The first three days of the holiday were spent entirely at home by Liu Buli. He didn't know where to go, nor did he have anything specific he wanted to do. At times, he just wanted to sleep soundly, because only in dreams did he have the possibility of meeting that man again.
No matter how long he slept, the man's figure remained elusive. Even when held in his arms, struggling to lift his head, he could never clearly see the man's face.
It was as if a piece of his heart had been hollowed out, destined to prevent him from seeing the other's face clearly. No matter how hard he tried, that man would always be a mirage to him, an unattainable existence.
Yet, even so, he was still willing to chase that indistinct shadow. Because only in the process of chasing did he feel a sense of being alive.
Seeking the taste of life in dreams.
He was truly, hopelessly foolish.
Liu Buli cursed himself inwardly, yet in the end, he couldn't change his habit of continuing to sleep and search.
It wasn't until the morning of the fourth day that he finally realized he had spent almost three days sleeping, and finally realized he truly couldn't sleep anymore. Only then did he pack his bags and leave home.
He couldn't figure out where to go.
However, as Brother Zhang had suggested, treating this rare holiday as an opportunity for travel didn't seem like a bad idea.
The city he lived in had no sea. While there were many rivers and lakes, he had no intention of visiting any.
Liu Buli pondered for a long time, and finally, while looking at a map, his gaze settled on a mountain.
He had been to that mountain a few times before.
To be honest, that place, like other scenic spots, held no special, memorable recollections.
Because no matter which scenic spot he visited, he went alone. Even when he joined his colleagues for team-building, though they were indeed harmonious, Liu Buli knew his mind always drifted away from them, out of sync.
He was accustomed to this life and didn't feel anything was wrong with it. At least, no one had truly entered his life yet, and he hadn't truly cared about anyone.
Of course, that was excluding the man in his dreams.
Thinking of that man, Liu Buli felt a little happier. He didn't know why he felt this way; he just felt that by getting closer to the mountain, he might be getting closer to that man.
He wasn't some primitive living on a mountain.
It was truly laughable to have such a strange thought.
He constantly mocked himself internally, yet his steps showed no hesitation. Even the luggage he prepared when leaving was the same, clearly indicating he was prepared to spend these few days camping on the mountain.
The mountain was not far from his apartment, so he arrived just around noon. Perhaps because it was a rare and decent natural scenic area, he saw many typical tourist attractions at the foot of the mountain.
In the past, upon seeing vendors soliciting customers, Liu Buli would always steer clear of them, to avoid them approaching him.
But this time, when he saw the shops renting out ancient costumes for tourists to take photos, Liu Buli paused and his steps unconsciously led him towards them.
He knew he was beautiful, but he had never liked taking photos. Because even mementos could only be of himself, and he felt that was meaningless.
If his large apartment were filled with his own photos, it would only appear more empty and lonely.
Even though Liu Buli didn't care much about this loneliness, he didn't want it to be too obvious. So, he himself didn't understand why he was approaching a shop he had never approached before. Perhaps it wasn't the shop itself, but simply because the ancient costumes hanging at the entrance gave him a sense of inexplicable familiarity.
A sense of familiarity with ancient costumes?
He hardly watched ancient costume dramas, and he couldn't even recall the attire of the man in his dreams. At most, he read some cultivation novels, but the clothes in cultivation novels shouldn't evoke such a strange sense of familiarity, should they?
Liu Buli shook his head.
Before he got completely close to the ancient costumes, he persuaded himself to stop, then turned back to the path leading up the mountain.
His route was different from ordinary tourists; it was the path favored by hiking enthusiasts. Because most of these mountains were wild, and only a small part was designated as a scenic area. Thus, by the time Liu Buli reached the halfway point, he could no longer see anyone around.
However, this was the effect he desired.
Being alone made it easier for him to think properly.
Liu Buli actually knew that his physical condition wasn't very good. So, by the time he reached the halfway point, he was already exhausted.
As he sat on the ground to rest, he looked down towards the foot of the mountain for a while. Liu Buli didn't know why, but he felt he shouldn't be like this.
How to put it?
He didn't seem this weak, did he?
It wasn't that he had become much stronger, but even climbing this mountain, even if it were a bit steep, shouldn't have made him feel so tired.
He should have been able to ascend with a snap of his fingers, a light tap on the ground, and he could have soared into the air.
Like in those martial arts movies.
No, it should be fantasy movies.
As he pondered these things, Liu Buli couldn't help but laugh. When had he become so ill that he could even think of such incredible things? He was truly beyond saving.
Perhaps it was because the sun that day was truly pleasant, its warmth on his body feeling exceptionally comfortable, or perhaps it was because he hadn't exercised like this in a long time and was indeed a little tired.
In any case, after sitting by a large tree for a while, Liu Buli couldn't resist closing his eyes and letting himself fall asleep.
This time, his dream was as he wished; he met that man again.
However, the man didn't cry as before. Instead, he held Liu Buli in his arms and told him in a very firm tone to wait for him, that he would definitely come to pick him up.
Why pick him up? Pick him up to return to what place?
Liu Buli wanted to ask these questions, but he couldn't open his mouth to speak.
When the sunlight hit his eyes, his dream ended.
He was still alone, but his heart seemed to be beating a little faster than before.
Liu Buli touched his chest.
Then he let out a light chuckle, murmuring, "Come and pick me up then... you'd better be a little faster."