Sheng Mian strolled slowly along the sidewalk. The evening air wasn’t as stifling as the daytime, and the breeze blowing past was a comfortable, refreshing chill.
The rhythmic whir of bicycle tires sounded behind her. Sheng Mian’s heart skipped a beat, and she turned her head. An Alpha, riding against the wind, came to a steady halt in front of her.
“You, how did you get here?” Sheng Mian asked, startled.
Long, lean legs braced against the ground as the bicycle tilted slightly. “You didn’t go home?”
“Ah, I came out to buy something,” Sheng Mian stammered, coming up with a clumsy excuse on the fly.
“Sister-in-law said she saw you just now.”
Sheng Mian: “…”
“I’ll take you home.” Shen Zhilin gestured toward the back seat with her eyes.
“Aren’t you still busy?”
“It’s too dark. It’s not safe.”
Sheng Mian went silent for a moment. Shen Zhilin added, “Besides, Sister-in-law was worried, so she gave me a short break.”
“Oh.” The mood that had just begun to lift in Sheng Mian’s heart drifted down like falling snow, and she couldn’t explain why.
She sat on the back rack. Her hand, which had initially reached for the hem of Zhilin’s shirt, let go and gripped the seat instead. Like two strangers who had just met, they traveled in silence as an awkward tension filled the air.
Sheng Mian tried again to break the ice. “About earlier today, I’m sorry. I was just panicking at the time.”
“It’s fine,” Shen Zhilin replied, her tone as steady as ever. Finally, the weight in Sheng Mian’s heart lifted.
The following week, the classroom was uncharacteristically lively. Usually, on Mondays, everyone was listless and gloomy. It wasn’t until Teacher An walked in that Sheng Mian realized why they were so excited.
The teacher clapped her hands to get everyone’s attention. “Listen up, everyone. Next week is a public holiday, so the school is planning a short trip to give you a chance to relax. We’ll be heading to the maple forests of West Mountain with Class 8 for a two-day, one-night stay. The registration fee is 500 yuan per person, and participation is voluntary.”
She instructed the class monitor to collect the names of those interested by the end of the day.
“Whoa, you guys actually get school trips!” Sheng Mian exclaimed.
Qin Heng was confused. “Don’t we have one every semester?” He then smacked his forehead. “Right, forgot, you don’t remember.” He leaned in. “It’s been two months; have you really not remembered anything yet?”
Sheng Mian lowered her eyes and casually changed the subject. “There’s no rush for that. Are you guys going? To the trip?”
Qin Heng was the first to chime in. “I’m fine either way. If you guys go, I’ll go. If you don’t, it’ll be boring, so I won’t bother.”
Before university, Sheng Mian had rarely even traveled out of her home province, let alone during the high-pressure years of high school. In her past life, even a single day of slackening off brought a deep sense of guilt and urgency. She was actually very interested in the trip, but she kept her voice restrained. “I’ll see what you guys do. I’m fine with whatever.”
“I’m going,” Yi Chi said clearly.
Sheng Mian’s eyes lit up. “Great! Then I’m in too.” She then looked at Shen Zhilin. “Are you coming, Shen Zhilin?”
“Yes.” Shen Zhilin sent a message to the barbecue shop: Sorry, I’d like to request two days off next week. There’s a school activity.
A reply came back almost immediately: No problem.
“Well, since you’re all going, I’m definitely going too,” Qin Heng declared.
When Yi Chi got home after school, the aroma of delicious food greeted her. “Honey, you’re back!”
Chen Lian, wearing an apron, greeted Yi Chi with a bright smile and told her to wash her hands for dinner. Yi Chi stood frozen for a moment. Her mother hadn’t cooked at home in years, let alone shared a meal with the whole family.
Seeing the person who had been at her throat recently now happily preparing a meal felt wrong in every possible way.
Chen Lian really hadn’t stepped into a kitchen in a long time. The dishes were either too salty or too bland, and the rice was undercooked.
“Try these ribs.” Chen Lian placed a piece of juice-dripping rib into Yi Chi’s bowl.
Yi Chi took a bite but couldn’t quite tear the meat off. She put more force into her teeth and finally pulled a strip away; the meat was incredibly tough.
“How is it?” her mother asked, looking at her expectantly. Yi Chi nodded, eating the food without tasting it.
Chen Lian started eating as well. When she bit into the grainy, hard rice, her expression flickered. Looking at Yi Chi, who was eating expressionlessly, she swallowed the urge to spit it out. Chen Lian put down her chopsticks, unable to eat more, and served Yi Chi a bowl of soup instead.
Yi Chi ate very little rice, sticking to the blander dishes. “The school is having a trip next Monday.”
“Good, good.” Chen Lian picked up her phone and transferred 1,000 yuan to Yi Chi. She added pointedly, “It’s getting colder now. Wear more layers next week and have fun with your friends.”
The table fell silent again. Chen Lian’s eyes darted around before she asked casually, “Is that Omega from the Sheng family going too?”
Yi Chi’s hand paused, then she nodded.
Chen Lian said considerately, “Then make sure to take good care of her. She grew up in luxury; she probably doesn’t have much experience looking after herself.”
As a friend, Yi Chi would naturally look out for her. She was mentally braced for whatever Chen Lian was going to say next, but surprisingly, her mother didn’t say another word.
Even as she lay in bed later, Yi Chi couldn’t figure out why Chen Lian had changed so much in a single night. The timing was too suspicious, happening right after their massive fight and her explicit refusal.
Yi Chi didn’t sleep well that night. Over the next few days, she hid in her room as soon as school was over to minimize contact with her parents, but Chen Lian remained steadfast, preparing every meal and calling her down to eat.
October brought the early signs of autumn. The morning dew cast a hazy shroud over the city. Sheng Mian threw on a greyish-white jacket and headed to school with her backpack.
Two large buses were waiting at the school gate. Forty students from the two classes had signed up; Class 3 and Class 8 took one bus each.
Shen Zhilin arrived early and took a window seat toward the back. Yi Chi arrived shortly after and sat directly behind her.
“You two are so early!” Qin Heng arrived wearing jeans and a hoodie, his hair messily styled in a way that looked effortlessly cool. He started walking toward the seat next to Shen Zhilin but was stopped halfway by Yi Chi.
“Qin Heng, sit here.”
Qin Heng didn’t catch the look in Yi Chi’s eyes. “Why? Isn’t Sheng Mian sitting with you?”
Yi Chi wanted to smack the back of the idiot’s head. She hissed through gritted teeth, “It seems deskmates usually sit together.”
Seeing that Qin Heng was about to argue, Yi Chi stood up and physically pulled him into the seat next to her.
The bus was nearly half full. As soon as Sheng Mian hopped off her ride, she sprinted toward it. Entering through the front door, her eyes locked onto Shen Zhilin almost instantly; as luck would have it, Zhilin looked up at the same time, and their eyes met.
In truth, Zhilin had noticed her the moment she came rushing toward the bus in a frantic blur.
Seeing that Qin Heng was already seated next to Yi Chi, Sheng Mian made a beeline for Zhilin. “I get a bit motion sick; do you mind if I take the window seat?”
Zhilin moved toward the aisle seat, intending to stand up to let her in, but she wasn’t fast enough. Sheng Mian, clutching her backpack, simply slid past Zhilin’s front to reach the window.
Zhilin quickly looked away, leaning her head back against the seat and doing her best to avoid any bodily contact.
With the departure time approaching, Teacher An boarded the bus to confirm the head count. As the engine rumbled to life and the bus began to pull away, Qin Heng muttered a quiet protest, “Look, plenty of people aren’t sitting with their deskmates.”
A second later, Yi Chi swatted his arm. “Stop grumbling,” she hissed.
Qin Heng suddenly found himself missing the “introverted” version of Yi Chi—the one from before they were close, who would blush at a single word and stay as quiet as a mouse. Now that they were comfortable, she had actually started hitting him.
As the bus hummed along, Sheng Mian put on her headphones, watching the city landscape blur past the window. Eventually, curiosity got the better of her, and she stole a glance sideways.
Shen Zhilin, dressed in a black windbreaker, was resting her head against the seat, fast asleep. Her long lashes cast soft shadows, and her profile was clean and elegant—a high bridge to her nose and thin, slightly pursed lips of a healthy pink. Sheng Mian’s gaze drifted further down to the pale curve of her neck, her dark hair spilling over her shoulders, partially obscuring a delicate ear.
Shen Zhilin is really, really beautiful, the thought surfaced uncontrollably in Sheng Mian’s mind.
From the very first day she saw her, Sheng Mian had been struck by her looks—sharp and heroic, yet calm and distant. It was a combination that constantly drew her in. Initially, she had wanted to be friends with Zhilin simply because of that face, but Zhilin’s reserved, quiet nature only made her more intriguing.
Plus, her pheromones smelled incredible. In her heart, Sheng Mian already considered Zhilin a dear friend, and she found herself constantly wanting to be close to her. Who wouldn’t want to snuggle up to a beautiful best friend?
It’s just a shame she’s an Alpha, Sheng Mian thought with a trace of regret. It meant she couldn’t be quite as brazen with her affection.
Feeling cozy, Sheng Mian leaned back. As the bus swayed rhythmically, her wandering thoughts began to blur together. Her eyelids grew heavy, and sleep claimed her so quickly she didn’t even have time to turn her head back. She fell asleep facing Zhilin.
Feeling a sudden weight on her shoulder, a well-rested Shen Zhilin slowly blinked her eyes open. Her vision cleared to reveal the bus ceiling, and she felt a soft, steady breath against the side of her neck.
She tilted her head. An inch away was a soft, fair face, mouth slightly parted in a deep slumber. Sheng Mian was out cold. They were so close that the sweet, light scent of vanilla ice cream was unmistakable.
The bus had long since left the city, now surrounded by the gold of autumn leaves and colorful wildflowers. Suddenly, the wheels hit a series of bumps in the road, causing the bus to lurch violently. Zhilin reflexively raised her left hand, wanting to steady Sheng Mian’s head so she wouldn’t wake up.
Her hand hovered indecisively for a moment. After a brief hesitation, she extended just her index finger, lightly propping it against Sheng Mian’s temple, not daring to apply any real pressure.
It wasn’t enough. The jolting woke Sheng Mian anyway. She let out a soft hum and blearily opened her eyes. Zhilin jerked her finger back instantly, shoving her hand deep into her jacket pocket.
Still groggy, Sheng Mian looked around with a dazed expression. It took a few seconds for her to process the situation. She lifted her head, looking sheepish, only to lock eyes with Zhilin’s deep, dark gaze. For a moment, time seemed to stand still.
Zhilin was the first to look away, a faint pink tint creeping onto her ears hidden beneath her dark hair. She let out a forced cough. Sheng Mian snapped fully awake and whispered, “Sorry, did I wake you up?”
“No,” Zhilin explained quickly. “I just finished my nap and happened to wake up.”
By now, the bus had turned onto the winding mountain road of the maple forest. Vast stretches of fiery red maples lined both sides of the path. Sheng Mian watched, mesmerized. After a ninety-minute journey, they finally arrived at the Maplewood Hotel.
Forty students gathered in the lobby, waiting for instructions.
“Find a partner and pair up two to a room,” Teacher An announced. “Team up however you like, get your keys from the front desk, and drop off your bags. We’ll meet back here once you’re settled.”
Sheng Mian turned to Yi Chi. They shared a knowing look, linked arms, and headed for the desk.
Fifteen minutes later, everyone was back in the lobby. Teacher An raised her voice: “It’s 9:30 AM now. Next, you will form teams of four to forage for food on this mountain. We’ve hidden meat, rice, and various vegetables out there. If you recognize any edible wild greens or mushrooms, feel free to bring those back too. You must return by 11:00 AM. The hotel chefs will prepare lunch using whatever ingredients you find!”
“The out-of-bounds areas are marked with wire fences, do not cross them. Now, let’s go!”
Go, go, go! It was time to head out.