—

Everyone rested a bit in the courtyard of Room 3, then went to clear out those two Snowman.

The two snowmen had gotten noticeably bigger.

"They got fat, they got fat," Zhai Xingchen said.

Yan Zhi and Pei Xu laughed along with the rest, and for a moment, the two chubby snowmen actually looked kind of cute.

"I wonder how Huo ge and the others are doing over there. Can they make it through?" Lin Qingning said.

He'd barely finished when Hu Ying's bright, clear voice rang out: "Xingchen, Duan ge, Qingning!"

They turned and saw Huo Cheng, alone, gripping two people by the arms, dragging little Wen Nu and slender Hu Ying through the thick snow, step by step toward them.

The snow on the road was almost knee-deep. Walking through it was exhausting. All three looked a little rough—panting, faces flushed red—but the scene was so beautiful it almost moved you to tears.

Moved by Huo Cheng carrying two, and by the three of them coming through the snow like that.

Zhai Xingchen was the first to run out. Yan Zhi shouted after him: "Don't go into the snow!"

Zhai Xingchen wasn't about to listen. He waded out, legs sinking deep then barely grazing the surface, to meet them. Hu Ying grabbed his hand first. "What a lot of snow, Zhai Xingchen."

Zhai Xingchen thought her voice sounded too excited and couldn't help laughing. Huo Cheng patted Zhai Xingchen on the back. "Let's go."

The four of them walked back together. Duan Yihua and Lin Qingning came up to meet them.

"Duan ge, Qingning," Hu Ying greeted them warmly.

Lin Qingning had completely forgotten yesterday's awkwardness. He reached out and grabbed Wen Nuo's hand, hauling him out of the snow. "I was just saying the snow's blocked the road. What were you going to do?"

"The snowplow's coming any minute. If you'd waited at the Hotel a bit, the road would've been cleared. Why'd you come over?" Duan Yihua said with a smile.

"We couldn't wait to see how you guys were doing. And walking through snow like this is kind of fun—a once-in-a-lifetime thing." Hu Ying touched her hat. Her head was sweating under it. She started to take it off, but Zhai Xingchen stopped her: "Don't take your hat off outside."

They all walked toward Room 1. Pei Xu glanced at Huo Cheng's pants. "They're soaked, right? Come with me to Room 3 and change."

Huo Cheng stomped his foot. "Sure."

It wasn't just his legs that were suffering. His shoes had taken in a lot of snow, and once it melted, his whole foot was soaked through, freezing cold.

"You guys go ahead. I'll take Huo ge to change," Pei Xu said.

He brought Huo Cheng back to Room 3. Huo Cheng asked: "How'd you sleep last night?"

"About the same as the night before, but the second half was pretty good." Pei Xu pulled out his suitcase. "Do you wear thermal pants?"

Huo Cheng hiked up his pant leg. "Look how many layers I'm wearing. I'm basically a zongzi."

They'd come really well-prepared for this North City trip, and Pei Xu especially. He pulled out thermal underwear, several pairs of long pants for Huo Cheng to pick from, plus a thick pair of cotton socks. Huo Cheng stripped down to his underwear, pulled on the clean pants and socks, stood up, and looked. "Are your legs really long?"

He was a few centimeters taller than Pei Xu, and a bit stockier. He'd expected Pei Xu's pants to be too short, but they fit perfectly.

Pei Xu pulled out a pair of shoes for him too.

"I've got big feet," Huo Cheng said.

"Mine too," Pei Xu said.

Huo Cheng tried on the shoes Pei Xu gave him. They actually fit—no pinching.

He thought, this kid Pei Xu is shorter than him, not as built, but some parts of him are pretty big.

After changing, he saw Pei Xu gather up the dirty clothes and toss them straight into the trash can nearby.

Remembering how they'd all been complaining about Pei Xu being cold last night, he laughed and glanced at him. Then he noticed Pei Xu's hands. "You got chilblains?"

"Just a little," Pei Xu said.

Huo Cheng pulled a tin of ointment out of his Down Jacket. "I was about to give this to my cameraman anyway. Put some on. I've got another tin, I'll bring it to you next time."

"You don't have to," Pei Xu said.

"It works. Try it and you'll see." Huo Cheng twisted the cap off, about to apply it for him.

Pei Xu took it and applied some himself.

Huo Cheng saw him wrinkle his nose. "Don't knock the smell. It really works."

Back at Room 1, Zhai Xingchen told Hu Ying and Wen Nuo to change their pants and socks too. Hu Ying said: "Change here?"

"Go change inside," Yan Zhi said.

Hu Ying and the others froze. Hu Ying asked: "Don't you have a thing about germs?"

Even though she'd been ribbing him, she didn't think being a germaphobe was a character flaw. She respected it, got it.

But Yan Zhi just said: "It's fine. You're all soaked. Don't catch cold. Go ahead."

Zhai Xingchen had to give Yan Zhi a thumbs up.

Because Yan Zhi's germaphobia was the real deal—not for show, not putting it on.

The snow's heartless, but people aren't!

"Come on, I'll find you two pairs of my pants," Zhai Xingchen said.

The three of them went into the bedroom. Hu Ying told Wen Nuo: "Let's use the bathroom. Don't touch their bed."

Wen Nuo nodded and followed Hu Ying into the bathroom.

Yan Zhi came in and saw Zhai Xingchen digging through his pants. "You got enough?"

"Yeah, I've still got two pairs."

Yan Zhi didn't say anything. He handed Zhai Xingchen a pair of pants he'd brought. "Let Wen Nuo wear these. Mine or yours, they're both big on him. Keep one of yours for yourself."

Yan Zhi was extra gentle today.

As a Blue Team Member, he'd finally taken the initiative to look after the Red Team Guests!

Zhai Xingchen took them. "Okay."

Zhai Xingchen went into the bathroom and told Wen Nuo these were Yan Zhi's pants.

Wen Nuo got nervous. "Yan ge's pants..."

He was a little afraid to wear them.

"They're new, never worn," Yan Zhi said from outside. "Wear them. They're yours. Hurry up and change, we're about to eat."

Yan Zhi said that and left.

Wen Nuo picked up the pants. "Yan ge's pants smell so good."

Hu Ying smelled them too—a faint fragrance. "Yeah, they smell nice. Yan Zhi's got that going for him, he's clean, everything about him smells good."

"His clothes, socks, shoes—honestly, they look unworn even after he's worn them," Zhai Xingchen said.

A clean man is such a bonus.

Hu Ying said: "He must be clean and smell good everywhere, right?"

Everywhere?

Zhai Xingchen let out a laugh.

"What are you laughing at?" Hu Ying said.

"Nothing," Zhai Xingchen said.

"Zhai Xingchen, you're so dirty-minded."

Zhai Xingchen shot back: "I know exactly what you're thinking. You little yellow chicken with a head full of trash."

He still remembered how the original novel described Hu Ying's character: fierce beauty, little yellow chicken!

Hu Ying laughed: "You get me so well. We're really..."

Such great chemistry.

After they changed, Hu Ying asked for a bag to put her and Wen Nuo's dirty clothes in. "Yan Zhi looks so different today."

His personality had gotten softer, but his face had gained a certain edge.

Probably because his brows and eyes were too sharp.

When they came out, Pei Xu and Huo Cheng had arrived. Everyone started eating breakfast. Yan Zhi went back to the room. Zhai Xingchen went to check and saw Yan Zhi crouched in the bathroom, wiping things down.

"We switch rooms when we get back today," Zhai Xingchen said.

Yan Zhi paused. "Finish what we started."

Zhai Xingchen realized his germaphobia was the real thing.

But because it was real, letting Wen Nuo and Hu Ying in to change today made it even more remarkable.

He helped Yan Zhi tidy up. They were heading to the Little Theater soon and would probably be there all day. By the time they got back that evening, they'd be switching rooms.

Yan Zhi cleaned up carefully, just like when they'd first checked in.

"We should go, right?" Hu Ying called from the door.

Yan Zhi stood in the bedroom, taking one last look around.

Hu Ying sighed: "You guys cleaned up way too well."

Even a teacup, a TV remote—everything was placed just so. The blankets were folded, the bed barely had a crease.

Yan Zhi said to Zhai Xingchen: "Let's go."

Zhai Xingchen glanced at the Ice Sculpting Box on the table. "There's only a box of water left."

Yan Zhi had only been feeling a faint reluctance, but at those words he looked at the Ice Sculpting Box and the emotion hit him all at once.

He reached out and picked up the Ice Sculpting Box.

They walked outside together. At the door, Yan Zhi suddenly grabbed his arm.

Yan Zhi said: "Next time we do the Room Assignment..."

Yan Zhi paused, then let out a soft laugh—an emotionally loaded laugh, his body wrapped in that clean scent, like he wanted to say something but held back.

Yan Zhi seemed extra gentle today—so gentle that Zhai Xingchen even felt something was off about the way he was looking at him.

Because he'd been looking too long. And without the glasses in the way, those eyes almost looked... affectionate.

"Teacher Zhai, hurry up," Huo Cheng called over.

Zhai Xingchen came back to himself and looked at Yan Zhi again, but Yan Zhi had already walked out with the Ice Sculpting Box.

He followed them outside.

Yan Zhi set the box down in the snow and ice. Huo Cheng asked: "Why'd you put a box of water out here?"

"I want to freeze it into a block of ice," Yan Zhi said.

"He's going to do Ice Sculpting, right?" Hu Ying said. "He spent a long time at that ice sculpting shop in Snow World yesterday and carved a really ugly flower."

Yan Zhi laughed.

Huo Cheng glanced at Yan Zhi and thought, Yan Zhi really lives up to his name. That face is too good-looking. When he smiles, a spring breeze ten miles long couldn't compare.

"I'm not used to you without glasses," Huo Cheng said.

Hu Ying cut her hair, Yan Zhi took off his glasses.

These people really know what they're doing!

The snow had stopped outside, but the sun hadn't come out. The sky was dim, the wind biting. Zhai Xingchen put his hat on, but his mind was still stuck on the way Yan Zhi had looked at him. Outside was a vast white expanse, the snow glare making his head spin.

Zhai Xingchen couldn't help shivering. Someone behind him suddenly asked: "Cold?"

Zhai Xingchen turned and saw Pei Xu. "Freezing."

Their group arrived at the Xiaobeiji Theater.

The Xiaobeiji Theater was the largest building in the Xiaobeiji scenic area, built in Suzhou style, looking like a castle. Besides the six-hundred-seat Performance hall, there were lots of smaller rooms that the Production Team had set up as a Dance Studio, music rooms, and so on.

Huo Cheng dragged Zhai Xingchen off to teach him to dance. Hu Ying and Wen Nuo didn't need to rehearse, so they all ran over to watch the show.

Huo Cheng was tall and broad, loved sports, and his limbs were clearly nimble—but for some reason, the moment he started dancing, it all fell apart.

He'd figured dancing would be a good excuse to get closer to Zhai Xingchen, but by the end his own face was red.

He was just too clumsy.

Zhai Xingchen took off his jacket, just wearing a turtleneck. He was actually dressed pretty warmly, but it didn't affect his performance at all. He leapt lightly, spun twice, arms outstretched—free and easy, cool.

"Let's have Xingchen do a run-through first," Hu Ying said.

Duan Yihua and the others sat on the wooden floor and watched Zhai Xingchen dance Spring of the Northland.

It was a completely different style from the two times he'd danced before. Northern folk dance, big and bold, very heroic. Actually, it was a dance that suited Huo Cheng well.

Zhai Xingchen was usually pretty low-key, but the moment he danced, his whole aura came out—serious, beautiful. Huo Cheng, Pei Xu, Yan Zhi, Duan Yihua, Hu Ying, Wen Nuo—they all sat on the floor, eyes glued to him. The Production Team had a lot of cameras on them, but they didn't care, all filming with their phones.

"I could watch Zhai Xingchen dance a hundred times," Liu Screenwriter said.

"He's not usually that standout—just pretty, warm, like a little housekeeper. But the moment he dances, it's like a beam of light hits him," Guo Bing said sincerely.

The hard part of Spring of the Northland was all in the final chorus. Zhai Xingchen leaped across the floor, spun, his white cotton socks wrapped around his feet making heavy sounds on the wood. Across from him was a mirror, reflecting not just Hu Ying and the others but a whole swarm of Production Team staff—chaotic. He raised his hand, stepped forward, leaned, turned, breathing slightly, his gaze sweeping through the mirror over each of the other seven guests' eyes.

In the mirror, he seemed to meet their eyes. Light and shadow shifted with his spins. For a moment, he felt like a lot of people were looking at him strangely—intense, focused.

He actually thought that many people were looking at him strangely.

Which meant one thing:

It was definitely him who was off!

Imagining he's got Ten Thousand Admirers!

He felt sheepish, stopped, panting. The white turtleneck wrapped around his slender neck, his hair black and soft, still swaying gently. Pale face, red lips—he looked so beautiful in the mirror.