Those Classmates who Suddenly Disappeared
Chapter 303: Under the Starry Sky

Chapter 303: Chapter 303: Under the Starry Sky

It’s so vast, this snowy forest is massive, thought Gu Fan as he looked at the map. He figured they were only halfway there, with a long journey still ahead of them.

However, old man Tian made a statement that seriously dampened the mood: "Normally, it would take about ten days to reach Yuxueyun Mountain. But have you ever wondered how the perpetually accumulated snow here comes about?"

"No, don’t tell me we’ll have to venture through a snowstorm?" Lu Yi displayed a demoralized expression. Honestly, he really didn’t want to experience the struggle of navigating through a snowstorm again, it felt like every step consumed all his energy.

Ouyang Jin added, "Snowstorms are common in this area and when they hit, they last for several days. Sometimes, they come abruptly. We had better be prepared for a snowstorm attacking us halfway."

Lu Yi immediately expressed his dissatisfaction, "You are only telling us now to be psychologically prepared for this! Why didn’t you mention it earlier? You’re so irresponsible. You should decrease your price for this."

"Oh, come off it! You are really good at turning the tables." How could Ouyang Jin cut his price? It completely went against his principles.

"Where there’s a mark-up, there can be a discount. That’s in line with market volatility," retorted Lu Yi, trying to sound reasonable. It seemed he was prepared for Ouyang Jin’s steep prices.

"There’s no way I’m cutting my price. At best, I would voluntarily waive any chance to increase it," Ouyang Jin shook his finger, indicating to Lu Yi not to screw up the market.

At this point, Jie interjected, "Alright, you two, stop messing around. Let’s go to bed now. We need to get up early tomorrow."

Upon his words, everyone immediately crawled into their sleeping bags. Everyone felt at ease sleeping in the small cabin.

Naturally, someone needed to keep watch every night. The first half of the night was covered by Hu Bo and Xu Haowen. At midnight, Gu Fan got up, relieved Xu Haowen from his watch duties, and wandered into the yard outside the cabin. He gazed at the starlit sky; the endless galaxy of stars was much more vibrant than the night skies in the city.

As Gu Fan was engrossed in his rapture of the starry sky, he heard the cabin door open behind him. He turned around, surprised to see it was Ning Qi.

Gu Fan was puzzled. "What brings you out here?" he asked.

Ning Qi answered, "Deng Wenli originally came out here to replace Hu Bo for the night shift. I couldn’t sleep, so I took his place. Seeing you outside, stargazing, I thought I’d join you." As she finished her sentence, a meteor soared across the sky.

"A shooting star!" Ning Qi quickly clasped her hands and closed her eyes to make a wish. Her serene-demeanor and the tranquility of the backdrop made a sight too beautiful to express in words. Gu Fan was captivated by the view.

When Ning Qi opened her eyes, she noticed Gu Fan’s appreciative gaze. She blushed and asked coyly, "What are you looking at?"

Gu Fan snapped out of his trance, then replied awkwardly with a smile, "Nothing much. I just think that girls look adorable when they see a shooting star and start making wishes. Curious to know what you just wished for."

"If I tell you, it won’t come true," Ning Qi responded with a faint smile, "But you can guess."

After pondering a moment, Gu Fan replied, "Did you wish for us to return safely, with everyone accounted for?"

Ning Qi didn’t answer, her face remained calm, but the corner of her mouth curved slightly upward. Gu Fan said, "You neither affirm nor deny, so I’ll take that as confirmation."

Hearing this, Ning Qi couldn’t help but smile, her sparkling eyes brimming with admiration for Gu Fan.

Then, Gu Fan looked up at the night sky devoutly, which intrigued Ning Qi. "Are you really into stargazing?"

"Living in a city bright with lights, it’s rare for us to behold a sky filled with stars," answered Gu Fan. "Besides, I also want to locate your constellation." With that, he cast a radiant smile at her.

Caught by surprise, Ning Qi replied, "Wait, how can you find my constellation in the sky while I haven’t yet told you what mine is?"

"Well, I’d say that someone as kind-hearted as you would be a Libra," retorted Gu Fan, leaving her in awe. "Strangely enough, how did you know my Zodiac sign? Do you really understand astrology?"

"So, it seems like I guessed correctly," said Gu Fan with a satisfied smile. Truth be told, he was just taking a shot in the dark and didn’t think he would guess it right.

Secretly, Ning Qi was pleased as her plan succeeded. She let Gu Fan think he had guessed right, although she was not really a Libra. Concealing the truth was a part of her strategy to get closer to him.

She then asked Gu Fan, "What’s your star sign?"

Gu Fan did not answer directly. "Take a guess. I’m known for being passionate, so what Zodiac sign would you think I am?"

"Let me think..." Ning Qi tilted her head and pondered. Then she said, "Are you a Taurus?"

"You’re right, I’m Taurus. You’re really smart. Seems like you know more about horoscopes than I do," responded Gu Fan with an air of surprise. However, he wasn’t really a Taurus. He let Ning Qi believe she guessed right so that he could bring them closer to each other.

That night, Gu Fan and Ning Qi spoke more and more, finding common ground, their conversation filled with laughter. It seemed as if they had endless topics to discuss.

Suddenly, and without apparent reason, they fell silent. The atmosphere became strangely serene. Their eyes locked onto each other’s; Gu Fan thought that Ning Qi was very beautiful, and she also felt a special affection for him. Gradually, they both sensed a subtle change in the way they were looking at each other.

Gu Fan gazed at Ning Qi, and Ning Qi gazed back at him. Their eyes met, and they began to lean closer to each other. Their breathing became heavier, their heartbeats faster, until they finally shared a beautiful kiss beneath the starlit sky.

Ning Qi lowered her head blushing, behaving like a shy girl, then turned around and dashed back to the cabin.

Gu Fan wiped his mouth, savoring the lingering taste of the kiss. It wasn’t so much that they had moved towards each other; it was Ning Qi who had made the first move. Gu Fan merely reciprocated; he pretended to be attracted by the moment’s beauty.

However, Gu Fan was not so easily deceived by the badger game. If Ning Qi were genuinely sincere, she wouldn’t have rushed back into the cabin so quickly. She should have stayed to spend more time with him.

"Alright, let’s see what you’re truly up to," thought Gu Fan, suddenly on his guard. Ning Qi seemed to be scheming something, she was always trying to get close to him. But once she was close, she didn’t rush into testing him; instead she crafted a wonderful feeling, hoping that Gu Fan would be smitten.

Even though Gu Fan felt he had seen through Ning Qi’s ruse, his heart was slightly stirred. He secretly sighed, "This woman is not as simple as she seems; not just gorgeous, but also very cunning. I bet there are plenty of men who have fallen for her in the real world."

"Wait a minute, I recall something Hu Bo told me..." Gu Fan was suddenly worried, recalling his earlier conversation with Hu Bo.