As he withdrew his gaze, he unintentionally glanced at the hand that was hanging by his side, which happened to be held by Bai Jinyan. Qiao Huaiyao paused for a moment and then looked up at Bai Jinyan. Suddenly, their eyes met, catching him off guard. He wasn’t sure when, but it seemed like… Bai Jinyan had been looking at him all this time.
Qiao Huaiyao felt a bit stunned, and it was then that he realized Bai Jinyan was holding his arm with his left hand, while his right hand was empty, hanging by his side, near his. It seemed like only one hand was holding him, but in reality…
A faint smile tugged at the corner of Qiao Huaiyao’s lips, and a hint of amusement appeared on his face. He was about to speak when suddenly, he stumbled as if he had tripped on something. In the next moment, an arm stretched out horizontally, wrapping around him tightly.
Qiao Huaiyao leaned sideways into Bai Jinyan’s embrace, instinctively reaching out to steady himself. However, as his palm neared, his movements froze. A warmth that he hadn’t anticipated spread from behind him, and as his palm pressed against his chest, his fingertips curled slightly, and his breath caught for a moment.
Bai Jinyan stopped walking and steadied him, advising, “Watch your step.”
Qiao Huaiyao’s ears turned red, and his thoughts were in disarray. He simply nodded, not saying a word.
Bai Jinyan, noticing his changed expression, reached out to check his forehead’s temperature. He hadn’t developed a fever; it was probably just due to the sudden scare.
Bai Jinyan lightly patted his shoulder and said, “Let’s take it easy, no need to hurry.”
They continued their hike up the mountain, a slow and steady climb that even the guests of varying ages could manage. By the time they reached the designated camping spot chosen by Zhao Jiamo, it was already past 4 PM. With limited time and tasks to accomplish, there was no room for delay.
Zhao Jiamo went up and waved a small flag, calling out, “Everyone, please get ready quickly. The program provides the equipment, but it won’t set up by itself. This means you’ll need to pitch your own tents, including tonight’s dinner. We all need to put in some effort.”
“There are quite a few chickens and ducks on this mountain. Feel free to catch them.”
“If you don’t want to eat them, you can catch them and exchange them with the program team, just like the fish-for-grilled-skewers exchange we did before.”
None of the guests had brought their own food. Upon hearing this, Ji Zhenqi couldn’t help but ask, “Can we catch whatever we want on the mountain?”
Zhao Jiamo explained, “Yes, you can. Don’t worry, this mountain has been artificially managed. The chickens, ducks, and fish here are all provided by the local farmhouse owners. They even come up to feed them regularly.”
“Don’t worry about plucking feathers or cleaning them; the program team will handle that.”
Qiao Huaiyao wasn’t particularly interested in these activities. He chose a tent that looked good in terms of material and durability and picked two sleeping bags. When he looked around, he noticed one tent had a flat top with a transparent layer, like a small skylight. You could lie inside the tent and see the sky outside.
Qiao Huaiyao hesitated between these two options and asked, “Brother, which one do you think is better?”
Bai Jinyan pointed at the tent with the small skylight and said, “This one might be brighter in the morning.”
Typically, tents with such features included covers or shades, but the program team seemed to have removed them. Qiao Huaiyao put down the tent he had originally chosen and sighed, “This one is perfect for stargazing at night.”
On the mountaintop at night, as long as it didn’t rain, there was a good chance of seeing stars, something that was rare in the city. Bai Jinyan reached out to ruffle his hair and said, “Let’s set it up next to ours.”
The program team had provided plenty of tents in various styles, mostly solid-colored ones designed for wind and rain resistance, and most guests were choosing those. Bai Jinyan and Qiao Huaiyao were the first to choose a tent with less practicality but more aesthetic appeal.
After setting up the tent with the skylight, they spread out a mat inside. Bai Jinyan placed their backpacks in the tent. Qiao Huaiyao opened the tent’s flap and suggested, “Brother, shall we take a walk in the woods?”
Their camping gear was ready, and waiting around here wasn’t very exciting. It might be more enjoyable to explore the forest.
“No rush,” Bai Jinyan said as he handed Qiao Huaiyao a thermos cup. “Let’s rest for a bit before heading out.”
Having climbed the mountain in the morning, they hadn’t had a proper rest since then, immediately setting up their tent upon arrival. Qiao Huaiyao couldn’t help but smirk and tease, “Is this thermos filled with wolfberries?”
His brother always seemed so mature, a demeanor that didn’t quite match his age. Bai Jinyan shot him a sidelong glance.
Qiao Huaiyao playfully blinked, still smiling, and moved the thermos slightly away. But suddenly, Bai Jinyan reached out.
“Ah!” Qiao Huaiyao didn’t expect Bai Jinyan to reach for it directly, and his eyes widened in surprise. Bai Jinyan pinched his cheek and said, “Next time, I’ll make you some ginseng tea. It’s supposed to be good for health, even if you don’t drink it.”
Qiao Huaiyao couldn’t help squinting his eyes and pursing his lips. “Hmm… alright…”
Bai Jinyan didn’t tease him further and let go, rubbing his hair instead. “It should still be hot, so be careful when you drink it.”
“Okay.” Qiao Huaiyao agreed with a hint of blush on his cheeks.
He opened the thermos, and the rich aroma of lemon tea filled the air. Qiao Huaiyao was taken aback; he hadn’t even noticed when Bai Jinyan had prepared the tea. When he woke up, Bai Jinyan had already packed their belongings, which meant he must have done it while Qiao Huaiyao was resting.
Seeing that Qiao Huaiyao had quieted down, Bai Jinyan furrowed his brows. “Is it not good?”
The thermos cup contained hot lemon tea, so it shouldn’t have affected the taste. Qiao Huaiyao shook his head. “It’s delicious.”
His brother’s cooking skills were good enough that he could become a professional chef. Even for something as simple as lemon tea, Qiao Huaiyao felt that Bai Jinyan’s version was better than anyone else’s.
Slightly too hot, Qiao Huaiyao poured himself a cup and took small sips. Besides the
thermos, their backpacks contained some snacks they had bought from a small store, along with a few items they had brought themselves. Carrying them wasn’t too burdensome.
Qiao Huaiyao sipped his lemon tea and nibbled on potato chips. They might not have gone into the woods to search for chickens or ducks, but this could still count as a small picnic.