Chapter 14

You Still Don’t Wash Your Socks

The scenery in the desert was monotonous, with endless stretches of yellow as far as the eye could see.

Occasionally, a strong gust of wind would sweep up the sand, sending it swirling high into the air.

Lin Senmu and Jiang Yuan were riding together in a dune buggy, racing across the sandy terrain.

Wherever they went, it looked like thick smoke rising from the ground as the sand chased after the tires.

“Jiang Yuan, how about a photo together?”

Lin Senmu stopped the dune buggy and enthusiastically suggested.

“No!”

At times like this, the reserved girl always felt a bit shy because there were other tourists around enjoying the scenery.

“Come on, come on!”

Lin Senmu kept urging, pulling out his phone and aiming the camera at the two of them. With a click, he captured a photo of them together.

“It didn’t turn out well. My eyes are squinting. Give me the phone; I’ll take it.”

Jiang Yuan looked at the photo and immediately pouted in dissatisfaction.

“Click, click!”

After finding the right angle, Lin Senmu smiled while Jiang Yuan made a peace sign, and they took another photo that satisfied both of them.

Not long after, having finished touring the desert and the poplar forest, Jiang Yuan said, “Lin Senmu, shall I accompany you back to see the Heavenly Lake?”

“Sure!”

The Heavenly Lake in the Western Regions was originally the first destination on Lin Senmu’s travel list.

But fearing he might miss the girl again, he had no heart to appreciate the scenery of the Heavenly Lake and came straight to find her without stopping.

After some twists and turns, they returned to this place.

The scenery here was breathtaking, with forests and grasslands, glaciers and snow-capped mountains, all blending into a single cultural landscape.

Lin Senmu and Jiang Yuan hiked along the Heavenly Lake boardwalk. The fresh air carried by the wind made breathing feel smooth and easy.

Looking up, they saw snow-covered mountains; looking down, they saw the shimmering surface of the lake.

The mountains and the lake complemented each other, accompanied by the golden hues of the setting sun. Walking here felt like stepping into a natural painting.

Having been here before, Jiang Yuan acted like a tour guide, explaining to Lin Senmu, “This place was called the Jade Pool in ancient times. That mountain is called Horsetooth Mountain. Over there is the Western Regions Folk Culture Park, and there’s the Queen Mother Temple with a statue of the Queen Mother…”

“Impressive! You’ve got a great memory. You’re repeating everything the tour guide told me.”

Lin Senmu gave a thumbs-up.

“Of course.”

Jiang Yuan’s face showed a hint of pride.

Lin Senmu and Jiang Yuan continued walking while enjoying the scenery, taking many photos along the way.

There were thousand-year-old ice peaks covered in silver, lush grasslands where cattle and sheep grazed, and emerald forests where birds soared…

There was him, and there was her!

The scenery they saw after crossing mountains and valleys was stunningly beautiful, but it was also incredibly tiring.

After visiting the Queen Mother Temple and listening to the myths, Lin Senmu and Jiang Yuan took a boat ride on the lake.

Viewing the surrounding scenery from the lake offered a different perspective, and they couldn’t help but take more photos, though the angles were quite different.

“I’m so hungry and tired, Lin Senmu.”

After a full day of traveling, Jiang Yuan climbed into the RV, kicked off her flat shoes, and flopped onto the bed, refusing to get up.

Lin Senmu quietly admired the girl’s slender calves, her fair thighs, and the white socks that wrapped her delicate feet.

“Huh? Lin Senmu, why are you so quiet?”

Jiang Yuan seemed to sense something and rolled over from her prone position.

Lin Senmu quickly averted his gaze and calmly said, “What do you want to eat or drink? I’ll get it for you.”

When he and Jiang Yuan planned a self-driving trip, they went to the city’s supermarket to buy a lot of snacks, drinks, and self-heating hot pots to satisfy their hunger.

“I want to drink orange juice and have the self-heating mini hot pot we bought at noon, the one without spicy dishes.”

Jiang Yuan blinked her eyes, casting a seductive glance at Lin Senmu. He had to serve the lazy Yuan Yuan and give her a little treat!

Lin Senmu was so mesmerized that he almost bumped his head against the corner wall inside the car.

“Gee, Lin Senmu, you’re so silly!”

Jiang Yuan burst into a fit of delicate laughter.

“Here!”

Lin Senmu took out a bottle of orange juice from the shopping bag and tossed it toward the bed where Jiang Yuan was lying.

Then he carried two mini hot pots to the dining table, one with a tomato broth and the other with a spicy broth.

After opening the packaging and taking out the ingredients, Lin Senmu placed the heating pack at the bottom, then poured cold water into the bottom layer and the hot pot in sequence.

“All set, wait fifteen minutes and we can eat!”

Lin Senmu tidied up the trash on the table.

“Lin Senmu, you’re so amazing!”

Jiang Yuan looked at him with adoration.

Having developed some resistance to the girl’s beauty, Lin Senmu said with a hint of annoyance, “Cut it out, you’re just buttering me up. Are you going to make me bring the hot pot to your bedside when it’s ready?”

Jiang Yuan shyly covered her face and cooed, “Lin Senmu, I know you’re the best. If you’re willing, I don’t mind!”

Lin Senmu’s defenses were shattered once again.

When the hot pot was ready, he brought it to Jiang Yuan’s side, grumbling, “I really can’t do anything about you!”

“Hehe, Hungry Yuan Yuan is online!”

Jiang Yuan giggled, stretching her legs to the floor and sitting on the edge of the bed to eat the hot pot placed on a small stool.

Lin Senmu’s drink was cola.

He didn’t mind whether it was Coca-Cola or Pepsi, but this time he bought Pepsi.

Jiang Yuan reminded him, “You should drink less cola. I heard it’s not good for boys!”

“Oh, then how about you let me have a sip of your orange juice?”

Lin Senmu ate a slice of spicy beef, his eyes fixed on the girl.

“No way!”

Jiang Yuan immediately hid the orange juice behind her back, her beautiful eyes alertly watching him. Lin Senmu, the master of schemes, wanted to drink from her bottle again!

After the meal, Lin Senmu and Jiang Yuan huddled together to plan the route and attractions for their trip the next day.

By the time they finished making plans for the next day, the sky had gradually darkened.

Following the principle of ladies first, Lin Senmu let Jiang Yuan take the first shower.

However, half an hour passed, and Lin Senmu, seeing the water tank was almost empty, hurriedly urged, “Jiang Yuan, why are you taking so long to shower today?”

“Girls always take a long time to shower.”

Jiang Yuan took a long time to shower, partly for that reason.

Another reason was that she washed her hair. After sweating in the summer, she didn’t want her hair to have any unpleasant odor.

Actually, she mainly wanted to present her best self to the boy she had met on this journey.

Although Jiang Yuan herself hadn’t yet realized this thought.

“That shouldn’t be the case. Didn’t you finish in just a few minutes on the train?”

Lin Senmu found it very strange.

“That was because the door lock was broken.”

Jiang Yuan rolled her eyes in the bathroom.

“But the water is almost out.”

Lin Senmu reminded her.

“Alright, I’ll come out now.”

Jiang Yuan dried her long hair with a towel and said somewhat apologetically, “Lin Senmu, is there enough water left for you to shower?”

“I’ll be done in a minute!”

Lin Senmu ducked into the bathroom, which was filled with steam and the lingering fragrance of a girl’s shower.

This was a perk he had secured for himself under the principle of ladies first.

After Lin Senmu finished his shower, Jiang Yuan noticed there was still some water left in the tank and tossed the summer clothes she had changed out of into the washing machine.

Seeing the clothes Lin Senmu had casually thrown on the chair, she stuffed them into the washing machine as well, then took her underwear and went back into the bathroom.

However, as soon as she stepped inside, her annoyed voice echoed from within, “Lin Senmu, you didn’t wash your socks and underwear again!!”

“Just leave them there, I’ll change into a new set tomorrow and wash them together!”

Lin Senmu was gambling, betting that he wouldn’t have to wash them.