A Young Woman's Heart

"Damn, when did you perform at your bar? Are all the girls dressed so nicely?" Zhou Yong asked excitedly.

“…Zhou Yong, something’s not right with you. You weren’t this much of a womanizer before.” Le Tingfeng glanced at him sideways. “You don’t mean you don’t want to be with your older sister girlfriend anymore, do you?”

"Cough cough..."

"Actually, Xiaoxue's outfit was the most interesting, haha, she drank a lot of alcohol that day."

"Mom! Why didn't you tell me about something so interesting?!" Zhou Yong jokingly shouted at Mo Xueyao.

Although he was usually very talkative among the boys, he became quite shy and hesitant to speak when he was around pretty girls like Mo Xueyao.

Now that we've gotten to know each other better, and with the unrequited love gone, he's become much more cheerful and often makes jokes about her.

"Who's your mother... Go away..." Mo Xueyao rolled her eyes, straightened her legs and leaned back.

Duanmu Ji, standing beside him, gave him a disapproving sidelong glance.

Actually, he wasn't originally sitting next to her, but Xiaoxue was called to the front to chat by Gao Yuan, so she switched places with Duanmu Ji.

Having a wooden figure sitting next to me is fine; at least I can enjoy the scenery by myself.

I put on the headphones, and the tape in the tape player began to slowly spin.

This is a cassette tape I bought from a roadside stall. It contains melodious and soothing music, perfect for listening to during a long journey.

The roadside trees and towering mountains beside me seemed to fall backward one by one, the sky a blinding white, dotted with a few streaks of gray clouds.

The further you drive, the more mountains there are, and many roads have to go through them.

When they first entered the tunnel and the car was plunged into complete darkness, the students would gasp in surprise, but as they passed through more and more tunnels, they got used to it.

Before the tunnel was built, people had to take a detour. For the ancients, this area was a mountain range that was difficult to penetrate, and it was only in modern times that it gradually developed.

The repetitive scenery made Mo Xueyao increasingly sleepy. She rested her chin on her hand, nodded repeatedly, and finally tilted her head to the side, falling into a sweet dream.

……

(two)

The dappled light and shadow constantly shifted on Duanmu Ji's face. This was a highway composed of many small tunnels. Often, the car would only drive a few hundred meters before reaching the end, and then drive another hundred or two meters before entering the next tunnel.

The plants along the roadside were lush and green, and there seemed to be no other path besides this one, making one feel as if they were completely immersed in these mountains.

It's like driving through a maze that never ends.

Suddenly, he felt a weight on his shoulder. When he turned his head, he saw that Mo Xueyao had closed her eyes and was sleeping soundly on his shoulder.

His body stiffened instantly, and he turned his head to the other side expressionlessly, only to see Le Tingfeng and Zhou Yong looking at them and secretly laughing.

"Oh my, oh my—tsk tsk, wow, that's something else." Le Tingfeng blinked. "I didn't realize, Xiao Ji, you're quite cunning!"

"Go for it, Xiao Ji! This is a great opportunity!" Zhou Yong encouraged, giving her a thumbs up. "If you like her, just go for it! Just hug her!"

"It's not your place to tell." Zhou Yong's 'glorious deeds' had spread among his close male friends. Although he tried his best to portray himself as a gentleman, the boys still mercilessly mocked him for being too 'cowardly'. He only dared to express his feelings after the girl left.

"Ahem!" Zhou Yong looked at his toes in embarrassment.

Le Tingfeng patted Zhou Yong's back hard, almost laughing so hard he couldn't breathe.

"When did I ever say I liked her?" Duanmu Ji smiled dismissively. "I don't like that type."

"Who would believe that, damn it?"

"So what type do you like?"

"...gentle and virtuous."

"What a tacky standard."

"..." Duanmu Ji fell silent, not because he couldn't think of anything to say, but because Li Wanyan in front of him glanced back.

"It's over, the main wife is here, you're out of luck!" Le Tingfeng said with a gloating smile as he watched Li Wanyan approach.

……

(three)

The bus engine seemed to have shut off, no longer shaking incessantly even when stopped, unlike it had done the whole way.

As if sensing something, Mo Xueyao groggily opened her eyes.

She wiped the glistening saliva from the corner of her mouth and asked indistinctly, "Gulp...to...get...?"

"Let's rest at the service area," Li Wanyan replied, gently stroking her long hair and gathering some of it back up.

She looked up at Li Wanyan's face, tilted her head in confusion, and then swayed as she sat up from her lap: "Huh... Xiao Ji has turned into Wanyan?"

"It's me." Li Wanyan gently flicked her forehead and chuckled.

"Oh, when did I switch back? No, when did I start sleeping on your lap?"

"You came over here on your own."

"Like this? Oh well, I guess I'm used to it anyway." Mo Xue stretched, gazing at the many large trucks parked outside the window. She opened the window a crack and noticed that there seemed to be fewer students inside. "Have they been parked here for quite a while?"

"Just stopped."

"Did they all go to the restroom?"

"Ah."

"How long have you been driving?"

"Two and a half hours."

Mo Xueyao and Li Wanyan's interactions were always such simple question-and-answer exchanges.

But the two, who were already used to it, did not feel the slightest awkwardness or unfamiliarity.

"How much longer will it take?"

"Teacher Ye said it will take another three hours or so."

"so slow."

"Yes, because it's a bus."

"It's going to take so long, let's get off and go to the bathroom, so we don't need to go halfway through the journey. It's not like it's as convenient for guys..." Mo Xueyao muttered, stood up, stretched, and twisted her neck, making a 'crack crack' sound.

"Ah."

"Wanyan is going too?"

"Let's go."

……

(four)

When they got back on the bus, their drowsiness seemed to have dissipated considerably, and many people were refreshed, just like when they first set off.

Only Hua Yinyin has been sleeping since the beginning and still shows no sign of waking up.

Wang Jiale crunched on potato chips and leaned closer to Mo Xiaoxiao, urging her to grab some too.

Mo Xiaoxiao picked up two pieces and gave one to her younger sister. The three of them continued chatting, as if they had endless topics to discuss.

After a half-hour rest, the bus set off again. The driver seemed much more energetic, chewing gum as he gradually sped up on the highway.

The surrounding scenery was somewhat repetitive, but the abundance of vegetation prevented it from looking too desolate.

"Here." Mo Xueyao handed one of the earphones to Li Wanyan without saying much, and simply cupped her cheeks and looked out the window again.

Li Wanyan silently took the earphones, put them in her ears, and watched the passing scenery with her, listening to the melodious and soothing classical tunes.

This time, it was her turn to fall asleep.

Mo Xueyao let her lean against her chest, placed one hand on her back, and after less than an hour, she fell asleep again.

This was probably the longest she had slept in a while recently.

……

(Fives)

"Students, get off the bus!" Finally, in the afternoon when the sunlight was gradually setting, the students arrived at this small town called Xiaoxiancheng.

The bus stopped in the empty parking lot, kicking up a few clouds of dust.

"Everyone can just get off the bus now, no need to take your backpacks or luggage. We're going to eat! We'll go to our accommodations after we eat!" Ye Wen shouted from the bus stop, holding a megaphone. The sleeping students all woke up.

"Damn it... my legs are numb..." Zhou Yong stood up with a grimace, but after taking just one step, his whole body convulsed and trembled. "Ugh—it hurts."

"Haha, you little rascal, that's why your posture is so bad." Le Tingfeng stood up gleefully, but before he could even enjoy his good fortune for two seconds, his leg cramped up. He grabbed his leg and slammed it against the chair twice before recovering. "Damn... I've been sitting for too long..."

"It's about a five-hour drive," Mo Xueyao asked casually, stretching as she lay on Li Wanyan.

"That's about it..." Zhou Yong's legs were still numb. He limped off the car and was teased by Gao Yuan and the others again.

"Ugh—" Of course, some people vomited, but to hold it in for so long and only vomit when getting off the bus is quite an achievement.

Most people who feel nauseous finish vomiting the first time they get off at a service area. To be honest, they actually feel a bit better after vomiting.

Mo Xueyao stood on solid ground, took a deep breath, and looked around: "Why is there only our bus? Where are the other buses?"

“Each class will go to a different place for dinner, and it’s all arranged by the homeroom teacher.” Ye Wen put a hand on Qiu Yi’s shoulder and patted him hard on the shoulder. “This is where Qiu Yi chose it.”

"Yes, I've eaten here before. The food is pretty good, and I made a reservation in advance." Qiu Yi pointed to the small barbecue stall.

In the small square in front of the store, there are many tables and chairs, clearly indicating that the main feature is open-air barbecue.

Do we need to pay?

"No need, it's Wen's treat, haha!" Qiu Yi laughed loudly.

"Long live Wen!" The students around cheered.

Although it's not a high-end five-star hotel, who doesn't love barbecue?

……

Chapter 246 Dinner and Lodging

(One)