(21)

We were lucky; today was a rare good day during the continuous rainy season.

When this silent continent cleared up, the sky took on a beautiful color that even painters couldn’t replicate.

It was a lively, translucent blue.

For the sake of this blue sky above my head, I was willing to forgive all the hardships, loneliness, and cold encounters that came with being thousands of miles away from home.

Moreover, Yan Han was by my side.

He could share this same sky with me.

(22)

Everyone took the camping equipment out of the car trunk and got straight to work.

When the tent that had been set up collapsed for the third time, Yan Han helplessly patted the sand off his hands.

“You guys stay put, I’ll do it.”

The two tents were set up securely.

The four of us boys shared two tents, two in each. Originally, Liu Leyao suggested that she could sleep in the car, but Yan Han took out a small tent, set it up quickly, and threw the car pillows and blankets inside.

“You sleep here.”

Liu Leyao hugged me and kept shaking me, mumbling.

“Your boyfriend is so nice.”

Too soon ha. Too soon.

Although—

He had pinned our chat (smug.jpg).

We sat on the moisture-proof mat playing poker. The wind blew away Ma Jiaming’s cards, making him run barefoot for two hundred meters to get them.

The ground was covered with red gravel, and he kept howling in pain as he ran back.

The dam in front of us was a pale greenish-white, and the water was as clear as a mirror. There were a few fallen trees by the shore, their twisted branches giving off an artistic vibe.

I let Liu Leyao take over my cards and then went to the car to get my sketchbook.

I wanted to capture this moment that made me happy.

The others were drawn rather carelessly, barely distinguishable between male and female.

It was only Yan Han who I drew meticulously.

I sketched his relaxed sitting posture, his slender arms, his prominent eyebrows, and his high-bridged nose.

I only brought a pencil out with me, so I couldn’t add colors. But the colors of this drawing, I think I would remember them for a long time.

(23)

Oh heavens, it was way too cold here at night in the wilderness.

I wrapped myself in a blanket and sat inside the tent. The outdoor jacket I wore wasn’t warm at all, and I was shivering non-stop.

Ma Jiaming poked his head inside. “Want to come drink?”

“No… no thanks.” My teeth chattered.

After a while, Yan Han also came looking for me.

He lifted the tent flap and looked at me. “Why aren’t you coming out to play?”

“I’m just resting for a bit.”

I tried to suppress my shivering and forced a smile.

“Cold?”

Yan Han frowned, then knelt down and crawled into the tent, touching my blanket-wrapped hands.

“So cold?”

His frown deepened.

“I’m not cold.”

People freeze to death and still act tough.

Oh, wait—actually, freezing to death does make one’s body stiff.

My brain was already frozen, and I cry.

I watched as he took off his black jacket and wrapped it around me.

“Want to go to the car to warm up?”

Yi, he was wearing a fleece underneath.

He reached out and pinched the thickness of my sleeve, looking helpless.

“So, your outdoor jacket doesn’t have an inner lining?”

“Oh.” I lowered my head. “I thought I wouldn’t need it.”

After all, the lowest temperature downtown was only fifteen degrees ah!

He peeled off my blanket, guided my hands through the sleeves of his jacket, and zipped it up for me.

Today, he sprayed on Darjeeling Tea—it was a mild, non-aggressive scent. The fragrance, wrapped in his body heat, gave off a subtle, unique after-scent that belonged only to him.

While sniffing and trying to clear my nose, I couldn’t help but catch a whiff, getting a bit addicted.

(24)

You’re asking who I shared a tent with that night?

What a pointless question.

Hehe.