Coming to Myself

The grinning Tuya was also dragged away by Chen Feng, leaving only the two of them. A cloud drifted across the sky, casting a shadow over the canyon.

The two walked along the narrow, damp wooden plank path.

You Mingxu asked, "Have you been here before?"

"No."

"Then why did you choose this place?"

"Chen Feng found it online."

She stopped and said, "It's quite unexpected that you brought me here."

"Is that so? Then where do you think I should have taken you?"

You Mingxu smiled without answering. It was hard to say where they should have gone, but with his temperament, it would either be a place of extravagant luxury and indulgence or a remote, tranquil spot unknown to others. Not like now, visiting an ordinary scenic spot like regular tourists, an ordinary couple, enjoying the mountains and waters. Everything was too ordinary, which instead felt unusual.

"I told Chen Feng not to overthink it. I just wanted to take you somewhere lively but not noisy," he said.

You Mingxu was taken aback, as if she understood something. She held his hand and said, "Good, I like it very much."

He added, "Besides, the weather here is cool. We don't even need to turn on the air conditioning at night. The quiet mountains and the whispers of the forest—what a wonderful atmosphere? I can treat you however I want, and you won't be sweating and complaining about discomfort."

"Get lost."

Ahead, a pitch-black cave appeared, with no end in sight. Water droplets continuously dripped from the cave walls. Yin Feng pulled You Mingxu inside. Naturally, You Mingxu wasn't the slightest bit afraid, but the ground was slippery, the light was almost completely gone, and there were steps, so the two walked slowly.

Yin Feng suddenly said, "If this were a delicate, clingy woman, she'd be hanging onto me right now, trembling and calling for her husband to hold her."

You Mingxu chuckled and said, "If this were still You Yingjun, he'd be hanging onto me right now, trembling and calling for A Xu to hold him."

Yin Feng laughed out loud. Somehow, in the dark, he managed to lean close to her ear, gently nibbling her earlobe as he whispered, "A Xu, hold me."

You Mingxu pushed him away.

Unexpectedly, she used a bit too much force, and the ground was slippery. He stumbled, seemingly about to fall. You Mingxu quickly reached out to pull him back, but both of them slipped. In the end, Yin Feng's back hit the stone wall with a muffled groan, and he pulled You Mingxu into his arms.

You Mingxu asked urgently, "Does it hurt?"

Before she finished speaking, he turned her around and pressed her against the stone wall. However, the sensation against her back was soft—it was his hand, cushioning her there. Even with her iron-willed heart, You Mingxu was moved by this old man's subtle thoughtfulness, her heart warming. But she also thought: He really knows how to handle women.

He was already kissing her in the darkness, finding her lips with unerring accuracy. The breath from his mouth was cool yet gentle.

"I love you," he said in a low voice.

You Mingxu wrapped her arms around his neck. "I love you too."

He kissed her while chuckling softly. "Not enough... more... A Xu... whenever your eyes aren't on me, I..."

"Mmm... what... nonsense..."

By the time the two emerged from the cave, You Mingxu felt her steps were a bit unsteady, and her heart was soft. Meanwhile, he held her steadily, his handsome face tinged with a faint blush but otherwise no different.Afterward, the two of them barely spoke. It seemed nothing needed to be said—a subtle, unspoken atmosphere lingered between them, isolating them from everything around them. Intangible, silent, yet ever-present.

You Mingxu didn’t understand why, even though they had been together for so long, Yin Feng’s quiet glances, his soft murmurs, and his occasional touches along the way still made her restless and vaguely flustered.

Soon, they reached the deepest part of the scenic area, where the largest, widest, and most majestic waterfall cascaded down like countless white silk ribbons, roaring like a thousand troops and horses, overwhelming in its grandeur.

Even You Mingxu and Yin Feng paused for a while, quietly taking in the sight.

Tuya and the other three had arrived earlier. They were also excited, pacing around the viewing platform. Xiao Yan and Tuya were the most playful, striking various poses for photos. Xiao Yan’s poses included hearts, monkeys, and soldiers, while Tuya mostly pretended to be deep in thought—sometimes as "The Thinker," sometimes as a gazer into the distance. You Mingxu couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight.

Then Chen Feng suggested, "Let’s ask someone to take a group photo for us."

Xiao Yan grinned and ran over. Guan Jun snorted but didn’t walk away, standing still instead. Tuya said in his earnest voice, "Sure!"

Yin Feng remained silent, acting indifferent. You Mingxu smiled, pulled him over, and waved at Guan Jun. Only then did Guan Jun slowly approach, while Xiao Yan and Tuya also hurried over.

Chen Feng found a passerby and then ran back to stand at the edge of the group.

The passerby was a cheerful young man, though he found the group—composed of an older man, a teenager, a handsome couple, and a gloomy uncle—a bit peculiar. The young man called out, "I’ll count one, two, three—say cheese!"

Everyone in the frame smiled.

Dense mist sprayed onto them from all directions. The waterfall roared, the sun shone brightly, and green trees covered the valley.

Xiao Yan grinned widely, Chen Feng smiled warmly, Tuya laughed earnestly, and Guan Jun wore a half-smile.

You Mingxu and Yin Feng stood in the center, his arm around her shoulder, both of them smiling.

Later, Guan Jun had this "family portrait" printed in a large size and hung it in the first-floor living room. Every time they saw it, they felt inexplicably embarrassed, yet they couldn’t resist stealing a few glances.

Years later, a little one appeared in the villa, dressed in a refined miniature gentleman’s shirt and shorts. The child touched his chin, studied the photo for a moment, and remarked flatly, "Uncle Guan Jun, your smile is the stiffest."

Guan Jun retorted angrily, "You little rascal! Don’t sleep with me tonight!"

The child sneered, "As if I want to sleep with you. You’re always the one dragging me away from Mom and Dad’s bed."

Guan Jun: "Grr…"

But that’s a story for later.

That day in Guizhou, they spent the whole day exploring. In the evening, they drove to a high-altitude grassland and stayed in a tent homestay at the mountain’s peak.

Dusk gradually fell, and the grassland was empty. Their location was high up, with only about a dozen tents in total, making it exceptionally tranquil.

From the tent, they could look down at the sloping hillside covered in green trees and colorful flower bushes, with mist dancing along the ridges. Though they were there, it felt as if they were in another world.Even men like Guan Jun and Tuya, walking barefoot on the wooden corridor of the tent hotel, carried a touch of lazy contentment. Sitting on the wooden corridor, You Mingxu gazed into the distance and then looked at the men beside her, realizing they were clearly just like Yin Feng—quiet and aloof. Even Xiao Yan, sitting alone at the end of the corridor in silence, was no exception.

Yin Feng’s stamina was indeed the weakest among the group. When You Mingxu returned to the room, she found him already bathed and sprawled asleep on the bed. The bed was laid out on the floor, and such a tall man lay curled up like a child, sleeping soundly and carefree.

You Mingxu felt a pang of tenderness watching him. She walked over, covered him with the blanket, and dimmed the room lights. Then she smiled wryly, thinking, It’s over. How did I end up feeling like a mother again?