The bus engine emitted a buzzing noise.

Jiang Shuyi stood somewhat awkwardly in front of her homeroom teacher, Li Roujia, as she placed her suitcase into the vehicle.

Since the meeting time was earlier today, Jiang Shuyi arrived late.

Just a moment ago, Li Roujia had been at the door, calling for her, saying that if she was ten minutes late, she would have to take a taxi to the hotel.

Once Jiang Shuyi got on the bus, she saw Wen Yao sitting in the front row, holding a book.

Wen Yao had simply tucked her hair behind her ears today, her fair ears exposed to the air, giving off a somewhat cold vibe.

When she saw Jiang Shuyi get on the bus, she didn't say anything.

Jiang Shuyi cleared her throat and glanced at the seat next to Wen Yao, where there was a bag.

She looked at the bag and asked, "Wen Yao, is this your bag?"

"No," Wen Yao replied in a calm tone.

"Then whose is it?"

Jiang Shuyi's tone became somewhat dissatisfied, as if she was ready to get rid of the bag.

Wen Yao glanced at the door but hadn't answered when Li Roujia's voice came from behind Jiang Shuyi, "It's mine, what's wrong?"

Jiang Shuyi's earlier dissatisfaction immediately dissipated.

"Oh, nothing."

Jiang Shuyi forced a smile and nodded at Li Roujia, feeling a bit frustrated as she walked toward the back of the bus.

In the middle of the bus, Song Jinxi, Zhou Jingtang, and a few other students were playing board games together.

Zhou Jingtang looked at Jiang Shuyi and called out, "Miss Yi, do you want to join us?"

". . ."

Jiang Shuyi shook her head, she preferred to take a nap.

She sat down in an empty seat in the back row, pulled her hood over her head, and covered her eyes.

A few minutes later, she started to feel drowsy.

"...Why did you arrive so late?"

Just as she was about to doze off, Li Roujia's voice rang out at the bus door.

It seemed there were others who had arrived later than her.

Jiang Shuyi closed her eyes, feeling a sense of reassurance in her heart.

"There were some issues at home." a voice said.

"You can't do this next time, the classmates are all waiting..."

"Mm."

Jiang Shuyi thought she heard Li Roujia clap her hands.

"Now that everyone is here, we can go, driver."

The bus's heating hummed, and Jiang Shuyi hugged her arms tightly.

The sounds of classmates playing poker and laughing filled the bus, along with the noise of videos playing around her.

Jiang Shuyi felt herself drifting off to sleep, her consciousness becoming hazy.

At that moment, the seat next to her shifted, sinking slightly.

A faint scent of sweet orange wafted through the air.

Jiang Shuyi sniffed, lazily opening her eyes.

As soon as she opened her eyes, she saw Yan Jingshu pulling back the curtain beside her.

Yan Jingshu was wearing the school's sports uniform, looking much fresher than her usual delicate self, giving off a neighborly girl vibe.

"Did I wake you?" Yan Jingshu glanced at the curtain. "The sun is a bit glaring, I wanted to pull the curtain down."

Jiang Shuyi rubbed her eyes and shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "Why are you sitting next to me?"

"There was a spot next to you. Why shouldn't I sit here?"

Yan Jingshu frowned at her, clearly displeased.

"Is this bus yours? Do you get to decide where I sit?"

". . ."

Jiang Shuyi was at a loss for words. "That's not what I meant."

---

"I was just asking, don't get mad."

An Alpha's voice came from the back.

Wen Yao's gaze lingered briefly on the back seat before gradually returning.

Li Roujia was briefing Wen Yao on some matters. "When you arrive at the destination, first confirm the number of classmates, then report back to me. I'll contact the restaurant at the destination..."

"I understand." Wen Yao nodded as usual, her expression unchanged.

---

Jiang Shuyi didn't know how long she had slept when she woke up.

She took off her hood.

Yan Jingshu was talking to Song Jinxi, and after a while, Song Jinxi looked at her, "You're awake?"

"Mm." Jiang Shuyi nodded.

Song Jinxi picked up a box in her hand, "Do you want some chocolate?"

"It's from that chocolate shop in France."

Yan Jingshu, sitting between them, seemed to notice that Jiang Shuyi was having trouble reaching, so she reached out and handed Jiang Shuyi a piece of dark chocolate.

Jiang Shuyi looked at the piece of chocolate with a grimace. "I don't want to eat it..."

". . ." Yan Jingshu was taken aback, feeling that her hand was a bit cold after offering the chocolate, but she still smiled and asked Jiang Shuyi, "Why? Don't you like dark chocolate?"

"I don't like it anymore..." Jiang Shuyi replied bluntly.

The original owner liked dark chocolate and could always taste a hint of sweetness in even the bitterest chocolate.

But Jiang Shuyi was different.

Jiang Shuyi had a sweet tooth and wasn't good at eating bitter things, she could taste a hint of bitterness in even the sweetest chocolate.

Yan Jingshu chuckled, looking at Jiang Shuyi as if she didn't believe her. "Are you really saying you don't like it anymore?"

"Or is it because this chocolate was given to you by me, so you don't like it anymore?"

She sat quietly in her seat, her expression smiling yet serious.

Hearing Yan Jingshu's question, Song Jinxi sighed and awkwardly looked out the window, feeling her hand holding the chocolate starting to heat up.

Jiang Shuyi sensed the inexplicable awkwardness in the air but still spoke honestly, "...I actually want to eat that caramel chocolate."

Her eyes fell on the beautifully decorated caramel chocolate in Song Jinxi's box, which looked sweet and rich.

"Your tastes have really changed, Jiang Shuyi."

Yan Jingshu said with a faint smile as she handed the caramel chocolate to her.

"Things you used to like, you now say you don't like anymore."

". . ." Jiang Shuyi took a bite of the caramel chocolate, remaining silent, it was actually quite good.

Looking at Jiang Shuyi, Yan Jingshu didn't say another word until they got off the bus.

---

The first day's destination was a forest park.

The sun looked particularly warm today, with sunlight filtering through the gaps in the leaves, beautifully creating a Tyndall effect with the mist.

Once they arrived at the scenic area, the students left their suitcases on the bus and walked toward the destination with their backpacks.

Wen Yao was quietly counting heads.

When she reached Jiang Shuyi and the others, Zhou Jingtang was earnestly saying, "So, I definitely think there are moose here!"

"Impossible, this isn't Inner Mongolia." Song Jinxi replied firmly.

Standing in the middle, Jiang Shuyi, who was smiling, saw Wen Yao approaching and immediately greeted her:

"Wen Yao, why don't you walk with us?"

Wen Yao glanced at Yan Jingshu and Song Jinxi beside Jiang Shuyi and refused without hesitation.

"No, thank you."

Jiang Shuyi wanted to say something more but saw Wen Yao walk up to Li Roujia.

Li Roujia nodded at Wen Yao's words and led the students toward the destination.

Jiang Shuyi sighed, her head hanging low.

"There's a punishment for the last person to arrive!"

Someone in the class shouted loudly ahead. Although it sounded like a joke, everyone unconsciously quickened their pace.

Wen Yao frowned.

Although she had good motor skills, her endurance wasn't great.

Moreover, she didn't feel particularly well today, she had been unusually tired since the morning.

Her body felt as if it had been soaked in ice water, and her shoulders were heavy.

She looked up ahead, where Jiang Shuyi was walking with Song Jinxi and Zhou Jingtang, seemingly still discussing something.

Yan Jingshu was also beside them, occasionally laughing.

". . ."

Wen Yao continued to lower her head, silently moving forward without looking ahead.

As the journey progressed, Wen Yao, who had initially been at the back of the group, began to lag behind after a few flights of stairs.

The voices of her classmates started to fade, and the surrounding people gradually became fewer, resulting in a quiet atmosphere where the chirping of birds in the forest could be heard.

Looking at the unfamiliar faces around her, Wen Yao felt she could hardly continue.

At that moment, someone pulled her backpack off her shoulder.

A burst of lemon balm scent cheerfully wafted into her nostrils.

Wen Yao's eyelashes fluttered slightly.

She looked up to see Jiang Shuyi wearing her backpack on her shoulder.

Jiang Shuyi took out an unopened bottle of lemon tea from her bag and handed it to Wen Yao. "Have some water."

". . ."

Wen Yao's hand paused in place, not accepting the bottle of lemon tea.

Her tone was as cold as usual, "I'm fine."

"Give me back my bag." Wen Yao's voice was somewhat firm.

Jiang Shuyi looked at Wen Yao's somewhat pale face, and skeptically placed the drink in her hand.

"Just take a sip first."

". . ." Wen Yao glanced at the lemon tea in her hand, remaining silent.

It might have been bought at the scenic spot, the bottle of lemon tea was still warm.

She blinked, stiffly twisted off the cap, and took a sip.

A warmth flowed through her stomach.

Wen Yao quietly screwed the cap back on and looked at Jiang Shuyi. "...I drank it."

She gestured for Jiang Shuyi to return her bag.

Jiang Shuyi ruffled Wen Yao's hair playfully.

"I'll give you your bag back when your complexion looks better, not now."

Wen Yao remained silent.

In fact, without that bag, her shoulders felt much lighter, and she didn't feel as uncomfortable as before.

". . ." Jiang Shuyi supported Wen Yao's hand, urging her to hold the bottle of lemon tea. "Warm up your hands."

Wen Yao looked at Jiang Shuyi's expression, remaining silent. After a long time, she pulled her hand away from Jiang Shuyi's.

"You really dislike me." Jiang Shuyi said, lowering her head.

Wen Yao looked at her expression and found it somewhat amusing.

So, she reached out and held Jiang Shuyi's hand.

Jiang Shuyi immediately lifted her head, her eyes wide as she looked at Wen Yao.

Feeling the Alpha's gaze, Wen Yao casually explained, "Your hands need to be warmer."

"...Oh, I see." Jiang Shuyi nodded obediently.

---

While going uphill.

Jiang Shuyi was originally following Song Jinxi and Zhou Jingtang.

When Song Jinxi was talking to Jiang Shuyi, she seemed very distracted, stopping frequently, looking back every few steps.

Halfway through, Jiang Shuyi looked back and suddenly stopped, running back toward the main group.

"Why is Miss Yi running back? Did she drop her phone?" Zhou Jingtang glanced in Jiang Shuyi's direction.

"It's not that she dropped her phone." Song Jinxi glanced at the direction Jiang Shuyi had gone.

"Then what is it?" Zhou Jingtang asked.

Song Jinxi didn't say much, she had long been used to it and even guessed that Jiang Shuyi would do this.

But to Yan Jingshu, it was particularly noticeable that Jiang Shuyi, who had been walking ahead, suddenly started moving toward the back of the group.

She paused for a moment.

When she looked down from the terrace at the corner, she saw Jiang Shuyi taking Wen Yao's bag and putting it on her shoulder.

For a moment, she stopped in her tracks.

Song Jinxi glanced at Yan Jingshu beside her but didn't dare to speak.

Seeing the expression on Song Jinxi's face, Yan Jingshu casually smiled and said, "What kind of expression is that?"

"I'm fine, Song Jinxi."

Yan Jingshu adjusted her backpack and continued walking forward.

As if nothing had happened.

Just as she was about to take a step, her bag got caught on a branch by the roadside.

"...Don't move." Song Jinxi sighed as she looked at Yan Jingshu, removing the branch from her bag.

Yan Jingshu kept her head down and didn't say anything.

The group continued walking forward.

However, even Zhou Jingtang, who usually didn't pick up on the atmosphere, noticed that something was off between them.

"What's wrong? Yan Jingshu..." Zhou Jingtang asked.

"Just thinking about something."

"Ah? What's the problem?"

Yan Jingshu glanced at him and smiled nonchalantly.

"Let's say there's a person who only likes to eat dark chocolate and doesn't like anything else."

"...Oh, there are indeed people like that." Zhou Jingtang nodded.

"But now that person has started to like caramel chocolate."

"It seems they don't care about dark chocolate at all..."

Song Jinxi paused upon hearing this, turning her head to look at Yan Jingshu.

Yan Jingshu raised her head, looking somewhat serious as she asked Zhou Jingtang:

"So, what can be done to make that person like dark chocolate again?"

---

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