Chapter 196: The Return Journey

After adapting to the intermediate slope, Shen Yan continued to advance toward the advanced slope.

Looking around, one could clearly see that the number of people here was much smaller, and every one of them was a skiing expert; their movements were skillful and fluid, as if they had become one with the snow trail.

A safety officer nearby held a megaphone.

"Know your own limits—if you crash into others, you can't afford the compensation, and if you crash yourself, you can't afford the injury."

The maximum gradient of the ski resort's advanced slope could reach 25-30 degrees, with a vertical drop of up to 90 meters; without some real skill, one absolutely couldn't handle it here. Wu Yueer was a bit flustered, having come to the advanced slope for the first time.

Shen Yan said, "Actually, it's not that hard. Just do a parallel brake every now and then, follow an S-shaped line, and keep your speed under control."

However, theory is ultimately just talk on paper; experiencing it personally is another matter entirely.

Sure enough, less than three seconds after hitting the ground, Shen Yan's backside took a heavy hit, and Wu Yueer laughed out loud watching from the side.

Damn it! This is actually pretty difficult.

Ordinary braking methods were indeed not suitable for such a steep slope, but the speed was truly fast, and with very few people around, if one let go, the speed could reach sixty or seventy kilometers per hour.

Shen Yan truly experienced what it meant to have speed and passion, his whole person shuttling through the white world like a lightning bolt, as if he had transformed into a free-soaring eagle.

Wu Yueer was also having a blast; she had fallen, she had felt pain, but it was just pure joy!

Throughout the morning, Shen Yan kept challenging himself on the snow trail, striving to master skiing techniques on two boards. By the afternoon, Shen Yan switched to a snowboard, ready to welcome a new challenge.

In short, after a full day, Shen Yan had gained a lot.

Occasionally, he would return to the beginner slope to check on the progress of a few novices; they were all doing quite well, and he had perfectly experienced the fun of the sport of skiing.

The sun set in the west, and the weary birds returned to their nests.

The group began to pack their things, preparing to embark on the return journey.

In fact, Jiangnan Tianchi is a pumped-storage power station; the mountaintop not only has a ski resort but also an alpine hot spring, which could be called a world of ice and fire. Shen Yan had a mind to try the hot spring, but considering he was traveling with students, expenses were a big issue, so he had to dismiss the thought.

He would try it next time he had the chance.

The group gathered again at the visitor center, and only then did Shen Yan notice that the girl who had collided with Lin Yang earlier was also there.

Lin Yang explained, "This girl is named Zheng Jiayue, and it just so happens she's a student at the Communication University of China nearby. Since we're going the same way anyway, I just decided to bring her along."

"Lin Yang, don't tell me you're... hmm!" Wu Yueer's face was full of teasing.

The story of Lin Yang's encounter with the girl and the tragic loss of his first kiss had already spread, leaving everyone completely stunned.

Lin Yang looked at Wu Yueer with resentment, unable to help but think of Tagore's "Stray Birds."

"The furthest distance in the world is not the distance between life and death, but that I stand before you, yet you do not know that I love you."

Zheng Jiayue was currently in a state of sorrow and had no reaction to this; her boyfriend had formally proposed a breakup to her. She never imagined that a ski trip would lead to the complete rupture of their relationship.

Perhaps those people were right; her boyfriend's heart was too narrow, and he was truly not a good match.

With Zheng Jiayue added to the return trip, no one minded, so they let her get into Chen Shanni's car. Along the way, everyone was chattering away, discussing this ski trip.

To sum it up in one word: worth it!

They even said they would find another chance to come and play again.

The sun set in the west, and the rosy clouds spilled onto the car body, forming a layer of golden radiance. The car's audio system was fittingly playing the song "Dusk." Even though the melody and lyrics were so sorrowful and bleak, the highway under the setting sun was like a moving poem, making everyone feel the comfort and ease of the trip.

Yu Youwei was now addicted to calling him "brother," feeling that it made her closer to Shen Yan. She suggested, "Brother, since there's nothing to do tomorrow anyway, how about we go to the amusement park together?"

"Ew!" Lin Yang and Luo Qiqi both got goosebumps. Luo Qiqi rubbed her arm and said with an expression of disgust, "Youwei, let's not act all cutesy, okay? It's really cold!"

Yu Youwei didn't care at all. "Shen Yan and I are as close as siblings anyway; what's the problem with calling him that? Besides, I'm not the only one who calls him that; Yue'er calls him even more cutesily."

However, Wu Yueer waved her hand in disgust and flatly denied it: "I was just calling him that as a joke; I can't compare to you."

If I were to call him something, I'd call him husband; who would be going on with "brother this, brother that" like you.

Hearing this, Lin Yang let out a long sigh of relief. If Wu Yueer called Shen Yan that, he estimated he would have a heart attack on the spot, and even emergency heart-saving pills wouldn't help.

Yu Youwei, on the other hand, was beaming; from now on, "brother" would be her exclusive term of address for him. She stared at Shen Yan expectantly, and Shen Yan said, "I have things to take care of tomorrow; you should ask the others."

"Oh!" Yu Youwei's face fell instantly. Lin Yang hurriedly asked, "Yueer, are you going? How about we call a few more people? It would be so much fun if everyone played together."

Some things are only meaningful when experienced with the person you like. Wu Yueer had her heart set on Shen Yan; when he had time, he would naturally take her to see the sights, and she didn't want to get mixed up with these people.

She only said she had a part-time job tomorrow and that they could go together next time they had a chance.

Luo Qiqi indicated she had to tutor tomorrow.

And so, the amusement park date came to nothing.

On Monday morning, Shen Yan received a text notification that his permit for Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan had been successfully approved, and his passport had also arrived, though that thing was optional and wouldn't be needed in the short term.

After getting the permit, Shen Yan immediately booked a flight to Macau online, then went to the office of his counselor, Huang Shuren.

A university counselor's office is usually shared by several people; for instance, in Huang Shuren's office, three dark brown square tables were arranged in order. The interior was bright and clean, with a small potted plant decorating each table, making one feel relaxed and happy.

On the cabinet, the words "Self-improvement and striving for the best" were posted, constantly reminding and exhorting the staff to keep struggling and forging ahead.

At this moment, only Huang Shuren was in the office, sitting at the middle desk. Noticing Shen Yan's arrival, Huang Shuren leaned back comfortably and said lazily, "You wouldn't visit the temple without a reason; tell me, what do you want?"

Shen Yan grinned and said right away, "A relative at home is getting married; I'm here to ask you for three days off."

Huang Shuren didn't care whether it was true or false and waved his hand to approve the leave slip.

This is the benefit of having excellent grades!

Not only can you win the praise of teachers, but you can also enjoy some special perks at critical moments.

With the matter settled, Shen Yan didn't leave immediately but started joking: "In English class a few days ago, I asked Teacher Wen when we could eat your wedding candy. Guess how she answered?"