After Sara left,pletely unaware of anything unusual, Charlie and Lin Wan’er finally felt a wave of relief wash over them.
Everyone who had stayed awake throughout the night was feeling the fatigue set in, struggling to keep their eyes open.
One by one, several members of the group hurried back to the tent for some much-needed rest. Arlo Hu, unable to hold on any longer, turned to Charlie and Lin Wan’er and said, “It’s been ages since I stayed up all night. I really can’t handle it anymore. You two must be tired as well. Why don’t you head back to the tent to rest? We’re nning to go to Erdaogou, which is about fifteen kilometers away, this afternoon. Would you like to join us?”
Charlie shook his head, responding, “We won’t be going; we n to drive around instead.”
Curiously, Hallie asked, “Where are you two headed?”<h3 style="background-color:DodgerBlue">
With a casual tone, Charlie replied, “We’re thinking of going to Lijiang for some fun and staying for a few days.”
In truth, Charlie and Lin Wan’er’s next destination was the southwestern border of southern Yunnan. Mentioning Lijiang was primarily a way to avoid drawing attention to their actual ns.
Arlo Hu nodded in understanding and smiled, “We’ve been to Lijiang before; it’s really nice. You’ll have a great time there for a few days.” After a moment’s thought, he quickly added, “You two are leaving right now, right?”
“That’s correct,” Charlie confirmed. “We’re heading out now.”
“Oh, wait,” Arlo Hu interjected. “It’s not safe to drive after staying up all night. You should rest up first and get your energy back. It’s better to leave when you’re more alert.”
“No,” Charlie replied with a smile. “Our schedule is pretty tight, so I won’t be resting here. I can catch up on sleep once we reach Lijiang; it’s not too far.”
Arlo Hu nodded, agreeing, “That’s true; it’s just a little over an hour’s drive. When we arrive, we can check into a hotel and rx.”
As Charlie and Lin Wan’er prepared to leave, Hallie expressed her disappointment, saying, “I hoped to spend a few more days with you, but I didn’t expect you to depart so soon. I wonder if we’ll get to see each other again.”
For Hallie, the uncertainty of life weighed heavily on her mind, and she felt a pang of sadness at the thought of saying goodbye. She realized that life is short, and this farewell might be asting one.
Understanding her feelings, Arlo Hu gently wrapped his arm around her waist andforted her with a smile, “Don’t worry, everything will be alright.”
Lin Wan’er nced at Charlie, her lips pressed together, silentlymunicating her thoughts without uttering a word.<fn9308> N?w ?ovel chapt?rs are published on f?ndnovel</fn9308>
Even without words, Charlie understood her unspoken concerns.
Noticing that others hadn’t returned to the tent to rest, Charlie suggested, “Old Hu, why don’t you and Hallie see us off?” Arlo Hu, slightly surprised, quickly agreed, “Sure, we’ll apany you.”
As they prepared to leave, Arlo Hu asked, “Do you want me to pack up the tent for you?”
“No need,” Charlie waved his hand. “We won’t be taking the tent; let’s leave it for those who might need it.”
Lin Wan’er hesitated but then mustered the courage to ask Charlie, “Honey, can we take the tent? I think it mighte in handyter.”
Hearing her request, Charlie replied directly, “Alright, we’ll take it with us.”
Arlo Hu chimed in, “I’ll help you with that.”
Together, they packed up the tent, and Arlo Hu couldn’t resist teasing Charlie, “This tent was set up for nothing yesterday! I didn’t even get to use it for a nap.”
“True,” Charlieughed. “I didn’t expect everyone to have such a good time; I ended up not sleeping at all!”
As Arlo Hu helped Charlie gather the sleeping bag and floor mat, he said, “I’ll carry these for you.”
Charlie epted the help without hesitation, and the four of them made their way down the mountain together.
As they descended Guibei Mountain, the path was empty except for the four of them, allowing Charlie to chat with Arlo Hu.