The next morning came far too quickly for Han Shaoqi's liking.
The cabin was quiet except for the sound of wind brushing against the window. Yuchen was already awake, neatly folding his blanket with military precision. Shaoqi, on the other hand, was still half-buried under his covers, hair sticking up like he'd fought a snowstorm in his sleep.
"Wake up," Yuchen said flatly, not even looking over. "Breakfast starts in fifteen minutes."
Shaoqi groaned and pulled the blanket over his head. "Five more minutes."
"You said that ten minutes ago."
"How do you even know that?"
"I've been keeping count."
Shaoqi peeked out from under the blanket, glaring. "You're terrifying, you know that?"
"Thank you," Yuchen replied calmly, slipping on his jacket.
By the time Shaoqi finally dragged himself out of bed and got ready, they were almost late. The breakfast hall was buzzing with chatter as students gathered around long wooden tables filled with steaming buns, congee, and hot tea. The smell alone woke Shaoqi up faster than caffeine ever could.
Director Liu stood at the front with a clipboard, far too cheerful for someone managing thirty students.
"Good morning, everyone!" he greeted. "I hope you all slept well, because today begins your first group activity!"
A chorus of groans rippled through the room.
"Today, both the hockey and figure skating teams will be participating in a Joint Trust Challenge!"
The groans turned into confused murmurs. Shaoqi looked suspicious. "Trust challenge?" he muttered, glancing toward Wei Lan, who was seated beside Zhang Hui.
Wei Lan smirked. "That sounds perfect for you, Shaoqi."
"Why does that sound like an insult?" he asked.
"Because it is," she replied, smiling sweetly.
Director Liu continued, "Each pair will complete a skating course together on the frozen lake. Balance, coordination, and communication are key! And remember—if one of you falls, both fail."
Shaoqi groaned quietly. "This is gonna be a disaster."
"Then maybe you should listen for once," Yuchen muttered beside him.
"I do listen. Just not to you."
"That explains a lot."
* * *
An hour later, the frozen lake was alive with energy. Students stood in pairs, skates laced up, facing a glittering obstacle course made of cones, flags, and icy turns. The air was crisp and filled with the sound of laughter and the scrape of blades.
Wei Lan stood next to Zhang Hui, both of them stretching. "We're going to crush this," she said confidently.
Zhang Hui nodded. "As long as you don't start talking halfway through and make me laugh."
"No promises."
Not far away, Lin Xue and Chen Hao were already testing their balance on the ice, moving surprisingly smoothly for a mixed pair.
And then there was Cabin 14's duo—Han Shaoqi and Li Yuchen—standing at the starting line like sworn rivals about to duel.
"This should be fun," Yuchen said, adjusting his gloves.
"For you, maybe," Shaoqi muttered. "I'm not built for dancing on ice."
"It's not dancing. It's coordination."
"Whatever you call it, don't expect me to twirl."
Yuchen gave him a calm look. "Just try to stay upright."
The whistle blew.
They pushed off—somewhat in sync—until they reached the first curve.
"Left!" Yuchen called out.
Shaoqi went right.
Both immediately spun out of control and landed on the ice with a spectacular thud.
"Ow! You said left!" Shaoqi groaned.
"I did say left," Yuchen shot back. "You just have terrible directional sense."
"Well, your left or my left?"
"There is only one left!"
Nearby, Wei Lan skated past smoothly with Zhang Hui, laughing so hard she nearly tripped. "You two are a disaster!"
"Focus on your own course!" Shaoqi shouted back, slipping again.
Yuchen sighed deeply, rubbing his forehead. "This is going to take forever…"
* * *
After several more failed attempts—and even more arguing—they finally started to find a rhythm. Shaoqi followed Yuchen's lead for once, and Yuchen adjusted his pace to match Shaoqi's strength. Their blades moved almost in sync, gliding cleanly across the final stretch of ice.
For a brief moment, everything clicked. No words, no tension—just perfect, steady motion.
Then Yuchen spoke quietly, not looking at him. "Not bad."
Shaoqi grinned. "You're not bad either—for someone who wears sparkly costumes."
Yuchen side-eyed him. "Careful. I could let you fall next round."
Shaoqi laughed. "Try it."
From the sidelines, Director Liu was watching with a small, knowing smile. Wei Lan skated up beside him and whispered, "They're fighting less now."
"Mm," Director Liu said, amused. "Give it time. Ice melts slowly."
* * *
The next morning, breakfast was louder than usual. Everyone was still talking about yesterday's "Trust Challenge," especially how Shaoqi and Yuchen had slipped, crashed, and somehow still managed to finish third.
Wei Lan was laughing so hard she nearly choked on her bun. "You two should've gotten a trophy for 'Most Dramatic Fall!'"
Shaoqi glared at her while sipping his hot cocoa. "At least we didn't scream like you when a snowflake touched your neck."
"It was cold!" she argued defensively.
Before their playful war could continue, Director Liu entered the dining hall, once again with his clipboard of doom.
"Good morning, everyone!" he said in his usual cheerful tone that somehow made everyone groan. "I hope you all slept well, because today's activity will test your coordination, observation, and—most importantly—your teamwork!"
"Uh oh," Zhang Hui muttered.
Director Liu continued, "Today, we'll be doing The Great Ice Hunt! A scavenger challenge across the resort. You'll need to find a series of hidden tokens—each marked with your team's initials. Every clue leads to the next. The first three teams to finish win a reward."
"What kind of reward?" Shaoqi asked suspiciously.
Director Liu smiled. "Dinner privileges."
The hall went silent.
Yuchen blinked. "Dinner privileges?"
"Yes," Director Liu said proudly. "The winning teams get to choose what's served for the final night's dinner."
Shaoqi turned to Yuchen, dead serious. "We have to win."
"You care that much about food?"
"Yes. You've seen what they call 'spaghetti' here."
* * *
Thirty minutes later, the teams were scattered all around the snowy resort, bundled up in jackets and gloves, armed with clue cards and clipboards.
Yuchen and Shaoqi's first clue read:
"Where fire meets frost, the warmth hides a mark."
Shaoqi squinted at it. "What does that even mean?"
"It's obvious," Yuchen said. "The hot springs."
Shaoqi frowned. "You sure it's not the kitchen?"
Yuchen turned to him slowly. "Do you really think they'd hide a clue next to the chef?"
"I mean… the food is fire."
Yuchen sighed deeply. "You exhaust me."
* * *
At the hot springs, they crouched down near the rocks, searching carefully. Other pairs were already there—Wei Lan and Zhang Hui were checking under benches, while Lin Xue and Chen Hao were testing the temperature of the water with long sticks, for some reason.
"Find anything?" Wei Lan called out.
"Only disappointment," Shaoqi replied.
"Must be nice, since you're used to it," she teased back.
Before Shaoqi could come up with a comeback, Yuchen's voice cut in. "Found it."
Everyone turned. He was holding a small wooden token with A.E. carved on it, half-hidden behind a lantern.
Wei Lan groaned. "Ugh, of course the perfectionist finds it first."
Yuchen shrugged, tossing it lightly in the air before catching it again. "Maybe you should try looking instead of talking."
"Rude!" she snapped, but she was smiling.
* * *
Their second clue led them to the frozen lake again, where they had to search under the benches near the rink. This time, Shaoqi found the token first.
"Ha! Beat you this time," he said proudly, holding it up.
Yuchen raised an eyebrow. "You nearly fell in the process."
"But I found it."
"You also screamed."
"I did not scream, I was expressing surprise."
"Loudly."
Before they could start another argument, Director Liu's voice echoed across the ice through a megaphone. "Good job, Team Yuchen and Shaoqi! You're currently in first place!"
Shaoqi blinked. "Wait—first place?"
Wei Lan's voice from a distance: "Not for long!"
* * *
The third clue sent them deep into the resort's snowy forest trail. They trudged through knee-deep snow, Shaoqi occasionally slipping while Yuchen moved like he'd done this a thousand times.
Shaoqi groaned. "How are you walking so easily?"
"Because I know how to balance."
"Because you're boring."
"Because you don't watch where you step."
"I was distracted!"
"By what?"
Shaoqi paused. "The snow. It's… pretty."
Yuchen looked at him for a second longer than necessary, then looked away. "You're weird."
Shaoqi grinned. "Thanks."
They eventually found the final token hidden inside an old wooden birdhouse. When they returned, covered in snow but grinning from ear to ear, Director Liu congratulated them.
"Team Yuchen and Shaoqi—first place!"
The hall erupted into cheers and groans, Wei Lan shouting, "No fair! They probably argued their way to victory!"
Shaoqi smirked. "It's called strategy."
Yuchen crossed his arms, looking smug. "Dinner's on us."
Wei Lan stuck out her tongue. "Then I'm not eating."
"You said that yesterday," Zhang Hui reminded her.
"And I meant it!"
* * *
That night, during dinner, Shaoqi sat across from Yuchen, watching proudly as the staff brought in steaming hotpot—the reward meal they'd chosen.
"This was worth all that falling and yelling," Shaoqi said, pouring himself soup.
Yuchen nodded slightly. "For once, we agree."
Shaoqi grinned. "That's scary."
"Don't get used to it," Yuchen replied, sipping his tea.
Wei Lan leaned over from another table. "Are you two flirting or fighting?"
"In this case," Shaoqi said, "both mean the same thing."