When Xincheng was able to make a phone call again, he had already left Nihon Canyon and arrived at Yubang.

  Ninong Grand Canyon is much more magnificent than Tiger Leaping Gorge, which she had crossed before, and the difficulty level is proportional to the scenery. This section has been highly recommended by "Hiking China's Holy Mountains" abroad and has gained a great reputation. Many foreign backpackers can be seen along the way, but it's rare to see six people traveling together like them.

  Old Zhang rubbed his hands together and said that he would follow the example of these foreigners when he had time. He planned to walk the entire Tea-Horse Road from Yunnan to Lhasa alone, a decision that earned him admiration from several people.

  Yubeng village is nestled at the foot of Meili Snow Mountain, and was once a small village with only over 20 households, isolated from the world, where only pilgrims on their way to circle the mountain would stop by. Nowadays it has become a gathering place for trekkers, with inns everywhere. For some reason, the mobile phone signal was not good that day, and Xincheng was just about to go make a fixed-line call when Taotao said: "The inn owner told me that if you climb up to the pass, your mobile phone will have a signal."

  The male donkey friends who came with us have already started sitting on the porch, drinking beer and are not willing to climb mountains for this reason. They can only laugh and say: "Women in love are really admirable."

  Tao Tao sneered, "Which woman in love would come to this godforsaken place?"

  She has been in a terrible mood lately, and when walking, she is either silent or speaks with anger. When resting, she stares blankly at her phone without signal. Everyone knows better than to disturb her, and she doesn't look at anyone as she walks away.

  Lao Zhang sighed at her back, "He Huan, fortunately your mood has been stable all along. Otherwise, I would have lost confidence in traveling with girls on foot from now on."

  Xin Chen just smiled slightly, knowing that Tao Tao didn't want to make a call in a crowded place. She had nothing much to do anyway, so she filled up a thermos with hot coffee and caught up with Tao Tao. Following the directions of the locals, they spent over an hour climbing to the pass, where the phone signal finally reached full strength. She composed the same message informing them of their location and sent it separately to her uncle, father, and Lu Fei. Then she sat at the pass enjoying the view, while Tao Tao began sending and receiving messages non-stop.

  After a while, her uncle, who didn't like texting, replied with just four words: "Be careful." Then Xinkaiyu called: "Chenzi, hurry back, I'm about to be driven by your uncle to search for you thousands of miles away."

  "Hey, I'm not going back. At this moment, I'm basking in the sun on Mount Bai Ma Xue, drinking coffee, and it feels so comfortable."

  Xin Kaiyu begged for mercy: "Good baby, your uncle already suspected that Xiaobai was not enthusiastic enough about you, so you ran out and beat me up."

  Xin Chen smiled, "I'm not that fragile! Poor little Bai Ayi is too innocent, being a stepmother is really tough. To be honest, I just can't take it because she's too enthusiastic."

  "I'll remind her to be more natural with you later. You should have had enough fun, it's already been half a month, don't you feel tired?"

  "A bit." Xincheng stopped joking, "Dad, I'll be careful. If I can't hold on, I'll find a place to rest or come back."

  "I want to go back, okay?" Tiantian also put down her phone and said softly, "Leave the tent with you, after using it, you can send it to Shanghai for me, sorry."

  It's not unexpected, as a man had already dropped out due to work before. Traveling together is not a binding relationship, and anyone can end the trip early for any reason or no reason at all. Taotao has been carrying a heavy heart on this journey, and it's clear that appreciating the scenery hasn't relieved her.

  "It's okay, hiking is about having fun, don't feel burdened for quitting."

  "I know, I came to escape, but found that no matter how hard I try, I still can't escape and have to go back to face it." Tao Tao was the same as her, wearing sunglasses and a outdoor headscarf to block out UV rays, making it impossible to see her expression.

  Xin Chen felt he couldn't comfort others' emotional pain, and could only respond with a silent understanding.

  "I envy you, you've all found the real fun on the road, unlike me, who came with this purpose and wasted the beautiful scenery that I passed by." Tao Tao stopped and looked at the distant snow-capped mountains.

  Xin Chen's phone rang again, it was Lu Fei calling: "Yesterday when I had dinner with Xiao Di, she asked me to ask you, how long do you plan on leaving for?"

  "Do you want me to stop?" She had long overcome the initial high-altitude reaction, but the relatively thin air at high elevations left one with a slightly dizzy feeling. As soon as she spoke, she felt it was almost provocative.

  As expected, Lu Fei was taken aback for a moment before speaking softly: "I hope you'll stay by my side."

  The wind at the pass was very strong, whistling by, his voice directly from the receiver into her ears, but also seemed to be blown away, scattered and prolonged, itching into the bottom of her heart. "What you want is just the me from before, if I were really by your side, you would find that this person is completely different, and it's a different story from what you imagined."

  "Do we still need to argue about which period of you I love?" Lu Fei's voice was low and warm.

  "Because I know, the one I loved was the old you, Lu Fei." Xin Chen blurted out, then smiled, "Look at me, I'm so childish. I've already changed myself and accepted my current situation, but I couldn't accept others' changes. I'm afraid a stranger will come to me and destroy the memories I've kept; I'm afraid not only will I be disillusioned, but I'll also lose those memories."

  "Your memories are also a part of mine, if we're not together, we'll only become more and more strangers. One day, even if I appear in front of you, I'll just be a passerby. What I fear most is that kind of scene."

  Xin Chen spoke quietly, she didn't even know what she was saying. Would she speak so softly to a stranger? Every phone call on the arduous journey was like an invisible bond that connected him and her together, she had already strayed from her original intention.

  "Will you go to Dali and Lijiang next?" Lu Fei was no less familiar with their itinerary than they were.

  "No, I've been to both places. I think I'll go directly from Deqin to Lugu Lake and stay there for a few days until they arrive, then we can hike to Yading together."

  They walked from Yubeng to Feilai Temple, then took a car to Deqin County. Everyone decided to part ways here, the four men rested for a day before going to Dali, Taotao took the train to Kunming and then flew back to Shanghai, Xincheng took the long-distance bus and rushed to Lugu Lake.

  Xin Chen slept all the way, even when the car stopped at a spot where tourists could take photos of the 18 bends on the mountain road, she didn't get off. When they arrived at Lugu Lake, she walked into the Loshi Lakeside Inn which she had booked in advance and told the front desk staff her name. The staff shook their head, "You came five days earlier than your booking, miss, sorry, we're fully booked today, there's no empty room, someone will check out tomorrow."

  Xin Chen didn't expect the National Day holiday to pass so quickly, and tourists hadn't dispersed yet. She had no choice but to put away her ID card and prepare to try her luck at another household.

  A hand reached out and pressed down on hers that was placed on the counter, it was a man's palm, with neatly trimmed fingernails and long fingers, warm and dry. She turned her head to look, and Lu Fei was smiling at her.

  He wore a white shirt and black cotton suit, although it was casual style, but still very different from the tourists who usually wear sportswear or outdoor clothing here, the whole person is warm and elegant, shining in the sunset.

  Xin Chen didn't expect to see him here at all, and was momentarily stunned. After a while, he forced a smile, "Hello."

  Lu Fei bent down and picked up Xin Chen's heavy backpack, which had a tent and trekking poles attached to it, weighing 70 kilograms. He pulled her hand and went upstairs to the second floor of the inn, tightly hugging her.

  Xin Chen chuckled in his arms, "I warn you, I haven't taken a bath for many days, not to mention the bad smell, and there might even be fleas on my body."

  He didn't let go of her, pressing her head against his chest, his chin resting on her tangled hair, standing still. She quietly nestled in his arms for a while before softly asking, "How did you end up here?"

  "I flew to Lijiang two days ago and then took a car here. I've been staying here for two days already."

  "Don't have to go to work?"

  Today is Saturday.

  "It means I have to rush back tomorrow, it's crazy."

  He didn't say a word, he was on a business trip in Shanghai two days ago, after finishing his work, he didn't go back to work, but calculated her itinerary and came here directly. For him who has always been unable to put down his work, coming to Yunnan for the second time in a short period of time is indeed a crazy move.

  He checked into the hostel they had booked online, but he didn't take in the beautiful scenery outside. Instead, he sat by the window with a book, watching as each tour bus stopped in front of the door. The next day was Saturday, and a large crowd of tourists arrived, but she was nowhere to be seen. He knew that if she still hadn't appeared by tomorrow morning, he would have to return to Lijiang and then fly back to Kunming, resuming his tedious work.

  When he saw Xin Chen get off the car wearing a thin windbreaker and quick-drying pants, he rushed down immediately.

  On the Luoshui side, a bonfire party with folk performances was held as usual in the evening. The gimmick of walking marriage attracted attention, and tourists all went to that side. Xin Chen and Lu Fei were not interested in this, so they returned to their room after dinner.

  The second floor of Linhu Inn faces the surface of Luogu Lake, under the mysterious night color, only to see the dark blue lake surface with a slight wave. However, Xincheng didn't look at the scenery, she threw herself onto the large bed covered with blue and green sheets, sighing comfortably.

  She was led by Lao Zhang, who had a well-paying job in Beijing but adhered to the self-torturing way of traveling frugally. He loved researching online strategies for escaping tickets and accommodations, striving to save every penny. Along the way, he basically hadn't stayed in any decent hostels or hotels. It had been over 20 days since she last took a hot shower like this, let alone slept on such a soft bed.

  Just a moment ago she was saying: "The people in the restaurant just now said that Rig's scenery is better and more peaceful, and it's not as commercialized as this side. I'm thinking of moving there tomorrow."

  The next moment she had fallen into a deep sleep of complete unconsciousness.

  The wooden hostel looked beautiful and romantic, but it wasn't soundproof. At midnight, the bonfire party dispersed, and groups of tourists returned, laughing and chattering, stomping up the stairs, opening doors, and taking showers... When this string of sounds came, Lu Fei hadn't slept at all, while Xin Chen was startled awake.

  For days, she had been sleeping in her sleeping bag, either inside the tent or on the floor of a simple hut. Occasionally, when staying at an inn, she slept on the most basic wooden platform bed, with snoring and murmuring companions beside her, and the rustling sound of straw beneath the mattress whenever she turned over. At this moment, the softness of the bed beneath her felt almost like a trap, bringing a sense of dizziness.

  She suddenly woke up to find her fingers tightly grasping the hand of someone beside her, and this dependent posture shocked her more than seeing herself lying beside him. She abruptly withdrew her hand. Lu Fei didn't wait for her to say anything, and stretched out his arms to hug her.

  He had one arm around her, and with the other hand he gently patted her back, his long palm rhythmically stroking her spine with a gentle, soothing force that calmed her down.

  At 14 years old, he held her for the first time and comforted her, bringing her out of a nightmare.

  You're not 14 anymore, a voice in her heart reminded her, she can't let herself find comfort in such weakness. If this continues, you'll mislead him and his understanding of you will forever be stuck in the past.

  However, the dark night outside was so long, and the frightened little girl had been locked up for too long. Once she floated up, she fell into such a warm embrace, and she couldn't help but be greedy, unwilling to retreat easily. She buried her head in his arms, losing the strength to struggle free.

  The outside sounds gradually disappeared, and the surroundings returned to a thick darkness. She listened to his heartbeat, one by one, almost synchronized with the rhythm of the light pats on her back. The silence made her rationality uneasy, she raised her head, bumping into his chin, where there was a bit of stubble, rubbing against her skin with a slight roughness. His lips fell on her hair, then slid to her forehead, gentle and scorching.

  As his lips descended onto hers, she suddenly relaxed. Of course, Lu Fei wouldn't kiss 14-year-old Xin Chen like that; she was no longer the little girl who had no sense of security and only wanted to hastily grasp the warmth that suddenly appeared in her life.

  His kiss deepened, her response grew more fervent, memories surged in the dark of night, and she couldn't clear her head. In a daze, she didn't know if this kiss came from bygone times or the present entanglement; such a fall into floating, was it because of this overly comfortable bed, or these arms, this embrace, this person?

  When all restraints were removed, sweat dripped from his forehead onto her body. Every kiss and every caress left a deep impression on her, she was powerless to bear it, yet unable to escape. Wherever his lips touched, small flames seemed to ignite within her, and these flames instantly engulfed him and her. He repeatedly called out her name in her ear, his rhythm driving her. Her fingers were clenched tightly on his back, this desperate clinging causing some cramping due to excessive force. Her sobs were muffled and swallowed by him, his gasps heavy as sighs in the dark of night.

  As if doomsday had arrived, standing in the vast wilderness, the entire world walked away at that moment, the universe was desolate and boundless, but only two people were left tightly connected in one place, surging forward, already unable to distinguish between joy and pure pain.

  When the faint dawn appeared outside the window, Xin Chen sank back into sleep.

  After extreme fatigue, she seemed to have returned to the hiking trail, carrying a heavy backpack and walking on muddy roads. The white fog floated in the valley, each tree had a different posture, and every gaze would see a different view, the intense colors were so beautiful that they lost their truth, but the chirping of birds could not be heard, only her own footsteps echoed monotonously. Unknowingly how long she walked, finally another sound mixed into this eerie silence, her footsteps no longer echoing strangely one after another.

  She was bewildered to distinguish where the sounds came from, a warm towel gently placed on her forehead, she opened her eyes, only to see that it had already dawned, Lu Fei was wiping away the sweat on her head, and those voices clearly came in, just tourists coming in and out, chatting and laughing.

  She took the towel and said in a low voice, "I'm going to take a bath." But she hesitated and didn't move, unaccustomed to being naked with him in such bright light.

  Lu Fei handed her a T-shirt and said, "I'll go down first to see if there's anything to eat."

  The hostel provided a simple Western-style breakfast, which was not cheap but tasted okay. Xincheng ate very fragrantly, while Lufen kept talking on the phone, and it could be heard that they were all discussing official business. His voice and expression were equally calm, with an unquestionable sense of authority, making Xincheng feel strange and confused - was this the man who had been entwined with her last night? Finally finishing the call, he said apologetically: "Sorry, these calls are really ruining the mood."

  "It doesn't matter, when are you planning to leave?"

  "I plan to stay one more day and accompany you to Riga which you mentioned yesterday."

  Xin Chen shook his head and said, "You're leaving today, just in time for work tomorrow."

  "Xiao Chen, I just took on a new job and really can't get away from it, otherwise..."

  "Never mind, let's just go back to doing our own things."

  Luofei grasped her hand, "From the moment you woke up this morning, you haven't dared to look me straight in the eye. Is it because of what happened last night that you're unhappy?"

  "I don't have to be so awkward either, after all, it was consensual last night, and," Xincheng paused for a moment, his expression slightly melancholic, "we should both still be happy, right?"

  The sunlight shone through the glass window onto her face, and these days of hiking had already tanned her skin. Her slender facial features were clearly defined, her expression calm, not unhappy, but also not joyful.

  "Want to go back with me? Xiao Chen, I've researched online and found that it takes at least eight days to hike from Luogu Lake to Yading. Most of the route is on high plateaus, and the best season for hiking is May and June when the temperature is mild and you can see the sea of flowers. Going now won't be particularly scenic, but we'll likely encounter strong winds and snow at any time, which will be tough and dangerous."

  "I said it before and I won't change plans for you, even after last night, that's still what I say."

  This straightforward rejection made Lu Chen silent, he lowered his head to look at her hand grasped in his palm, this palm was slender, the center of the palm near the tiger's mouth had already been worn out by the trekking pole, his fingertips gently stroked there, she slightly retracted, but he held it even tighter. "Xiao Chen, I won't think that after last night, I have some kind of right to make demands on you. But you wouldn't think that I came just to seek physical satisfaction, would you?"

  "How could I have thought of you as so despicable? As long as one is not picky, physical satisfaction can be easily found without having to travel far and wide. I guess you intended to surprise me, I admit that the surprise was quite interesting, and I'm sure I returned the surprise."

  "You still think I'm ridiculous, thinking that I'm using ordinary dating tricks to deal with you, calling you every day, appearing in front of you at the most unexpected time and place, making you smile, touching your heart." Lu Fei's hand tightly wrapped around hers, staring at her, his eyes sharp and unlike usual, as if he wanted to see into her heart. "It's not like that, Xiao Chen, I just miss you, worry about you, can't help but want to see you."

  "You're making demands of me, Lu Fei. You want me to go back with you to the way things were before, to fall in love again. We've been in love before, it was beautiful and pure, worth remembering, but it can't be replicated." Xin Chen said calmly, not looking at the hurt in Lu Fei's eyes, "You're not a 20-year-old virgin, I'm not a naive 16-year-old girl. You know how to make sure I don't get pregnant, and I'm clear about my physical cycle. In short, I have nothing to complain about, but what I can give you is just my body, it can't be more than that."

  After settling the bill and packing their luggage, the two of them stood at the entrance of the inn. From a distance, they saw the bus heading back to Lijiang approaching. Lu Fei turned around to look at Xin Chen, "Xiao Chen, I know that the more I try to persuade you, the more determined you'll be to continue on your journey. However, I think your purpose of traveling on foot shouldn't just be about seeking extreme survival challenges. Even if it's for your father and uncle, consider my suggestion and don't take this route anymore."

  His expression was calm, but the furrow between his eyebrows reappeared, accompanied by a hint of fatigue. His eyes were deep and profound. Xincheng avoided his gaze, nodding slightly, "Thank you, I won't gamble with my own safety, don't worry."

  Watching him get on the bus and sit in the back row, looking over through the window stained with dirt, Xincheng waved his hand and then got on the minibus to Riga.

  When Xindi called Xincheng, she had just checked into a hostel on Rig Island in the middle of Lugu Lake. The small island was surrounded by water on all sides, incredibly small and quiet. Her room had two large glass windows facing the lake, and when she pulled open the purple-red curtains, she could see the clear lake water with lush green aquatic plants growing below, swaying gently with the ripples, and in the distance, Lion Mountain, which she thought was worth the price she paid for the room.

  "Chen Zi, which road are you speeding on at this moment?"

  She smiled and said, "I'm sunbathing by the lake and surfing the internet." Indeed, she was sitting in a rocking chair on the porch, using the hostel owner's laptop to go online. Although the speed was slow, it was tolerable on such a sunny and lazy afternoon, watching web pages open at a snail's pace.

  "What a coincidence, I'm also sunbathing by West Lake in Hangzhou."

  "Is it going well?"

  "No, I'm here to attend a classmate's wedding and take a break at the same time."

  Xin Chen knew that Xin Di had always been more interested in shopping malls than traveling, and smiled slyly: "You're not alone, are you?"

  Xin Di couldn't help but laugh, glancing at David Fan sitting not far away, tearing bread to feed the fish. He had volunteered to accompany her, with a very proper reason, "Your classmate is also my junior, and she also sent me an invitation." What made her even more terrified was that her mother actually approved of him being her escort.

  "It's all tourists, no fun at all."

  "If you want some peace and quiet, this is the place to be. The hostel I'm staying at is surrounded by water on all sides, with the sky and lake blending into one another. As far as the eye can see, there's probably only a few bird silhouettes."

  Xin Di shivered and said, "Forget it, I'm more comfortable in the crowd. I say, when are you planning to head home?"

  "Why does everyone ask me this question? When I checked in, a person said he would stay here until the winter and the red-billed gulls came."

  "Hey, I'm really getting fed up with this, aren't you tired of it? Unless there's a boyfriend to take you down the aisle."

  Xin Chen was taken aback for a moment, then burst out laughing, "Dizi, your mind is really impure now."

  "Hey, don't rush into marriage, who wants to go to a place where birds don't lay eggs."

  "I'm impressed by you, a despicable man would only think of this. It's said that at the bonfire party, those who flirt with tourists and offer to sleep with them for 200 yuan are all outsiders, not what you imagined."

  Xin Di was defeated, "Then what are you doing there?"

  "Enjoying the view, the view is unmatched."

  "Chen Zi, be honest with me, will you feel lonely?"

  "It's indeed a bit." Xincheng acknowledged, facing the serene lake and mountains, she didn't enjoy this peace as much as she had imagined. Was it because of that man who came and left? But he left under her cold and harsh words, his hurt expression that quickly hid away still vividly floated in front of her eyes, she shook her head, getting rid of the thought.

  "Hey, why aren't you talking? What are you thinking about?"

  "How was the wedding?" Xincheng changed the subject.

  "Hmm, simple yet grand, it's heartwarming and touching, it makes me less afraid of marriage." Xindi said frankly, "Does this thought count as a precursor to the psychological crisis of being an older unmarried woman?"

  "Dizi, you're not in crisis, I think you have the ability to enjoy any happiness."

  "What kind of talk is this, does enjoying happiness also require ability?"

  "Of course, only mentally healthy people have this ability."

  Xin Di remembered her mother quoting Feng Yi'an's mother, and felt a somewhat inexplicable sense of sadness, "You're talking nonsense again, you also have this ability."

  Xin Chen smiled softly, the warm sunlight of the afternoon shone on her body, the gentle breeze was like a soft hand stroking her, "I'm sitting here now, the sun is shining very comfortably, it's a bit melting, if I can think of nothing and just melt away, that would be a happy thing too."

  David Fan threw the last piece of bread into the water, letting the goldfish swarm and scramble for it. He walked over and wrapped his arms around Xindi, holding her tightly. Xindi admitted that she too felt a little melted.