The Withered Tree Always Welcomes Spring chapter 80

Extra 2: Cruise Trip

The river flowed quietly between the towering cliffs of the canyon. Under the summer sunlight, the rock walls were dark, appearing exceptionally mysterious and oppressive.

However, Shen Jixue didn’t have the chance to see such a magnificent view with his own eyes. At this moment, he was lying on the double bed in the cruise ship’s room, with Chen Xian gently patting his back as he vomited uncontrollably.

“Are you really that seasick?” Chen Xian was shocked. He had grown up by the Yangtze River and had worked on ships for more than ten years, but this was the first time he had seen someone so severely seasick.

Shen Jixue finally vomited everything in his stomach, curling up weakly in Chen Xian’s arms, barely able to speak.

Chen Xian gently placed him on the bed, poured a glass of water, and then helped him up again. “Here, rinse your mouth.”

Even when Shen Jixue couldn’t see, he had never been this weak. Chen Xian felt heartbroken, thinking Shen Jixue had lost a lot of weight.

“Lie down.”

After Shen Jixue rinsed his mouth, Chen Xian let him lie down properly and then brought a basin of water from the bathroom to wipe his face.

“Did you eat something bad?” Chen Xian muttered. This was the first time he had taken Shen Jixue on a ship.

Shen Jixue shook his head. “Just seasick.”

Right, they had eaten the same food. If it was food poisoning, he would feel sick too. But then he thought, Shen Jixue usually had to work on ships. If he got seasick this badly, how did he manage at work?

“Have you always been seasick? How do you handle it at work?” Chen Xian found it unbelievable.

“My colleagues all know I get seasick. They don’t schedule me for patrols.”

“Then why did you…”

Shen Jixue gave Chen Xian a wistful glance. He wouldn’t proactively tell Chen Xian that he was willing to endure seasickness just to see him, but if Chen Xian asked, he wouldn’t hide it either.

“Because I wanted to see you, so I took my colleague’s shift.”

Chen Xian was at a loss for words. He felt uneasy knowing that all of Shen Jixue’s colleagues were aware of his seasickness, but he himself did not. He just found out that Shen Jixue endured this much just to catch a glimpse of him.

“You…”

Shen Jixue weakly lifted his eyelids. “What can I say? That’s how much I love you.”

Chen Xian couldn’t argue with that. His feelings for Shen Jixue were undeniable; he loved him, but it seemed Shen Jixue loved him even more.

“If you know you get seasick, you should have told me when I suggested this trip.”

Shen Jixue’s lips curved slightly, his brow furrowed. “It’s all Wu Bie’s fault for selling you the tickets. We’ve already spent the money; it would have been a waste not to go.”

The cruise tickets were given by the company, one for each person. Wu Bie had said at the time, “Here, take this ticket and go with that Shen kid. I don’t need it anyway.”

Chen Xian thought it was a good opportunity since he and Shen Jixue hadn’t gone on a trip alone before, and this two-day, two-night cruise was perfect. Wu Bie didn’t want any money, but Chen Xian insisted on paying him.

“The money was my idea. Wu Bie didn’t want it.”

Shen Jixue didn’t want to hear Chen Xian defend Wu Bie. “I know, but we also spent money to upgrade to a double room.”

Anyway, it was all Wu Bie’s fault. Shen Jixue couldn’t blame Chen Xian.

Chen Xian knew that Shen Jixue was uncomfortable, and reasoning with him wouldn’t help. He simply didn’t argue, gently pinching Shen Jixue’s cheek. “When the ship stops at the next port, we’ll get off and not take the ship anymore.”

“That’s not okay!” Shen Jixue’s voice raised, suddenly more spirited. “We’ve already spent the money.”

Spending money was painful enough for Shen Jixue. Wasting it would be even worse. He would rather endure seasickness than see the money go to waste.

“You can’t eat or drink right now. You might end up seriously ill. We’re here to relax, not to suffer. If you’re uncomfortable, we’ll get off the ship. We can have fun in other ways. We don’t have to stay on this ship.”

Shen Jixue was too focused on the money. He couldn’t hear Chen Xian’s reasoning and wanted to argue, but Chen Xian held him down.

“If you ruin your stomach from vomiting, it’ll cost even more to treat it.”

Indeed, mentioning money made Shen Jixue calm down. He rationally compared the costs and quickly made a decision.

“Alright, we’ll get off.”

After explaining the situation to the ship’s crew, Shen Jixue reluctantly followed Chen Xian off the ship.

He disembarked from the ship, turning back angrily to look at the cruise ship one last time, feeling sorry for his money.

“Let’s go.” Chen Xian pulled his wrist, dragging him up the stone steps. “This county has a 5A scenic spot. We can take a stroll there, then find a place to eat. No need to rush back to the ship. We can relax a bit.”

“Does the 5A scenic spot cost money?”

Chen Xian couldn’t help but laugh at Shen Jixue’s question. “Just think of it as supporting the local tourism industry. Two tickets won’t cost much.”

Fine, since they were already here, they might as well go somewhere. Shen Jixue gritted his teeth. Just two tickets, any more and he definitely wouldn’t let Chen Xian pay.

But he forgot that accommodation costs money too. Chen Xian took him to the nearest hotel to the scenic spot. The rooms were scarce and the prices weren’t cheap.

Fine, Shen Jixue gritted his teeth again. They couldn’t sleep on a park bench. This would really be the last time.

But once they entered the scenic spot, Chen Xian wanted to take him to see the monkeys. The monkeys were on the opposite side of the river, and crossing the bridge cost twenty per person. Forty to see some monkeys.

Not only did crossing the bridge cost money, but they also had to buy peanuts to feed the monkeys. Peanuts that normally cost five yuan a bag at a small shop were sold for thirty at the tourist spot.

“We’re already here.” Chen Xian quickly took out the money, and the shopkeeper collected it even faster. Before Shen Jixue could react, a bag of opened peanuts was already handed to him.

Shen Jixue shelled two peanuts and popped them into his mouth. It tasted like money. Then he reluctantly gave a handful to the eager monkeys.

After feeding the monkeys, they continued walking. The 5A scenic spot lived up to its name; the scenery was indeed beautiful. Away from the city’s hustle and bustle, the serene environment made it easy to feel at peace.

“Love stones, fifty yuan a pair, can be made into bracelets.”

Ahead, a crowd of people, mostly young couples, gathered. Shen Jixue wasn’t interested at first, but then the girl selling the stones shouted out.

“Love stones, buy a pair for yourself and your loved one, and it will bless your love to last forever.”

Shen Jixue hesitated, then pulled Chen Xian into the crowd. The so-called love stones were just stones with names engraved on them. Shen Jixue searched until he was sweaty and finally found their surnames. The stones cost fifty yuan, and another fifty to make them into bracelets. This time, Shen Jixue didn’t hesitate and paid without blinking.

They found a less crowded spot to rest. Chen Xian teased, “Not worried about the money now?”

“I know it’s fake, and I don’t really believe in it.” Shen Jixue looked into Chen Xian’s eyes. “I only believe in making things happen myself.”

By the time they left the scenic spot, it was already afternoon. After dinner, the sky began to darken. They didn’t get tickets for the stage performance, so they took a leisurely walk back to the hotel.

Fortunately, their hotel room’s balcony faced the stage below. Though they couldn’t see clearly from that distance, they could still enjoy the atmosphere. Most importantly, the room had a bathtub.

At night, Shen Jixue held Chen Xian in the bathtub, kissing the corner of his eyes, and whispered, “This trip, only the money spent on the hotel was worth it.”