Tea-flavored Romance

The crowd at the rest stop gradually dispersed, and things quickly returned to normal. Having rested enough, and with Lu Jiujiu having picked out quite a few souvenirs earlier, the three of them tidied themselves up and continued their ascent to the mountaintop.

Lu Hanhan lagged a few steps behind, secretly observing Ning Yuan's expression. She couldn't figure it out after a long time. Although she knew that the term "girlfriend" was just a result of not wanting to cause trouble in a specific context, she was still just a girl who had never been in a relationship. In this situation, she couldn't help but feel a little anxious.

Well... when Ning Yuan came over and put his arm around my shoulder just now, it felt like something inside me suddenly exploded. I was so happy, and I felt like I wasn't afraid of anything anymore.

Ningyuan used to put his arm around my shoulder before... why does it feel completely different?

Lu Jiujiu pondered for a while but couldn't come up with a solution. She sighed softly, looking somewhat dejected. However, this worry came and went quickly. The joy of the trip soon lifted the girl's spirits, and she caught up with the others, starting to organize her spoils as she walked.

"By the way... was that person a scammer?"

Ning Yuan glanced sideways at Lu Jiujiu, his steps never faltering: "What do you think?"

He sighed softly, and before the girl could reply, he said helplessly, "You think the three he wrote in the couplet doesn't really mean it doesn't count? He's just afraid of getting into trouble, so he specifically targets silly girls like you to fool."

"They have their own set of scripts. No matter who it is, they all think they can fall for it... That's called professionalism. With your intelligence, you'd better run away if you encounter one in the future. Otherwise, I'm afraid they'll go to jail for defrauding too much money."

Lu Jiujiu nodded thoughtfully. So, in that case, Ning Yuan was actually saving that expert today?

She's so kind!

Touched, the girl turned and picked out a simple yet elegant brown bracelet from her spoils, presenting it to Ning Yuan like a precious treasure.

"Do you want this? It's for you."

"And Little Zero's too."

"Why did you buy three of the same thing..." Master Ning took the bracelet and was speechless: "You've really added fuel to the fire for the development of the scenic area... I guess those bosses saw how easy it was to rip off this year's tourists, and their appetites will be even bigger in the future."

"Isn't it pretty good-looking...?"

The purchase was already made, and the die was cast. Ning Yuan wouldn't criticize Lu Jiujiu for what she did wrong; it would be pointless and would only negatively impact the girl's enjoyment of the trip.

Seemingly considering that boys from Ningyuan are not well-suited to wearing overly complicated bracelets, Lu Jiujiu chose a simple and elegant one, which looks a bit like a brown hair tie.

Well, I have to say, it's quite practical. I won't need to carry a hair tie with me anymore!

The three chatted as they walked, and the long climb to the summit passed quickly in this relaxed and pleasant atmosphere. By the time they reached the top, it was past noon.

Chapter 133: Submitting Homework

A cool breeze wafts through the mountains, bringing a wonderful sense of tranquility. As far as the eye can see, a blend of emerald green and pale gold mist creates a dreamlike scene.

It wasn't until he reached the summit that Ning Yuan had to admit that the feeling of being at the top was truly addictive.

Yes, it's the feeling of being at the top that's addictive, not the feeling of being at the very top.

No wonder so many famous people throughout history have loved mountain climbing. After a strenuous climb, they gain not only physical exercise but also spiritual satisfaction and solace. Those who have never climbed famous mountains and rivers can hardly understand the emotions those who reach the summit feel.

Ning Yiling snapped a few more photos, then looked down to examine the results in her camera. Lu Jiujiu, on the other hand, excitedly touched and ran around, occasionally calling Ning Yuan over to see the scenery with delight.

We haven't even reached the actual scenic area yet, and the little darling is already this excited. If we wait until after dinner and the tour really starts, won't Ningyuan have to hold her little hand tightly the whole time to prevent her from running away and getting lost?

It's now the beginning of summer, which is barely considered the start of the peak tourist season. Accommodation prices in scenic areas have been gradually rising. Fortunately, these two days are not public holidays, so Ningyuan booked two rooms and didn't spend too much money.

The guesthouse... or hotel is located on a vast lakeside, which looks quite spectacular from a distance. Ning Yuan was slightly surprised that there was such a large natural lake on such a high mountain.

I wonder if there are any fish in there... or maybe some kind of monster?

There were two rooms in total. The two girls slept in one room, and Ning Yuan slept in the other. He didn't have any particular requirements for the environment of his own room. After putting his things away, he went to the two girls' room to check it carefully and eliminate any potential problems.

It's not fair to blame him for being overly sensitive; it's just necessary to be cautious when staying in a hotel with two young ladies. If Ning Yuan had known that Miss Lu's professional entourage had already scouted and cleaned the place beforehand, he certainly wouldn't have wasted his time doing this.

Where there are people, there are needs, and even within scenic areas, various commercial districts can form. Two girls walked side by side with him, following him around with great interest. There were fast food restaurants at the top of the mountain, but after climbing a mountain, eating fast food seemed a bit too disappointing. Ning Yuan hesitated for a moment, then led the two girls into a restaurant.

Stir-fried pork with chili peppers, forever the best.

If you're unsure about a restaurant's cooking style and flavors when eating out, ordering a plate of stir-fried pork with chili peppers will at least ensure you can finish a bowl of rice.

Order another plate of stir-fried greens to prevent the dish from being too oily or spicy.

Order three more and we'll have the four dishes and one soup combo! Perfect.

With these two dishes as a foundation, Ningyuan then handed the menu to the two girls, letting them order their favorite specialties. The two young ladies didn't dawdle for long, quickly selecting their dishes and handing the order to the waiter.

With everything in order, Ning Yuan shamelessly pulled out his phone, wanting to chat with the most beautiful girl in the department, only to immediately catch Ning Yiling's death stare.

"Who are you going to chat with...?"

Master Ning calmly cleared the background apps on his phone, then said with displeasure, "Little sister, you're wronging me. I was just looking up travel guides. Where do you guys want to go first?"

"There are several routes available; it's up to you to choose."

"I want to see the waterfall!"

"A waterfall...that's fine too...but shouldn't we prepare a transparent raincoat beforehand?"

Seeing that he had changed the subject of the two girls, Master Ning secretly breathed a sigh of relief and wiped away a non-existent cold sweat.

Ning 10's intuition is so sharp... No wonder she's my sister...

With such tight security... I'm afraid I'll only have time tonight to find ten good qualities in Jiang Manyue to submit as my homework.

What a tragedy...

Putting aside their slight melancholy, the three of them had lunch and rested for a while before leisurely exploring the scenic area. The temperature at the mountaintop was already low, and the afternoon sun's heat was completely dispelled by the cool mountain breeze, leaving only comfort and leisure.

This is what tourism should be like. The old-fashioned way of traveling, where you join a tour group and wander around aimlessly taking photos, seems too rushed now, like you're being forced to run.

So, is it true that only by being willing to spend money can you have the corresponding experience?

Along the way, they encountered many tour groups, with tour guides introducing the attractions with small megaphones. Ningyuan and his two companions followed behind, essentially tagging along with the tour guides. However, they did not change their pace of sightseeing. They strolled along the mountain path, looking here and there, seeing strange mountains and dangerous rocks, as well as misty clouds. They explored all the ancient sites and also admired the ingenious creations of modern people.

Deep in the dense forest, there were even wild macaques. They climbed up the trees, looking somewhat timid, yet seemingly unafraid. Lu Jiujiu wanted to tease them, but she didn't have the courage—getting close to wild macaques was risky. So, in the end, she only took a few photos from a distance as a memento.

The spectacular waterfalls and the treacherous peaks were all quite strenuous to explore. After walking around the area, I took a lot of photos, but I was almost exhausted.

"That's why traveling is fucking tiring..."

Back at the guesthouse, Master Ning took a shower, lay on the bed, and let out a sigh of utter boredom.

Originally, it was thought that Lu Jiujiu, with her small arms and legs, would be the first to give up, but unexpectedly, she persisted until the end without complaining of being tired. Her little face even had an expression of not wanting to stop, which left Master Ning dumbfounded.

"People and idiots can't be generalized," Ning Yuan sighed softly, then turned and took out his phone to comfortably scroll through it for a while before going to find the two girls for dinner.

Oh right, I almost forgot I haven't handed in the homework Miss Full Moon assigned yet.

Ning Yuan clicked his tongue, thinking to himself that he had been searching for ten good points about this girl for a day or two and still couldn't find them... It was obviously not his fault, it was because Jiang Manyue herself had too few good points!

That's infuriating! I have to say something to her!

That's what he thought, but when the words reached his lips, Master Ning remembered his grand dream of the Snow Moon Killer, gritted his teeth, swallowed his anger, and silently opened Gu Xihua's chat box to start typing:

[Beautiful and lovely, kind-hearted, gentle and generous, selfless and magnanimous, helpful and quick to avenge wrongs...]

Besides these strengths, are there any other lesser-known qualities of Jiang Manyue?

Gu Guanxue didn't keep Ning Yuan waiting long; a reply came quickly, but it only contained a question mark.

【? 】

Aside from the first word, "beautiful," are you really not being sarcastic about her in the rest of the comments?

How dare you say that!

Master Ning was furious. He thought to himself, "Does it matter if I'm being sarcastic? The important thing is, Gu Guanxue, you've made me suffer so much! I even have to do homework while on vacation!"

Ahem... that was a technical blunder... I didn't really mean to sell you...

Gu Xihua explained the typing process rather shyly:

In short, your sacrifice was worthwhile; I'll tell you the specifics of that worth later...

As for this "death homework" of yours...

Why not try asking Jiang Manyue directly?

Chapter 134: Ning Yiling: The dragon slayer must first become the dragon!

Should we go directly to ask Jiang Manyue?

Even in an open-book exam, directly asking the proctor would still result in a zero score! Not to mention that the proctor is also the one who set the questions! Doesn't this seem like a provocation?

Ning Yuan thought to himself, "This beauty of the department is so ruthless. Jiang Manyue just wanted me to die, but Gu Guanxue, you want me to die!"

"I must be so tired from walking that I'm delirious to ask you this question." Master Ning typed back speechlessly: "That's all, my phone's out of battery."

Please, let's chat a little longer!

Gu Xihua sent a message in a coquettish tone. It turns out that a girl's well-timed coquettishness is an absolute weapon against boys. Ning Yuan paused for a moment, then patiently replied: 【We agreed it would only be a little while... What else do you want to talk about?】

How was your trip today? Did you take any fun photos?

[I'm not responsible for taking photos.] Ning Yuan thought for a moment and sent a photo of a macaque: [This one is alright.]

【Hey~ I think I've seen this monkey before】

Monkeys all look pretty much the same, don't they?

【That's what people who don't observe carefully would think.】Gu Xihua sent an emoji: 【Did you guys go see the waterfall area? The water volume is huge in the summer.】

"It was quite spectacular; it soaked me from head to toe." Master Ning suddenly laughed as he thought about it. This afternoon, while strolling around the waterfall, he recalled the time he and Jiang Manyue went to the amusement park together. The experience of riding the rapids seemed still vivid in his mind.

It was pretty miserable, but looking back, I'm surprisingly happy.

Could it be that I've developed some strange attribute from being betrayed by Jiang Manyue?!

Ning Yuan shuddered, silently repeating "I like big breasts, I like big breasts" twice, before seeing a new message from Gu Guanxue in the chat box:

【That's great! It must be even more spectacular than the scenery I saw in winter... But considering you won't see the rime ice and snow-covered mountains, it's a trade-off, I guess.】

"What's fun about going out in winter? It's freezing cold." Master Ning, a southerner, scoffed at the idea of ​​liking to go out in the dead of winter. If it were up to him, he definitely wouldn't choose to go out in the middle of winter; he would just stay in a warm room and do what he likes.

If you have a girlfriend, then the two of you can do things you both enjoy in a warm place.

Of course, such a wonderful idea couldn't be shared with Miss Gu Guanxue. The girl on the other side of the screen seemed to not understand Ning Yuan's idea at all, and began to spare no effort in recommending fun places to go in winter...

Skiing, ice skating, snowball fights, building snowmen... even something as simple as watching snowflakes fall outside the window seems so beautiful in her descriptions.

Ningyuan: Hehe.

If you northerners want to recommend winter, please come and experience winter in the south first... not the kind of south like Guangdong province! After you've experienced winter, you'll know what it means to be vulnerable to mixed magic damage; simply stacking armor won't hold you back!

Time flew by, and when Ning Yiling, hungry, knocked on his door to ask him to come out and have dinner together, Master Ning suddenly realized that he had actually chatted with Gu Xihua for another hour.