Ch -28 One Trip, Two Surprises ☆

Tianxin's POV

We had successfully separated the lovebirds.

Zhou Rui and Junxi were walking ahead through the soft, sun-dappled trail. Jiasheng and I were behind them, pretending to admire moss on rocks and trees like two very professional nature enthusiasts.

"So," I whispered, "they've been walking together for fifteen minutes. Should we do cartwheels to celebrate?"

Jiasheng smirked.

"They're talking. That's already a miracle."

"Miracle? I think Junxi actually smiled. I need a camera."

"Forget camera. We need confetti."

The forest was quieter than I expected, only filled with the sound of our shoes brushing against the leaves and the distant sound of water.

And still, no teasing. No bickering. Just… silence.

Until Jiasheng slipped slightly on a sloped stone and instinctively grabbed my wrist.

My heart skipped. Like it literally missed a beat.

Our eyes met — his grip firm but gentle.

I forgot how to breathe for exactly four seconds.

He blinked, immediately letting go.

"You okay?" I asked, my voice quieter than I meant.

"I—yeah. Just slipped," he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck.

We didn't talk much after that. But we also didn't move apart either.

🌌 Later That Evening – Campsite

By the time we got to the clearing where we would camp for the night, Zhou Rui was smiling more than usual. Junxi was quieter, but his eyes softened every time she laughed.

Mission Progress: 80% complete.

Jiasheng and I went to gather firewood while they set up the tents. I carried two sticks. Jiasheng returned with enough wood to burn a haunted castle.

"Overachiever," I muttered.

"Weakling," he replied.

"Are you calling me weak?"

"No. I'm calling you noodle-armed."

"Well, this noodle can hit."

We laughed — genuinely. Not teasing. Not dramatic.

Just… us.

The fire was lit. The sky turned indigo. And the stars spilled across the sky like someone had accidentally tipped over a glitter jar.

We roasted marshmallows. I almost dropped mine into the fire. Jiasheng rescued it with a stick and dramatically handed it to me like it was a lost treasure.

"Your highness, your slightly burned, barely edible treat."

"I am honored," I said, bowing.

Junxi and Zhou Rui sat across the fire, their shoulders close — not touching, but close enough that I saw Zhou Rui glance at him twice and hide a smile behind her cup.

"I think we did a good job," I whispered to Jiasheng.

"Still not kissing though," he replied.

"Ugh, slow romance."

"Unlike someone who panics when I hold her hand."

"That's because your hands are clammy!"

We both fell silent.

Because even that teasing felt different now.

💥 The Surprise Twist

Later that night, we forgot to zip one of the tents. Guess who entered?

A raccoon.

Yes. A literal raccoon.

Zhou Rui screamed. I screamed louder. Junxi tried to reason with it.

"It's an animal, not a math problem!" I yelled.

"Just give it something to eat!" Jiasheng shouted.

Junxi threw it a biscuit. It took the biscuit and ran away like it owned the forest.

"This trip is cursed," I muttered.

"This trip is iconic," Jiasheng grinned.

We all burst into laughter.

Zhou Rui leaned on Junxi's shoulder, exhausted.

I pretended not to notice. But Jiasheng did.

And he quietly glanced at me before looking away.

🌌 Midnight Talk

When everyone was finally quiet inside their tents, I couldn't sleep. I stepped out for fresh air and found Jiasheng sitting on a log, staring at the stars.

"Can't sleep?" I asked.

"Too much thinking," he replied.

"About what?"

"About how weird this all is. How fast we're growing up."

He was quiet for a while.

"Hey, Tianxin…"

"Yeah?"

"Do you ever wonder what we'll be like five years from now?"

I looked at him. His face was unreadable, but his eyes… they were asking something deeper.

"I don't know," I whispered. "But I hope we're still us."

He smiled.

Not his teasing smile. Not his smug one.

A real, soft one.

And my heart?

It was gone.