CH 20

Editor: Zoey0001

When he woke up the next morning, Ning You was at a loss for a while. 

The familiar ceiling, the unfamiliar bedding and scent. The memories gradually returned, and a few key words flashed through his mind.

——I want to peek at you while taking a shower.

——Do you want to sleep with me?

The shameful memory became clearer and clearer, Ning You was so embarrassed that his toes tightened, and he covered his head with a quilt like an ostrich. 

“Get up as soon as you wake up.”

Li Mu’s voice sounded in the kitchen, breaking Ning You’s ostrich disguise. He comforted himself knowing he was leaving here today, and there would be no second person in the world except Li Mu who knew of his gaffes.

But at the thought of leaving, Ning You felt frustrated again. Shame and embarrassment no longer seemed so important.

There is a WeChat message from Li Zhao on his mobile phone, asking Ning You to reach an open space near the landslide site before ten o’clock. After the fog dissipates, he will take a helicopter into the scenic area to pick up Ning You as soon as possible.

After replying with a ”good”, Ning You came to the dining room to sit down, and said to Li Mu in a bad mood: “My friend will pick me up at ten o’clock.”

Although Ning You had confessed before that the friend he was talking about was his fiance, he still didn’t quite like using this unfamiliar word.

Li Mu didn’t react much and asked, “Where do you need me to take you?”

Looking at Li Mu’s indifferent appearance, Ning You couldn’t help but wonder if there was something wrong with his memory. Obviously, Li Mu took the initiative to hold him last night for warmth, but this morning he was alienated as if the two of them were strangers. 

But then again, they were originally strangers.

If it weren’t for getting lost by accident, Ning You would never have been able to live in this remote forest cabin for the rest of his life. It’s impossible for him to take a bath in the countryside, let alone solve hygiene problems so indecently.

Conversely, it’s also said to be true.

If he hadn’t accidentally picked up Ning You, Li Mu’s life wouldn’t have made any waves, he wouldn’t have needed to cook for one more person, and he wouldn’t have needed to drive someone to the bathroom at the foot of the mountain in the middle of the night. 

They are just strangers, and like most strangers who meet by chance, they will probably never see each other again for the rest of their life after they seperate.

That’s fine. Let’s leave it at that.

Ning You forced himself to lock the thoughts he shouldn’t have, because he didn’t belong here.

Today, they still drove to the foot of the mountain. 

The two first went to the elementary school in Tuva Village. When Li Mu went to the cafeteria to deliver milk, Ning You took out a polaroid from his backpack and took a picture of the empty road.

He suddenly regretted a little that he should have photographed the cabin on the mountain.

After taking two more pictures of the scenery, a child’s voice rang out behind Ning You: “What is this?”

Turning around, two students who arrived early stood behind him. Ning You looked at the polaroid in his hand and said, “This? This is called a Polaroid.” 

“Can it print photos?” Two students gathered around curiously.

“Tbe mjc’a qglca batfg qtbabr. Tbe ajxf qtbabr bc atf rqba jcv ufa atf qtbabr gluta jkjs.”

Obbxlcu ja atf mtlivgfc’r meglber ibbxr, Rlcu Tbe jrxfv jujlc, “Gb sbe kjca wf ab ajxf j qlmaegf bo sbe?”

“Tfr!” 

Ktf akb mtlivgfc rabbv ys atf rmtbbi ujaf, gjlrfv atflg mtfrar, jcv ibbxfv ja Rlcu Tbe rafgcis.

Ning You never before considered taking pictures as a serious matter, but looking at these children in the border mountains, they obviously cherished this opportunity to take pictures, as if they will never have a chance again if this was missed.

“Don’t be nervous, smile.”

Ning You instructed the two children to pose and took several photos of them. The two children looked at themselves in the photo and joked with each other that they didn’t take a good picture of themselves. 

“Brother, can I take a picture with you?” One of the children looked at Ning You and asked.

“Okay.”

Ning You gave the polaroid to another child and taught him how to use it. After the little photographer was in place, the child beside him enthusiastically hugged Ning You’s waist, just like when Ning You saw them hugging Li Mu.

That’s great, Ning You thought to himself. 

Simple happiness, simple emotions.

Both children took pictures with Ning You, when Li Mu returned from the canteen.

One of the children waved his hand towards Li Mu and shouted, “Brother Li Mu, let me take your picture!”

Li Mu walked up to Ning You, looked at the things in the hands of the little children, and asked, “Why are you playing with polaroids?” 

The two children ran a few meters away with polaroids and said to Li Mu and Ning You, “We will take pictures for you!”

Ning You consciously leaned over to Li Mu’s side, and Li Mu looked at him and directly put his hand on his shoulder, as if the two were good friends.

The photo paper was pushed out of the polaroid with a ”Zi” sound. Li Mu took a step forward and wanted to see the image result, but Ning You grabbed his arm and said to the two children: “Let’s take another one.”

Polaroid can only freeze a certain moment, Ning You wanted to take this moment away, but also wanted to leave this moment to Li Mu. 

Li Mu glanced at Ning You, once again put his arm around his shoulders and said to the children, “Take another picture.”

But this time the little photographer on the opposite side failed to press the shutter button for a long time, and looked at Ning You helplessly, “Brother, I can’t take a photo anymore.”

Ning You walked over and looked at the polaroid, there was no more photo paper.

“You keep it.” Li Mu said and walked towards the pickup, “I don’t need it.” 

Neither of the two people in the photo smiled, but their faces were solemnly pressed together, as if silently protesting the passage of time.

Tuva Elementary School is a few kilometers away from the place of the landslide. It is only half past nine now, so there is no need for the two of them to rush there.

A pickup truck was driving on an unmanned road. Obviously, the name of the car was raptor, but it drove slower than a snail.

Ning You looked at the precious photos in his hand without saying a word. After a long while, he put the photos in his backpack and fiddled around for a while. Then he took out his handkerchief from the backpack and handed it to Li Mu saying, “This is for you.” 

Li Mu drove the car, glanced at Ning You’s outstretched hand distractedly, and asked, “Why?”

“I don’t have anything else I can give you.” Ning You said, “This will be considered a return gift to thank you.”

Li Mu didn’t take it, and Ning You didn’t withdraw his hand.

The two remained silent for a while. Finally Li Mu compromised and took the handkerchief from Ning You, but as soon as he touched the handkerchief, he realized something was wrapped within it——the photo from just now. 

——Ning You wants to keep his photo by Li Mu’s side.

After a pause, Li Mu feigned ignorance and put the handkerchief into the pocket of his jacket.

A raptor drove at a speed comparable to a tractor. Ning You held his backpack, stared at the road ahead intently, and asked, “Li Mu, are you willing to go live in the city?”

This question was asked at a loss, because Ning You didn’t know what Li Mu could do in the city. He even felt that Li Mu didn’t belong in the city. He couldn’t imagine a casual person like Li Mu living a nine-to-five life in the city. 

Instead of answering, Li Mu asked rhetorically, “Would you like to live here?”

Ning You was almost about to say yes on impulse, but heard Li Mu continue: “I’m not here to travel, I’m here to live. There are no big shopping malls and no dry cleaners. It’s not very convenient to go anywhere. You have to guard against wild animals when you go out.”

Ning You pursed his lips and swallowed the impulsive words back into his stomach. He never thought that in his life, there would be such a fork in the road that would make him waver, but he only hesitated for a moment, and then immediately decided.

There is no way he could live here. 

These days are beautiful, but this period of time is similar to a long holiday to change the mood. It’s impossible for people to be on vacation forever and will always return to their original lives.

Leaving aside his unfinished business, he still has a contracted fiancé, and he can’t be this irresponsible.

Thinking of this, Ning You’s mobile phone suddenly vibrated, which happened to be a WeChat sent by Li Zhao.

[Li Zhao: The fog has dissipated, but the wind is a bit strong.] 

Ning You looked at the screen in a daze for a moment, he recovered from the divided emotions, and replied to an irrelevant content.

[Ning You: I want to ask you a question.]

[Li Zhao: Please speak.]

[Ning You: What do you want our marriage to be like?] 

The reason for asking this question, Ning You wanted to figure out what was in his heart, and didn’t want to continue feeling lost.

Usually Li Zhao replied very quickly, but this time “the other party is typing” was displayed at the top of the screen for a long time, and only a few short words popped up in the dialog box.

[Li Chao: I can do it all.]

Ning You frowned inexplicably, is it okay? 

[Li Zhao: If you want me to be a considerate husband, I will put all my thoughts on you. If you want me to keep my distance, then I will give you space and won’t interfere with your private life.]

[Li Chao: In short, no matter what form it is, I can do it all.]

Ning You immediately understood what Li Zhao meant, because he saw a familiar feeling from these messages——talking about cooperation with the second party.

When Ning You was in the first party’s position, the second party’s attitude was exactly the same as Li Zhao, “No matter what you ask, I can meet it.” 

Ning You realized belatedly that Li Zhao was serving him as the first party.

Moreover, Li Zhao is very qualified as the second party. He had some tentative offensive nature before, but Ning You just asked a question. From Ning You’s question, he could see Ning You’s hesitation about future life, so he firmly expressed his attitude, thereby dispelling Ning You’s doubts.

To translate Li Zhao’s words, they can be put more bluntly:

If you want this marriage to be true, it is true; if you want this marriage to be fake, then it is fake. 

This is just a complete business, and it can be done without any feelings.

This was the first time Ning You had seriously thought about this issue, but before he had a clear idea, Li Zhao sent another message.

[Li Zhao: The wind is getting stronger, the guide said the flight has to be canceled today].

Ning You’s heart thumped, and all the complicated thoughts disappeared in an instant. 

[Li Zhao: But I inquired about the progress, the road will be open tomorrow afternoon at the latest].

Ning You typed quickly on the screen.

[Ning You: Thank you!]

Ning You didn’t know why he put this exclamation mark. Perhaps it contained a sense of relief from the marriage contract and gratitude to God for extending his vacation. 

“Li Mu.” Ning You looked at the person beside him, his tone was a few degrees higher, “Today,  I can’t leave, at the latest tomorrow afternoon.”

“What?” Li Mu let go of the accelerator, and the pickup, which was already as slow as a snail, stopped immediately.

“It’s windy today, the helicopter can’t fly.” Ning You said with glee, “The road won’t be open until tomorrow afternoon.”

Li Mu looked at Ning You straight, this white swan was still the same as before, with all emotions on his face. He somehow relaxed his mood and teased, “Does your fiance know that you’re so happy?” 

“Uh……” Ning You rubbed the back of his neck embarrassingly, “You may not believe me when I say this but I’m actually not very familiar with him. I’ve only met him twice in total.”

“Business marriage?” Li Mu inquired about Ning You’s private affairs for the first time.

“En.” Ning You said.

Li Mu didn’t respond again, but quickly turned the car around, slammed on the accelerator, and drove up to the mountains again. 

“I’ll take you to the lake for a stroll.” Li Mu said.

The original slow pickup truck gave a beastly roar, Ning You felt the acceleration coming from the seat and suddenly had a vague thought in his heart and looked at Li Mu beside him and asked, “Li Mu, are you reluctant to let me go?”

Li Mu was taken aback for a moment, and the beast wilted. He released his foot on the accelerator, looked straight ahead and said, “Nothing.”

[Editor’s note: I’m sorry guys for the late edit. I seriously undermined the power of infections. But I’m back and decided to help treat you all this week with a few extra chapters xxx]