|| 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 𝐈𝐍 𝐒𝐈𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄 || ✓

| 13 |

The students were now busy erecting the tent, coming together to assist anyone who struggled with the task. "Damn, how do I put this here?" Jiyang exclaimed, clearly lost in the process. Seeing his struggle, Hao Xuan confidently offered, "Let your lovely Xuan Ge help you out didi," but to no avail as they both failed in their attempts. Observing the two struggling, Jiang Cheng decided to step in and assist them.

Meanwhile, Zhan and Yibo had already successfully assembled their tent, showcasing excellent teamwork. With dusk approaching, the teachers divided tasks among the students in groups. Some were tasked with assisting the teachers in cooking, others were to retrieve firewood from the bus, and the remainder were assigned to start the bonfire for everyone to gather around.

Zhan and Jiyang were aiding the teachers in the cooking duties, while Xuan went off to gather firewood. Jiang Cheng sat with Yibo, enjoying some hot chocolate provided by fellow students.

"Is everything alright with Zhan now, Yibo?" Jiang Cheng inquired, signaling towards Zhan, who nodded with a gentle smile.

Jiang Cheng was relieved to see that, at the very least, Zhan and Yibo had decided not to ignore each other anymore. However, he still harbored concerns that Ziyi might sow discord between them in the future. Given Zhan's kind-hearted nature, Jiang Cheng knew it would be challenging to convince him of Ziyi's potential ulterior motives. Deciding against bringing up the matter to Zhan, as he would likely avoid the topic, Jiang Cheng silently pondered the potential challenges ahead.

Xuan strode back with an armful of firewood, a trail of other students following suit with their own bundles. "Y'all, the food is ready!" Jiyang's voice rang out as everyone converged around the crackling bonfire. Plates of food were passed around, and they settled in, enjoying the warmth of the fire.

Laughter and camaraderie filled the air as they played games and shared jokes. Zhan found himself seated across from Yibo. Whenever their eyes met, they quickly looked away, their mutual obliviousness well known to their friends. Seizing the moment, their friends orchestrated a plan while the teachers had retired for the night, leaving just a handful of students, including Zhan, Yibo, and their friends.

Xuan shot a knowing wink at a classmate who understood the scheme. "Alright, let's play a game," suggested Xie Yun, a mischievous glint in his eye.
"Yes, let's play!" Jiyang chimed in, fully aware of the situation.

"What game?" Zhan inquired, scanning the group.
"Truth or dare, obviously," Jiang Cheng grinned mischievously.

"But how? It might be awkward for Yibo and I'm not sure—" Zhan began, but was quickly cut off.

"Quiet down, I brought cards. The truths and dares are all written here, we just need to draw," Xuan explained, anticipating Zhan's reservations.

"Yibo, are you up for playing?" Zhan asked tentatively, glancing at Yibo.

"It's fine, I'd like to play," Yibo signed back, adding a thumbs up.

Excitement filled the group as they spun the bottle, initiating rounds of dares that had everyone in stitches. Jiang Cheng, in a moment of regret, barked like his pet fairy when dared by Xuan, resulting in laughter and no hesitation to kick his ass soon after.

The bottle spun a few more times, with students performing hilarious dares like climbing trees and reenacting romance movie scenes. Eventually, it landed on Yibo and Zhan. Zhan carefully asked, "Truth or dare?" and Yibo chose the dare card. His expression paled as he read the dare.