After some walking and stopping, they finally reached their destination before it got dark.

This was a huge grassland that also served as an observation deck, and standing at the edge of the cliff, one could overlook the entire town.

Dubian Che didn't know which city lay at the foot of the mountain; it was definitely not Tokyo, not Capital City, and certainly not his hometown, Misezawa.

"Let's start setting up camp, then go soak in the hot springs!" Mrs. Jiutiao was used to taking charge, having had her way the entire trip.

While setting up the tents, Dubian Che quietly asked Jiutiao Meiji: "What was your mom like when she was young? Was she very harsh on you?"

"Not exactly harsh, just strict." Jiutiao Meiji handed Dubian Che a tent peg.

Dubian Che glanced at Mrs. Jiutiao, who, along with Mrs. Kiyono, was eagerly setting up a tent using the instruction manual.

"I can't imagine her being strict." Dubian Che shook his head. "Kiyono, have you ever seen her mother being strict?"

Kiyono Lin struggled with her little stool, which caved in when one sat on it.

When she bought it, Dubian Che had imagined her sitting on it, reading a book.

"Never seen it. By that time, I had stopped going to her house." Kiyono Lin unfolded the stool, placed it down, and her eyes slightly brightened.

The stool indeed had the impulse to make anyone who saw it want to sit down immediately and lazily enjoy the passing of time.

The tent for four resembled a small house, while Dubian Che's was merely dome-shaped, though both were made of excellent material that could withstand any normal wind and rain.

Pity they would only be used this once.

After setting up the tent, the ladies clamored for group photos.

One moment outside the tent, another inside, and at times only a head popped out from the tent.

The two ladies had a blast, resembling college girls out on a trip, while Jiutiao Meiji, dragged by Dubian Che, took quite a few reluctant photos.

Only Kiyono Lin kept sitting on her little stool, quietly reading—had she known where the hot springs were, the ladies not willing to tell, she would have gone alone long ago.

"Okay, let's go."

"Mr. Dubian, did you send me the photos?"

"Yes, I did."

"Look at this one, the angle is nice, we all look like we're trekking through a primeval forest."

"Look at this one, hahaha, Lin drinking water halfway, looking at the camera looks a bit silly. Was she too tired? I'll save it."

"Why is there a photo of Meiji's butt?"

"I sent that out too?!"

"Thinking of keeping it for your own enjoyment, huh."

"Don't say that, Mom!"

Carrying their changing clothes, talking about photographs, the five arrived at the hot spring.

The hot spring wasn't finely maintained, but there was a changing room and bamboo walls to block the view.

Dubian Che soaked alone on the left side, listening to the voices of the women on the right discussing each other's figures and the sounds of bathing.

There was only a symbolic bamboo wall between them, almost nothing was unclear to the ears.

Being too tired and the soaking too comfortable, they stayed in the hot springs until it was dark.

"The stars are so clear."

"You can't see this in Tokyo at all. Lin, what constellation is that?"

At some point, Mrs. Jiutiao suddenly said, "Mr. Dubian, do you want to come over here and join us? Mixed bathing is fine!"

"Hehehe!" Mrs. Kiyono laughed like a true college girl. "Come on over, Mr. Dubian. It's perfectly normal for a family to bathe together!"

"Meiji would kill me!" Dubian Che responded.

"What? If I don't kill you, you'd come?"

"I'm not going!"

"Lies."

"I just think about it, but I'd never actually do it!"

"That's more like it."

"So you do think about it." Mrs. Jiutiao's voice was sultry and flirtatious. "Mr. Dubian, who do you most want to bathe with?"

"I'm going back to start the fire and cook. You all take your time!"

Water splashed as Dubian Che stood up and fled the hot spring.

Over there, the two ladies laughed merrily, their joyful laughter flirting with anyone's heart. But on that uninhabited mountaintop, it was only for the stars above to hear.

"I bet he definitely wants to bathe with both Meiji and Lin."

"Well, you never know; some young men these days like our age."

"Mother, what are you talking about?"

"I didn't mention Mr. Dubian, I was just discussing a social phenomenon."

"Vulgar."

"You call me vulgar, but weren't you the one staring at your own daughter's chest when she was undressing earlier?"

"It was a look of sympathy!"

"Mother!"

"Ah, Lin, Mom didn't mean it that way, look at Mom, not big but also not small, you still have..."

At this point, Dubian Che had already changed his clothes and left.

Stepping on starlight, he comforted Kiyono Lin in his heart as he leisurely walked back to the campsite.

First, he lit the camping lantern hanging on a long pole.

The light was warm, enveloping their small campsite like a pyramid, reputedly also effective at repelling insects.

He then lit a mosquito coil.

Next, he started a fire with collected wood, boiled water, and then brought out the pre-prepared ingredients for today's meal—the ingredients for the next day would have to be handled by him.

Dinner included a hot pot cooked on a gas stove and rice boiled in a lunchbox.

These dishes hardly required any culinary skills; following the procedure was sufficient, allowing Dubian Che to confidently make them.

"It smells great."

"Coming out of the bath to delicious food like this is just bliss."

"Isn't it the same at home?"

"Eh? It seems so."

The four, their complexions rosy, walking with a hint of moisture, had figures so graceful it was captivating.

Under the starry sky, surrounded by the light from the camping lamp, the five sat around a table eating hot pot, occasionally adding a bowl of rice.

The campfire burned, crackling loudly; the various insect sounds in the mountain wilderness formed a natural symphony.

This time, many tools were brought along such as tables and chairs—without Dubian Che, they could only have brought these items if they came by car.

After dinner, Mrs. Kiyono used water heated over the campfire to make tea for the five.

"Mr. Dubian, I'll make yours first, today was tough," she said.

"I'm happy just to be out here, it's not tough at all," Dubian Che sincerely replied.

"I feel happy too," Mrs. Jiutiao, the second to get the tea, said, "Maybe we'll go to the seaside villa for summer vacation or to the mountains for a retreat."

"Looking forward to it," Dubian Che said.

Mrs. Kiyono's third and fourth cups weren't handed out immediately; she brewed them together and then served both Kiyono Lin and Jiutiao Meijie at the same time.

"You two are equally important in my heart."

Dubian Che glanced at Kiyono Lin, and Kiyono Lin looked back at him.

Although she didn't intend to convey anything through her gaze specifically, Dubian Che still read the truth from it.

Dubian Che suddenly realized: as long as Kiyono Lin was here, did he also possess the ability to see through lies?

"Let's have a fireside chat, first—," Mrs. Jiutiao said, "Meiji, Lin, what do you think of Mr. Dubian?"

"I'm curious too!" Mrs. Kiyono looked expectantly at her daughter and Jiutiao Meijie.

"I've never really asked," Dubian Che grew interested.

"I don't think much," Jiutiao Meijie sipped her aromatic tea, "but occasionally I feel that, no matter what emotion he shows, there's a cold, sober place deep within him that's elusive."

"Really?" Dubian Che hadn't noticed.

"And you, Lin?" Mrs. Jiutiao asked Kiyono Lin.

"Arrogant," Kiyono Lin lightly blew on her tea; the white mist slowly disappearing into the night where the camping lamp couldn't reach.

"Arrogant?" Mrs. Kiyono repeated the word.

"Yes, he has a quality that's different from kindness, pity, evil, or cruelty; it feels inherent, somewhat like what Jiutiao just said, but whereas she leaned towards calm, I would describe it more as arrogance."

"Stop talking!" Dubian Che couldn't take it anymore, "If you keep this up, the image I have always tried to maintain will be completely ruined."

"What image do you have?" Jiutiao Meijie asked.

"Kindness!"

"People without any merit are those termed kind."

"That's a prejudice!"

The five sat on the open highland, chatting over tea, occasionally looking at the stars and listening to the insects.

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