Upon seeing that the ingredients were readily available, the students let out cries of despair.
"Climbing mountains is one thing, but having to cook for yourself is another!"
"Let the child go, the child won't do it!"
Wang Zehao, holding the few remaining potato chips that had been divided up, watched the chaos unfold in the other classes' picnic area.
"Luckily, Brother Chen can cook, and there are many girls in our class who can cook too."
Zhang Boyuan took another bite of his snack and said leisurely, "For people like us who can't cook, we can just wash the dishes and take out the trash."
After lunch, everyone collapsed into the tent, ready for a nice afternoon nap.
Gu Chen was busy from beginning to end, and only returned to the tent after watching his classmates wash the dishes clean at the picnic pool and put all the disposable items in garbage bags.
Overwhelmed by exhaustion, Gu Chen simply cuddled her boyfriend and slept for the entire afternoon, only to be woken up by the bonfire party in the evening.
Wang Zehao was the one who called for help. He didn't even dare to open the tent zipper, so he just squatted outside the tent and shouted.
"Get up, Brother Chen, Brother Yu, get up, get up..."
He only came to wake the two of them up after losing a game of rock-paper-scissors with a resentful voice, as if they were being haunted by a vengeful spirit.
Gu Chen unzipped the tent and looked at him incredulously, "Unzip it and shout."
Wang Zehao gave a dry laugh, thinking to himself, "How could I dare? What if I see something I shouldn't and get silenced by Brother Yu?"
The bonfire party didn't last long. It was more of a talent show for the teachers and students than a party. The dean was happy and was encouraged by the students of Class 2 to sing several classic old songs.
Xiang Yu completely suppressed Gu Chen's urge to sing a song, and the other students looked at him as if he were the savior of Class 2.
The party lasted for nearly two hours. When it ended, everyone returned to their tents, some playing games and others chatting.
Someone was shouting loudly outside in the middle of the night, someone who was still awake.
"Come out and see the shooting stars!"
The night sky was incredibly dark, dotted with scattered stars, winding into a galaxy that stretched to the horizon. The boys looked up and gazed at the dazzling galaxy, seeing shooting stars streak across the northern sky, leaving behind illusory star tails.
"What are you all standing there for? Make a wish!"
Someone shouted something, and everyone closed their eyes and silently made their wishes.
May those I love and those who love me be safe and happy.
A sense of despondency quietly settled in his heart, while various rustling sounds reached his ears.
"I got into Beijing's B University."
I dreamt about the lottery numbers for the next draw tonight.
'Finding money! Finding money!'
I can live to be a hundred years old.
'puff.'
After a laugh, someone shouted, "Don't make a sound, or it won't work!"
A sudden silence fell over the surroundings.
After making my wish, I looked up again and there was no trace of the shooting star.
When Xiang Yu opened his eyes, he saw another constellation, a deep constellation that belonged to him.
After all, it was a tent, so the enclosure wasn't very good. But Gu Chen seemed to have a natural talent for this, always finding a way to make Xiang Yu lose face and be embarrassed.
Xiang Yu buried her head in her arms, afraid that she would make any noise she shouldn't.
Gu Chen reached out and turned his face to face, then kissed the corner of his mouth.
"It's okay, they're all asleep."
No sooner had the words left his mouth than Wang Zehao's wailing came from outside, "Ouch! I heard it! Some little brother said he wanted to be with his sister forever... and you kicked me! But your sister will get married eventually! Ouch!"
Xiang Yu: "Are they all asleep?"
Gu Chen: "......"
Chapter Ninety: A Storm is Brewing in the Corner of the Mountain.
Chapter Ninety: A Corner: The Storm is Brewing
The cultural city is quaint and charming. In areas frequented by tourists, the streets are lined with stalls and shops selling local specialties. In Wang Zehao's words, regardless of whether you enter the ancient city or not, as long as you buy a local specialty to take home, it means you've been there.
It's much more useful than carving something like "I was here".
They were all at an age of restlessness and passion, unable to calm down, and completely uninterested in these unchanging, lifeless objects, listlessly following behind the tour guide.
"This is an antique, that's an antique, I don't even have a place to rest." Zhang Boyuan yawned and complained, choosing a stool outside the door to sit down and rest. "This thing can't be an antique either, can it?"
"Go, go, make half the space for me, let me sit for a while." The two shared a seat, and Wang Zehao gave Xu Youluo, who was closely following the tour guide, a thumbs up, "My Luo-zai truly lives up to his ambition of studying archaeology; look at those eyes, brimming with a thirst for knowledge!"
"Hey you two, that's a hitching post that only wealthy families have outside their homes. It's an old thing, you can't sit on it."
"..." The two who had just gotten their butts on the line quickly stood up and followed the other end of the line speechlessly.
After exploring half of the ancient city, the tour guide led everyone to the square, saying, "Let's rest here for a while, and then we'll meet up again later."
His response was a burst of cheers from the students who scattered.
Xiang Yu and Xu Youluo found a shady spot and sat on the steps, watching the men and women bustling around the various stalls and shops.
Xiang Yu waved to Gu Chen, who was picking out local specialties in the distance, and a middle-aged man walked towards them with an open display case hanging around his neck.
"Little friend, would you like some talismans? They're all hand-carved from jade." The man immediately introduced the tasseled pendants hanging in the box. "We have talismans for academic success, health, safety, and marriage. They're 20 each, cheap and honest."
Xiang Yu took a lucky charm, looked at it, then put it back, shaking his head. "No, thank you."
Xu Youluo glanced into the box, then continued chatting on her phone.
The two boys were quite indifferent, and the middle-aged man didn't waste his time with them, heading towards a more crowded area to promote his products.
“Those are all carved from ordinary stone,” Xu Youluo said without looking up. “They’re not jade.”
“I know.” Xiang Yu smiled helplessly. “There’s no way this price could be for jade.”
“Who would buy this as a regular student?” Xu Youluo said, then looked up at the opposite side, paused for a moment, winked at Xiang Yu and smiled, “Brother Chen is a second-rate student.”
"..."
Xiang Yu silently glanced at Gu Chen, who was walking towards her, holding two so-called jade pendants in his hands.
"Hey deskmate, I bought this." Gu Chen handed over the keychain. "Hang one on your backpack for good luck."
Xu Youlu put her phone in her pocket, picked up the talisman and examined it closely, blinking, "Isn't this the same one that uncle was holding just now?"
"No, I bought this at that store." Gu Chen turned around and pointed to the store, where Tang Yue and Wang Ai were picking out small accessories.
"How much?" Xu Youluo returned the items to him.
Gu Chen fastened his own bag and then tied another amulet to Xiang Yu's backpack zipper. "50".
He paused, then added, "One."
"..." Although Xiang Yu knew that the other party meant well, it was still unacceptable to spend money recklessly, and having too much pocket money was also not good. "The person who was carrying the box just now sold it for 20."
"I know." Gu Chen sat down next to him and put the lucky charms from their backpacks together. They formed a yin-yang symbol. He whispered, "These are for couples, and there must be a reason why they're so expensive."
“That makes sense.” Before Xiang Yu could speak, Xu Youluo chimed in with a grin, “After all, it helped the owner with the rent and utilities.”
Xu Youluo knew about their relationship and teased, "Brother Chen, didn't you not believe in this stuff? Has love made you believe in it again?"
It's not about love, but about the appearance of a Siberian tiger with a single, long paw capable of shattering tempered glass.
Xiang Yu cleared his throat twice, and said somewhat awkwardly to Xu Youluo, "Gu Chen has already guessed the general situation of the three of us."
"Huh?" Xu Youluo was slightly taken aback. "So Brother Chen has switched from materialism to idealism?"
“No,” Gu Chen said seriously, “I remain a staunch materialist.”
Xiang Yu: "..."
“You’re all here.” Wang Zehao came over with a bag of snacks, took out the only two small bottles of yogurt left in the bag, one pink and one green, and handed them to Gu Chen like a treasure, “Brother Chen, try this, it’s something I just discovered.”
"What is this?" Gu Chen looked at the small, unmarked glass jar in his hand. "Yogurt?"
“Yes, sir.” Yang Shuhuan handed the straws to him and Xiang Yu, but Xiang Yu shook his head.
"Strawberry and kiwi flavored?" Xu Youluo looked at Wang Zehao. "Mouse, why don't you let me try some?"
"Didn't Sister Xu say she'd send some over for you to try...? Sister Xu, Luozai is here."
Xu Youqing came over carrying a plastic bag of yogurt and handed the pink yogurt she had just opened to Xu Youluo, saying, "I think it's pretty good, try it."
"Strawberry flavor?" Gu Chen inserted a straw into his can and took a sip.
“Strawberry?” Xu Youqing was taken aback. “That’s chili-flavored.”
"..." Gu Chen's brows gradually furrowed. He couldn't swallow the mouthful of yogurt he had just inhaled, nor could he spit it out.
Seeing Gu Chen's expression, Xu Youluo handed the yogurt she was about to drink back to Xu Youqing.
"Sis, why are you teasing me too?"
Chili peppers are fine, yogurt is fine, but what exactly is chili pepper yogurt?
Xu Youqing took a sip of yogurt. "I really think it tastes pretty good."
Gu Chen: "..."
"Have some water." Xiang Yu handed the bottled water from the side of her backpack to Gu Chen, glancing at Wang Zehao and Yang Shuhuan.
"Pfft, hahaha." Wang Zehao, who had been holding back his laughter for so long, finally let it out. He clasped his hands together with Yang Shuhuan, but Xiang Yu's glare silenced his laughter.
Wang Zehao guiltily took the unopened green yogurt can and said, "Huanhuan and I will give this to Yuan'er and the others to try." He then ran away without looking back.
Gu Chen felt that complex taste still lingering on the tip of his tongue, unable to dissipate for a long time, but he was also curious, "What does the green one taste like?"
Xu Youqing shook the green jar in her hand, "Sichuan pepper."
"..."
"Ouch! Wrong! Protect the Emperor! Protect the Emperor!" Wang Zehao was chased here by a group of people and shrank to Gu Chen's side. "Help, Brother Chen! Yuan'er and Boss Tong are going to kill me together. Huanhuan has already betrayed me. They insist that I finish this can of Sichuan pepper yogurt."
"Eat, why don't you eat?" Gu Chen smiled innocently, but then grabbed Wang Zehao by the back of the neck. "Come on, everyone."