Samuel looked at Nicole with affection. Listening to the beautiful song, all the girls on the bus began to
scream.
In Nicole's eyes, however, Samuel was the only one.
He was singing for her!
This was something she hadn't even dared to think about.
She smiled as tears filled her eyes.
After Samuel finished singing, the whole bus was seething.
Samuel said to Nicole, "Honey, I love you. The most romantic thing for me is to spend my life and grow
old with you."
Nicole couldn't suppress her tears anymore as she threw herself into Samuel's embrace and shed
tears of emotion.
"Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!"
The surrounding people began to heckle.
Nicole felt a little embarrassed.
She hid herself in Samuel's arms like an ostrich.
Samuel smiled like a rewarded child. He held Nicole's face and slowly lowered his head.
Nicole felt her heart beating faster, as if it was going to jump out.
She had only had this wonderful feeling eight years ago, when she had still been a teenager. She
hadn't expected to experience it once again today.
She watched as Samuel's face getting closer and closer, and finally, his lips touched hers.
Nicole felt like she was going to get drunk, and she felt so excited.
Here came another round of applause and cheering.
Nicole hurriedly pushed Samuel away and sat down, her face blushing.
Looking at Nicole's red face, Samuel sat down contentedly, his smell enveloping Nicole right away.
The other programs went on, but Nicole had already been distracted.
Her heartbeat was accelerating, and all she could think of was the affectionate kiss just now.
Nicole grabbed the hem of her own clothes like a child, so adorable that Samuel's whole heart just
melted for her.
Samuel held Nicole's hand. This time, Nicole did not break free. They suddenly got the feeling that they
had found the lifetime lover of each other and the moment was going to be eternal.
The journey was boring, especially in Bordeaux. Most of the time, they were on the bus.
After the game, most people were tired. The guide told them to have a break and he would wake them
up when arriving at the destination.
Nicole snuggled up in Samuel's arms, feeling sleepy.
"Take a nap. I'm here."
Samuel said softly.
Nicole glanced at him and knew that Samuel was tired too, but he was still taking care of her feelings.
"Let's sleep together," she gestured. "This is a tour bus. Nothing will happen here. You didn't sleep well
last night, so have a rest now."
Samuel held her hand again and whispered, "It'd be better to be cautious when you go out. After all, it's
a temporary tour team and people don't know about each other. If something happens, we may want
some time to react. I'm fine. I'm not sleepy. Come on, take a nap now. If you feel tired later, you won't
be able to do anything."
Nicole knew what Samuel had said was right, but she was still a little worried about him.
"How about we take turn? You sleep first and I'll sleep after you wake up."
Nicole spoke.
Hearing this, Samuel felt that everything would be all right.
He smiled and shook his head. "I'm fine. Just sleep. Now close your eyes, or I'll kiss you."
Nicole got embarrassed.
Only when she looked around and saw that everyone else resting with their eyes closed did she heave
a sigh of relief.
Otherwise, it would be so embarrassing.
She glared at Samuel coquettishly. In the end, she gave in and fell asleep on Samuel's shoulder.
As the bus drove on the highway, it suddenly jolted, followed by an emergency brake, waking everyone
up from their sleep.
Samuel immediately became alert.
He woke Nicole up.
Nicole looked around in confusion and then looked at Samuel.
Samuel whispered to her, "There might be something wrong. Pack things up and we'll leave later."
"Leave?"
Nicole was puzzled.
If they left, the money they had paid would be in vain.
As if seeing through her, Samuel whispered again, "This place is too desolate and there are no people
living around along the way. The bus suddenly stopped out of no reason. It's not a good sign. Just
listen to me. That little money is nothing to us."
As he said so, Nicole looked around. This place was indeed remote.
So she nodded.
Someone was asking what was going on.
The guide said that there had been something wrong with the bus and told them to calm down. The
driver had gone off to check the bus.
Suddenly, Samuel stood up and said, "Excuse us, the bus has been driving for so long and we want to
take a leak."
"Yeah, we all do."
The others began to chime in.
The guide looked at his watch. The bus had indeed been driving for more than three hours. So he
nodded and said, "Alright. Remember to come back quickly. Our bus will be repaired soon."
"OK."
Some people began to get off.
Samuel clasped Nicole's hand to remind her to get ready.
Nicole was somewhat nervous, but she pretended to have just woken up and yawned as she got off the
bus with Samuel.
As she passed by the guide, Nicole noticed the guide peeking at them.
Nicole left her bag on the bus and didn't take anything.
The guide saw that and felt relieved.
Seeing that, Nicole understood everything.
She frowned and got off the bus with Samuel.
The air was refreshing.
Out of the bus, the suffocating aura on the bus was gone and people began to chat and laugh.
Some people were smoking, while some women began to look for a place to relieve themselves.
Nicole gestured to Samuel, "There's something wrong with the guide."
"Yes, and there is something wrong with the driver too. Come on. Come with me."
Samuel and Nicole followed the people who were looking for a place to relieve themselves.
Nicole was puzzled.
Samuel could totally deal with the driver and the guide. Why would he choose to escape?
She asked Samuel about it.
Samuel whispered, "They are easy to deal with, but here is Bordeaux."
"Is there any difference?"
"Bordeaux exercises local autonomy and the communities here are tight. To offend a person here is to
offend a whole community and even police wouldn't take our side then. This is the customs here. So
it'd be better for us to avoid such trouble."
Nicole was still confused, but she chose to listen to Samuel.
They quietly went up a mountain.
The mountains here were very high and steep. Because of the terrain, Nicole began to have a little
altitude sickness.
Soon she felt out of breath.
Samuel discovered this in time.
"Come up on my back. I'll carry you."
Samuel squatted down.
Nicole was surprised. Then she gestured, "No need. It's just that the air here seems to be a little thin."
"It's said that if you can move freely on the mountains of Bordeaux, then you can go to Kilimanjaro,"
Samuel said with a smile.
"Kilimanjaro? Is the altitude very high here?"
Nicole was very surprised.
Samuel nodded.
"Yes, the mountains here are very tall. And the closer we get to Médoc, the closer we get to the
subtropical region where it is very humid. So if you feel uncomfortable, tell me right away. Don't hide it
from me, okay?"
Samuel's concern for her just made her feel more or less at ease.
She refused Samuel's invitation and walked up with him.
Suddenly, some voice came from below. It seemed that people were looking for them.
Perhaps the guide and driver had found them missing and were looking for them.
"Don't worry about them. Just follow me," Samuel whispered.
Samuel seemed to be very familiar with this place. Nicole felt confused and asked, "Have you been
here before?"
"Yes, but not here. I've been to Spanish border. But, you know, Vincent had been here, so I've been
studying this place all these years."
Speaking of Vincent, Nicole felt a little sad. She knew that Samuel was sad, too.
They stopped the topic and began to hurry.
After walking for a while, Nicole's altitude sickness was getting serious.
So Samuel carried Nicole on his back immediately and continued walking.
Nicole tried to refuse him at first, but, finally, she gave in to Samuel's stubbornness, as well as her own
shortness of breath. However, Samuel seemed not to be affected at all.
"Why don't you have altitude sickness?"
Samuel smiled and said, "It depends on one's physique. Perhaps mine is just better."
What he hadn't told Nicole was that he had been to Kilimanjaro on missions when he had been in the
army, and he had been fine then. The altitude here was not as high as that in Kilimanjaro, so he could
move freely here.
They quickly reached halfway up the mountain.
Nicole felt that her clothes had been wet through with sweat.
Samuel had been right that this place was really close to the subtropical region and it was very humid.
The sultriness and altitude sickness made Nicole feel uncomfortable.
Samuel immediately stopped.
He had expected that Nicole would not be able to withstand it.
Samuel found a place to put Nicole down. His clothes had already been soaked with sweat and his
face red.
Samuel asked with concern, "Can you hold on for another half an hour?"
"Half an hour? Why?"
Nicole gestured in confusion.
Samuel looked towards the foot of the mountain and whispered, "They won't climb too high. After all,
this place is too desolate and we are just travelers. If they can't find us, they will leave. There are so
many people on the bus, and the driver can't afford to wait. But for security, we'll wait for half an hour."
Nicole asked again, "Where are we going then?"
Samuel asked with concern, "Can you hold on for another half an hour?"
"Half an hour? Why?"
Nicole gestured in confusion.
Samuel looked towards the foot of the mountain and whispered, "They won't climb too high. After all,
this place is too desolate and we are just travelers. If they can't find us, they will leave. There are so
many people on the bus, and the driver can't afford to wait. But for security, we'll wait for half an hour."
Nicole asked again, "Where are we going then?"
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