055: Wang Yunzhi Got Into Qi Lin's Tent

"Come in," Qi Lin said with a smile, using his own voice.

"Um?" Wang Yunzhi, initially anxious, paused. This voice sounds familiar, she thought. Of course it did—though they'd only met a few times, Qi Lin had always left a strong impression on her.

"Thank you," she replied politely, though still unable to place the voice.

It was late autumn, and the coolness of the night air was starting to seep through her clothes. Not wanting to stand outside in the cold, she opened the tent flap and stepped inside.

Once inside, she scanned the environment and her gaze landed on Qi Lin's face.

In the next instant, Wang Yunzhi froze in place, staring at Qi Lin in shock.

"Hey, isn't this Teacher Wang?" Qi Lin asked, feigning surprise despite knowing full well who his visitor was. He couldn't help but smile inwardly, amused at how well his plan was working.

Wang Yunzhi blinked, as if coming out of a dream. She pointed a slender finger at him, her voice stammering, "Why are you here?"

Qi Lin laughed, "I heard the starry sky on Mulan Mountain was beautiful tonight, and since I'm off work tomorrow, I thought I'd come out to enjoy it." He paused, then asked, "What about you, Teacher Wang?"

Seeing someone familiar, especially a colleague from school, Wang Yunzhi's anxiety slowly faded, replaced by relief and joy. She stepped inside and sat across from Qi Lin in the tent.

"I… well, it's my birthday today…" Wang Yunzhi started, but she stopped herself. Why am I telling him this? she thought. Qi Lin wasn't a friend, just an acquaintance. There was no reason to share something so personal.

"Like you, I came to see the stars," she finally said with a slight smile. "By the way, did you hear the sound of wild animals earlier?" she asked, trying to change the subject.

Qi Lin's dark eyes twinkled in confusion. "Wild animals? No, I didn't hear anything. This is a scenic area, not deep in the mountains. Where would wild animals come from?"

Wang Yunzhi's brows furrowed in thought. His response made sense—it was odd to hear wild beasts in a place like this. But then, what had she heard? Could someone have been playing a prank? she wondered.

Had Qi Lin told her that he, too, had heard the animals, Wang Yunzhi might have grown suspicious, thinking it was a prank orchestrated by him. But since Qi Lin seemed unaware, she relaxed.

"Yeah, you're right. Girls can be a little jumpy sometimes," she said with a laugh. "I saw your tent nearby and thought I'd say hello. Now that I think about it, there's no way there could be wild animals here. I must have imagined it."

With that, she stood up, a smile on her face. "I'll head back to my tent now."

Qi Lin smiled warmly. "I made some coffee, why don't you have some before you go?"

Wang Yunzhi politely declined. "Thank you, but I brought my own coffee."

She wasn't about to drink anything from someone else in the middle of nowhere, no matter how familiar they were. After politely expressing her thanks, she left his tent and returned to her own, feeling much more at ease now that she knew Qi Lin was nearby.

Despite the unsettling noises from earlier, Wang Yunzhi felt reassured by Qi Lin's presence. She wasn't planning on heading down the mountain just yet. It was too dark, and she didn't have the courage to navigate the path alone.

What are the odds? she mused as she lay down in her tent. Camping on Mulan Mountain, and I run into the security guard from my school.

But just as she was starting to relax, the eerie sounds returned.

"Ouch~"

"Hihis"

"Roar~"

Wang Yunzhi shot up, her beautiful eyes filled with frustration. "Again with the noises!" she huffed. "There can't be wild beasts in a scenic area. It must be that bastard Qi Lin messing with me!"

Fed up, she stormed out of her tent, intending to confront Qi Lin. But when she reached his tent, she saw him sitting calmly, sipping coffee. The strange noises, however, seemed to be coming from behind her.

Wang Yunzhi froze. If Qi Lin isn't making those noises… then… are there really wild beasts?

Her heart began to race. Her legs, usually long and graceful, started trembling uncontrollably.

"Ahh!" she screamed, her calm composure shattered. Without a second thought, she ran toward Qi Lin's tent, desperate for safety.

Inside, Qi Lin could barely suppress his laughter as he watched her panic and run to him for help.

(When I go camping, I already know what to do... get ready Anny 😈)

This is chess mastery, he thought smugly. While he had come down from the tree earlier, he had strategically left a recorded track of the wild animal sounds playing in the bushes behind Wang Yunzhi's tent. Using a remote, he had activated the sounds at just the right moment, ensuring she would be frightened but not suspicious of him.

His plan had worked perfectly. Now, Wang Yunzhi was running straight into his arms.

"Woo~ Qi Lin, there are wild beasts near my tent! Please help me!" Wang Yunzhi cried as she rushed into the tent without waiting for his response.

The smell of her perfume filled the space, refreshing and sweet, as she trembled and hid behind Qi Lin, her entire body shaking in fear