Aiyu grinned victoriously.
"I have an advantage, you know , Ai yu said feeling nostalgic . When I was younger, my dad used to take me camping in the mountains whenever he could spare some time. I guess it paid off."
Just then, Xiao Yiheng approached, his curious eyes glancing over at Aiyu's handiwork.
"Aiyu, did you do that all by yourself?" he asked, impressed.
Aiyu nodded, her cheeks turning slightly pink. "Yes, Yiheng, I did it myself."
"Nice," Yiheng replied, flashing a warm smile.
"I thought you might need some help, but it seems you can handle it just fine."
Zhao Mei suddenly appeared, perhaps not coincidentally, at Yiheng's side.
"Yiheng, I'm really struggling here. Do you think you could help me?" she asked, feigning innocence with a playful twinkle in her eyes.
A burst of laughter erupted from Lin Siyu, who couldn't resist making a taunt. "Here comes the invader."
Yiheng smiled kindly at Zhao Mei.
"Of course, I'll help you," he said, turning to Aiyu before he left. "I'll be right back."
Aiyu watched them walk away, her heart feeling strangely heavy. She couldn't help but wonder if she was overthinking Yiheng's kindness towards her. After all, he was always a kind person, always ready to lend a helping hand to anyone in need.
"He's just naturally caring," Aiyu reminded herself quietly. "Maybe I'm reading too much into it. Maybe he's just being his usual self."
As the night grew darker, Aiyu couldn't help but steal occasional glances at Yiheng and Zhao Mei. They worked together effortlessly, sharing laughs and smiles. Aiyu sighed, feeling a mix of envy and confusion.
But as she continued observing Yiheng, she noticed something. His kindness wasn't limited to just Zhao Mei. He helped Lin Siyu set up her tent as well, and even offered assistance to other campers nearby. Aiyu realized that Yiheng's caring nature wasn't exclusive to her. She was just one of the many people he genuinely cared about.
She thought she had been worried about something that didn't need worrying. Yiheng's kindness wasn't a reflection of his feelings towards her, but rather a part of who he was as a person.
As she finished setting up her stuff, she turned to see Yiheng, his kind eyes meeting hers.
"Hey, Aiyu," Yiheng called out, his voice filled with warmth. "Need any help? I'm all caught up now."
Aiyu smiled, grateful for Yiheng's offer trying to restrain herself . "Thank you, Yiheng, but I'm all set. I appreciate it though."
Yiheng returned her smile, understanding in his eyes. "Alright then. Just let me know if you need anything."