It had been an hour, and there were still thirty more minutes to go. Yuchen and Shaoqi were still bickering.
"Could you not tap your leg every five seconds?" Yuchen said sharply, rubbing his temple.
"I'm not tapping," Shaoqi replied, tapping even louder against the metal of the bus floor.
"That's exactly what tapping is."
"Well, maybe I'm keeping the rhythm of your complaining," Shaoqi said with a smirk.
Yuchen turned to glare at him. "You're insufferable."
"Thanks. I try."
Wei Lan, who was sitting across the aisle, leaned her head back against the seat and whispered to the girl beside her, "I swear, they're like an old married couple on a road trip." The girl snorted and covered her mouth, trying not to laugh.
The bus hit a bump on the icy road, causing Shaoqi's bottle of water to roll across the floor and bump against Yuchen's shoe. Yuchen picked it up, turned it in his hand, and said, "You should probably hold this tighter."
"Why, you planning to throw it out the window?"
"Don't tempt me."
Director Liu, who was sitting near the front, looked back briefly and sighed. "If those two aren't friends by the end of this trip, at least one of them will learn patience."
Thirty minutes later, the bus finally pulled into the snowy city of Qinghe, a place so stunning it almost didn't feel real. The streets shimmered with frost, snowflakes drifted lazily through the air, and the resort where they'd be staying looked like something straight out of a magazine—wooden lodges, hot springs, and a massive frozen lake in the distance.
The students began filing off the bus, stretching and talking excitedly. Director Liu clapped his hands, his voice loud enough to gather everyone's attention. "Alright, everyone! Grab your luggage and head to your assigned cabins. You'll be staying with your partners!"
Yuchen froze halfway through pulling his suitcase out. "…I'm sorry, what?"
Shaoqi nearly dropped his bag. "Wait, together?"
"Of course," Director Liu said with a pleasant smile. "It's part of the bonding experience."
"More like part of my suffering," Shaoqi muttered under his breath.
"Did you say something?" Yuchen asked coolly.
"Nope."
Their assigned cabin, number 14, was small but cozy—a single fireplace, two beds, and a shared wardrobe. Unfortunately, those two beds were placed right next to each other.
Shaoqi stood in the doorway, staring at the setup. "You've got to be kidding me."
"Don't worry," Yuchen said dryly, setting down his suitcase neatly by the wall. "I have no plans of talking to you unless absolutely necessary."
"Good, because I sleep with music on."
"Then I'll invest in earplugs."
"Then I'll sing along."
Yuchen's head turned slowly, his face calm but his tone sharp. "I'll burn your headphones."
Shaoqi grinned. "Try me."
Outside, Wei Lan was watching the two through the window, whispering to Lin Xue. "They're already arguing. We haven't even unpacked yet."
Lin Xue laughed quietly. "This trip is going to be entertaining."
By the time the sun began to set, the two boys had barely unpacked half their things. Yuchen was neatly arranging his skating gloves by color, while Shaoqi was throwing his socks into random drawers like a game of chance. Every few minutes, one of them would sigh dramatically.
And when they both reached for the same plug outlet to charge their phones, their hands brushed. Both froze, eyes flicking up for half a second before jerking back like they'd been burned.
Shaoqi cleared his throat. "Uh. You can have it."
Yuchen crossed his arms. "No, you can."
"Wow, how polite. Let's fight over it instead."
"Gladly."
* * *
Everyone was already settled into their cabins. Those girls who were assigned a boy partner for the trip would sleep separately with their girl partner instead. But during the activities, they would stick with their assigned partner — same rules for the boys.
The first day was meant to be light and easy. Director Liu said it was a "free day" for everyone to relax after the long trip. Students could go to the frozen lake and skate with their friends, soak in the hot springs, explore the resort grounds, or even take a short trip into the city nearby.
As soon as the announcement ended, most people immediately made plans in groups. Laughter filled the snowy air as pairs ran off toward the lake or the steaming springs in the distance.
Wei Lan and Lin Xue were already dragging their luggage toward the hot springs, gossiping about who was the most handsome in the hockey team.
Yuchen, on the other hand, went straight for the hot springs as soon as he could. He wasn't interested in skating or crowds; he preferred peace and quiet — and a chance to escape a certain loud, troublesome hockey player.
Meanwhile, Shaoqi was already halfway through the resort, map in hand, scarf hanging loose around his neck. He wanted to "explore," but really, he was trying to find out if there was a snack bar.
The resort was breathtaking. There were wooden bridges covered in snow, soft lights glowing from lanterns, and a path that led to the frozen lake — its surface glimmering like glass under the cloudy sky. The laughter of students echoed across the area, faint and cheerful.
Shaoqi stopped by a small shop that sold souvenirs and snacks. He bought a hot drink and leaned against a wooden railing, watching the skaters glide across the lake. Some were talented, moving effortlessly; others slipped and flailed like newborn deer.
He couldn't help but laugh a little.
Just then, a familiar figure caught his attention — graceful, calm, and impossibly composed even among the chaos. Li Yuchen, in a white robe and tied-up hair, walking out of the hot spring area with steam rising behind him like a scene straight out of a drama.
Shaoqi blinked. "…You've got to be kidding me."
Yuchen noticed him almost immediately, his expression unreadable. For a brief moment, neither said anything. The sound of wind filled the silence between them.
Then Yuchen sighed. "You again."
Shaoqi smirked. "You say that like I planned this."
"Maybe you did," Yuchen replied coolly, brushing past him.
Shaoqi turned around. "Relax, I was just walking! It's not my fault you show up everywhere like a snowstorm."
Yuchen stopped, glanced back slightly, and said, "Then try not to get blown away."
And with that, he walked off.
Shaoqi stood there for a few seconds, his hot drink steaming in his hand. "…What does that even mean?"
* * *
The sky was slowly turning orange as the day came to an end. The students were returning from the city, their laughter echoing through the chilly air. Shaoqi stuffed his hands into his pockets, heading back toward the cabin.
"Five days, huh?" he muttered to himself. "I can already feel a headache coming."
He pushed the cabin door open and saw Yuchen already inside, sitting by the window and reading something. The moment their eyes met, both froze for a second.
"…You're back early," Yuchen said, not looking up again.
"Yeah," Shaoqi replied, taking off his coat. "Didn't want to get lost and die in the snow."
"Shame," Yuchen murmured under his breath.
Shaoqi looked at him. "What was that?"
"Nothing."
And for the rest of the evening, Cabin 14 was filled with silence — the kind of silence that wasn't exactly peaceful… but definitely not boring either.