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"It's nothing." Xia Li stood up, walked to the window, and repeatedly opened and closed the curtains. "I was just asking, I didn't mean anything by it."

At 9:00 AM sharp, the family gathered in the hotel lobby.

Zhang Shushu changed into a white tracksuit and looked very energetic.

Tao Xiang wore a yellow sun-protective shirt and a sun hat that Zhang Shushu had bought for her, with the words "[Licheng]" printed on the brim.

Xia Li was still wearing the same dress, with black arm sleeves and canvas shoes.

Zhang Shushu glanced at her. "Wouldn't it be inconvenient to wear a skirt while hiking?"

Xia Li was taken aback; she hadn't thought about this question before.

Song Che said, "It's alright, the mountain isn't high and the road is easy to walk on."

Zhang Shushu didn't say anything more and quietly stuffed a pair of sweatpants into her bag.

The mountain is located east of Licheng, about a 20-minute taxi ride away.

There's a parking lot at the foot of the mountain, next to which are a row of stalls selling water and snacks, as well as a few vendors selling incense and candles. They say the temple on the mountain is very efficacious and can grant any request.

Zhang Shushu bought five bottles of water, one for each person, and also bought a stick of incense, saying she was going to offer prayers. The path up the mountain was a narrow stone staircase, just wide enough for two people to walk side by side. The trees on both sides were very tall, completely blocking out the sun, with only slivers of sunlight filtering through the leaves and falling on the stone steps.

The air smelled of leaves and soil, even more natural and refreshing than the smell back home.

The family walked slowly, still full of peach fragrance and vitality, leading the way, with Song Che and Xia Li bringing up the rear.

When you reach the middle of the mountain, there is a pavilion made of wood with a thatched roof, which looks like a secluded place often seen in TV dramas.

Zhang Shushu suggested they rest for a while, and the group sat down. But Tao Xiang wasn't tired; she ran around the pavilion chasing a butterfly.

Song Jianguo took out his thermos, took a sip of water, and handed it to Zhang Shushu, who also took a sip.

Xia Li leaned against a pillar, looking down the mountain. The houses below were small, like building blocks, and cars were climbing on them; everything seemed unreal, like a game model.

"Is it pretty?" Song Che asked.

“It’s beautiful,” Xia Li said. “It’s different from the mountains of Hite.”

"What's different?"

Xia Li thought for a moment, "There are castles, people, and magic on the mountains of Hite. There are only trees on the mountains here."

She paused, then added, "But the mountains here are beautiful."

Song Che stood next to her and looked down as well.

After resting for ten minutes, we continued uphill.

The stone steps became steeper and steeper, Tao Xiang slowed down, and Zhang Shushu also began to pant.

Although the mountain wasn't high, none of them were tall, except for Song Jianguo, who had good stamina. He led the group up the mountain, and their backpacks were all left on his shoulders.

As we approached the summit, red ribbons began to appear on both sides of the road, tied to tree branches, with words written on them—names, dates, and phrases like "May all your wishes come true," "May you pass the imperial examination with flying colors," and "May you have a son soon."

These red ribbons fluttered in the wind, standing out brightly on the mountainside, each one carrying their most sincere wishes.

Tao Xiang saw it and asked, "What is this?"

Zhang Shushu said, "Make a wish. Tie a red cloth here, and the gods will see your wish."

Tao Xiang thought for a moment, "Then I want to make a wish too."

What did you wish for?

"I won't tell you, because if I do, it won't work anymore. It's the same with birthdays."

"Then why don't you write it on the red string?"

Momoka lowered her head, "...That seems right."

……

Five more red ropes appeared on the tree. These red ropes were no different from the other red ropes, except that they were floating, like thousands of red ropes dancing in the wind.

……

The temple on the mountaintop is small, with blue bricks and gray tiles, in the same style as the ancient buildings at the foot of the mountain. The mountain is damp all year round, with continuous mist and rain, and the paint on the door frame has peeled off, revealing the wood underneath.

There was an old incense burner by the door, filled with incense sticks. The smoke was blown away by the wind and then gathered again. Zhang Shushu lit the incense she had brought, gave three sticks to Song Jianguo, kept three for herself, and handed the rest to Song Che, saying, "You should also offer your prayers."

Song Che took the incense and gave three sticks to Xia Li. Xia Li held the incense and looked at the Buddha statue in the temple for a long time.

"You know him?" Song Che smiled.

"I don't know him," Xia Li said, "but he looks familiar."

"real or fake."

She followed Song Che to the incense burner, inserted the incense sticks, and it took her several tries to get them in place. The smoke rose, making her squint.

Zhang Shushu had finished praying and was standing to the side waiting.

Song Jianguo finished his prayers, placed the incense sticks in the burner, stepped back, and clasped his hands together. Tao Xiang couldn't reach the burner, so Song Jianguo picked her up. Holding the three incense sticks, she bowed three times like an adult, then threw the incense sticks into the burner, clapped her hands, and exclaimed, "That's it!"

Zhang Shushu was amused by her, "That's not how you bow."

"Then I will pray again."

"No need, the gods heard us."

After leaving the temple, Zhang Shushu said she was going to buy water at the nearby convenience store, and Tao Xiang went with her.

Song Jianguo stood at the temple entrance, admiring the scenery, still clutching the three unburnt incense sticks in his hand, unsure where to throw them. Xia Li stood under a large tree, its canopy casting her entirely in shade. Song Che walked over and stood beside her.

"What did you wish for?" he asked.

"Don't tell you."

"why?"

“What Taoxiang said won’t come true if you say it.”

Song Che laughed, "You still believe in this?"

Xia Li looked at him. "I believe you."

Song Che didn't say anything.

A breeze rustled the leaves, the wind dancing on her face. The dress she wore today appeared black in the shade, making her skin look even whiter. Song Che suddenly remembered what happened last night, how she sat on his lap, called him "husband," and then got scolded.

He felt a little regretful—not for the part where he insulted her, but for the part where he didn't respond to her properly.

"Xia Li," he called her.

"Ok?"

"I'm not angry about what happened last night."

Xia Li looked at him.

“I just… wasn’t ready,” Song Che said. “It was too sudden.”

Xia Li thought for a moment, "Then when will you be ready?"

Song Che was stumped. "I don't know."

“Then I can wait for you,” Xia Li said, “but you can’t keep me waiting too long.”

She paused, then said, "I've been waiting for a hundred years."

Song Che was stunned for a moment.

He suddenly remembered that the hundred years she mentioned wasn't just a casual remark; she had truly waited a hundred years. In Hitt, she had searched for him for a hundred years. Not the kind of waiting while sitting at home, but the kind of waiting that involved traveling across the entire continent, traversing every mountain, and asking every single person.

"You won't have to wait too long."

Xia Li nodded, "That's fine then."

It was almost 2 p.m. when we came down from the mountain. Zhang Shushu suggested we go have lunch, and Song Jianguo said there was a farmhouse restaurant at the foot of the mountain that looked alright.

The farmhouse is small, with a few tables in the yard and grape trellises overhead. The grapes are not yet ripe, and they are green, hanging in bunches overhead.

The proprietress was a plump middle-aged woman wearing a floral apron. She spoke loudly, but had a beautiful smile. Zhang Shushu ordered several dishes.

Braised chicken pieces, steamed fish, and stir-fried cured pork were all typical country dishes. After the dishes were served, Taoxiang was the first to pick up her chopsticks. She took a piece of chicken, ate a couple of bites, and her eyes lit up. "Mommy, this is delicious!"

Zhang Shushu smiled, "Eat more if it's delicious."

The family always smiles when they eat together.

After dinner, we returned to the hotel, and it was already past four o'clock. Zhang Shushu said we wouldn't go out for dinner that night; we'd order takeout and eat in the room. Song Che agreed, Xia Li agreed, and Tao Xiang agreed.

Three people together.

They all went back to their rooms to rest.

As soon as Xia Li returned to her room, she opened the wardrobe and glanced inside. The two jars of wine were still there, pink jars, untouched.

She felt relieved, closed the cabinet door, and sat on the bed.

Song Che was lying in bed looking at his phone when Jiang Shuo sent a message in the group chat, saying that he was going to play games that night and asking if Song Che wanted to come.

You definitely won't be able to enjoy yourself while traveling.

Jiang Shuo sent a string of exclamation marks and said, "You actually went out to play without even calling me."

Zhang Hanyu said, "They're just a family going out to play, why would they call you?"

Song Che put down his phone and noticed that Xia Li was standing in front of the wardrobe again.

"Why are you staring at it?" he asked. "You've been standing there for half an hour."

Xia Li walked over, sat on the bed, and picked up the remote to watch TV. She flipped through several channels but couldn't concentrate on anything. Song Che looked at her absent-minded appearance and suddenly found it amusing.

"Are you waiting for tonight?" he asked.

Xia Li was taken aback for a moment, "Wait until tonight?"

"drink wine."

Xia Li remained silent. Song Che sat up and looked at her. "Are you planning to get me drunk?"

Xia Li remained silent.

"And then?" Song Che asked, "Forced sex?"

Xia Li's ears turned red, but her expression remained calm. "I didn't say anything."