Chapter 40

The next day, another scene was filmed where Choi Young threatened his sister Shin-ae for money, and Eun-hee paid to save Shin-ae. Zhang Chengyuan's part was all done. Although there was nothing particularly outstanding, at least it deepened his friendship with Moon Geun-young, making the trip worthwhile. Under Moon Geun-young's lingering gaze, Zhang Chengyuan hurriedly left to return and take the final exams at school. Before parting, they exchanged phone numbers, and Zhang Chengyuan gave Moon Geun-young a bag of delicious snacks he had bought in the city the night before to satisfy her craving.

The first semester of his senior year in high school passed quickly, and Zhang Chengyuan, as expected, once again topped the school. In the following days, he convinced his teachers not to attend the summer remedial classes organized by the school like his classmates, but to do other things instead.

Besides modeling and attending various small events, he spent most of his remaining time observing young couples in love on the streets, in parks, libraries, and amusement parks, to deepen his understanding of love and improve his acting skills, avoiding a repeat of his failure in the TV drama audition. Additionally, he watched various types of classic love movies and TV dramas, both domestic and from countries in Asia, America, and Europe, covering all aspects from pure love, romantic love, comedy love, tragic love, to twisted love, except for same-sex love, which was almost everything.

Unfortunately, he could only observe others and not experience it himself, which made him feel extremely regretful. Perhaps it was because his standards were too high; although he had met a few young women with good looks during his work, none of them gave him the heart-pounding feeling he had when facing Kim Tae-hee. However, when he faced Lee Hyori, Sung Yuri, and the other three seniors again in July, he suddenly had that indescribable feeling again, but he did not dare to confess, fearing that it might anger the four seniors, and he might not even be able to see them again. So he could only quietly find more opportunities to spend time with the Fin.K.L seniors, hoping that over time they would understand his feelings and not get angry and drive him away.

As for whether he would be criticized for being fickle, Zhang Chengyuan, who came from the Song Dynasty, had his own views on marriage and would not care about others' opinions.

In July, it was Fin.K.L's vacation period. The four members first returned home to spend time with their families, then either visited relatives and friends, studied at home, or traveled. One day, while chatting with Lee Hyori, Zhang Chengyuan learned that she planned to drive alone to a small mountain village for a trip. He volunteered to be her bodyguard. Originally, Lee Hyori was just having a sudden idea and had not decided whether to act on it, but she was persuaded by his few words and agreed to let Zhang Chengyuan accompany her on the car trip. Although she regretted it later, she could not back out due to her senior status.

Zhang Chengyuan, however, was secretly delighted, seeing this as an opportunity to experience love.

After two days of preparation, Zhang Chengyuan eagerly urged Lee Hyori to set off. The weather was nice that day, and the two left Seoul early in the morning, heading for Gangwon Province, known for its beautiful scenery and traditional folk culture. Gangwon Province is the northeasternmost province of South Korea, with about four-fifths of its area covered by forests, offering excellent landscapes. The province is mostly mountainous, with numerous peaks over 800 meters in altitude. In contrast, the population density of Gangwon Province is at least a hundred times less than that of the capital, Seoul, making it an ideal place for Lee Hyori, who likes hiking but fears being harassed by fans.

At that time, Zhang Chengyuan did not have a driver's license, so the entire journey depended on Lee Hyori driving. The car did not go very fast, and it took two and a half hours to enter Gangwon Province. They drove slowly, looking for a place to stay, and after another hour, they found a small village. Near the village was a mountain with an altitude of about 700 to 800 meters, with a moderate slope and lush vegetation, making it a good place for hiking.

They parked the car in front of a small shop, got out, and had a hot meal with a rural flavor. After buying some food and water, they drove to the foot of the mountain. They rested for an hour in a cool spot at the foot of the mountain, enjoying the beautiful summer scenery, then put on their full hiking gear and started climbing.

Lee Hyori was quite experienced in hiking, having often climbed mountains with friends and classmates before becoming a singer. In recent years, although she had climbed fewer mountains due to work, she still went to Cheonggye Mountain in Seoul whenever she had time. Over time, she became a hiking expert in the entertainment industry, earning the nickname "Cheonggye Mountain Squirrel," and developed a sexy and enviable figure. For Lee Hyori, this hike was nothing out of the ordinary, except for the unfamiliar environment, which might pose some potential dangers. However, with Zhang Chengyuan, who had strong martial arts skills, by her side, she had nothing to worry about.

Zhang Chengyuan, on the other hand, rarely hiked, so he knew almost nothing about hiking techniques. However, with his abundant physical strength and agility, and with Lee Hyori's occasional guidance, his performance was no worse than hers. With no one holding them back, they climbed quickly and reached the summit in just over an hour.

Standing on the summit, the two held hands, raised their arms, and shouted, looking far into the distance and down at the earth. It seemed that all the sadness and frustration they had experienced before were so insignificant, and their hearts suddenly felt broad and open, with all fatigue disappearing.

After about an hour, they were about to descend when the weather suddenly changed, and it started raining. Worried about the slippery road, they found a place with dense branches to shelter from the rain. They hoped the rain would stop soon so they could quickly descend, but the rain became stronger, and it was unclear when it would stop. As the sky gradually darkened, the road down the mountain became even more difficult.

Of course, with Zhang Chengyuan's abilities, this difficulty was not a problem, but he was concerned that descending in the heavy rain might injure Lee Hyori, so he did not act heroically. Moreover, he thought that spending the night on the mountain with a beautiful companion would be a very romantic and interesting experience, so he calmly chatted with Lee Hyori, trying to dissuade her from descending in the rain.

When it was completely dark, Lee Hyori gave up the idea of descending. Thinking about how to spend the long night, Zhang Chengyuan took out a camping tent from the large backpack he had brought up the mountain. It turned out he had planned to share a tent with Lee Hyori. Lee Hyori was very surprised and happy, saying, "I didn't expect you to bring a tent. I had prepared two, but I didn't think we would stay on the mountain, so I didn't bring them. Now we don't have to worry about where to sleep. I'll sleep in the tent, and you can just make do outside for the night."

Hearing this, Zhang Chengyuan immediately felt distressed, lamenting that human plans often fall short of what fate has in store, and that things do not always go as one wishes. He never expected Lee Hyori to come up with this idea.