The scheduled plan was to depart Tuesday morning at ten o’clock.

Because Long Qi and Nalin, Ge Yinling, and Fu Yu’ao had all mutually or unilaterally blocked each other, Wu Yishan took the initiative to create a group chat to coordinate the specific meeting methods and times. If taking the high-speed rail, it would only take two hours to arrive, but considering they needed to bring a pile of costumes and equipment, they rented two seven-seater commercial vehicles—one to carry people, the other to carry props. The entire journey would take five hours driving to Xunqu Town. The script was being handled by two girls in the group. So far it was still being written. Others each had their assigned tasks. Roles would be discussed and allocated on the road.

The drivers were two of the guys who could drive. Fu Yu’ao was one of them.

Long Qi gave Wu Yishan advance notice not to assign her to Fu Yu’ao’s vehicle. Wu Yishan said not to worry—Fu Yu’ao was driving the props vehicle. Only two girls who needed a quiet environment to write the script were riding with him.

Tuesday morning at a quarter past ten, Long Qi waited at the bus stop one kilometer from Langzhu Residence. Going for a total of five days, she didn’t bring much luggage—just one medium-sized suitcase. Aunt Wu helped her carry the lunch Lian Shaozi had prepared. There were two bags—one was a three-layer insulated container, the other contained cut fruit and small desserts to satisfy cravings, placed with ice packs to stay fresh.

After the vehicle arrived, the male driver helped her load her luggage into the rear compartment. She bid farewell to Aunt Wu and got in the car carrying the two bags. Inside the vehicle including the driver were three men and three women. Two guys sat in the first row. The middle row was Ge Yinling and Nalin. Ge Yinling wore a face-covering hooded jacket, wearing earbuds and looking out the car window, not giving Long Qi a proper glance. Wu Yishan sat at the left window of the back row, waving slightly at Long Qi.

She sat at the back row right window, waving to Aunt Wu who was seeing her off outside.

Then they departed.

They’d planned to discuss roles, but actually throughout the journey the front few were all doing their own things. The two guys were bragging and playing games. Ge Yinling wore earbuds reading a book. Nalin’s leisure interest was incredible—she was actually live-streaming makeup application in the bumpy car. While applying makeup, she shared makeup tips with her fans, recommending useful products, occasionally bantering with the guys in front. Wu Yishan acted as Nalin’s assistant, passing things back and forth. Throughout the journey, the car was filled with their live-streaming voices.

Long Qi wore headphones, playing a song she’d listened to most often in high school, turned up loud, arms crossed leaning into the seat, staring blankly out the window.

Inside the city was fine. Once the car left the city, it started drizzling a bit. The sky was gray and overcast. After passing through a section of highway, the scenery along the way gradually changed from high-rise buildings to fields and residential houses. Fine rain traces covered the glass. Her shoulders swayed slightly with the vehicle speed. Cold air blew from overhead. She sneezed lightly.

The car suddenly went quiet. Nalin turned back to look.

Sounds also came from the front row. Hearing Ge Yinling rummaging through her bag, seemingly putting something on herself. Nalin looked in Ge Yinling’s direction, reaching out: “Give me one.”

Ge Yinling’s hand appeared in view, passing Nalin a mask.

Long Qi watched.

No one spoke. They ignored each other. Each continued their own activities.

Two hours later, they finally passed through a service area.

Inside were several small restaurants. They all decided to stop the car to rest and eat lunch. Ge Yinling and Nalin directly left without looking back. Wu Yishan might have been hesitating whether to invite her to eat together. Before Wu Yishan could speak, Long Qi pulled out her lunch box. She understood, saying: “I’ll tell them you’re eating your lunch box. I’m going to eat then.”

“Mm.”

Those few entered a noodle shop, laughing and joking around. Long Qi watched from inside the car, opening the lunch box.

The lunch Lian Shaozi made for her looked very good.

There was tamagoyaki, blanched broccoli, cream mushrooms, steak and shrimp cakes. The steak was cut into pieces. No rice, no soup, yet everything happened to be convenient to eat in the car. The fruit was also cut into chunks. The apple pieces were even cut into five-pointed star shapes—particularly interesting.

In this moment, she somewhat understood another layer of meaning in Lian Shaozi making her lunch—just like that sapphire ring, she had also preserved Long Qi’s dignity.

……

Only when she was halfway through eating, Fu Yu’ao came up.

At that time she was looking at the incomplete script for this filming assignment, slowly eating mango. Fu Yu’ao’s appearance made her unable to help sighing. Outside the car window, the other few were still eating noodles in the shop. As soon as he got in the car, he walked straight toward her, carrying a jacket in his hand: “I heard them say you were sneezing.”

“Let’s discuss something, Fu Yu’ao.”

Just as the clothing was about to land on her shoulders, this one sentence. Fu Yu’ao’s movement stopped. She continued: “Tell me—exactly how harsh do my words need to be before you’ll believe you have absolutely no chance with me, before you’ll stop harassing me?”

He slowly withdrew the clothes, sitting down in Nalin’s original seat.

“I didn’t want to leave you isolated.”

“Being in the same car and same group with your girlfriend and your girlfriend’s besties isn’t much better than being isolated.”

“Yinling and I broke up cleanly. This group roster was arranged beforehand. She’s not my……”

“I don’t fucking care about this, Fu Yu’ao.”

Cold air in the cabin blew steadily. Fu Yu’ao’s elbow rested on his knee, head lowered, no sound. After Long Qi’s chest rose and fell slightly, she continued: “Moreover, you handled this matter very uglily. You didn’t clarify matters between you and me at all. You deliberately wanted others to misunderstand.”

“We did kiss.”

Fu Yu’ao slightly lifted his forehead, speaking in a low voice.

“So what?”

He reached over, grasping her wrist.

“Forget it. Don’t be angry. I won’t mention it again. I’ll explain to everyone. Just don’t be angry.”

She helplessly pulled her hand free.

“Fu Yu’ao, your attitude is wrong. Why don’t you use this kind of attitude on Ge Yinling? The person who should be using this attitude on me is in another time zone attending class. It’s not your turn to handle his business.”

Fu Yu’ao listened, slowly nodding. His emotions also seemed stirred up: “You make him sound like he cares about you so much. Then let me ask you—when things were at their worst a few days ago, where was he?”

“Why the concern?”

“Stop deceiving yourself.”

She set down the fruit container: “What am I deceiving myself about? Do you live my life more clearly than I do or what?”

“Then I’ll speak honestly. From a man’s perspective, what he likes is more like a female entertainer, a female model, rather than you as a person.”

“What about you?”

Fu Yu’ao didn’t speak.

Long Qi prepared a long rebuttal, but the car door whooshed open. Nalin rushed back to the car to continue live-streaming, the first to finish lunch and return. Meeting Fu Yu’ao face-to-face, Fu Yu’ao withdrew his hand. Nalin didn’t speak, leaning by the car door, as if catching them red-handed in some affair, her eyes unable to hide contempt.

“Two more hours. Rest a bit.”

He left with these words, getting up and exiting the car.

Nalin got in the car, sitting in her seat, fiddling with tangled earphone wires, saying softly: “So blatant.”

Long Qi looked up.

“Can your mouth speak any human words?”

“Human words are for speaking to humans.” Nalin turned back. “Not thieves.”

Then, as if timing it perfectly, she turned to open her live-stream room, putting on a “refuse communication refuse rebuttal” attitude, tossing her hair at the camera: “Hi, good afternoon everyone.”

Very clever.

Long Qi laughed coldly in her seat.

The next two-hour drive, drizzle continued ceaselessly.

The road surface was wet. Mountain roads were even more difficult. But at least they arrived at Xunqu Mountain on time. October was the off-season. Ge Yinling’s group had booked a wooden cabin guesthouse halfway up the mountain. Budget was limited—six women, four men. They got a total of five rooms. One was a triple room. They specifically left a single room for Long Qi alone.

She wasn’t unaware of the intent. But it was also good—quiet. After verifying her ID information, she pulled her luggage upstairs, having no interest in participating in their group photo at the guesthouse entrance.

The mountain area on a rainy day was a large expanse of deep green and spreading white mist. The temperature was several degrees lower than outside. The air carried rain threads. The body sensation was cool, like entering early autumn ahead of time. But after moving her luggage barehanded, she felt hot.

The guesthouse only had wooden stairs. The suitcase was heavy. She caught her breath twice at the room door. Downstairs was still those few girls’ laughing and chatting sounds. So-called filming had probably long been thrown to the back of their minds.

……

Such a meaningless extracurricular activity.

So that evening she barely left her room.

Those two girls still hadn’t finished writing the script. Travel-worn and weary, Wu Yishan suggested resting and settling in today, formally entering filming tomorrow. Just a fifteen-minute short film anyway—four days were enough to shoot it. Everyone in the group voiced agreement, then began discussing what other good places were around the guesthouse, what local specialty foods there were.

Students and professional crew members—there was still a difference after all.

Long Qi thoroughly digested the script those two girls wrote. She’d nearly memorized all the characters’ lines. While those few went out to play, she sat on the room’s balcony, wearing a jacket, hair tied up, munching on an apple, looking at the new scene-by-scene script Wu’er had sent her.

She’d contacted Wu’er yesterday, expressing her desire to rejoin the crew to film. Wu’er was very happy, staying up all night to send her the detailed script, telling her to start reading, that he’d arrange the production start matters right away.

Jin Yiken didn’t come bother her that day.

Yesterday she’d reminded him she needed to focus on reading the script and memorizing lines, telling him not to disturb her. But rarely was this person so obedient—surprisingly, he really hadn’t sent a single message or video call. She checked the time—five in the evening, corresponding to morning in the UK.

Perhaps sleeping, perhaps in class.

Not thinking much about it, she continued working on the script.

At six o’clock she saw people in the group mutually posting dinner photos. Looked like they’d eaten. She continued munching her apple. Fu Yu’ao knocked on her room door, bringing her dinner. She ignored him.

Later hearing a creaking sound,

Thinking Fu Yu’ao was still outside and hadn’t left, she irritably looked back. No figure outside the door crack. The creaking sound came again. This time she heard clearly—it came from inside the ceiling. She looked up, staring.

……

Stared for a long time. No sound.

Turned back to look at the script.

Hadn’t looked for five minutes when she heard creaking sounds again, sliding from the left end of the ceiling all the way to the right end, very clearly audible. This time she realized. Her entire neck instantly went cold. She jumped up from the chair.

This guesthouse—don’t fucking tell me there were rats.

Immediately called the front desk to report the situation. Never expected the front desk to admit it so readily, saying the mountain was humid, the rooms were wooden structures, rats were unavoidable, but rats only moved in the ceiling interlayer, wouldn’t enter rooms, told her to rest assured.

“Switch rooms?” she asked.

“There are no rooms available today. If you really mind, you can share a room with a friend. We’ll refund your room fee. Would that work for you?”

Obviously not feasible.

She said forget it, hung up, used her phone to search for other nearby hotels. But apparently there was only this one guesthouse halfway up the mountain. The nearest hotels were all at the foot of the mountain. She had no car, couldn’t get down.

The ceiling creaked again.

Goosebumps rose on her entire arm. She feared nothing in heaven or earth, just felt disgusted by rats. Looking up and staring deadly, when her phone beeped, it shocked her hand into trembling. Those few girls were now posting group dining photos in the group chat. As soon as they posted, dozens came, all looking almost the same, vibrating until her hand went numb. She put her phone on silent.

Just after silencing it, Jin Yiken’s call came.

Answering at her ear, she sat on the balcony’s rattan chair. Mist rose between the mountain valleys. She wrapped her jacket properly, hearing him ask: “How’s the activity?”

“Hasn’t started yet. Just arrived.”

“Where are you staying?”

“A guesthouse, halfway up the mountain. The view is pretty good. It’s just—” Pausing, she didn’t continue, instead asking back, “You know I’m taking Wu’er’s drama, right?”

“Wu’er told me.” He said, “You should have found me first. I’m your boss.”

Haven’t even met yet, but already putting on airs. She scoffed: “Say that again.”

“As long as you’re happy.”

He was all smiles over there. Then asked again: “Did you bring a jacket? Are you cold?”

“It’s okay, not……” Her finger was idly sliding back and forth on the coffee table when she suddenly stopped. She looked up. “How do you know it’s cold here?”

Drizzle fell pitter-patter in the mountain valley. Jin Yiken didn’t answer.

She got up from the rattan chair, returned to the room, closed the balcony door with a snap, covered her left ear and concentrated on listening to the environmental sounds on the other end of the phone, hearing the same damn rain sounds.

“Is it raining there too?”

……

……

Heard him laugh once.

Done for. Just this one shallow, low laugh, and she knew Jin Yiken, this restless person, had done something big. Her heart instantly crackled and burned. Blurting out: “You came back?”

“Send me the address.” Simple and direct.

“……Does your mom know about this?”

“Keeping it from her.”

“Can you hide it?”

“I’m that capable.”

“Where are you now?”

“Foot of the mountain.”

……

……

After another five seconds’ pause, her face started burning from the neck up. But Jin Yiken couldn’t see any of this. She stroked her forehead. When he asked for the address a second time, she hung up the phone with a snap.

He quickly called back.

Hung up again.

Then typed, telling him to go back while his mother hadn’t noticed yet.

Jin Yiken’s message came back, two words calm and composed: Waiting for you.

Made her fingertips sweat, unable to reply.

After that she couldn’t focus on the script at all. Suddenly wasn’t cold anymore either. Wearing short sleeves, she was still hot. A thin layer of sweat adhered to her arm skin. Opening the balcony door, receiving a gust of mountain wind, alternating cold and hot, she sat absentmindedly on the rattan chair.

Jin Yiken didn’t send her any more messages, didn’t call, as if deliberately leaving her space to consider. She also didn’t seek him out.

The group chat kept talking.

At eight o’clock she started hearing lively movement sounds in the corridor outside. Everyone had returned, started washing up. Borrowing face cream for a moment, straightening iron the next, then calling for the guesthouse owner downstairs to send beer. Mixed with occasional creaking sounds from the ceiling. Like a noisy marketplace.

Eleven o’clock was the liveliest. They gathered in some unknown room playing cards. Laughter faintly carried over. She sat alone on the unlit balcony rattan chair, gently biting her thumb knuckle.

Twelve o’clock, the commotion decreased. Movement came from the corridor. They successively returned to their rooms to rest. But footsteps paused outside her door. At the same time, Fu Yu’ao sent her a text message: Asleep yet?

Didn’t reply.

He sent another: Everyone just discussed starting filming at eight tomorrow morning. Remember to set your alarm.

The footsteps outside the door left.

Twelve-thirty, all sounds quieted down. Even some voices through walls gradually decreased. Rain drifted in the mountain valley. Still creaking sounds from the ceiling.

She sat until her body was stiff and cold, a scalp full of numbness, went to the room’s bathroom to shower.

Originally thought at least the bathroom ceiling had no rats. But after washing, while drying her hair, suddenly hearing intense scratching sounds of rat claws digging holes overhead. Scared her so much the towel shook to the floor. Couldn’t take it. Mentality collapsed. Taking her phone to the balcony, she called Jin Yiken.

He answered instantly.

“Asleep yet?” she asked with folded arms.

“No.”

“My room has rats.”

He listened, saying: “Wait a moment.”

Not even three or four seconds later, WeChat consecutively received several photos he sent—environmental photos of the hotel suite he was staying in. Damn, living quite well. That bed looked soft, as if specially sent for her inspection. Phone returned to her ear. About to ask if he’d driven, just as the word “you” came out, Jin Yiken replied: “I’ll come pick you up.”

……

Rainy day, from the foot of the mountain to halfway up would take thirty minutes by car.

During this thirty minutes, she packed her luggage in the room, then walked back and forth at the foot of the bed, occasionally glancing at the shared location Jin Yiken sent her, seeing where he’d driven to now. Heart very itchy, itching all the way to her navel, completely unable to sit still.

One-oh-five, the message came. Four words: Arrived, come down.

At this hour, those who should sleep had slept. The corridor was very quiet. She went down the stairs.

Reaching the front hall, at a glance she saw him at the front desk helping her handle checkout procedures.

He wore a hoodie, hands in pockets, head lowered looking at the tourism guide sheet on the counter. Tall, upright posture. The tattoos on his neck side and tiger’s mouth loomed faintly visible. The front desk had two girls who’d temporarily dressed and gotten out of bed to receive guests. But facing him they had no trace of getting-up grumpiness. While helping him with procedures, they whispered at the computer, stealing glances at him.

Outside the main entrance a Land Rover was parked, engine still running, headlights on. Fine rain drifted diagonally, illuminating the front hall bright as day.

“No need to check out.” Arriving at the front desk, Long Qi said, “Keep it for now.”

Jin Yiken heard the sound, turned his head sideways.

Eyes met. Nearly four months apart. Silence, but heart pounding like a drum. The two girls stared at them both. Then his gaze moved down, asking: “Do you have luggage?”

“Upstairs.”

“You go sit. I’ll get it.”

“Room 205. Just one white suitcase.”

……

When he went to get the luggage, she leaned against the front hall door, waiting.

The two front desk girls didn’t rush back to their room, sitting behind the counter. That suitcase was very light for Jin Yiken. He brought it down, directly placing it in the Land Rover’s trunk outside, then holding an umbrella came back to escort her to the passenger seat. After the car door closed, he circled around the front to the driver’s side. The headlights illuminated his entire body with light. She saw the prominent “Qi” character tattoo at his nape.

Very provocative.

Getting in, closing the door, fine rain tapping glass, starting the car.

“Drive slowly. The road is slippery.”

“Okay.”

Early October extracurricular activity, halfway up Xunqu Mountain, after everyone’s revelry had quieted down at a quarter past one in the morning—she was picked up by Jin Yiken just like that.

At this hour, the mountain road had very few cars. After the music volume in the car was lowered, neither spoke. Her shoulder leaned against the car window, looking outside, never looking toward him. He watched the mountain road. On the middle finger of his left hand gripping the steering wheel, he wore a men’s ring.

“How many beds in the room you booked?”

After a long while, asked.

“One.”

……

……

“I have to go back up the mountain at eight tomorrow.”

“Okay.” He agreed.

“Have to get up at six.”

“Okay.” Still agreed.

“Are there still rooms there?”

“None left.”

“Does the room you booked have a sofa?”

“Yes.”

“How big?”

“One meter seven.”

Index finger against her lips. After a long while, too embarrassed to say those five words “then you sleep on the sofa,” she just stared at the window, watching Jin Yiken’s silhouette on the window glass. He was now already controlling the steering wheel with one hand. The other hand also rested by the car window, propping his forehead.

“Then you……”

Finally preparing to speak, but just as the words left her mouth, he turned the steering wheel sharply. The entire front of the car made a big turn, charging toward the woods by the roadside. She almost couldn’t sit steady, holding the car window, not knowing what madness possessed him: “What are you……”

Stopped steady, opened the car door, bang, the door closed before her eyes. Jin Yiken left her in the car, quickly circling around the front himself, the entire process wordless. Then, Long Qi’s side car door “click” pulled open.

She was pulled down by him.

The car door closed at the same time her back pressed against the door. Fine rain fell. The windshield wiper went “swish swish.” Jin Yiken just kissed her so impolitely, like something he’d restrained from the first moment he saw her until now, finally at this moment released wantonly as he pleased. The back of her head hit the window glass, then quickly was cupped by his palm. Force at the back, just so intimately kissing him like this. Breathing and heartbeat both very close, so close her entire person was about to explode. The first two seconds she still dodged. The more she dodged, the tighter she was caught. He circled her waist, fingers interlaced and grasping, chins tightly overlapping, kissing wave after wave. This months-apart dry-timber-meets-fire emotion made even her lips go numb.

A full five minutes, soaked until shoulders and body were drenched. Having kissed enough, taken enough advantage, really unable to speak or exert strength anymore, only then was she truly encircled into his embrace, hearing him lightly panting in her ear, saying: “I’m one eighty-six. A one meter seven sofa—I can’t fit on it.”