Another hour passed, and Yang Xiao and his two companions had already reached the halfway point of the mountain. Strictly speaking, reaching this point is considered the "Fifth Station."
Mount Fuji's elevation is divided into stations. The first level is called the First Station, the base of the mountain is the "First Station," and the halfway point is the "Fifth Station." Climbing up from the Fifth Station leads to the Sixth Station, Seventh Station, and so on, up to the Tenth Station at the summit.
Reaching the Fifth Station was already quite an achievement. Ya Shiyin wasn't planning to continue climbing further and intended to have a meal halfway up the mountain while enjoying the scenery here.
Of course, there are no restaurants on Mount Fuji, which is completely different from China. In China, there would be restaurants waiting for you near the summit or halfway up.
These kinds of restaurants are also called "农家乐" (nóngjiālè - farmhouse restaurants). Some are at the base, some are near the summit. They wait for thirsty and hungry tourists to cook for them, luring people in to eat.
However, some people go mountain climbing specifically to eat at these farmhouse restaurants, so there are always customers even without much enticement.
Shinsou Hitoshi wasn't far away and also didn't plan to continue climbing. He was only carrying a thin shoulder bag. Upon arriving here, he opened the bag and took out a bento box, which looked very ordinary.
Yang Xiao put all the bags he was carrying on the ground, then took out a blue cloth from one and spread it out.
Wu Shiyin also came to help, taking out the food and drinks from the bags. They sat near the edge of Mount Fuji, where they could see the endless sea of flowers below.
Toga Himiko took a piece of sushi and put it in her mouth, smiled with satisfaction, then opened a drink and took a few big gulps, exclaiming, "Cool!"
Wu Shiyin was also in a good mood. He took out his favorite Chinese food and started eating. Yang Xiao had bought some hamburgers and other similar food, but because it was cold on Mount Fuji, his burgers were a bit chilly now.
"This stuff isn't as good as sushi," Toga said with some disdain. "Don't you know this is junk food?"
Yang Xiao smiled and said, "But Americans eat this stuff often, and aren't they still strong?"
"You're dreaming!" It was then that Wu Shiyin spoke up. He said, "Americans have genetic and racial differences. If we Asians eat American food like that, the effect will be counterproductive. This kind of food is only good for an occasional treat; eating it regularly is really bad for your health."
Yang Xiao didn't expect these two to have such strong opinions about American food. It wasn't exactly a big issue; perhaps it was just cultural differences. Every country has its good points.
Yang Xiao didn't continue the topic and ate by himself.
They had brought a lot of food and drinks, so it was no problem to sit and eat for an hour. Moreover, there weren't many tourists at the 'Fifth Station'. Looking around, only a few people were resting here.
Most people saw Shinsou and Yang Xiao start eating, and the remaining tourists also sat down. Some weren't as well-prepared and only had a little food.
"Let this beautiful scene last forever, and let all the pain disappear!" A loud voice caught everyone's attention.
Yang Xiao turned his head and saw a man in his thirties wearing glasses standing at the edge, arms spread wide, with a look of despair on his face.
Some people immediately guessed what the man intended to do—he was going to commit suicide.
"Wait a minute!" Wu Shiyin immediately stood up and shouted to the man not far away, "Friend, if there's something troubling you, you can tell me. I run the 'Broken House' and can help solve many problems."
Yang Xiao looked at Wu Shiyin with newfound respect. Although his boss was lazy all day and often had dead-fish eyes, he stood up without hesitation in this situation. For this reason alone, Yang Xiao knew Wu Shiyin was very responsible in certain aspects and was a good person.
The bespectacled man was stunned for a moment upon hearing Wu Shiyin, then turned his head to look over. "Don't joke around. You can't help me with my problem."
"Sir, can you tell us what happened?" a traveler asked.
"Hahaha..." The bespectacled man laughed sharply a few times. "You actually want me to share this kind of thing? Well... I'm going to die anyway, so I don't care about face anymore. Listen carefully."
"I've only been married for a year. I'm very responsible to my family. I work nine-to-five and rarely go out late. But one day I found out my wife was cheating on me with another man... Well, I could forgive that, after all, I love my wife very much. But there's one thing I can never forgive. It's bad enough she did that behind my back, but in the end, even the child isn't mine!"
By the time the bespectacled man said this, Yang Xiao and some others fully understood. This was a tragedy. It's truly tragic for such a thing to happen to a man who just got married. In short, Yang Xiao couldn't stand this kind of thing. It could only be said the woman lacked virtue and was utterly shameless.
"I loved my wife so much, who knew she would treat me like this? Tell me, is there any reason for me to keep living?" The bespectacled man said painfully, taking a step forward. It looked like one more step and he would fall off the cliff.
"Of course there's a reason to live!" Usaki Gin said, taking a few steps forward. "Life is often unsatisfactory. This is just a part of your long life, a small beginning. Since she is such a person, just leave her. Don't be obsessed. A better life is waiting for you. Believe me, I can help you get through this."
Yang Xiao looked at Usaki Gin strangely. He felt Wu Shiyin must have rich life experiences; otherwise, how could he say such things?
Toga didn't say anything, just ate quietly and watched everything unfold.
"Forget it, let's talk about it in the next life..." The bespectacled man clearly had no hope left for this world. He raised one leg, preparing to step down.
Yang Xiao knew if he didn't act, it would be too late. He had to save this person.
"Wait a minute, since you're going to die anyway, can you let me scold you first? I've been a bit upset lately."
Just as Yang Xiao was about to act, Shinsou Hitoshi's voice came from behind. Yes, this guy was here! Then there would be no problem!
"Uh..." The bespectacled man was stunned for a moment, and that foot never stepped down. He never expected someone would want to scold him even in his miserable state. The anger in his heart suddenly surged.
This world was truly full of malice towards him, actually mocking him like this.