Chapter 2222 - 2423: The Ancient Town in a Corner

He suddenly felt a bit at a loss. If Fatty Hu Lai was making a fuss, he could just glare at him. But now the whole class was raising their hands, saying they wanted to hear him sing. If he couldn't even fulfill this simple request, wouldn't he seem too unremarkable?

It's worth noting that this activity was personally organized by Li Weiwei. If someone else were in charge, they might not have given them such a big face. If it weren't for his organization, with everyone's varied opinions, it would be hard to unify them, leading to potential disagreements.

Everyone was giving him face, so he had no choice but to accept such a small request.

Suddenly, he stood up with a smile and said, "Since that's the case, it's hard to refuse such warm hospitality, so I'll sing one casually."

"Good, good, good..." Everyone cheered in unison.

Apart from a few people who heard Hao Jian sing at KTV that night, the rest hadn't heard him yet. Hao Jian had always surprised them with miracles, constantly refreshing their understanding of him. Now upon hearing he would sing, everyone looked forward with anticipation.

Hao Jian smiled. Although the equipment on the bus was incomparable to KTV, it still had microphones and speakers. He casually picked a song and started singing. As soon as he opened his mouth, everyone present was instantly amazed.

Hao Jian sang slowly, the audience was completely immersed, looking enamored. After a few minutes, when the melody ended, Hao Jian put down the mic, and the carriage instantly erupted with thunderous applause.

"Well done! Brother Hao sings really well!" Hu Lai took the lead in exclaiming.

Following him, everyone clapped and called out, with Fatty urging Hao Jian to sing another one. But at this moment, Hao Jian waved his hand, saying enough was enough. After all, the first song was unavoidable, but singing another would be less appealing to him, showcasing that his desire for attention wasn't that strong.

Seeing Hao Jian saying enough, everyone refrained from forcing him to do something against his will. With the first song sung, the atmosphere was lively, more talented individuals in the class who excelled at singing and dancing took the stage since Hao Jian didn't want to.

The atmosphere in the car remained lively, with one person after another taking the stage. Several shy girls, coaxed by their peers, also came up to sing. Their voices were pleasant, and they sang well. What was supposed to be two difficult hours passed quickly and happily due to this lively atmosphere.

Gradually, the bus exited the suburbs, and as the roads became narrower, everyone knew they were approaching the destination. Soon, the bus entered an Ancient Town, and seeing the appearance of the Ancient Town, everyone stood up from their seats, knowing they were almost there.

They hadn't fully entered the Ancient Town yet, but the scenery was already captivating to many, with expressions of anticipation on their faces.

Because the Ancient Town implements a road closure system, only local residents' cars and pollution-free vehicles like bicycles are allowed to enter to ensure air quality. Thus, high emission vehicles like the bus stop outside the Ancient Town, and passengers disembark and walk in.

The bus stopped not far from the dedicated outdoor parking area of the Ancient Town. Everyone got off the bus and retrieved their luggage. After disembarking, they stood in the parking lot.

At this point, Zhang Danlin walked into the center of the crowd and loudly announced, "Everyone, follow me. From here, it takes about two to three minutes of walking to enter the Ancient Town. Then we'll first go to the inn, drop off our things, take a break, and then have lunch. Our official activities start in the afternoon."

Upon hearing Zhang Danlin's words, everyone responded promptly. Zhang Danlin led the way at the front, and the group followed her into the Ancient Town. Most boys carried only a backpack containing essential clothes and necessities, while girls brought more items, typically two backpacks.

Therefore, at this moment, most of the boys took on the responsibility of carrying items for the girls. Fortunately, there was no delay due to the girls carrying too much luggage. The group had already moved forward, but Liang Xiaohan was still busy with her luggage.

Hao Jian approached the driver to clarify some matters and confirmed he'd pick them up tomorrow afternoon. Afterward, he left. Seeing Liang Xiaohan still struggling with her luggage, he went over and offered to carry her bags.

Actually, Liang Xiaohan was waiting for Hao Jian. Even if he didn't voluntarily help, she would have asked him to do so, otherwise, what was he there for? Other boys initially wanted to help her with the luggage but withdrew once they saw Hao Jian, leaving Liang Xiaohan alone to manage.

Hao Jian carried her luggage, while Liang Xiaohan carried a backpack, and the two of them quietly walked at the back of the group into the Ancient Town.

As they walked, the view of the Ancient Town progressively became clearer. As the saying goes, the ridge appears like a peak when viewed from the side, and distances and heights differ. In present terms, seeing the Ancient Town from afar and experiencing it within are completely different sensations.

Before entering, the secluded Ancient Town gave off an impression of seclusion. However, after entering and experiencing its atmosphere, it felt even better.

With mountains, rivers, and smoky dwellings, after living a fast-paced city life, experiencing slower-paced life here was quite refreshing.

Despite it being the weekend, there weren't many people around, possibly because it wasn't a long holiday. Besides their group, only a handful of tourists could be seen along the way. The minimal occupancy suited their desires; an Ancient Town was undeniably better when quiet.

Before long, they entered the Ancient Town. Only after entering could its true charm and ambiance be felt more vividly. Since Zhang Danlin had visited while booking the inn and restaurant, she led the way skillfully, quickly bringing everyone to a specific inn.

"Tongfu Inn!" Seeing the inn's name, many instantly recalled the same-named inn from the TV show "My Own Swordsman." However, this Tongfu Inn wasn't the same as the one in the show; it merely shared the name.

First, Zhang Danlin entered, and the innkeeper recognized her immediately. He quickly led everyone upstairs to their rooms to store their luggage.

Zhang Danlin, along with the innkeeper and his wife, guided each student upstairs to their rooms to store their luggage.

This wasn't home, and with so many witnesses, Hao Jian definitely couldn't room with Liang Xiaohan. Besides, gender differences were important to pay attention to, so after putting her luggage away, she would find her room to stay. As for him, he wasn't in a hurry; he'd find his room once everyone had settled in.

Everyone went to store their belongings, leaving Hao Jian alone outside, frowning slightly.

Something was wrong. Li Weiwei drove here separately and arrived early, yet she hadn't appeared. Why wasn't she here yet?

Feeling puzzled, Hao Jian took out his phone and called Li Weiwei. After three or four rings, the call was answered.

"Where are you?" Hao Jian asked, puzzled. "Did you drive here alone and still not arrive?"

Li Weiwei's voice came from the other end: "I arrived long ago, but I seem to be lost, wandering in circles in this Ancient Town and can't find the inn. Have you all arrived?"

Upon hearing this, Hao Jian frowned slightly. Thankfully, the activity wasn't planned by her, otherwise, her tendency to get lost even in a small Ancient Town would have caused chaos if she'd organized the activity.

Sighing, he said, "We're here; everyone is finding rooms to store their luggage."

"Uh..." Li Weiwei hesitated to respond.

Hao Jian said, "Alright, send me your location via WeChat and stay put. I'll come to find you!"

"Um... okay..." Li Weiwei agreed.

At this point, there was no other option. If Hao Jian didn't pick her up, she might remain lost here indefinitely. Little did she know the Ancient Town's roads were so complex, more intricate than in a city, rendering map navigation useless. With one alley after another, and countless turns, she was thoroughly confused.

Despite the embarrassment, letting Hao Jian pick her up was a better alternative. Otherwise, letting students know she got lost would be even more humiliating.

Soon, Hao Jian received a location message on his phone and started navigating towards Li Weiwei's position.

Minutes later, roughly four to five hundred meters from the inn, Hao Jian saw Li Weiwei sitting dejectedly on a stone block.