The three of them took several group photos beneath the waterfall. Chen Yuan was most satisfied with the one where he stood between the two sisters. In the photo, Jiang Ning had her arm linked with his, a faint, calm smile on her lips. On his other side, Jiang Yao tilted her head and flashed a V-sign.

Both sisters’ hair was sprinkled with water droplets from their earlier playful splashing, and the cuffs of their pants were damp.

Thankfully, the midday sun was intense. It wasn’t long before their clothes dried out as they continued their climb up the mountain.

「It was now noon.」

The sun was hot enough to make one dizzy.

After leaving the refreshing waterfall, they still had a long way to go to reach the summit. The three could only press on patiently, climbing ever upward. Before long, beads of sweat rolling down from their temples covered their faces.

Jiang Ning took out some wet wipes from her backpack and kept wiping away her sweat so it wouldn’t blur her vision.

It was a world away from the feeling of frolicking in the cool spring water just moments before.

"Is this still spring? I feel like summer’s already here." Jiang Yao’s legs felt weak with every step as she slumped against Chen Yuan’s shoulder, slowing his pace.

Her earlier excitement had vanished, and her face was a mask of exhaustion.

"We’ve only been climbing for two hours. Just another half hour, Yaoyao," Chen Yuan said, taking the wet wipe Jiang Ning offered him and placing it on her forehead. "We’ll be at Qilin Gate in half an hour. There are a ton of places to eat there. I read in a guide about a restaurant that’s been serving duck steamed with fermented rice wine for over forty years."

"Really?" A spark finally lit up in her eyes.

"Of course. To be honest, I’m starving too. Let’s hurry up and get some food."

Hearing Chen Yuan, Jiang Ning pictured the restaurant owner bringing a fragrant, wine-steamed duck to their table. She imagined taking a bite, the skin glistening with rich fat. She immediately swallowed hard, and some of her energy returned.

’To be honest, I was about to give up before he said that. I was thinking it’d be better to just go back to the waterfall, relax in the water, and then head down the mountain in the afternoon. Climbing any higher is just too exhausting.’

Chen Yuan turned, taking Jiang Ning’s hand. Now he was holding onto one sister with each hand.

The difference between someone who exercised regularly and someone who didn’t was obvious.

Yaoyao was so tired she looked ready to loll her tongue out like a panting puppy. Jiang Ning, on the other hand, showed no signs of her legs giving out. In fact, she seemed to gain energy the higher she climbed, constantly regulating her breath and taking one steady step after another.

She would occasionally walk to the edge of a steep precipice to gaze at the vast, beautiful scenery, spreading her arms to enjoy the caress of the spring breeze, seemingly lost in the feeling of release.

Chen Yuan would occasionally pause to watch her, and a flood of indescribable emotions would well up inside him. She just had that kind of unique charm.

After catching their breath for a moment, the three of them continued up the steps, supporting one another. The mountain path seemed to stretch on endlessly, but for Chen Yuan, the sight of the two sisters by his side represented a different kind of destination.

This was the very answer he had hoped to find in his heart by bringing the two sisters on this trip.

「Forty minutes later.」

"Is... is that the archway?"

Jiang Yao raised her head and pointed at a red-lacquered wooden archway ahead, her voice urgent and her eyes brimming with anticipation.

Chen Yuan shielded his eyes from the sun and squinted.

"It’s Qilin Gate. We finally made it. Goddamn, I’m exhausted."

The mountain he’d chosen wasn’t particularly high, but the steps were unexpectedly steep, forcing you to steady yourself with every footfall. The scenery was beautiful, but it wasn’t a very popular destination.

Chen Yuan was in pretty good shape, but even he was so exhausted by the time they reached Qilin Gate that he couldn’t help but curse.

"I can’t... I need to rest for a minute before we go up," he said, leaning against a nearby rock and waving his hand.

"We’re just a few steps away! Let’s go eat, Young Master, come on~" Jiang Yao begged, tugging on his sleeve.

To Yaoyao, Qilin Gate wasn’t an archway. It was the fragrant, wine-steamed duck she’d been dreaming of.

"Alright... let’s go!"

Chen Yuan took a deep breath and got to his feet. He put an arm around Yaoyao’s shoulder, took Ningning’s hand, and summoned his remaining strength to keep climbing.

...

The simplest way to achieve happiness is to fill one’s stomach.

Starving, the trio eagerly entered the restaurant. The proprietress greeted them with some surprise, as they were her only customers all day.

Jiang Yao was absolutely famished.

If Jiang Ning hadn’t stopped her, she probably would have ordered enough delicacies to cover the entire table. When she saw the eight-treasure rice, sweet fermented rice balls, and stir-fried shrimp on the menu, she wanted to try everything. But with only one little stomach, how could she possibly fit it all?

In the end, they ordered the wine-steamed duck, eight-treasure rice, and stir-fried shrimp. They also added an order of ramen.

When the fragrant, whole duck was served, the three of them put on disposable gloves and dug in. The flavor was incredible. The strong taste of the wine cut through the richness of the fat, and the meat was exceptionally tender with a unique texture.

Yaoyao couldn’t stop praising the food as she ate. The proprietress overheard her and was so pleased she couldn’t stop smiling. In the end, she brought them a complimentary plate of cold beef salad.

...

"Ahh, that was so good~" Yaoyao sighed contentedly, rubbing her full belly.

Beside her, Chen Yuan and Jiang Ning had also long since put down their chopsticks. They were leaning back in their chairs, savoring the blissful feeling of a full stomach.

Chen Yuan’s eyes even drifted half-closed, and a moment later, he yawned.

He was in the habit of taking an afternoon nap, and the post-lunch drowsiness was hitting him hard.

"So, what’s the plan? Rest for a bit, or keep climbing?" Jiang Ning asked with a helpless sigh, looking at the two of them sprawled out in their chairs.