Chapter 30 Part 1

Running along the small path littered with rotten leaves and broken branches, Zhou Chiyu’s breathing grew rapid and heavy. The sweat on his back had soaked his short-sleeved shirt completely, and his legs gradually felt as heavy as if they were filled with lead.

Finally reaching the safe spot, the three resting children spotted Zhou Chiyu. Zhou Junyi hurried forward. “Little Fish, what’s wrong with your brother?”

“My brother is fine.” Zhou Chiyu set Gu Yuan down. Although each breath came with a sharp whistling sound, he still said proudly, “I was super awesome just now. I carried my brother and ran really far.”

With that, those sweat-covered eyes fixed on Gu Yuan as he grinned and asked, “Brother, am I a strongman?”

“Yes.” Gu Yuan pulled out a tissue to wipe Zhou Chiyu’s face. “Luckily there was Little Fish, or I would’ve been eaten by the monster.”

“Of course.” Zhou Chiyu casually gathered his hair and used a rubber band to tie the little curls on top of his head into a small bun. “Those monsters were so scary.”

“Little Fish, your hairstyle is so funny.”

Little Mango’s voice drew everyone’s attention to Zhou Chiyu. His round, plump little head topped with a small bun looked just like a little apple.

“Little Fish, weren’t you scared just now?” Zhou Junyi stared at Zhou Chiyu’s flushed pink cheeks and said admiringly, “You’re really brave.”

After calming down and thinking it over, Zhou Junyi figured those monsters probably wouldn’t hurt them—it was just that the scene had been too terrifying, and no one had been mentally prepared.

But Zhou Chiyu had rushed back to save Gu Yuan at the first moment…

“Of course. He’s my brother.” To reward himself, Zhou Chiyu decided to eat all the cookies Gu Yuan had given him. He munched down three in one go, puffing out his cheeks and deliberately crunching them loudly. “My brother is my most precious person.”

Zhou Junyi nodded thoughtfully and asked again, “Little Fish, if it were me, would you go back to save me?”

The question left Langlang and Little Mango a bit puzzled.

They thought Zhou Junyi’s question was strange.

Though they couldn’t quite pinpoint why.

Gu Yuan had been organizing the supply pack, but upon hearing the question, he immediately turned his gaze to Zhou Chiyu’s puffed cheeks.

He really wanted to know the answer too.

“Do you have a little brother?” Zhou Chiyu hugged an apple and took a bite.

Zhou Junyi was stunned. “No. Why do you ask?”

“Your little brother should be the one to save you.” Zhou Chiyu’s tone was unusually serious, as if he were deep in thought. “But since you don’t have a little brother to save you, I’ll save you.”

A smile slowly bloomed on Zhou Junyi’s expectant face. “Thank you, Little Fish.”

“But if my brother is in danger too, I’ll save him first.”

This line of reasoning seemed perfectly logical, without a single flaw.

Zhou Junyi’s smile faded a little as he scratched his head. “That’s fine too.”

Gu Yuan watched Zhou Junyi’s expressions shift throughout, and a faint sense of joy rose unbidden in his heart.

Five minutes later, everyone set off again.

Gu Yuan and Zhou Chiyu walked hand in hand, just like when they were little.

“Little Fish, I want to ask you a question too.”

“If me and your snack cabinet fell into the river together, which would you save first?”

Zhou Chiyu didn’t hesitate. “Of course I’d save Brother first. Snacks can be bought again.”

Gu Yuan’s eyebrows lifted slightly. “What if you have no money to buy more snacks?”

Zhou Chiyu rolled his eyes and grinned ingratiatingly. “Then you’d buy them for me.”

Gu Yuan felt a bit disappointed at not getting the answer he wanted, but he persisted. “What if you’re banned from eating snacks, and there’s only one bag of chocolate left? If both me and the chocolate fall into the water, who would you save?”

“You, of course!” Zhou Chiyu’s expression was deadly serious, his brows furrowing repeatedly. “You don’t even need to ask.”

Gu Yuan’s lips curved secretly. “Is that so.”

It seemed Zhou Chiyu really cared about him.

“The chocolate would be inedible if it fell into the river…” Zhou Chiyu muttered under his breath. “Of course I’d save Brother.”

Gu Yuan: “…”

…

After walking two more steps, they followed the compass to the edge of a small stream. Exhausted, Zhou Chiyu sprawled out on the grass like a starfish. “Let’s drink some water. I’m about to melt into a popsicle.”

The afternoon on Little Island was scorching hot, nearly as intense as summer. The roadside rocks baked under the blazing sun were scalding to the touch.

Zhou Chiyu scrunched up his flushed face, yearning for ice cream cake.

“Little Fish, my friend went skiing in the northeast.” Little Mango said enviously. “I like snow too. I’ve never seen it.”

“Snow?” Zhou Chiyu wiped the sweat-drenched forehead with his wrist and murmured, “I’ve seen it. On Mount Fuji.”

“Is Mount Fuji pretty?” Gu Yuan had been listening quietly at first, but he suddenly asked upon hearing Zhou Chiyu’s words. “Was it cold?”

“Super pretty.” Zhou Chiyu flipped over, a smile tugging at his lips. “From afar, it looks like a scoop of blueberry ice cream topped with cheese milk foam. I really want to take a bite.”

Gu Yuan smiled along with Zhou Chiyu. “Me too.”

Zhou Chiyu blinked. “Next winter, let’s go to Mount Fuji together!”

“If… Brother is healthy.”

Though Zhou Chiyu didn’t know the specifics of Gu Yuan’s illness, he knew his brother was the Pea Prince, who needed delicate care.

“I want to go too!” Zhou Junyi gazed at Zhou Chiyu enviously and tentatively asked, “Little Fish, can you bring me along?”

“Sure.” Zhou Chiyu nodded readily. Seeing this, Little Mango and Langlang eagerly told Zhou Chiyu they wanted to come too.

“We can go skiing! We can soak in hot springs!” Zhou Chiyu gestured excitedly to Gu Yuan, describing all the fun things at the foot of Mount Fuji, his eyes sparkling. “When we go, I’ll definitely treat Brother to blueberry ice cream.”

Not just Gu Yuan—Langlang and Zhou Junyi were equally captivated by Zhou Chiyu’s vivid descriptions, growing more and more eager for that beautiful snowy mountain.

The dense, sweltering heat enveloped the land.

Gu Yuan leaned against a large boulder, his bright pupils filled with longing for the next winter.

He picked up a stick from nearby and carefully drew Mount Fuji’s peaks on the grass. Based on Zhou Chiyu’s description, he added winding ski slopes and Japanese hot springs at the base.

Zhou Chiyu gradually became entranced, exclaiming in admiration, “Brother, you draw so beautifully!”