Chapter 006: A New Beginning (Part Two)
The girl's expressions changed, whether in panic or in reproach, each displayed a different kind of beauty, making Li Xiaoyang's heart race. From her expression, it was evident that she was worried about him, which warmed his heart. He gratefully bowed slightly to the girl, offered a faint smile, and turned to run down the mountain path. This girl was too beautiful, causing Li Xiaoyang to feel flustered; if he didn't leave quickly, he might embarrass himself.
Good idea. His proposal was immediately supported by Zhao Xingming, and after a moment of consideration, Li Zhiyuan and Liu Fenghua also agreed, as they would be staying in this city for another four years, and it would be beneficial to familiarize themselves with the environment before the school year began
After a while, when she came to her senses, Li Xiaoyang had already run far away. The captivating smile kept replaying in her mind, and Lin Xueying's emotions began to fluctuate again. She had never thought that a man's smile could be so enchanting; the feeling was too profound. She knew that perhaps she would never be able to forget that slight smile for the rest of her life. With this thought, a blush crept onto Lin Xueying's delicate face as she shyly gazed at the spot where the man had disappeared at the end of the mountain path, her eyes sparkling with various emotions, lost in thought. After a long while, she finally regained her composure, remembering the purpose of her ascent. A hint of hesitation flashed in her eyes, but in the end, she bit her cherry lips lightly and quickly walked up the mountain.
The endless pure Yang energy was drawn and guided by the flames. It is unknown how much time had passed when Li Xiaoyang came to his senses. The rising sun had already ascended above the horizon, suspended in mid-air, beginning to emit its unmatched heat. However, at this moment, the Yang energy was no longer pure, and there was no longer any need for absorption.
Before dawn, she quietly got out of bed, taking her sketchpad and colors, and nervously made her way to the back mountain. At this time, the sky was still dark, and the entire mountain path was eerie and terrifying. As a solitary girl, she felt extremely anxious. However, the beauty of the rising sun motivated her to continue. Yet, when she reached the halfway point, she suddenly heard footsteps behind her. The person approaching was a large man dressed in very plain clothes, resembling a laborer, which made Lin Xueying feel frightened.
Time passed second by second, the sky gradually brightened, slowly transforming into a golden hue. Suddenly, a beam of golden light pierced through the heavens and earth, shooting straight into the sky. Gradually, the golden light began to spread, slowly unfurling like a folding fan. The clouds at the horizon were illuminated by the golden light, appearing almost transparent, with only a faint outline barely visible. Slowly, slowly, the golden light expanded to its fullest, filling the entire horizon. Under the intense radiance, the horizon resembled a burning golden flame, joyfully dancing. At the same time, a golden wave was slowly yet steadily moving towards the direction where Li Xiaoyang was located; it was the golden wave ignited by sunlight striking the ground. Slowly, slowly, the golden light expanded to its fullest, filling the entire horizon. Under the intense radiance, the horizon resembled a burning golden flame, joyfully dancing. At the same time, a golden wave was slowly yet steadily moving towards the direction where Li Xiaoyang was located; it was the golden wave ignited by sunlight striking the ground.
Li Xiaoyang looked around, searching for the highest point on the mountain peak. The higher the altitude, the more one could reach the first ray of sunlight. Although it held little practical significance, Li Xiaoyang simply enjoyed the feeling of being on top. After a glance, he discovered that the highest point on the entire mountain peak was indeed the top of that pavilion.
After glancing around to ensure that no one was present, Li Xiaoyang slightly bent his legs and then leaped upward with great force, effortlessly reaching the top. With his legs spread apart to stabilize his position, Li Xiaoyang gazed far into the distance at the place on the horizon where the sun was about to rise.
The golden waves slowly surged in, ultimately dispersing the shadows surrounding Li Xiaoyang, and a blinding light immediately engulfed him. In that instant, Li Xiao saw a dazzling bright light bursting forth from the horizon, causing him to squint his eyes involuntarily. As he adjusted to the intense light, Li Xiaoyang clearly saw a massive, fiery red orb slowly rising from the horizon
A moment of transcendental connection left Li Xiaoyang invigorated and refreshed, even making his steps noticeably lighter, as if he were about to float. In this buoyant state, he soon returned to the dormitory, where his roommates had all awakened, albeit with bleary eyes, clearly still not fully alert. Upon seeing Li Xiaoyang enter with such vitality, they were all astonished. Zhao Xingming, even more surprised, exclaimed: "Third Brother, did you meet a beautiful woman? You look radiant!" It seemed to him that only a beautiful woman could awaken one's spirit.
Li Xiaoyang took the cigarette and lit it. Although he had never smoked a cigarette before, having a father who was an old smoker made it easy for him to pick it up. After taking a couple of puffs, he quickly became accustomed to it. Hearing Zhao Xingming's words, he couldn't help but respond, "Why don't we go out for a stroll and familiarize ourselves with the surroundings?" He wanted to find a jewelry store to sell a bit of the diamond he had on hand. He had a full scholarship for the first semester, but he was unsure if he would have it for the next semester. It was better to exchange some money now to avoid any last-minute complications later.
Li Xiaoyang stretched his body and jumped down from the pavilion. This action immediately elicited a gasp. When Li Xiaoyang turned to look, he was surprised to find the girl he had encountered on the mountain path was also nearby. She was kneeling on a stone slab, with a drawing board resting on her lap. One hand held a paintbrush while supporting the board, and the other delicate hand partially covered her mouth, her face displaying an expression of astonishment. Clearly, Li Xiaoyang's leap had startled her. However, upon seeing that he had landed safely, the girl visibly relaxed, her expression shifting to one of playful reproach, evidently scolding him for his reckless behavior.
Lin Xueying was very nervous. She was a student at the University of Science and Technology, and her favorite pastime was sketching. Today, she came to the back mountain mainly to paint a sunrise scene. However, it was still very early, and the back mountain was sparsely populated. It was quite unsafe for a girl to come alone. Her dormitory roommates were all lazy; when they heard Lin Xueying say she wanted to climb to the top before dawn, they all refused to accompany her, citing insufficient sleep would affect their beauty. Although she was hesitant to go to the back mountain alone, she was unwilling to give up. After much thought, she ultimately decided to make the trip by herself.
Upon seeing Li Xiaoyang's smile, Lin Xueying was momentarily taken aback, completely lost in the sincerity of his expression. She had never encountered such a pure and genuine smile, akin to the rising sun—brilliant yet gentle, capable of soothing the soul. Lin Xueying's anxious feelings dissipated entirely in that smile, transforming into a sense of peace and fulfillment. This wonderful change left her profoundly shaken, lingering in her heart for a long time.
After everyone took turns washing up, Zhao Xingming picked up a pack of Hong Shuangxi from the bedside, handed one to each person, and then said to Li Zhiyuan: "Boss, what activities are planned after we finish registering?" Tomorrow is the official start of school; today’s tasks are just registration and a bit of cleaning, which will be completed soon.
Seeing the smile in the background, Lin Xueying couldn't help but recall Li Xiaoyang's stunning smile on the mountain path. The smiles of Li Xiaoyang and the one in the painting intertwined and repeated, eventually merging together, causing Lin Xueying to become irresistibly lost in it, unable to extricate herself for a long time
Zhao Xingming involuntarily shivered upon hearing Li Xiaoyang's words, and hurriedly replied, "No need, no need; if I run back and forth on the back mountain, I won't have to get out of bed for several days." As he spoke, he yawned and walked towards the bath.
Li Xiaoyang jogged along, and after the incident with that girl, he no longer dared to use his agility recklessly. He simply ran up the mountain at a normal speed to avoid being noticed. Even so, he quickly reached the summit. The summit had been transformed, with over a hundred square meters of flat ground cleared, large stones laid on the ground, and a hexagonal pavilion built in the center for tourists to rest.
Li Xiaoyang smiled and said, "I went for a run. If you run back and forth on the back mountain now, you will definitely feel as energetic as I do and be as *bookish* as I am." While saying this, he secretly thought: Old Four really guessed correctly; I did indeed see a beautiful woman, but this has little to do with my energy levels. With this thought, the captivating visage of Lin Xueying involuntarily surfaced in his mind.
Countless scorching rays of light were cast upon him, and the flames sensed that pure heat, beginning to rejoice. A powerful energy, guided by the flames, continuously flowed into Li Xiaoyang's body, causing a sensation akin to a thorough cleansing of his very essence. It felt so pleasurable that he could not help but want to cheer loudly.
She nervously stared as the approaching figure drew closer, her mind swirling with countless terrifying thoughts, such as assault and dismemberment. This cannot be blamed on her; modern media portrays such matters quite vividly. When a solitary man and woman encounter each other in desolate mountains, it easily evokes such associations. Just as she felt increasingly anxious and restless, the man approached but did not do any of the things she feared; he merely flashed her a bright smile and ran past.
Lin Xueying gazed complexly at the receding figure of Li Xiaoyang, her small mouth involuntarily pouting, a mix of resentment, reluctance, and concern reflected in her expression, her mind lost in thought. It was not until she could no longer see Li Xiaoyang's silhouette that Lin Xueying came to her senses, her gaze falling upon the drawing board resting on her lap. The board was crisscrossed with countless lines, having only completed a rough outline, yet from this vivid outline, it was evident that the painting depicted a man bathed in golden sunlight, with a background that radiated a smile as brilliant as the morning sun. The drawing board was crisscrossed with countless lines, having only completed a rough outline, yet from this vivid outline, it was evident that the painting depicted a man bathed in golden sunlight, with a background that radiated a smile as brilliant as the morning sun.