Chapter 76#
Yan Heqing didn’t reply.
Lu Lin took off his watch and placed it casually on the ground. It was like a beam of light shooting straight into the sky, illuminating the cramped tunnel.
Yan Heqing looked at Lu Lin quietly, a faint light flowing in the bottom of his pupils.
Lu Lin didn’t speak again either, observing the bite on the ankle.
It was a small thing with sharp teeth. The bite was deep, but fortunately not poisonous. The coagulated blood was a normal color.
His thumb pressed the skin around the wound again. Yan Heqing didn’t react. Lu Lin was completely relieved and skillfully took out a small first aid kit from the fishing bag.
There were all the regular medicines. Lu Lin took out a cotton pad with iodophor, disinfected it carefully, unscrewed the trauma ointment, applied it to the wound, took out gauze and wrapped it a few times.
A set of movements flowing like clouds and water.
A distinct cooling sensation surged up the wound, dispelling the intense pain. Yan Heqing’s gaze remained on Lu Lin’s face.
He finally spoke, “Do you get injured often?”
“Who is Zhao Yong?” Lu Lin asked at the same time.
After a brief silence of one second, Yan Heqing’s voice was gentle, “The team leader of the internship group.”
The boy outside the waterfall flashed before Lu Lin’s eyes.
Not exceeding 175cm, skinny, looking unintelligent. He put down Yan Heqing’s trouser leg, “During the time I was addicted to wild fishing, I often explored mountains to find spots. Injuries were inevitable.”
Yan Heqing was still looking at him, “When you are addicted to something, are you always this passionate?”
Lu Lin packed up the first aid kit, “There aren’t many things that can make me addicted. According to the sample, so far, yes.”
He took out a bottle of hand sanitizer, pressed a few pumps and rubbed his hands, then extended them to Yan Heqing’s hand, “Wash your hands.”
Yan Heqing opened his palm, and immediately cool foam fell, smelling of cedar again. He rubbed his hands, his gaze distant, “What if you are not addicted anymore in the future?”
With a crisp rustling sound, Lu Lin took out another thing from the fishing bag and stuffed it into Yan Heqing’s hand, “I don’t get addicted easily. If I choose to be addicted, it’s hard not to be addicted.”
In his palm was a bag of dried pineapple. After a while, actually only 2 or 3 seconds, Yan Heqing tore open the packaging bag. After eating, he spoke, “Did you pass by the lake I sent you? Maybe it hides a lot of unexpected things.”
“Fished in a similar lake.” Lu Lin looked natural, “Indeed caught something unexpected.”
“What?”
“A pearl.” Lu Lin zipped up the fishing bag, picked up the watch and stood up. He was too tall, and this section of the cave was low, so he bowed slightly, “You carry the bag.”
Yan Heqing was still on the previous question, “Wild mussel pearl?” He took the fishing bag and put it on his back.
Lu Lin suddenly smiled, “Yes, and it was the first mussel I caught. The pearl was big and round.”
He handed the watch again, “Light the way.” He naturally turned his back and squatted down, the meaning obvious, to carry Yan Heqing on his back, “This cave has many complicated paths. A few wrong steps and you’ll get lost.”
Yan Heqing could walk slowly. Looking at the back in front of him, he still climbed up.
Yan Heqing got close, and only then did Lu Lin smell the familiar cedar scent. Not the ointment, but from the boy. His breathing became slightly heavier, “Used that set of bath products?”
He held the base of Yan Heqing’s thighs. The place was narrow, and getting up was a bit cramped. Yan Heqing plus the fishing bag wasn’t light, but he carried him easily, returning the way they came.
Yan Heqing held the watch to light the way, “Mn, used it yesterday.”
There was a simple shower room at the campsite, and he rinsed briefly last night.
Veins faintly popped out on Lu Lin’s neck, and his voice was very low, “The favor I want you to help with is to teach—”
Thump thump.
Footsteps suddenly sounded ahead, along with a clear voice unique to young men, “Yan Heqing?”
Lu Lin walked in front carrying Yan Heqing.
Gu Xingye followed behind.
He got lost for a while just now, so he wasn’t suitable to lead the way.
Gu Xingye felt Lu Lin looked familiar, seemed to have seen him somewhere, but had no clue for a moment. He couldn’t care about searching his memory bank now, his gaze observing the front seemingly unintentionally.
Yan Heqing’s foot was injured, but not to the extent that he couldn’t walk and needed to be carried.
Besides, based on the Yan Heqing he knew, he wasn’t the type to accept such an overly intimate action.
Is it Yan Heqing’s relative?
Gu Xingye guessed.
Neither Lu Lin nor Yan Heqing spoke again. Lu Lin focused on identifying the path. His remark about the complicated paths wasn’t nonsense. This cave indeed had many intersecting intersections. A slight wrong turn would lead to getting lost.
Yan Heqing remained quiet throughout, seemingly asleep.
Only footsteps were heard along the way. After about half an hour, the sound of the waterfall could be faintly heard. They were almost at the cave entrance.
Lu Lin quickened his pace. Just walking out of the cave entrance, the boy who he thought was asleep spoke with a clear and bright voice, “32 degrees to the left, there are plum blossoms.”
Lu Lin looked sideways. Gu Xingye also shone his flashlight over.
At a 32-degree angle to the left of the cave entrance, on a stone wall behind the waterfall, in a crevice between two intersecting rocks, a small plum blossom tree actually grew.
One branch, and only one white plum blossom blooming. The temperature and landform in the mountains were different. The plum blossoms in the city had long withered, but this one bloomed brilliantly alone.
Gu Xingye was very surprised.
When they entered the cave, they completely missed this white plum blossom.
It wasn’t poor eyesight. This plum blossom grew too hiddenly. Not only in the crevice of the cliff rock but also blocked by the waterfall. Only from this small spot, finding the angle, could one glimpse this unexpected spring scenery.
When did Yan Heqing discover this plum blossom?
Now?
Or when they were exploring the cave?
Gu Xingye’s gaze fell back on Yan Heqing, only seeing his side profile, peaceful and plain, unable to see through any emotion.
Gu Xingye felt a bit irritable.
Born as a favored son of heaven, he rarely had this feeling of losing control.
Out of the cave entrance, he simply went down first.
Yan Heqing had discovered it early.
He even took a photo to send to Lu Lin when there was a signal. Now no need, Lu Lin saw it with his own eyes.
“It’s truly magical.” Yan Heqing said softly, “Struggling to absorb nutrients even in such a harsh environment, blooming beautiful flowers.”
Lu Lin withdrew his gaze. He silently carried Yan Heqing down the last rugged mountain road. Before Zhou Wuyou and Zhan Pingting rushed up, he seemed to say, “There is a person, as magical as it.”
——
Walking to a place with signal, everyone was physically and mentally exhausted. Lu Lin put down Yan Heqing to rest on the spot. Gu Xingye went aside to contact the counselor, hiding the part about exploring the cave and finding an excuse for returning late.
Except for Lu Lin and Yan Heqing, they were all young students with no life experience. Sitting cross-legged on the ground, looking at each other, or stealing glances at Lu Lin.
Lu Lin was making a fire.
After making the fire, he threw a few small sweet potatoes in.
Across the flickering firelight, Zhan Pingting whispered to Zhou Wuyou from time to time, “Holy shit, holy shit! Yan Heqing’s brother is so fucking handsome!!!!!”
She thought Lu Lin was Yan Heqing’s brother. How to say it, Gu Xingye was considered excellent among boys, handsome, good family background, excellent grades, good at ice hockey, but in front of Lu Lin, he was still too tender, like a green melon egg.
Zhou Wuyou kept her lips tightly closed. She was a bit depressed, her gaze shifting between Lu Lin and Yan Heqing from time to time. She had a very strange feeling. Couldn’t say for sure, just felt they weren’t brothers. The atmosphere between them was indescribably subtle.
Zhao Yong was also stealing glances at Lu Lin. His focus was different; he was looking at Lu Lin’s watch.
He liked to study watches usually. He recognized at a glance that Lu Lin’s watch was custom-made, with top-quality materials and workmanship. He couldn’t estimate the price, but it definitely wouldn’t be less than seven figures.
And Lu Lin looked particularly expensive! Definitely not an ordinary rich person.
Zhao Yong was envious. He didn’t expect Yan Heqing to be so rich. He also thought Lu Lin was Yan Heqing’s biological brother.
At this time, another girl asked: “Yan Heqing, is he your brother?”
As she asked, all eyes swished to Yan Heqing, including Gu Xingye who was still on the phone not far away.
Lu Lin added firewood, the firelight falling on his clearly defined side profile. Yan Heqing replied, “No, friend.”
Gu Xingye’s eyes darkened.
Zhan Pingting’s mouth opened slightly. Friend? No wonder Yan Heqing didn’t interact much with classmates and didn’t seem to make friends. With such a reliable and handsome friend, indeed no desire to make other friends…
Zhou Wuyou spoke carefully, asking Lu Lin this time, “You…” changed her words again, “How did you and Student Yan meet?”
She looked forward immensely to the answer being neighbors who grew up together.
Like that.
Would it be kinship?
Zhou Wuyou pinched her palm nervously.
Lu Lin glanced at Yan Heqing, his voice unhurried, “Fishing.”
Zhao Yong finally found a chance to perform. Such a big shot was a connection after graduation!
He leaned closer to Lu Lin, “No wonder you came to the mountains. You followed Heqing to fish in the mountains, right?”
Zhao Yong used “Heqing”. Lu Lin’s eyebrows furrowed imperceptibly. The aroma of sweet potatoes wafted out. He used a branch to take them out, patted off the ash, gave one to Yan Heqing first, and then handed them to the other three female classmates.
Zhao Yong had been waiting eagerly, but there were none left.
Lu Lin only roasted 4.
“Wow! So sweet!” Zhan Pingting tasted a bite, her face full of happiness.
Zhou Wuyou didn’t move. She glanced at Yan Heqing. Yan Heqing was peeling the sweet potato seriously. Yan Heqing did everything very seriously, even the look in his eyes when looking at his friend was so serious.
Zhou Wuyou was distracted.
At this time, Gu Xingye came back. The girl who liked him quickly broke half a sweet potato and handed it to him. Gu Xingye smiled and shook his head, “Not hungry.”
Only then did the girl take it back.
Over there, Zhao Yong swallowed his saliva and found a topic to chat with Lu Lin again, “Where do you usually fish? I also like fishing. During the Chinese New Year this year, I caught a big fish weighing ten catties.”
At this time, the girl blurted out, “Freshman year went to the reservoir for observation, the fish Gu Xingye caught weighed more than twenty catties! It was the first time I saw such a heavy fish!”
Zhao Yong’s face changed, and he shut up.
Gu Xingye sat down, first glanced at Yan Heqing. Yan Heqing peeled half of the sweet potato skin, broke it, and handed the peeled portion to Lu Lin.
Gu Xingye couldn’t help but have a thought. If it was Yan Heqing who shared the sweet potato with him, he would accept it.
Gu Xingye witnessed Lu Lin accepting the sweet potato. He suddenly spoke, “What is your surname?”
Lu Lin didn’t look up. He added fire, his voice bland, “Lu.”
Gu Xingye still had no impression. He knew a person named Lu, Lin Fengzhi’s friend, called Lu Muchi. Met once, neither liked the other.
The firewood crackled.
After finishing the sweet potatoes and resting for a while, they set off again to return to the camp.
Lu Lin still carried Yan Heqing on his back. Wrapped in gauze, except for Gu Xingye, everyone thought Yan Heqing was in too much pain to walk, so they weren’t surprised.
Returning to the camp, it was almost midnight. A few scattered tents were lit.
Zhan Pingting’s heart finally settled completely. She stretched her sore arms and turned back to ask Yan Heqing, “Go get your friend’s tent now? I’ll get the key.”
She was the class monitor, and the key to the camp storage room was in her tent. It was late at night, Lu Lin definitely wouldn’t go down the mountain, so he had to set up another tent to rest.
Gu Xingye looked at Yan Heqing immediately. Yan Heqing’s eyebrows were calm, “No need, he stays in my tent.”