By the time he arrived, it was already late evening.
At this time, Sang Yu and her course mates were busy preparing skewers for a barbecue. Of course, she prepared vegetable skewers for herself too. While the ladies were arranging drinks and fruits on the picnic mat, the boys were busy grilling the skewers.
Sang Yu kept getting distracted and checked the time on her watch. She wanted to estimate when Shen Peichuan would arrive.
“Do you have anything on your mind? You seem a little distracted ever since you answered that call.” One of the female course mates teased her, “I think someone must be missing her hubby!”
All these course mates on this trip had a close relationship with Sang Yu, and this was why they knew she was married.
“Stop it…” Sang Yu lowered her eyes. “I’m just thinking of the clothes I left on the balcony and thought of going home…”
“Oh, come on. Don’t be a party pooper! And it’s late now, so I’m sure it won’t rain. Just forget about it and enjoy a good time here!” One of the boys said.
“He’s right. Don’t tell me you want to leave at this hour? It’s too dangerous! Let’s just have some fun for a night here.”
The others also tried their best to stop her from leaving.
Sang Yu gave in and texted Shen Peichuan to see if he was coming.
Shen Peichuan replied: I’ve arrived at the foothill.
Sang Yu raised her head and looked at her course mates, “My hubby’s here to pick me up…”
“What? Your husband’s here?” Three girls surrounded her immediately. “Introduce him to us.”
“But…” They put Sang Yu in a tight spot.
“We’re not stealing your husband, okay? We want to see how he looks, that’s all.” They were really keen to meet the man who Sang Yu was so madly in love with.
“He’s a busy man, and he only comes back to meet me once in a blue moon…”
“Enough, Sang Yu. You should really introduce him to us. We might not have this opportunity in the future.”
Sang Yu did not know what to say anymore. These were her close friends from the university, and she did not want to upset them.
She then texted Shen Peichuan: Can you please come up? My course mates would like to meet you. She added another line at the end of the text: I’ll reject them if you don’t want to.
In just a short while, Shen Peichuan texted back: I’ll come up.
Since they were all Sang Yu’s course mates, Shen Peichuan felt he should not ruin things for her.
A corner of Sang Yu’s mouth quirked up. She replied: I’ll go and pick you up.
Shen Peichuan immediately stopped her: Don’t. It’s late now, and it’s dangerous for you to walk at night.
Sang Yu insisted: Don’t worry. I know the road very well. You walk slowly okay? I’ll meet you in the middle of the road.
Sang Yu kept her phone in her pocket and sprang up. “I’ll go and get him. He doesn’t know how to get here.”
“I’ll come with you.” Another female course mate volunteered to accompany her.
“All right,” Sang Yu said.
The course mate switched on the torchlight and held Sang Yu’s hand. Before leaving, they turned around. “We’ll see you all soon, okay! Hope we’ll get to eat something when we get back!”
“You two be careful and watch your steps,” one of the course mates reminded them.
“We will,” the female course mate answered.
Walking down the mountain was much more challenging than climbing uphill. It was even more dangerous, especially in the middle of the night when the only light source was their torch.
The two ladies took a slow walk down the mountain. Some half an hour later, they noticed a light source from a stone’s throw away. The course mate asked, “Is that your hubby?”
Since it was unlikely for anyone to come up at this hour, the person would most probably be Shen Peichuan.
“I think so,” Sang Yu said.
The course mate waved the torch in the air and exclaimed, “Sang Yu’s here!”
The person then walked towards them.
The course mate said in excitement, “Hey, I think it’s really your hubby.”
Shen Peichuan told them to stay where they were as the road was slippery.
They heeded his advice and waited for him to come over. In just a short while, Shen Peichuan turned on the torchlight on his phone and walked towards them.
The course mate was thrilled to meet him for the first time. She reached out her hand and introduced herself, “Hey there, I’m Wang Tingxue, Sang Yu’s course mate.”
Shen Peichuan shook her hand and retracted his hand immediately.
Sang Yu walked up to her as she could not see his face clearly. “Why didn’t you tell me you’re coming back?”
I would have stayed home and waited for him had he told me earlier. He could have rest at home instead of hiking up the mountain in the middle of the night.
Shen Peichuan answered, “It was a spontaneous decision.”
Wang Tingxue teased, “Did you come back because you miss our sweet Sang Yu?”
“Tingxue!” Sang Yu shot daggers at her.
“All right, all right, I’ll stop. They’re waiting for us. Come on, let’s get back to the campsite.” Wang Tingxue passed the torch to Sang Yu and said, “I’ll walk in front and lead the way.”
Sang Yu nodded.
She then walked beside Shen Peichuan while lighting the path for Wang Tingxue.
Wang Tingxue turned around and responded with a cheeky smile. “Say what you want to say to each other, and don’t worry about me. I promise I won’t eavesdrop on your conversation.”
Sang Yu was speechless.
“Stop it.”
Wang Tingxue burst out laughing.
Sang Yu and Shen Peichuan did not say anything throughout the journey, but they did hold hands as they made their way back.
Over the campsite, the other course mates heard footsteps approaching. They turned around and looked at the people that were walking towards them.
