Whoever Falls in Love First is the Dog - Chapter 32

Chapter 32: “Chen Yanxing, I Really Like This… I Like This Feeling So Much.”

Even though Shen Mengke tried to be sneaky and walked ahead while Chen Yanxing wasn’t looking, she ultimately lost to her own lack of stamina.

She sat on a rock by the roadside, fanning herself with her hand, smiling as she watched Chen Yanxing approach.

Still young and energetic, Chen Yanxing quickly caught up with her, even though Shen Mengke had gotten quite far ahead.

Standing in front of her, Chen Yanxing handed her a bottle of mineral water with the cap already opened.

Shen Mengke took it and drank a big gulp.

They sat under the shade of a tree. As Shen Mengke tilted her head back to drink, the shadows of the leaves danced on her neck, rising and falling with her swallowing. For some reason, Chen Yanxing thought that this neck was perfect for wearing something—something that could bind her, but not too tightly.

“Still have the strength to climb? Sit down and rest a bit.”

Shen Mengke scooted over a little and made room. The stone wasn’t big to begin with, and squeezing two people onto it made them sit extremely close, almost uncomfortably so.

The temperature was rising rapidly. Shen Mengke’s face flushed from the heat.

She suddenly stood up, turned her back to Chen Yanxing, and faced the vast sky in the distance, taking a deep breath.

“Why did we choose to go hiking in the summer?” she asked, turning around.

Chen Yanxing smiled. “It’s cooler up on the mountain.”

Cool or not, they still had to climb up. The fatigue and heat of the climb mixed into their sweat, only to be carried away by the wind.

For the rest of the hike, they stopped competing and simply climbed together, chatting and taking photos along the way.

Shen Mengke had never thought she could talk so much with someone. They talked about the mountain, its history, the Taoist temple where Chen Yanxing had once stayed. Then they talked about everything—stars, the moon, the earth—so much that the climb didn’t feel tiring anymore.

With the anticipation of a surprise at the summit and a companion who could match her pace and support her, Shen Mengke suddenly realized—she might actually enjoy hiking.

“Do you believe in Buddhism? I think I’ve seen you wear prayer beads before.”

Just as they were nearing the summit, they took a break and sat down by the trail again.

“Honestly? No. And I don’t have prayer beads.”

“But I saw you with a string of beads before.”

“I gave it away. If you like it, I can ask for another one from the temple next time I go.”

Shen Mengke shrugged. “Belief or not—I’ve never thought about it. But if you don’t believe, why ask for one?”

“I may not believe, but if I’m giving it to someone, then it matters. If it’s been blessed, it’ll protect you.”

Shen Mengke chuckled but didn’t say more.

After a brief silence, Chen Yanxing stood up. “Let’s go. We’re almost there.”

Shen Mengke followed. But just as Chen Yanxing was about to step forward, she said, “You don’t have to trouble yourself. Look at me—I don’t lack anything. No need to go through the hassle.”

Chen Yanxing turned and smiled. “It’s me asking, not you. Why would it be trouble?”

“Let’s go. Don’t you want to see the surprise at the top?”

Of course, Shen Mengke did. She had been thinking about it all day.

In fact, even someone like Chen Yanxing, who hadn’t been in Jiangcheng for long, knew that this mountain had a popular bungee jumping spot—but Shen Mengke didn’t.

Even though she had lived in Jiangcheng for years, it was as if she never went out or socialized.

At first, Chen Yanxing only suspected it, but after seeing Shen Mengke’s surprise and her instinctive step backward, she was certain—Shen Mengke rarely went out, maybe even rarely went online.

But isn’t a celebrity supposed to live on the internet?

Though she was curious, Chen Yanxing didn’t ask further. Instead, she watched Shen Mengke’s mix of excitement and fear with amusement.

“You said you’re not afraid of heights, remember?” she teased.

Shen Mengke smiled, looking up into the wind. “But you didn’t say it would be bungee jumping!”

It really wasn’t hot at the summit. The wind was strong and blew their hair until it tangled together.

“It’s tandem,” Chen Yanxing said. “If you’re scared, you can hold me tight.”

“Why would I be scared?” Shen Mengke took a step forward, looking at the couple ahead of them. They were clearly in love—holding each other, whispering intimately—and then they jumped together.

Cheers and screams echoed through the valley, and Shen Mengke heard the man shout, “Yaoyao! Marry me!”

His voice, full of excitement and hope, was carried by the wind to everyone around. Everyone could feel his nerves.

Another gust of wind blew, and the man’s voice rang through the valley again. Shen Mengke thought—they probably made it.

In a place so free, in a moment of racing hearts, such a promise must feel weighty and real.

Her eyes grew damp, but just then, Chen Yanxing grabbed her hand.

Shen Mengke came back to her senses and saw Chen Yanxing pointing to the canopy—it was their turn.

“So… this is the surprise you mentioned?” she asked while the staff helped them gear up.

“Not enough?”

Shen Mengke pursed her lips and thought for a moment. “Well… it feels less like a surprise and more like a scare.”

“Ha.” Chen Yanxing laughed. “So you admit you’re scared?”

The wind on the mountaintop was fierce, making it hard to talk. But when she heard that, Shen Mengke smiled. “Kid, reverse psychology won’t work on me.”

“Whether it works or not,” Chen Yanxing took her hand and said, “Let’s jump from here and let all our sorrows be blown away by the wind!”

There was a unique carefree spirit to Chen Yanxing—like nothing in the world could bother her.

What’s the worst that could happen? Life still goes on.

Shen Mengke looked at her and smiled silently.

Soon, they stood on the bungee platform, facing each other. Chen Yanxing opened her arms. “Big star, if you’re scared, just hold on tight.”

Shen Mengke thought she wasn’t afraid. After all, during filming, she had been suspended mid-air on wires from tens of meters up.

But this wasn’t acting. The only thing securing her was a rope. As she stood at the edge and looked down, the winding mountain paths became faint lines lost in the forest.

The trees below were lush, but the summit was barren and rocky. One misstep could be disastrous.

She instinctively closed her eyes. She was always like this—whenever something involved even a hint of danger, her mind raced to the worst-case scenario.

She stood there, looking down, and Chen Yanxing assumed she was mentally preparing herself.

“Shen Mengke, look.”

Hearing her voice, Shen Mengke looked up to see Chen Yanxing raise her hand, blocking the sun.

The sunlight leaked through her fingers, and Shen Mengke squinted against the brightness.

“What am I looking at?”

“Are you hot?” Chen Yanxing suddenly asked.

Shen Mengke shook her head. Not only wasn’t she hot—she was a little cold from the wind.

“We’re closer to the sun here, but it’s not hot. Why do you think that is?”

Suddenly, Shen Mengke understood her metaphor. She laughed. “Alright, stop with the weird analogies. Let’s go.”

“Then hold me. I’m scared.”

And so, Shen Mengke hugged her.

In truth, Shen Mengke was scared. She’d never liked adrenaline-filled, risky activities.

The world turned upside down, and the feeling of weightlessness surrounded them.

Shen Mengke shut her eyes tightly, her heart pounding as if it would burst out of her chest.

“Shen Mengke, open your eyes and look!”

Chen Yanxing’s voice rang in her ears.

She slowly opened her eyes. The fierce wind brought tears to her eyes, but she saw the path they came from.

They were soaring into the open valley—like two free birds.

“You’re Shen Mengke!” Chen Yanxing held her tightly. “What are you afraid of?”

She responded by hugging her even tighter.

Shen Mengke didn’t say a word. She let the tears fly off into the wind—not knowing where they would land.

If they reached the ocean, it would be like returning to their source; if they landed at the roots of some plant, perhaps they would nourish it; if the wind carried them to all corners of the world—what an honor that would be.

The bungee cord reached its limit—stretching tight, then rebounding.

Her heart pounded like drums, shaking her eardrums.

Shen Mengke gradually lost sight of Chen Yanxing, of the landscape. She let this wild experience, this unstoppable wind, carry her tears away.

With the wind wiping her tears, she no longer needed to hide.

Clinging to each other tightly, feeling each other’s warmth through thin clothes—they became each other’s only source of heat in the cold mist.

They bounced and dropped again and again in that upside-down world. Everything felt unreal—except the sun and Chen Yanxing’s smile, which merged and carved themselves into Shen Mengke’s heart.

She realized she had been wrong. She still didn’t like the exhausting boredom of hiking. But maybe she liked doing thrilling things—with Chen Yanxing, someone so bold and unrestrained.

Only in these extreme moments could she truly let go, as if her body no longer belonged to her, and her soul was free to wander.

That kind of freedom was enviable—so much so it could drive one mad with jealousy.

When they finally returned to the ground, Shen Mengke’s legs were still weak, but she was elated.

Her face and eyes were red, glowing with light.

“Chen Yanxing, I really like it. I like this feeling so much.”

Chen Yanxing looked at her and smiled, saying nothing.

Being a celebrity was just a shell. From the moment she debuted, that shell was formed. She could only decorate it with pretty stickers to appear well-rounded. But no one cared about what was inside.

She had been suppressed and restrained for so long, this sudden freedom left her buzzing with joy.

On the cable car down, Shen Mengke was still excited. But on the car ride home, she fell asleep.

Night had fallen. Street lights flickered across her face through the window. The flush from earlier had completely faded.

Chen Yanxing slowed the car down. After this, they would head to Yuncheng, and Shen Mengke would return to work.

She foolishly thought that avoiding home could make the happiness last longer. But total freedom only brings fleeting joy—it disappears in the blink of an eye.

When the car stopped in the garage and everything went dark, Chen Yanxing glanced at the sleeping Shen Mengke in the passenger seat. As if under a spell, she gently took her hand.

Shen Mengke frowned slightly but didn’t wake. Emboldened, Chen Yanxing leaned down and placed a soft kiss on the back of her hand.