EAY Chapter 42

Indoor Camping

Indoor Camping

42

While Li Tianyi was still sighing, the other three were already busily setting up the tent. Li Tianyi said helplessly, “You guys are really planning to camp indoors? How silly.”

“Hey, instead of questioning, why don’t you help me see how to set it up?” Meng Nan said, “This thing doesn’t need nails, right? Oh, it seems not. My gosh, Young Master Li, your tent is for kids! It’s too small!”

Li Tianyi rolled his eyes at him first, then looked at the two tents of different sizes that had been set up, and nodded, “Maybe my mom got it wrong and took one adult and one kid’s tent.”

Meng Nan said, “Looks like we’ll have to squeeze into this kid’s tent tonight.”

“I’m not squeezing, you sleep in it yourself.” Li Tianyi glanced at the wind and rain outside the window again, “The soul of camping lies in the fresh outdoor air. I don’t want to pitch a tent indoors to sleep.”

“Okay, don’t be so grumpy. We’ll go next time.” Shi Ran crawled out of the tent that had been set up and gave Qi Ye a thumbs up, “You’re really good with your hands.”

Qi Ye said, “This is very simple.”

Meng Nan was still thinking about how to persuade Li Tianyi, “Our dorm doesn’t smell bad, and we can breathe fresh air if we open the window.”

They were all quite clean. Although Young Master Li was lazy, he would still do what he needed to do. He always felt there was an indescribable smell in other dorms.

Qi Ye saw at a glance what Li Tianyi was being awkward about: “Are you still sad about that girl?”

Li Tianyi shouted defensively, “No way! Only a fool would be sad!”

After a moment of silence, Meng Nan pointed at him and said, “You are indeed a fool.”

The others were busy taking out the food and drinks and placing them on a small outdoor folding table. They each sat on a cushion. Shi Ran smiled and said, “It looks pretty good, doesn’t it?”

Li Tianyi grumbled and went to rummage through his bag, “I even brought aromatherapy.”

“Hey!” Meng Nan showed a look of disgust, “What are you doing? Are you going to turn off the lights and have a candlelight dinner? It’s like someone’s going on a date.”

“How uncultured are you? It’s aromatherapy, for adding atmosphere. Who’s having a candlelight dinner with you?” Li Tianyi said.

“What do you need to add atmosphere for? It’s fine as it is. I like the atmosphere of the wind and rain outside.” Meng Nan reached out to stop him.

Qi Ye said, “Yeah, sometimes when it rains and you stay indoors, you get a very reassuring feeling.”

Li Tianyi said, “I hate rain.”

“It’s because you can’t go out to play, right?” Meng Nan laughed, “But I don’t like rain either. It always feels like it gets in the way, and the clothes feel uncomfortable when they’re damp.”

“I think the air after the rain smells nice.” Shi Ran smiled at Qi Ye, then asked, “Has anyone ever done something as cheesy as going out in the rain on purpose?”

Qi Ye said, “I’ve been in the rain, but I’ve never gone out on purpose.”

“You’re a good boy.” Shi Ran patted his head.

“My body is very delicate. I’ll get sick if I get caught in the rain.” Li Tianyi hugged his arms and sighed, “Breakups always happen on rainy days. As expected, I can’t escape it either.”

Meng Nan really wanted to say that he hadn’t even started a relationship, so what was he talking about breaking up? What a lunatic! He first twisted open a bottle of beer and took a sip, and said softly, “I was under too much pressure during my senior year of high school, so I went out in the rain on purpose to clear my head.”

Li Tianyi said, “And then you got sick, which wasted your study time and increased your pressure even more.”

Meng Nan said, “Screw you, do you think I’m you? So weak.” He asked Shi Ran, “Since you asked, you must have gone out in the rain on purpose, right?”

Qi Ye turned to look at Shi Ran, only to see him showing that familiar smile, “I was forced to. I used to have a friend who was heartbroken, and he insisted on dragging me to walk the path he and that girl had once walked together, saying that as long as he walked it once, they could put a period on their relationship or something. It was actually just the snack street at the school. We walked from the beginning to the end of the street. When I got home, it suddenly occurred to me that they should have walked together to put a period on their relationship, right? What was I doing walking with him? Seriously.”

“Hahahaha, did you guys think you were especially cool at the time, like the protagonists of some youth-angst literature? So cheesy! I’m dying of laughter!” Li Tianyi clutched his stomach and laughed, “Hey, did anyone give you strange looks on the street at that time?”

“I remember there were streetlights when we went back, so it should have been evening. Plus it was raining, and none of the shops on the snack street were open.” Shi Ran propped his face with his hands and shook his head, sighing, “Ah, it’s so stupid when I think about it now.”

“It’s good to do some stupid things, especially when someone is with you.” Meng Nan said, “Did your friend get over his heartbreak quickly?”

“I guess so.” Shi Ran recalled, “He always had a lot of romantic interests, and he seemed to be in love again in a few days.”

“Could it be that getting caught in the rain really works?” Li Tianyi started to become superstitious, and hesitated as he looked out the window.

“It doesn’t work.” Qi Ye handed him a chocolate, “You should eat something sweet to calm down.”

Li Tianyi silently glanced at him, “Qi Ye, you always give me a feeling of being both warm and heartless.”

“I’ll tell you what heartless is.” Meng Nan said while eating potato chips, “It’s that if you stupidly go out in the rain and get sick, we won’t take care of you. We won’t even pour you a glass of water.”

“How could I have such heartless roommates?” Li Tianyi covered his eyes and sighed.

Shi Ran asked him curiously, “Are you really that sad? Didn’t you say you weren’t angry at all after seeing that girl’s boyfriend?”

Li Tianyi said, “Shi Ran, do you know what people who are dumped say the most?”

“What?”

“Lies.” Li Tianyi sighed, “It’s not a big deal, her taste is too bad, I’ll meet someone better, I’m not sad at all, etc. People who are dumped have to rely on lying to get through it.”

“Really? Is it that serious?” Shi Ran leaned forward and looked at him carefully, “Even if you’ve never been in a formal relationship?”

“……Unrequited love is still love. A boyfriend or girlfriend is just a title, but I put my heart and soul into it.” Li Tianyi shook his head, “None of you understand me. Qi Ye, do you understand me?”

“I understand.” Qi Ye paused, “Or maybe I don’t.”

Shi Ran smiled, “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Okay, let’s not talk about such sad topics. Let’s change to something more positive,” Meng Nan said, “Like future plans, dreams, something like that.”

“My dream is to never be dumped again.” Li Tianyi took a sip of beer.

“Damn, I really have nothing to talk about with you love-obsessed young masters.” Meng Nan shook his head.

“I don’t have any dreams. I talked to Qi Ye about it before.” Shi Ran smiled embarrassedly and touched his neck. “Just a normal job, and then supporting my grandpa.”

“Shi Ran, you grew up with your grandpa?” Li Tianyi asked curiously.

Shi Ran nodded, generously saying, “Yeah, my parents divorced and remarried, and only my grandpa takes care of me.”

Li Tianyi said, “I haven’t seen my grandpa much. He passed away when I was in elementary school. My dad said he didn’t see him much either. My grandpa was a workaholic.”

“You’re really good at changing the subject.” Meng Nan shook his head, and noticed that Qi Ye had been looking at Shi Ran, so he reminded him, “Qi Ye, what about you? You haven’t said yet.”

“I haven’t thought about it much either.” Qi Ye had become more tactful now. The habit of secretly looking at someone had taught him that when he was caught, he must not turn his head suddenly. He had to slowly turn his gaze elsewhere, as if he had just been daydreaming or listening attentively to someone.

Li Tianyi: “Qi Ye, you have to say at least one. You draw so well, maybe you will become a comic artist in the future.”

“Ah, that’s too far away.” Qi Ye shook his head without thinking, then stared at the beer can in his hand. Maybe the atmosphere was too good, so he couldn’t help but reveal a little of his true feelings, “Just, to live an ordinary life, with someone I like.”

“Hey, Qi Ye, that’s almost the same as me.” Li Tianyi said smugly, “Unfortunately, someone like me can’t be ordinary no matter what. My love has to be earth-shattering, unforgettable.”

“I may not be suitable for that kind.” Qi Ye smiled and said, “I like a slow and steady, peaceful life.”

“This is the first time I’ve heard you say that.” Shi Ran looked at Qi Ye in surprise, “So that’s the kind of love you long for.”

Qi Ye glossed over it, “I’ve been watching those very healing dramas recently, and I feel like they’re more suitable for me.”

Li Tianyi shook his head with a tsk, “That kind of married life isn’t suitable for me.” He glanced at Meng Nan next to him, “What about you? You brought up the question, but you haven’t said it yourself.”

“Me? I want to travel around the world.” Meng Nan said, “I used to think that I would save enough money by the time I was thirty and then go travel around the world, but now I think it will probably be forty to forty-five, and that’s still under the condition that I work very hard and things go very smoothly.”

Li Tianyi was surprised, “I thought you, this money-making machine, just wanted to make a lot and lots of money.”

“Making money is a means, my purpose is to live a good life. I feel like I haven’t rested since I was a child. I want to rest well and do nothing.” Meng Nan said sincerely, “I don’t have to worry about anyone, just take care of myself.”

“That feels like a very great dream.” Li Tianyi said, “And I think you can definitely do it.”

“Right?” Meng Nan raised his eyebrows, “I think so too.”

Shi Ran couldn’t help but laugh, “In comparison, our dreams seem a little unambitious.”

“Unambitious but happy.” Li Tianyi sighed and said, “You guys can choose the jobs you like after graduation, but me? As soon as I graduate, I’ll be dragged to work at my dad’s company. I don’t know if I’ll be happy by then.”

Meng Nan almost spat out the beer he just drank, and pounded his chest, “I’ll say it again, I really have nothing to say to you rich young masters.”

Qi Ye reminded Li Tianyi, “Don’t ever say this kind of thing when you go out in the future, or you’ll either get beaten up and envied, or you’ll be targeted by people with ulterior motives.”

“I know, I’m not that stupid. I was just teasing Meng Nan, haha.” Li Tianyi said with a grin.

Meng Nan warned, “Tease less, or I’ll turn evil and—” He put his hand on Li Tianyi’s neck, and Li Tianyi immediately pretended to faint.

Qi Ye and Shi Ran smiled helplessly and reached out to pull him up.

The rain outside was still falling, and the atmosphere inside the house was always lively and joyful. Qi Ye once again felt deeply fortunate. He had met such good roommates the first time he lived in a dorm. If it had been like before, where he had gone from being the invisible person in the class to the invisible person in the dorm, how depressing would the dorm environment have been? He estimated that he wouldn’t have been able to last until the first year was over before moving out to rent a room.

This indoor camping trip was very enjoyable, but in the end, everyone chose not to sleep in the tent. Compared to that, the bed was much more comfortable.

To live with someone I like. When he went to bed that night, Qi Ye was still reviewing what he had said in his heart. It was the first time he had said this in front of Shi Ran, and he didn’t know if he would notice anything.

If he did, Qi Ye would be very worried, and hoped that Shi Ran would take the initiative to ask him, so that he could gloss it over.

If he didn’t, Qi Ye would be a little disappointed, but only a little. He would be able to digest it on his own soon.