Yin Feng replied, "Alright, I'll have noodles too," and went downstairs.
By the time You Mingxu came down, the cook had just finished preparing several bowls of fragrant, enticing noodles. Since the two of them were having noodles, Guan Jun and the others wanted noodles as well. The men of the Yin family were all like dogs.
Everyone else had already started eating, but Yin Feng was still holding a book and reading. Only when You Mingxu sat down beside him did he put the book aside and pick up his chopsticks.
For some reason, this small detail suddenly made You Mingxu feel refreshed and clear-headed. The deliberately stern expression she had been wearing softened unconsciously, and she lowered her head to eat her noodles.
After just a few bites, his hand reached over under the table and grasped hers. You Mingxu didn't pull away.
Xiao Yan, being young and impulsive, finished first. He put down his chopsticks, spaced out for a moment, and suddenly said, "I just realized—this is the first time since we've had a 'boss lady' that she's taken time off and stayed at home, and for three whole days!"
Chen Feng chuckled, while Tuya quickly nodded in agreement. Guan Jun shot a sidelong glance at You Mingxu, still holding a grudge from when she smacked his head yesterday, and snorted, "Hmph!"
Yin Feng asked You Mingxu softly, "What would you like to do these few days?"
But You Mingxu was thinking about something else. If Xiao Yan hadn't mentioned it, she wouldn't have realized it. Ever since Yin Feng had been with her, it had always been about solving cases. As his girlfriend, she had truly never spent proper time with him.
"What would you like to do? I'll go with you," You Mingxu said.
Xiao Yan and the others' eyes lit up. Guan Jun snorted again but pricked up his ears to listen—he wanted to go out and have fun too.
Yin Feng looked at her and said, "Alright." Then, glancing around, he asked, "Do you want to bring them along?"
"Them" all turned to look at You Mingxu in unison, their movements as synchronized as a pack of big dogs.
You Mingxu smiled.
—
Three days wasn't enough for an overseas trip, and You Mingxu couldn't travel abroad casually anyway.
Chen Feng's efficiency was, as always, unmatched. That afternoon, under the bright sunshine, the six of them had already disembarked from the plane and were standing on the soil of Guizhou.
You Mingxu hadn't expected Yin Feng to bring her to Guizhou—there were too many unpleasant memories associated with this place. But Yin Feng said, "Guizhou has beautiful scenery, not too many people, and it's quiet. Otherwise, I wouldn't have come here back then to seclude myself and write."
Guan Jun chimed in from the side, "And we can visit Lao Jiu."
Xiao Yan asked, "Wasn't Lao Jiu buried in Xiangcheng?"
Guan Jun replied, "Idiot, his spirit is here."
You Mingxu saw that they all looked perfectly normal, as if they had truly moved on. She too lifted her head and gazed at Guizhou's clear, azure sky, thinking to herself that that person's spirit should have returned to Xiangcheng, to the police force, and to his home.
The rental car had already been arranged. That evening, they drove to a hot spring town to stay for the night, planning to explore the next day.
That night, they enjoyed fine wine and delicious food, soaked in the hot springs to wash away their fatigue, and reveled in joy and merriment.
You Mingxu and Yin Feng's room even had a large private hot spring. Needless to say, they indulged wildly, exhausting themselves and thoroughly enjoying each other's company.
The next day, the two of them lazed around and slept until the sun was high in the sky. Meanwhile, the others had already explored the entire town and brought back local snacks. You Mingxu ate with great satisfaction, thinking to herself that it was no wonder Yin Feng liked them—aside from occasionally acting a bit crazy, they had all regained their childlike innocence. It was Yin Feng who had allowed them to live as their true selves, because his heart, in essence, was the same.
So, after eating and drinking her fill, she leaned over and kissed Yin Feng on the cheek.
Yin Feng smiled faintly. He didn't understand where the reward had come from, but the more, the merrier.
They went to a large canyon.It was the off-season, with few tourists around. Chen Feng went to buy tickets, and the group walked slowly along the valley boardwalk. Along the way, streams splashed and the river gurgled, with beautiful scenery, empty mountains, and serene surroundings.
Xiao Yan, adept at swift movement, vanished in the blink of an eye. Guan Jun tried to chase after him but couldn't keep up, grumbling as he ran off too. Chen Feng and Tuya, however, followed steadily behind You Mingxu and Yin Feng.
Not far ahead, a large waterfall appeared, roaring and thundering, its wide white curtain spectacular and enchanting under the sunlight. There weren't many people on the viewing platform. Yin Feng held You Mingxu's hand as they walked over. Though still some distance from the waterfall, they could soon feel the mist spraying onto them, dampness permeating the air.
You Mingxu leaned against the railing and looked down at a stone pool below, its water deep emerald, with smooth, rounded boulders. She instinctively said, "I really want to jump in."
Yin Feng replied, "Are you a monkey?"
You Mingxu laughed, pointing at the pool. "It must feel amazing to bathe there."
Yin Feng said, "Not allowed."
You Mingxu was only joking—how could she possibly do such a thing in front of everyone? But she retorted defiantly, "How audacious! Since when do you get to boss me around?"
Yin Feng said nonchalantly, "I'll boss you around, just you, and that's final."
The same words, but with a completely different tone.
Despite being experienced, You Mingxu actually felt her face grow warm.
Just then, they heard someone exclaim "Hey!" from below. Looking down, they saw it was none other than Xiao Yan. The guy had somehow climbed over the safety railing unnoticed and was standing on a smooth, rounded boulder, drenched and waving at them with a grin.
You Mingxu smiled back and waved at him.
In no time, without them seeing how he climbed, he scaled the railing and flipped back onto the viewing platform. Smiling mischievously, he opened his hand to reveal a small, round, white, translucent stone that refracted a faint rainbow shimmer in the sunlight.
"Boss Lady, this is for you," he said.
It had been a long time since You Mingxu received a gift, especially from such an adorable boy, so she accepted it outright. "Thank you!"
As she picked up the stone to examine it, she heard the person beside her ask, "Where's mine?"
Xiao Yan was taken aback.
No one had ever heard of giving a pretty white stone to a thirty-year-old man.
Yin Feng had already stretched out his hand toward him.
"You give her one but not me? Am I just an afterthought?"
You Mingxu was caught between laughter and exasperation, while Xiao Yan wanted to laugh but didn't dare.
Xiao Yan then grinned awkwardly but displayed unprecedented quick wit, declaring righteously, "Teacher Yin, what's hers is yours—she's your woman!" With that, he dashed toward the railing, flipped over, and disappeared.
"Mhm," someone lazily acknowledged.
You Mingxu took his hand and placed the stone in his palm. "If you like it, it's yours." But he seized the opportunity to pull her into an embrace, planting several kisses on her face—or more accurately, "messing it up" a few times.
"As long as you understand," he said.
You Mingxu wondered, what on earth was he so jealous about?
Just then, Chen Feng walked over and asked with a smile, "Teacher Yin, shall I take a photo of you two? It seems you've never taken one together."
Neither You Mingxu nor Yin Feng spoke.
Yin Feng thought to himself, actually, they had. Back when he was still You Yingjun, there were several times when she had fallen asleep, and he, like an infatuated fool, lay by the bed holding his phone, capturing both of them in the frame. Too cringeworthy to look at.
You Mingxu felt a weight on her shoulder—it was Yin Feng's hand resting there. "Go ahead," he said.
You Mingxu also smiled, leaning openly into his embrace.Chen Feng crouched down with a smile, framing the shot: "One, two..."
As he counted "three," Yin Feng suddenly bent over, lowered his head, and gently kissed You Mingxu's temple.
You Mingxu's heart skipped a fierce beat. The warm touch lingered for only a moment before retreating, yet the world seemed to fall into a hushed stillness because of it.
Chen Feng set down his phone, watching the pair before him. Someone had initiated it—or perhaps they were simply in sync—as they wordlessly embraced and began kissing. Yin Feng shifted his position, almost completely shielding them from view, leaving only his back visible to onlookers. The waterfall cascaded behind them, enveloped in a misty glow of sunlight and spray. The ground was slick and damp, serene and moist—a perfect mirror of love itself.
Chen Feng chuckled and walked away first. As an old singleton, he truly couldn't bear to witness such unrestrained, blooming affection.
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