After finishing their impromptu rendition of Blue Lotus, they kicked off their "Youthful Summer RV Road Trip" by dumping all the snacks from their bags onto the table. The four girls munched away as they enjoyed the passing scenery.
Aiyire was the most excited, the most dramatic, and couldn't stop speaking in a cutesy tone the whole way.
"Waaah~ The scenery outside is so pretty-pretty! Cancan, stop the car-car, we wanna take some photos~"
Lin Can: "Okay."
A moment later: "Cancan, stop for a sec, sis needs to pee-pee~"
Lin Can: "Okay."
Then: "Cancan, I see cherries being sold outside~ Sis wants to eat-eat!"
Lin Can: "Okay."
Honestly, if Aiyire weren't pretty, Lin Can wouldn't have tolerated her for even one second.
Among the girl group, Aiyire was the most over-the-top. But since she was attractive, her antics came off as cute—well, at least to guys. The girls, on the other hand, couldn't stand her fake sweetness.
Chu Qingning and Miao Youxi rolled their eyes so hard they almost got stuck. Goosebumps broke out all over.
Sitting across from Aiyire, Qiao Meina had had enough. That baby voice grated on her nerves.
"Aiyire, can you please stop talking in that stupid cutesy tone? It's disgusting. I can't take it!"
"Oh, but you can talk like this too~"
"I can't do it like you, you little b*tch. You're the best at acting all fake."
Chu Qingning and Miao Youxi burst out laughing.
"Cancan~ Sis is so hot-hot~ I want ice cream~ I saw a supermarket by the road~ Can you buy me one~ Pretty please~" Aiyire smugly looked at Qiao Meina, "If you can't stand it, just cover your ears. I'm not talking to you~ bleh bleh bleh~"
"Oh you little—! Sticking your tongue out to taunt me?! I've had enough of you!!!"
Qiao Meina unbuckled her seatbelt, lunged across the seats, and pinned Aiyire down on Chu Qingning, proceeding to give her a "ruthless beatdown."
Among the squad, Aiyire and Qiao Meina were sworn frenemies. Aiyire couldn't beat Qiao Meina, but she always loved to provoke her anyway.
"Qiao Meina, get off! Talk things out, don't use your fists!"
"I'm not a gentleman. I'm a woman. I use fists."
"Ahh~ That hurts! Qingning, Youxi, help me!"
"Anyone who helps, I'll beat them too!"
"Qingning, you're not helping either? Fine! I'll send that video of you in the dorm—shirtless, legs up, playing LoL—to Lin Can!"
"You dare, Aiyire?! I'll kill you!"
"Ahhhhhhh~"
In the driver's seat, Lin Can wore sunglasses, calmly driving as the four girls chattered, bickered, and laughed in the back.
He loved this kind of chaotic, joyful atmosphere.
Chengdu was about 1,000 kilometers from Dali. Miao Youxi's birthday was still a few days away, so they weren't in a rush. They avoided the highways, taking provincial and county roads instead. From Chengdu to Ya'an, they followed the famously scenic G318 highway—one of those "you must drive this road once in your life" kind of places.
They had lunch in Ya'an, spent the afternoon at Bifeng Gorge until 4 p.m., then got back on the road.
Qiao Meina could drive, so she and Lin Can took turns behind the wheel.
Since they were driving slowly and stopping often to explore, it was already 5 p.m. and they still hadn't left Ya'an. The RV was parked beside a beautiful lake.
Lin Can killed the engine, pulled the handbrake, stretched, and walked to the back. He saw Miao Youxi slumped in Chu Qingning's arms, looking drained.
"What's wrong with her?"
Chu Qingning said worriedly, "Youxi's carsick."
"Carsick? She's the one who insisted on the RV trip, and now she gets carsick? Useless."
Already miserable from motion sickness, Miao Youxi heard Lin Can's teasing tone and immediately buried her head into Chu Qingning's chest.
"Qingning, your Lin Can is bullying me~ waaah~"
Smack, smack, smack—
Three girls each gave Lin Can a whack.
Aiyire: "She's carsick and you're still mean to her."
"I'm just teasing. I'll drive slower. Anyway, I'm off to take a leak."
Lin Can walked into the RV's tiny bathroom—right next to them—and soon they heard the sound of peeing, followed by a relieved groan, "Ah~ that feels good~"
The three inexperienced girls immediately blushed. A boy just a thin wall away, peeing loudly and moaning—it was seriously embarrassing.
Aiyire whispered, "Qingning, peeing is one thing, but did he have to be so loud?"
Miao Youxi nodded. "And he moaned, too."
Qiao Meina chomped a duck neck bone with a loud crack. "He's so freaking annoying."
Chu Qingning gritted her teeth. She wanted to kick her little brother. He knew the girls were out here—was he doing it on purpose?
Whoosh—toilet flush.
Door opened.
Lin Can walked out, sat beside Chu Qingning, and grabbed some chips to munch on.
Qiao Meina: "Did you even wash your hands?"
"I did. Smell and see if you don't believe me."
Smack!—hand slap.
"Get that away from me! So annoying!" Qiao Meina leaned back in her seat, crossing her long legs in sheer black tights, swinging her slippers, arms folded. She stared at Lin Can, thinking how ever since that secret trip he made to see her in Shanghai, this little brat had only gotten bolder.
Lin Can: "Let's rest for a bit, then I'll find a restaurant for dinner."
Chu Qingning: "Lunch outside was expensive and bad. We already talked—let's skip restaurants for dinner. We'll buy ingredients and cook in the RV. You good with that?"
Lin Can shrugged. "I don't mind."
Qiao Meina: "Settled then. Also… since we'll be living in the RV for a few days, there's gonna be chores. Let's set some ground rules now so no one complains later. If you agree, raise your hand."
Everyone raised a hand.
Qiao Meina: "Great. So—among the five of us, only Lin Can and I can drive. So we'll handle driving. The other three take care of support duties. Cool?"
Chu Qingning, Miao Youxi, and Aiyire: "Cool."
Qiao Meina: "Who can cook? Hands up."
Chu Qingning and Miao Youxi raised their hands.
Aiyire clapped. "Yay, so I just get to eat!"
"You must be dreaming." Qiao Meina scoffed. "You, Aiyire, are in charge of washing dishes and doing everyone's laundry."
"You want me to wash your clothes? No way!"
"Fine, don't. Go back to your little Western Region. You're not welcome here."
Smack! Aiyire stood up and slapped the table.
"Qiao Meina, you're targeting me!"
"You can't drive. You can't cook. We're already being nice making you do dishes and laundry. What, you think you're some kind of princess we all have to serve? Please."
"You…" Aiyire was fuming, but she really couldn't argue. "Fine! I'll wash."
Qiao Meina was determined to break Aiyire's princess complex. Otherwise, no man could ever handle her—and she'd be the one to suffer for it.
Bossy as ever, Qiao Meina declared:
"Just remember, Miss Aiyire—you're not just washing our clothes and undies. That includes Lin Can's clothes and underwear."
"WHAT?!"
Aiyire was stunned.
Lin Can held in his laughter. Best to stay quiet in times like this.
"I have to wash his underwear too?!" Aiyire pointed at Lin Can. "I'm a girl! How can I wash a guy's underwear?!"
Qiao Meina: "Just consider it practice. When you get a boyfriend and he says, 'Wow, Aiyire, you're so amazing, even washing my underwear,' you can say, 'Of course! I used to wash Lin Can's. I'm a pro.'"
Pfft!
Miao Youxi burst out laughing. If she actually said that, her boyfriend would probably dump her on the spot.
Chu Qingning raised her hand: "I'll wash Can Can's underwear."
He's my boyfriend, okay?! You three are acting like he's public property!
Qiao Meina: "You're already doing too much for Aiyire. You'll be overwhelmed. Let her do it. What, Aiyire, you can't even handle this? Then you really are useless."
Aiyire hated being called useless. She gritted her teeth. "I'll do it. I'll wash! Who says I can't?"
Chu Qingning: "No need, really—I'll do it."
Aiyire: "Shut up! I don't need your help! Your boyfriend's underwear? I, Aiyire, will wash it!"
PFFFFFT—
Chu Qingning nearly passed out from the blood rushing to her head.
Lin Can smiled in satisfaction.
Two girls fighting over who gets to wash my underwear?
Life is good.