Leisurely Traveler with Check-in System

Chapter 78: Chapter 77: Overnight Stay

Although there was a bit of hassle, sleep must still go on.

It’s indeed a bit awkward now.

The camping lamp for charging lights up inside the car, illuminating Zhizhi’s dripping hair tips, along with a soaked pillow she holds in her arms.

The sound of raindrops hitting the car roof is so dense it makes one anxious, as if countless hands are desperately pounding.

”You can rest in the back for a while,” Li Younan pointed to that two-meter large bed, trying to make his voice sound natural, as if he was saying something completely ordinary.

She immediately shook her head, shaking off a few water droplets from her wet hair: ”No... no need! My car is right there!” Her finger poked at the car window, pointing to that blurry pink shadow outside in the rain, her tone very determined, ”I’ll just go back to my own car!”

”Well... okay.” Li Younan nodded and didn’t try to persuade her further.

At times like this, forcing a girl to squeeze into a bed with a man she just met a day ago, no matter how one thinks about it, it’s inappropriate.

Li Younan turned around to get her an umbrella—though in this kind of rain, an umbrella is probably just psychological comfort.

”Hey...” She suddenly called out briefly, her voice a bit urgent.

Li Younan stopped and looked back at her.

She held the wet pillow, fingers unconsciously picking at the soaked fabric of the pillowcase, her gaze quickly darting to that comfortably made large bed, then swiftly lowered her eyelids, staring at her muddy sandals.

Her lips moved a few times before Zhizhi squeezed out a mosquito-like hum: ”...The rain is too heavy now, I’ll... I’ll go when it gets lighter.”

Outside, the rain was pounding so hard that heaven and earth were in chaos, not just lighter, there wasn’t even a sign of it stopping.

”Hmm.” Li Younan responded again, not exposing her.

Her own little car... well, it indeed could avoid the rain.

After all, if she insisted on returning to her car, Li Younan could simply drive his car over to hers.

But sleeping over one night...

Haha, with the trunk full of stuff in that little car, that space... that experience...

Li Younan turned over and climbed onto the rear large bed, the drawer was designed to be opened from the top, and he opened it to search for the spare umbrella.

When Li Younan stood up with the folding umbrella, he noticed she was perched on the seat. No longer staring at the sandals but slightly tilted her head, her eyes were looking at that spacious, dry, stable bed.

Her sleeping bag was still damp and bundled at her feet like a resentful rag.

Time passed by the second, only the sound of raindrops on the car roof getting louder. She tightened her arms around the wet pillow and then relaxed, sandals uneasily rubbing against the water stains spreading on the car’s carpet.

Li Younan found it amusing, Zhizhi’s tangled little appearance was like a kitten trapped in the rain, wanting to get close to the warm fire but afraid of getting burned.

Finally, she seemed to make a huge decision, suddenly lifted her head, her cheeks flushed bright red with embarrassment, even the tips of her ears were completely red. Her eyes dared not look at Li Younan, just stared intently at the backrest of the passenger seat, her voice light and fast, with a little tremble: ”Brother Li... well...”

She took a breath, speaking so quickly as if afraid she’d regret it, ”Can I... can I just... just occupy... occupy a small corner of the bed?”

She quickly glanced at Li Younan, then immediately lowered her head, fingers tightly twisting the wet pillowcase, ”I have a sleeping bag, I’ll curl up on the side! Definitely... definitely won’t take up space! As soon as the rain gets lighter... I’ll leave immediately!”

Looking at her in this state, that sense of superiority from the soul’s tent had long been washed away by the storm, leaving only the most instinctive, craving for dryness and warmth, twisted by the girl’s modesty and unfamiliarity with a recent acquaintance into this pitiful appearance.

”Sure,” Li Younan tried to make his voice sound casual, ”The place is big enough, feel free to occupy.”

”Really?!” She suddenly lifted her head, her eyes instantly brightened, the little bit of forced grace dissolved into a silly smile, ”Thank you, Brother Li!”

She almost immediately started moving.

”Wait...”

”?”

”Your sleeping bag and pillow are so wet, don’t bring them over, they can’t be used for sleeping anymore, just leave them on the passenger floor mat, I have new ones here.”

Since the storage space in the drawer was big enough, Li Younan had two unused sleeping bags and several inflatable pillows, one set of sleeping bags was for winter, not quite suitable, the other set was thin.

Li Younan flipped out the sleeping bag and handed over a few disposable bath towels. Zhizhi took them, then wiped her wet hair and took off her sandals to dry her feet.

”But I probably won’t need these things... As soon as the rain gets lighter, I’ll leave...”

”It’s still pretty cold,” Li Younan just said casually.

”Well... well, thank you then.”

The rain-soaked jacket also got wet, but luckily she had a small camisole under it, and the skirt didn’t get too wet. She took off her jacket, folded it neatly, and placed it on her sandals.

Afterward, she carefully bypassed the seat and climbed onto the back’s large bed.

She truly only picked the narrow window side corner, shrinking herself, trying hard to curl into the smallest possible ball.

She tucked herself into the sleeping bag, only revealing a pair of bright eyes, softly said, ”I’m ready! Brother Li, you can rest now!”

Li Younan reached out and ”clicked” off the camping lamp.

The car plunged into darkness instantly, only the instrument panel emitted a faint glow, and the sound of raindrops on the car roof was magnified, becoming the sole background music.

Li Younan could see her silhouette curled up in the dark corner, small and unmoving, like an animal finally finding a dry burrow, the tense body line slowly relaxing into the darkness.

Li Younan felt at ease, a sense of satisfaction from having done a good deed.

Awesome, another small act of kindness.

...

Daylight streamed through the car window mesh, bringing a unique post-rain crispness.

The wet and musty air inside the car had faded considerably, leaving only a cool and refreshing hint of grass mingled with earth.

Li Younan opened his eyes, Zhizhi’s little corner, the sleeping bag folded neatly.

Pushing open the car door, the morning air after the rain rushed in, crisp with a hint of sweetness, the distant mountains washed clean and vibrant.

Zhizhi was squatting beside her tent that had been through a lot, carefully shaking off water droplets from the tent fabric.

She had already changed into clean clothes, her hair was again tied into a spirited high ponytail, the sun shining on her side profile, last night’s panic had vanished without a trace, returning to her slightly stubborn look.

”Morning, Brother Li.” Hearing the noise, she turned around, showing a smile, a bit embarrassed, ”Last night... thank you.”

”No problem.” Li Younan moved a bit, ”The rain was really heavy.”

”Yeah,” she stood up, looking at her soaked, collapsed, mud-stained ’soul’ tent, her little face scrunched for a moment but soon relaxed, with a touch of reckless cheerfulness, ”Let it dry in the good sun!”

With two people working together, the task was quicker. Dismantling the tent, shaking off water, separating the wet fabric and poles to dry on the grass.

Once it was mostly tidied, Li Younan took a drink of water, gazing at the distant, mist-shrouded mountain silhouette, ”I plan to head to Huang Mountain next, are you local?”

Li Younan’s original plan was to ask her some questions if Zhizhi was a local.

”Huang Mountain?” Zhizhi was struggling to stuff the half-dry tent fabric into a storage bag, upon hearing raised her head suddenly, ”I’m going too!”

”You’re going too?” Li Younan was a bit surprised.

”Yes!” She nodded vigorously, putting in the last bit of tent fabric, tightening the bag, clapping her hands clean, ”I’m not a local either, also traveling, just right I’m headed there too! Plus...” she paused, ”I’ll treat you to a meal! Must treat! For last night... and the tent, it’s too much trouble for you.”

Before Li Younan could decline, she added quickly, her speed picking up, with an undeniable kind of declaration: ”Brother Li, don’t be fooled by how I look...”

She pointed at the trouble-ridden tent, her face slightly flushed, but immediately she raised her head again, ”I’m really good at climbing mountains! Hiking equipment, route planning, I’m really knowledgeable, I could be your guide! You won’t lose out.”

Li Younan didn’t react.

”Brother Li, although you’re a guy,” she purposely emphasized ”guy,” ”don’t be surprised, climbing mountains, you might not... be able to beat me!”