The four who had been walking ahead only realized two had fallen behind when they turned around and could no longer see them.
“Oh no, I forgot! I left my idol behind,” Gu Chi said with a look of regret.
“Ji Heng is back there too, so don’t worry,” Chen Yubai added. “But since when did Ji Heng become so considerate, waiting for Xia Wan like that?”
Su Yi chimed in, “You don’t know? They went running together this morning. Their workout clothes even matched like couple outfits. When I saw them, I thought they were secretly dating without telling us.”
Hearing this, the other three couldn’t stay calm.
Xu Haonan said, “Why didn’t you call me down to see? No wonder they were having breakfast together this morning.”
Chen Yubai pondered, “Could it be that Ji Heng likes Xia Wan?”
Xu Haonan replied, “It’s possible. But if he likes her, why didn’t he add her on WeChat earlier when we were exchanging contacts?”
“He likes my idol?” Gu Chi was utterly shocked. “Is he even worthy?”
Chen Yubai and the others didn’t agree with that. “Just in terms of looks, can you find anyone more handsome than Ji Heng?”
Su Yi added, “I think they look really good together.”
Xu Haonan said, “If they really got together, they’d be a great match. At the very least, they’d be a sight for sore eyes standing side by side.”
Gu Chi was annoyed by their comments. “What do you mean no one is more handsome? I’m better-looking than him.”
The three spoke in unison, “You?”
“One should have self-awareness,” they remarked. Although Gu Chi was also good-looking, it depended on who he was compared to.
Compared to Ji Heng, he fell a bit short.
Gu Chi felt a lump in his chest. “I’ve made poor choices in friends…”
No one paid him any mind. While waiting for the two who had fallen behind, they continued chatting casually.
Gu Chi was still curious. “Does Ji Heng really like Xia Wan or not?”
“We don’t know yet. We’ll ask him tonight.”
“No need to jump to conclusions. They just met.”
“If they’re both interested, we could help them along.”
Gu Chi let out a long sigh.
Chen Yubai noticed his gloomy expression. “You’re not into Xia Wan yourself, are you?”
He didn’t want to see a rivalry over a girl among friends.
Gu Chi clarified, “I like her, but as a fan likes an idol.” He knew the difference.
Chen Yubai breathed a sigh of relief.
Su Yi said, “I have a feeling they’ll definitely end up together.”
His intuition was never wrong.
Gu Chi was the first to object. “Impossible. Your intuition has never been accurate.”
Su Yi challenged him, “Don’t believe me? Want to make a bet?”
Gu Chi agreed immediately. “Sure, what’s the bet?”
Without hesitation, Su Yi said, “If I win, you have to call me ‘Dad’ three times in front of all of us.”
“You’ve been planning this… If I win, you buy me the latest top-of-the-line Lamborghini sports car.”
He’d wanted that car for a while, but it wasn’t available domestically yet. Plus, if his dad found out he’d bought another new car, he’d definitely get scolded.
But if Su Yi gave it to him, he’d get the car he wanted without his dad’s wrath.
He was so clever.
“Deal,” Su Yi agreed. “You two are witnesses.” He was worried Gu Chi might back out of calling him ‘Dad’ later.
Xu Haonan and Chen Yubai nodded.
“We’ll witness it.”
They hoped Su Yi would win. They were really looking forward to seeing Gu Chi call him ‘Dad.'”You’re definitely going to lose. Even if Ji Heng likes Xia Wan, my idol wouldn’t be interested in him.” Gu Chi was brimming with confidence.
He was waiting for Su Yi to personally deliver the sports car to him.
“They’re here.” Chen Yubai looked at the two figures walking side by side as they appeared before them.
He now agreed with what Su Yi had said—they really did look well-matched.
Xu Haonan remarked, “Maybe we shouldn’t have waited here. It’s nice seeing the two of them walking together.”
Ji Heng walked up to them and glanced at the group. “At least you know to wait here. You were the ones who invited her, yet you kept walking ahead without a care.”
Xu Haonan shrugged it off. “Well, you were there behind her.”
Fortunately, Ji Heng had stayed back to accompany Xia Wan. If they had all left her behind, it would have been truly “unforgivable.”
“Do you two want to take a break?” Su Yi asked, directing the question at both of them but looking at Xia Wan.
Ji Heng definitely didn’t need a break. When they usually took the most challenging route, they hardly rested at all.
Xia Wan shook her head. “I don’t need a break.”
“Alright, let’s keep going then.” Chen Yubai took the lead at the front.
Xia Wan glanced at Ji Heng and said softly, “Am I holding you back? You should go with them. I can keep up from behind.”
“It’s not holding me back at all. You’re walking on your own two feet.” Ji Heng was a bit puzzled. It wasn’t as if he was carrying her or giving her a piggyback up the mountain, so how could she be holding him back?
Xia Wan pouted. “Oh.” Maybe she had overthought it. What he had just said to his friends could easily be misunderstood.
Ji Heng glanced in her direction. “Do you want to put the water bottle in the hiking backpack?”
Xia Wan replied immediately, “Yes.” She was holding hiking sticks in both hands, and carrying the water bottle was a bit inconvenient.
Ji Heng stopped to let her put it away.
Xia Wan unzipped the hiking backpack he was wearing on his back and sighed, “You’re so tall.”
She estimated conservatively that Ji Heng was definitely over 185 centimeters.
Ji Heng replied politely, “You’re not short either.”
From his observation, Xia Wan was at least 165 centimeters tall, which was definitely not short for a girl.
Plus, her proportions were excellent, making her appear taller than others of the same height.
Xia Wan zipped up the backpack and continued walking. “Compared to you, I’m quite short.”
Ji Heng raised an eyebrow and smiled. “Why compare yourself to me?”
“I was just saying it casually.” She was quite satisfied with her own height.
“Are we hiking down the mountain tomorrow too?” Xia Wan was a bit worried about the next day’s plans.
Ji Heng replied calmly, “There’s a cable car. You can take it down.”
For a beginner like Xia Wan, she definitely wouldn’t have the energy to hike down tomorrow.
Xia Wan instantly perked up. Her legs were saved. “What about you?”
“I’ll walk.” None of them had ever taken the cable car when hiking.
Xia Wan nodded.
The four people ahead seemed intent on leaving the two behind, walking briskly without any intention of waiting for Ji Heng and Xia Wan.