BSS - Chapter 151

Chapter 151

When Deng Chuan leaned over, Xu Wei already had a vague, premonitory guess as to what she was about to do.

So she closed her eyes and, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, accepted the kid's kiss.

The pre-dawn chill was steeped in darkness. An autumn mountain breeze blew past, making one instinctively tighten their arms and hold the person before them even closer.

The celestial dome was still pitch-black; the sun had yet to show itself. In the wait, time seemed to stretch infinitely, making the darkness before sunrise feel so long. Within this darkness lay a myriad of rosy clouds, just as hope lay hidden in tomorrow. This made the darkness alluring, yet perhaps this allure also carried a faint sense of dread, for no one knew the exact moment it would truly brighten.

And they were holding each other, sitting upright before such darkness.

A silence blanketed the mountains. They kissed for a while, then parted slightly. Deng Chuan gently caressed the corner of Xu Wei's lips, then leaned in to touch them again, cherishingly.

Someone might have been smoking not far away; the faint scent of tobacco drifted through the air, mixing with the damp fragrance of plants. It was a little dizzying. The morning dew and mist rose from the valley, nearly soaking the black jacket Xu Wei was wearing. She wrapped an arm around Deng Chuan's back and realized she was only wearing a thin sweatshirt, its hood already a bit damp.

The curve of Deng Chuan's spine was exceptionally clear beneath the thin fabric. Xu Wei touched those extending lines, unable to resist pulling her closer and naturally pressing her cheek against her. "Cold?"

But Deng Chuan didn't answer. She just pressed her own cheek against Xu Wei's, nuzzling with a bit of force. Both their faces were soft and scorching hot. Xu Wei felt relieved. She leaned against her, and then they looked toward the sky together.

Leaning on the kid's shoulder, Xu Wei slowly and deliberately began to settle the score. "How dare you lie to me."

"Baby," Deng Chuan said, her warm breath brushing against Xu Wei's ear. She paused, as if confirming something, before saying softly, "I'm not lying this time. The sun is really coming out."

Xu Wei huffed. She felt Deng Chuan raise a hand to touch her face, gesturing for her to look up.

No complex words were needed. Anyone who has seen a sunrise would have the same thought: it was beautiful.

They witnessed the entire process of the dark clouds brightening, bit by bit. The scenery was magnificent, yet as the sun climbed higher, it seemed as if nothing was left behind. Unconsciously, the view before them had become clear. Not far away, tree branches drooped, and a light white mist shrouded the mountain path. Xu Wei could even see the translucent water droplets clinging to the waterproof tarp.

The kid raised a hand, pulled the sweatshirt's hood over her head, and turned to look at her, her gaze quiet. Her skin was fair, which made the faint dark circles under her eyes seem especially obvious.

And Xu Wei leaned against her, holding her hand with restraint.

Only after the sunrise did a deep weariness well up from within their bodies. They sat in silence for a while before Xu Wei straightened up, feeling her neck was already a bit sore.

Deng Chuan stood up and kneaded her shoulders. She quickly noticed Xu Wei rubbing her neck and came over to ask, "Should we head down now? We could get a room at the foot of the mountain and sleep more comfortably."

As she spoke, she picked up the camera she had placed beside her and put it in its bag.

Only then did Xu Wei realize that Deng Chuan hadn't taken any pictures of the sunrise.

She had just quietly accompanied her, not recording a single moment.

That indescribable emotion welled up in Xu Wei's heart again. She lowered her eyes, watching Deng Chuan bend down to pack up the waterproof tarp. Even on this weary morning after an all-nighter, the kid was still so patient. Her elegant fingers pinched a corner of the tarp, folded it neatly into a square, and held it in her hand.

Because Xu Wei hadn't said anything, Deng Chuan waited a long time for a reply. She showed no impatience or confusion, only patiently asking again. Her voice was so calm; her usually clear tone, now tinged with the mountain mist, had become deeper.

Xu Wei looked at her with downcast eyes. The soft hood of the kid's sweatshirt drooped slightly, covering her forehead and the hair she had tied back neatly, giving her a kind of innocent gentleness. Just like the first time they met. Xu Wei's thoughts drifted to the past again as Deng Chuan leaned a little closer and asked once more. The scent on Deng Chuan was no longer the clean smell of laundry detergent, but a fragrance familiar to Xu Wei-the same brand of body wash she used.

"Should we head down now? We could get a room at the foot of the mountain and sleep more comfortably?"

The surge of emotion in Xu Wei's heart suddenly became uncontrollable. She answered, "Okay." She was so eager, as if afraid the kid would change her mind the next second and suggest they rest there in the valley.

Camping was certainly fun, of course. But Xu Wei didn't need that right now. She knew her mind was already racing, whether because of the past or the present.

She urgently needed an act that would make her feel both the past and the present. Xu Wei restrained herself, took a deep breath, and found it almost impossible to tear her gaze away from Deng Chuan rolling up her sleeves, then from her arms as she pulled out the tent poles.

Deng Chuan sensed Xu Wei's urgency. She didn't think much of it, assuming she was just tired and wanted to rest soon, so she quickened her pace considerably.

The tent they had put up with some effort was packed away again. Once everything was more or less in order, Deng Chuan took her backpack and went to find the president of the Photography Association. That group was also yawning nonstop. The two agreed on a time and place to meet for the return trip that afternoon, and the president waved at her before crawling into a tent to sleep.

The way down the mountain was easier than the way up. They soon reached the residential area at the foot of the mountain, where Deng Chuan had already booked a room in advance. There was hardly anyone on the road. They followed the navigation to the hotel's location. It was called a hotel, but it was really just a small, not-so-tall building, seemingly a private inn. A sign at the entrance had large, bold characters written on it: Military Coats and Camping Tents for Rent.

Inside the entrance was a wooden floor. The receptionist was dozing off behind the counter. Deng Chuan got the key card and took Xu Wei up in the elevator. It was her first time staying in a hotel where the hallways weren't carpeted, where a few steps could wake up the people in their rooms. Xu Wei held onto her arm, looking around warily.

Although it wasn't large, the inn had decent reviews from tourists who had stayed there. A few people from the Photography Association had stayed here before as well. So Deng Chuan didn't feel it was particularly unsafe. She quickly found the right room number and opened the door.

The window in the room was closed, so it was warmer than outside. There was a bit of a musty smell in the air. The wooden floor was mottled in places, revealing its white core.

Deng Chuan pushed open the window to air out the room and turned on the light. Xu Wei was checking for hidden cameras, her Martin boots clacking on the floor.

Deng Chuan leaned back in a lounge chair and watched her, her gaze lazy. She had broken into a light sweat from the walk, but she felt a bit sluggish and didn't want to move.

The kid's sweatshirt was a little damp, which Xu Wei only discovered when she hugged her. She greedily inhaled the moist fragrance from Deng Chuan's body, feeling almost unable to pull away.

Xu Wei pressed against her neck again and didn't move. Deng Chuan thought she was tired, so she supported her waist, pulled her closer, and whispered in her ear, "Tired? Want to take a shower?"

Xu Wei paused for a long moment before shaking her head. Then she whispered two words to her: "Let's do it."

---

When they woke up again, it was already afternoon. The air conditioner was on in the room, making the temperature and humidity very comfortable. Deng Chuan raised an arm and groggily pinched her temples.

The ceiling above had some stains on it. It took Deng Chuan a moment to remember where they were. She turned over. Xu Wei was still asleep beside her. She slept peacefully, one side of her fair face visible amidst her thick hair.

This Xu Wei was completely different from the one in the morning. Deng Chuan hadn't expected this ordinary morning to become so beautiful. It was as if the sunrise they had watched together had initiated this beautiful day. It was a half-hidden beauty, because they were still mindful of being outside, in a shabby little inn with surprisingly good reviews. They chose this kind of beauty, like choosing to close one's eyes when kissing.

In the end, they didn't go anywhere that day. They just stayed in that musty room, eating steaming instant noodles and cold bread, until it was time to check out.

The two-day weekend passed quickly. After returning to school, Xu Wei waited for her doctoral exam results to be announced. She contacted her advisor and began reading the reference books he had sent her.

Most of them could be borrowed from the P University library. Xu Wei used Deng Chuan's student card to borrow them, which also gave her a chance to accompany her in the library while she did her homework. The books she borrowed were all thick, heavy tomes, entirely in English, with pages full of symbolic derivations and explanations. Even if Deng Chuan could understand the words, she couldn't understand what they were about. The kid watched for a little while before quickly giving up and turning back to her own case analyses.

Only after that day did Xu Wei realize how she had lost control. It was so unlike her. But along with the belated embarrassment and annoyance, Xu Wei also felt a subtle satisfaction. It was Deng Chuan who had almost made her into a different person; all these emotions of change and loss of control were born because of her.

And this person would lean in and kiss her with her whole heart.

And so, Xu Wei quickly came to terms with it.

After coming to terms with it, she would occasionally tease the kid-in the library, at a coffee shop, or at the subway station entrance where they parted ways. Seeing the kid's expression of wanting something she couldn't have, Xu Wei would soften again, lean close to her ear, and make plans with her-plans for an eagerly anticipated weekend.

Days like these passed quickly. After they returned from Haituo Mountain, the weather gradually grew colder. Deng Chuan was very obedient to Tang Lijuan's advice on health preservation, and now even Xu Wei had started to listen, no longer pairing skirts with her coats.

The first snow in Beijing came a bit late this year. On Deng Chuan's birthday, the sky was clear and vast, with no special weather events. The kid argued plausibly that they should postpone the birthday celebration, which made Xu Wei both annoyed and amused. Who postpones a birthday?

But in truth, they both knew Deng Chuan said this because the written portion of the doctoral exam results would be announced after her birthday.

As expected, Xu Wei made it to the interview stage. And since she had already begun participating in some of her advisor's projects, the interview should also go off without a hitch.

So, using celebration as an excuse, the kid took Xu Wei out to eat. This time, they went to a rather atmospheric Western restaurant. Violin music drifted through the air, and red roses sat on the table.

They rarely drank, but they opened a bottle of wine. Deng Chuan was excited the whole time. Xu Wei eyed her sideways. "What wicked idea are you plotting now?"

"A celebration," Deng Chuan corrected her, her hands moving clingily as she offered to cut Xu Wei's steak. "It's a celebration."

"...Alright." The kid's eyes were sparkling, leaving Xu Wei helpless. She softened again. Thinking about how Deng Chuan's birthday hadn't really been celebrated a few days ago, she indulgently acquiesced.

They spent another beautiful night together.

This time, it was Xu Wei who woke up earlier than Deng Chuan.

When Xu Wei got up in the morning, she discovered that the kid had posted on her Moments after she had fallen asleep.

Proud of you.

The accompanying picture was of the starry sky they had seen together.

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