A Startling Moment

Xia Xin jumped in surprise. She and Jing Mo were already dining outside their tent; all they had to do was lift their eyes to see what was unfolding. Zhou Lian and Xu Zhi peeked their heads out from their tent as well, equally intrigued. In no time, they saw Lu Shi's foot—still suspended in mid-air—and Tian Mei beneath it.

After stifling her laughter for a while, Xia Xin couldn't help but burst into giggles. Hearing her laughter, Zhou Lian and Xu Zhi joined in, their giggles bubbling over like champagne. Jing Mo didn't laugh aloud, but the uplifted corners of his lips revealed his inner delight.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know you were underneath," Lu Shi said, pulling back his foot and peering down from his hammock. As his eyes met Tian Mei's tear-streaked face, he realized what he had just stepped on.