Those Classmates who Suddenly Disappeared
Chapter 99: Profound Problem

Chapter 99: Chapter 99: Profound Problem

After waiting for two days, they finally met up with Su Hui, Lin Xi, and Professor Luo. This eased Gu Fan’s worries; he had been concerned that the others might encounter trouble while he was away.

If their unseen enemies were aware of their every move, they might have already tracked them down. Gu Fan was exceptionally vigilant, but he did not detect any suspicious individuals.

After the group’s reunion, Gu Fan pulled Su Hui aside to ask if she had noticed anything unusual.

However, Su Hui shook her head. Even with her sharp investigative skills, she hadn’t detected any suspicious activity, which she found surprising. Could it be that their enemies had genuinely surrendered?

Obviously, neither Gu Fan nor Su Hui were convinced that their enemies had retreated out of fear after Su Hui had physically assaulted two men on the eve of their departure.

"The enemy must be orchestrating some plan somewhere," Gu Fan continued to feel uneasy, contemplating every possible scenario.

Professor Luo then came over to ask, "How are things, you two? Is everything settled?"

Gu Fan immediately responded, "We’ve arranged for the hotel stay and found a guide who’s waiting for us at a village outside New Night City."

"Good, good..." Professor Luo’s brow furrowed in deep concern as he added, "This foreign region is vast and includes many dangerous, uninhabited areas. Are you sure you’re ready for this, Gu Fan?"

With unwavering conviction, Gu Fan replied, "We’ve come this far, Professor Luo, so don’t question our determination. Besides, there’s strength in numbers. If we encounter any beasts, our sheer size can intimidate them."

"Alright!" Professor Luo nodded, adding, "Let’s stay in New Night City for the night. We need to buy more food, water, and medical supplies. We’ll set off tomorrow if everyone agrees."

Everyone consented. Particularly, Du Jun promised to treat everyone to a hearty meal tonight, forecasting that they wouldn’t be able to eat or sleep well in the days to come.

Seizing Du Jun’s generous offer and sound reasoning, everyone agreed to indulge in the feast, ordering every delicacy available.

Setting concerns about their weight and figure aside, Lin Xi and Su Hui relished the food. They weren’t sure of the hardships they would endure and how much weight they would lose in the upcoming journey.

Lu Yi was especially enthusiastic, sampling all the tasty dishes and filling himself up. He didn’t want to regret not treasuring this meal when battling starvation in the forthcoming days.

Professor Luo shared extensive knowledge about the historical and cultural aspects of the foreign region. His erudition and eloquent speech mesmerized everyone as he hoped to underline the significance of the upcoming archaeological expedition. Confronting the challenges ahead, should they unlock the secrets of the ancient Qian Ye kingdom, it could potentially cause a nationwide sensation and land them all on television.

The prospect of appearing on TV immediately boosted everyone’s spirits.

However, Lu Yi couldn’t hold back his curiosity, asking, "Professor Luo, I’m still unsure about something. The ancient Qian Ye kingdom only existed for a short period, so why call it an ancient kingdom?"

Professor Luo was more than happy to clarify, "The Qian Ye kingdom actually existed for many years, possibly even for millennia. However, its name changed several times. It might not have always been called Qian Ye; it could’ve had other names. Do you understand?"

"Oh, we get it now. It’s like our country, which has thousands of years of history with changing dynasties." Grasping this concept, Gu Fan, Lu Yi, and the others posed a new question, "Professor Luo, what was the Qian Ye kingdom previously called?"

Professor Luo shook his head, "I’m sorry, but there’s scant information about this. This is why it’s essential to find the ancient Qian Ye kingdom—it could potentially reveal so much information, presenting an invaluable contribution to historical research."

Immediately understanding Luo’s point, Lu Yi said, "Right, this high value makes our chance to appear on TV even greater."

Upon hearing this, everyone burst out laughing, lightening the mood.

However, during dinner time, Gu Fan noticed that Du Jun was sitting next to Qin Jia, both laughing and chatting. It seemed their relationship was progressing rapidly.

After everyone had eaten and prepared everything necessary, they returned to the hotel, each retiring to their own rooms for a good night’s rest. They would depart directly the next day and take the first step towards the great archaeological endeavour.

To be extra careful, Gu Fan confirmed with the guide once again that everything on their end was also ready and they were waiting for Gu Fan and his group to arrive. At the same time, the guide reminded Gu Fan not to forget the money.

"Relax, don’t worry about your cut." Gu Fan ended the call, only to see Lu Yi gazing at him cryptically, as if he was hiding something. Feeling uneasy, Gu Fan asked, "What’s wrong? Why are you staring at me like that?"

Lu Yi said, "While you were on the phone, I was looking at the city’s night view from the window. Guess what I saw?"

"What did you see? Unidentified flying objects hovering over the city?" Gu Fan’s teasing almost agitated Lu Yi, who quickly said, "None of that nonsense, I just saw a man and a woman leaving the hotel downstairs. Guess who they were?"

"It couldn’t be Du Jun and Qin Jia, right? I can’t believe they hooked up so quickly." Gu Fan couldn’t believe it. But looking at Lu Yi’s nod, he had to believe it.

If there were a comparison, Qin Jia was at the same level as Yang Xinran, not as good as Lin Xi but definitely the type that many men would swirl around.

Unable to hold back, Lu Yi exclaimed, "Do you think all women these days are gold diggers? Are the prettiest ones the biggest gold diggers?"

"Nonsense! Lin Xi isn’t a gold digger, neither is Su Hui. They just spend more when they dress up." Gu Fan thought it over and added, "Actually, it’s not about whether they’re gold diggers. Everyone wants a better life. If you want a better life, you need money. Who in this world doesn’t need money? The key to being a gold digger lies in whether you just value money."

Lu Yi was puzzled, "Then how can you tell if a woman is with you for your money or for you?"

Gu Fan replied, "Actually, men know why women would be with them. Spend enough time together, and you can feel it."

After hearing these words, Lu Yi seemed to somewhat understand. She asked again, "So is Qin Jia with Du Jun for his background and money or for Du Jun himself?"

"That’s hard to say. After all, Du Jun has performed well this time, making thorough arrangements and being friendly to everyone. He has shown great leadership abilities and generosity. If I were a woman, I would also have a good impression of Du Jun." After saying this, Gu Fan thought that if he wasn’t standing against Du Jun, he might have seen that Du Jun does have quite a few strong points.

"The scary part is when some men, knowing that a woman is with them because of their money, still deceive themselves into thinking that it’s not just because of the money but also because of certain feelings." Speaking of this, Gu Fan thought of a saying, "Some say that you love one person but end up marrying and having children with someone else. I’ve never understood why. Life is so long, why wouldn’t you get married and have children with the person you love?"

Lu Yi looked puzzled, "That sounds like a deep question. Perhaps what many people think of as love is only a good impression, which can’t withstand testing. Or maybe when choosing between love and bread, bread is more practical."

"Why are we talking about this?" Discussing such matters made Gu Fan worried, fearing that he’d end up loving Lin Xi but marrying someone else. He simply couldn’t imagine a lifetime with someone he didn’t love, spending the next fifty years of his life without any expectations.

Lu Yi added, "Let’s be more practical. Look at how swiftly Du Jun takes actions. How can you lose? I’ll sacrifice for my friend. I’ll wander around for an hour or so, and you invite Lin Xi over and do what you should do."

"That’s not necessary, we’re setting off tomorrow. I need to conserve my energy." Gu Fan was speechless. This Lu Yi, always encouraging him to take things further, got him to realize he was being teased when he saw Lu Yi’s smirk.

Indeed, Lu Yi knew all along that Gu Fan didn’t have the nerve to take that step with Lin Xi. That’s why he kept pushing, enjoying Gu Fan’s inability to act.

"To be honest, Gu Fan, have you really not thought about furthering things with Lin Xi?" Lu Yi cautiously asked, which made Gu Fan look awkward, after which he nodded, "Yes, I’ve thought about it. But I think if you truly love someone, even if you have the desire, you wouldn’t rush into that last step. Because you’d want to protect her more, to be responsible for her."

"What a responsible man. I like it! I believe this adventure will bring you two closer. When the timing is right, you can do everything you should do. Congratulations, Gu Fan." The implied meaning in Lu Yi’s words made Gu Fan speechless again. However, the fire in Gu Fan’s heart was stirred up, and from time to time, he fantasized about checking into a room with Lin Xi.

"Really, what nonsense! Let’s sleep now. We’re setting off tomorrow. Please don’t disturb my sleep." After saying this, Gu Fan threw a pillow directly at Lu Yi, and then the two of them started a pillow fight.