Chapter 56

Outside was freezing cold, wind even stronger than during the day. The wind blew snow particles drifting along the ground.

Huo Cheng refused to wear his hat at first, stood in the cold wind for two minutes, then couldn't help pulling it on.

But the night sky was gorgeous—a crescent moon hanging up there, countless stars, the air crisp and sharp.

"The whole sky is full of stars." Hu Ying tilted her head back and sighed.

Everyone looked up at the sky. The stars were brilliant, and a few of them thought of Zhai Xingchen.

A bookstore nearby was playing a song—beautiful and gentle.

"This song's nice."

"A Christmas song?"

"Haven't you heard it? It's called True Love Above All." Zhai Xingchen said. "I watched the movie with the same name before, then found the song later."

"I know that movie. I rewatch it every winter. There's this unrequited love story I really love." Lin Qingning asked: "Is this a Chinese song from that movie?"

"No idea if it's connected."

No sooner had he said that than the Christmas melody actually started playing.

"Listen." Zhai Xingchen said. "Ding dong dang dang, ding dong dang dang."

He hummed.

"Please don't sing." Hu Ying said. "You're a cute guy, the moment you open your mouth the illusion's gone."

Wen Nuo and the others burst out laughing.

Huo Cheng thought, Hu Ying really has no taste—it was so cute!

So cute he wanted nothing more than to grab Zhai Xingchen and kiss him.

If Zhai Xingchen were his boyfriend and all these people were his friends, wouldn't that be great? He could hold Zhai Xingchen close, and treat Yan Zhi, Hu Ying, all of them sincerely! Everyone would get along so well.

Xiaobeiji at night was way too beautiful—all the buildings lit up with colorful lights, reindeer-shaped street lamps everywhere along the road.

A staff member said: "Head east from here, a few kilometers out there's a Snow World, super famous."

"A few kilometers?" Hu Ying said. "Isn't that too far?"

"By car it's just a few minutes. Walking's only half an hour."

The Production Team clearly wanted them to go.

Snow World was a really important local attraction.

Hu Ying said: "We sat on planes and cars all day, I'm dead tired. Let us rest, we'll go tomorrow."

The Production Team asked the others too. Huo Cheng was willing to go, Pei Xu was willing to go, but the rest weren't really feeling it.

Too tired, too cold, just ate, had some drinks—everyone was even lazier.

Yan Zhi especially didn't want to go.

He couldn't wait to get back to his and Zhai Xingchen's little red-and-blue room and enjoy some alone time.

Which meant the sooner they split up and rested, the more time they'd have alone.

In the end everyone decided to go tomorrow.

They went back to Room 1 and talked about tomorrow's meals.

"Same as before, everyone come have breakfast at our place in the morning. Our kitchen's big enough, so's the table." Zhai Xingchen offered.

Huo Cheng and the others had no objections, of course.

"What about groceries? Where do we buy them?" Hu Ying asked. "Are there supermarkets around here?"

"There are small ones, but the Production Team said we should go to the market tomorrow." Zhai Xingchen said.

"Far?" Hu Ying asked.

"Seven or eight li." Zhai Xingchen said. "We'll need to drive. The Production Team has a car."

"Then I'll go with you tomorrow." Huo Cheng said.

"I want to go too." Hu Ying said.

A local market like this had to be interesting. Zhai Xingchen said: "Everyone probably wants to go, right? Why don't we all go together tomorrow."

Wen Nuo nodded eagerly.

He really wanted to go too. He'd heard the markets here were totally different from the south—especially the rural ones, which he'd only ever seen on TV.

"Should we plan a menu? See what we need to buy tomorrow." Zhai Xingchen asked.

Yan Zhi came over with a pot of hot tea, separated out the cups, and poured one for everyone.

Huo Cheng raised his hand slightly, signaling he didn't want any.

Back in Room 1, Huo Cheng felt like Yan Zhi was acting like the host—running around hosting them, grabbing cups, pouring tea.

"No need, right? Tomorrow we'll see what they're selling at the market, then buy whatever we want on the spot—way more relaxed." Hu Ying said. "We're here, we should just let loose and have fun. Maybe there's food at the market too, we could have lunch there and come back."

"What time does the market open here? Morning or afternoon?" Wen Nuo asked.

"We don't need to go super early, right? It's too cold. This cold, the locals probably don't get up that early either. I say we eat breakfast first, then go." Hu Ying said.

"What's for breakfast?" Lin Qingning asked.

"I'm not eating in the morning. I'm sleeping in." Hu Ying said.

"Didn't everyone bring some snacks? Just grab whatever and make do. Don't make Zhai Xingchen cook, it's freezing." Huo Cheng said to Zhai Xingchen. "You should rest too. Just got here, your body hasn't adjusted. Don't end up sick like Duan-ge."

Zhai Xingchen said: "We'll see tomorrow."

Yan Zhi was about to shower. Lin Qingning stood up and said: "Then that's settled. I'm heading out first."

Wen Nuo stood up too, turned to look at Huo Cheng.

Huo Cheng didn't move, just said: "You guys going to bed this early? I'm not even a little sleepy."

"I'm not sleepy either." Hu Ying said, looking at Zhai Xingchen, her voice going a little whiny and pitiful: "How about I squeeze in here with you guys? I don't want to go back to that dump. The conditions there are really terrible."

Zhai Xingchen said: "You're just going to ditch Pei Xu?"

Pei Xu, who'd been silently holding his hot cup, suddenly spoke up: "I'm fine on my own."

Yan Zhi stopped in his tracks when he heard that, pressed his lips together, and looked at Hu Ying.

Huo Cheng seized the moment to stir things up: "Their bedroom's pretty big, you could crash on the floor. They've got heated floors, you definitely won't freeze. But you shouldn't be asking Zhai Xingchen—you should ask this guy with the germ phobia."

Yan Zhi obviously saw right through Huo Cheng's game. His expression shifted a little. He said coolly: "If we do this, what's even the point of separating rooms later."

He said that and went to shower.

Case closed.

Huo Cheng actually felt a bit of respect for this rival.

Damn, he was good at finding reasons!

Hu Ying was just whining for show—she didn't actually want to stay. Yan Zhi was right. Rules were rules. A Love Variety Show was built on rules. If people just did whatever, everything would fall apart. The Production Team would definitely step in, and it wouldn't be good for the guests either.

Lin Qingning smiled softly and said: "Then I'm heading out first."

"Want me to walk you out?" Zhai Xingchen asked.

Lin Qingning said: "No need, the cameraman's with me."

But as he said it, he looked at Pei Xu: "Pei Xu, you coming?"

Hu Ying stood up at that moment: "Let's go, together."

Wen Nuo looked at Huo Cheng.

Huo Cheng stood up, very reluctantly.

Zhai Xingchen felt that Hu Ying had just been acting cute and joking, but Yan Zhi didn't pick up on the joke, which made her a bit awkward, so he said: 'Let's go, I'll go see how bad your Room 3 really is.'

Hu Ying's energy immediately bounced back: 'It's really, really bad!'

They filed out the door. Once they were out of the Scenic Area, Lin Qingning headed back to Room 2 first.

Huo Cheng and Wen Nu went along to check out Room 3 too.

Hu Ying turned on the room light. Huo Cheng took one look and said: 'Damn, it's so dim.'

One dim lamp lit up the freezing room.

'Can you light the kang?' Zhai Xingchen was starting to feel bad for the two of them.

'We can.' Pei Xu said.

He grabbed an armful of firewood from a corner of the room. Everyone was curious about lighting the kang, so they all crouched around watching.

A bunch of well-dressed handsome guys crouching by the kang—it was both heartwarming and hilarious. Guo Bing and the others couldn't stop laughing.

Rich kids like Pei Xu had never lit a fire before. They fussed around forever, nearly used up all the oil paper, and still couldn't get the wood to catch. Huo Cheng couldn't stand it anymore, pushed them aside: 'I'll do it.'

Coming from a poor background, he had the experience. Huo Cheng got the dry wood going in no time, the flames grew bigger and bigger, then went 'pop' with a spark that scared Hu Ying right onto her butt on the floor.

When she fell, she bumped into Zhai Xingchen. Zhai Xingchen felt a pair of hands suddenly grip his waist—that's the only reason he didn't end up on the floor too. He looked back. It was Pei Xu.

'Shit, my clothes!' Hu Ying yelled.

Her Down Jacket had a huge hole burned in it.

Zhai Xingchen stood up and quickly pulled her up. Hu Ying started laughing on her own first, the firelight reddening her face. She watched Huo Cheng toss in some coal chunks, then tossed a few in herself. After throwing them in, she wiped her face—and got it all smudged with coal dust.

'I heard there's a saying—play with fire at night and you'll wet the bed.' Hu Ying said. 'I feel like the roasting is giving me that urge.'

Her face was hot, but her back half was cold—hot and cold battling each other, an uncomfortable feeling.

'You guys have to remember to drink lots of hot water,' Huo Cheng said. 'Otherwise you'll easily get overheated.'

'We ate so much lamb today too.' Hu Ying said.

Zhai Xingchen laughed: 'Feeling hot?'

Hu Ying said: 'A pillar, holding up the sky.'

Wen Nu's face went slightly red: 'Can this burn all night?'

'Can't make it that long, it'll die down after midnight.' Huo Cheng said. 'But the residual heat'll last till daytime.'

Wen Nu curiously touched the kang, then said with delight: 'It's getting warm!'

Zhai Xingchen helped them make the bed. Everyone sat in the rundown little house chatting for a while. The kang kept getting hotter—in some spots it was almost too hot even through the blanket.

'Actually it's kind of fun, better than the Hotel.' Huo Cheng said. 'Why don't we all just stay here and sleep—sleep on the big communal kang, it's kind of cool.'

'When this stop's almost over, we really could have everyone sleep on one big kang together.' Zhai Xingchen said.

Liu Screenwriter slapped his thigh when he saw this: 'Right! Why didn't I think of that!'

Eight guests sleeping on one bed, rivals and lovers lying in a row.

Who sleeps next to who, what they'll chat about—think about it carefully, it'd be amazing!

The few of them stayed in Room 3 for another thirty or forty minutes. Wen Nu had already started yawning.

Zhai Xingchen said: 'It's getting late, we should head back too. I'm really tired now.'

The three of them came out of the house, their clothes still warm. The moment they stepped outside and hit the cold wind, they immediately shivered.

Zhai Xingchen turned back to Hu Ying: 'You took off your Down Jacket, don't come out.'

Hu Ying gave a little 'mm' and sat on the kang watching them head out.

Zhai Xingchen turned and saw Pei Xu had come out too, so he said: 'You don't need to walk me either—you walk me, I walk you, we'll be at this till the year of the monkey.'

Huo Cheng glanced at Pei Xu with a smile: 'If you leave, won't Hu Ying be all alone, scared out of her mind yelling for help?'

The moment he finished speaking, they heard Hu Ying yelling from inside: 'Huo Cheng, don't think I didn't hear that!'

Huo Cheng burst out laughing, his laughter echoing through the silent night.

Wen Nu pulled his hat on, chuckling.

This moment, the atmosphere was really, really beautiful. No rivals or lovers—just a group of young friends.

When they reached the intersection, Huo Cheng and the others were about to head off. Huo Cheng glanced back at Zhai Xingchen: 'Heading out.'

Actually he was really reluctant to go. The thought of Zhai Xingchen going back to be alone with Yan Zhi made his heart feel like the fire under the kang—roasted and aching.

It was a really complicated feeling—a bit anxious, a bit sad, a bit wronged, all mixed together, hard to describe.

Zhai Xingchen wore the Down Jacket's thick hood, zipper pulled all the way up, covering his mouth, only his pale upper face showing: 'See you tomorrow.'

He patted Wen Nu's shoulder again.

He wanted to give Wen Nu a little push.

Actually he thought Wen Nu and Huo Cheng were pretty well-suited.

A sensitive, insecure, soft and cute boy like Wen Nu wasn't suited for Yan Zhi and Pei Xu—he was better matched with someone like Huo Cheng, who wasn't from a rich family but had a sunny personality, took care of people, and was a bit macho.

Look at them—just standing together, how perfect a match they are.

But he didn't know what Wen Nu was thinking. Wen Nu followed Huo Cheng toward the Hotel, actually feeling pretty sad.

If only he could stay with Zhai Xingchen.

How wonderful that would be.

Zhai Xingchen watched Huo Cheng and Wen Nu walk away, then turned to Pei Xu: 'Aren't you going back?'

'I'll walk you.' Pei Xu said.

Zhai Xingchen said: 'I don't need walking.'

Pei Xu still insisted: 'Come on.'

Zhai Xingchen said: 'Then let's go check on Duan-ge.'

He'd actually been worrying about Duan Yihua's condition the whole time. Having someone else go with him was good.

Pei Xu nodded.

The two of them headed toward Room 2.

The snow here was thick, especially on the small paths. Their feet crunched as they stepped—old snow, not soft like fresh snow. Some spots were slippery too. Zhai Xingchen suddenly stumbled, and Pei Xu panicked and grabbed his arm. Even after Zhai Xingchen steadied himself, Pei Xu didn't let go—just kept holding his arm as they walked forward.

He thought Zhai Xingchen's white Down Jacket looked pretty good on him. Zhai Xingchen really suited white.

No cameramen around. Just the two of them now, silence all around.

Maybe it's how all men are—or maybe it's how all people in love are—walking down a quiet empty night road with someone you like, your heartbeat just starts slowly speeding up on its own.

His body was out of control, like an eighteen-year-old high school boy—the slightest external or mental stimulus and his body immediately perked up.

Very exaggerated, very active. Even though it was so cold outside.

His big hand gripping Zhai Xingchen had gone red from the cold, and he gripped tighter.

Pei Xu said: 'Before I came, I went to buy a hat. I saw one and immediately thought it was perfect for you, so I bought it. I'll give it to you tomorrow.'

Zhai Xingchen said: 'What kind of hat?'

'You'll know when you see it tomorrow.' Pei Xu said.

Zhai Xingchen said: 'You guys all keep giving me things, I'm starting to feel a bit bad about it, don't know what I could give you guys.'

'You guys?' Pei Xu was good at catching details. He asked: 'Who else gave you something?'

Zhai Xingchen said: 'This Down Jacket I'm wearing, Huo-ge gave it to me.'