Translator: Ryn
With their minds entirely focused on completing their tasks, the six of them had no thoughts of playing around. Instead, they immediately started searching for youth travelers to interview.
Zhang Wenqin had even specially prepared lanyard cards printed with F University’s logo for them to wear round their necks, to facilitate the smooth operation of their interview process.
However, they soon discovered that the use of these cards weren’t nearly as efficient as having Qi Feng and Ling Ke “brush their faces”.
So long as the two stood together, they just needed to smile and nod at passing female travelers and 99% of them would immediately fall onto their honeytrap. Some even took the initiative to come over to them, asking if they needed any help.
After seeing this sort of heaven-defying spectacle, the group of four girls repressed their need to make any sarcastic comments, and instead silently gave praise to their God-like teammates.
Throughout the day, the output from the group of 6 was plentiful, and by evening, they had already completed more interviews than they had originally planned to.
In truth, if they didn’t travel to this ancient town, the six of them would’ve at most only needed to group together and conduct interviews in their local city centre for half a day in order to complete their task. Hence, for this assignment, they had indeed invested quite a lot of time and effort.
After collating their data and materials, akin to having been relieved off a heavy load, they decided to eat a good meal in celebration of their joyous cooperation in completing their task.
However, due to their tight budget, the so-called “good meal” they had was simply sitting around a table at a small snack bar where they each ordered a bowl of steaming hot noodle soup.
Zhang Wenqin: “The inn owner was right. Majority of the travelers coming to this ancient town are university students like us. No wonder the businesses of the budget hotels are flourishing”.
Yao Jing shrugged: “That can’t be helped. Students have yet to support themselves financially, so they make up majority of the poor, youth travelers.”
Dai Yiwei sighed: “Actually, if it wasn’t for the sake of personally experiencing budget traveling, I would rather ask my parents for extra money to travel, and then pay them back after I’ve started working. This way, I’ll be able to rent a better place to stay, and eat better as well.”
Upon hearing this, Qi Feng nodded in agreement, expressing that he was of the same opinion as Dai Yiwei.
Zhang Wenqin laughed: “That’s because majority of us grew up in the city. Our families’ living conditions aren’t bad, hence that’s why we’re not used to bearing hardships. But what about students who come from small villages? If they didn’t have a lot of money, does this mean they’ve lost the right to travel and discover the world? We should instead also try to explore and take into account the mind-set of these types of people.”
Yao Jing saw Ling Ke, who was sitting next to her, eating while typing away on his phone. She leaned in and read aloud in a small voice: “‘In contrast with the materialistic pursuits of well-off travellers, these youths who have yet to enter society only wishes to use the most economical way to travel and explore the outside world, with the main aim of expanding their horizons and tempering themselves’… Wow! The summary is really good!”
Zhang Wenqin: “Excellent!”
Ling Ke: “……”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Taking advantage of their current enthusiasm, while eating, everybody began to share their opinions and outlines of the interviews they’d conducted that day, and also discussed how to best write an accurate yet interesting interview report.
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Cen Tong: “Er, for example, of the three couples that we’ve interviewed today, I don’t know if you guys still remember the 2nd couple that we’ve interviewed…”
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Dai Yiwei: “I also recall the guy saying he would rather save the extra money in order to buy flowers for his girlfriend.”
Yao Jing, with an envious look on her face: “Wow, I remember! When I first heard him say that, I thought it was so romantic!”
Cen Tong, with a red face: “Yeah, though neither of them seemed well off, but… alright, I admit, at that time, I felt like I’ve eaten dog food.”
Yao Jing held onto her noodle bowl and said in an aggrieved manner: “Ahhh! When will God bestow me a boyfriend!”
Hearing this, everyone laughed. Then, they started to tease Qi Feng and Ling Ke, saying that at least their Campus and Department Idols were accompanying them to eat, which gave them an extra bit of psychological comfort.
Following this conversation, Ling Ke added another sentence on his phone notepad: Some budget travelling couples would rather pursue romantic experiences over improved meals and lodgings…
***
After dinner, seeing as the time was still early, they decided to stroll around the ancient town together.
The night view of the ancient town was akin to looking at book paintings of markets during Lantern Festival, with various coloured lanterns hung along the streets and riverbanks, giving it a distinctive flavour.
The two boys walked in front, conversing in low voices, while the four girls walked and chattered happily behind them, enjoying their rare leisurely time after finishing their assigned work.
A boatman paddled his beautiful awning boat across the river, releasing a few coloured lanterns along the way, attracting the tourists on the riverbanks to stop and watch. The couple on the boat cuddled together, fully experiencing the romantic boat ride that seemed to traverse through time.
The four girls squealed enviously, stretching their necks while exclaiming “So beautiful”.
When they reached the riverhead, Qi Feng saw a boat parked against the dock, with a price signboard hung next to it: 【Ride on a flower boat to release lanterns, ¥30/person, ¥50/2pax charter, 15 – 20 minutes per ride】
“Hey, it doesn’t seem too expensive,” Qi Feng turned to ask Ling Ke, “Why don’t we take a ride for fun?”
Ling Ke was taken aback: “Are you serious?”
“I’ve previously read about this online, and it seems that this boat ride is one of specialties of this ancient town, and a return trip round the river gives the best view of the scenic spots… Since we’re already here, it’d be a waste not to experience this, so how about it?” Qi Feng said quite sincerely.
Hearing this, Ling Ke was slightly swayed, but he also felt a little worried: “But two people will cost ¥50. Will we have enough money?”
Qi Feng: “I just did the calculations. Subtracting from our existing expenses and setting aside the ticket fare for our return trip tomorrow, if we take this boat ride, we’ll still have around ¥30 left for tomorrow’s breakfast and lunch.”
Ling Ke frowned and thought for a bit, ¥30, seems to be sufficient.
…So, should they?
However, he faintly felt that it seemed a bit strange for two straight men to ride on a flower boat. If it were just him and Qi Feng alone, they could still go for a ride as part of their “lovers practice”, however, right now, they had four female classmates following along behind them…
Seeing that he was hesitant, Qi Feng thought that he was still worried about the money, hence he leaned over and whispered in Ling Ke’s ear: “If we really end up not having enough money to spend, we can cheat a little. You even brought bread and chocolate along, so I don’t believe you’re that much of a stickler for the rules…”
The warm breath that blew into his ear along with the soft, gentle tone that seemed to bewitch his senses, was like a dose of anaesthetic that shot directly into Ling Ke’s brain, causing him to lose the last remnants of his rationality all within that split second.
In a daze, Ling Ke looked at Qi Feng and agreed: “O…kay”
Having gotten his way, a childish, wicked smile bloomed unabashedly across Qi Feng’s face. He then turned around and said to the girls: “Ling Ke and I are gonna ride on the flower boat, you guys can head back first.”
Subsequently, he grabbed Ling Ke’s wrist and walked towards the dock.
Unaware of how they looked to others, Ling Ke allowed himself to be led away. He was simply oblivious to the frightful perception of love that took shape between himself and Qi Feng within this month of their meticulous “lovers practice”– Ambiguous actions that he would’ve once perceived to be extremely gay, now seem to be more of a perfunctory habit for himself and Qi Feng.
Hearing Qi Feng’s words, the four girls who were originally laughing and chattering happily, stayed rooted to the ground in a daze as they silently watched the two of them step into the boat hand-in-hand, and then right in front of them, slowly drifted….. away……
The four girls: “…”
Those two… just what… are they doing ah…
***
The early winter breeze combined with the moist air from the surface of the river wafted past the boat cabin, blowing against their faces, making it seem a bit chilly.
Qi Feng and Ling Ke sat shoulder-to-shoulder as they squeezed in the small, narrow boat cabin, feeling the way they usually did when they were around the other — in any case, there was the usual heart thumping, and the usual abnormally sluggish thoughts.
But without the girls following them, the two seemed to feel a little more relaxed.
When they drifted to the middle of the river, Qi Feng saw a few lanterns on the river surface having been released from the other boats, and couldn’t help asking the boatman: “Shifu, how come we’re not releasing lanterns?”
Bewildered, the boatman asked: “You guys also want to?”
Qi Feng smiled and said: “Just for fun.”
The boatman replied with an “Oh” sound and continued: “You have to pay extra for the lanterns ah, ¥5 to release one.”
Qi Feng & Ling Ke: “…”
Qi Feng asked the boatman: “Shifu, do you accept Alipay payment transfers?”
The boatman said grimly: “No, I only accept cash.”
Qi Feng choked, feeling desperate!
Bemused, the boatman asked: “You two don’t even have ¥5?”
Qi Feng: “That… we forgot to bring money, we only have ¥50 to pay for the boat ride…”
How embarrassing, to be short of money.
Within the boat cabin, the two glanced at each other pitifully. Ling Ke then first started to laugh and appeased Qi Feng: “Forget it ba, we don’t have to.”
Qi Feng nodded, yet he still glanced at the lanterns floating outside the boat, enviously saying: “They look pretty nice.”
Ling Ke silently stared at Qi Feng’s profile. Having lost his head in love-struck daze, Ling Ke was about to fish out some money from his pocket to buy Qi Feng a lantern, when he saw the boatman throw something at them, saying: “Forget it, I’ll give you guys one for free.”
Qi Feng & Ling Ke: “…”
The boatman originally couldn’t understand why two boys would want to release lanterns together… But now, he seemed to have realised something, staring meaningfully at the two of them. He then shook his head and sighed: “How can the two of you not bring money when coming out to play?”
The two people happily held the lantern and thanked the boatman. Then, they took the lighter offered by him and lit the candle.
The warm flame illuminated their faces, and because there was only one lantern, they first had a go at pushing and yielding it to one another, but in the end, due to Ling Ke insistence on giving it to Qi Feng, the latter finally relented.
Qi Feng carefully held the lantern and stretched out half of his body from the boat. Before he released the lantern onto the river, he turned his head towards Ling Ke and said: “When I let go, remember to make a wish!”
Ling Ke: “You make a wish ba!”
Qi Feng smiled, not saying anything. Ling Ke scooted a little closer and the two watched as the lantern floated alongside their boat for a short while due to the inertia, before it slowly drifted further and further away from them.
Then, a cold breeze blew past and…the candle went out.
Qi Feng & Ling Ke: “…”
Losing interest, they pulled their heads back into the boat, and after a stretch of silence, Qi Feng asked Ling Ke: “Earlier, what did you wish for?”
Ling Ke: “Didn’t I ask you to make the wish?”
Qi Feng: “I didn’t make one, I gave that chance to you ah…”
After exchanging those words, their shoulders shook as if they were breaking out in laughter.
Ling Ke smiled and said: “Forget it, luckily we didn’t make any wishes, or else we’d be so disheartened, having seen it blown out so quickly.”
Those short 15 minutes passed by within a blink of an eye and when they went ashore, the two slowly walked back.
Ling Ke, who had originally felt relaxed due to the boat ride, immediately recalled the issues that he would have to face once they returned to the inn. He immediately felt his brain quiver, and he suddenly felt nervous and tense once more.
————————
【A brief interlude】
The girls’ feelings as they watched Qi Feng and Ling Ke drifting away on the boat —
Zhang Wenqin: Why don’t those two just get married already (=_=)
Dai Yiwei: Please let me die while wallowing in my loneliness… TAT
Cen Tong: Cold dog food being thrown at my face… (⊙⊙)
Yao Jing: God owes me a boyfriend! ┻━┻(╰(‵皿’)╯(┻━┻
————
【Regarding Expenses】
The 1st day: Train tickets ¥12, Bus fare ¥2, Tube (swiped tube card) , Steamed bun ¥2, only ate a ¥6 rice dumpling with meat fillings for lunch, a bowl of noodles that cost ¥16/bowl for dinner, Accommodation costs ¥50, Boat ride ¥25/person…. As for how much money is left, everyone can calculate it themselves and then guess how they’ll spend the rest. [funny face]
Qi Feng counted the remainder amount of money left in his pocket, with tears streaming down his face: Ah, this big brother has never fallen this low before.
CANDLE, WHYYYY?!?! They had such a good atmosphere too……
Thanks for the chapter! 🙂
They’re so cute together! I love them.
Let’s be honest, if I had the money, I would have cheated every day! Then I would have made up some BS for my report based on the interviews lol
Thanks for the chapter! <3
QAQ poor babies, their lantern was blown out!! How adorable they were in their ahem date ahem hehe hopefully they have a good night in the hostel huehuehue
What a cute date hehehe
Thanks for the chapter!
I laughed so hard at the ‘candle going out’ scene lololol
Thx for the ch (≧▽≦)/
la vela apagada es que alguien muere quien murio?
el ambiente romántico murió
😂
well, author, qi feng spent ¥113 total, and i forgot what their limit is lmao. ¥100 per day?? was it that? if so, OOPS. gotta spoil the bf ¯_(ツ)_/¯
don’t worry their budget was ¥ 160 for 2 days still have some left
oh thank goodness, he still has enough to eat tomorrow^^’
Good thing the lantern was free, otherwise it’d be a total KO afterwards
Are there no fujoshis among the girls?!!!
There interaction are so obvious!!
(๑•̀д•́๑)flips table
Thx for the chappy
(≡^∇^≡)
Thank you for the chapter!
They still has ¥22😂
Lol Yao Jing
Me too YJ me too qwq) WHEN GOD WHEN \o/