Chapter 74#
Yan Heqing lowered the corners of his eyes, didn’t respond, turned around and sat down.
The bus window was a large, fully sealed glass pane. Yan Heqing opened his backpack, took out his headphones and put them on, then took out a book and lowered his head to start reading.
Gu Xingye raised his eyebrows, still ignoring him. He glanced at Yan Heqing’s book. It wasn’t a textbook or a professional book, but the original version of Agatha Christie’s “The Murder of Roger Ackroyd”, with a label from the Peking University Library.
Likes reading mystery and detective stories?
Gu Xingye was surprised, but not that surprised. Yan Heqing was also like a mystery book; the closer you got, the more mysterious he felt, making him want to explore.
He didn’t feel awkward either, just staring straight at Yan Heqing, starting to guess what music Yan Heqing was listening to.
Classical music? Light music?
Fits Yan Heqing’s temperament.
However, Yan Heqing was unexpected. He looked gentle and easy to talk to on the outside, but was actually cold and kept people thousands of miles away.
Maybe the contrast was so big that he loved listening to rock, blues, jazz?
“Vocabulary.”
Abruptly, those two quiet lips moved.
Gu Xingye reacted extremely quickly, “Listening to vocabulary while reading a novel?” He hooked the corner of his mouth, “Doing two things at once, worthy of being the former number one in software engineering.”
Yang Rucheng said that last semester Yan Heqing transferred to Bio-Science with the number one final exam score.
He meant to compliment Yan Heqing a bit. People like to hear nice words, and he didn’t believe Yan Heqing was an exception.
Yan Heqing was indeed an exception. He turned a page, his long eyelashes barely blinking, calm and distant, “If you are curious about my relationship with Lin Fengzhi, ask him yourself.”
Gu Xingye raised his eyebrows. He didn’t care whether Lin Fengzhi was adopted or not, let alone curious about their relationship, “I’m curious about you.” He smiled, “Did I offend you somewhere? You don’t seem to like me very much.”
In the original text, Yan Heqing and Gu Xingye had no interaction.
If forced to count, it was Lu Muchi going crazy from time to time because Lin Fengzhi and Gu Xingye had a meal, watched a movie, or played ice hockey, and taking his anger out on him.
He didn’t dislike Gu Xingye.
To him, Gu Xingye was just an ordinary stranger.
“No.”
Yan Heqing turned up the volume.
His headphones were cheap, and sound would leak if the volume was slightly high. He usually adjusted it to a volume just loud enough to hear clearly.
Still heard Gu Xingye’s next sentence, “Since not, make friends?”
On the page was a sentence from the novel.
[To a detective, all people involved in the case are strangers.]
Yan Heqing replied faintly: “I don’t make friends.”
It was the first field internship for Bio-Science Class 2. The atmosphere on the bus was lively, and most were enthusiastically discussing the first barbecue meal after entering the mountains later.
“I heard from the senior sister that broad beans, big potatoes, and purple sweet potatoes are planted in the Huaishan base! They must be delicious roasted.”
“Right, it seems they also raise experimental chickens. Roast with cumin after finishing the experiment?”
“Who still eats chicken after entering the mountains? The temperature in Huaishan is several degrees higher. Go down the river to catch fish and shrimp for extra dishes.”
“I’m different. I just want to see the climbing roses! Seen the photos, Florentina is too beautiful!”
…
Only the second to last row was quiet.
Gu Xingye laughed incredulously and didn’t ask anymore. He adjusted his posture to lean against the back of the chair, took out an eye mask and put it on. After a long while, he, who should have been asleep, suddenly blurted out a sentence.
“No one doesn’t need friends.”
Yan Heqing didn’t reply and turned another page.
After a five-hour drive, at past ten in the evening, the bumping finally ended, and they arrived at the campsite of Peking University halfway up Huaishan Mountain.
Compared to the vigor in the afternoon, the inside of the bus was extremely quiet now. As soon as the bus stopped steadily and the door opened, several boys rushed out and vomited loudly.
The road to the foot of the mountain was okay, but the section entering the mountain was a dirt road. It rained during the day, making it bumpy and potholed. The mountain road, which should have taken more than 40 minutes, took an extra half hour of bumping to arrive.
Yan Heqing also felt a bit uncomfortable.
Inexplicably thought of the time he got seasick, the candy Lu Lin gave was very useful.
Gu Xingye stood up, his peripheral vision sweeping over Yan Heqing. The lights in the car had been turned on long ago, and the bright white light enveloped Yan Heqing. He was still wearing headphones, his side profile quiet as always. Gu Xingye withdrew his gaze, strode his long legs, and got off the bus first.
Most of the classmates had left. Yan Heqing took off his headphones and fished out a bag of candy from his backpack.
The first time he went to Lu Lin’s residence, the medicine he had to take was very bitter, and Lu Lin prepared a bag of candy for him.
At that time, he didn’t touch this bag of candy.
Inside the shiny candy wrappers were colorful fruit candies. Yan Heqing tore open the wrapper and found an orange candy.
Should be orange flavor.
He peeled the wrapper, lowered his head slightly, and put the candy in his mouth. The fresh sweet and sour orange flavor melted on the tip of his tongue, indeed diluting the discomfort.
Putting the remaining candy back into the backpack, Yan Heqing got up, took out his luggage bag, and was the last to get off the bus.
There were still a few boys vomiting. The counselor held a loudspeaker at the front of the bus and shouted, “Don’t run around. The mountains are dangerous at night. Follow me to the campsite first. We still have to set up tents before resting! Quick, quick!”
Yan Heqing walked at the end. Approaching the campsite, he could already see the light.
At this time, the counselor’s voice came from the loudspeaker, “Yo, Xiao Sun, why are you here too!”
Sun Tingzhou smiled, “Climbing the mountain with my friend, dropped by to have a look on the way.”
Only then did the counselor see a tall man next to Sun Tingzhou, muttering in his heart, climbing a mountain in a suit?
In the shadowy crowd, Lin Fengyi locked onto Yan Heqing at a glance. Yan Heqing didn’t look at him at all, but he looked away quickly as if scalded, reaching out his hand appropriately to introduce himself to the counselor, “Hello, my name is Lin Fengyi.”
Gu Xingye knew Lin Fengyi well. Seeing him appear at the campsite, Gu Xingye subconsciously looked back for Yan Heqing.
His intuition told him Lin Fengyi came for Yan Heqing.
The light was dim at night, but Yan Heqing was still incredibly conspicuous. Gu Xingye walked through the crowd to Yan Heqing, “Lin Fengyi is here.”
The last small piece of candy melted before Yan Heqing raised his eyes. Gu Xingye observed his expression, not a single fluctuation. Gu Xingye was full of doubts. Lin Fengyi spoiled Lin Fengzhi very much. Yan Heqing had no reason not to be familiar with him. Could it be that he really didn’t interact with anyone?
Lin Fengyi kept glancing at Yan Heqing secretly. Seeing him standing with Gu Xingye seemingly talking, Lin Fengyi was very unhappy.
That kid Gu Xingye, he found him an eyesore because of his good relationship with Lin Fengzhi. Unexpectedly, his relationship with Yan Heqing was also not bad.
Lin Fengyi gritted his back teeth, staring in Yan Heqing’s direction. If it weren’t for the crowd, he would have gone over to mock a few sentences. Wasn’t he aloof and looked down on everyone? How could the young Gu Xingye catch his eye?
Sun Tingzhou nudged Lin Fengyi’s waist, “Who are you looking at?” He followed Lin Fengyi’s gaze and saw a dark mass of chattering students. He realized something and lowered his voice to complain, “I said asking me to climb Huaishan at night last night, turns out you have a target.”
Lin Fengyi was noncommittal. Suddenly he strode through the crowd, revealing a friendly smile, pulled over Gu Xingye who was still talking to Yan Heqing, and hugged him enthusiastically and forcefully, “Yo! Xingye, long time no see!”
Gu Xingye instantly got goosebumps. He was baffled. Just as he was about to break free, Lin Fengyi exerted force with his arms, hugging him to death and not letting Gu Xingye go, his gaze passing through to look at Yan Heqing.
Yan Heqing had no reaction and walked towards the campsite.
“Lin… Brother Fengyi?” Gu Xingye felt uncomfortable all over, trying hard to pry open Lin Fengyi’s hands.
Lin Fengyi’s gaze followed Yan Heqing closely. When he was far away, he let go of Gu Xingye in a second, pulling out a casual smile, “Are you very familiar with Yan Heqing?”
Gu Xingye knew Lin Fengyi’s reputation. Except for Lin Fengzhi, everyone knew the second young master of the Lin family was a playboy, interested in men. He was thoughtful, smiling slightly after a moment, “Okay.”
——
On the other side, Yan Heqing collected a tent. He didn’t know how to set it up, observed other classmates for a while, found a place with few people, and set it up quickly.
The single tent wasn’t big. After putting down the luggage, someone called him outside.
Yan Heqing came out of the tent. Zhou Wuyou stood prettily outside, smiling brightly, “Yan Heqing, I don’t know how to set up a tent. Can you help?”
This time Yan Heqing went with Zhou Wuyou. Zhan Pingting’s tent was next to Zhou Wuyou’s, and the boy pursuing her was helping. Seeing Yan Heqing coming over, Zhan Pingting immediately shouted to the boy, “Zhao Yong, don’t forget what you promised. Tomorrow we will do activities together with Wuyou’s group.”
Zhao Yong didn’t want to agree. Zhou Wuyou’s group had Gu Xingye. Zhan Pingting pursued Gu Xingye when she started college as a freshman. He made a plan for coming to Huaishan this time. Huaishan had a firefly cave. He planned to distract Yan Heqing so he could confess to Zhan Pingting in the firefly cave. Now with so many people, and Gu Xingye, confess my ass!
He nodded reluctantly.
Zhou Wuyou wasn’t lively, but facing Yan Heqing, she talked endlessly about the project experiment. Yan Heqing set up the tent seriously and quickly. Zhan Pingting winked at Zhao Yong, and Zhao Yong spoke slowly, “Yan Heqing, gather at seven tomorrow morning. We will partner with another group and enter the mountain together. It’s convenient with more people.”
Yan Heqing had no objection.
One person, two people… or the whole class, it was the same to him. He nodded politely, turned and went back to the tent.
Zhou Wuyou showed obvious disappointment. Zhan Pingting sighed and whispered to Zhou Wuyou, “Too aloof, hundreds of times more aloof than Gu Xingye. Hard for you to pursue.”
Zhou Wuyou didn’t speak, biting the corner of her mouth.
At seven the next morning, Yan Heqing saw Gu Xingye in the team. He wasn’t surprised, just lowered his head to seriously study the map given by the counselor.
A very simple mountain map with only a few main roads.
Their internship today was to enter the mountain to observe wild plants.
Gu Xingye’s group consisted of him, Zhou Wuyou, and another girl. The girl made no secret of her liking for Gu Xingye, always surrounding Gu Xingye and talking. Gu Xingye also responded to her well, but his peripheral vision kept looking at Yan Heqing.
After eating a simple breakfast of mantou and porridge at the campsite, the six people chose the west route and set off.
Coming out for the first time, everyone was in high spirits and excited, talking and laughing all the way, not tired climbing the mountain.
Unknowingly, they entered the deep mountains. Passing a forest lake, several girls screamed with excitement.
“What a beautiful lake!”
“Crimson flowers, actually growing in the water, first time seeing!”
“It’s Ranunculus aquatilis.” Gu Xingye explained, glancing at Yan Heqing from the corner of his eye.
Yan Heqing squatted down to observe the water condition. In the water without impurities, it was full of tilted green water plants, and the lake surface was covered with large patches of purple and white Ranunculus aquatilis. He took out his phone to record.
Zhao Yong found a scene very suitable for taking photos and greeted Zhan Pingting to take photos, “Come here, I’ll take photos for you!”
Zhan Pingting took out her phone, “In a while! I’ll take a photo first to send to my mom. Such beautiful scenery, want to share it with her!”
Zhou Wuyou and the other girl took out their phones one after another, finding angles to take landscape photos to send to family and friends.
Yan Heqing heard it, his heart beating slightly.
Share beautiful scenery with family.
At this time, Zhou Wuyou finished taking photos, ran over and half-squatted, asking Yan Heqing with a smile, “Do you want to take a photo? I’ll take it for you, send it to uncle and aunt to see. People of their age like this kind of scenery the most!”
Yan Heqing was in a trance for a few seconds. Suddenly, he thought of something and smiled, “I’ll do it myself.”
He exited the document, opened the camera, squatted down and took a photo of the Ranunculus aquatilis at eye level.
The skylight passed through the gaps in the woods, falling on the water surface with a golden glow. The small purple and white flowers floated with the current, like a heavily colored oil painting.
After taking the photo, Yan Heqing opened WeChat.
Opened the chat box with Lu Lin, added a few words, “I’m at the field internship, Ranunculus aquatilis encountered on the way. It’s not the season yet, it will bloom more lushly and beautifully in summer.”
The signal started to be bad. After spinning for several rounds, it was barely sent out after a long time.
Lu Lin just finished parking the car and entering the mountain road when the WeChat message came.
Glancing at 52 Hertz, he stopped by the roadside to check WeChat first.
Clicking on the photo, a smile appeared in his black eyes, replying, “What a coincidence, I’m also on the way to wild fishing.”