The weather had been pleasant for the past few days. Huai’an City was in the midst of warming up, but once this brief period passed, the temperatures would drop, ushering in the depths of autumn.
Class buses arrived one after another, dropping off the freshmen at the forest entrance.
Ning Shuang stood at the front of his group, backpack slung over his shoulder, roster in hand as he began counting the students in his class.
Down below on the steps, everyone wore the standard ink-green military training uniforms. Ning Shuang squinted, counting them one by one. He couldn’t help thinking they looked just like a field of green onion seedlings. Once that image took hold, it was hard to shake. After finishing his count, he couldn’t hold back a quiet chuckle.
When he looked up, he caught Ji Huaizhi staring at him from the back of the line. Ning Shuang instinctively straightened his posture and returned a smile.
With everyone accounted for, they set off into the forest in class order, Ning Shuang leading the way. He took the backpacks from two girls who looked like they were struggling with the weight.
They chatted and laughed along the path, and before long, they reached their destination.
What they called a forest was actually a large clearing that had been carved out later on—a vast grassy lawn surrounded by towering trees. A small stream nearby provided fresh water.
The air here was crisp and fresh, filled with the scent of nature. Birdsong echoed crisply through the woods, light and melodic.
This was the Business School’s campsite. Ning Shuang had no idea where the other faculties were set up—there were simply too many students to house them all in one spot.
The school had already delivered the tents and sleeping bags ahead of time. The instructors first demonstrated how to set up a tent, then had the students pair up to erect their own.
Ning Shuang stared at the roster in his hand, puzzled over the grouping. In the end, he followed Professor Zhang’s example: he let the students pair up on their own first, then randomly assigned the leftovers.
After weeks of school life, those who were meant to befriend each other already had. There were always a few loners in any class, and Ji Huaizhi was one of them.
From afar, Ning Shuang saw a guy approach Ji Huaizhi, probably asking to team up. He wasn’t sure if Ji agreed, but the guy walked off afterward.
Only then did Ning Shuang approach Ji Huaizhi. He circled the names of a few stragglers on the roster and said, “Ji Huaizhi, you need a partner. It’s two per group, or you’ll end up with someone from another class.”
“Who are you pairing with?” Ji Huaizhi didn’t seem bothered at all. Instead, he asked about Ning Shuang’s plans.
Ning Shuang answered honestly, “My friend, Zhao Wei Liang. You’ve met him before.”
“…”
Ning Shuang paused, then realized. “Do you want to pair with me?”
“Don’t you already have a partner?” Ji Huaizhi countered.
Ning Shuang pocketed the roster, hands on his hips, gazing into those lonely eyes. “Just say yes or no—will you pair with me?!”
“Yes,” Ji Huaizhi replied immediately.
Ning Shuang laughed a few times. “Approved.”
With that, he turned and headed off, apparently to find Zhao Wei Liang.
He was back in no time, jogging over. “All set. I talked to him—we’ll pair up tonight. I’ll go grab the tent. Wait here for me.”
“Okay.” Ji Huaizhi nodded.
When Ning Shuang returned hugging a bundle of tent materials, he spotted two girls talking to Ji Huaizhi. One of them was holding out her phone to him.
Sensing the moment, Ning Shuang stopped a good few meters away and waited until they finished.
From the looks of it, the girls were asking for Ji Huaizhi’s contact info. He seemed startled at first, then frowned and turned them down. The pair slunk away, dejected.
Watching the scene, Ning Shuang found himself admiring Ji Huaizhi’s face once more.
Ji Huaizhi was undeniably handsome—at least, that’s how Ning Shuang saw it. His build was great too. If not for his aloof, standoffish personality, he’d probably be even more popular. Ning Shuang had seen plenty of posts about him on the School Forum.
He knew full well that Ji Huaizhi’s charm wouldn’t let him stay alone forever.
Sooner or later, someone would step into his world.
Or maybe…
Lost in the thought, Ning Shuang barely noticed a hand waving in front of his face. He snapped back to find Ji Huaizhi standing right there, looking puzzled. “What are you thinking about?”
Ning Shuang let out an “Oh!” and sidestepped him, continuing forward. “I saw you were busy, so I figured I’d hang back for a bit.”
Ji Huaizhi knew he meant the girls.
He explained, “I have nothing to do with them.”
Ning Shuang found a suitable clearing, just the right size for their tent. He dropped the materials on the ground and turned back to Ji Huaizhi. “Of course I know you don’t. You’re just too aloof. If you hadn’t ended up renting my place by chance, I’d probably still have no idea who you even are!”
Ji Huaizhi corrected him earnestly. “You wouldn’t.”
Ning Shuang unpacked the materials. Hearing that, he glanced over. “Wouldn’t what?”
“You wouldn’t only know my name.” Ji Huaizhi said it matter-of-factly.
Ning Shuang burst out laughing again. “Then stop being so aloof. Make some friends when you get the chance. You lucked out pairing with me today—what about group projects in class?”
Ji Huaizhi’s expression remained cool. “I don’t want to.”
He had no interest in anyone but Ning Shuang, and group work? He wouldn’t be doing any.
“Fine, fine, if you don’t want to, you don’t have to.” Ning Shuang nodded emphatically several times.
Ji Huaizhi’s gaze sharpened, and he fell silent.
By the time they finished setting up the tent and laying out their sleeping bags, it was already past four in the afternoon.
Ning Shuang unpacked his bento from his bag, setting out the food, then pulled out his camera.
Many of Ning Shuang’s hobbies were whims bought on impulse, and this camera was one of them. He’d never imagined it’d come in handy in his sophomore year.
He sat on a folding chair, fiddling with the settings. Glancing up, he saw Ji Huaizhi approaching with a bowl of freshly washed fruit. Ning Shuang raised the camera and called out, “Ji Huaizhi.”
Hearing his name, Ji Huaizhi looked up. The breeze tugged at his clothes and hair, while the mountain spring water had chilled his fingers red. His face was strikingly pale. Ning Shuang snapped the shot.
Ji Huaizhi stepped up beside him. Ning Shuang held the camera out. “See? You’re so photogenic—even my amateur skills can’t ruin you.”
Ji Huaizhi glanced at the screen without comment. He picked a green jujube from the bowl and offered it to Ning Shuang. “Want one?”
“Not now. I’m going to wander around nearby later to photograph some ferns. Want to come?” Ning Shuang could handle the task alone, but he asked anyway.
“Sure,” Ji Huaizhi said.
“Are you hungry?”
“No.”
“Afraid? It’ll be dark soon—scared of snakes in the woods?”
“No.” Snakes were among the creatures Ji Huaizhi knew best.
For some reason, that set Ning Shuang off laughing again. He covered his mouth, giggling until he caught his breath.
“Alright, alright.” Ning Shuang stood, zipping up his jacket and pulling on a black knit cap. “Let’s go. Just a quick loop nearby—snap a few shots and head back.”
“Okay.” Ji Huaizhi followed.
The woods weren’t too hot or cold at this hour. Cicadas buzzed endlessly, mingled with the sounds of small animals. Ning Shuang snapped photos wherever he went.
They chatted idly as they crossed a stream. Amid some rocky cliffs, Ning Shuang took a few more shots. “Ji Huaizhi, heading home for New Year’s this year?”
“No.”
“Not going?” Ning Shuang recalled from Ji Huaizhi’s info card that his home was close to Huai’an City—much nearer than his own distant hometown. Even if it were close, though, Ning Shuang wouldn’t go back.
He hated that place.
“What about you?” Ji Huaizhi asked.
“Me? Nah, no reason to.” Ning Shuang shrugged.
Ji Huaizhi watched Ning Shuang’s back, his gaze settling once more on the nape of his neck. That faint birthmark had deepened in color.
Imprinted on Ning Shuang’s skin, it held a kind of erotic beauty.
“No one important back home? Or someone you really miss?” Ji Huaizhi pressed.
Ning Shuang shook his head. “Nope, we’re all just so-so. Let me tell you, my hometown’s this super… feudal, conservative village. Everyone there is crazy introverted—total social recluses, no interest in talking to anyone. And my personality? You’ve seen it. So, a lot of folks don’t like me. Why would I go back?”
“Your personality is great,” Ji Huaizhi said seriously.
Ning Shuang felt that Ji Huaizhi was comforting him. He smiled and said, “What I mean is, the people back in my village thought I had a bad personality. But now that I’m attending university here, they say I have a great personality, and I’ve even made a bunch of new friends.”
Ji Huaizhi, of course, knew all about that. Sometimes, he was even annoyed by how many friends Ning Shuang had befriended.
“Alright, we’ve got enough photos. Let’s head back.” The sky had grown dark, and they needed their phone flashlights just to make out the path ahead.
Ning Shuang walked in front, eyeing the solitary log bridge. He turned back to Ji Huaizhi, extended his hand, and said, “Come on, I’ll lead you across.”
Ji Huaizhi’s eyes lit up faintly. He slowly reached out, placing his hand atop Ning Shuang’s. In the next instant, Ning Shuang’s scorching palm closed around his, and he found himself being led along the path, hand in hand.
Gazing at Ning Shuang’s back, Ji Huaizhi felt his throat go dry all of a sudden. This moment seemed to overlap with one from many years ago, leaving him dazed and unable to distinguish between past and present.
“Ji Huaizhi, your hand is freezing. Do you have a naturally cold constitution… or have you just been in poor health since you were little?” Ning Shuang had more than once found Ji Huaizhi’s hand so icy it bordered on frostbitten.
“Is it really that cold?” Ji Huaizhi had never considered his hand particularly chilly.
Ning Shuang nodded. “It’s not awful, though. You could try some herbal tonics to balance it out.”
To Ji Huaizhi’s ears, this counted as a roundabout form of concern from Ning Shuang. He pressed his lips into a smile, stared at Ning Shuang’s retreating figure, and replied with solemn gravity, “Okay.”
~~~
That night, the wind rustled the leaves outside the tent, causing the fabric to billow and flap.
Thick waterproof sheeting lay beneath the sleeping bags, which came with built-in heating—keeping things nice and warm.
Yet Ning Shuang found it hard to sleep.
When they’d returned earlier that evening, the instructor had been gathered with the group, playing games. Ning Shuang had dragged Ji Huaizhi over to join the fun, and in that brief span, a boy from the neighboring class had asked Ji Huaizhi for his WeChat.
Ji Huaizhi had refused, as he always did.
Still, the incident prompted Ning Shuang to reassess his relationship with Ji Huaizhi—and his own feelings toward him.
