On a rainy night, the school beauty knocked on my door and asked for shelter

"Alright, we're full!" Zhou Yue put down her cup, her eyes sparkling as she looked around. "Today's a day for pure fun! Free time! Everyone, please give us your opinions!"

Wang Lan was the first to respond, her gaze fixed on the stream not far away: "Is that even a question? We should just go upstream!"

"How about we let Xinghe guide us? After all, he's an expert," Li Zhe said, looking at Shen Xinghe.

Upon hearing this, everyone's gaze immediately and unanimously fell upon Shen Xinghe.

He had been here before and knew this place best.

Shen Xinghe felt everyone's gaze, slowly put down his water glass, and said in a cool voice, "The scenery upstream is indeed better. There's a section of the riverbank covered with pebbles that have been smoothed by the water, and it's very clean. If anyone is interested, you can try 'Barefoot Day' today."

"Barefoot Day?" Lin Xiaoxiao repeated curiously.

“Hmm.” Shen Xinghe nodded, his gaze sweeping over everyone. “The soil, grass, and stones in the streams here are mostly smooth and without sharp edges. Walking barefoot is like a foot massage. You can feel the temperature of the ground, the coolness of the stream, and the softness of the moss more directly on the soles of your feet. It can help you relax your body and mind more quickly and is more comfortable than any massage.”

He paused, then added, "Of course, you can bring slippers and wear them when you encounter difficult roads."

This fresh and somewhat back-to-basics suggestion immediately piqued everyone's interest.

"That sounds great!" Zhou Yue was the first to respond. "It'll make you feel more natural! I agree!"

"Hehe, this is fun! I've wanted to try walking barefoot on stones for a long time!" Wang Lan said, bending down to untie her shoelaces.

Su Yuqing looked at Chen Mo, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.

Chen Mo smiled at her: "If you want to try, then try. I'll go with you."

Although Zhao Ya was a little shy, seeing that everyone was eager to try, she nodded slightly.

With everyone in agreement, they quickly tidied up the campsite, and under Shen Xinghe's leadership, they all took off their shoes and socks.

When their feet were finally freed from the confines of shoes and socks and touched the cool, soft grass for the first time, almost everyone let out a satisfied sigh.

The tips of the grass tickled the soles of my feet, bringing a slight itch that traveled through my skin to my nerve endings.

Wang Lan was the first to eagerly jump onto the smooth pebbles on the stream bank.

"Wow!" He flinched slightly as his foot touched the cool, dew-covered stone, but quickly regained his footing and grinned, "That's awesome!"

He began to step on several uneven large rocks like a child, feeling the natural foot massage.

Li Zhe, on the other hand, was much more cautious. He first tentatively touched the surface of the rock with his toes, feeling the smooth and slightly cool touch, before slowly placing his entire foot on it.

Zhou Yue and Lin Xiaoxiao supported each other as they carefully took their first step.

"Wow, it feels so amazing!" Lin Xiaoxiao exclaimed softly, her toes curling and spreading uncomfortably as she felt the suppleness of the grass and the granular texture of the sand.

“This is a free, all-natural foot massage,” Zhou Yue said with a smile. She had already gotten used to the feeling and began to use the soles of her feet to feel the different textures of the ground—the soft mossy area, the dry sandy area, and the stone slab area that had been polished exceptionally smooth by the flow of water.

Shen Xinghe was already used to this method. He walked barefoot in front, his steps light and steady.

Chen Mo looked at Su Yuqing and gently took her hand. Su Yuqing lowered her head slightly and moved her feet carefully. Her fair insteps were slightly reddish in the sunlight, and her ankles were slender and delicate.

She first stepped onto a thick layer of moss, and the soft, moist touch made her eyes widen in surprise. She looked up at Chen Mo, silently conveying her novel joy.

Soon, she tried to gently dip one foot into the shallow water of the stream. The cool water washed over her instep, and she let out a soft "ah." Then, a pure smile bloomed on her face as her toes gently stirred in the clear water, creating ripples.

Chen Mo followed her into the water with a smile and strolled with her in the stream.

"The stream water is so cool, but it feels so comfortable." Su Yuqing chuckled and wiggled her toes, enjoying the feel of the pebbles at the bottom of the pool.

Chen Mo smiled at her, saying nothing, simply guarding her quietly.

In the morning light, Su Yuqing, who was as happy as a child, seemed so lovely and touching.

Zhao Ya followed quietly behind, choosing to walk on the slightly drier, flatter muddy ground. The warm, dry touch from the soles of her feet gave her a sense of inexplicable peace of mind.

She occasionally looked up and could see the faint imprints left by Shen Xinghe's bare feet in front of her.

And so, the group, barefoot, began their true journey of exploring the valley with their bodies.

The feeling of walking barefoot is far more wonderful than I imagined.

The initial coldness and slight stinging sensation quickly subsided, replaced by an unprecedented sense of freedom, a feeling of being intimately connected with the earth.

Every inch of skin on the soles of my feet became a sensitive detector, faithfully transmitting a wealth of information: the soft, moist moss, the slippery, restrictive mud, the smooth, hard pebbles, the cool, refreshing stream water...

Wang Lan adapted the fastest, already jumping and skipping on the big rocks by the stream like a child who had discovered a new continent, exclaiming, "Hey! This is much more fun than the pebble path in the foot massage parlor!"

Li Zhe, on the other hand, appeared much more composed. He walked slowly, occasionally squatting down to take out his phone and snap close-up photos.

Zhou Yue and Lin Xiaoxiao linked arms, acting as each other's balance supports, and playfully walked on various terrains, sometimes on grass, sometimes in streams, and sometimes on the muddy ground by the stream.

"You two be careful." Seeing their unpredictable way of walking, Li Zhe couldn't help but remind them.

As soon as he finished speaking, Lin Xiaoxiao stepped into a patch of particularly soft mud, her foot sinking a little deep. "Ouch!" she exclaimed, then found it amusing and giggled.

Zhou Yue was particularly fond of a stone path that had been washed smooth by the water, making it as smooth as a mirror. She walked back and forth on it several times, enjoying its extreme smoothness.

Shen Xinghe walked at the front, and every time he reached a certain point, he would stop to take a deep breath, close his eyes to meditate, and feel the world around him.

He looks like a Taoist priest.

After all, the point of going out to play is to experience nature, there's no need to rush.

The group walked along the babbling brook, stepping on a natural foot massage path, laughing and joking, stopping and starting at a leisurely pace, but full of enjoyment of nature.

The further upstream you go, the denser the vegetation becomes, and the louder and clearer the sound of the stream grows. (End of Chapter)