(1)
The pickup truck wasn’t going fast, but the wind still howled against their faces, the roadside trees whipping backward one after another, forming a long line.
This was a small pickup truck about the size of a van, with only the driver’s and passenger’s seats in front, and an open truck bed in the back.
In the truck bed, some spoiled oranges and rotten vegetable leaves still lingered, as if they’d been pickled in place.
Even without carrying anything, the mixed scent of vegetable leaves and fruit was unmistakable.
It felt like walking into a vegetable market.
A few simple wooden stools and chairs served as everyone’s seats.
Though rough, they added a certain charm.
“Convertible sports cars and pickup truck beds aren’t much different, huh,” Anjing even sighed with a hint of admiration.
“A super rough version of a sports car?”
Zhu Ying chuckled lightly.
“Something like that?”
“I think Jackie Chan had a movie where they shot scenes on a truck moving while people fought on top,” Fang Qiang excitedly waved his fists, even standing up. “They were fighting nonstop. If someone tried to jump on, they’d get kicked off. Then Jackie Chan himself almost got kicked off and had to jump to another truck quickly.”
“A Qiang, act it out!”
Sun Wei started egging him on.
“I’m not Jackie Chan! Besides, I’d need a similar pickup to jump on!” Fang Qiang retorted.
“What about that truck?”
“That one’s for transporting pigs!”
“No worries, you’re not much different from a pig anyway.”
“You little—”
Fang Qiang and Sun Wei began wrestling again, performing a rough wrestling match in the truck bed.
Zhou Chao in the passenger seat leaned out and shouted back, “Hey—sit down properly, alright? Don’t stand up!”
“Yeah, it’s dangerous,” Zhang Qiqi glared at the two with no patience.
“How old are you guys? Still acting like children? Hold the railings tight. We’ll be there soon. Behave.”
“Where are the railings?”
“The side guardrails!”
“Knock it off, if anything happens, it’ll be a big problem,” Yang Lingfei also advised.
“Even at just sixty kilometers per hour, falling off could break bones.”
“Fine, I’ll beat you up once we get off.”
Fang Qiang released his grip.
“Bring it on, I’ll use both hands!”
“Alright then, let me show you my Foshan Shadowless Kick!”
“You wish! I have the Tianshan Plum Blossom Hand!”
“…I have a super lollipop,” Anjing rolled her eyes to the sky.
The topic quickly veered toward Pig Hero.
Sun Wei began singing the most popular part with his terrible voice: “Smart, brave, and strong, I really admire myself.”
“You’re singing a song?”
“Alright, alright, you try.”
“I won’t sing. Such a childish cartoon—I didn’t even watch that in kindergarten!”
“Cough…”
Just as Yang Lingfei wanted to sing a couple of lines, he handed the lyrics back and asked, “Do you guys know the theme song of Rainbow Cat and Blue Rabbit?”
“That one’s kinda hard.”
Sun Wei scratched his head.
“I can’t even remember the lyrics.”
“In my heart… it’s just him, no matter in dreams… three thousand falling flowers…”
Wang Xinru softly hummed. “Is that it?”
“That’s the ending theme,” Sun Wei said, scratching his head some more.
“Yeah, I think it’s the ending too,” Yang Lingfei nodded.
“Haha, I know the opening song!”
Fang Qiang took a deep breath and howled with his bull-like voice, “How—ever—it—will—be—!! A—life—time—!!!!”
Anjing covered her ears.
“My ears are going to go deaf…”
“Fang Qiang’s voice is way too loud,” Zhu Ying smiled helplessly.
“Unbearable! With your singing skills, if you shouted that in a cattle shed, the cows would be so mad they’d start talking!”
Zhang Qiqi snapped, “Shut up! Let me sing for you. Who sings like that?”
“What? This song needs to be powerful.”
“But the beginning is obviously lyrical—”
Zhang Qiqi gave Fang Qiang a sharp look, cleared her throat, and sang firmly, “How ever it will be~ a life time.”
“No power, it should have the feeling of a chivalrous hero.”
“You’re not a chivalrous hero at all!”
“You know nothing about the Jianghu!”
Fang Qiang put his hand on Sun Wei’s shoulder.
“Right, Awei? A Jianghu hero has to have boldness, full of heroic spirit.”
“You sound more like Mongolian cavalry!”
“Hahaha,” Yang Lingfei laughed so hard he was shaking, barely able to sit still.
Zhou Chao’s uncle gripped the steering wheel, slowly adjusting the angle.
“It’s pretty lively back there.”
“When everyone goes out together, it’s bound to be lively.”
“Hey, which one in there is your current girlfriend?” he asked.
“Ha, uncle, guess.”
“I’ll bet fifty cents on the short one with big eyes and two beauty marks under her eyes being your girlfriend.”
“Damn, uncle, that’s a guy.”
“What? Seriously? You’re not joking with me? I thought the taller one looked pretty enough.”
“Of course it’s true.”
“The world’s full of surprises… Okay, I’ll guess again—oh, the tall and skinny one is your girlfriend. Definitely her! Her personality totally suits you.”
“Why would she suit me?”
“Cheerful and generous, and dominant enough to keep you in line.”
“Uncle, you can tell all that just by looking?”
“Who do you think I am? After decades of living, I’m not clueless. So, did I get it right?”
“All wrong. I don’t have a girlfriend at all.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
“Then I get it—the tall one is your next target.”
“Damn, I don’t have to find a girlfriend, do I?”
“Don’t I know you? So fickle! If there’s no woman around for half a month, you’d be scratching your heart to death.”
“Uncle, I think you should hurry up and find one yourself.”
“Sigh, then you can introduce someone to me later.”
“You want to hit on minors now?”
“Just introduce me to the young teachers at your school!”
“…Fine.”
“Really?”
“I’ll talk about it when I get to high school.”
“Hahaha—”
***
(2)
Though the truck bed was bumpy, no one felt dizzy.
Probably because it was open enough to breathe fresh air.
Especially when the wind swept their faces without holding back—that feeling was even better than chewing ten pieces of gum.
The truck finally slowed and stopped at the foot of the same mountain they’d been to before.
Although it was only the second time, a familiar feeling had already set in.
“Get off! Get off!”
Zhou Chao was the first to jump from the passenger seat, waving his hands vigorously.
“Watch out, don’t get off on that side. Get off on the mountain side!”
Fang Qiang jumped out nimbly, and Sun Wei followed with a flip, almost twisting his ankle on landing—but luckily, the big guy nearby caught him.
“Xiaojing, catch me~”
“Huh? I… ah—ah—”
Anjing didn’t have time to react before Zhu Ying closed her eyes and jumped down, scaring her into stepping forward with arms wide open.
The petite girl crashed directly into her arms, causing her to stagger back two steps.
Fang Qiang and Zhou Chao each grabbed one of Anjing’s shoulders, preventing both from falling.
“Hehe, caught you, right?”
Zhu Ying lifted her rosy face and rubbed her chin lightly against Anjing’s cheek.
“I thought you’d fall.”
“It’s dangerous, okay… there are fields right next to us.”
“That just shows how much I trust you.”
“Don’t trust me so much in this area, please!”
Zhou Chao said with a deliberately expressionless face, “Anjing, the pickup’s headlights seem broken. Why don’t you go up front and check for me?”
“Why turn on headlights during broad daylight?”
“He means if you keep showing off your lovey-dovey stuff, you’ll get us all killed,” Sun Wei laughed beside them.
“Haha—Zhou Chao also has his days to tease others.”
“Tsk, but watching other people’s love life is way more interesting,” Zhou Chao clicked his tongue, his smile returning.
Next to the truck, Yang Lingfei climbed down. He extended his hand in a gentlemanly manner and asked, “Can you two get down? Need me to help?”
“My legs are long.”
Zhang Qiqi nimbly jumped down and turned to look at Wang Xinru behind her.
“Uh… Wang Xinru? Need help?”
Wang Xinru glanced lightly at Anjing before fixing her gaze on Yang Lingfei, her bitter-sweet smile still faintly present.
“Xiaoru, don’t worry, jump! Xiaojing and I will catch you!”
“I can get down myself.”
Wang Xinru shook her head gently and sat calmly in the truck bed, then used her hands to slowly lower her legs before standing steadily on the ground.
Yang Lingfei awkwardly withdrew his hand and pretended to be distracted by a sparrow on a branch.
“Stop daydreaming, let’s head up the mountain!”
“Do we still have to do some cleaning today?”
Sun Wei sighed heavily with a touch of melody in his voice. “Sigh~~”
“We cleaned before. Today just a little sweeping will do,” Zhang Qiqi turned around, heading uphill backwards.
“We’re staying for a few days, so if you want to live comfortably, we need to keep things tidy.”
“Perfect. You get a free laborer every year.”
“Maybe not next year!”
“When do we leave? The night of the Lantern Festival?”
“Let’s just leave the morning after the Lantern Festival.”
Fang Qiang seemed eager to play a few more days.
“You idiot, there’ll be classes that day.”
“Then we’ll just go straight from here.”
“Nonsense, I didn’t even bring my uniform.”
“No problem, we’ll drive to your place, super quick.”
“Come on! I didn’t bring all my winter homework either!”
“Speaking of which—who brought their homework? Lend me some CC.”
“Don’t look at me, I didn’t bring any.”
“What about Wang Wang?”
“…Nope.”
“Damn, Zhang Qiqi and Zhu Ying probably didn’t bring any either?”
“I finished mine early.”
Zhang Qiqi shot him a sidelong glance.
“I brought mine.”
Zhou Chao sighed as if he expected this.
“I brought homework for every subject. I’ll give you some later.”
“Damn, only Chao is reliable!”
“Let me have some too!”
“Take whatever you want. With your level, just get by.”
“Damn, I’ll try harder next year, I’ll repeat a grade!”
“Cut that out…”