In the blink of an eye, National Day was approaching, followed closely by the Medical School’s anniversary. In addition to the annual sports meet and academic exchange reports, this year featured a Mid-Autumn Festival mountain climbing expedition—a golden opportunity for the academic recluses to venture out for some fresh air.
Mount D was located in a county under the jurisdiction of City C. With an altitude of over a thousand meters, it was the highest peak in the region. In recent years, public enthusiasm for hiking had surged, and the once-obscure Mount D had begun attracting many outdoor enthusiasts from the surrounding areas. A resort lodge had even opened at the summit. Visitors could stay in the lodge or choose to pitch their own tents and camp. The chosen trail for this trip was relatively easy to navigate, with breathtaking scenery along the way, making it a route suitable for all ages. Many faculty members and students signed up; the majority were students, though a few young, single teachers joined as well, filling three large buses to capacity.
Xia Yinuo’s plan was to camp. From her tent and moisture-proof mat to her sleeping bag, her gear was complete, giving her the air of a seasoned backpacker. This prompted Ke Dinghao to wail, "Senior Sister Xia, please take me under your wing!" Since family members were allowed, Xia Yinuo had invited Zhang Jikang—though he was less a "family member" and more a source of manual labor. With such a massive hiking pack, she had to distribute some of the weight to him. To the uninformed onlookers, however, this only served to solidify the rumors that the two were a couple.
To Xia Yinuo’s surprise, when the buses pulled up at the foot of the mountain and everyone gathered to disembark, she spotted Liang Jueyun in the crowd. She had assumed that such a collective activity would hold no appeal for someone like Liang Jueyun, who had only recently returned to the country and possessed a somewhat aloof temperament. Liang was wearing a black baseball cap, a white T-shirt, a red athletic jacket tied around her waist, black track pants, and brown hiking boots. On her back was a small daypack. It was the first time Xia Yinuo had seen her in such sporty attire.
Since returning to China, Liang Jueyun had wanted to travel around—to see the local customs, to relax, or simply to move. It was a form of leisure to balance her total immersion in work. After learning about the faculty climbing event from Chen Diandian, she had signed up without hesitation.
Chen Diandian spotted Xia Yinuo from a distance and waved vigorously, shouting, "Senior Sister Xia!" That one shout drew Liang Jueyun’s gaze toward Xia Yinuo.
Xia Yinuo was wearing a striking orange T-shirt. Compared to the light gear most people were carrying, the equipment on her and Zhang Jikang’s backs was indeed a bit exaggerated and eye-catching. No matter how one looked at them, they appeared to be a very prominent couple.
Liang Jueyun and Chen Diandian walked over to greet them. Xia Yinuo called out dutifully, "Hello, Professor Liang!"
Before Liang Jueyun could speak, Chen Diandian began to gossip: "Wow, Senior Sister Xia, this must be your boyfriend! Hello, Brother-in-law!" Xia Yinuo felt a wave of exasperation. For some reason, though she usually couldn't be bothered to explain her relationship with Zhang Jikang, she found herself desperately wanting to ensure Liang Jueyun didn't misunderstand. "This is Zhang Jikang, my childhood friend. We are strictly friends, with absolutely no romantic involvement whatsoever."
"Xiao Bao!" Zhang Jikang was immediately displeased by how thoroughly she had distanced herself. "Am I really that embarrassing? Was there a need to explain so urgently?"
"Hehe, well, I just didn't want everyone to get the wrong idea!" Xia Yinuo rubbed her forehead.
Watching Xia Yinuo’s flustered expression, Liang Jueyun felt a sensation like a gentle breeze brushing past her face. Based on Xia Yinuo’s explanation, it was clear she had previously misunderstood. She nodded to Zhang Jikang in greeting and said lightheartedly, "Then let’s keep up with the group and prepare to head up the mountain!"
"Yay!" Xia Yinuo wondered what Chen Diandian had been raised on to have such boundless energy. She began scanning the crowd for Ke Dinghao; it was about time to introduce the two of them.
Autumn in City C was undeniably beautiful. At the foot of the mountain lay a village where sweet osmanthus trees were planted in front of and behind every house. The large group marched through the village toward the base of the peak. It was the peak of the osmanthus blooming season; the fragrance drifted for miles, refreshing the soul. Xia Yinuo recalled a saying: *“The later the osmanthus blooms, the better; for when it blooms late, the days last longer.”* It was a lingering, evocative thought that made the heart skip a beat. Lamenting spring and grieving for autumn were merely the melancholies of sentimental poets; what did the young have to worry about? Every description of scenery is but a reflection of the heart's emotion.
As the group surged toward the summit, they gradually split into several clusters. Those accustomed to regular exercise naturally took the lead, while Xia Yinuo—burdened by professional gear and a lack of recent physical activity—unfortuantely found herself only slightly ahead of the very last stragglers. Zhang Jikang was speechless. "Big sister, most of your stuff is in my bag. Could you show a little strength?"
Xia Yinuo panted heavily. "You have no idea what other good things I brought; how would you know how heavy my bag is? Sigh, it’s been too long since I exercised. Wait for me! You’re not allowed to run off ahead!"
On the other side, Liang Jueyun walked composedly in the middle of the pack, accompanied by a young male teacher from the same lab. Chen Diandian was being uncharacteristically well-behaved as she walked beside them. Surprisingly, Ke Dinghao appeared among them.
"Hey, Chen Diandian? I’m Ke Dinghao, Senior Sister Xia Yinuo’s junior. When you were in our lab before, we weren't in the same group, but we saw each other at group meetings. Do you recognize me? Senior Sister Xia said she wanted to introduce us."
"Oh, I recognize you! You’re the one whose chin got sliced by the centrifuge!"
Ke Dinghao’s face darkened. That had happened shortly after he joined the lab; he had accidentally been grazed by a flying fragment from an old centrifuge. He had been a laughingstock ever since.
Liang Jueyun, hearing Xia Yinuo’s name, began to pay attention to the conversation beside her.
"Senior Sister Xia told you that? She’s ruining my reputation!"
"Hahaha, Senior Sister Xia isn't that kind of person. Actually, I heard it from Professor Tang. When he was teaching us about lab safety, he used you as a negative example."
Ke Dinghao was about to lose it. *Boss Tang, we’ll settle this debt slowly in the future!!!*
Lunch consisted of self-prepared dry rations. After a short rest, they continued the ascent. Every time they passed a stretch of trail and stood in an open area to look out, the vastness of the mountains and the enchanting scenery inspired awe.
Despite her lack of physical strength, Xia Yinuo insisted on lugging a heavy camera to photograph the landscape. Zhang Jikang complained, "Xiao Bao, save your energy."
Xia Yinuo said wistfully, "Kang, whenever we go out, doesn't Mai-Mai always carry three or four cameras?"
At the mention of Mai Shining, Zhang Jikang immediately backed down. "Alright, my fault. I shouldn't have said anything."
Xia Yinuo patted Jikang’s shoulder. "I understand. I didn't mean it that way either."
After a journey of stopping and starting, they finally reached the summit four or five hours later. Some were refreshed, while others complained bitterly. Xia Yinuo threw down her heavy hiking pack and took a long, deep stretch to loosen her muscles. Indeed, she really needed to exercise more. It was sunset; the sky was filled with brilliant, fiery clouds. Everyone was busy trying to capture the setting sun in commemorative photos.
According to the school’s logistics and arrangements, Liang Jueyun was assigned to a standard room with another female teacher. Xia Yinuo, despite having a room available, chose not to sleep indoors. Chen Diandian, Ke Dinghao, and the others were naturally staying with their respective classmates. As for Zhang Jikang—sorry, he had to figure out his own room. Xia Yinuo found a clearing near the resort lodge to start setting up camp. It happened to be a prime spot for viewing the summit scenery. A few others who had chosen to camp were set up not far away.
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
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D山 | Mount D | A fictional mountain near City C.
C城 | City C | The fictional city where the story takes place.
十一 | National Day | October 1st, a major public holiday in China.
院庆 | College Anniversary | The anniversary celebration of the Medical School.
中秋节 | Mid-Autumn Festival | A traditional Chinese festival.
驴友 | Backpackers / Hikers | Literally "donkey friends," a slang term for outdoor enthusiasts.
度假屋 | Resort Lodge / Vacation House | A place for tourists to stay on the mountain.
发小 | Childhood Friend | A close friend one has grown up with since childhood.
小宝 | Xiao Bao | A nickname for Xia Yinuo used by Zhang Jikang.
唐老师 / 唐老板 | Professor Tang / Boss Tang | The head of the lab (likely Xia Yinuo and Ke Dinghao's supervisor).
麦世宁 / 麦麦 | Mai Shining / Mai-Mai | A character mentioned by Xia Yinuo and Zhang Jikang.
