CH 21

Editor: Waterlily- Overload Shay

Continue to follow down the road in front of Tuva village and you will come to the shores of Lake Hanas. 

The best place to see Lake Hanas is at the fish observation platform at the top of the mountain, but in fact, apart from this platform which is crowded with tourists there is also a secluded forest path on the opposite bank of the lake, where few tourists come and can feel the purest nature.

Although the scenic area is closed and there are no tourists around Lake Hanas, it takes more than a thousand steps to climb to the fish observation platform. Therefore, Li Mu brought Ning You to the secluded lakeside. The scenery here is no worse than on the fish observation platform.

“It feels like a seaside.” Ning You took a deep breath.

Lake Hanas is an alpine dammed lake, and its colors vary throughout the year. The surface of the lake is now sapphire blue, and the lakeside is a golden birch forest. Strong winds occasionally blow the lake, setting off waves and slapping the white shallows on the shore. The sound of the wind is mixed with the echo of the waves, like the sea, but also better than the sea. 

Li Mu has been here many times, and so the surrounding scenery isn’t as novel to him as it is to Ning You.

The two walked slowly on the forest path by the lake, and the sun shone on them through the dense birch trees, as if time had slowed down.

“Li Mu.” Ning You put his hands behind his neck and walked lazily beside Li Mu. He used to call Li Mu’s name before starting the topic, “Don’t you have any friends in the city?”

“Very little connection.” Li Mu replied. Perhaps he didn’t realize it himself, but he no longer resisted talking to Ning You about his personal affairs as he did in the beginning.

“What about your family?” Ning You asked again.

“My parents are abroad all year round, and there is an eldest brother in the family who takes care of the business.” Li Mu stated.

“Then you didn’t think of going back to help your eldest brother?” Ning You’s heart ignited a flame of hope.

“Impossible.” Li Mu said, “My brother and I have very different philosophies, we can’t work together.” 

“Is it because of environmental protection?” Ning You remembered what Li Mu had said before about the reason he left home.

“Hmm.” Li Mu responded, “He believes that the responsibility of a company is to bring more benefits, create more jobs and pay more taxes.”

“But you believe the responsibility of a company also includes being environmentally friendly.” Ning You added.

“That’s right.” Li Mu said, “My brother thinks I’m impractical, and my parents are on his side, so I won’t get involved in family affairs.” 

Ning You no longer responded, so he raised his chin and looked at Li Mu quietly.

Li Mu quickly realized that Ning You was staring at him again, he tilted his head to meet Ning You’s gaze and asked, “What are you looking at me for?”

“Nothing.” Ning You shook his head, “I just want to hear you talk more.”

He wants to cherish every second of this last day and wants to know as much as possible about Li Mu. 

“There is nothing else.” Li Mu retracted his gaze from Ning You’s face and looked at the complicated path ahead, “Here I can do what I want to do, back home then……” After a pause, he added, “I can’t find the value of my own existence.”

“Then if…” Ning You thought of a hypothesis, it was just a hypothesis, “What if I support you to do your cause?”

“How to support?” Li Mu thought it was ridiculous, “By giving money?”

Ning You immediately realized that this proposal was a bit abrupt, because he hadn’t carefully considered what kind of cause he’d support Li Mu with, so he blindly offered his support. Indeed, as Li Mu said, all he could do was give money. 

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Looking at the scenery in front of him, Ning You found that he really thought a bit too much. He is used to solving problems one step at a time, but in fact there is no problem between him and Li Mu at all——the two are only strangers coming together by chance. What position does he have to hope Li Mu will return to live in the city? 

And vice versa.

He and Li Mu have only known each other for four or five days, and it’s impossible for him to give up everything he has and come to live in seclusion in the mountains and forests as soon as his mind is fervent.

The distance between the city and the mountain forests is the distance between him and Li Mu. Aside from this distance, everything else is fantasy.

So it’s really like what Li Mu said, don’t think so much. 

This problem cannot be solved in one day. And so relaxing and enjoying this seriously is the only way to respect this precious vacation.

Stepping into the shallows requires stepping over a fallen dead wood. Ning You imitated what Li Mu did, took off his shoes and socks on the edge of the dead wood, then stepped on the fine white sand and came to sit next to Li Mu.

With his feet stretched into the lake, the first thing that seeped through was the refreshing cold, but after adapting, only the gentleness of the lake and the warmth of the sun remained.

“Do you know?” Li Mu put his hands behind his back, “There are water monsters in this lake.” 

“Huh?” Ning You, who was still comfortable and cozy, immediately retracted his feet.

He had heard about the water monster in Lake Hanas, but he only thought of it as a legend and never took it to heart.

“The water monster will drag away the cattle and sheep on the lakeside, and there have been bones of cattle and sheep in the lower reaches of the lake.” Li Mu told him.

Ning You looked at Li Mu’s feet stretched out in the water of the lake, then at his indifferent appearance, and said, “You are scaring me.” 

“There really is a water monster.” Li Mu smiled, “But some scientists speculate that it is a giant Zheluo salmon.”

“Fish?” Ning You said.

“Well, a carnivorous fish up to ten meters long.” Li Mu said, “But it’s shallow and safer here.”

The shallows extend all the way into the lake, and there is still a long section under the water. Ning You stretched his feet into the lake again, swayed gently, sending the water waves to Li Mu’s side. 

The white swan’s way of playing in the water is so gentle, Li Mu naturally won’t cooperate. He leaned his body forward, scooped up a handful of water and splashed it on Ning You’s face.

Ning You was immediately stunned, staring at Li Mu and said, “Why did you splash the foot wash on my face?”

Li Mu: “…” Okay.

The two sat for a while, and the sun in the sky was getting hotter. 

Li Mu stood up and said, “Shall we go forward?”

Ning You responded with a “Yes”.

The shoes and socks of the two people were placed on the side of the dead wood. Li Mu stepped on the white sand and walked over. Then he sat on the dead wood, patted off the white sand on his feet with his hands, and put on his shoes and socks.

But Ning You made a difficult mistake. 

The feet of the two of them were wet, and stepping on the white sand would only make their feet covered with sand——just like Li Mu. Li Mu took off the white sand indifferently, but Ning You always felt uncomfortable. He didn’t want his feet covered with sand.

“Still not coming over?” Li Mu put on his shoes and sat on the dead wood and asked Ning You.

Ning You did some mind construction, comforting himself that the white sand is not dirty, but in the end he couldn’t stand the feeling of sand wrapped around his feet, pursed his lips and said to Li Mu, “Li Mu, could you help me bring my shoes over.”

“I’ll bring over your shoes?” Li Mu simply felt funny, “Do you really think I’m your servant?” 

“I don’t want to step on the sand.” Ning You whispered.

Li Mu, who has no temper, exhales, then stood up and walked towards Ning You, but he didn’t have Ning You’s shoes in his hand.

Ning You was wondering if Li Mu had forgotten to take his shoes, and at that moment Li Mu had come to his side and bent down to pick him up horizontally.

The two feet left the water, bringing up a long string of crystal water droplets. 

Li Mu carried Ning You to sit on the dead wood, then sat next to Ning You and put Ning You’s feet on his knees.

He unzipped his jacket, pulled out the hem of his plaid shirt, wiped the water droplets on Ning You’s feet, wiped his left foot clean first, and he took his socks for Ning You to put on.

Ning You propped his hands behind him and looked at Li Mu motionless, as if something was boiling in his heart.

Just like the sound of a boiling kettle bubbling, the sound of whistling also rang out in Ning You’s head, making him inexplicably want to do something out of the ordinary. 

With his left foot still in Li Mu’s hand, Ning You tentatively stretched out his right leg.

His original intention was to put his right foot against Li Mu’s chest, but he was not very proficient in the end, and the force of lifting his leg was not used correctly, so his right foot accidentally stepped on Li Mu’s abdominal muscles, and the heel of his foot coincidentally touched the wild species.

What bad luck. Ning You thought to himself.

A suspicious blush rose on his cheeks, but he still pretended to know nothing and let his heels continue to step on the wild species. 

Li Mu stopped the movement of his hand and raised his eyes to look at Ning You.

This white swan really can’t pretend, whether it is intentional or unintentional, it is all exposed from that nervous expression.

Li Mu pinched Ning You’s right foot, put it back near his knee, and said, “Don’t play dirty tricks.”

Ning You has always been a good obedient student, but this time he didn’t want to be obedient. As soon as Li Mu let go of his right foot, he stretched his leg again. This time he was unbiased and the soles of his feet stepped on the sleeping wild species. 

It’s really big.

Ning You thought to himself, soft and big.

He swallowed nervously and blinked his big eyes at Li Mu, “But…… what if I want to play dirty tricks?”

Li Mu didn’t respond, but looked straight at Ning You. 

Ning You is slightly tucking his chin, looking at Li Mu with a kind of bottom-up gaze, his eyes full of uneasy emotions, but with a careful expectation.

A few moments later, Li Mu moved. He leaned forward, holding Ning You’s hips and hugging the entire white swan to himself.

By the time Ning You reacted, he was already straddling Li Mu, his knees bent on the dead wood, one foot was wearing socks, and the other foot was still naked with drops of water.

“How do you want to play dirty tricks?” Due to their position, Li Mu had to look up at Ning You, and the distance between their faces was very close. 

Ning You’s brain was blank, just foolishly put his hands on Li Mu’s shoulders, completely not knowing what to do next.

“Don’t pretend to be a bad kid if you can’t play dirty tricks.” Li Mu raised his right hand and scraped the tip of Ning You’s nose.

But Ning You didn’t like it when people underestimated him.

When Li Mu was about to put him back aside, he suddenly put his arms around Li Mu’s neck, closed his eyes and leaned over, kissing the corners of Li Mu’s lips. 

The beard pricked on the lips was surprisingly not annoying.

In just a moment, Ning You retreated again, blinking his big eyes helplessly, expecting Li Mu’s reaction.

“You ……” Li Mu’s adam’s apple slid twice, “You know you’re leaving tomorrow, right?”

Ning You nodded. 

He knew he was leaving, so he wanted to indulge.

But Li Mu’s reaction was different from what he had expected. It seemed that he was thinking of a separation. Li Mu took a deep breath, and the deepness in his eyes dissipated a lot.

Ning You didn’t want to extinguish the small flame that ignited between the two. He plucked up the courage again and pecked Li Mu’s lips lightly. This time he aimed at the right position, and his lip bead hit Li Mu’s lip bead correctly.

“Ning You.” Li Mu frowned deeply, and his voice became hoarse in an instant, “Don’t force me to lock you in the cabin.” 

Afraid of scaring the white swan, Li Mu didn’t say the next sentence.

Don’t force me to lock you in a cabin.

Keep you from getting out of bed day and night.

The author has something to say：

Li Mu: Don’t pretend to be a bad child if you can’t play dirty tricks.

Ning You: (How do I tell him that I am more than 23 years old)

※In reality,  you can’t go into the water in Lake Kanas. Although many tourists play by the water without authorization (just like the two protagonists), in reality, we must severely condemn this behavior. In addition, the author did not go into the water when he went to the lake _(:з”∠)_