Chapter 8

Before the school term started, Song Wei sent me a message asking if I wanted to go hiking with her. I hesitated a little. A round trip would take at least two days, and with only five days left before school began, going would mean even less time with Jiang Huaiyang. "What's wrong? Why do you look so troubled?" "Song Wei asked if I wanted to go hiking with her, but it takes two days. I don’t really want to go." "Do you want to go?" I thought about it for a moment and replied, "I guess it's okay." Originally, Jiang Huaiyang and I had planned to go to Kunming during this winter break, but he had been in and out of the hospital since my break started. By the time he felt better and wanted to go, I refused. If something happened while we were traveling, I would be terrified. "Then you should go! School is starting soon—go have some fun before it does!" Hearing him say that made me a little upset. "But school is about to start. If I go, I’ll have even less time with you!" He smiled and reassured me, "We have plenty of time together. We can take our time. I know I’m good-looking, but you can’t just keep staring at me all day. Go out, take a trip! I heard watching the sunrise from a mountaintop is breathtaking. Go see it for me too—I’ve never been able to climb a mountain myself." Because of his health, hiking was a dangerous activity for him. I mumbled, "What’s so great about a sunrise? Do you really want to see it that badly?" He nodded firmly. After thinking about it, I replied with a touch of pride, "Alright, I’ll go. I’ll record a video of it for you." "Great!" Song Wei and I arrived in the evening the next day. On the way, she kept telling me how mystical the mountain was—her cousin had hiked it once, and her grades had shot up by fifty points. I turned to her and asked, "So you’re here to pray for better grades?" Without hesitation, she denied it. "No, I’m here to pray for love!" I didn’t know how to respond. She smiled brightly. "If Su Qi didn’t have to start school earlier than us, I would’ve come with him. But it’s fine—I can come by myself! I just hope the mountain god blesses Su Qi and me with a long-lasting relationship!" "...Alright, that’s nice." I had no fondness for Su Qi, who seemed completely unreliable, but Song Wei was utterly infatuated with him. "By the way, Yueyue, you should make a wish too. This mountain is really effective." I shook my head. "No thanks, I don’t really believe in that." Around eleven at night, we began our climb. Halfway up, I started regretting it. Shining my flashlight ahead, I saw nothing but stairs. Taking a sip of water, I turned to the panting Song Wei and asked, "Regretting it yet?" She looked up and shook her head. "No... not at all!" Alright then. After resting for a bit, we continued climbing. Song Wei kept talking non-stop. "I’m so damn great. When I get back, Su Qi better bow down to me!" Supporting her arm, we finally conquered a steep incline of 32 steps. From here, looking down, I saw the countless twinkling lights of the city. Above us, the starry night sky stretched infinitely. While resting, I noticed a middle-aged man and his elderly mother climbing ahead of us. The man stopped every three steps to bow, while his mother murmured something in their dialect. I couldn't put into words how deeply moved I felt at that moment. After they left, I asked Song Wei, "Is this mountain really that miraculous?" She answered with certainty, "Yes." "Alright." Then I will make my wish with absolute sincerity—praying for Jiang Huaiyang’s good health and a long life. By the time we reached the summit, there was still over an hour until sunrise. Song Wei and I stood in a quiet corner. She asked me, "Yueyue, what are you going to wish for?" "I wish for Jiang Huaiyang to be healthy and live a long life." She held my hand gently and smiled. "Then it will come true." I choked up. "Really? Will it really come true?" "It will. When it does, we’ll come back together to fulfill our gratitude." She softly wiped my tears and hugged me, patting my back. "Jiang Huaiyang is a good person. Good people deserve good things." I nodded desperately. He was a good person, and good people deserved good things. Jiang Huaiyang would receive his happiness. The first light of dawn tore through the darkness. The sea of clouds surged as the sky’s hues shifted from black to pale white, then to deep orange, and finally, golden brilliance. In that moment, the sky was bathed in dazzling light. Song Wei clutched my arm. I turned to see her eyes brimming with tears. She murmured, "Xu Jingyue, all our wishes will come true!" Her voice was drowned out by the cheers of the crowd. I didn't catch all of it, but did it even matter? I shouted, "Jiang Huaiyang! Live a long life!" My voice blended into the chorus of others’ shouts. I closed my eyes, letting the sunlight warm me. A tear slipped down my cheek. "Jiang Huaiyang, live a long life."