The next morning when Zhong Ruanxing woke up, the first thing she did was go to the window to see if it had snowed outside.
The area outside was already covered in silvery white.
Zhong You happily jumped up and down on the bed: "Let's build a snowman, let's build a snowman!"
Zhong Ruanxing also felt a little excited. After washing up, she saw that Song JinXing had already sent her a message:
- Good morning.
Sitting at the dresser putting on skincare products, Zhong Ruanxing replied:
- Morning.
The next message she saw was Song JinXing asking:
- I'm leaving now to come get you, I'll be there in about an hour, is that okay?
This early?! Zhong Ruanxing looked at the time, it was only 8:30 in the morning. She thought he was just planning to meet up for lunch or dinner! She raised her eyes to look in the mirror at her bare face and hair that was a bit flat from not washing it yesterday, but then figured he had seen her every which way during their body swap, so she quickly got over it.
- Okay.
Even though it was just cold, lifeless text, Zhong Ruanxing could feel he seemed to be in a good mood:
- Dress warmly, wear a scarf, hat, and gloves.
Zhong Ruanxing thought to herself, we're just going to see some snow and eat barbecue, there's no need to overdo it. But looking at her slightly oily hair plastered to her scalp, she still picked out a white knitted hat from the closet.
Seeing her there picking out clothes and outfits, looking like she was going out, Zhong You's big eyes blinked and the little girl immediately tossed aside her doll and clung to her sister's leg as usual: "Sis! Take me too!"
She didn't know where her sister was going, but going along was always the right choice.
Zhong Ruanxing had to admire her persistence: "You're going to start kindergarten after New Year's, how can you still be so clingy?!"
Zhong You shook her little head like a rattle drum: "I can't hear you, I can't hear you, I can't hear you! Sis promised to take me to build a snowman today, you can't go back on your word!"
Zhong Ruanxing: "............"
It was true that promises made to a child had to be kept. Bringing her to build a snowman now was clearly not going to work, and she didn't know when she'd be back today either, she couldn't let the little girl down.
Oh well, bringing her along might be better anyway, or else it would look like she was going on a date with Song JinXing.
Who would go on a date with him, honestly.
And so very quickly, little Zhong You was bundled up by her sister into a little penguin, with even her ears covered, leaving just a pair of blinking big eyes.
After breakfast, it was time for their scheduled meetup, and Zhong Ruanxing led the teetering little penguin downstairs. When they reached the entrance to the housing complex, an extremely rugged-looking off-road Mercedes was parked at the side of the road.
It was rare to see this kind of high-clearance vehicle suited for off-roading in the mountains in the city, and passersby couldn't help but turn to look.
The car door was pushed open from inside, and a long leg stepped out first. With a vehicle this high off the ground, there were running boards for getting in and out. But clearly the owner didn't need it - his leg stepped directly onto the ground, then he strode towards them.
The instant Zhong Ruanxing saw Song JinXing, her eyes widened involuntarily.
Today he was dressed completely differently than usual, in a black tactical jacket and combat boots, tall and broad-shouldered, with an imposing and rugged wildness about him.
Zhong Ruanxing didn't want to admit that she found this look incredibly attractive on Boss Song.
What a wild man! Makes me want to pounce!
Compared to him, her and Zhong You's outfits looked especially soft and cute. Nothing could be done about it, Zhong You had insisted they wear matching sister outfits, so the two sisters were dressed in feminine shades of pink from head to toe. Standing there with Song JinXing now, the effect was akin to a big burly wolf and two little white bunnies.
When he saw her, the fierceness left his features, his lips curved up smiling, and his gaze landed on her white knitted hat: “That's a nice hat.”
Why was she feeling so hot in the middle of winter with snow falling all around?!
Zhong You was tottering along unsteadily bundled up in so many layers. She teetered towards Song JinXing and threw herself at him: "Brother! Zhong You missed you so much!"
Little kiss-up, she says that to everyone she meets!
Song JinXing didn't seem surprised at all that the little follower had come along, because Zhong Ruanxing noticed he had even installed a child safety seat in the back.
He laughed lightly, bent down to catch Zhong You as she rushed over, picked her up, then went to the passenger side to open the door for Zhong Ruanxing: "Get in first."
Zhong Ruanxing brushed the snow off herself, then climbed up using the running board. Song JinXing placed Zhong You in the child seat in the back, before getting into the driver's seat to start the engine.
The windshield wipers swept left and right, clearing off the snowflakes on the windshield. Like a magician, Song JinXing pulled a cup of milk tea out of the door storage compartment and smoothly put a straw in it before handing it over.
Zhong Ruanxing controlled her expression and accepted it naturally, her fingers touching the warm cup of milk tea.
Zhong You loudly protested from the back: "I want to drink some too!"
Song JinXing said: "Little kids shouldn't drink milk tea." Then he handed her a bottle of warm milk for children.
Zhong Ruanxing's heart was racing, but she maintained an air of calm: "Where are we going?"
Song JinXing put on a pair of sunglasses with one hand on the steering wheel: "Camping in the snowy mountains."
Zhong Ruanxing nearly choked on a pearl: "In this weather? Camping?"
And in the snowy mountains at that, was he trying to freeze someone to death!
From her expression, Song JinXing could tell what she was thinking. He laughed lightly: "Don't worry, it's all arranged, you won't get cold."
Snow mountain camping! She had never experienced anything like it before. Clutching her milk tea, watching the car push through the wind and snow, leaving the city behind, Zhong Ruanxing's anticipation rose steadily.
At first alongside the road there were still modern buildings visible, but later those were increasingly obscured by the hills and woods. The car began climbing upwards, fortunately the snow wasn't heavy so visibility was still clear, but she could tell the mountain road wasn't easy to traverse, no wonder he had switched to this kind of vehicle.
The heating inside the car was plenty warm. Zhong Ruanxing took off her hat and scarf, her attention captured by the ever-changing scenery outside.
After about two hours of driving, an expanse of open terrain appeared before them, and a sign at the roadside indicated that they had entered the mountain peak camping area.
But at this time of year, with snow falling, there really were no other people up here camping in the mountains. Not just people, even ghosts were nowhere to be found on the mountain, but the scenery was truly stunning. The pine branches on either side were covered in accumulated snow, sparkling translucent white vistas.
Finally, the car stopped in a sheltered area. In that open space, an enormous canopy tent had been mysteriously erected, with wind and waterproof tenting surrounding it on three sides, leaving only the front open to appreciate the snowy view.
Song JinXing drove the car straight inside, while Zhong Ruanxing was still amazed by the mountain top snow scenery she had never seen before outside the car window. Suddenly, something was placed on her head - Song JinXing had put her knitted hat back on her.
Zhong Ruanxing was abruptly jolted back to the present. Just thinking that he had seen her bare oily scalp plastered to her head made her entire being feel unwell.
Song JinXing didn't seem to notice her resentful gaze. After putting the hat on her, he even tugged it down further until her ears were fully covered as well, only then smiling with satisfaction. He picked up the scarf she had left on the seat as well: "Wear this too, it's cold outside."
Zhong Ruanxing complained: "Didn't you say it wouldn't be cold?"
With his sunglasses on, she couldn't make out his eyes, just saw his lips tilted up in what was probably a smile: "For now. Just give me a bit of time."
