C25 Autumn Picnic

The next morning, Fei Liang faced the dormitory mirror only to find Mao Ningyu's handiwork from the day before still glaringly present. He felt a lump in his throat, unable to cry. Staring back at him were dark panda eyes, comically noticeable from a distance, almost endearing—a memento of Mao Ningyu's antics after class yesterday.

He could easily wipe them away, but the thought of meeting her on today's autumn outing stopped him. Erasing them was simple; restoring them, not so much.

Oddly enough, those panda eyes stirred a sense of familiarity and warmth in Fei Liang, a déjà vu of sorts.

"Third Bro, time to head out!" Mao Yuntian called from the dormitory entrance.

"Got it," Fei Liang muttered, shaking off his mood. He straightened his attire and stepped outside.

"What's with you?" Yuv Henn inquired, eyeing Fei Liang curiously as he emerged. Yuv Henn, not sharing classes with Fei Liang and being the last to return the previous night, coupled with his general disinterest in anything non-academic, had only just noticed Fei Liang's unusual appearance.

"Just a rough night," Fei Liang replied, his mood sinking further.

"Rough night?" Yuv Henn echoed, puzzled by the explanation and Mao Yuntian's barely concealed amusement.

Yuv Henn, not one for gossip, simply gathered his things, and the group made their way to the school gates.

Upon arrival, they were greeted by the sight of several buses and a throng of eager students. Fei Liang couldn't help a wry smile. An autumn excursion and cookout—that was the day's agenda. He hadn't been keen on going, but skipping out on a class activity didn't seem right. Besides, it was important to show support for Old Zhang, the class monitor.

This outing wasn't just for Fei Liang's class; Mao Ningyu's, Yuv Henn's, and several others had joined forces, likely a coordinated effort by their advisors.

"Lyu Lishi?" Among the familiar faces, Fei Liang spotted Mao Ningyu, of course, and Lyu Liya, who was standing next to a girl who bore an uncanny resemblance to her, though with a much more serene demeanor. It had to be her twin sister, Lyu Lishi.

It clearly wasn't the time for conversation, as they quickly boarded the bus and set off toward their destination.

Fei Liang shook his head and followed Mao Yuntian and the rest onto the bus. As the engine roared to life, the bus carried a load of students toward their destination.

The journey was uneventful, but not without its rewards. Fei Liang had grown considerably closer to his classmates. Still, he offered no explanations for his unusual appearance to the inquisitive students.

Heavenly Rock Mountain, their destination, stood as one of the few mountainous attractions in Heavenly Sea City and an ideal spot for an autumn excursion. From a distance, it resembled a colossal stone that had plummeted from the heavens onto the surrounding peaks, likely inspiring its name.

"Over here!" Fei Liang stepped off the bus to Lyu Liya's voice calling out. The group made their way toward her.

"Who are these two?" Mao Ningyu, Yuv Qianer, Lyu Lishi, and Lyu Liya were all there, along with two newcomers, both as stunning as the others.

"Ah, third brother, you're out of the loop, aren't you?" Mao Yuntian chimed in with a smug grin. "The beauty in green is Su Yun, and the one in white is Xiao Rou, both school belles of Heavenly Sea University. Ahaha, a pleasure to meet you two."

Mao Ningyu stepped forward, her face a tempest of fury, like a volcano on the brink of eruption.

"Sister, sister," Mao Yuntian stammered, his teeth chattering. His pride had made him forget his sister's presence.

"Follow me!" Mao Ningyu commanded, paying no mind to Mao Yuntian's reaction as she strode off.

"Gah," Mao Yuntian muttered, his legs quivering as he followed her, half-heartedly and without choice.

"Hello," Fei Liang greeted them. They all responded, though their gazes lingered on Fei Liang with curiosity. Even Lyu Liya was on the verge of questioning him, but Lyu Lishi held her back. Fei Liang felt awkward, well aware that his peculiar 'panda eyes' had sparked their interest, but it wasn't something he was keen to discuss.

Unfortunately, Ximen Shuanger didn't show up, leaving Fei Liang feeling a touch of regret.

Mao Yuntian came back ten minutes later, his head hung low, piquing everyone's curiosity. "I'm heading to the camp first," he announced, picking up his belongings and striding off. Fei Liang and the others quickly trailed behind him.

"Oh, Si, you—hahaha, you're killing me!" Fei Liang burst into laughter upon reaching the camp and getting a good look at Mao Yuntian. His face was adorned with two swollen black eyes and several fist imprints, resembling a bruised pig more than a person. Poor Mao Yuntian looked far worse than Fei Liang had ever seen him, unrecognizable to those who didn't know him well as the once suave young master Mao Yuntian.

Lee Shanfeng roared with laughter at the sight. Even the typically stoic Yuv Henn couldn't help but crack a smile at Mao Yuntian's disheveled state.

"You guys!" Mao Yuntian fumed, but his anger quickly dissipated as if he remembered something important, and his scowl transformed into a beaming smile. "Haha, I've got the ultimate healing balm—the Ice Jade Snow Lotus Paste!"

He produced a small porcelain box from his chest, flipped open the lid, and scooped out a bit of the white, translucent ointment. As he applied it, the injuries on his face miraculously healed before their eyes, leaving only the faintest traces of his previous black eyes.

"Wow, the Ice Jade Snow Lotus Ointment really lives up to its reputation. That healing power is nothing short of astonishing," Lee Shanfeng remarked, clearly impressed.

Mao Yuntian, brimming with pride, teased, "Haha, what did you expect? Anything I bring out is top-notch. So, Third Brother, how about an apology, and I might just let you borrow this little miracle?"

Fei Liang smirked and dismissively waved his hand across his face. The dark circles vanished as if they were never there. He had been concerned about Mao Ningyu's reaction earlier, but with Mao Yuntian drawing the attention, he had nothing to worry about.

Mao Yuntian stood there, dumbstruck, while the other two looked on in equal parts shock and awe.

"Alright, time to pitch the tents," Fei Liang said with a casual smile, leading the way to the heap of luggage they had brought along.

"Let's get to it," Lee Shanfeng and the others joined him, knowing they had to focus on the task at hand.

The group was quite skilled with their hands, and in no time, all four tents were up, with the rest of their gear neatly organized.

"Fei Liang," he was about to attend to another task when he heard Mao Ningyu's voice calling him.

"Senior, what's up?" Fei Liang turned to ask.

"Um, Fei Liang, could you... help me set up my tent?" Mao Ningyu's voice trailed off to a whisper by the end of her request.

"What?" Fei Liang was taken aback. Mao Ningyu didn't know how to pitch a tent?

"What's all this 'what' about? Cut the chatter and just tell me—can you help or not?" Mao Ningyu's irritation was evident.

"Sure, sure," Fei Liang responded, a bit exasperated, while also wondering to himself if any of the women knew how to set up a tent.

"Then let's go," Mao Ningyu said, a hint of excitement in her voice.

It was only when they reached the campsite that Fei Liang realized Lyu Lishi and Xiao Rou, who knew how to pitch tents, were absent. He also noticed Mao Yuntian, who had been dragged along by Yuv Qianer, and together, they ended up doing the grunt work.

One tent, two tents... Finally, after the sixth tent was pitched, Fei Liang and his companion could breathe a sigh of relief.

As the night fell, the ten tents, each belonging to one of the ten people, stood in close proximity. With the barbecue equipment they had rented, Fei Liang and the group started grilling, enjoying the evening's festivities.