Chapter Seven, the most sorrowful and speechless.

In my dream, I was holding Lanzi, preparing to engage in reckless behavior. I peeled off her clothes layer by layer, only to find that her garments were like old bamboo shoots in spring, endless in their layers.

Shishi actually managed to invite that girl in the red dress from the bar last night. I thought to myself that Shishi was really quick to act; if Huihui found out, she would definitely take a knife to him. When we drove to the girl's house, she was already dressed and waiting by the roadside. Shishi eagerly got out of the car to open the door for her, then pointed at the girl and said, "This is Yanzi," and gestured to me and Lanzi in the back seat, saying, "These are my friends, Chen Yang and Lanzi." Yanzi smiled generously and said, "I know, they are all your good friends, right?" Lanzi warmly took Yanzi's hand and said, "That's right, we are all good friends."

They all thought I was asleep, but I was just keeping my eyes closed while my mind was very clear. My body finally began to warm up gradually, but my heart, on the other hand, was growing colder.

Lan Zi shot me a glare and said she wasn't afraid of me bringing her along, but was worried I wouldn't be able to. I replied, "Who do you think I am? There are plenty of women who want to go home with me tonight." Lan Zi looked at me coldly and suddenly threw back a remark, "Chen Yang, all you have left is your mouth to talk with."

Among the four of us, only Lanzi has a relatively devout attitude towards burning incense and worshipping Buddha. Neither Shi Shi nor I believe in such things at all. It is evident that Yan Zi came for the scenery of the outskirts, while that bastard Shi Shi is basically using the pretense of visiting the Bodhisattva to pick up girls. What a complete disgrace!

Shishi threw me into the car and then turned on the air conditioning. Lanzi also scrambled into the car, flustered, trying to take off my clothes, even stripping off my underwear. Although I was so cold that my tongue was tied, I still remembered to call out to her, asking, "What will I wear now that you've taken off my underwear?" Lanzi remained silent, throwing all the removed clothes out of the car, then wrapped me in Shishi's coat, opening her own outer garment to hold me close to her chest. I was still shivering uncontrollably, my teeth chattering, and later thought about how I was stripped down to nothing under the coat, feeling so shy that I trembled even more. Lanzi held me, pressed her face against mine, and continued to cry without saying a word. I managed a faint smile to comfort her, saying, "Why are you crying? A little river can't drown a person." Lanzi shook her head, remaining silent, and continued to cry. I reached out to touch her hair softly, saying, "You were scared too, weren't you? How could you be so careless? Don't worry, I'm fine, just a bit cold." Upon hearing this, Lanzi, whose tears had gradually stopped, suddenly burst into tears again, tightening her embrace around me, and said in a choked voice, "I'm not scared at all; I know you would never let me fall."

Only the two of us stood quietly on the rooftop

Shishi and Yanzi finally dawdled their way to the top of the tower. Lanzi and I, sharing a tacit understanding, pretended as if nothing had happened, continuing to speak affectionately while maintaining a distance to avoid physical contact. As soon as they descended from the tower, Yanzi pulled Shishi towards the adventure park down the mountain, and Lanzi and I followed behind, laughing and having fun. Lanzi is the type of girl who gets a bit lively around others. Initially unfamiliar with Yanzi, she pretended to be particularly reserved and dignified, but after exchanging a few words with Yanzi, her true nature began to show. She first feigned the demeanor of a refined young lady while swinging on the swings, watching a group of young children play on the tightrope and balance beam. As she watched, she couldn't help but reveal a fierce expression, brimming with excitement and eager to try. I knew Lanzi was the kind of girl who would trip over her own feet while walking down the street, so I quickly followed behind to protect her. After Lanzi played on the balance beam, she went to try the shaking bridge. This was a type of rope bridge mimicking those found on mountain cliffs, consisting of several thick steel cables without any planking, making it sway continuously underfoot. I knew Lanzi was the kind of girl who would trip over her own feet while walking down the street, so I quickly followed behind to protect her. After Lanzi played on the balance beam, she went to try the shaking bridge. This was a type of rope bridge mimicking those found on mountain cliffs, consisting of several thick steel cables without any planking, making it sway continuously underfoot. Once on it, one could only hold onto the two thick ropes on either side to maintain balance. As a result, less than a third of the way across, Lanzi froze, standing in the middle, her face pale as she looked down at the river below, her legs trembling. I stood behind her, carefully supporting her waist with one hand while using the other to grasp the rope, slowly pulling her towards the other side. Terrified, Lanzi let go of the rope entirely, clinging tightly to my shoulder, her nails nearly drawing blood. As a result, less than a third of the way across, Lanzi froze, standing in the middle, her face pale as she looked down at the river below, her legs trembling. I stood behind her, carefully supporting her waist with one hand while using the other to grasp the rope, slowly pulling her towards the other side. Terrified, Lanzi let go of the rope entirely, clinging tightly to my shoulder, her nails nearly drawing blood. I whispered in her ear, "Don't be afraid, I'm here."

It was only after Shi Shi hung up the phone that I remembered we had agreed last night at the Urban Pasture Bar to go to the temple today to burn incense

Lan Zi's eyes immediately turned red. I glanced around to see that no one was watching, then I pulled Lan Zi into my arms and kissed her lips. Lan Zi seemed dazed, soft in my embrace, allowing me to invade her. I kissed her for a while and then whispered, "Lan Zi, let's make up, shall we?" Lan Zi suddenly woke up, pushed me away, and said, "No way." I asked her loudly why. Lan Zi lowered her head, thought for a moment, then looked up at me, her voice not loud but very firm, saying, "Just no." I kissed her for a while and then whispered, "Lan Zi, let's make up, shall we?" Lan Zi suddenly woke up, pushed me away, and said, "No way." I asked her loudly why. Lan Zi lowered her head, thought for a moment, then looked up at me, her voice not loud but very firm, saying, "Just no."

I miss you

We rushed to climb the Linggu Pagoda, and the nine-story pagoda left me breathless. It seems that my recent life of indulgence has severely affected my physical fitness. Shishi pretended to appreciate the wall carvings and paintings inside the pagoda, acting like a cultured person commenting on the works of Guan Hanqing, and then showed off his knowledge to Yanzi. I could tell at a glance that this guy must have crammed last night, as he got a few parts wrong.

Lan Zi is absolutely right; all I have left is my mouth, and everything else is of no use.

A wave of melancholy washed over me, and suddenly I felt that nothing held any interest; I was too weary to argue with Lanzi.

Do you want to see it? I asked him

Shishi and Yanzi also did not know where to get me a pot of hot tea, which I gulped down in one go. Then, I closed my eyes and rested in Lanzi's embrace. My whole body was still numb, but I gradually stopped shivering. Lanzi held me silently, tears streaming down her face. As Shishi drove towards the city, he asked Lanzi, "You really don't feel any sympathy for Chen Yang after he treated you this way?" Lanzi remained silent, crying softly. After a while, she kept murmuring, "I am sorry for him, I am sorry for him..." As Shishi drove towards the city, he asked Lanzi again, "You really don't feel any sympathy for Chen Yang after he treated you this way?" Lanzi remained silent, crying softly. After a while, she kept murmuring, "I am sorry for him, I am sorry for him..."

The river was not very deep, but after choking on several mouthfuls of water, I struggled a few times before stabilizing myself. Standing in the river, the water reached my chest. However, my cotton coat soaked up the water immediately, weighing me down as if I were carrying a two-hundred-pound turtle shell. I managed to take a couple of steps toward the bank, but stumbled and fell back into the river. It had just snowed a couple of days ago, and the water in this mountain stream was frighteningly cold, piercing my skin like countless needles, leaving me numb all over. I struggled desperately in the water and finally felt a large stone at the riverbed. I pushed myself up with all my strength and stood up, my head just breaking the surface of the water. Shi Shi had already rushed to the riverbank, gripping my collar tightly with one hand. It had just snowed a couple of days ago, and the water in this mountain stream was frighteningly cold, piercing my skin like countless needles, leaving me numb all over. I struggled desperately in the water and finally felt a large stone at the riverbed. I pushed myself up with all my strength and stood up, my head just breaking the surface of the water. Shi Shi had already rushed to the riverbank, gripping my collar tightly with one hand, pulling and dragging me onto the shore, while he himself got splashed with mud and water. Later, I learned that Shi Shi had seen me fall into the river from a distance and rushed over, ready to jump in after me. As a result, Yan Zi held him back, not allowing him to jump, and he even turned around and pushed Yan Zi, causing her to tumble.

Lan Zi was so frightened that she cried loudly. When she saw that I had finally made it to the shore, she hugged me tightly and cried desperately. My lips were frozen purple, and my teeth were chattering like a small drum. I calmly said to Lan Zi, "Hurry and turn me over, my stomach is full of water." As soon as I finished speaking, I flipped over and started to vomit uncontrollably, all over Shi Shi's Versace suit. After I finished vomiting, I smiled at him warmly and said, "I've ruined another designer piece of yours. I'll go to the Xiangyang market to find a cheap imitation to compensate you another day." Shi Shi's face turned dark, and he cursed, "You bastard, hurry up and shut your mouth." Then he dragged me like a small dog for about two hundred meters, bringing me to the parking area. Shi Shi pulled out a coat from the back of the car and threw it to Lan Zi, saying, "Quickly change him into this; the river water is at least minus ten degrees, it could freeze him to death." I was shivering on the side, secretly amused, thinking to myself that Shi Shi really had no education; how could water be minus ten degrees? Wouldn't it have frozen already?

When entering the temple to burn incense, Lan Zi spent money to buy an exceptionally large incense stick, estimated to be the thickness of my thigh. It is said to be called "Family Prosperity Incense Candle," wrapped in cheap red and green packaging paper, with phrases like "May your wishes come true" and "May everything go smoothly" written on it. In short, any auspicious words were included, and at first glance, the colorful appearance seemed quite festive. After finishing the incense, Lan Zi sincerely bowed one after another to the Buddha and Bodhisattvas in the temple, while tossing coins into the merit box. Once she ran out of coins on her person, she started taking coins from my pocket. I followed behind with a cold smile, watching those clay figures of golden bodies, and thought to myself, can bowing to you really make wishes come true?

What do you think the people in there are doing? Lanzi suddenly pointed to the faintly visible tall buildings in the distance of the city

I said nothing, stealing glances at Lanzi, pondering the words 'good friend' in my heart

Just when I was in a fit of rage, the phone yanked me out of my dream. I looked at my phone and saw it was Shishi's number, which immediately made me furious. As soon as I answered, the first thing I heard was, "Shishi, damn you!" Shishi on the other end laughed wickedly and said, "Cheng Yang, Lan Zi and I are right downstairs at your place. If there’s any woman in your room, you’d better hurry and hide her in the wardrobe."

I wanted to lean closer to her again, but Lanzi took a step back, her expression darkening as she said, "If you come any closer, I will really lose my temper!" A look of sadness appeared on my face, and Lanzi then switched to a softer tone, saying, "Chen Yang, please don't push me, okay?" I became anxious and asked her why. After thinking for a moment, Lanzi surprisingly answered me in a very serious manner, saying, "This is a sacred place of Buddhism." Upon hearing this, I almost laughed myself over. I became anxious and asked her why. After thinking for a moment, Lanzi surprisingly answered me in a very serious manner, saying, "This is a sacred place of Buddhism." Upon hearing this, I almost laughed myself over.

As we approached the opposite bank, I suppressed a laugh and said, "Do you think we look like two frogs walking on a tightrope?" Upon hearing this, Lanzi burst into laughter. After she finished laughing, she realized that my joke was inappropriate and scolded me as well. Unable to contain herself, she let go of my shoulder and gave me a light shove. The moment she released her grip, it went awry, and she immediately fell backward. Lanzi, frightened, screamed loudly, her hands flailing in the air. I quickly pushed her forward with considerable force, and she collided with the bridge surface at the bank. I, however, had exerted too much force and ended up plunging into the river.

While I was lost in thought, the doorbell rang. I had no time to get dressed, so I wrapped myself in a blanket and went to open the door. Shi Shi swaggered in confidently, and Lan Zi looked at me in just my underwear and a blanket, feeling a bit embarrassed. I thought to myself, what a pretentious act; that underwear was bought by you. I welcomed them into the room and then nonchalantly went about washing my face, brushing my teeth, and getting dressed while wearing just my underwear. Shi Shi asked, "Is there no one in your room? Why do you look so pale?" I replied, "Stop pretending, why are you two here so early?" I welcomed them into the room and then nonchalantly went about washing my face, brushing my teeth, and getting dressed while wearing just my underwear. Shi Shi asked, "Is there no one in your room? Why do you look so pale?" I replied, "Stop pretending, why are you two here so early?" Shi Shi pointed at Lan Zi and said, "She called me early this morning, insisting that I pick her up and bring her here to you." I glanced at Lan Zi and smiled, saying, "Are you trying to conduct a surprise inspection on me this early to see if I brought a woman home last night?"

I disregarded them and pulled Lanzi as we ran straight to the top of the tower. By the time we hurried up the stairs and reached the summit, we were both panting but laughing joyfully. Lanzi and I stood at the railing, with the lush and vibrant greenery of Purple Gold Mountain on our left, while on our right, the countless steel and concrete structures of the city loomed, oppressive and suffocating.

I said nothing and turned to run down from the top of the tower. I rented a telescope on the 7th floor and hurried back up, panting heavily. Seeing me out of breath, Lanzi quietly asked, "Why are you running so fast? Are you silly?" I replied softly, "Because you said you wanted to see."

When my phone rang in the morning, I was still having a spring dream