Chapter 401: October Team Building

October arrived in a flash. The sweltering summer heat had faded, and the weather in the Imperial Capital grew cooler, filling the entire city with a distinct autumn air.

After a long work cycle, Jiang Xia decided to take advantage of the pleasant weekend weather and take his employees on a team-building retreat to the Suburbs of Beijing to relax.

He chose the well-known Jinhai Lake, a large, comprehensive water park and a famous municipal-level tourist resort. Many large companies held their team-building events there.

At 3:30 on Friday afternoon, a dozen or so large coach buses filled with Qitian Company employees departed from Tsinghua Science Park, heading in a grand procession toward Pinggu District in the suburbs of the Imperial Capital.

Jiang Xia and Lin Yanwan were sitting in the middle of one of the buses. Li Weiya and Zhou Lu were in front of them, and Su Qing and Qiuting were behind them. As for Wang Ming, he sat alone in a window seat, staring blankly at the passing scenery. ℴ

He was feeling very gloomy. ‘Why isn’t Shen Ying here for the company retreat?’ He looked at Jiang Xia and his girlfriend, then glanced at the ambiguously close pair behind him. ‘Everyone else is coupled up, and I’m the only one who’s single and alone.’

“Ying, we’re on our way to the resort for the retreat,” he quietly texted Shen Ying.

At a time like this, only chatting with Shen Ying could soothe the ache of his longing.

“Wow! Where are you going for the retreat? I saw in the group chat that the whole company is going, right?” Shen Ying replied in seconds.

“Yeah, everyone’s going. Old Jiang really splurged this time. We’re going to Jinhai Lake, near the Imperial Capital. I heard it’s a water resort. I’ve never been, but since it’s famous, the environment and facilities should be pretty nice.”

“I’m so jealous! I want to go too! *crying emoji*”

“It’s all Old Jiang’s fault. Why didn’t he plan it when you were free over the summer? He just had to wait until after you went back. He must have done it on purpose! *furious emoji*”

In her dorm room, Shen Ying couldn’t stop smiling. ‘That fool must be thinking of me again.’

“Alright, I know you’ve been working hard lately. Go have fun at the resort and completely relax your body and mind. Take lots of pictures for me. Anyway, if you experience it, it’s like I’m experiencing it too. *kissy face emoji*”

“Hmph. I’m just scouting it out. If it’s nice, we’ll go together next year, just the two of us. We’ll make up for you missing out this time.”

“Okay.”

This was one of the things Shen Ying loved about Wang Ming. No matter what fun things he encountered or delicious food he ate, he would always think of her, share it with her right away, and then make a note of it as a “must-experience” for them.

That way, the next time she visited the Imperial Capital, they could follow the notes in his little book and go on a spree of eating and exploring.

“Fool, how long will it take you guys to get there?”

“Eighty or ninety kilometers, so about an hour.”

“That’s so far.”

“I’m going to get my driver’s license this semester. Then I’ll borrow a car from Old Jiang, and we can go on a road trip together—go wherever we want.”

Thinking of that scene, an inexplicable longing grew in Wang Ming’s heart.

‘Going on vacation with the person you love… that has to be the most romantic thing in the world, right?’

He glanced over at the other seats. With the gentle rocking of the large bus, Lin Yanwan was sleeping peacefully, her head resting on Jiang Xia’s shoulder. A pang of bitterness shot through him.

‘He’d finally gotten into a relationship, so why did things have to be so difficult?’

“Silly, I have class for the second period this afternoon, so I can’t chat anymore. Have fun, okay? Miss you~”

“Yeah, go to class. We’ll talk later when you’re free.”

When no new message came, Wang Ming sighed softly. He opened his camera, aimed it at the passing scenery, and snapped a picture. He planned to document the whole journey so he could describe it to Shen Ying later.

Meanwhile, Li Weiya and Zhou Lu were discussing their preferences and planning how to have fun once they arrived at Jinhai Lake. They had both been exhausted lately. Since Jiang Xia had classes and couldn’t devote all his energy to the company, they were left to manage all matters, big and small.

“I heard from Ah Xia that there’s a horse ranch on the island, plus green fields where you can play golf, do archery, go fishing, and go kayaking,” Li Weiya said curiously. “Lulu, do you know how to do any of those?”

“Me? I’d probably just choose to lie on a lounge chair and sunbathe all day,” Zhou Lu replied with a helpless smile.

She had never been to such a high-end resort. ‘In the world of adults, there’s nothing left but work and sleep.’

“Ahaha, I don’t know how to do any of them either, but I feel like we could give them a try.”

“Try what?”

“Horseback riding,” Li Weiya said. “Galloping across a field with the autumn wind in your face… don’t you think that sounds wonderful?”

“It sounds wonderful, yes, but I hear riding a horse is pretty difficult. If you accidentally fall off, it’ll hurt like hell.”

“Who cares? Let’s just give it a try. Once I get the hang of it, I’ll teach you.”

“I’ll be waiting, then,” Zhou Lu said, unable to stop a chuckle.

Su Qing and Qiuting were also whispering to each other. Ever since Su Qing had carried her on his back to her dorm, their relationship had grown a little closer.

Normally, he and Qiuting would head back to the university together after work. With Si Si and Cui Jiaying busy making videos these days, the two of them were growing closer and closer.

“Brother Su, do you know how to play golf?” Qiuting asked quietly.

“I’ve played a few times, but to be honest, it’s not that fun,” Su Qing said with a smile. “More common sports are more interesting.”

Qiuting was slightly taken aback. She had heard that golf was a sport for the nobility. ‘Just what kind of family does Brother Su come from?’

Seeing her expression, Su Qing knew she was overthinking it. Golf was no longer just a sport for the rich; it had become more accessible to the general public. Anyone who could afford it could go play a round. He had only tagged along with his parents a few times and barely knew how to play, so it wasn’t like he was a real player.

“Then can you ride a horse?”

“I can ride a cow,” Qiuting said seriously after a moment of thought. “I’ve raised several of them. Our cows are very obedient.”

“Then I guess riding a horse feels pretty similar to riding a cow.”

“Really?” Qiuting’s face was full of disbelief.

“I’m just guessing. I’ve ridden a horse, but never a cow, let alone raised one. You’re way more impressive than me.”

“You’re teasing me, Brother Su.”

Qiuting couldn’t help but give him a pouting, reproachful look. ‘One runs fast, and the other walks slowly. How could they possibly feel the same?’

Before long, the convoy of buses arrived at Jinhai Lake. As they took in the sight of the emerald waters under blue skies, the lush green fields, the sea of verdant forest covering the mountains in the distance, and the vast, shimmering lake at their feet, everyone’s spirits lifted.

Jiang Xia gathered the employees. Since it was still early, he briefly went over a few rules and important notices. Afterward, everyone was free to disperse and explore the resort paradise.