Since Meng Lan had limited time and could only stay in Yongquan City for three days, the plan for hiking and camping was quickly settled—they would go the next day, Saturday, spend the night on the mountain, and descend on Sunday. After freshening up and having a meal, Meng Lan could catch her evening ride back to Linshan City.
Pang Le, who loved lively gatherings, readily agreed to Guan Xia’s suggestion and enthusiastically helped her invite other friends.
Guan Xia hesitated. "Are we really inviting others? I thought it’d just be the three of us. After all, Meng Lan wants to meet the new friends I’ve made since we lost touch—which is basically you."
Pang Le shook her finger seriously. "No, no, no! You have more friends now than just me. And didn’t you say you both wanted to see how each other’s lives are now? Obviously, the more friends you have, the more reassured she’ll feel. So not only should we invite others, but the more the merrier! That way, she’ll see how vibrant your life is and that you’re anything but lonely."
Guan Xia still felt something was off. "Is that really how it works? Wouldn’t too many people make her uncomfortable? She doesn’t know anyone besides me."
Pang Le threw an arm around Guan Xia’s shoulders and grinned. "Of course she won’t know them at first, but she’ll warm up after chatting. And come on, you know me—I’m a social butterfly. There’s no way I’d let your friend feel awkward. Relax! Besides, Xu Nian and the others are easygoing. Tomorrow, she’ll feel right at home."
Convinced by Pang Le’s confident assurance, Guan Xia thought it over and nodded in agreement.
Thus, the next day’s trio outing turned into a small group. To Guan Xia’s surprise, not only did Ji An join, but Zhong Xiaoyu also showed up, bouncing over with an arm slung around Ji An’s shoulders as she waved at Guan Xia.
Guan Xia wondered if she was hallucinating. She blinked several times before confirming it was real, then tugged Pang Le aside and whispered, "What’s going on? I thought it was just the three of us plus Xu Nian and the others. Why are Ji An and Zhong Xiaoyu here too?"
Pang Le enthusiastically waved back at Zhong Xiaoyu before lowering her voice. "I never said that! I just meant the more friends you have, the better Meng Lan would feel. Honestly, I didn’t even specifically invite them. I just casually mentioned it in a group chat, and Zhong Xiaoyu happened to be bored at home with nothing to do, so she jumped at the chance. As for Ji An, she was already planning to visit you after her vacation—she just came two days early. Oh, and Lu Tingfeng actually wanted to come too, but something came up last minute. He made me promise to invite him next time we do something fun like this."
Guan Xia was baffled. "Hiking and camping… is fun?"
Pang Le nodded earnestly. "Of course it is! It’s not about the activity itself—it’s about the people. Everyone’s excited because you wanted to go, and you’re introducing your friends to each other. That’s what makes it fun."
Dizzy from Pang Le’s roundabout explanation, Guan Xia was successfully persuaded and nodded thoughtfully.
Once everyone had gathered, Guan Xia quickly made introductions.
Meng Lan seemed genuinely surprised by the number of Guan Xia’s friends. With each introduction, she shook hands and then glanced back at Guan Xia as if seeing her in a new light.
In contrast, the others acted perfectly normal—especially Xu Nian and the others, who had helped Guan Xia investigate Meng Lan’s past accident. They wore polite smiles, their gazes neither overly curious nor intrusive. After shaking hands, they stepped aside, suddenly fascinated by the surrounding scenery, their eyes scanning the area as if admiring the view… or observing something else.
Guan Xia found their behavior oddly familiar—it reminded her of how they had surveyed the surroundings when investigating Zhong Xiaoyu’s uncle’s case in Jianyang City.
Finally, once everyone was acquainted, Guan Xia let out a relieved sigh and turned to help Meng Lan check if she had packed everything. Just then, Zhong Xiaoyu asked curiously, "How did you find this place? It’s outside Yongquan City, and some of the facilities look newly built. Was this area recently designated as a scenic spot?"
Guan Xia paused, about to explain, when Meng Lan spoke up sheepishly. "I picked it. I saw a short video where the blogger mentioned that this peak, though part of the Cuiping Mountain Range, isn’t well-known because it’s not very high, and the scenery isn’t particularly unique compared to other peaks. But precisely because it’s obscure, fewer people come here, making it a quiet spot to enjoy nature. I figured popular spots would be crowded on a weekend, so I suggested this place."
Pang Le’s eyes lit up in recognition. "That blogger’s style sounds familiar. Do you remember their ID? Was it ‘Yiran Zide’?"
Meng Lan thought for a moment, then smiled. "Yes! That’s the one—Yiran Zide. She specializes in off-the-beaten-path scenic spots. I browsed her page once, and most of the places she recommends are ones I’ve never heard of."
Hearing this, Guan Xia also found it familiar and chuckled. "What a coincidence—you both follow the same blogger."
Pang Le grinned. "No wonder the location you shared in the group looked familiar! Perfect timing—I’ve been meaning to come here. This trip checks off a wishlist item."
True to her social butterfly nature, Pang Le’s easygoing banter quickly helped Meng Lan blend in with the group.
After chatting and double-checking their gear, they set off, led by Zhong Xiaoyu, taking advantage of the still-mild morning sun to begin their ascent.
Compared to their last camping trip, this wild mountain was much easier to climb. There were man-made steps—narrow and steep due to budget and time constraints, but at least there were clear footholds. Guan Xia, though exhausted and leaning heavily on her trekking pole, didn’t need to be pulled or pushed like last time.
However, contrary to expectations, the mountain wasn’t as deserted as they’d assumed. Guan Xia spotted at least two other groups besides their own—scattered figures ahead on the winding trail and glimpses of people further up. A rough estimate put the total number of hikers, including their group, at around twenty or thirty.
Qi Bai couldn’t help but remark, "I thought this place was supposed to be a hidden gem? Why are there so many people? Are we going to end up with tents crammed side by side, with no space to even move?"
If not for Qi Bai speaking up, Guan Xia might have forgotten he’d even joined them this time. It was a relief—after being in a cast for so long, he’d finally recovered and could run and jump again.
After hiking for so long, Pang Le was only slightly out of breath, his forehead dotted with sweat, but his expression showed he still had plenty of stamina to spare. Hearing the question, he casually pulled Guan Xia along and explained, "Song Yi isn’t particularly famous in the travel blogger niche, but she still has a decent following. Actually, this video was from last July. Back then, the place was packed with people. It was because of the sudden surge in visitors that the local government approved some funding for development. But since so much time has passed, and Song Yi ended up shifting her focus to Ningyun Province for personal reasons, the number of hikers here has dropped significantly."
"This is considered few?" Qi Bai asked, wide-eyed.
Meng Lan chuckled. "It really is fewer. I checked the guides before—at its peak, there could be a hundred or even two hundred people a day. But don’t worry, this wild mountain is special. There’s more than one camping spot, so we definitely won’t be tripping over each other."
Qi Bai brightened at that. "That’s a relief. I even brought a thick sleeping pad this time, planning to lie down and stargaze before bed. I even packed a telescope just for it."
As he spoke, he fiddled with the small telescope hanging around his neck, his face full of anticipation.
Wang Yu couldn’t help but laugh. "Looks like your injury really got to you, huh? Turning all poetic—gazing at the stars."
Qi Bai grinned. "New hobby, new hobby. I was bored at home and watched a documentary, and suddenly found astronomy fascinating. I can already identify quite a few constellations with my telescope now."
Despite having a limp for nearly two months, Qi Bai had surprisingly maintained his stamina. Not only did he keep up with Pang Le’s pace the whole way, but he was now enthusiastically sharing his newfound knowledge about celestial bodies.
Guan Xia gave the two an impressed look before falling back to the end of the group. Thankfully, Meng Lan, whose stamina was about as lacking as hers, kept her company, offering some comfort.
After hiking for over two hours straight, the group reached a flat area halfway up the mountain just before lunchtime. Zhong Xiaoyu glanced at Guan Xia’s condition and suggested they take a break to eat and recharge.
Guan Xia was the first to plop down, immediately gulping half a bottle of water the moment her backside hit the ground.
Pang Le, as if it were routine, unwrapped a piece of chocolate and handed it to her. Just as Guan Xia took it, Meng Lan extended another piece from the other side.
All three froze for a second. Pang Le’s expression remained neutral, but Guan Xia couldn’t shake the feeling that Meng Lan’s gaze held a hint of resentment—or maybe it was just her imagination.
Though eating two pieces of chocolate in a row seemed a bit much, Guan Xia didn’t want to play favorites. In the end, she accepted Meng Lan’s offering too, taking fair bites from both sides until they were gone.
After nibbling on some snacks to cut through the sweetness, Guan Xia finally relaxed and took in the view.
But something felt off. She glanced at Xu Nian, who was standing at the edge of the platform, scanning their surroundings, then at Jiang Yingyao, who was doing the same. Both looked oddly alert, as if searching for something.
Just as Guan Xia was about to ask, Wang Yu suddenly spoke up. "I checked the guides—there are four or five camping spots on this mountain. Some are caves, some are cliffs, and there’s even a small basin between two steep walls. Where are we setting up?"
The question immediately diverted Guan Xia’s attention, and she turned to Meng Lan curiously.
Since this trip was organized for Meng Lan in the first place, the decision naturally rested with her.
Without hesitation, Meng Lan pulled out her phone, scrolled for a bit, then handed it to Guan Xia. "Let’s go with this cave. I did a lot of research, and a lot of people recommend it. It’s spacious, relatively safe, and there’s a small platform outside—about fifty or sixty square meters—big enough for all of us to lie down and stargaze. What do you think?"
Guan Xia took the phone, intrigued, and examined the photos closely while the others gathered around.
Judging by the people in the pictures for scale, the cave was indeed massive—easily three to four hundred square meters. Whether naturally formed or artificially modified, it even had tiered levels, creating a higher area for sleeping and a lower one for storing gear and hanging out.
Everyone loved it at first glance and quickly agreed.
Wang Yu, who had somehow produced a map, studied it for a while before concluding, "Then it’s settled. I’ve looked into it—this cave isn’t the closest, but it’s not the farthest either. And out of the other two groups here, one is too large to fit in this cave, and the other is too small—they’d have already picked a more suitable spot before reaching here. No conflict for us."
His analysis made it sound like the perfect choice. After a short rest, the group set off again, heading straight for their chosen campsite.
The second half of the hike was tougher, but with so many strong hikers in the group—and with Pang Le and Zhong Xiaoyu practically half-carrying Guan Xia and Meng Lan—they managed to reach the campsite just before sunset. They even had time to eat a simple dinner while watching the sun dip below the horizon.
As the last rays of light vanished, Qi Bai convinced everyone to lay out their sleeping bags on the platform outside the cave, sprawling out under the stars.
It had to be said—away from the city’s noise, surrounded by the sounds of insects and birds, with the murmur of friends’ voices in the background—it was the perfect recipe for sleep.
One moment, Guan Xia was chatting idly with Pang Le and Meng Lan; the next, she was drifting off, the voices around her growing distant until she slipped into unconsciousness.
Lulled by the sounds of nature, Guan Xia slept soundly—until she was abruptly shaken awake by Pang Le.
Bleary-eyed, she saw his face, unusually serious under the glow of the camping light. "Wake up, Guan Xia. Did you hear that noise just now?"
Still half-asleep, Guan Xia sat up groggily. "What noise?"
"A bang—like a firecracker or maybe a gunshot," Wang Yu chimed in. "In a place like this, it’s probably a signal flare, but it’s weird that we didn’t see any light."
The word gunshot snapped Guan Xia to full alertness. She turned and saw everyone else standing at the edge of the platform, expressions tense as they scanned the darkness.
Guan Xia stood too, peering into the inky blackness—but there was nothing to see.
Just as Guan Xia was feeling a bit puzzled and about to ask Pang Le, she heard another muffled sound echoing from afar.
Guan Xia froze instantly. That sound… though faint and barely audible, reminded her of the gunshots she’d heard so often in crime dramas.
