Chapter 87

"Unknown, it's said they will first climb the ancient Great Wall of Lucheng, then camp at Phoenix Mountain. The specific arrangements are still unclear; they are choosing the route now." Mo Ying said, pointing to Ji Yehao, Gao Jun, Yang Xiaowei, and Xia Linfei, who were gathered around the map.

Su Yuan responded with an "Oh," and walked over, saying, "How's it going? Have you decided on the plan?"

"Almost there." Yang Xiaowei glanced at her, regretting not seeing her in a dress, which would have surely dazzled Ji Yehao and Gao Jun.

Putting away the map, he looked around and said, "The preliminary plan is to climb the ancient Great Wall of Lucheng in the afternoon, drive to Phoenix Mountain in the evening, and camp there at night! Yehao and Su Yuan are locals here, so the specific route will be up to you two."

Su Yuan shook her head, "I've been to the ancient Great Wall of Lucheng twice, but I've never been to Phoenix Mountain." She looked at Ji Yehao, "Yehao, are you familiar with it?"

Ji Yehao also shook his head, "I've been to the outskirts once, but I haven't climbed it."

"That's perfect! It wouldn't be interesting if we had been there before!" Gao Jun clapped his hands, smiling. Travel is more interesting when it's new; once you've been there, the effect is greatly reduced. Revisiting old places can be wonderful, but it loses much of its charm.

"Since that's the case, let's get going." Everyone agreed, and Ji Yehao stepped forward without hesitation.

"Wait, I need to go home and pack some things." Su Yuan suddenly spoke up, and everyone nodded. "Since your home is nearby, why don't we go there first?"

"Sure, let's go to my place for some tea." Su Yuan smiled and said.

A few minutes later, Su Caiwei saw Su Yuan bringing a group of friends back home. She warmly greeted them, "Everyone, come in and sit down. Xiao Yuan, serve your classmates some tea!" Her gaze lingered on Gao Jun's face for a moment before settling on Xia Linfei's, and she nodded.

"Sure thing!"

With her mother's approval, Su Yuan enthusiastically rummaged through the tea cabinet and found a can of Maofeng tea. She had fallen in love with this tea after trying it at Su Meng Culture's office. She had never thought tea with leaves could be so good; it was just that she hadn't understood its flavor before.

Drinking tea is not about the water, but about the taste, a taste that savors the passage of time.

After a while at home, the group got up to leave. Su Yuan specially asked Su Caiwei if she wanted to join them, but Su Caiwei smiled and shook her head, "You go ahead, remember to have fun." She felt this was a time for young people to gather, and it wouldn't be appropriate for her to go.

"Su Yuan, was that really your mom just now?"

Outside, Gao Jun asked with surprise, the question he had been holding back.

"Of course, it's my mom!" Su Yuan shot him a glare, annoyed by his question.

Gao Jun grinned, "I thought she was your sister, she looks so young!"

"That's called natural beauty; my mom is not just any woman!" Su Yuan proudly lifted her head, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Everyone laughed, and Mo Ying said to Su Yuan, "Su Yuan, you sit with me and Xiaowei in one car, and Yehao, Gao Jun, and Linfei in the other."

Six people, two cars, three people per car. Mo Ying's suggestion was very reasonable and left no room for complaint.

Su Yuan also thought it was a good idea. Although she preferred to sit in Ji Yehao's Volkswagen Phaeton, which was spacious and comfortable, she was happy to accept Yang Xiaowei's car as well. As someone used to a simple life, she didn't care much about the car she rode in. Perhaps the most commendable result of Su Caiwei's "raising her in poverty" was that she had raised a very easy-to-please "young lady."

In the car, Mo Ying winked at Su Yuan and held up a digital camera, "My Miss Su, come on, give me a smile."

"Click!" The sound of the shutter captured Su Yuan's elegant smile. Mo Ying nodded, satisfied with the result.

"Great, a beauty is a beauty, whether or not she's dressed up, she's still beautiful!"

"Get lost, you tea-flower girl!" Su Yuan couldn't help but tease her.

The ancient Great Wall of Lucheng is over 5,000 meters long, and the entrance is not far from the city center, so the two cars arrived at the destination in about half an hour.

"You guys wait here, I'll go buy the tickets!" Parking the car, Ji Yehao, being the local, naturally went to buy the tickets.

Su Yuan didn't argue with him. Although Su Caiwei had agreed to increase her allowance, she only had a few hundred yuan in her pocket, not enough to splurge yet.

Yang Xiaowei and Mo Ying held back their laughter, looking at her with a knowing expression. To them, Miss Su Yuan didn't seem very wealthy. In fact, she wasn't, but they didn't know that and assumed it was just her frugal nature.

Su Yuan didn't realize she had given this impression; otherwise, she would have been very upset.

A few minutes later, Ji Yehao returned with a map and six tickets.

Distributing the tickets, the group picked up their bags and set off. Su Yuan only brought her usual backpack, containing some water and food. Lightly equipped, they walked with light steps, and her mood brightened.

The ancient Great Wall of Lucheng starts at Lansheng Gate, winding along the Qing Mountains and following the river, rising and falling with the terrain, majestic and spectacular.

Climbing the Great Wall and looking far into the distance, the river and sea stretch out, presenting a different landscape from the northern Great Wall. Passing by Gujing Tower, the distant Jinshan Pagoda and the vast Donghu Lake come into view. It is said that this is where the Taoist Huaxu Zixian ascended to heaven during the Western Han Dynasty.

Su Yuan wasn't particularly interested in these Taoist legends; she only knew that the scenery here was beautiful and had a soul-stirring charm, which was enough for her.

"Look, the Yanxia Pavilion!"

Pointing to a pavilion not far away, Su Yuan shouted loudly. The Great Wall here is winding and graceful, lacking the ruggedness of the northern Great Wall but possessing a delicate and elegant spirit.

The group climbed to a high point, gradually becoming breathless. Su Yuan, without wiping the sweat from her nose, couldn't resist taking out her digital camera to take a photo. She then wiped her nose with her sleeve, opened a bottle of water, and gulped it down.

After walking for a while, they rested by a large rock, eating some food to replenish their energy. After descending from the ancient Great Wall of Lucheng, they hurriedly headed for Phoenix Mountain.

It was already 3 PM, and according to the plan, they would camp on Phoenix Mountain. "Everyone, hurry up! To reach the top before dark, we'll climb from the side!" Ji Yehao looked at the map and said to everyone.

"Climb from the side?" Su Yuan was slightly taken aback. Phoenix Mountain, though not very high, was quite steep. The main path was longer but relatively flat, while the side path was much steeper and unfamiliar, with no clear road.

Ji Yehao nodded, "Yes, we'll climb from the side; it's faster!"

"But, is there a path there?" Su Yuan frowned.

"There's a small path on the map, see!"

Taking the map, she saw a narrow path.

"Alright, since that's decided, let's get moving!" Su Yuan turned and urged everyone. The sun would set in a few hours, so they needed to hurry.

Everyone smiled at each other and set off again.

Following the path on the map for about ten minutes, the main road turned into a small path, and soon the cars couldn't go any further. They found two small tricycles nearby, and the six people squeezed into them, riding for a while until even the tricycles couldn't go any further. They had to get off and walk the rest of the way.