"Don't know if Ke wears a matching outfit?" He fixed his hair before heading out but soon returned to take a light jacket from his backpack.
I'm hot-blooded. Chillness on top of the mountain won't be a problem for me. But Ke is having her period, weak and cold. She'll probably feel the canyon wind rather chilly at the glass bridge. This jacket can keep her warm then.
Hmm... It's important to be prepared.
Dong, dong, dong! He knocked at the girl's door.
Yan Zheke quickly opened, carrying a sweet smile.
"A few more minutes."
She felt what she just said was against her philosophy of not letting others wait and rushed to explain, "My face has no color. I need to put some stuff on before going out."
There will be photos of them together on their first trip together. She can't take it lightly.
"No problem." Lou Cheng smiled as he walked in, standing by the washroom door and watching her putting creams on her face. She did look pale from blood loss.
"What're you looking at? Go and sit in the room." Yan Zheke protested in a coquettish voice.
"I've never seen girls putting on makeup. It seems a complicated art to me." Lou Cheng laughed.
I've never paid any attention to my mom's skincare and makeup. Am I a terrible son?"
Yan Zheke tied her hair up to the side, looking extremely lovely. She stared at her boyfriend and said, "I don't know much the makeup. I was not a good student whenever my mom tried to teach me..."
"A natural beauty doesn't need makeup." Lou Cheng complimented sincerely in a semi-joking tone.
Yan Zheke responded with a faint smile, revealing her dimples, pretty pleased with herself as she knew her boyfriend meant it.
Lou Cheng noticed the girl was also in a white t-shirt and jeans. Her shoes were white and her t-shirt had a black logo instead of yesterday's letters.
"We're matching." He sounded pleasantly surprised. It was just as he expected.
Is it the so-called spiritual connection?
"I know. I saw it when I opened the door. You're so slow," said Yan Zheke lightheartedly to end the matching outfit topic.
"My attention was given to your face." Lou Cheng murmured to himself before giving her another compliment with a smile, "The reputed detective lives up to her reputation. Very observant!"
"Of course..." Yan Zheke raised her chin.
Lou Cheng finally felt at ease and stopped being over cautious, starting to ask random questions, "Ke, you seem to have many white t-shirts."
They're more or less the same. Don't you feel bored?
"Yeah," answered Yan Zheke casually, "Different styles, different patterns and differently tailored."
"Sounds complicated..." Lou Cheng had nothing else to say.
Yan Zheke was pretty much done with her face, her lips rosy pink, making up for her pale face. Lou Cheng was very tempted to give her a long kiss. He tried hard to control himself.
"Complicated?" Yan Zheke tilted her head and chuckled. "You'll find out how complicated a girl's closet can be in the future!"
"I read a post before about this matter. Those leggings are pretty much the same for the boys but they can be thick or thin, with wool or without, see-through or not, and anything between them." Lou Cheng found it very complicated but he liked it when Yan Zheke said in the future. It sounded as eternal and unchanging as the universe.
Yan Zheke pursed her lips and nodded thoughtfully.
"Just like that!"
She went on to make fun of him. "That's why I think most of you boys are living a really rough life. Hi, rough man!"
Lou Cheng was speechless. He thought about it and admitted it in silence while watching his girlfriend put on her jacket and take her bag, ready to go.
"Ke, I just got a phone call from Talker. His girlfriend wants to treat us to dinner on the third of this month to thank me for spurring on her boyfriend." Lou Cheng brought it up as they were getting closer to the elevator.
Yan Zheke looked up with her black eyes. "Sure. I'm quite curious about her."
A member of the martial arts special training, Cai Zongming was no stranger to Yan Zheke. Also, her boyfriend had pretty much shared all his previous awkward moments with her.
Of course, Lou Cheng would never mention Cai Zongming's contribution to his pursuit after Yan Zheke. It was something hidden deep in his heart, waiting for their gray days to share.
They went to Yangtai Tourism Distribution Centre to buy tickets for the express bus to Mofeng Mount and started climbing.
Taking the girl's period into consideration, Lou Cheng kept his pace slow with frequent stops to rest and take photos. They breathed in the clean air and enjoyed their time in this strange environment. The glass bridge across the canyon appeared in front of them when it was almost noon.
The tourists were not too many, but still they had to queue for a dozen minutes to get on the bridge.
Lou Cheng volunteered to step on the bridge first. Under his feet were void, mist and clouds, a roaring river and tiny buildings like ants at the foot of the mountains, giving him an urge to jump off and a fear of falling.
"Didn't know I was afraid of height until now..." Lou Cheng sneered at himself, converging his thoughts to freeze water to ice, subsiding his fear.
Looking around at other tourists shivering and holding on to the railings afraid of advancing, Lou Cheng found it amusing. He reached his hand out to Yan Zheke, ready to protect her.
"Will Ke shake, scream, feel weak at feet or feel too scared to move?" Lou Cheng was kind of looking forward to her reaction.
It'll be the moment for me to show my manly side!
Yan Zheke jumped on the glass bridge like a deer without grabbing Lou Cheng's hand after fixing her hair. She looked down with great interest.
She strode back and forth, turning to Lou Cheng, excited.
"It feels great!"
Dumbfounded, Lou Cheng blurted out, "Ke, you're not afraid?"
"Of course not!" Yan Zheke shook her head proudly and stared back down at the terrifying scenery under her feet. "Maybe because I was very sick when I was little and often worried I was to die. Then I got used to thinking about death. It becomes something I'm no longer afraid of. I think a man who dies after a glorious moment has nothing to regret."
She tucked her sentiment in and smiled. "I'm not even afraid of death. Should I be afraid of height?"
Lou Cheng said quietly, "Coach Yan, you're correct. Could you please give me a hand?"
Err? Yan Zheke looked up, seeing Lou Cheng holding on the railings, legs weak and body shaking.
"Seriously? Cheng is so afraid of height?" Yan Zheke held back her laugh and stretched her hand out to save the hero. Lou Cheng suddenly stood up straight, smiling.
"I was kidding!"
Yan Zheke's fearless side was very cute but also pitiful. He played weak to change the atmosphere.
I probably have to wait a long time to see this side of her without this trip to this strange place.
Of course, I'm a little bit afraid of height...
Yan Zheke burst into a laugh. She said casually as her eyes rolled,
"Cheng, I really liked it when you stood there waiting for me to save you."
Hmm... That's satisfying!
Lou Cheng hugged himself like a good boy being assailed by obscenities, shivering.
"Come and save me then!"
Yan Zheke laughed hard, squatting down to save herself from losing her bearing.
They teased each other a bit longer and moved on to cross the bridge. In the middle a kind-hearted passer-by took many photos of them, hugging against the blue sky and beautiful clouds.
Click!
The beauty of their relationship was framed. It was their very first photo together.
...
Lou Cheng picked a fairly priced restaurant in the tourism area according to his trip plan as they would visit more places that afternoon. They continued their journey hand-in-hand after lunch. Praying in a temple, visiting mountain houses and everything they did together seemed interesting and fun.
They went back for the express bus at 5 p.m. sharp and returned to the city of Yangtai. They easily found the restaurant Yangtai Fish and Shrimp House they had reserved.
"It's not crab season but this place is best known for their crabs. Let's order two." Yan Zheke browsed at the menu.
Lou Cheng was shocked. "I thought you couldn't eat it."
"How do you know?" Yan Zheke looked at him, very adorable.
"When I searched for Brown Sugar Ginger Tea, I saw girls couldn't eat cold food during their period. Crabs were listed there," explained Lou Cheng.
Yan Zheke moved her head away. Between her eyes was a smile.
"It's for you."
Steamed crabs were soon brought to their table, alongside their secret soy sauce.
Lou Cheng had never had a whole crab before. He had no clue where to start.
"Let me help you." Yan Zheke smiled with her hand covering her mouth and took a crab. She pulled the crab professionally. The meat of those big crab legs could be easily sucked out.
"You're professional..." Lou Cheng felt very sweet from watching her and couldn't help complimenting.
"Crabs are the favorite in Jiangnan. I'm used to it." Yan Zheke pushed the plate of crabs to Lou Cheng with a bright smile.
Lou Cheng picked one, dipped it in the sauce and took a bite. He immediately commented,
"Good. Very tasty!"
Food with love is so much tastier!
Yan Zheke suddenly straightened her face upon hearing his comment.
"Wrong answer. Zero point."
"Ahh?" Lou Cheng was puzzled.
Yan Zheke revealed her two dimples.
"You should have said 'you pilled so well!' This is the correct answer!"
"A very different game..." Amusement soon replaced Lou Cheng's confusion. "This is how I should handle this kind of situation!"
...
They took a wander in the Yangtai Handicraft Night Market after dinner but didn't buy anything as they both knew how ridiculous things were priced there. A few times Lou Cheng was tempted to buy something as a token of this trip but Yan Zheke stopped him.
It was already past nine when they got back to the hotel. Yan Zheke yawned with her hand covering her mouth.
"Take a shower and sleep early. Tomorrow I'll go with you to the morning training. We can't miss it."
Lou Cheng nodded. A different expectation seeded in his mind. He asked using a euphemism, "Is your belly still hurt?"
"Not much. I don't experience much pain from the second day." Yan Zheke answered honestly.
Lou Cheng added, perturbed, "Do you need me to rub your belly?"
Yan Zheke was lost for a second but soon came to realize what he meant. Her face turned red.
"No wonder Dirty Tong always told me most men were shameless, and you give them an inch and they'll take a yard."
Cheng wants to sleep here tonight!
Before Lou Cheng could make promises that he wouldn't do anything and he technically couldn't do anything, Yan Zheke turned her red face away and murmured,
"You must behave yourself."
"Bring, bring your stuff over..."