Showbiz Scandal: The Official Announcement of My Ex and Myself-Chapter 433: The First Snow of 2002

Yu Xia indeed didn’t get to see that blue-capped bird.

After a nap, she felt energized and took her camera out to capture some scenery and sneak in a few shots of Xie Qingci as well.

Seeing how focused she was with the camera, Xie Qingci leaned in from behind, glanced at her camera, and then proceeded to teach her.

His hand covered hers; it was a true hands-on lesson.

The girl from the neighboring tent, who had been waiting to watch the sweet scene unfold for a long time, peeked over to catch a glimpse of them.

"Oh my gosh, so sweet! He’s hugging her from behind, and his chin can rest perfectly on top of her head."

"He even took off his jacket and wrapped her in it. This is peak sweetness!"

"His fingers look so nice... Oh! That guy just snuck in a kiss!"

"That guy seems so attached to his girlfriend; he sticks to her like glue no matter where they go."

As she watched, she thought about approaching them to become friends. But the couple opposite bobbed around outside their tent for a bit before heading back inside.

They didn’t come out even when the tent lit up later that evening.

Another girl, pretending to pass by casually, made a big loop and returned, excitedly grabbing her friend’s hand:

"That guy was reading aloud in English! His voice is so damn charming!"

"What about the girl? The girl?"

"She hasn’t made a sound, maybe this is like a bedtime story?"

With them at bedtime, it seemed impossible to become friends. So, they buzzed with excitement for a while before retreating to their own tents.

In early spring, the mountain nights could truly convey what brisk spring chill meant. The previously gentle breeze turned biting, making the tent sway slightly as the temperature dropped steeply.

Xie Qingci pulled down the blackout layer, zipped it up, sealing the tent completely. Inside the small space, a moon lamp cast a soft glow, placed right next to Yu Xia.

The English reading had long stopped, and surrounded by his jacket, they were embracing and kissing.

In the quiet, warm, and comfortable environment, it was particularly suitable for lingering kisses that touch the soul.

Yu Xia was somewhat lost in the intimacy, kissing him like she’s tasting candy, occasionally nibbling, her hand squeezing Xie Qingci’s ear.

Her peculiar way of kissing amused Xie Qingci, and his hand came to rest on her waist.

Feeling ticklish, Yu Xia couldn’t resist laughing, twisting and collapsing onto the pile of clothes. Xie Qingci followed suit and leaned over to watch her.

Yu Xia stared at his eyebrows and eyes, her fingers moving like playing a piano, tapping from his brow to his nose bridge, then sliding down to the corner of his mouth.

When she finished her antics, Xie Qingci slowly lowered his head.

Only their lips met, fleeting, again and again.

Just as the mood was right, a bizarre ringtone suddenly sounded from the phone.

"The first snow of 2002 arrived later than in previous times—"

Both were stunned.

Yu Xia was the first to react, coughing once, stretching out to grab the phone with her extended hand, and the ill-timed ringtone finally ceased as she nonchalantly answered the call.

"Hello, Brother He."

In the absolute silence of the space, He Ci’s voice could be faintly heard.

"Am I not interrupting you? It’s already ten p.m."

"...So you realize it’s already ten, huh. What’s up with the late-night call?"

He Ci spoke with a trace of excitement: "Of course there’s something up! Although you’re out enjoying yourself, I’m stuck here swallowing my resentment while working overtime, but I wouldn’t interrupt someone without reason..."

Yu Xia interrupted him: "Could you get to the point?"

"Alright, I’m calling to bring you good news. Thanks to my persistent efforts, you’ll be able to join a reality show about romance in a month."

She raised an eyebrow, exchanged a glance with Xie Qingci, whose eyes lit up, clearly interested.

"Well, thank you for your hard work, Brother He. I’ll send you a big red envelope when I return."

He Ci, "Alright, so where are you now? At your brother’s?"

She nodded indifferently, but what she said was completely opposite to He Ci’s guess: "I’m on a mountain."

He Ci was momentarily speechless: "On a mountain???"

"A mountain—a free, towering, and all-embracing mountain."

"...I must have been mad listening to your nonsense at this hour. The message is delivered, goodbye!"

Listening to the dial tone, she turned to look at Xie Qingci, spreading her hands: "He doesn’t believe it himself."

Xie Qingci pointed at her phone: "That ringtone?"

"Oh, that’s the special ringtone I’ve set for Brother He. The moment I hear it, I know it’s him. Doesn’t the weary, melancholic vibe of this song just fit him perfectly?"

He opened his mouth, then lied smoothly with a straight face: "Yes, it fits perfectly."

With that, the two of them stared at each other and finally couldn’t resist bursting into laughter. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

Lying back on the inflatable sleeping mat, Xie Qingci rested an arm behind his head, feeling delighted: "Finally, a job I like."

Yu Xia gazed at the tent’s roof and said, "Don’t be too excited just yet. Dating reality shows have different categories, and appearing on one that tests character isn’t necessarily easy. We didn’t even ask about the specifics—no idea how they’ll film it."

"No matter how they film, I’m just happy. Our chances to work together are rare, and this alone is precious."

She turned her head to look at the handsome face so close, and after a moment said, "Alright, I’m actually a bit excited too."

Xie Qingci nibbled on her earlobe: "Just a bit?"

"...Alright, quite a lot."

Together, they chatted about the reality show, teased each other for a bit more, and finally quieted down with the mountain breeze.

Layer upon layer of down jackets covered the sleeping bags, Yu Xia found it hard to keep her eyes open, and Xie Qingci kissed her brow gently and said, "Sleep."

Before completely drifting off, various thoughts swirled in Yu Xia’s mind.

Love is a topic full of possibilities, indifferent to age, status, or knowledge—each person’s true self surfaces in love, sometimes unexpectedly sweet or tender, sour or sharp.

Back then, she imagined that if she was with Xie Qingci, their life might consist of her earning a living while he did academic research. Perhaps she’d sit on the sofa after work asking about his thesis progress. Thinking back, it seems amusing.

But now, their daily life consists more of Xie Qingci taking care of her. Perhaps in the future, after work, they’ll return home together, with him just finishing cooking, and they’ll discuss acting skills over dinner.

Such times seem pretty good.

With someone you love, doing work you enjoy, it’s already more blissful than most lives.

As these thoughts mingled, she fully drifted into sleep.

The morning curtain was drawn by chirping birds and mountain winds; sunlight chased away the night, vigorously rising above the horizon, lighting up the entire mountain.

Yu Xia was dug out by Xie Qingci, dressed forcefully, sitting at the tent’s entrance watching him dig for wild vegetables with a small shovel.

After about half a minute, her eyes closed again. When Xie Qingci called her, she opened her eyes as if nothing happened: "Huh, are you done digging?"

Xie Qingci: "...I was asking if you’d like to join?"