The folk custom research concluded, and He Qingshi specifically carved out half a day to make a trip to Cenling.
Every time he returned to Wangchuan, he would go back to Cenling to take a look. This was his long-standing habit, rain or shine.
Revisiting an old haunt was a way to both reminisce about the past and settle his thoughts.
Cenling in June was infinitely beautiful, with clear waters and green mountains, a delightful landscape. It had become a great destination for tourists seeking leisure.
The hills were covered with pear trees, their branches laden with fruit hidden behind lush leaves, appearing and disappearing from view.
Huo Chuxue was also part of the trip.
That Huo Chuxue would go to Cenling with He Qingshi this time was purely accidental. One could say heaven was looking out for her, giving her this opportunity.
Over the weekend, the temperature in Cenling suddenly soared to thirty-seven or thirty-eight degrees Celsius, catching everyone completely off guard and leaving them at a loss. The sun scorched the earth fiercely, waves of sweltering summer heat relentlessly sweeping over the small town. The air remained stagnant with a stifling, oppressive dryness that made it almost impossible to breathe.
The temperature was too high; several medical staff couldn’t withstand the heat and suffered heatstroke directly. Moreover, patients with appointments, seeing such a vicious sun, simply didn’t dare to venture out. There was no choice; the leadership of the First Hospital temporarily decided to suspend the free clinic for half a day. All medical personnel were to return to the hotel to rest and arrange their own time.
He Qingshi’s situation was the same; the students couldn’t handle the high temperatures, so the research activities had to end early, and they returned to school. This left him with an extra half-day to go to Cenling.
As luck would have it, just two hours before he was set to leave for Cenling, Huo Chuxue called him. Upon learning he was going to Cenling, she immediately proposed going with him without a second thought.
In front of him, she had always been straightforward, saying directly what she wanted to do. She wanted to go to Cenling, so she asked him outright, without any beating around the bush.
He Qingshi appreciated her frankness and had no reason to refuse. Just as she had said before, they were friends. Among friends, traveling together was perfectly normal. He nodded in agreement almost without hesitation.
He said softly, “Wait for me at the hotel, I’ll come pick you up.”
He Qingshi agreed, and Huo Chuxue’s heart felt as sweet as if dipped in honey, her mood light and buoyant. She smiled and said, “I’ll wait for you.”
The two towns weren’t too far apart, about an hour and a half by car. He Qingshi called for a car to go pick up Huo Chuxue.
As they neared the hotel, he called ahead to tell her to come to the entrance. She received the call and hurried out.
The car came to a smooth stop in front of the hotel just as Huo Chuxue walked out. Through the windshield, a brilliant, dazzling red caught his eye. She wore a date-red dress set, the top and A-line skirt paired together, the color bright and eye-catching.
Huo Chuxue’s skin was fair, and she looked very good in bright colors, which complemented her complexion. Her thick, jet-black hair cascaded over her shoulders. A sun hat sat atop her head, and beneath the brim, a pair of large, lively eyes sparkled, her long lashes fluttering up and down like two black butterflies dancing.
Seeing her, He Qingshi was suddenly struck with a jolt of realization—why had he agreed to this girl’s request so readily?
He quickly rolled down the car window and waved from a distance. “Doctor Huo, over here.”
Hearing his voice, Huo Chuxue gave a radiant smile, the corners of her eyes and brows brimming with intense joy. She clattered over to the car door, twisted the handle, and slid directly into the back seat.
The air conditioning in the car was turned up high, a wave of coolness hitting her face, instantly evaporating the heat from her body. In this devilish weather, any place with air conditioning was undoubtedly heaven.
As soon as she sat down, she took off her backpack and placed it on her lap, then removed her sun hat. Pinching the brim, she fanned herself vigorously.
Fanning herself, she said, “So hot, so hot!”
He Qingshi raised his arm. “Driver, let’s go.”
The driver uncle immediately stepped on the gas, and the car sped away. The buildings outside passed by gradually, flashing past, the eye catching only a blur of dark shapes.
He Qingshi took a bottle of water from his backpack, unscrewed the cap, and handed it to Huo Chuxue. “Have some water first.”
She freed one hand to take it. “Thank you.”
Tilting her head back, she gulped down about a third of it. She was truly parched.
Screwing the cap back on, she turned to look at He Qingshi. Only then did she notice he was wearing a black baseball cap, the brim pulled especially low, his dark eyes deep and calm. They seemed like a deep pool of water, mirror-smooth and unrippled.
Seeing this person and these eyes, she felt the summer heat clinging to her body dissipate completely.
His eyes were like his heart—as still and unrippled as an ancient well, incapable of stirring up waves.
For so long now, she had been throwing stones into this deep water. They sank directly to the bottom, failing to stir up any splash. She didn’t know when she would finally be able to break this stillness and make it ripple.
He Qingshi wore a light-colored checkered shirt, the buttons fastened meticulously. Dressed so formally, it was as if the whole world was suffering through the height of summer, while he alone was in the cool depths of autumn, utterly refreshed.
She lifted her heavy eyelids, her lazy gaze falling on his collar. She could almost make out the pattern on the black buttons. A brand-name shirt, from the fabric to the trimmings, every stitch, every button, was exquisitely crafted.
“Dressed so formally, aren’t you hot?” Huo Chuxue shifted her gaze, a smile playing on her lips, her tone half-joking.
He Qingshi: “…”
The man instinctively reached to touch his collar, undoing one button. He gave a dry laugh. “I’m just used to it.”
“Used to the heat?”
He Qingshi: “…”
He stated stiffly, “I’m used to buttoning it up.”
Huo Chuxue: “…”
“Can’t you tell it’s a joke?” Huo Chuxue yawned, looking weary. “I’m so sleepy!”
“Didn’t sleep well last night?”
She stretched lazily, as if no one else was there, her voice soft. “I slept fine, but I’m still sleepy. Spring brings drowsiness, summer exhaustion, autumn fatigue, and winter lethargy. There’s never a season when I’m not tired. I never get enough sleep, I practically wish I could stay in bed all the time.”
He Qingshi: “…”
He smiled faintly. “If you’re sleepy, take a nap.”
“Mhm, wake me when we get there.” She leaned back against the seat and slowly closed her eyes.
The journey to Cenling took about an hour and a half. The road was smooth and flat, with almost no bumps. Huo Chuxue was extremely tired and fell asleep before long.
The car fell into quietness, moving steadily forward.
After some time, the driver uncle glanced into the back seat and saw the two of them—one sleeping, the other on his phone. He said softly, “Your girlfriend’s asleep. I’ll turn the AC down a bit.”
The words “your girlfriend” sent a shock through He Qingshi, making his heart tremble. He didn’t make a sound for a long moment. After a good while, he finally offered a stiff explanation. “This is my friend.”
The driver uncle adjusted the glasses on the bridge of his nose. “My apologies.”
Worried Huo Chuxue might catch a chill, He Qingshi gently covered her with a jacket, his movements light, for fear of waking her.
Seeing this action through the rearview mirror, the driver uncle snorted inwardly, thinking: ‘She’s not his girlfriend now, but she probably will be soon.’
Huo Chuxue looked childish in her sleep. Her head was tilted to one side, leaning awkwardly, her limbs splayed casually, though her face was serene.
The car seat was narrow and cramped, leaving no room to stretch out. Huo Chuxue was quite restricted and wasn’t sleeping comfortably. A slight frown formed between her brows, creating a “川” character.
He Qingshi glanced at her a couple of times, then looked away, burying himself in his phone to deal with emails. They were all related to the folk custom research work—dozens of them.
After processing most of them, he had stared at the screen for too long. His eyes felt sore and strained, unbearable. He quickly stopped, turned off his phone, and decided to take a short nap.
Just as he was about to close his eyes, a sudden, heavy weight landed on his right shoulder. A soft sensation brushed against his neck.
He jolted in surprise and turned his head. Huo Chuxue had leaned onto his shoulder, sleeping soundly.
He Qingshi: “…”
He immediately tried to carefully shift his head away but found he couldn’t move; she was leaning firmly against him. Several attempts yielded no results. Left with no choice, he could only let her lean on him.
He rested his own head against the car window, slowly closed his eyes, and the two of them slept together.
In that hazy moment, he actually conjured up the illusion of a sense of tranquil, peaceful years!