Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Yuan Ye received the message and broke camp early.

He moved quickly; most of those left in the camp were team members, and in no time, the tents were taken down and packed.

The remaining tasks—loading vehicles, finishing up—were all carried out in an orderly manner.

When Qu Yixian returned to the camp, Yuan Ye had already finished and was waiting by the roadside.

Seeing that she didn’t get out of the car, Qu Yixian leaned her elbow on the window, waiting for Yuan Ye to approach.

A gentle breeze blew a strand of hair from her temple across her chin. She squinted under the increasingly scorching sunlight, inspecting the temporary camp of twenty-five people—aside from the flattened ground, there was no trace of leftover garbage.

She reached out, touching Yuan Ye’s head.

Caught off guard, Yuan Ye blushed, tugging at his hair in embarrassment: “You’ve rubbed my hairline bald!”

“You made it bald, I’ll just buy you a wig. It’s not a problem.” She mischievously touched his head again. Seeing him about to lose it, she waved: “Get in the car.”

Yuan Ye didn’t dare.

Like a thief, he sneaked a glance at Fu Xun.

Though subtle, Qu Yixian noticed his movement immediately.

Following Yuan Ye’s gaze, she looked at Fu Xun, lifting her brow slightly.

She had noticed Yuan Ye’s changes over the past two days.

It was just bad timing; she hadn’t had the chance to ask him.

Feeling a pang of jealousy, she teased: “Since when did you get polite? Get in the car when I tell you!” Then she turned, smiling: “Mr. Fu isn’t stingy, right?”

Fu Xun curled his lips slightly: “I’m not stingy, but I do hold grudges.”

Qu Yixian looked at him carefully, unconcerned: “Then put it all on my tab; no worries about a big debt.”

——

On the return trip to Dunhuang, Qu Yixian led the way as usual.

No need to find people for the route that could jostle someone’s lungs; she pointed Fu Xun to the nearest path. After crossing the next dune, they could quickly reach the highway.

Once on asphalt, the ride was smooth.

Qu Yixian rolled down the window and stretched, loosening the muscles sore from the past two days’ bumps.

Yuan Ye in the back seat reminded quietly: “Qu Ye, the air conditioning’s on.”

“I know.” She glanced at him through the rearview mirror: “If I don’t open the window, how can I stretch?”

Alright, alright, everything you say makes sense.

Yuan Ye shut his mouth and covered his face with his jacket, choosing not to see.

His interruption reminded Qu Yixian of something—sometimes inspiration works mysteriously.

Fiddling with the air vent, she asked Fu Xun: “If you’re free tonight, want to have dinner together?” She turned, pointing to the pouting kid in the back seat: “Yuan Ye and I are inviting you.”

Then remembering they had to welcome Peng Shen tonight, she added: “And one of my friends.”

Fu Xun thought for a few seconds: “I have plans tonight.”

Not exactly lying; Yuan Ye had already promised earlier.

Qu Yixian felt disappointed.

Her plan had been to evenly split the invitation with Yuan Ye—just one more mouth to feed. When favors were done, everyone was happy.

Unexpectedly, he already had plans.

She glanced at Fu Xun: “Where are you going? Shazhou Night Market?”

Shazhou Night Market, like every tourist city’s “old street” or “food street,” attracted visitors from afar.

It’s not that she completely dismissed it; for someone like Qu Yixian, who had stayed in the area for a long time, Shazhou Night Market had a bit of a touristy, commercial vibe.

“No,” Fu Xun denied.

Fearing she might ask more, he subtly shifted the topic: “You didn’t finish telling me about last year’s desert rescue.”

Last year? Desert rescue?

“Oh…” Qu Yixian recalled, “That person went missing while catching scorpions in the desert with a friend.”

The failed rescue of Xun Haichao hadn’t left her completely unaffected. Thinking of a year later, with a nearly identical outcome, she felt a bit dispirited.

“This guy was kind of pitiful. He went from Xichuan to Sangong Township to visit relatives. On July 10th, he went with a friend to Beishawo to catch scorpions. The plan was to return by 5 a.m. the next day. But when the time came, he didn’t return. The group waited three more hours at the agreed location, but by dawn, no sign of him, so they went back first.”

“Similar to Xun Haichao, lost, without water or food, though in touch with family during that time. By 1 p.m., his phone was unreachable—completely missing.”

“The family reported him missing, and by 2 p.m. that afternoon, the police organized a small team for desert search. Vehicles couldn’t enter; they had to walk. Soon, police suffered heatstroke and had to return. Xinghui received the missing person’s information; their participation in the rescue was on the 12th.”

“At the time, Yuan Ye and I were at the rescue team’s base, involved the whole way. Five off-road vehicles were deployed, sixteen people total with the police—a smaller scale than this time. But last year, the missing location was definite. We started searching from where he got off in the desert, covering a twenty-kilometer radius.”

“At 5 p.m., the desert heat persisted. Rescue continued into the early morning, with no time to camp or pitch tents; if tired, they rested in the vehicles, then resumed when awake.”

She twisted off the bottle cap and drank some water. Her voice was slightly hoarse as she continued: “After over ten hours, they couldn’t find him. It was like a single grain of sand swallowed by the desert…”

“On the 13th, the team deployed ten off-road vehicles and six dirt bikes. All rescue members minimized carrying dry rations, carried heatstroke medication and mineral water, coordinated over forty police officers, divided into four groups, with designated search areas to ensure nothing was missed.”

“At 4 p.m., with half the rescue team nearly exhausted… they found the body. Dead from lack of water.”

Qu Yixian screwed the bottle cap back on, emotionless: “People always underestimate nature and overestimate themselves. Only when disaster strikes do they realize too late.”

She turned, glanced at Yuan Ye sleeping with his head covered in the back seat, and said: “Last year, he almost died in the desert.”

“But there’s no need for sympathy.” She shifted her tone, disdainful: “Taking instant noodles into the desert rescue? If he didn’t risk his life, that’s just unreasonable.”

Yuan Ye, who had been listening attentively, nearly fainted with anger.

Always exposing him!

He had wanted to remind Qu Yixian, but now he had a temper! Why bother reminding—he wouldn’t!

——

At noon, they entered Dunhuang city.

The G-Class circled the main road like a rebounding pipa, then at the second intersection, drove straight for eight hundred meters, finally reaching the destination.

Qu Yixian led Fu Xun through a small path in the residential area directly to the hotel parking lot.

After parking, she woke up Yuan Ye, who had fallen asleep during the second half of the trip, and led Fu Xun and Shengzi to the lobby to check in.

At the hotel entrance, she paused, pointing to the massive sign above, gesturing for Fu Xun to look up.

The sign was about six meters tall, roughly three stories, ten meters wide, the size of three storefronts. Decorative lights framed it, though not lit due to daylight, appearing yellowed and dusty.

The lower right corner was photoshopped to resemble a Dubai seven-star hotel, with the sea replaced by desert, yachts turned into camels. Along the camel caravan path, famous Dunhuang landmarks were labeled on either side—Mogao Caves, Singing Sand Mountain, Dunhuang Yardang, Yangguan, Yumenguan, and Leiyin Temple.

In the center, six large characters read: Dunhuang Seven-Star Hotel.

Fu Xun’s face darkened instantly.

From the moment Qu Yixian called Yuan Ye out of the car, he had been extremely anxious. He knew Fu Xun always stayed in the most luxurious hotels in Dunhuang’s city area.

Not out of fussiness; even without a hotel, Fu Xun could sleep on the ground. He simply preferred quality living when conditions allowed.

Yuan Ye assumed Fu Xun’s expression was due to staying in a visibly lower-tier three-star hotel. Worried Fu Xun might misunderstand, he explained: “Qu Ye is a regular here. When she arranges it, this is where we stay. Unless guests request otherwise or pre-book, this is the standard.”

By now, if Qu Yixian hadn’t noticed Yuan Ye’s odd attitude toward Fu Xun, she wouldn’t have to pretend.

She deliberately said lightly: “What? If I can stay here, he can’t?”

Yuan Ye: “…” Damn, this little ancestor.

Fu Xun adjusted his expression slightly and stepped inside without explanation.

Qu Yixian strolled slowly behind Fu Xun and Shengzi. Once beside Yuan Ye, she glared at him, lowering her voice: “Little brat, how much have you been hiding from me?”

Yuan Ye scratched his head, glancing up and down, avoiding eye contact with her.

Qu Yixian, seeing she couldn’t get anything out of him, lifted her heel and ruthlessly pressed down on his toes, only letting go when she heard him hiss sharply, then walked off without looking back.

No rush—once they checked into the room, there would be plenty of time for a slow interrogation.

——

On the Northwest loop, the attractions are mostly scattered, and the typical travel schedule is about a week.

To keep the itinerary, nearly every day involves changing cities and hotels. Smaller, lesser-known hotels or inns would often do the tour guides a favor and waive accommodation fees.

Of course, it wasn’t completely free—the tour guide often brought clients to the hotel.

This kind of resource exchange was unwritten. Usually, during drinks and casual conversation, a brotherhood-like understanding was formed.

Qu Yixian’s convoy didn’t reject this cooperation: hotels helped her, and she helped the guests. But she never interfered; the choice and decision were entirely in the guests’ hands.

Correspondingly, booking through her meant at least half off accommodation fees. She didn’t take kickbacks, nor did she covet money.

The convoy she managed was the same.

Anyone who broke the rules or got greedy was expelled from the convoy without a second chance.

In the world of wandering and adventuring, one needed not only the spirit of the world but also chivalry.

——

Qu Yixian kept track of the accounts while waiting for Fu Xun and Shengzi to register. In the meantime, she bent down to tease the large turtle in the hotel’s aquarium.

Fu Xun took the room card and ID and glanced over. Through the aquarium glass, her brows and eyes looked as casual and carefree as when they first met in Xi’an—she was bent over the display, focused on candy painting.

Perhaps too focused, Qu Yixian looked up. “Done?”

Fu Xun returned to reality, holding up the room card: “7207.”

“What a coincidence.” She whistled and raised her brows playfully: “Next to me.”

Fu Xun, deliberate and composed, caught her tease: “Hmm, very convenient for whatever you want to do.”

Qu Yixian: “…” Wanted to hit him.

She showed no change in expression, turned, and led the way: “I’ll take you up.”

They reached the room door, neither early nor late. She yawned: “I’m going to take a nap first, you’re free to do as you like.” Thinking further, not entirely trusting, she added: “If you want fun or good food, take Yuan Ye along—he can show you around. And… safety.”

She swallowed the last two words in time.

She figured that if Fu Xun went into the city… the only danger would be to ordinary people.

Who told him he was so good-looking!

She swiped the card, pressed the handle, and quickly disappeared behind the door.

Fu Xun’s phone buzzed at just the right time.

He looked at it:

Yuan Ye: 7 p.m., Star-Picking Tower, third floor private room, Qu Yin Pavilion.

——

At the same time, Qu Yixian also received a message from Yuan Ye: 7 p.m., Star-Picking Tower, third floor private room, Qu Yin Pavilion.

Volume Two: Northwest Loop