sun shone through layers of clouds, casting orange-yellow rays, waterfalls of light floating and sinking amidst the mist, illuminating countless tiny motes of dust.

But Luo Xing had no heart to admire this beauty.

She squatted on the ground, exhausted, panting heavily, sweat dripping from her cheeks, one drop after another. Though the mountaintop was still wrapped in the lingering warmth of the sun, the temperature was low. A wicked gust blew by, and many people pulled their jackets tighter.

“Achoo!” Luo Xing covered her nose, and a sneeze sent her already unstable body tumbling forward.

Her sweaty forehead was steadied by someone. Luo Xing fluttered her eyelids and looked up, only then recognizing Gu Shiyan’s face, which carried a hint of teasing, careless laughter.

Luo Xing had no energy to speak to him. She slapped away his hand and turned to squat in another direction.

The school had arranged four people to a tent. As the only girl in her team, Luo Xing was assigned to Team Three.

Team Three had two girls, and with one from Team Two, Luo Xing fit in just right.

Sweat soaked Luo Xing’s body, and now the wind was blowing. Shen Que brought her tissues and a jacket.

After resting a moment, Luo Xing had to go to Team Three to help tidy up and prepare for the night.

She scanned the flat area and finally spotted her group.

Originally, the three were joking and laughing together, but when Luo Xing approached, they suddenly fell silent.

This was the most awkward moment.

Luo Xing walked over, intending to lend a hand.

Wei Xue from Team Two looked at her and said, “No need.”

Luo Xing paused. “But I’ll be resting here tonight, it’s not fair for you to do all the work.”

She wasn’t afraid of hard work; what she feared most was being accused of taking advantage while others toiled.

None of the three spoke, but Luo Xing still stepped forward and helped pitch the tent.

Regret gnawed at her heart. What was the point of this hike? The school never arranged anything good. Strangers sharing tents—it was just like them to think of such things.

Luo Xing circled the tent to check, her gaze landing on Gu Shiyan, who was setting up his own tent alone, just one tent away from hers.

The tents were all school-issued and identical, except Gu Shiyan’s, which was obviously larger.

Luo Xing withdrew her gaze. He really never shortchanged himself, wherever he went.

No one spoke. They finished setting up their tents in silence and returned to their teams.

Luo Xing silently went back to her own group, where Xu Yan was already assembling the barbecue grill and piling charcoal.

“This is the only time I’ll ever climb a mountain!” Luo Xing huffed as she sat beside Shen Que. “When I went over just now, it was like a mouse meeting a cat, the air froze.”

Shen Que was roasting a skewer of pork belly and comforted her, “It’s just one night. We’ll leave tomorrow and never have to deal with them again.”

Qi Changbai and Gu Shiyan walked over, arms slung around each other. “Guess what just happened?”

Luo Xing glanced at them but didn’t guess.

“You’re no fun,” Gu Shiyan said, pushing away the clingy one beside him.

Qi Changbai declared loudly, “Someone just went right up to Gu Shiyan and practically pressed faces together, asking if he was chasing after Luo Xing. I nearly died laughing. How is Team Two so bold?”

Luo Xing was embarrassed. “You’re pretty bold yourself—and foolish.”

Qi Changbai grinned. “Aren’t you all over it already? What’s wrong with me saying it?”

The five of them gathered together, and soon the atmosphere grew lively again.

“It must be below freezing. Luckily I brought a down jacket,” Xu Yan said, wisely pulling a thin down coat from his luggage.

Luo Xing was cold too. She wore a lined sweater underneath and a black-and-pink windbreaker on top, which blocked the wind but not the chill.

“It’s not below freezing—four degrees,” Shen Que answered Xu Yan’s question seriously.

“Hey, let’s make some hot drinks. That’ll warm us up.” Qi Changbai looked around and quietly fished a low-alcohol beer from Xu Yan’s bag.

Luo Xing was surprised. “Xu Yan, how does your bag have everything?”

Xu Yan smiled proudly. “A captain must be resourceful. Once a captain, always a father. As your old dad, it’s only right I take extra care of you.”

The group rolled their eyes at him.

Heating beer—or rather, grilling beer.

Qi Changbai poured beer into a foil tray and sighed, “If only we had goji berries and white fungus. Back home, that’s the favorite winter drink for warmth.”

Luo Xing was stunned. “It’s nearly winter already.”

Indeed, clothes piled on, and popsicles were gradually forgotten.

Her words made everyone reflect. “Too fast. Other students are happy to go home for winter break, but we still have to go to M Country for the competition.”

“We’ll see snow!” Luo Xing suddenly grew excited. “Northern City hasn’t had snow in centuries. This year, we’ll finally see it.”

The night deepened. The flat clearing was covered with tents and barbecue grills. Each team gathered separately, forming small clusters.

The environment was anything but quiet—rather, it was lively. Yet in this moment, their hearts felt perfectly at peace.

Gu Shiyan focused on the pork belly skewer in his hand, careful not to add chili powder, glancing now and then toward Luo Xing.

The firelight danced across her brows, her eyes bright with excitement when she spoke of snow, her fondness unmistakable.

Gu Shiyan finished a skewer and, without a sound, reached over Qi Changbai, who sat between him and Luo Xing.

He placed it on the paper plate beside Luo Xing, atop another skewer—Shen Que’s handiwork.

Gu Shiyan deliberately set his on top, covering Shen Que’s.

Shen Que noticed the little maneuver and shot him a look.

Gu Shiyan leaned back, his expression unfolding into a faint, provocative smile. He raised a brow at Shen Que.

Xu Yan elbowed Gu Shiyan and leaned in to tease, “Weren’t you going to stay out of the competition?”

Gu Shiyan gave a soft snort, one hand in his pocket. “Did I? I just like grilling, not eating.”

He said this as he slowly pulled out another skewer and began roasting it—again, pork belly.

Xu Yan shook his head. Some people, truly, are shameless.

But in the next moment, Gu Shiyan saw Shen Que hand his freshly grilled skewer to Luo Xing. “Careful, it’s hot.”

As expected, Luo Xing chose the one Shen Que handed her rather than the ones on the plate.

Gu Shiyan lost his smile.

Xu Yan snickered. “Yan, grill one for the captain. You don’t like eating anyway.”

Shen Que openly gave food to Luo Xing, and she accepted it without hesitation.

But if Gu Shiyan handed her something, she would surely pass it by.

Gu Shiyan resentfully grabbed the skewer from the plate and took a huge bite, even though he didn’t like pork belly.

He grumbled inwardly about Shen Que: “Such a sycophant!”

Gu Shiyan stole another glance at Luo Xing as she ate barbecue, her eyes lowered.

He didn’t attempt to justify his earlier actions. Perhaps he himself didn’t know why he did it—so he simply acted without thinking.

Luo Xing chatted easily with Qi Changbai, oblivious to the subtle rivalry between the two men.

“Snow falls every year in my hometown,” Xu Yan remarked, unconcerned. “I’m not looking forward to it. Snow in winter gives me a shadow.”

Luo Xing finished her skewer and smiled at Xu Yan. “Why? Snow is beautiful.”

Xu Yan shook his head. “Back in middle school, many couples in our school would begin their romance on snowy nights.”

“Those boys would wait for a snowy winter night to confess, while people like me, tired from a day’s work, leaving school after dark, had to endure the sight of couples hugging and kissing all the way home.”

Qi Changbai mocked him. “Ha! If you’ve got the guts, find a girlfriend and play the game yourself.”

The grilled beer was ready. Qi Changbai handed cups around.

He passed one to Luo Xing.

Her alcohol tolerance was dreadful; Luo Xing didn’t touch the cup beside her.

Xu Yan scoffed. “Back then, they believed couples who braved the snow would stay together forever. But now, how many made it to marriage? I’d rather have spent that time on my studies.”

“Cough, cough!” Luo Xing closed her eyes and coughed, suddenly choked up.

It was Xu Yan’s words that caught her off guard.

That winter in her senior year, after the New Year, she secretly left for the capital, without telling her parents who were already working.

Afraid of being discovered, she packed no luggage.

Just her ID and phone in her pocket.

All for the sake of seeing the same snowfall as him.