My girlfriend was reborn.

Chapter 115 Confession
It's not far from Ningjiang University to the foot of Zhongshan Mountain, and you could easily walk there if the weather is cool. However, considering their upcoming itinerary, the two took the subway for one stop.

Despite the hot weather, there were still quite a few tourists.

Because it was summer vacation, tourists with children and senior citizen tour groups came in droves.

Zhou Heming was looking at the sightseeing bus at the entrance and wondering whether he should buy a ticket to go up the mountain, but the girl grabbed him.

"We're going to Wutong Avenue, so we won't take the sightseeing bus."

She spoke as if coaxing a child.

"I'm just worried that you'll get tired from climbing the mountain."

Zhou Heming observed that quite a few people still chose to hike up the mountain.

The mountain trails here are different from those narrow paths; they are proper roads that cars can drive on. The lush plane trees along the roadside provide shade from the increasingly hot sun, offering a bit of coolness.

Of course, the temperature is still very high.

The two held hands and climbed up the gently sloping road.

A tour guide was giving a presentation nearby, so Zhou Heming and the girl slowed down and followed the group of elderly people, hoping to catch a glimpse of their explanation.

It is said that the paulownia trees in Ningjiang were planted by the ruler of that time to please his wife. Zhou Heming doesn't know if it's true or not. After all, Emperor Qianlong has eaten almost any local snack, so it doesn't seem that important who planted the paulownia trees in Ningjiang.

"The best time to visit here is in autumn, when the plane tree leaves turn golden and it becomes a true plane tree avenue."

The tour guide explained.

"Many online celebrities take their photos here. They're very photogenic, and everyone can take commemorative photos here."

"There are also many sycamore trees in Ningjiang University."

Zhou Heming muttered something.

"Yes, we even walked together."

The girl smiled.

"Moreover, with so many people around, it's hard to find a suitable place to take photos."

Zhou Heming glanced at the vast crowd of people in front and behind him.

Thirty-five degrees Celsius weather couldn't stop Chinese people from traveling, even though they're determined to take great photos.

Any beautiful scenery will never look good if it's full of tourists.

"It's okay, as long as I'm with Ahe, everywhere is beautiful."

The girl picked up her phone, leaned in close, and took a picture of the two of them in the viewfinder.

Zhou Heming didn't know what expression to make, so he simply kept his expression unchanged.

click-

The girl found a clever angle, using the sycamore trees behind her as a backdrop, avoiding most of the tourists, making it look like the photo was taken in a secluded spot.

"Once this photo is posted online, I'm sure many people will ask how I took it."

Zhou Heming praised.

"Hehe, this is my treasure, I won't just give it away randomly~"

The girl took Zhou Heming's hand and continued climbing up with the elderly tour group who had already finished taking photos.

Despite the otherwise tedious mountain climbing, the two found it quite interesting. Sometimes they would glance at passersby, sometimes they would peek at where the side paths led, but most of the time they simply walked together in silence.

The wind rustles through the treetops, casting dappled shadows, giving one the illusion that time has stood still.

After climbing for an unknown amount of time, Zhou Heming's forehead was covered in sweat. He noticed that the girl was also slightly sweaty, so he took out a large pack of tissues from his bag, tore off a few sheets, and handed them to her.

"Thank you, A-He, you've thought of everything!"

Even at a time like this, he doesn't forget to offer a compliment; it's hard for Zhou Heming not to be coaxed into becoming an embryo.

Seeing the girl wipe her sweat, Zhou Heming reached out again.

"What? This is all my sweat! Ah He, your request is a bit strange, isn't it?"

The girl smiled with a hint of doubt.

"I threw it away for you."

Zhou Heming took the tissue used to wipe away sweat, glanced at it only once, and then threw it into the roadside trash can along with the tissue he had used.

He pulled out a bottle of mineral water, unscrewed the cap, and handed it to the girl.

He secretly checked the prices at the small shop on the mountain; a bottle of water cost six dollars. The mafia members exclaimed, "You guys really know how to make money!"

The girl gulped down a mouthful of water and handed the bottle back to Zhou Heming.

Zhou Heming took a sip as well and screwed the cap back on.

As the sun rises higher, the temperature gradually increases even in the shade.

Moreover, at the end of Wutong Road, there is a long staircase leading to the mountaintop cemetery.

"Do you want to climb?"

Zhou Heming looked at the tourists on the steps, who resembled ants, and then glanced at the sun that appeared and disappeared in the clouds.

"If Ahe doesn't want to climb anymore, you can turn back now~"

The girl acted as if to say, "You're the birthday girl, so I'll do whatever you say."

"Well, since we're already here..."

Zhou Heming was ultimately defeated by this old saying.

"Besides, we don't have many opportunities to climb here together."

This should be the real reason.

"Yay! Let's celebrate our first mountain climb together by aiming for the summit!"

The girl's voice was as joyful as the "Cuckoo Waltz".

That being said.

They rested for a while in the shade before climbing the stairs, still with the senior citizen tour group.

It takes the elderly a long time to climb the stairs.

As the two sat drinking water, an elderly gentleman from the senior citizen tour group seemed to have noticed them earlier and came over with his thermos.

"Young man, young woman, are you here for tourism too? University students?"

"Hello Grandpa, we'll be starting our freshman year at Ningjiang University in September, and we've come here early to take a look around."

The girl greeted the old man naturally.

Zhou Heming nodded in acknowledgment.

"Ningjiang University is good. I didn't get to study there when I was young. I only studied at the Meteorology College here. I haven't been back here for many years."

The old man seemed to have a story to tell. He sighed and took a sip of the goji berry water from his thermos.

"So you've come back to revisit this place."

The girl echoed.

"Yes, mainly to show my wife around."

The old man said.

Zhou Heming looked around the old man; there was no one else there.

Was it to fulfill the last wish of his long-deceased wife that he came to climb the mountain alone, leaning against the railing, holding hands and gazing at each other with tearful eyes, speechless with emotion?
"Let me tell you, the restrooms here are really crowded, you need to hurry!"

Just then, an old lady came over to the old man while wiping her hands and took the thermos from his hand.

"I'm not going. I'll go after I get down the mountain."

The old man responded.

Oh, so he just went to the restroom.

Zhou Heming felt slightly relieved.

"How wonderful it is to be able to travel together and visit places we went to when we were young."

The girl smiled wistfully.

"It was because he kept saying that the scenery in Ningjiang was beautiful and that he wanted to take me to see the mountains he climbed when he was young that I came. Otherwise, in this hot weather, how could I have walked so far?"

The old lady seemed to say it with disdain, but she still took out the pills from her bag and handed them to the old man.

"I hope that when Ah He and I get old, we can travel like this too."

The girl smiled and looked at Zhou Heming.

"Certainly."

Zhou Heming took the girl's hand.

The senior citizen tour group has set off again.

The boy and girl also climbed upwards together.

The sky darkened for a while, and a large patch of clouds traveling at five meters per second drifted by, briefly obscuring the sun.

The two held hands and climbed the steps one by one. They could see a child jumping up and down with great joy, while his parents followed closely behind. There was also a middle-aged man wearing a sun hat climbing up alone, and several students who looked like junior high school students walking together.

Taking advantage of the lack of sun, the two climbed a long way and hid in the shade of trees halfway up the path.

Just then, the sun peeked out from behind the clouds, and the air suddenly became hot.

After finishing the bottle of water, Zhou Heming threw it away and took out a second bottle from his bag.

"Wow, A-He is so thoughtful, he even brought two bottles of water!"

As a lifetime honorary member of Zhou Heming's Praise Club, the girl once again displayed her amazing praise skills.

"Actually, there was another bottle."

Zhou Heming opened his backpack and showed the contents inside.

"Wouldn't that be very heavy?"

"It's okay. Since we were going to climb a mountain, I thought that we would definitely drink a lot of water in such hot weather, so I brought a little extra."

He unscrewed the bottle cap, handed it to the girl, and watched her tilt her head back and drink it. A few drops of water leaked from the corner of her mouth, crystal clear.

"It's so sweet~"

The girl happily handed the water bottle back.

"Is it sweet?"

Zhou Heming took a bite and caught a glimpse of the girl's gaze.

"Maybe it'll taste sweeter because you've had it before."

"Ah He is so good at talking. Now I can't help but try every drink for you first."

"It's not impossible."

Zhou Heming looked away.

Another cloud obscured the sun, and the two set off again.

This time, they climbed all the way to the top in one go.

"So this isn't the mountaintop after all."

Zhou Heming saw that behind the huge building were rolling green hills, and couldn't help but feel a little regretful.

Moreover, it seems the observatory isn't located here; you have to go up the mountain from another place to see it.

"It's okay. Leaving some regrets will give us the motivation to climb mountains again. Next time, we'll climb up from one side and see the observatory together."

The girl squeezed his hand and pointed behind her.

"And look, Ah He."

Zhou Heming turned his head.

"Ah He, this view is for you."

The girl's voice followed.

He saw the long staircase leading down to a sea of ​​lush trees, and further away, towering buildings and a bustling city. Most of Ningjiang was spread out before him, giving him a sense of overlooking all the mountains and rivers.

The clouds cast shadows between the buildings, and people climbed upwards and descended downwards, filling the field of vision with a sense of clarity. Even under the blazing sun, it felt refreshing. Zhou Heming looked at the girl beside him; she was gazing at him with gentle eyes, her eyes filled only with his image.

"No wonder people in ancient times liked to climb to high places; the view was indeed different."

Zhou Heming couldn't help but look away, otherwise, he was afraid that he would lose control and leave his mark on those pale cherry-colored lips in public.

He didn't know for whom the plane trees that filled Ningjiang were planted.

All he knew was that his image was reflected in the girl's beautiful, clear eyes.

With the mindset that "since we're already here," Zhou Heming and the girl joined the long queue and toured the cemetery.

Summer camp students were chattering away, while the senior citizen tour group was making a racket behind them.

That's pretty much what travel is all about: going from one place to another, seeing sights you've never seen before, and eating things you've never tried before.

They rested in the shade of the trees for quite some time, and it was almost noon when the two of them climbed down the steps, taking advantage of the shadows cast by the drifting clouds.

At noon, they ate at a restaurant specializing in Ningjiang cuisine. Although it was called "Da Pai Dang" (literally "Big Food Stall"), it was actually a proper restaurant. The prices were slightly higher than in Jiangcheng, and the food was light, which was perfect for summer.

After lunch, the two headed to the zoo, as the girl had planned.

"This is the forest zoo, which is said to be ecologically divided according to the animals' original habits."

Following the throngs of tourists into the park, the young girl held a brochure in her hand and read its contents.

"And this was one of the first zoos to cancel animal performances."

"We refuse to allow animals to perform, but we can't refuse the animals' own desire to perform."

Zhou Heming recalled a zoo that adopted stray cats, and the stray cats liked to climb parallel bars, which became popular with tourists and became the most popular performance item.

I don't know if it's because of the lush vegetation, but it's cooler around the zoo. You don't even need an umbrella to walk in the shade.

The last time Zhou Heming went to the zoo was during a primary school field trip. In his memory, the zoo was just a bunch of cages or buildings that enclosed the animals, and visitors could see them through glass or railings.

However, upon entering Ningjiang Zoo, he found that it seemed somewhat different from other places; it resembled a farmhouse in the suburbs more than a zoo.

The road was flanked by wooden fences and landscaped with pavilions and farmhouses. Animals could be seen roaming around, making it hard for Zhou Heming to tell whether they were animals kept in a zoo or animals that had wandered in from outside.

"It's an otter."

After strolling around for a while, the girl suddenly pointed to a pond.

Zhou Heming had initially thought the pond was just a simple landscaping feature, but to his surprise, several small otters were swimming in it. Perhaps they had heard the girl's voice, because they climbed onto the opposite bank, stood up, dangling their little paws, and looked over curiously.

This reminded Zhou Heming of that meme circulating online.

"Hello~"

The girl waved to them, and the little otters moved their heads, as if they really understood, and dived into the water, swimming to the shore near this side.

In a daze, Zhou Heming thought of her birthday, when the fluttering butterflies in the butterfly garden of the science museum also approached the girl.

"They are usually very timid, I didn't expect them to be so close to you."

Nearby, a zookeeper was carrying a bucket, seemingly about to feed the animals.

Unlike the usual method of feeding people directly, the food was placed in a transparent bucket with a hole cut in it, and then placed near the water.

The otters immediately swam into the water, surrounded the bucket, reached in with their paws, and pulled out small pieces of food, nibbling on them as Zhou Heming had seen in the video.

"What is this doing?"

Zhou Heming was curious.

"Because otters in their normal environment use their claws to grab food, this tool is used to cultivate and perpetuate their wild habits, allowing them to develop the habit of obtaining food on their own."

The zookeeper explained patiently.

"This is our zoo's conservation strategy, allowing these animals to live in the most natural way so that they can eventually have the opportunity to return to the wild."

The notice board next to it also mentioned the relevant content. It seems that in addition to feeding, living environment and co-breeding with other species are also part of the process.

"But I prefer a life where everything is done for me."

Someone nearby laughed, which drew a burst of laughter.

"What do you think, Ah-He? If given a choice, would you gladly accept what's within your grasp, or actively pursue something more distant?"

The girl led Zhou Heming forward and casually asked a question.

"Assuming the two are roughly the same for your life."

"As for me, I would probably still want to get what I hope to have through my own efforts."

Zhou Heming thought for a moment.

"Hmm, why?"

The girl asked.

"Didn't we mention in class before that the value of something is determined by the human labor embodied in it?"

Zhou Heming looked at the unknown bird singing sweetly in the treetop and said slowly.

"That's something similar, something I achieved through my own efforts. Doesn't it embody my hard work, making it even more meaningful to me? Like..."

He thought for a moment and slowed down.

"Just like the view we see when we climb the mountain in the morning. Although you can see the same view in videos, or even a more expansive view, it is our act of climbing that gives meaning to that view."

Zhou Heming looked at the girl. He knew that she could understand his meaning, just as he understood the meaning behind her question.

"Compared to a peaceful daily life, A-He would definitely choose a more adventurous and wandering life~"

The girl nodded.

"But if you never reach the summit in your entire life, and you may spend your whole life chasing your ideals, and even fail repeatedly, like Sisyphus, Ahe, would you still stick to your initial choice?"

She raised another question.

Sometimes, striving forward is the meaning itself.

Zhou Heming remained silent for a moment before answering.

"Even Sisyphus, who seemed to be working in vain, left behind a story, didn't he? As Professor Cheng said, writing has value. If you can really leave some stories for the world, then being Sisyphus isn't so bad."

"As expected, Ah He is Ah He."

The girl smiled.

"It's my absolute favorite, Ah He~"

She clung to Zhou Heming's arm as if she would never let go.

*
evening.

On the banks of the Lingjiang River.

Near the old street entrance in Ningjiang's city center, a giant Ferris wheel slowly turns.

After having dinner at what was supposedly a budget restaurant in Ningjiang, Zhou Heming and the girl arrived at the Ferris wheel.

The Ferris wheel is built on the top floor of a six-story shopping mall. Because it is very tall, it offers a panoramic view of the city and has become a popular spot for social media check-ins.

And related marketing campaigns and rumors are naturally plentiful.

The most famous of these is the rumor that confessing your love when the Ferris wheel cabin reaches its highest point will ensure a long and lasting relationship—a belief found in almost every romantic destination.

Today is July 7th, and although Qixi Festival is based on the lunar calendar, many couples who can't find a time to go together still choose to visit the Ferris wheel today, which has resulted in long queues.

"As expected of a tourist destination, there are so many people."

Looking at the people queuing in front and behind him, Zhou Heming saw that the vast majority were couples, and there were also families of three who had brought their children to play.

Compared to Wuhan in July, Ningjiang has an order of magnitude more tourists.

"Does Ah-He get dizzy?"

The girl smiled and made a teasing remark.

"Not now, I've already trained my courage."

Zhou Heming replied that looking at those lovey-dovey couples, he never expected to become one of them.

The Ferris wheel tickets are a bit pricey, but fortunately there are discounts for students with student IDs and also for high school graduates taking the college entrance exam.

They waited a long time before it was their turn.

After having their tickets checked, the two were led out of the air-conditioned room and onto the roof by staff.

Besides the Ferris wheel, there are also open-air bars. Some couples, after riding the Ferris wheel, simply have a drink down there, enjoy the breeze, admire the night view, and watch other people riding the Ferris wheel.

The sedan chair slowly turned around, the doors opened, a couple got off, and Zhou Heming, holding the girl's hand, stepped onto it.

The two sat on the same side, watching the electric door slowly close.

The world fell into a subtle silence.

"It doesn't seem like there's anything special about it?"

Zhou Heming was still a little uneasy, worried about the swaying caused by walking, so he couldn't help but tighten his grip on the girl's hand.

"Ah He, look."

The girl, however, seemed quite at ease, pointing downwards to the colorful night view along the Lingjiang River.

"Indeed, you can see very clearly from here."

Looking over there, Zhou Heming felt his tension ease a little, and he looked at the girl beside him.

"Are not you afraid?"

"This is the first time Ah He and I have ridden a Ferris wheel together. Wouldn't it be a shame to miss out on this wonderful moment because of fear?"

The girl said with a smile.

"That makes sense."

Zhou Heming felt relieved and put aside his wild thoughts about the monster that had been sleeping for ten thousand years under Zhongshan Mountain suddenly waking up and attacking the Ferris wheel, or the giant dragon suppressed under Lingjiang River being disturbed and causing a storm that stopped the Ferris wheel from turning.

He patted his pockets, watching the sedan chair gradually rise, about to reach its apex.

"Ah He".

"how?"

Zhou Heming looked at the girl beside him.

Her gaze was intense, her pupils reflecting the boy's image.

Do you know the legends surrounding this place?

"Hmm, I'll search for it for now."

Zhou Heming nodded.

The elevator was still rising, and it seemed that scattered fireworks could be heard on the Lingjiang River outside, perhaps a special evening program.

The people below cheered and jumped for joy, not knowing what they were celebrating.

Inside the quiet sedan chair, the boy and girl gazed at each other.

So, is there anything you want to say to me?

The girl raised her face and looked at Zhou Heming with a smile on her lips.

I want to confess my feelings.

Zhou Heming answered in a deep voice.

"Oh, I'm really looking forward to it!"

Looking at the smiling girl,
Zhou Heming gently brushed aside the strands of hair that had fallen beside her ear, then reached out and pinched the bracelet used to tie her ponytail.

Slowly and gently, I removed it.

The girl's hair was loose, giving her a languid yet charming look.

Zhou Heming took the hesitant girl's hand and put the bracelet on her right wrist, where it should have been, and then spoke.

"But the person I want to confess to is not the character you are playing, but Lu Bai."

A moment of silence.

The young woman, Lu Bai, suppressed her aura as if she had been reborn and looked at Zhou Heming with trepidation.

*
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(End of this chapter)