thebusnovel Chapter 162 Courtship Methods
Chapter 162 Courtship Methods
Before it was fully light, the campsite was already noisy.
The campsite has public toilets and showers, separated for men and women.
Someone was squatting next to the toilet brushing their teeth, with a toothbrush in their mouth and their hand reaching to flip the pot lid.
Someone carried a bucket to the shower room to fetch water, their slippers making a soft pattering sound as they stepped on the sand.
Someone shouted at the top of their lungs, "Who took my chopsticks?" The voice carried from one end of the camp to the other, but no one answered.
Xiao Yunqing emerged from the tent, her eyes squinting.
Zhou Shan followed behind, yawned, and squinted at the world without her glasses on.
It was too cold at the beach, so the two girls slept together yesterday.
Song Huan was already squatting by the stove.
The water in the pot was boiling, the noodles were bubbling inside, and white steam was rising up, covering his face.
He stirred the fire with chopsticks and then took out a few pieces of burning wood to reduce the fire.
Zhao Qihang squatted down beside it, holding a bowl in his hand, staring longingly at the pot.
Chen Xu stood behind him, also holding a bowl, a head taller than him. The two bowls were placed side by side, one large and one small.
"Fire it yourself."
Song Huan handed over the chopsticks.
Zhao Qihang was the first to reach out, stirred the pot with his chopsticks, scooped up a clump, and piled it into the bowl, making it overflow.
Chen Xu was second; he got a little less, but the bowl was big, so it looked like a lot.
Xiao Yunqing walked over and squatted down next to Song Huan.
My hair wasn't combed yet, and several clumps were sticking up. I tied them with a rubber band, intending to make a ponytail, but I tied it crookedly, and it ended up hanging down next to my ears.
Song Huan took her bowl, scooped out a bowlful of noodles—just enough to cover the bottom of the bowl.
I poured the soup over her, sprinkled a few chopped green onions on top, and pushed it in front of her.
She took it, but the bowl was too hot to handle, so she shrank back and used her sleeve to support it.
The sea breeze blew in from the front, cool and refreshing, causing a thin layer of ripples to form in the soup in the bowl.
She lowered her head and took a sip; the soup slid down her throat and warmed her stomach.
He took another bite of noodles, chewed it twice, and his cheeks bulged out.
"Is it delicious?" Song Huan asked.
"It's delicious," she said. Everything he makes is delicious.
Song Huan smiled, squatted down beside him, holding her own bowl in her hand, not eating, and looked into the distance.
A small crab crawled across the beach, walking sideways, its eight legs moving very quickly.
I paused briefly as I passed by his feet, waved the pliers, and then continued walking, swaggering as if the road belonged to him.
After finishing his meal, Zhao Qihang threw the bowl into the bag and wiped his mouth.
"What time is it?"
"7:30." Zhou Shan glanced at her watch, put on her glasses, and combed her hair, looking much more energetic.
The tour guide's whistle came from the other side of the camp, sharp and long, and drifted in the morning breeze.
Everyone started packing their things.
The tent was disassembled and rolled up, the sleeping mat was folded and stuffed into a bag, and the pots and pans were packed into a plastic box.
The sand was trampled into a mess, with footprints overlapping each other, making it impossible to tell whose footprints they were.
After everything was packed up, the tour guide stood on the slope and raised the megaphone.
There was a whiteboard next to them with today's schedule written on it.
Hiking, lighthouse, picking up trash.
"This is the last activity of the morning." The tour guide glanced around and said, "We'll hike to the island's lighthouse, picking up trash along the way. The ten people who leave the most trash will receive a sanitation champion medal."
Someone raised their hand, "You get a medal for picking up trash?"
"Yes." The tour guide took one out of his pocket. It was golden, round, with words engraved on it, and it flashed in the sunlight.
Some people in the group started to get excited.
"Have a good time this morning, everyone. You'll be heading back this afternoon," the tour guide added.
After a second of silence, someone let out a long "Ah!"
Someone lowered their head and kicked a grain of sand.
Someone turned to look at the sea, and the sea was still the same sea, blue, wide, and endless.
I watched it for three days, but I still wasn't satisfied.
Xiao Yunqing stood next to Song Huan, her ponytail already tied up, a camera hanging around her neck, her hand resting on it.
She looked at the sea and pursed her lips.
Three days and two nights, how could it be so fast?
It feels like just yesterday we were beachcombing, roasting marshmallows, and playing games.
But as soon as I opened my eyes, I had to go back.
Zhou Shan stood to the side, adjusted her glasses, and said, "I don't want to go back."
"Who wants to go back?" Xiao Yunqing said.
Lu Xu stood at the front of the line, hands in his pockets, looking at the sea.
The wind blew, lifting his hair and revealing his forehead.
He stood there for a while, then sighed.
It was so soft that no one heard it.
Ms. Lin, who was standing next to me, was talking to a few girls. When she smiled, she revealed two canine teeth.
She was wearing a white coat today, and her hair was tied in a low ponytail, which was blowing a little in the wind.
Lu Xu turned his gaze away and squatted down to tie his shoelaces.
He tied his shoelaces twice because they weren't loose.
"Time to collect your tools," the tour guide called out.
The plastic bin was opened, revealing a row of metal clips and a row of green garbage bags rolled into tubes.
Everyone lined up to receive their bags, one clip and one bag per person.
Song Huan took a clip, tried it a couple of times, and found the spring was a bit tight.
Xiao Yunqing took one; the clip seemed too big in her hand. She held it up to the light, glanced at it, and then put it down.
"Let's go!"
Zhao Qihang slung the garbage bag over his shoulder like a sack, clipped the clip to his waist, and strode forward.
Chen Xu followed behind, taking bigger strides, and soon overtook him.
Lu Xu walked at the front, carrying a garbage bag in his hand, with the tongs tucked under his arm.
He walked slowly, head down, picking up cigarette butts whenever he saw them and throwing them into his bag.
One, two, three.
There were many cigarette butts along this stretch of road, and he was picking them off carefully, as if he were doing something very important.
Song Huan walked behind him, using the clips skillfully to pick up cigarette butts, tissues, and plastic bottle caps one by one and throw them into the bag.
Xiao Yunqing walked next to Song Huan, but she wasn't very good at using the clips. She had to try several times before she could pick up a bottle cap. When she put it in the bag, it fell and rolled to the side of the road.
She took two steps, bent down to pick it up, and stuffed it inside.
The road was a dirt road, not wide, with low shrubs growing on both sides.
The sea breeze blew in from the side, salty and wet, blowing my hair onto my face.
In the distance is the sea, and nearby are reefs. Cacti grow in the crevices of the reefs, blooming with small yellow flowers.
After walking for about half an hour, the lighthouse came into view.
It was white, tall, cylindrical, with a light chamber on top, the glass of which reflected the sunlight.
There was a stone tablet standing nearby with words engraved on it, but they were illegible.
The line slowed down.
Some people squatted down to pick up trash, some stood up to drink water, and some took out their cameras to take pictures.
Zhao Qihang had already given up. The garbage bag was empty, the clip was tucked behind his waist, his hands were in his pockets, and he walked away nonchalantly.
"Anyway, I won't make it into the top ten," he said.
Song Huan's bag was about half full, while Xiao Yunqing's bag was only partially filled.
The two walked side by side, at a moderate pace.
When we reached the foot of the lighthouse, the tour guide was standing next to the stone monument, holding a list and reading out the names of the top ten people.
Each person is called upon, goes up to receive a golden medal.
The reading was finished; there was no mention of Song Huan or Xiao Yunqing.
Song Huan tied the garbage bag shut and placed it at the designated disposal point.
I walked back and dusted off my hands.
"What a pity," he said, "I didn't pick up the biggest piece of trash."
Xiao Yunqing put the trash bag away, walked back, and stood next to him.
"Then why didn't you pick it up?"
Song Huan opened a new garbage bag, mouth up, facing her, "Then jump in."
Xiao Yunqing was stunned for a moment.
Realizing what had happened, he was so angry that he raised his hand to hit her.
The slap landed on his arm; it wasn't hard, but it made a loud noise.
Song Huan laughed and dodged, taking two steps back to the side.
She chased after him and hit him again, this time on his back.
Chen Xu stood to the side, watching this scene, and frowned slightly.
He turned to look at Zhao Qihang, who was squatting on the ground, poking ant holes with tongs.
"Why does Song Huan always make Xiao Yunqing angry?" Chen Xu asked curiously.
Zhao Qihang didn't even look up, and he poked even harder with the clip, "A courtship method unique to young men."
Chen Xu paused for a moment, looked at Zhao Qihang, and then looked over there.
Song Huan had already been chased several meters ahead, while Xiao Yunqing ran behind, her ponytail fluttering in the wind.
Chen Xu turned his gaze back to the ant hole on the ground and remained silent.
Back at camp, lunch was already prepared.
The boxed lunches, one meat dish and two vegetable dishes, are piled on the table for you to help yourself.
Song Huan took two boxes, one for Xiao Yunqing and one for herself.
The two people sat on the steps, opened the lid, and found braised pork and stir-fried vegetables and scrambled eggs with tomatoes.
Xiao Yunqing picked up a piece of meat, put it in her mouth, chewed it a couple of times, and said, "It's not as good as what you make."
Song Huan also picked up a piece, saying, "This will have to do."
After finishing my meal, I went back to my dorm to get my luggage.
Xiao Yunqing put the camera into her bag, zipped it up, and took a few pictures.
I checked again; the charger was there, the battery was there, and the memory card was there.
She slung her bag over her shoulder, stood at the door, and glanced back.
The bed was empty, the blankets were neatly folded, the curtains were drawn, and sunlight streamed in, making the floor appear white.
She stood there for two seconds, then turned and walked out.
The playground was already packed with people, carrying large and small bags, just like when they arrived.
Some people were dragging suitcases, some were carrying backpacks, and some had stuffed their things so full that the zippers couldn't be closed, so they were pressing them down with their knees.
The sun was high overhead, making one's back feel hot.
The sea breeze blew in from the side, carrying a salty taste, drying the sweat and leaving a layer of fine salt.
The class monitor stood on the steps, holding the microphone to his mouth.
The PE teacher moved the speaker over and placed it next to him, and connected the wires.
"Regarding this study tour," the prefect's voice boomed from the loudspeaker, "I have three final points to make."
Zhao Qihang stood in the line and sighed.
He wasn't alone.
Several people around were sighing.
Some people lowered their heads, some rolled their eyes, and some switched their backpacks from the left to the right.
The class monitor held up one finger.
"First, return safely."
Another one was erected.
"Secondly, get some rest when you get back."
Another sign was erected: "Third point: submit the study report on time."
Three thousand words!
Someone let out a groan and was poked by someone next to them.
The prefect was about to speak again.
The PE teacher ran up from behind, taking long strides, holding a phone in his hand, his face flushed.
"The ship has arrived! The dock called; the ship has docked!"
The prefect's words stuck in his throat.
He paused for a moment, then waved his hand, taking the microphone away from his mouth, and said, "Let's go!"
The playground was quiet for a second, then chaos ensued.
Xiao Yunqing did not move.
She stood next to Song Huan, looking at him.
"you……"
"Don't worry." Song Huan took out two pills from her pocket.
It was white, wrapped in tin foil, with slightly wrinkled corners, and he had carried it around for a day.
He shook it, and the pills rustled inside the foil.
Xiao Yunqing recognized him.
It was those two pieces she gave me.
She looked at him for two seconds, then smiled, her eyes crinkling and shining brightly in the sunlight.
"Let's go." Song Huan stuffed the medicine into her pocket, picked up her bag, and walked towards the dock.
Xiao Yunqing followed behind, her pace neither too fast nor too slow.
The wind blew, hitting her face with her hair, but she didn't brush it away.
Follow behind him, stepping on his shadow.
The ship arrived at the dock and moored at the shore. The white hull had red lettering on it, which had turned white from the sun.
The gangway was lowered, and people walked on it, one after another.
Song Huan stood on the shore, took the two pills out of his pocket, tore open the foil, poured the pills into his mouth, and swallowed them dry.
His Adam's apple moved slightly.
Xiao Yunqing stood beside him, watching him swallow.
"Let's go," he said.
She nodded.
The two people walked up the gangway, one in front of the other.
The gangway was narrow; he walked in front, and she followed behind.
The sea swayed beneath my feet, and the boat rose and fell with the waves.
She reached out and gently pulled on the strap of his backpack, as if afraid of breaking it.
He sensed it, but didn't turn around.
The deck was full of people.
Class 3 is on the left, and Class 4 is on the right, just like when we came.
Some people leaned on the railing to look at the sea, some squatted in the shade to play cards, and some fell asleep leaning against their backpacks.
The boat rocked once, then rocked again.
The whistle sounded, a long, drawn-out blast.
The ship slowly left the dock.
The people on the shore grew smaller and smaller, the houses became dots, the trees became dots, and the lighthouse became a thin white stick stuck in the green slope.
The sea stretched out beneath my feet, grayish-blue, fragmented, and shimmering.
Xiao Yunqing stood by the railing, her camera hanging around her neck. She took off the lens cap and pressed it towards the shore.
On the screen, the lighthouse grew smaller and smaller, farther and farther away, until it became a white dot and disappeared behind the horizon.
She put the camera down and hung it around her neck.
The sea breeze blew, blowing her hair across her face.
The boat rocked slightly.
She held onto the railing with one hand and grabbed the sleeve of the person next to her with the other.
Song Huan stood next to her, hands in her pockets, looking into the distance.
The scattered gold on the sea surface shimmered and swayed, making people squint.
Xiao Yunqing didn't let go, silently holding onto him.