"Hey, buddy, you often do outdoor stuff?"
While Jiang Beicheng and Li Xingying were waiting for the helicopter at the Mount Cook helipad, two fellow countrymen approached them.
One guy and one girl. The guy sized up Jiang Beicheng's outdoor gear and struck up a conversation, teasing in a joking tone, "Is that Arc'teryx jacket real or fake?"
Jiang Beicheng gave a polite smile.
He wasn't a fan of flexing in such a tacky way.
Compared to the guy, the girl who walked over caught Jiang Beicheng's attention.
Her figure was about the same as Zhou Yu's.
She wore a black sun-protective jacket, unzipped, revealing a white Descente tank top underneath, her great figure on full display.
"That guy talks way too much, full of himself, and pestered me the whole way here. Watch out for him," the girl whispered as she passed by Jiang Beicheng.
Her voice felt familiar to Jiang Beicheng.
Like someone from back home.
"From Jiangnan City?" Jiang Beicheng asked in their local dialect.
The girl turned around, her eyes widening, and she replied, "Holy crap, I can't believe I ran into someone from home!
Bro, I'm from Rongcheng, but I studied in Jiangnan City for university."
When you're far from home, especially abroad, hearing your hometown accent feels like a warm hug.
The girl sat down with a smile, praising him, "Meeting someone from home here is already rare, but to top it off, you're a total hunk."
This girl had some serious social confidence.
But having lived in Jiangnan City for a while, most girls there were like that.
Bold and fiery.
"Graduation trip?" Jiang Beicheng guessed.
Students who choose New Zealand as a travel destination either saved up their allowance for ages or are squeezing in one last taste of freedom before going back to the grind.
The girl nodded eagerly. "I planned to come to New Zealand after undergrad, but because of the mask situation, I couldn't. Now that I've graduated from my master's, I'm finally making it happen."
Jiang Beicheng said, "Judging by your vibe, you've probably already sorted out a job, right?"
"Bro, are you a fortune-teller or something?" The girl covered her mouth, laughing. "I got an offer last December. Just waiting to pick up my degree next month and start work."
"Congrats," Jiang Beicheng said. "The job's in Jiangnan City too?"
"Yup, bro," the girl replied, politely calling him "bro" each time. "By the way, I'm Wu Keqing.
We could travel back together if you're heading home."
She then turned to greet Li Xingying, who was sitting nearby.
Li Xingying smiled politely in return.
"Jiang Beicheng," he introduced himself.
"Bro, your name's cool. Kinda badass too," Wu Keqing said.
Jiang Beicheng chuckled at her tone. This girl was a social juggernaut.
The guy who had first approached them was now feeling a bit awkward, ignored and left hanging like he'd stuck his face where it wasn't wanted.
He turned to Li Xingying with a smile, extending his hand. "Hi, miss, I'm Chen Qilian. You can also call me Jack Chen. I'm still a student, doing my master's at the Peoples' Friendship University of Russia."
Li Xingying teased, "Qilian, as in 'narcissistic'?"
Chen Qilian laughed, "You got me there."
Li Xingying glanced at Jiang Beicheng, who shook his head. Wu Keqing, with a look of disdain, said, "Jiang-bro, I wasn't kidding, was I?
If it weren't for this being the last helicopter of the day, I wouldn't be stuck traveling with this guy.
You're in for a ride."
Jiang Beicheng nodded with a smile. Wu Keqing's assessment of Chen Qilian was spot-on.
The guy talked too much.
And his sense of superiority was off the charts.
A master's from the Peoples' Friendship University of Russia? Isn't that just a typical diploma mill degree?
How was it any different from the master's he got from the University of Birmingham in the UK?
Jiang Beicheng didn't even like mentioning his own degree, letting others hype him up as some elite who studied abroad in the UK.
But this Chen Qilian guy? He wore it like a badge of honor.
"What's your name, miss?" Chen Qilian asked Li Xingying.
Before she could answer, their guide, George, came over to organize the group for departure.
The helicopter landed smoothly.
The four of them boarded together.
On the way to Tasman Glacier, they admired the stunning views of Mount Cook National Park while George explained the hiking route and safety precautions.
The moment George finished, Chen Qilian started yapping again.
"Are you two a couple?"
Li Xingying shook her head.
In front of strangers, she wasn't sure about Jiang Beicheng's true feelings, so she didn't dare assume anything about their relationship.
After all, Jiang Beicheng had clearly said before that he wasn't planning to get a girlfriend.
Their current status? "Travel buddies."
Or, to be more specific, "travel buddies who've hooked up."
"No way, dude, you're that good-looking and still single?" Chen Qilian said, shocked.
Traveling with another girl? Either single or cheating.
His question was pure gossip.
Jiang Beicheng ignored him.
Chen Qilian kept pushing. "Bro, want me to hook you up with a Russian beauty?
I'm dating one myself—a real Moscow girl.
Let's exchange contacts. If you ever come to Moscow, I'll set you up."
"You're being kinda rude, constantly prying into people's personal stuff," Wu Keqing cut in, fed up. She'd already endured his nonsense the whole bus ride here, and he still wouldn't shut up.
"One of life's greatest joys is meeting old friends in a foreign land. We're all young outdoor enthusiasts—why not make friends?" Chen Qilian said with a shameless grin.
Wu Keqing shot back, "Look at the three of us. Who here seems like your 'old friend'?"
Li Xingying burst out laughing, waving her hand. "Sorry, I couldn't hold it in."
Jiang Beicheng laughed too. Wu Keqing was a master at shutting people down.
Chen Qilian, embarrassed, didn't want to engage with Wu Keqing anymore. He figured he'd have more in common with another guy and started talking to Jiang Beicheng about Moscow girls again.
"Bro, I'm telling you, Russian girls are stunning. Amazing skin, great figures, and they're super into guys from our side. A lot of them dream of marrying over here."
Jiang Beicheng was done listening to his bragging and shallow worldview. He fired back, "With your credentials, the best you're getting is a third-rate girl, right?"
Chen Qilian froze.
Had he overplayed his hand and run into someone who saw through him?
He went quiet.
For the next ten minutes of the flight, Chen Qilian didn't say a word.
He just occasionally smiled and nodded at Jiang Beicheng.
When the helicopter landed at the starting point of the Tasman Glacier hike, George began preparing the gear and helping the team put on crampons.
Jiang Beicheng, already experienced, put on his crampons quickly. While George was helping Chen Qilian, Jiang Beicheng assisted the two women with theirs.
That guy was a handful.
Constant complaints, to the point where even George was frowning and shaking his head.
Once the trekking poles and other gear were sorted, George led the group out.
Wu Keqing walked beside Jiang Beicheng, curious. "Jiang-bro, what did you mean by what you said earlier? It actually shut him up."
Li Xingying looked at Jiang Beicheng, equally curious.
Jiang Beicheng explained, "He thinks he's seen the world, and his superiority comes from his limited perspective. But his ignorance just makes him look foolish.
With Chen Qilian's credentials, do you really think he could land a top-tier Russian girlfriend?"
Wu Keqing and Li Xingying looked puzzled, still not quite getting what Jiang Beicheng meant.