Ling Shuangjiang helped Chen Siqi run errands and prepare BBQ ingredients.
Once the BBQ equipment is heated up, the group sits around it, placing their favorite ingredients on it. A few minutes later, a steaming aroma wafts through the air.
This place is designated as a campsite and was developed by Xiang Ming's family, so there's no need to worry about illegal picnicking. Since it's not open to the public yet, it's very quiet.
Sitting by the fire, eating fresh skewers, Ling Shuangjiang rubbed her frostbitten earlobes, thoroughly enjoying the atmosphere.
"Frost's Descent, want to drink some wine?" Xiang Ming held up a glass of liquor. "A few cups will warm you up quickly and help you sleep better at night."
Ling Shuangjiang nodded: "Thank you."
Xie Wang was worried that he wouldn't like the taste, so he reminded him, "Drink slowly, don't rush."
Ling Shuangjiang took a small sip, and the spiciness was obvious at the back of her tongue. The liquor went down her esophagus, and her stomach quickly warmed up.
"Give me another cup."
Xie Wang refused: "Half a cup."
Ling Shuangjiang: "Okay."
He didn't need to peel shrimp and fish himself; Xie Wang would peel the shells and remove the bones for him.
Seeing this, Xiang Ming said sourly, "Thank you, brother. I also want to eat the shrimp you peeled."
Xie Wang coldly replied, "Get lost."
The remaining people laughed.
After a satisfying meal, Qi Hang suggested playing a game – pitch-pot.
A bottle of liquor is placed three meters away. Each person has ten chopsticks. Whoever throws the most chopsticks into the bottle wins.
Xie Wang: "Just playing around isn't fun, how about we gamble on something?"
Xiang Ming said, "Of course we're not just playing around. How about this: whoever wins can make any request to anyone present, and the other person must grant it."
Chen Siqi said lazily, "Old-fashioned."
Qi Hang: "Yeah, we played it like that last time. I lost a sports car to Brother Ming, which was two months' worth of my allowance."
"Shuangjiang, do you agree?" Xiang Ming looked at Ling Shuangjiang. "We used to do this all the time."
Ling Shuangjiang: "I'm fine."
Xie Wang picked up a chopstick and asked Ling Shuangjiang in a deep voice, "Aren't you afraid? What if they bully you?"
Ling Shuangjiang smiled: "Probably not."
Xie Wang seized the opportunity to spread rumors: "That's not necessarily true. None of them are good people."
Xiang Ming coughed twice: "Xie Wangxian, please come first."
Xie Wang was not intimidated. He casually raised his hand and aimed at the bottle opening. In just three seconds, the chopsticks fell into the bottle with a "whoosh" and wobbled twice.
Ling Shuangjiang clapped her hands lightly: "Impressive."
Xie Wang said smugly, "Standard procedure."
Xiang Ming frowned: "Why weren't you this good before?"
"I learned to shoot a couple of years ago."
"Damn! I knew I shouldn't have played this game."
Ling Shuangjiang, lacking experience, failed her first challenge. The others, under pressure from Xie Wang, also faltered.
In the second round, Xie Wang looked serious and raised his wrist several times to rehearse, when a crisp sound suddenly rang out from the liquor bottle.
Chen Siqi laughed and said, "Xie Wang is doing well today. It's really different when Shuangjiang is here."
Ling Shuangjiang smiled faintly, picked up her chopsticks, and failed again.
Xiang Ming muttered, "Old Xie, please tell me honestly, have you secretly learned some special techniques?"
Xie Wang: "I forgot to mention earlier, I also learned darts."
"Sure enough, a dog has been learning from me," Xiang Ming muttered.
In the blink of an eye, seven rounds have been completed.
Apart from Chen Siqi who won twice and Xie Wang who won five times, the rest of the people still won zero.
Xie Wang began teaching, holding Ling Shuangjiang's hand and trying a few times, and Ling Shuangjiang made the shot.
Xiang Ming rolled his eyes: "Have you thought about what you're going to ask for later?"
Xie Wang: "No."
For the remaining three rounds, everyone simply treated it as entertainment.
Finally, Qi Hang even resorted to cheating, walking directly to the sixth bottle and asking someone to throw the chopsticks in.
However, even so, the chopsticks were not thrown in, which made everyone burst into laughter.
Without a doubt, Xie Wang won the championship.
Ling Shuangjiang asked, "Have you decided who to ask for your request?"
Xie Wang slowly glanced at everyone: "I would like to make a request to Shuangjiang."
Upon hearing this, the others instantly understood Xie Wang's intention. Xiang Ming mouthed, "You're not thinking of proposing, are you?"
Xie Wang: "This request is a private matter for both of us, so it's not convenient to bring it up here."
Qi Hang winked and asked, "What request can't we hear?"
Xie Wangchao said to him, "Keep it a secret."
Ling Shuangjiang leaned back in her chair, pondering slowly, also wondering if Xie Wang was planning to propose to her.
As evening fell, Xie Wang declined his brothers' invitation to play cards and sweetly led Ling Shuangjiang into his tent.
The air mattress was very thick, and the down comforter on top was also very warm. There were two heaters, which made the temperature inside the tent rise very quickly.
After Xie Wang entered the tent, he kept his back to Ling Shuangjiang and picked up a piece of paper, writing something with his head down.
Ling Shuangjiang, confused, lay on her pillow and asked, "Xie Wang, what are you doing?"
“I am writing a contract. My request is that we fulfill this contract.”
Ling Shuangjiang lowered her eyes and looked at him quietly.
After finally finishing writing, Xie Wang turned the paper around and solemnly said to Ling Shuangjiang, "In the spirit of helping us create a harmonious relationship, I have specially formulated the following contract."
Ling Shuangjiang propped her head up with one hand, trying to figure out what he was up to.
“From now on, we’ll spend Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays in bed. Tuesdays and Thursdays on the living room sofa. Saturdays are for rest, but we’ll also occasionally seek thrills in my Maybach.”
After speaking, Xie Wang cautiously looked at Ling Shuangjiang's gentle smile.
A minute later, he was kicked out of the tent, clutching his down jacket and looking disheveled.
Hearing the commotion, the brothers opened their tents.
Xiang Ming: "What happened? Did you get kicked out?"
Xie Wang hurriedly put on his down jacket: "No, we were playing games."
Qi Hang poked his head out: "You two really know how to have fun."
Xie Wang touched his nose, squatted down by the door, and pleaded in a low voice, "We have rest days every week, this contract isn't too unreasonable, is it? Shuangjiang, you can be angry, but can't we sit inside and talk this out?"
Ling Shuangjiang: "One more thing, zero times a week."
Xie Wang snorted in frustration and sighed, looking up at the sky.
Half an hour later, Xiang Ming popped up again: "What game are you two playing? Why aren't you going in yet? You didn't get kicked out, did you?"
Xie Wang lowered his voice and walked over: "Who dares to kick me out? Shuangjiang is asleep. I came out to make a phone call because I was afraid of disturbing him."
Xiang Ming smiled meaningfully: "Would you like to come over here and have a drink?"
Xie Wang reluctantly said, "Fine, I'll keep you company for a while."
They didn't finish until midnight.
Xie Wang waited until everyone had returned to their own tents before quietly approaching his own tent and gently unzipping it.
Ling Shuangjiang should already be asleep, she was wearing white pajamas and her cheeks were rosy.
Xie Wang tiptoed, took off his clothes, and secretly slipped into Ling Shuangjiang's bed.
At this moment, Ling Shuangjiang was like a small stove, soft and warm to hold.
Xie Wang kissed his forehead twice, then turned off the light and went to sleep.
—
The next day, the group packed their things and returned to the city.
Xie Wang remained silent about the contract. Every night, he would first hold Ling Shuangjiang for a while, kissing him until he was unconscious, before carrying out his plan.
Ling Shuangjiang was genuinely puzzled.
How does Xie Wang maintain such physical strength, leaving early and returning late every day?
It's as if it will never run out.
If Ling Shuangjiang didn't tell Xie Wang to restrain himself, he suspected he would soon suffer from kidney deficiency.
Before they knew it, the day Xie Wang proposed arrived.
Early in the morning, he made meticulous arrangements and reminded the club to be prepared.
Ling Shuangjiang was unaware of Xie Wang's true intentions today, but while eating breakfast, she noticed that the fried eggs were heart-shaped.
He took a bite of bacon, looked up at Xie Wang across from him, and noticed that Xie Wang was not only wearing new cologne, but also the suit that he had made himself.
Upon closer inspection, Xie Wang had even styled his hair and trimmed his eyebrows.
What we need to do today is self-evident.
Ling Shuangjiang ate a few bites and asked, "When do we set off?"
Xie Wang: "This afternoon."
Upon hearing this, Ling Shuangjiang smiled.