That “every day” from Sun Wenqu really made Fang Chi uncomfortable.
Not for any other reason, just because he himself couldn’t come home every day. Thinking of how this idle, good-for-nothing slacker could casually say he’d visit daily, while Fang Chi missed his grandparents so much it hurt but had to hold it in, it made him feel unbalanced.
But when he looked up and saw Grandpa and Grandma smiling so happily, he pushed the feeling aside for now, eating while tossing bones and scraps to Xiaozi.
The dog spent half the meal squatting behind him, so every few bites Sun Wenqu had to glance back to check if he needed to scoot away.
After the meal, Sun Wenqu’s phone rang. It was Ma Liang: “Eating at your son’s house, done yet?”
“So you found out.” Sun Wenqu laughed.
“Bad uncle tailing the nation’s little flower, watched the whole thing,” Ma Liang chuckled. “We’re going to the boats now.”
“Mm, I’ll come then.” Sun Wenqu hung up the phone and looked at Fang Chi. “You going over as guide?”
“No need, it’s just a little waterfall.” Fang Chi tidied the table as he spoke. “Once you go over and come back it’s about an hour. Only when going into the mountains do you need a guide.”
“You’re making money pretty easy.” Sun Wenqu said.
“Then go ask your leader, if I don’t go into the mountains, does he dare take you people in?” Fang Chi said unhurriedly.
Sun Wenqu returned to the guesthouse. The group had already packed and were about to board the boats.
“Where’d you run off to!” Li Bowen came up as soon as he saw him, looking worried. “Talking about fasting, you fasted this long.”
“What, shouldn’t I fast at least until you’d eaten?” Sun Wenqu smiled, taking the bag Ma Liang handed him.
He didn’t even want to carry this bag after stuffing in the clothes he’d brought to change. It had everything in it, all bought by Li Bowen, sleeping bag and all, but it just felt annoying to him.
Li Bowen had always been like this since they were kids. Everyone thought the two of them were very close, and Li Bowen was indeed very good to him. But only he himself never felt it; always thought it was like an act.
“On the boat!” the leader shouted from the riverbank. Three iron boats belonging to villagers were moored by the bank, a few girls already laughing and yelling as they hopped on.
Li Bowen wanted to pull him onto the front boat together, but Sun Wenqu pretended not to see, turned and got on the last one with Luo Peng.
Once everyone was seated, the boatmen started upstream. The boats ran on diesel motors, roaring loudly. Sitting in the stern, Sun Wenqu felt the buzzing numb his neck.
At a tributary downstream of the little waterfall, the three boats pulled up side by side by the bank, and everyone began jumping ashore.
The boat’s gunwale was rather high, and the water deep; even close to shore, when someone jumped down, the boat rocked badly. The boatmen steadied them with their long iron poles in the water.
Once most had gotten off, Sun Wenqu followed behind Ma Liang, ready to go. Just as one leg was on the gunwale and the other leaving the deck, someone from the neighboring boat jumped across. Not landing steadily, he pushed off with a foot on Sun Wenqu’s side before stopping.
With the sudden extra weight, the boat tilted sharply, and Sun Wenqu felt his balance tipping outward.
“Sh*t!” he yelled, squatting down fast and clutching the gunwale hard, barely keeping from pitching straight into the river.
“Don’t jump back and forth!” the boatman shouted. “Just get off directly, don’t hop around!”
“Bowen, you rabbit!” Luo Peng shouted from shore. “Hurry down, what the h*ll are you jumping for…”
Cold sweat covering him, Sun Wenqu turned to see Li Bowen walking toward him with an apologetic face. He couldn’t help blurting out: “Are you f*cking poisoned or what?”
“The other side was slow,” Li Bowen scratched his head, embarrassed. “I thought I’d get off here. You okay?”
“What if I wasn’t?” Sun Wenqu said, kicking off the gunwale and jumping down.
“If you’d fallen, I’d definitely have jumped right after you.” Li Bowen landed behind him.
Sun Wenqu said nothing, straightened his clothes.
“What are you doing, you scared me half to death!” Zhao He ran over and leaned on Li Bowen. “The boat’s so unsteady and you still jump? This isn’t summer. Fall in and it’d be freezing.”
“No big deal, at least Wenqu didn’t get knocked in. I just…” Li Bowen chased after Sun Wenqu with his phone. “Wanted to show you this picture of you.”
Sun Wenqu glanced at the screen: a profile shot of him sitting on the boat looking at the scenery. “You took that?”
“Mm.” Li Bowen patted the camera bag on his shoulder with a smile. “Pretty artistic, right?”
“Better than your old stuff.” Sun Wenqu nodded. Li Bowen had always liked photography, but never really studied it; just switched cameras every year, each fancier than the last.
“There’s more, I synced a few to my phone, take a look.” Li Bowen swiped through, mostly shots of Sun Wenqu, a few of Ma Liang. They were indeed decent; even Ma Liang’s irritated face looked cool. He swiped on. “That’s all.”
“Wait.” Just as Li Bowen was about to put away the phone, Sun Wenqu grabbed it. “What was that one just now?”
“Which one?” Li Bowen asked.
“The one after Liangzi wiping his nose.” Sun Wenqu flipped back.
“When did I wi– wipe my nose?” Ma Liang clicked his tongue.
“He means the one you were touching your nose,” Li Bowen said. “Behind that.”
Sun Wenqu flipped and found it, then quickly swiped again, pointing at the next photo. “What’s this?”
“Mushroom,” Li Bowen looked puzzled. It was a macro shot of a little mushroom under dead leaves, a white stem, red cap. “Why?”
“Isn’t this the kind your dad talked about?” Sun Wenqu stared at it. “When we were kids, said if you found one, wishes would come true?”
“…Yeah.” Li Bowen laughed. “You still remember that? Doesn’t have to be exactly this one. My dad was teasing us. Just coincidence.”
“So it really exists…” Sun Wenqu shoved the phone in front of Ma Liang. “Look, the red mushroom I told you about.”
“Pre-pretty,” Ma Liang said, then muttered, “The one you used to al-always look for? Always, always… couldn’t forget?”
“Mm.” Sun Wenqu nodded, returned the phone, then after a pause asked: “Bowen, where’d you take this?”
“Right here,” Li Bowen said. “When I came two months ago. But not on today’s route, it was on Auntie’s hiking path. Back then without a guide, we didn’t come this way.”
“Oh.” Sun Wenqu didn’t say more.
Some childhood memories stay sharp for a lifetime, the longer ago, the clearer.
That little red mushroom had left a deep impression on him, not just because Uncle Li once said it could grant wishes, but because for two or three years he’d been obsessed with finding one.
He’d had so many desperate wishes then, no more calligraphy practice, no more painting, no more pottery. And… that his parents would stop fighting.
But he never found one.
So his parents still fought. And when they weren’t fighting, they had nothing to say. Except for New Year, his dad didn’t even come home.
So they really do exist, these little red mushrooms.
Though not quite like he’d imagined.
Shame he had no wishes left now.
All he had was a fixation on the thing he could never find.
The waterfall wasn’t far from the bank. Following the little stream upstream less than a kilometer, they reached it. The water was clear, the fall quite pretty, just small.
Still, everyone was excited, splashing across.
Sun Wenqu crouched on a big rock watching. After a while he got up, paced by the trees, then squatted back down on the same rock.
“Looking for mushrooms?” Ma Liang came up.
“No.” Sun Wenqu said, squatting back down.
“Doesn’t look convincing.” Ma Liang laughed.
Sun Wenqu smiled too. “If there was one here, I’d pick it for you. Got any wishes?”
“You got one? If not I can… can… find one for you.” Ma Liang said.
“Me…” Sun Wenqu stared at the waterfall for a long while, then jumped down from the rock. “Don’t know. Maybe just… to live life over again.”
Ma Liang patted his shoulder, said nothing.
After half an hour at the fall, the leader gathered them to head out, ready to start the main leg of the trip.
“We’ll drive up the mountain next, on the old road. Never repaired, rough and full of forks,” the leader explained as they walked. “Stick with the lead car, if you stop, check with them first.”
“Brother Liu’s so naggy,” one girl muttered.
“No choice. If something happens, I’m responsible.” The leader said. “That’s why without a local guide I’d never take you in.”
“That guide looked like just a kid, is he really reliable?” someone asked.
“Don’t worry. The kid’s been rock climbing since grade school, and he’s a veteran outdoorsman,” the leader laughed. “Plus he grew up here, he’s been over every corner.”
Back by the river, Sun Wenqu was surprised to see Fang Chi standing by the boats, chatting with the boatmen.
“How long you been here?” the leader called.
“A bit,” Fang Chi replied.
“You lot just got in and he’s already here,” one boatman said. “We locals don’t need boats for these paths.”
“See that?” the leader grinned, smug. “We spent ages on the water, and he just walked straight here.”
Sun Wenqu was genuinely surprised. On the boat he hadn’t seen any trail on shore. Fang Chi, without even biking, running around all day, must’ve trained some secret method.
They rode the boats back to the village, grabbed the cars, and set off into the depths of the mountains.
Fang Chi sat in the back, giving directions to driver Ma Liang, pointing out bends, warning of potholes, noting a protruding rock on the left.
“You know this place like the back of your hand,” Ma Liang said. “Better than GPS.”
“Walked it every day as a kid.” Fang Chi said.
Sun Wenqu, in the passenger seat, had been silent. Now he turned back: “Hey, I gotta ask you.”
“Mm?” Fang Chi looked up.
“There are mushrooms in these mountains, right?” Sun Wenqu asked.
“Yeah, not many,” Fang Chi said. “Almost gone now. You want to eat mushrooms?”
“Ever seen a… little red-topped mushroom?” Sun Wenqu gestured. “Should’ve brought that photo Bowen took.”
“Don’t eat them, poisonous.” Fang Chi said.
“I didn’t say eat. I asked if you’ve seen one.” Sun Wenqu frowned.
“No. The ones you see are ugly, gray and rough.” Fang Chi replied.
Sun Wenqu fell silent.
The old road up was bumpy, some places landslides, very narrow. After a while Ma Liang switched, letting Sun Wenqu drive.
“He drives, don’t worry,” Ma Liang said. “No license ten years, licensed ten years.”
“I really am a prodigy.” Sun Wenqu nodded.
It hadn’t been ten years without a license, but three or four. Back in his early twenties when he was car-crazy, constantly driving around, he had more experience than Ma Liang.
They finally parked by a sloping earth house, likely a resting spot for villagers in the mountains.
“Cars can’t go farther,” Fang Chi jumped down. “Grab your gear, check your stuff.”
Sun Wenqu stayed in the car, tugging at his pack. At the falls it had felt heavy, he wanted to toss out some useless things.
“What are you doing?” Fang Chi came over.
“Lightening the load.” Sun Wenqu said.
Fang Chi said nothing, lifted the bag, checked it over, then pulled out a few bottles of water and tossed them in the car.
“There’s spring water to drink, right?” Sun Wenqu slung the bag, much lighter now.
“You’d dare drink it? There are villages upstream.” Fang Chi said.
“Then why’d you take my water out?” Sun Wenqu glared at him.
“Drink mine,” Fang Chi shot him a look. “If you can’t even carry such a light pack, this is the only way…”
“Then what are you gonna drink?” Sun Wenqu pressed.
“I drink the mountain water,” Fang Chi sighed. “Been drinking it over ten years, I’m used to it.”
Sun Wenqu didn’t reply. When everyone started heading into the mountains together, he caught up behind Fang Chi, lifted his pack, and muttered in a low voice: “D*mn, fourteen-year-old kid, you carrying a bomb pack or what?”
“Keep your head down and watch your step, talk less,” Fang Chi said. “If you only walk, it’s two hours to camp. If you walk and look and take photos and gush about it, it’s more than three hours, assuming none of you run into trouble.”
“Sh*t,” Sun Wenqu instantly felt exhausted just hearing that. “Can I go back and wait in the car…?”
“And you claim you hit the gym two hours a day,” Fang Chi said, walking ahead, his voice laced with disdain. “Must be going there for coffee.”
“Wrong, it’s to check out shirtless old dudes.” Sun Wenqu grinned.
Fang Chi suddenly turned his head to give him a sharp glance, then swung back and strode on.
Sun Wenqu didn’t catch up. He walked cheerfully with the others, chatting along the way.
The weather was cool now. In the mountains the temperature was still fine at this hour, but at night it’d probably be quite chilly. Luckily the sleeping bag Li Bowen bought looked like a warm one.
Though he worried about the cold, the scenery really was beautiful. Barely into the mountains, the landscape had already completely changed.
This Crow Ridge, calling it just a ridge was modest, one peak linked to another, with dense highland forest on one side, and on the other, wide-open valleys appearing from time to time, with fields and scattered houses below.
“Wow, so beautiful!” Zhang Lin shouted from behind. “Tomorrow’s sunrise must be amazing, right, handsome?”
“Yeah!” Luo Peng answered right away.
“Shameless!” Zhang Lin laughed and cursed. “I was asking the little guide.”
“Depends if you can get up,” Fang Chi said. “There’s a bigger platform up ahead where you can see the view, good for photos too. Some photography buffs come just for that.”
Sun Wenqu hadn’t brought a camera. He figured it was just another mountain trip, he’d holed up in the mountains for three years before, not much different.
But when they reached the scenic platform Fang Chi mentioned, he felt a bit of regret. This wasn’t the same dirt and hills he saw every day.
The moment he stepped up, it was like a scroll unfurled before his eyes. Afternoon sunlight poured into the valley, trailing the shadows of white clouds, and only when he turned did he see a small hidden river flashing as it wound through.
“Really is… pretty d*mn beautiful,” Ma Liang said at his side.
“Mm.” Sun Wenqu nodded, raised his phone, and snapped two shots.
Those with cameras took turns clicking wildly at the valley, then lined up to stand on the platform for portraits.
Watching from the side, Sun Wenqu chuckled: “Can’t believe nobody brought a silk scarf.”
“Ah! Wenqu reminded me!” Zhang Lin immediately dug into her bag and pulled out a shawl. “No scarf… but I’ve got a shawl!”
“Got a silver bracelet?” Sun Wenqu teased. “With little bells on it?”
“Shut up!” Zhang Lin draped the shawl around herself. “Bowen! Take one for me, has to be extra artsy and literary style.”
“Got it.” Li Bowen raised his camera.
Sun Wenqu laughed for a while, then glanced around. The group had scattered, some climbing rocks, some clambering up old trees at the forest edge. He dropped his pack and wandered around too.
After circling twice and nearly tripping on a rock, he still didn’t see Fang Chi.
“Good thing I bought hiking boots,” Sun Wenqu muttered when he spotted Ma Liang also wandering nearby. “Otherwise I’d have killed myself falling.”
“Without these shoes you wouldn’t even make it here,” Ma Liang clicked his tongue, squatted, and lit a cigarette.
“Mind the environment,” Sun Wenqu gestured around. “How rare to see old forest like this.”
Ma Liang didn’t reply, just pulled out a little tin box and tapped the ash into it.
“Where’s my kid gone?” Sun Wenqu crouched down too.
“Went… over there,” Ma Liang pointed ahead. “Guess scouting the way.”
Sun Wenqu stood. “I’ll go check.”
“Che– check what, flowers to ruin, maybe,” Ma Liang laughed.
The uneven ground left no time for banter. Sun Wenqu just shot him the finger over his shoulder and kept on.
Before long the trail bent into forest, damp rocks underfoot, trickles of water running between them.
Just as he was wondering where Fang Chi had slipped off to, he looked up and saw smoke rising under a tree ahead.
Hiding here to smoke?
“Fang Chi?” Sun Wenqu called, heading over.
“What.” Fang Chi’s voice came from ahead.
“What’re you hiding here for?” Sun Wenqu saw him then, standing by a big tree, cigarette in his mouth, face turned slightly to the side.
“Taking a piss.” Fang Chi frowned.
“Yeah right.” Sun Wenqu laughed. The stance didn’t look like that at all. At least face the tree. He remembered Fang Chi at his courtyard wall last time too, same excuse, “taking a piss.” “You just say that whenever you don’t know what else to say, don’t you?”
Before Fang Chi could reply, Sun Wenqu stepped up, reached over, and plucked the cigarette from his lips. “So young and already smoking.”
Fang Chi glared but said nothing.
“You…” Sun Wenqu noticed something off in his expression, tilted his head to look forward, and realized: “You really…”
Before he finished, Fang Chi’s elbow shot up under his chin.
