509. Scenic Canyon
==============================
Why am I even organizing a trip?!
No wonder those old counselors never organize any group activities—at most, it’s just the whole class going out for a meal.
These college students have their own ideas and sure aren’t like elementary school kids who fear the teacher and just do what they’re told.
What if a student falls off a mountain or goes missing?
Yep, definitely too young and naive.
Zheng Qian frowned and called a few class leaders to round up the students who were not paying attention. After taking attendance and confirming that no one was missing, only then did he feel relieved.
Lin Nan, munching on a candied hawthorn skewer, drifted over to join the crowd. The more she ate, the more her brows furrowed. She sighed, “This ten-yuan candied hawthorn isn’t any different from the usual three to five-yuan ones!”
“It’s normal for tourist spots to be pricier,” Chen Yao laughed, amused at Lin Nan’s pained expression over spending money.
Under Zheng Qian’s guidance, more than forty people lined up in three rows to take a group photo with their phones, then headed to a small restaurant at the edge of the square for lunch before officially entering the scenic area after paying at the main gate.
The square they were in earlier was just the entrance to the scenic spot.
Passing through a low yet expansive building, they arrived at the back, where Lin Nan spotted a wide boardwalk built along the mountainside.
The boardwalk was spacious enough for three or four people to walk side by side, but looking up, the path seemed to disappear into the distance, twisting up the mountainside like a dark line until it vanished from sight.
I guess this is what climbing a mountain looks like?
It’s basically just a long staircase.
Below the boardwalk was a stream, with steep cliff walls on both sides, surrounded by lush greenery.
Compared to the eerie back mountain of her grandfather’s house, all littered with tombstones and fallen leaves, this scenic area was clearly a picturesque paradise—no wonder it was designated as a tourist spot.
Even though it wasn’t a long holiday like National Day or May Day, this scenic spot wasn’t too far from the city, so the area was buzzing with tourists.
Lin Nan followed her classmates to the beginning of the boardwalk, grabbed the railing, and took in the view. Turning back, she asked Chen Yao, who was trailing behind, “Got any water?”
“Just bought two bottles, five yuan each,” Chen Yao handed her a bottle of Bai Sui Mountain water.
“So expensive…” Lin Nan grumbled as she took a couple sips of the overpriced mineral water.
“When you’re out having fun, don’t worry so much about the money,” he said, patting her head. Just then, Tu Junhui squeezed in next to them, aiming to pat Lin Nan’s head too, joking, “Come on, let me pet the dog’s head.”
But Chen Yao didn’t hesitate to swat his hand away, “Get lost! My wife’s head can only be touched by me.”
“Hitting us with the ‘wife’ stuff…” Tu Junhui tried to tease but quickly turned sour, eyeing Xiong Da who was busy chatting with a girl, and then glancing at the lovey-dovey Chen Yao. He immediately looked like he’d swallowed something rotten.
“d*mn it, all traitors! We agreed to stay single together forever! And now I’m the only one left!”
“I told you, Lin Kexin might actually have a crush on you,” Lin Nan turned around, leaning against the railing with a grin while glancing at Lin Kexin, who was playfully acting like the tour guide making sure the students didn’t run wild. “Look how cute she is! Zheng Qian asked her to help maintain order; are you not taking the chance to pitch in?”
Tu Junhui snorted, “No way! I’m not interested in women! Can they compare to games?”
Chen Yao and Xiong Da nodded in agreement, indicating yes.
Getting hit with a mouthful of dog food, Tu Junhui took a deep breath before suddenly making a heroic sacrifice face and turned towards Lin Kexin, “Lin Nan, if you’re lying to me, I’ll k*ll you two lovebirds during the camping trip tonight!”
Watching Tu Junhui walk away, Lin Nan was slightly taken aback, “I was just kidding, and he took it seriously?”
Sure, Lin Kexin wasn’t a supermodel, but she was at least average-looking with a slender figure, and if she put on some makeup, she’d probably look just fine. She was diligent and responsible. And Tu Junhui, weighing in at around two hundred pounds with a typical nerd attitude, supposedly bought into her joke.
They couldn’t have had any awkward late-night phone calls where some sparks flew, could they?
After taking some photos at the start of the boardwalk, chatting, and stocking up on water and snacks, the students got everything they needed and, under Zheng Qian’s lead, headed up the mountain.
If they had money, they could’ve taken a cable car straight to the top while enjoying the views.
But Lin Nan thought that cable car looked a bit shaky and was worried what would happen if it fell…
Even though this boardwalk wasn’t a trendy glass walkway, it still seemed a bit unsteady, and looking down through the gaps in the wooden boards, she could see the rushing water and cliff below.
Fortunately, the railings on both sides were quite high. Holding onto the railing with one hand and Chen Yao with the other helped her manage her fear of heights.
“We’ll be camping at the peak, and there’ll also be an open-air barbecue!” Zheng Qian announced cheerfully, “It’ll take about two hours.”
Hearing that made Lin Nan’s face green with dread.
This wasn’t like shopping, and the boardwalk was an uphill trek that felt like climbing two hours of stairs.
Students formed a long line, noisily running up and down the boardwalk. Some eager students rushed past Zheng Qian, scouting ahead. There weren’t any forks in the boardwalk, so no one could really get lost unless someone did something stupid and jumped over the railing.
“Looks like Tu Junhui is really into Lin Kexin,” Lin Nan mused, gazing at the scenery while sneaking glances at Tu Junhui ahead.
The guy was 1.8 meters tall and weighed about 200 pounds, resembling a big bear standing next to Lin Kexin, who was about her height. It really gave off a “Beauty and the Beast” vibe.
Chen Yao glanced at him too, then joked, “What if we get caught in a tent tonight…”
“Then you must have a hole in your head,” Lin Nan cut him off with an annoyed look, “Always looking for thrills, huh? And you say you’re not a teddy bear?”
“Well, you’re the only one I’d bear for,” Chen Yao said matter-of-factly.
“What’s with this teddy bear nonsense?” Big Dog suddenly popped out between them, looking curious. “Nan Jie, where’s the teddy bear? Did someone bring a teddy bear on the trip?”
A number of classmates still regarded Lin Nan with mixed feelings. While some, like Lin Yuan, avoided her, Big Dog was straightforward enough to call her “Nan Jie” without hesitation now.
What was once embarrassment turned into irritation; Lin Nan shot a fiery glare at Chen Yao before casually shrugging it off, “No, I just saw a giant teddy bear over there by the square.”
“That’s a giant golden retriever, and it’s pricey too!”
Lin Nan was left utterly skeptical, completely clueless about what Big Dog just said.
——————
There’s a chance tonight there won’t be a third update.
