Lan Ya was like my older sister, always teaching me how to walk, how not to get hurt. Jing Lei, on the other hand, was the one who stayed by my side, my reliance. She gave me peace, gave me strength. They both gave me different things, but the result was love.
We went downstairs together. Lan Ya walked alone, while Jing Lei and I went home.
How many days had it been since I last returned, since we started preparing the base? Coming home had become a very strange thing.
To call it home, strictly speaking, it was Jing Lei's home. My home had been shattered by Principal Sun, that she-devil, and even the Crown Prince, so it wasn't called a home anymore. Fortunately, there was Jing Lei, Lan Ya, Brother Bao, and the others. If not for them, I truly would have been homeless.
Upon entering the room, Jing Lei didn't rush to turn on the light. In the darkness, she hooked her arms around my neck and planted a scorching kiss on me.
I held her tightly, and we stayed like that for a long time, until both of us were exhausted and finally let go.
It felt so good to be alive!
Yesterday's experience was the closest I had ever been to death. If being knocked unconscious by the Crown Prince's men and not waking up for days was dangerous, bringing me closer to death, back then I didn't feel anything, I felt no fear.
But this time, with Wen Siqiang and I facing a pack of leopards and snakes, every second we could hear the footsteps of death.
Actually, at the time, I didn't feel anything. It was only now, thinking back, that my back felt cold and I felt lingering fear.
The night passed without incident. In the morning, while I was still dreaming, Jing Lei's phone rang. It was Wen Siqiang, who had arrived downstairs and called from a public phone. He and Qian Fugui were downstairs, waiting for me to come down so we could go to Tengchong together.
Neither of us had a mobile phone, which was really inconvenient.
Jing Lei answered the phone, rolled over, and holding me, said with her eyes closed, "I forbid you to go."
I said, "I have to go do something. Oh, right, after you get up, go buy us phones and activate the cards. It's really awkward without these things."
Jing Lei grunted without opening her eyes, and after hugging me reluctantly for a moment longer, she let go.
I kissed her forehead and got up to wash up.
After tidying myself, I quietly left the room and closed the door. I didn't say goodbye to her. She had been exhausted these past few days, sleeping in the office every night. It was rare for her to get a good night's sleep.
There was a national highway from Ruili to Tengchong, but it had too many bends and slopes, and the road conditions were not good. It would take at least five to six hours, which was why we had to set off early in the morning.
The saying "high mountains and treacherous roads" was perfectly applicable to this route.
I got into the car. Wen Siqiang handed me a packed breakfast and said, "Just eat it in the car. We're a bit tight on time."
I agreed. I had driven this road once before. There were often sections prone to landslides, making the journey very arduous.
The fatigue from yesterday hadn't completely disappeared, and last night I had been lingering with Jing Lei for a long time. I didn't care if the road was bumpy and lay down in the back seat to sleep.
I slept so soundly that I only woke up when the car stopped. Wen Siqiang said, "Boss, we've arrived."
I hadn't expected myself to sleep for so long. Several hours had passed.
The car drove to the side of the main street of Heshun. Beyond that were stone-paved pedestrian streets. Wen Siqiang found a place to park the car. We got out and asked someone for directions.
It was my first time in Heshun. Although I had some prior knowledge of Heshun, stepping into this ancient town truly stunned me. The ancient architecture, the stone-paved roads with a sense of history, and the rich cultural atmosphere gave me a feeling of being enveloped in a quiet and peaceful ambiance.
We weren't in the mood to appreciate these things. Wen Siqiang went into a shop to inquire about the doctor, while I waited nearby for him.
Wen Siqiang returned and said that there was indeed such a person here, but he didn't live in the town and didn't have a clinic. He lived in a deep mountain about five kilometers from Heshun. There was no road to his place, only a small path leading to his dwelling, which was halfway up the mountain.
It was said that those seeking his medicine had to walk a full day's mountain path from the foot of the mountain to reach him.
So that was it. What kind of mysterious person was this? In today's world, which was driven by material desires, for someone with high capabilities to live in the deep mountains, leading a life of simplicity and detachment – how much cultivation would that take?
I said, "Did you ask for the exact location? Can we get there?"
Wen Siqiang replied, "I asked, but the car can only go to the nearest village. There are still a few miles to walk."
I said, "Since we've come this far, let's make the trip."
Wen Siqiang nodded and said, "Then let's grab something to eat here before we go. It'll be inconvenient to find food once we're in the mountains."
I said, "Then let's buy some extra supplies for the road."
We found a rice noodle shop on the street and sat down to eat.
As soon as we sat down, an elderly man entered, walking with a slow and unsteady gait. He was wearing a faded dark blue coarse cloth outfit and a somewhat aged conical hat. After entering, he removed his hat, revealing sparse, white short hair. He looked over seventy years old, with a lean build, medium height, and a bronze face etched with the marks of time and hardship.
He stood there and looked around. Our eyes met for a moment, and I immediately felt the sharpness of his gaze, as if a sword was piercing through me, making me want to dodge.
This person was by no means ordinary!
Fortunately, his gaze only lingered on me for less than a second before moving elsewhere. For the first time, I felt that a person's gaze could be lethal!
He walked to an empty seat and sat down. Strangely, he didn't greet the shopkeeper or order what he wanted to eat. He simply sat there with his back straight.
When we entered, we had to order food at the counter first, and then wait.
He was here to eat, yet he acted as if he were in his own home, sitting down directly at a table without saying a word.
As I was wondering, someone arrived with a large bowl and a wooden tray. The large bowl contained steaming hot rice noodles, and the wooden tray had several small dishes with different side dishes.
He still didn't say anything. After the food was served, he picked up his chopsticks and began to eat.
I watched, a little stunned. We had arrived earlier and ordered, but our food still hadn't come. I hadn't expected that as soon as he sat down, his food was already served and he was eating.
I thought, either he had ordered beforehand, or this was truly his own establishment.
But looking at his travel-worn appearance, it was clear he had walked a long way to get here. Besides, with his bearing, he didn't look like a shop owner.
He ate like a whirlwind, without paying. He stood up, put on his hat, and left like a gust of wind.
He was completely out of sight before our food arrived.
My soul seemed to have been captivated by the old man. The rice noodles were placed in front of me, but I hadn't noticed. Wen Siqiang's reminder brought me back to reality.
Wen Siqiang asked, "What are you thinking about?"
I replied, "That old man just now, he was quite strange."
Wen Siqiang said, "He's just an old man, what's so strange about him?"