Chapter 36

“Get lost!”

Before Yu Ze could finish speaking, Wen Jiunian had already pulled over and pointed at the door.

Yu Ze suddenly remembered the saying “too much is as bad as too little” and, fearing that Wen Jiunian might really throw him out onto the street, quickly smiled and tried to appease him. He put his hands together in a pleading gesture and sincerely admitted his mistake, “I was wrong, bro, I was wrong, really wrong.”

Wen Jiunian rolled his eyes and continued driving. Before long, they arrived in front of Yu Ze’s home. As soon as Yu Ze saw his house, his worries disappeared. He got out of the car without a care and leaned against the car window. “Tsk, tsk, tsk, you’re such a closet case.”

“You wanna die?” Wen Jiunian was not one to tolerate nonsense. He immediately grabbed a bottle of mineral water and threw it at Yu Ze, hitting him squarely on the forehead before it bounced off onto the ground. Yu Ze was completely stunned.

“Pour the water out along with the nonsense in your head and throw it in the trash!” Wen Jiunian said before driving off, leaving Yu Ze choking on a mouthful of dust just as he was about to retort.

Yu Ze: “…This guy really can’t take a joke!”

Then, he suddenly realized something and pointed in Wen Jiunian’s direction, shouting, “You’re the trash! Your brain is the one full of water!”

“Who the hell is yelling like a ghost in the middle of the night?”

Yu Ze immediately covered his mouth, looked around to make sure no one was paying attention, and hurried home. After a few steps, he realized something was off. He turned back, picked up the discarded water bottle, and tossed it into the trash can, cursing Wen Jiunian in his head at least a dozen times. But as he thought about spending the whole day tomorrow with a gorgeous girl, he felt giddy with excitement, humming a little tune as he walked into his house.

——

Meanwhile, Lin Nanzhi returned to the hotel, freshened up, uploaded her photos to her computer, and sent them to her mother. After setting an alarm, she went straight to bed.

At seven in the morning, the alarm rang. She got up, washed up, packed her things, and changed into a clean, fresh dress. She also put on a cute hat adorned with two sunflowers, making her look cheerful and full of energy.

When she went downstairs, she saw that both Yu Ze and Wen Jiunian were already there. She smiled and greeted them before heading to check out.

Wen Jiunian took a glance at the young girl’s outfit, feeling even more certain that she was quite young. Without a word, he stepped forward to help carry her suitcase.

“It’s a bit late today, so we’ll first visit the World Natural Heritage sites ‘Three Natural Bridges’ and ‘Fairy Mountain Park.’ In the evening, we’ll stay at a hotel near Peach Blossom Spring and explore it early the next morning.”

“I’m fine with anything. You’re the tour guide, so I’ll follow your lead.”

The Three Natural Bridges is a 5A scenic spot, with a glass observation deck overlooking the sinkhole. Visitors then take a vertical elevator straight down to the bottom, which is an awe-inspiring sight.

Fairy Mountain is surrounded by lush greenery and light mist, making it feel like a fairyland. As the mist cleared, it revealed vast, verdant grasslands, with the scent of soil and fresh grass filling the air, creating a serene atmosphere.

—-

The next day, they visited Peach Blossom Spring, surrounded by mountains and forests, with crystal-clear lakes reflecting the blue sky and white clouds. Wooden houses stood by the water, with peach blossom trees in front, giving the place a timeless charm—like stepping into the era of Guo Jing and Huang Rong, inspiring dreams of becoming a reclusive martial arts hero.

On the third day, they explored an ancient town, where a long slate path ran through the entire settlement, lined with traditional wooden stilt houses. The place was quiet and largely free of tourists, exuding a mysterious atmosphere, as if a hidden master of ancient secrets lived there.

The morning was delightful, but in the afternoon, they visited a scenic river gallery. While on the boat, Lin Nanzhi started feeling seasick, her face turning pale. Wen Jiunian opened a bottle of mineral water and handed it to her. “Drink some water—it might help.”

Lin Nanzhi took the bottle and sipped the water. Though it didn’t do much, she still thanked him politely.

With other people around, she couldn’t just take out the special water from her personal storage, so she endured the discomfort until the boat trip ended. During this time, Yu Ze was responsible for taking photos, while Wen Jiunian silently took care of Lin Nanzhi.

After getting off the boat, Lin Nanzhi found a tree to sit under, taking deep breaths to recover. Though she still felt slightly nauseous, it was much better than being on the boat.

Suddenly, she wondered—was building a tourist attraction like this too unfriendly to people who get seasick?

“Feeling better?” Wen Jiunian asked.

“Much better, thanks.”

“If I had known you get seasick, I wouldn’t have brought you here.”

“It’s okay. Getting seasick was worth it for the beautiful view. But I won’t be coming back again,” Lin Nanzhi joked. She figured that while she might regret missing out, she definitely wouldn’t want to go through that experience a second time.

“Fair point.”

“Since you’re not feeling well, let’s just head straight to our accommodation and rest. We can visit other places tomorrow.”

“Sounds good.”

Fortunately, there was another route back that didn’t require taking the boat again. To avoid making Lin Nanzhi carsick as well, they decided to walk back.

Once in her room, Lin Nanzhi quickly drank some of her special spring water, instantly getting rid of her nausea and dizziness. Taking a deep breath, she looked out the window, thinking about all the places she had yet to visit.

That evening, Wen Jiunian called her down for dinner. Since they were staying at a guesthouse, they ate whatever the owner cooked.

Lin Nanzhi had just taken a bath, so she wore a pair of shorts that revealed her long, fair legs—smooth, straight, and enough to make any leg enthusiast swoon. She paired them with a simple white T-shirt, and her chestnut-brown hair was tied up in a messy bun, exposing her delicate face. The moment she appeared, she drew attention.

“Nanzhi, over here!”

Since it was a shared dining area, there were other guests as well. Lin Nanzhi didn’t recognize them, so she simply smiled and nodded before sitting next to Yu Ze. As soon as she sat down, Wen Jiunian placed a bowl of millet porridge in front of her.

“Drink some porridge first—it’ll warm your stomach and help you feel better.”

Lin Nanzhi beamed at him. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

She sipped the porridge slowly while eyeing the delicious-looking dishes on the table. Finishing her porridge quickly, she eagerly began tasting the food, her eyes lighting up as she found it just as delicious as she had imagined. She then continued eating with great enthusiasm.

—-

After dinner, everyone sat together, chatting about where they were from and what had brought them to the capital. At some point, the conversation turned to Lin Nanzhi, but when they looked over, they saw her reclining in her chair, head resting on the backrest, fast asleep.

“You guys keep chatting. I’ll take her to rest,” Wen Jiunian said as he picked her up and carried her upstairs.

Yu Ze, who had just been about to do the same: “…???”

What just happened?

He abandoned the conversation and followed them upstairs. Crossing his arms, he smirked at Wen Jiunian. “Old Wen, you’re shameless. Ever heard the saying, ‘A friend’s girl is off-limits’?”

“Maybe you should drain the water from your brain first,” Wen Jiunian replied, looking at him with pure disdain before walking away.

“What do you mean by that?”

Yu Ze tried to chase after him but was shut out, nearly hitting his nose against the door.

“Closet case!”

He muttered, recalling how Wen Jiunian had previously denied any interest but was now acting all touchy-feely.

“Guys like you are doomed to be single forever…”

Just as he was about to continue, the door suddenly opened again. Wen Jiunian’s cold, piercing gaze sent a chill down his spine, making Yu Ze instantly retreat into his own room.

With a loud bang, Wen Jiunian shut the door, and Yu Ze finally let out a breath of relief.