The three friends walked for about two hours before reaching the cave entrance. When they reached the cave entrance, they encountered a beautiful scenery. An open green landscape, a seascape that has never been touched by humans.
Zhao Renshu laughed excitedly, "Ha...ha...ha...now, this is worthy of the free fall and the life-threatening situation." He chuckled and put his hands on his hips.
Guo Baiyu, "I don't understand why you find this interesting." Zhao Renshu's attitude annoyed him.
Zhao Renshu shrugged, "Why not? All we can do is make the most of it."
Guo Baiyu looked away from Zhao Renshu.
Zhao Renshu continued, "It's not bad to sleep in the open." He stood next to Ping'an's right. Rubbing his left shoulder on her right shoulder. "Remember? The sky is my roof and the ground is my bed." He smiled, flirting with her with his eyes.
Guo Baiyu frowned, "Ridiculous." Gou Baiyu walked away and walked towards the cliff.
Zhao Renshu teased, "Are you committing suicide because of my ridiculousness?"
Guo Baiyu looked at him with a blank expression, "The only way out is to go down the cliff to the coastline. We can walk along the coast. There should be villages nearby."
Zhao Renshu walked to Guo Baiyu. He stood next to Guo Baiyu, stroked his chin with his left thumb, and checked the cliff.
Zhao Renshu laughed and said, "I don't think a scholar boy like you will plan an escape route." Zhao Renshu gave Gou Baiyu a challenging eye contact.
Guo Baiyu, "Ridiculous." He walked back to Ping'an.
Zhao Renshu walked towards Ping'an and Guo Baiyu. He don't like the way Guo Baiyu's attitude towards Ping'an. He walked back, smiling and flirting with Ping'an with his eyes.
On the other hand, Guo Baiyu did not like Zhao Renshu's attitude towards Ping'an. Guo Baiyu didn't like the he always flirted with Ping'an. He raised his head and there go Zhao Renshu again, rubbing his right shoulder on Ping'an's shoulder and flirt with Ping'an with his eyes. What he hates most about Zhao Renshu is that he can make Ping'an smile and speak freely. Then he grabbed Ping'an's left hand and pulled her down to sit next to him.
Zhao Renshu noticed Guo Baiyu's action.
Zhao Renshu shrugged both his eyebrows, "Now who is being ridiculous?" He gave Guo Baiyu the evil eyes. "I'll be back in a bit." Zhao Renshu despaired into a wood.
Ping'an noticed the awkward situation between the two men. She sat down next to Guo Baiyu, looking at him, and she felt the situation was rather similar. She thinks this has happened before. Sitting on a beautiful mountain and watching the sunset. Yes, that's it. This is her imagination of the first kiss scene, not the first underwater kiss trying to escape from two-headed angry monsters. She somehow finds it romantic sitting beside Guo Baiyu. She knew that she could not be with Guo Baiyu. There was a famous saying: "You should know your condition and don't put a flower on cow's dung". Sitting side by side, the two used to be stranger hasn't said anything for a long time. The first person to speak is Ping'an.
Ping'an, "Childe Gou, why are you here?" Guo Baiyu turned to her. "I mean, up there... Should you be resting at the Gou resident?"
Guo Baiyu, "I am here because you are here." He was avoiding eyes contact.
Ping'an feels as if she is walking on cloud nine. The joy was too much to express. This is the most caring word anyone has ever said to her beside Zhao Renshu's travel invitation.
Ping'an, "So, you came all the way from Peace Town..." She smiled shyly.
Guo Baiyu, "I was worried about your safety." He turned to face Ping'an and this time he looked directly in her eyes.
Guo Baiyu was approaching Ping'an. Their two nose tips almost touched each other. Ping'an's heart beating very fast. She heard her inner thoughts "My first romantic kiss" repeated over and over again. She made up her mind that if he wanted to kiss her, she would let him.
When Zhao Renshu approached from the woods, He saw that Guo Baiyu was too close to Ping An, and was about to kiss her. He quickly walked towards the two people, "What are you two doing?"
Zhao Renshu voice shocked Ping'an and Guo Baiyu, and then they quickly separated.
Zhao Renshu threw two dead rabbits to the ground with a loud thumps.
Zhao Renshu looked at Guo Baiyu angrily, "Why don't you make yourself useful and go get some firewood instead of sitting there."
Guo Baiyu let out some heavy breaths through his nostrils. He was very angry. He have not see anyone as annoying as Zhao Renshu. He decided to be the better man. He completely ignored Zhao Renshu by looking the other direction.
Ping'an, "I'll go gather the firewood." Ping'an stood up.
Zhao Renshu, "No need."
Zhao Renshu disappeared back into the wood. About thirty minutes later, Zhao Renshu walked towards Guo Baiyu and Ping'an holding some firewoods. He put the firewoods on the ground and built a bonfire. He skinned the two rabbits and removed their internal organs, then he began roasting the two rabbits. Zhao Renshu sat opposite Guo Baiyu and Ping'an. He refused to look at the two people sitting on the other side. He was disappointed and angry.
Suddenly, Ping'an groaned in pain. She put her two hands together, then she knelt down and began to pray. The two men looked at her at the same time, shocked. Zhao Renshu recalled the conversation they had back in the temple. Zhao Renshu showed signs of relief, and Guo Baiyu stared at Zhao Renshu with those eyes that he somehow casted a spell on Ping'an.
Guo Baiyu was worried about safety, but he did not dare to disturb her.
Zhao Renshu stood up and walked to Guo Baiyu. He sat down beside him. He handed one of he rabbit to Guo Baiyu. Guo Baiyu grabbed the rabbit with his left hand. Zhao Renshu noticed the scar on his palm.
Zhao Renshu was in shock, "Hey... What is with that scar?" He stared at Guo Baiyu.
Guo Baiyu, "What about the scar?"
Zhao Renshu, "How long did you have that scar?"
Guo Baiyu, "Since birth. Why?"
Zhao Renshu chuckled, "Just asking. Did you know that Ping'an have it too, but on both palms?"
Guo Baiyu, "How do you know?"
Zhao Renshu raised his eyebrows, "She has shown it to me. She told me that on the fifteenth days of every month, her scars will burn, and she will feel that her hands are on fire. Praying to Buda can relieve some of her pain."
Guo Baiyu, "So, this is what she is doing right now right?"
Zhao Renshu, "Yep. That's why I am not worry." He glanced at Ping'an. "By the way, we have never really introduce ourselves. The name is Zhao Renshu."
Guo Baiyu, "Guo Baiyu." He spoke with a soft calm voice.
Zhao Renshu, "Do you think it's kind of weird that the three of us met? Also, the scars on ours palms made it more weird."
Guo Baiyu, "What do you mean?" Guo Baiyu avoided eye contact with Zhao Renshu, hoping that Zhao Renshu would get the idea and stop talking to him.
Zhao Renshu scoffed and said, "I mean, do you think this is weird? Can you just answer the question?" He knew that Guo Baiyu wanted to avoid him by not making eye contact. Guo Baiyu's attitude bothered him, but he persisted. "Don't bother saving your portion for her. She will not eat it."
Guo Baiyu said with a blank face, "How do you know she won't eat it?"
Zhao Renshu, "It's because I am very close to her and I know her very well." He gave Guo Baiyu a mocking stare.
Guo Baiyu said without looking at Zhao Renshu, "The two of you had only known each other for two days, how does that make you close to her?" He still spoke in a calm voice.
Zhao Renshu, "You might known her before me, but I am certain she is closer to me than you." He laughed.
Guo Baiyu looked the other way, "Having this conversation with you is pointless." He knew that Zhao Renshu was teasing him so he ended their conversation by meditation.
Zhao Renshu, "Hey, what is so pointless about it?" He laughed because he knew he won the battle.
Ping'an stopped praying at about midnight. She turned to the two men. She saw an area covered with banana's leaves, and Zhao Renshu was already asleep. Guo Baiyu is still putting more firewood to maintain the fire. Ping'an stood up and walked to Guo Baiyu. She sat in between Zhao Renshu and Guo Baiyu.
Guo Baiyu, "You must be hungry?"
Ping'an nodded.
Guo Baiyu, "Childe Zhao said you don't eat meat today." He handed one banana bunch of twelve to Ping'an. "I got you these while you are praying. How are you feeling now?"
Ping'an nodded, then break one banana from the bunch and pealed the banana, "Better." She turned around and looked at Zhao Renshu who was already asleep. "I wish I could be like him." She looked at Zhao Renshu. "Able to fall asleep in this situation." She took one bite of the banana.
Guo Baiyu, "Childe Zhao said not to get out of the circle he drawn. This is to protect us from evil spirits. He insisted that we sleep on the ground, but I think banana leaves are better."
Ping'an giggled, "Childe Guo, you can stop calling Renshu childe. He once told me that he did not grow up in a wealthy family, nor did he live in a big house and was not fed by a silver spoon. He is not anyone young master. He gets angry when people call him a child or a young master."
Guo Baiyu, "Why do you call him by name?"
Zhao Renshu tossed his body to his right side and with his eyes closed, "Because I told her she can."
Guo Baiyu rolled his eyes, "Were you pretending to be asleep?" He frowned. "Ridiculous."
Zhao Renshu, "I closed my eyes, you assumed I was asleep."
Guo Baiyu ignored Zhao Renshu. He turned to Ping'an. "From now on, call me Baiyu."
Ping'an was caught off guard, "Heh!"
Guo Baiyu said firmly, "Call me Baiyu."
Zhao Renshu laughed suddenly and lay on his back: "Ha...ha...ha...ha...ha...!" He laughed so hard that he had stomach cramps. He sniffed in the air a few times, "I believe I smell vinegar." He continued to laugh with his hands on his stomach.
Guo Baiyu let out a big deep breath through his nostrils.
Ping'an looked at Guo Baiyu, then at Zhao Renshu and smiled while eating the banana. The two men noticed that she was smiling and became suspicious.
Zhao Renshu stopped laughing and asked, "Why you look so happy, heh?" He sat up.
Guo Baiyu turned his head to look at Ping'an and he continued to ignore Zhao Renshu.
Ping'an said amusingly, "I think...If you two work together, the combination of the two of you will be perfect."
The two men gasped and said"No! I will never work with him!" Their faces faced each other, and they rolled their eyes at each other for about two minutes, then looked away.
Ping'an, "Think of it this way. Renshu is full of life, a very easy-going person and friendly. He is quick-thinking and always willing to help others. Turn the worst situation into an advantage gain. He is willing to give stranger a chance."
When Ping'an praised Zhao Renshu, he smiled at Guo Baiyu and raised his brow. He provokes Guo Baiyu every opportunity he get.
Ping'an, "The downside is that he never thought before speaking. Sometimes what he says can be offensive. He is a hot head. Everything is fist come first talk later." She turned to Guo Baiyu. "Childe Guo...."
Zhao Renshu's smile soon disappeared. He smiled disappointedly and shook his head.
When Ping An looked at Guo Baiyu, he was angry.
Ping'an swallowed her saliva down and tighten her lips, "Sorry, Baiyu is the exact opposite. He is smart and have a well maintaining manner. He think before he speak. He has a good observation of his surrounding environment. The downside is, he keep everything inside. He won't talk to anyone unless they approach him. This makes it difficult for people to approach him and makes people feel unwelcome." She smiled at the two men. "Your weakness is the other's strength. That's why I said, the combination of the two of you is perfect."
Zhao Renshu felt insulted, "You made is sound like we are a perfect couple?" He looked at Ping'an and Gou Baiyu.
Ping'an, "That was not my intention."
Guo Baiyu, "What is your intention?"
Ping'an, "I express my opinion."
Zhao Renshu, "I don't know about him, but I don't like men." He seemed very angry. "Don't try to get me to connect with him."
Ping'an bit her lower lip, "My intention is to help the two of you understand each other better. I really hope you two become friends and stop with the mind war."
The two men reached out and held her hand at the same time.
Both men turned to Ping'an, "I like you."
Ping'an's jaw dropped rolled her eyes between the two men.
Zhao Renshu bends back behind Ping'an. He stretched out his right hand and pushed Guo Baiyu's left shoulder, "What do you say?" He stared at Guo Baiyu.
Guo Baiyu looked at Zhao Renshu, "I ... I like her." He stared back at Zhao Renshu.
Ping'an held the two men's hands together, "I am not stupid. I can tell you two likes me. To be honest... I am very happy. Who wouldn't be happy? But I can't like you back like the way you like me."
Guo Baiyu, "Why not?"
Ping'an smiled at Guo Baiyu, "Because you are the young master of the Gou's family. If you are going to get married one day, then your bride will be some upper high class-lady. If she is not from a wealthy family, than she would be daughter of a high rank official."
Guo Baiyu sat there expressionless. He knew what she meant.
Ping'an, "You on the other hand. I can't promise to venture far and wide with you because I have responsibility to take care of my grandma. Until she passes away. I cannot think about myself or be selfish."
Zhao Renshu: "I don't want to talk about this now. As long as you know that we both like you, let us end the conversation." He smiled faintly. "It's time to sleep. We need to get out of here."
The morning sunrise awakened Gou Baiyu. Two hours after Guo Baiyu woke up, Zhao Renshu woke up. The two men decided to let Ping'an sleep longer as they gathered as many vines as they could find. They tied the vines together form a long rope. They threw the vines down the cliff. The vines touched the bottom.
Zhao Renshu, "One of us must go down first. I think I will go down first."
Guo Baiyu, "You want to check the surrounding area to see if it's safe?"
Zhao Renshu, "You can read mind now?" He laughed.
Guo Baiyu, "Honestly, I have never met a person as annoying as you before."
Zhao Renshu, "Now you have met one."
Guo Baiyu turned his back to Zhao Renshu and started to walk away.
Zhao Renshu shouted, "Stop!"
Guo Baiyu turned around with the same expressionless face, "I don't have any more business with you."
Zhao Renshu insisted, "We need to talk."
Guo Baiyu, "I nothing to say."
Zhao Renshu walked closer, "We do. Ping'an."
Guo Baiyu rolled his eyes away from Zhao Renshu, "What about her?"
Zhao Renshu: "You like her, I like her. What are we going to do?"
Guo Baiyu took a breath, and the exhaled, "She can choose who she want to be with."
Zhao Renshu questioned Guo Baiyu trustworthiness, "What if you take advantage of her?"
Guo Baiyu sighed angrily, "The most likely person to take advantage of her is you. Look at your behavior around her." Guo Baiyu has always been a righteous person since childhood, so Zhao Renshu's words greatly offended him.
Zhao Renshu smirked, "Fine! Fine! I will behave more proper to her from now on since you don't like it. Let us make a deal. Until she choose one of us, there will be no advance in any kind of activities. For example, kissing, hugging, deliberately being alone with her, or even having sex with her." Zhao Renshu paused to catch his breath. He giggled and teased Gou Baiyu, "If there are such activists, then we do it together. Deal?"
Guo Baiyu looked at him then shook his head in disappointment.
Zhao Renshu continued with his proposal, "Within three years, we cannot be jealous of each other. We will respect each other. When the three years arrangement is over, we will also respect her decision. We don't need to tell her about it..."
Guo Baiyu, "Deal."
Ping'an asked from behind, "No need to tell me what?"
The two men turned around facing Ping'an.
Zhao Renshu was caught off guard, "Nothing. It's just that there is only one banana left." He reach inside his shirt and took out a banana. Smiled at Ping'an and Gou Baiyu. "I was suggest that we lie to you, that we have already eaten."
Guo Baiyu showed a smile.
Ping'an smiled at the two men, "You can keep it. I am not hungry. Let's get out of here."