When the students heard about the BBQ, their eyes lit up and they cheered with excitement, going together in groups as they started climbing the mountain.
Yu Na, on the other hand, froze where she stood, seemingly not yet adapted to this sudden turn of events. After all, she was the one who brought the students out here to hike, so why did she become a marginal character?
Not only did Xiao Chen steal her position, but he also had the megaphone in his hand.
Seeing that she hadn't caught up, he chuckled softly to himself then turned around and called out, "Teacher Yu?"
"Huh?"
Xiao Chen jerked his chin in the direction of the mountain, "Let's go."
His expression didn't show any impatience to hurry her along, but rather more of an "I've taken over your spot, so come bite me if you dare" sort of provocative look.
He really was asking for a beating.
"......Oh."
And so, the first group activity for Class 3 of Grade 10 successfully became Xiao Chen's home turf, thanks to the push from his money.
She had essentially become Xiao Chen's personal secretary, following along behind him.
Qiao Rui and Song Yan were leading the squad at the very front. Xiao Chen and Yu Na were walking at the very back of the group.
Assistant Xiao Jiang had perfectly blended into the midst of the students.
After hiking for a while, some people started calling out that they were tired.
Liang Duo panted, "Teacher Yu, I'm tired."
Xiao Jiang also chimed in, "Boss Xiao, let's take a break."
Ever since Yu Na started working, she hadn't been paying much attention to exercising either. At this point, she was also somewhat tired, walking along at the back of the group with her hands propped on her waist as she gasped loudly for air.
Xiao Chen was walking in front of her. Seeing this, he stopped along with her.
He didn't feel tired at all himself, his energy levels even higher than that of the students.
At this moment, he stood on the steps, megaphone in hand, casually egging them on, "You guys don't have much physical endurance, huh?"
Though his words seemed to be responding to the students and his assistant, his gaze had been fixed upon Yu Na this whole time.
Yu Na really was completely exhausted. She had originally wanted to ask for a break, but was provoked by Xiao Chen's words.
She raised her head to see Xiao Chen watching her as if enjoying a good show.
Her face grew even hotter.
She suddenly straightened her back, and since she didn't have the megaphone, she just yelled out loudly, "Everyone can walk slower. Taking breaks the whole way won't get us up the mountain by tomorrow either."
Xiao Chen deliberately slowed his pace, walking over next to Yu Na and asked in a voice that only the two of them could hear, "Can't handle the climbing anymore?"
Yu Na: "......"
What's with talking right in my face like that!
Seeing that she didn't answer, Xiao Chen lowered his voice even more and asked again, "Hm?"
Because she was tired, Yu Na's face was completely red and burning hot.
She felt awkward yet stubborn at the same time. "......I'm fine."
Just then, Hu Yue, who was walking closer to the front, suddenly shouted loudly, "So hungry!"
Her companion Chen Jiaying asked, "Didn't you bring snacks?"
Hu Yue: "Ate them all on the way here......"
Chen Jiaying: "............"
After hearing their conversation, Yu Na quickened her pace and walked over to the front. "I brought cookies."
As she spoke, she opened her backpack and took out some cookies and water from inside, handing them to Hu Yue. "Here, fill up your stomach first."
Hu Yue took them gratefully and hugged Yu Na. "Teacher Yu you're the best! My mom didn't prepare very much stuff for me at all, wahhh."
Yu Na felt completely awkward. "......Just eat."
After giving the stuff to Hu Yue, Yu Na glanced back at the end of the group and voluntarily walked back once more.
Xiao Chen asked in a low voice, "What are you going to eat then?"
Yu Na smiled sweetly. "I'm fine. The snacks were prepared for the students in the first place, I was just worried they might call out for being tired."
"......"
Xiao Chen thought to himself, I've made a mistake here. I didn't bring anything at all, just two bottles of mineral water.
When they were about halfway up the mountain, Qiao Rui and Song Yan suddenly discovered a fiery red tree up ahead.
Upon taking a closer look, they saw that the tree branches were covered in all kinds of wish plaques.
Qiao Rui called out to those behind him, "Teacher Yu, you can make wishes over here!"
Hearing this, Yu Na responded, "Oh really? Let's go take a look."
Midway up this mountain, there was a wish tree, along with a wish wall.
The staff member said many people have had their wishes fulfilled after making them here.
Xiao Chen asked in disbelief, "Really...?"
He didn't have much of a reaction himself regarding such things.
But he saw that Yu Na seemed somewhat moved. And the students were also quite interested in it. Children of that age, regardless of whether it was spiritual or not, just wanted the sense of ceremony, and also wished to leave a wish behind here.
Jiang Lin said, "Teacher, let's make one, what if it really does come true?"
Yu Na thought for a bit. "Alright."
The school hadn't provided much funding, so Yu Na was prepared to pay out of her own pocket. After all, the wish plaques weren't very expensive.
When she wanted to go pay, Xiao Chen stopped her. "Wait here."
As Xiao Chen went to pay, Xiao Jiang came trotting over as well, somewhat embarrassed as he opened his mouth, "Boss Xiao, can I make one too?"
"......"
Xiao Chen glared at him. "I'm just humoring them. What are you butting in for?"
"Well, we're already here."
Xiao Chen helplessly shook his head, and bought another wish plaque for Xiao Jiang.
While Yu Na stood there waiting, she overheard a female student secretly gushing to her companion, "Senior Qiao Rui is so handsome!"
This just so happened to be heard by Qiao Rui. He cheekily turned back, "What's this, you called me senior and said I was handsome too?"
The female student mercilessly clarified, "Sorry, I left out a word. I meant Qiao Rui's senior."
She deliberately emphasized the "possessive" marker.
Qiao Rui: "......"
Hearing this exchange, Yu Na laughed out loud to herself. She thought that if it weren't for there being so many people around right now, her "secretly taking photos syndrome" would have relapsed again.
After paying, the staff handed out the wish plaques to them.
Xiao Chen saw that Yu Na was standing alone to one side, silently holding a black pen in her hand as she seriously contemplated what to write.
After everyone finished writing their wishes, they hung them all together on that wish tree.
Xiao Chen stood not far away, taking note of the location Yu Na had hung hers.
...
The hotel at the peak of the mountain was a five-star resort hotel.
Wen Liang and Xiao Zhao had led their wives and kids as the first to arrive at the mountaintop earlier.
As promised at the mountain base, Xiao Chen treated everyone to an outdoor BBQ.
Yu Na, Qiao Rui, Xiao Chen, and Xiao Jiang sat at one table.
During the meal, Jiang Lin got up holding a cup of fruit juice. He raised it toward them and said, "Thanks Boss Xiao for spending generously to treat us today. If it weren't for you, Teacher Yu could have only brought us bread up here to gnaw on."
Yu Na: "............"
Although Jiang Lin was just average in his studies, he had the gift of gab. With that mouth of his, he won't end up too shabby in the future.
Xiao Chen chuckled at his jest. He picked up his own cup and clinked it against Jiang Lin's.
After eating, everyone wandered around the area chatting and taking pictures. Some had also organized a game.
Xiao Chen didn't participate, but Yu Na and Xiao Jiang were playing very happily together with the students.
He stood not far away, left elbow leaning against the railing behind him. From the moment he saw her this morning, his gaze hadn't shifted away from her at all.
Now, it was his turn for his secret photo-taking syndrome to relapse.
Unlike her careful and cautious manner, Xiao Chen fished out his phone from his pocket and unabashedly took a picture of her.
...
Xiao Chen had his assistant book hotel rooms but he didn't plan to stay himself, intending to head back later tonight.
Yu Na and her students, however, were to head back that same afternoon.
In the afternoon, she started organizing the students to hike back down.
Qiao Rui said, "Teacher, I want to go with my brother."
Hearing this, Xiao Chen coldly rejected, "I have things to do. Go with your teacher."
Qiao Rui: "What things?"
Xiao Chen: "What business is that of yours?"
"......"
While hiking down, Yu Na sent a WeChat message to Xiao Chen: 【Thanks for today】
Xiao Chen was looking at the secretly snapped photo at that time. Yu Na's WeChat message suddenly popped up, and his heart started thumping loudly.
He didn't reply.
After making sure they had hiked back down, Xiao Chen went by himself again to that midway point with the wish plaques.
The staff members were still there but had changed shifts.
Xiao Chen walked over to the location Yu Na had hung her plaque and carefully searched through them.
He felt extremely fortunate that these wish plaques had a section for "name", which Yu Na had neatly filled out with her own.
Therefore he quickly found it.
On her wish plaque, her graceful, beautiful handwriting read:
1. My students get into good universities.
2. XThe person I like, I hope my feelings can get some response back, even if just a little bitC.
Xiao Chen's breath hitched. His grip on the wish plaque unconsciously tightened.
Seeing this, the staff member rushed over to stop him. "Aiyo young man, you can't take this down! Taking it down makes the wish powerless!"
Xiao Chen regained his senses and loosened his hold on the plaque.
With his earlier worries finally set down in this moment, the corners of his lips quirked up. "What if I said I came to help her wish come true?"
Staff: "Huh?"
Xiao Chen paid them no further heed. He took out his phone and this time, without any hesitation whatsoever,
he sent Yu Na a WeChat message:
【I want to see you】
