Camping

Chapter 27: Camping

At five in the afternoon, the van arrived at the campsite.

Everyone unloaded their belongings from the trunk and bid farewell to the driver.

The foothills not far away, the grass under their feet, and the blue sky and white clouds overhead all excited the students who were accustomed to city life.

Xu Jing said happily, "Wow, this place is great! Let's come here every week from now on."

Xiaoxiao retorted, "Do you think money grows on trees? It's 300 yuan! I can't afford to come every week."

Shen Xixi chimed in, "Stop fooling around, everyone. It'll be dark soon, so let's find a spot and set up the tents. We still need to cook."

Xu Jing said with a giggle, "I can't cook, I'm only responsible for eating."

"Sure, you can just be cute and get a free meal."

They walked on, chatting and laughing, the atmosphere relaxed. The campsite was chosen by the girls, mainly Xiaoxiao's idea. They hadn't picked one of the most popular spots.

She had an uncle who was an avid hiker and knew the nearby mountains like the back of his hand. She had pestered him into giving her a few recommendations for places that were scenic but not yet developed.

Consequently, there were fewer tourists, and it wasn't chaotic.

Unfortunately, except for Xiaoxiao, who had gone camping with her uncle a couple of times as a child, none of them had any experience. And Xiaoxiao was too young back then to do anything but play; her uncle handled things like starting fires and cooking.

So, just choosing a place to set up camp stumped them.

They argued endlessly. Some said they should camp on the mountaintop, others suggested a spot sheltered from the wind, and some pointed out the danger of falling rocks. Finally, Zhang Heng couldn't stand it anymore.

"Uh, there's no real danger around here, and it's the middle of summer, so we don't need to worry about staying warm. We can just pick any spot and set up."

No one paid him any attention.

Everyone was clearly immersed in the excitement of playing house in the wilderness and strongly condemned Zhang Heng's pragmatic approach. After much deliberation, they finally chose a clearing at the foot of the mountain as their campsite before sunset.

To be fair, the spot was indeed quite good, with a wide view. Apart from being a bit far from the water source, it had no other drawbacks.

However, the problem was that it would soon be dark, and they hadn't even started setting up the tents.

Don't underestimate this task; setting up a tent is a skill for beginners. Inserting poles, pulling ropes, hammering stakes, securing walls – without experience, each step requires a lot of trial and error.

Fortunately, this wasn't a problem for Zhang Heng, who had once built a house with his bare hands. He set up almost all three tents by himself, even setting up the last one in the dark.

"Not bad, Zhang Heng! If I were stranded on a desert island, you'd be the one I'd choose to keep me company," Xu Jing exclaimed, clapping her hands.

"You're too wicked, wanting to drag someone down with you even when you're stranded on a desert island," Chen Huadong commented with a tut.

"I've watched a few survival shows. If we were really stranded on a desert island, a group of us wouldn't be much help," Wei Jiangyang said, shaking his head.

Zhang Heng smiled but said nothing.

They didn't pay much attention to such idle chatter. Xu Jing then had another idea, "It's completely dark now, let's have a bonfire party!" This girl seemed to never run out of ideas.

"Bonfire my foot, let's eat first. I'm starving," Xiaoxiao said impatiently.

While Zhang Heng was setting up the tents, apart from Shen Xixi who could offer some help, the others couldn't assist much, so they all went to the other side to cook.

In this civilized world, even in the wild, there was no need to rub sticks together for fire. They had portable cassette stoves designed for outdoor use; just attach a gas canister, and they were ready to go, very convenient.

Zhang Heng was naturally happy about this. He was here to have fun, not to show off. The so-called wilderness survival skills were only for saving one's life when encountering unexpected extreme situations. If he had a lighter on a desert island, he wouldn't have to rub his hands raw.

Dinner was hot pot, which was the most convenient to cook. Just put in the soup base, toss in the washed vegetables and meat, and it was done. By the time Zhang Heng finished setting up the tents, everyone was sitting in a circle, holding disposable plastic bowls, eagerly waiting for the pot to bubble.

This experience was very new for most of them.

The temperature in the mountains during summer was just right, neither too cold nor too hot, much more comfortable than their dormitory without air conditioning. The only downside was the surprisingly large number of mosquitoes.

Zhang Heng and Shen Xixi almost simultaneously pulled out mosquito repellent from their bags. They looked at each other and smiled when they saw what the other was holding.

"Why isn't the meat ready yet?" Xu Jing sniffed pitifully. She had been clamoring for a bonfire party earlier, but now she was more eager for the meat in the pot than anyone else.

Chen Huadong was about to tease her when, at that moment, a rustling sound came from the nearby woods.

Xu Jing, being the most timid, immediately became nervous upon hearing the sound. "Oh my gosh, are there wild animals in these mountains?"

"No, there shouldn't be," Xiaoxiao also hesitated. Although this place wasn't a scenic spot, it wasn't too far from the city. Many photography enthusiasts came here for inspiration in the autumn. A while ago, they had even seen other campers a bit further away. If there were wild animals, it wouldn't make sense that no one had seen them before.

As soon as she finished speaking, the thing emerged from the woods.

It wasn't an animal, but a person. However, when they saw the person's appearance clearly, the relief the group felt was replaced by renewed tension.

It was a young man with tattoos on his arm and a shifty look. He said with a smirk, "Yo, I smelled something delicious. Turns out it's here. Mind if I join? I haven't had dinner yet."

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhang Heng stood up, turned around without a word, and ran towards the tents, disappearing inside.

The young man laughed at this. "Okay, okay, you've got some sense. Now there's even a spot for me. I won't be polite."

The others could tell by now that this person was likely trouble. Wei Jiangyang and Chen Huadong exchanged glances. At this moment, as the men, they had to step forward.

Wei Jiangyang said, "Buddy, we're not used to eating with strangers."

"That's fine, I can introduce myself first. We can get to know each other by chatting," the young man grinned, pulling a small folding knife from his pocket.

Wei Jiangyang and Chen Huadong's expressions changed drastically. Xu Jing's face turned pale with fright. They were all university students and had never encountered such a situation. Fights were rare on campus, and even when they happened, knives were never involved.

The young man's next words made everyone's hearts sink to the bottom. "I have three other brothers who haven't eaten either. They'll be here soon, but it looks like there aren't enough spots." His eyes darted around as he pointed at Wei Jiangyang, Chen Huadong, and Wang Huan. "How about you three do us a favor and give up your seats?"

Uh, the cover image... it was changed. I've changed it back, but it will take a few days for review. Please wait.