Charlie expressed his surprise, asking, “Are you certain this is the bridge?”


    Lin Wan’er exined, “This unfinished section was due to a frightened horse. The horse’s owner was a stonemason who had sent two stone sculptures to the chieftain’s new house that day. The horse had trouble navigating the arch bridge, and after being whipped multiple times, it panicked, slipped, and nearly fell. In its struggle, it ran forward, overturned the cart, and one of the sculptures fell to the ground, leaving this gap in the stone b.”


    As she continued, Lin Wan’er added, “Coincidentally, I was visiting with my grandfather from the ancient city of Dali to congratte the chieftain, so I witnessed the entiremotion caused by the frightened horse at the bridge.”


    Listening to her recount the event, Charlie couldn’t help but visualize the scene in his mind.


    Just then, a little girl, around seven or eight years old and dressed in Hanfu, bounced onto the bridge, holding candied haws. She paused to pose for pictures while her father, carrying two bags—onerge and one small—along with two drinks, followed leisurely behind her.<h3 style="background-color:DodgerBlue">


    Lin Wan’er watched the little girl with a gentle smile and said to Charlie, “I was a bit younger than her back then.” yfully, she winked at him and added, “But the outfit I wore was much prettier. My grandma made my beanie by hand, and you wouldn’t find another like it in all of southern Yunnan. It’s not at all like the Hanfu young girls wear today; itcks their unique charm.”


    Charlie remembered how elegant Lin Wan’er looked in her Hanfu when he first saw her in Northern Europe, so he curiously asked, “What were you wearing when we met in Northern Europe? Where did you get it?”


    Lin Wan’er smiled shyly and replied, “When we first met, I wore a crepe and embroidered dress with four squares. The cloud shoulders were my own creation. I learned embroidery techniques from my grandmother, but she passed away early, and I only mastered about 60 to 70% of her skills.”


    For the next few hours, Charlie apanied Lin Wan’er as they explored the ancient town. After finishing their shopping, they stumbled upon an outdoor goods store where they picked up camping gear. Since they were pretending to be a couple, they bought a tent, sleeping mats, lightweight sleeping bags, and campingmps.


    Additionally, Charlie grabbed two folding chairs, a folding table, and some portable toilets from a department store.


    Charlie believed that if he wanted to enjoy the camping experience under Sara’s watchful eye, he needed to foster good rtionships with the outdoor enthusiasts camping on Guibei Mountain. This way, he and Lin Wan’er could blend in and maintain a low profile.


    To prepare, he purchased high-quality spirits and fresh ingredients, nning to socialize with the group when they returned.


    He suspected that if Sara came to Shuanng, her arrival would likely be between that night and the following morning. Since the campers were there for the night, he figured that sharing drinks with them would lead to ate start the next day, providing more cover for him and Lin Wan’er.<fn21cf> Newest update provided by FιndNovel</fn21cf>


    When they returned to Guibei Mountain with their gear, evening was approaching.


    The earlier group of outdoor enthusiasts had set up eight tents and were busy preparing dinner while enjoying the sunset.


    As Charlie and Lin Wan’er arrived loaded with equipment, a young man known as Lao Hu greeted them with enthusiasm, saying, “Hey, remember what we discussed? I thought you might not show up, but here you are!”


    Charlie nced at Lin Wan’er beside him and smiled, saying, “I had no choice; my girlfriend insisted on camping, so here I am.”


    Lao Hu pointed to a space beside the eight tents and said, “We made sure to leave room for you. You can pitch your tent right there. Later, we n to light a fire and grill some skewers. Join us for dinner!”


    Charlie nodded gratefully, replying, “Thanks, buddy.”


    He approached the group and handed Lao Hu a bag filled with drinks, saying with a smile, “I was looking forward to dining with you, so I brought a few bottles of wine for us to share tonight!”


    Lao Huughed heartily and picked up an acoustic guitar from the grass nearby. “Great! Let’s eat and drink together tonight! After dinner, we’ll have a bonfire party—no need to worry about disturbing anyone in the mountains; we can sing and celebrate to our heart’s content!”