Chapter Eighty-Three: The Return Journey

As Qin Lin'er sat on a rock beside the tents, she stared in a daze at the one Qin Xuan and Xi-jie were using, wondering whether she ought to go in.

Just as she was hesitating, Qin Xuan pushed the tent flap aside and came out, spotting her at once.

“What are you doing here?”

Qin Lin'er looked up and found him already standing before her.

“I can't sleep...” She held out her arms toward him.

Seeing that, Qin Xuan opened his arms and pulled her into a hug, asking with concern, “Feeling unwell?”

Nestled in his embrace, Qin Lin'er felt the warmth of him and did not want to let go.

“Alright... wait a moment,” Qin Xuan urged her, then headed straight for the trees.

“Huh? Oh.” Qin Lin'er still had not reacted before he slipped free of her.

When Qin Xuan returned, he found her little face faintly red and looked at her with some confusion.

“Aren't you going back?”

Seeing that she had no intention of returning to sleep, Qin Xuan asked.

“Nope! Stay with me a little longer?” Qin Lin'er tugged on his arm and fussed with it.

Qin Xuan was a little helpless, but meeting her expectant gaze, he still nodded.

Only then did he notice she was wearing nothing but a single layer, and worried she might be cold. He wanted to go back and fetch a coat, but she clung to his hand and shook her head at him.

With no other choice, Qin Xuan drew her into his arms and patted her back.

“Qin Xuan? Do you like me?” Qin Lin'er looked up at him, biting her lip as she asked with curiosity.

Qin Xuan: What kind of liking is that supposed to be? Is this serious?

“Yeah, I like you!” Qin Xuan answered honestly.

Qin Lin'er was very displeased at that and buried her little face in his chest, refusing to speak to him.

“All right,” Qin Xuan said, taking her hand and guessing she might be a little cold.

He simply found an open spot and lit a fire. The two of them sat close together on the mat, basking in the warmth, and Qin Lin'er felt an inexplicable sense of peace.

“Qin Xuan~”

Qin Lin'er leaned over and kissed Qin Xuan on the face, and before he could react she turned back to the fire.

“You...” Qin Xuan felt a little exhausted. What kind of move was that, ambushing him like that? Was she playing dirty?

“What are you two doing?” Just then, a voice came from behind them, breaking the awkward atmosphere.

Looking back, they saw Nan Zhiyi stepping out wrapped in a coat.

Qin Lin'er found it strange. When she had just woken up, Nan Zhiyi had still been asleep. “How did you wake up?”

“I... just woke up, that's all!” Nan Zhiyi of course could not admit she wanted to stir things up too.

“Come warm yourself by the fire,” Qin Lin'er waved her over.

Nan Zhiyi plopped down beside Qin Xuan and looked at him curiously. “Why aren't you asleep too? Can't you sleep?”

“No, I'm going back in a little while,” Qin Xuan replied casually.

“Oh... all right.” Nan Zhiyi could not help sighing inwardly.

The three of them sat in silence, watching the fire dwindle lower and lower until only a thin ribbon of blue smoke remained. At last, Qin Xuan got up and prepared to head back.

“Alright then. Go back early and rest,” he said, patting both girls on the shoulder.

Then he turned and slipped away, afraid the two of them might start some new trouble again.

Unexpectedly, the moment he returned to the tent, he saw Liu Ruoxi propping herself up on an elbow and staring at him expressionlessly.

“Have fun?”

“Pretty much...”

“Hmph!” At his answer, Liu Ruoxi simply turned over and refused to look at him.

Qin Xuan scratched his head, moved behind her, and shook her shoulder. Seeing that she was still angry and ignoring him, he shamelessly persisted...

“You!” Liu Ruoxi sat up in exasperation. So annoying! Don't think I'll forgive you for this!

In the end, it was Qin Xuan, with his practiced skill in coaxing his girlfriend, who finally managed to ease the anger in Liu Ruoxi's heart.

“Make me something good when we get back!” Liu Ruoxi said, looking straight into Qin Xuan's eyes.

Qin Xuan hurriedly agreed.

“Fine! I'll make you good food for the rest of your life! Now sleep!” He pulled her down again and settled her back into bed.

But before long, not even the lights had been switched off when Qin Xuan heard the tent flap drawn open again, and Qin Lin'er and Nan Zhiyi came in.

“Oh my, Sister Xi, your side is still warm after all. You have no idea, it was freezing in our tent!” Qin Lin'er said as she burrowed into the blankets.

“Hey, hey, hey? What are you doing! Get out, there isn't enough room!” Liu Ruoxi was immediately squeezed all the way to the edge, the tent itself beginning to warp under the pressure, and she hurriedly shoved at her.

“It’s fine, we can fit!”

By the next day, Liu Ruoxi was rubbing her neck, feeling a little sore. Especially Nan Zhiyi! Even in her sleep she ground her teeth, waking her in the middle of the night.

“It’s still more comfortable in big brother's arms!” Qin Lin'er shoved Liu Ruoxi aside from the tent opening and clicked her tongue. No one knew how many times she'd kissed her big brother last night. It had been worth it!

Anyway, Qin Xuan only felt a little pain on his lips.

...

As an excellent feeder, breakfast certainly could not be perfunctory. After the group had simply washed up by the stream, Qin Xuan took out the ingredients he had prepared long ago and began simmering a pot of eight-treasure porridge. Thinking of the others happily drinking porridge, he felt deeply satisfied.

“Let's go take a stroll later!” Nan Zhiyi set down her bowl only to realize the porridge was already gone from the pot.

“Go where?” Liu Ruoxi was still happily eating pickles, looking around at their surroundings. Was there some mysterious place nearby?

“You'll know in a bit!” Nan Zhiyi said, wiping her mouth with a tissue before throwing it into the trash bag to take away later.

After breakfast, Nan Zhiyi led the group darting wildly through the woods.

“How much longer!” Qin Lin'er truly could not take it anymore. The weeds along the way had scratched several marks across the back of her hand, and she held it up pitifully to Qin Xuan, trying to seek comfort.

Qin Xuan gently rubbed it a few times. Fortunately it was only surface-level, a little red, with no skin broken.

“Almost there!” Nan Zhiyi pointed ahead not far away.

A few minutes later, Qin Lin'er stared wide-eyed at the only peach tree before them. It looked as if it would take at least a hundred years to grow so large. Now was the season when it was in bloom, and great masses of pink blossoms covered it, with the ground beneath also carpeted in petals.

The air was thick with fragrance. No wonder they had caught a faint scent earlier; so this was the source.

“This is...” she began.

“Pretty, right?” Nan Zhiyi said proudly. She had found it years ago while wandering around here on a trip, and at the time she had said she would bring her boyfriend here to see it someday. She stole a glance at Qin Xuan, who was admiring the blossoms. That should count too, right? No, it had to count.

When Liu Ruoxi saw this scene, she could not help taking out her phone to snap a few pictures.

“Qin Xuan!” She handed the phone to him as a signal.

Qin Xuan had not even finished taking a few photos before the girls were already clamoring to take one together. In the end, as Qin Xuan looked at the group of girls gathered around him in the picture, he thought: weren't they even prettier than the peach blossoms?

...

After a busy while, the group leaned against the peach tree and looked at one another, unable to help laughing.

Qin Xuan reached out and plucked a blossom petal from Liu Ruoxi's hair, then casually pinched her nose.

“Hey!” Liu Ruoxi smacked his hand away in irritation. “Annoying!”

Qin Lin'er and Nan Zhiyi exchanged a look, then both turned their heads aside. Single people couldn't stand this sort of thing.

Seeing them like that, Liu Ruoxi was almost laughing out loud.

By the time they returned to the campsite, it was only eleven o'clock. Without much thought, they simply decided to drive back. Mainly because there was no food left; the snacks and biscuits they had prepared were all gone...

Back in the car, Qin Lin'er sat in the rocking vehicle and soon began to feel sleepy, dozing off as she clutched Qin Xuan's arm.

“You caused trouble last night, and now you're paying for it!” Liu Ruoxi teased her when she saw her like that.

Qin Lin'er, hearing this, could not help savoring the memory. A total win!

It was no easy task getting back to the residential compound, and Nan Zhiyi was utterly exhausted. Looking at the two girls who had enjoyed Qin Xuan's massage all the way home, she could not help wondering why she did not get that待遇. Did the driver not deserve it?

After a great deal of effort, they finally carried everything back inside.

Then Qin Xuan was reduced to the humble role of... shoe-washing machine! He took on every pair of shoes the girls had.

Lunch was simply takeout, because they were too tired to cook.

“Qin Xuan! Come eat,” Liu Ruoxi called to him from the balcony where he was scrubbing shoes.

At her words, Qin Xuan set down Nan Zhiyi's shoes in his hand. This smell! Intense!

After lunch, the group simply went back to their rooms to sleep. Only Qin Xuan finished washing the shoes and left them to dry on the balcony before returning to the bedroom, where he saw Liu Ruoxi still lying there reading.

“Why are you still reading that stuff?” Qin Xuan glanced at the familiar cover and asked with amusement.

Liu Ruoxi lifted her head, gave him a glance, then lowered it again to keep reading. “Can't I learn a little? What if somebody dumps me someday?”

“I...” Qin Xuan directly snatched the book and tossed it aside. “That will definitely not happen!”

“Hmph! That's not certain! You men are all like this,” Liu Ruoxi muttered in defiance.

“I swear it!”

Qin Xuan could not bear to dump her.

Liu Ruoxi no longer paid him any mind and leaned against the cushion, playing on her phone.

Qin Xuan did not think much of it and climbed into bed, pulling her into his arms so she could rest against his chest.

“I think I'm getting fatter!” Liu Ruoxi suddenly looked up at Qin Xuan and said.

“No, you're not,” Qin Xuan said, pinching her hand. She was still the same as before.

“You don't understand!” Liu Ruoxi shoved him away, wondering whether she should start exercising more seriously. Then she turned and saw Qin Xuan's indifferent expression and wanted to punch him!

Forget it. She'd have to rely on herself. Liu Ruoxi put on her shoes and ran out with rapid little steps, leaving Qin Xuan baffled.

More than half an hour passed and she still had not come back, and Qin Xuan could no longer resist the urge to call her.

Just then, he suddenly heard the door open, and then saw Liu Ruoxi returning with a bathroom scale in her arms.

“You...”

Qin Xuan was truly speechless. Was this really necessary, sis?

Liu Ruoxi ignored him, set it directly on the floor, and then Qin Xuan heard her exclamation.

“Ah! I'm already 105 jin!”

Looking at the number on the display, Liu Ruoxi thought of how she had always hovered around 100 jin in the past.

“That's not fat...” Qin Xuan did not know why girls were so fixated on weight. At this tiny weight... if word got out, people might think he wasn't feeding her.

“I told you that you wouldn't understand!” Liu Ruoxi thought of the weight she had struggled so hard to maintain, only to be unable to escape Qin Xuan's cooking in the end.

“I think it would be better if you gained a little more. This isn't healthy,” Qin Xuan comforted her.

“Shut up. If I get fat, what if you start disliking me later?” Liu Ruoxi thought stubbornly. Being thinner was still giving you face! And you're unhappy about it?

“Alright, alright, it's your call!” Qin Xuan was helpless and simply sat up to play on the computer.

Not paying attention for a moment, when Qin Xuan turned back around he saw Liu Ruoxi doing slimming exercises on the floor.

He looked on with utter resignation.

“From now on, make fewer high-calorie dishes!” Liu Ruoxi said to him after turning her head.

“Okay!” Though he did not know exactly which ones counted, hadn't she always eaten them so happily before? Hah. Women.

By the time Liu Ruoxi was tired from exercising and flopped onto the bed, wiping sweat from her forehead with a towel, she saw Qin Xuan still gaming and could not resist teasing him.

“When you get fat someday, let's see what you do then!”

“Come on, how could I possibly get fat?” Qin Xuan flexed his arm muscles. If he were a pig, he'd still be lean meat, all right?

“Don't get cocky! You'll regret it when the time comes!” Liu Ruoxi laughed, then put the towel over his head and left it hanging there.

Qin Xuan had been playing happily enough, but with the towel blocking his view, the screen went dark again...

“Liu Ruoxi!”

...

That evening, after eating outside and wandering into the familiar night market, Qin Lin'er still had to have her daily chicken leg.

And Liu Ruoxi, looking at the girls with milk tea in their left hands and skewers in their right, could not help feeling tempted herself.

Qin Lin'er noticed Liu Ruoxi glancing at her from time to time and kindly handed her a lamb skewer, even bringing it to her lips as if to feed her.

“I... won't eat it!” Liu Ruoxi gritted her teeth. But why did you have to make it smell so good?

“All right. If you don't eat enough, how will you have the strength to lose weight?” Qin Xuan took the lamb skewer and helplessly stuffed it into Liu Ruoxi's hand.

“Eat it. One skewer won't do much!”

Looking at Qin Xuan's comforting gaze, Liu Ruoxi finally gave in. She bit gently into a piece of meat, and the fragrance burst instantly across her mouth. Oh my! So delicious! What kind of weight loss was this supposed to be?

Qin Xuan watched as she finished one skewer in a few bites, then turned her eyes toward him, and he smiled before handing her another skewer from the bag.

But Liu Ruoxi shook her head, then reached out and took the bag from Qin Xuan's hand.

You've really got it! Qin Xuan looked at the single skewer left in his hand and decided he'd just eat it himself.

“Qin Xuan~” Chewing her food, Liu Ruoxi said to him, “milk tea...”

Qin Xuan slapped a hand to his forehead helplessly. Right, he'd forgotten about that!

Looking at the three girls happily eating in front of him, he thought: this was what a proper feeder looked like.

Back home, Liu Ruoxi covered her stomach and leaned against the sofa, really unable to drink any more.

She casually handed the milk tea to Qin Xuan, her meaning clear enough.

Qin Xuan took it without complaint and finished the rest in a few gulps. Perhaps this was the fate of anyone without a boyfriend.

“Brother!” Seeing that, Qin Lin'er raised her brows and handed him the chicken leg she had not finished either.

That night, Qin Xuan ate until he was stuffed.

Back in the bedroom, Liu Ruoxi looked at the scale on the floor and felt a little helpless. Forget it. She'd just toss it in the corner and let it gather dust.

Seeing her expression, Qin Xuan said, “It's fine. Even if you turn into a fat girl, I still won't dislike you.”

“You have no right to say that! Just think about how skinny you used to be, like a bamboo pole. I never disliked you!” Liu Ruoxi retorted indignantly at his words.

Qin Xuan felt a bit wronged. That was because when he was little, he loved eating junk food, so he had stayed thin! Besides, hadn't he put on weight later? Wait. No!

“You used to like me?” Qin Xuan reacted at last and reached out to pinch her little face.

“Of course! Otherwise why would I give you all the meat at lunch every day?”

Back when they were still in school and eating in the cafeteria, every noon Liu Ruoxi would claim she did not like meat and pass all of it into Qin Xuan's bowl. Qin Xuan had thought she truly did not like it. So that was how it was.