C20 Failed to Bear with It

Gu Panpan, the leading lady, had already given in. Meng Jingxian was left with little choice—continuing to butt heads with Gu Panpan would be too conspicuous. "That works for me. What do you think, Chu Yang?" Meng Jingxian constantly brought Chu Yang into the conversation, a strategic move designed to infuriate Gu Panpan.

Chu Yang, witnessing their agreement, nodded decisively. The issue at hand was finally drawing to a close, though he would later realize that the earlier conflict was trivial compared to what was to come.

As time passed, Chu Yang came to a profound realization: with Meng Jingxian and Gu Panpan around, peace was an impossibility. They could drive him to the brink of madness, and he often found himself caught in the middle, unsure of whom to support. Common sense dictated he should side with his girlfriend, but Meng Jingxian was Meng Jingzhong's granddaughter, and he couldn't bring himself to do anything that might hurt her.

"Since everyone's on board, let's plan to hike in the morning and swim in the afternoon," Meng Jingxian decided. After Chu Yang and the others finished their meal, she conscientiously cleaned up the remaining breakfast debris.

By nine in the morning, everyone was prepared, dressed in casual attire with sneakers on their feet and small backpacks slung over their shoulders. Whether by chance or design, Gu Panpan and Chu Yang's outfits were strikingly similar, resembling a couple's attire—one in black, the other in white.

Meng Jingxian chose to remain silent on the matter, not wanting to broach the subject of their relationship.

Chu Yang was equally taken aback by the unexpected match.

Only Gu Panpan was privy to the reason behind their coordinated look. She had caught a glimpse of Chu Yang earlier, already dressed in his black casual wear. After returning to her room, she rummaged through her wardrobe to find an outfit that echoed Chu Yang's. Dressed to impress, she half-expected Meng Jingxian to react with annoyance, but Meng Jingxian seemed to ignore it altogether.

"If there's nothing else we need, let's head out," Meng Jingxian suggested, donning her baseball cap. Today, she was without makeup, presenting herself in her natural beauty.

"Let's get going—the driver's already waiting for us outside," Chu Yang said after ensuring that everything was in order. With no issues found, he climbed into the car.

Meng Jingxian occupied the front passenger seat as usual, while Gu Panpan and Chu Yang took their places in the back. It was a reflection of Meng Jingxian's upbringing; they were a couple, after all, and it would be too much to sit otherwise.

"Miss, where to?" the driver inquired, clueless about their destination since no one had informed him. He had only received a call saying they needed a ride.

"Hmm... let's head to the nearest tourist mountain," Meng Jingxian decided, not wanting to waste too much time traveling. It was the last day of the weekend, and she intended to make the most of it.

"Sure thing, please get in," the driver responded, aware of several nearby tourist mountains that were all quite close—a mere ten-minute drive at most.

Silence reigned in the car until they reached the outskirts. Then, unable to contain her excitement, Meng Jingxian began to babble.

"Wow, isn't the scenery here lovely? Chu Yang, imagine how much fun we'll have here in the future." She gazed out the window, utterly enchanted. The sun was gentle, and a soft breeze made it the perfect day for an outing.

"What's this? A lady like you getting so thrilled over such sights?" Chu Yang ribbed Meng Jingxian. In his pre-rebirth life, he had been too poor to afford leisure, spending any free time working with his sister, with no chance for play.

Meng Jingxian gave him an exasperated eye roll, clearly unimpressed. "Are you mocking me? What's wrong with being a lady? Having money doesn't mean you can do anything—often, there's no one to share it with."

Their conversation was cut short as the car came to a smooth stop at the base of the mountain. It wasn't particularly high or large, just over a hundred meters, but as a tourist mountain, it was well-equipped with neat stairs, making the ascent to the summit a breeze.

"It's been ages since I've had this much fun. It feels absolutely amazing," Meng Jingxian said as she got out of the car and stretched languidly, clearly in high spirits.

The mountain was bustling with climbers, a steady stream of people ascending and descending. The lively atmosphere had Chu Yang and the rest of the group buzzing with excitement—it had been too long since their last outing.

"I mean it, we're not stopping until we reach the summit. No turning back," Meng Jingxian declared with a burst of enthusiasm, oblivious to the fact that she was more of a delicate lady with little stamina for such a climb.

"Don't bite off more than you can chew. It'll be you begging to go back down, and we'll just pretend we didn't hear a thing," Chu Yang retorted, skeptical of Meng Jingxian's resolve to make it to the top.

Ignoring his comment, Meng Jingxian set off ahead of the group.

Half an hour in, their brisk pace had slowed to a trudge, with Chu Yang seemingly unaffected. Gu Panpan, in particular, was struggling to keep standing, but pressed on without a word, seeing that the others showed no signs of stopping.

Noticing Gu Panpan's exhaustion, Chu Yang suggested to Meng Jingxian, who was still pushing upward, "Let's take a break. I'm tired."

Meng Jingxian glanced back at Chu Yang, who wasn't even sweating, and then at Gu Panpan lagging behind, clearly at her limit. She realized Chu Yang's suggestion was more for Gu Panpan's sake than his own, but chose not to call him out on it to avoid her own embarrassment.

With that, Meng Jingxian halted and took a seat on a nearby rock.

Gu Panpan, understanding Chu Yang's intention, felt her frustration fade away, replaced by a grateful smile. "Chu Yang, I could use some water."

Chu Yang reached into his backpack, smoothly unscrewed the water bottle, and handed it to Gu Panpan with practiced ease, as if he had done it countless times before.

Meng Jingxian watched with a heavy heart, her confusion growing. This wasn't how things were supposed to unfold. Wasn't it the other woman who should be playing the sympathy card? It just didn't make sense. Clearly, the plots in novels were nothing but fabrications. Or perhaps her own constitution was simply too robust? Next time she fell ill, she vowed to climb the mountain again and see who was truly the weaker one.

After a brief rest of over ten minutes, they resumed their hike. This time, Gu Panpan was anything but quiet, chattering away even more than Meng Jingxian.

"Chu Yang, can we do this again next time you're free?" Gu Panpan asked, her sparkling eyes locked on Chu Yang. She had closed the gap between them to mere centimeters as they walked.

Chu Yang didn't mind, so they continued to the summit side by side. "You're not really cut out for such strenuous outdoor activities. You're too frail. You should really take care of yourself once we're back."

Meng Jingxian deliberately maintained a not-too-close, not-too-distant gap from them, making it appear to onlookers that Chu Yang and Gu Panpan were an item. Even though many might think the girl leading the way was more attractive and better suited to the young man, his apparent girlfriend was quite a catch herself.

"I realize that, but I'm not sure what nutritious things I should eat. Could you come with me to the hospital to find out?" Gu Panpan's voice took on a plaintive tone, as if she were truly aggrieved.

"Sure, I'll go with you to the hospital when I'm free," Chu Yang responded with enthusiasm, unaware of Meng Jingxian's scowl behind them.

"Excuse me, could I take a photo of you two? I promise I'm not up to anything bad. I'm a student from the university nearby, and I'm collecting photos of couples. You two are just so photogenic," the female student explained, sensing their hesitation and quickly flashing her student ID to prove her sincerity.

Chu Yang was hesitant at first, but Gu Panpan had already accepted on their behalf before he could even voice his reluctance.

"Of course, but make sure we look good, or you're not getting the photo," Gu Panpan said with a grin, already pulling Chu Yang into position for the shot.

"No way, you two are just stunning together, and so well-matched. I bet you'll look amazing in any photo." The girl clutched her camera, her excitement making her words jumble. It wasn't that she hadn't seen attractive couples before, but this was the first time she'd encountered one that was not only easy on the eyes but also so pleasant. She was thrilled to the core.

Meng Jingxian felt like she was on the verge of a breakdown. Her mood was already sour, and this photoshoot was just adding insult to injury. With a scowl, she watched them pose for pictures, some of which she found utterly unbearable. She might just be the most unsuccessful third wheel in history, and that's saying something, considering she wasn't lacking in the looks department. It was a true low point for her.

Ten minutes later, they wrapped up the photo session. The female student even left a few prints as keepsakes. Chu Yang declined them, so all the photos went to Gu Panpan, whose smile was as radiant as if she'd just won the lottery.

By the time they made it to the mountain's summit, it was noon. They were pleasantly surprised to find a place to eat there. It wasn't a fancy restaurant, but the food was still delicious. After dining, Chu Yang and his friends descended the mountain via cable car, a trip that took mere minutes.

Once at the bottom, they felt refreshed and ready to head to their next destination: a swimming spot. Gu Panpan had initially proposed a beach trip, but Meng Jingxian and Chu Yang found the idea too cumbersome. The beach was a long haul from the city center, and the round trip would eat up too much time, so they opted for the pool instead.

With the sun blazing overhead, the pool was bustling with people. Now that the city's residents had their basic needs met, they were chasing after more enriching experiences, learning to indulge and enjoy life's finer moments.

"We should hit the deep end—it's way more thrilling," Meng Jingxian suggested with a spark in her eye as soon as they entered the swimming facility. She felt in her element and was eager to dive into the challenge.

Gu Panpan, however, turned pale and shook her head, declining Meng Jingxian's proposal. "I can't, I'm a bit frightened," she confessed, her eyes wide with genuine fear as she turned to Chu Yang for reassurance.

Seeing Gu Panpan's reaction, Chu Yang couldn't help but feel a bit let down. He turned to Meng Jingxian and suggested, "Let's just head to the medium water area instead. We've only just arrived, so there's no need to dive into the deep end right away. Let's get warmed up first."