Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Late September.

Xining Caojiabao International Airport.

Yuan Ye stood outside the car, bending slightly, checking his hairstyle in the rearview mirror.

Before leaving, he had sprayed hair gel, styled each strand of his bangs, and combed it back into a slicked-back look. He had been fiddling with it for half an hour, using Andy Lau’s poster as a reference.

No wonder it looked so sharp and full of curves.

Feeling confident, he leaned against the Wrangler, sending subtle glances at passing women.

A fellow recognized him, smiled, and asked, “Brother Ye, are you going on a blind date later?”

Yuan Ye, seeing the man looked familiar, chuckled lightly: “Do I look like I’m lacking a woman?” He was here representing the team, picking up a VIP!

The fellow smiled meaningfully, neither revealing the truth nor saying anything disagreeable, and changed the topic: “Has Xinghui been up to something big lately? I saw Little Qu this morning.”

“What big deal…” Yuan Ye squinted, frowning. “You said you saw Little Qu this morning?”

“Yeah, who else smokes three or five cigarettes if not her?”

Yuan Ye handed him a cigarette to get information: “What was Little Qu doing here?”

“She picked up a woman, with a suitcase, quite young. Probably a tourist. I saw that girl standing at the airport entrance, taking several photos.” He held the cigarette in his mouth and laughed: “You see those women, how can they take so many photos, all kinds of poses, all kinds of backgrounds?”

Yuan Ye laughed along: “My Little Qu doesn’t like taking photos.”

He leaned in, using the flame of his lighter to light the cigarette, and asked, “Do you usually just handle airport pickups and drop-offs for individual travelers?”

“Yeah.” The fellow pinched the cigarette, didn’t wait for Yuan Ye’s question, and spoke first: “I saw Little Qu a week ago. She, like me, takes airport jobs. But she only does two trips a day, once done she’s gone.”

Yuan Ye smoked silently.

In mid-September, after Qu Yi Xian returned from Kekexili, she disappeared like she vanished from the world—no calls, impossible to find.

He only found out a couple of days ago from Peng Shen that she was in Xining. When he arrived, he still didn’t see her; his Little Qu was playing hide-and-seek.

It felt like being abandoned after the first thrill…

…frustrating.

After picking up Fu Xun, they first went to the hotel.

Wanting to impress, Yuan Ye booked a five-star luxury hotel with a scenic view, thirty stories high, encompassing all of Xining. At night, under the lights, Xining looked like a river of stars scattered across the ground, breathtaking.

But Fu Xun frowned upon hearing this, displeased: “Where is Qu Yi Xian staying?”

Yuan Ye: “…”

So, following Fu Xun’s requirement, Yuan Ye switched hotels at the last minute.

This hotel was far from the city center. The only standard it met for Fu Xun was one: it was where Qu Yi Xian stayed.

That one standard outweighed all five-star ratings, Hiltons, or luxury scenic hotels.

Yuan Ye dropped Fu Xun at the hotel, sulkily booking a room next door for himself.

When he canceled the five-star room, he couldn’t help but mutter: “Men in love are all idiots! Zero IQ idiots!”

——

In the evening, Fu Xun took Yuan Ye to Kaleidoscope Street. After some effort, they found the bossy Xiao Qiang Luxury Car Life Studio tucked in an alley.

A Prado was parked in the yard. A thin man in work clothes was spraying foam with a water gun. Seeing a car pull in, he showed no enthusiasm, dragging his voice: “Car wash or repair?”

Fu Xun got out, glanced inside the shop.

Inside, a single light was on. His Land Cruiser G was parked under it, gleaming.

“I’m here to pick up the car.” His gaze went to the ceiling camera: “If I top up two more years of membership, can I view your recordings?”

The man’s hand trembled on the water gun, incredulous: “My shop is this run-down, and you still want to pay for two more years of membership?” Couldn’t be sane.

After he spoke, he snapped back to reality, glanced at the Land Cruiser G parked inside, then at Fu Xun, squinting his eyes into a smile: “Alright, alright, welcome, Mr. Moneybags.”

The boss of the Luxury Car Life Studio, Xiao Qiang—the same skinny man who had been washing cars—handled the formalities for Fu Xun. After verifying his ID and confirming he was the owner of the G, he politely handed over the keys.

“Technically, these surveillance recordings aren’t supposed to be shown privately unless the police request them,” Xiao Qiang said, guiding Fu Xun to the counter to sit at the computer. “Do you want to see who brought the car here?”

Before Fu Xun could answer, he continued: “Is that your girlfriend? She’s got quite the temper. I asked her to pay first, and she just slapped the table and said, ‘Little master can afford a G, how could he owe you for a car wash?’ I thought, fair enough—every single part of that car costs more than a wash.”

Yuan Ye snorted out a laugh.

So much energy, so perfect.

Encouraged by the audience, Xiao Qiang went on: “I’ve run this shop for years, never encountered someone buying this way. Her second sentence was asking what our most expensive service was. When I offered my humble labor, I thought it was some sting operation. But this young lady just came in to open a card and booked a bunch of services—coating, maintenance, interior work…”

He glanced at Fu Xun and lamented: “At first, I thought she was some spoiled rich girl. Brother, you’re young and wealthy—landing such a spendthrift woman, what a shame.”

Fu Xun couldn’t help but curve his lips: “What can I do? I can handle it.”

Qu Yi Xian, unaware of anyone orchestrating things behind the scenes, was at that moment in a Mo Family Street antique shop, hunting for treasures.

Fu Xun wouldn’t be evaluating antiques, right?

If that old man dared scam her, she would storm back and smash the shop!

——

The next day, 8 a.m.

Qu Yi Xian waited at the hotel entrance on time, ready to pick up the guest.

The guest was the girl she had picked up at the airport yesterday morning, twenty-three years old, just graduated, traveling alone in the Northwest.

The booked Northwest Loop tour was seven days.

Today’s itinerary: depart from Xining city, visit Ta’er Temple, Qinghai Lake, overnight at Heima River.

Qu Yi Xian arranged departure for 8 a.m.

But it was already 8:15, and no sign of her.

She patiently waited another ten minutes.

At 8:30 a.m.

Just as Qu Yi Xian was about to knock personally, the girl appeared, red cloak draped, pushing her suitcase, arriving tardily.

Qu Yi Xian raised an eyebrow, silently deciding: from now on, wake her an hour earlier; if she doesn’t get up, bang on the door.

After touring Ta’er Temple in the morning and eating nearby, the Land Cruiser crossed mountains toward Qinghai Lake.

Late September, the weather turned cold.

Crossing one mountain into a valley, the weather differed from Xining. The sky darkened, clouds gathering at the peaks. The car descended a slope, entering another mountain like entering a curtain of rain—fine, dense raindrops quickly dampening the windshield.

Qu Yi Xian glanced through the rearview mirror at the back seat. The girl was awake, eyes drowsy, staring blankly out the window.

Qu Yi Xian withdrew her gaze and reminded: “We’re at three thousand meters. In half an hour, we’ll reach the top of Laji Mountain.”

The girl snapped out of it, asking: “Garbage Mountain?”

“‘La’ from Lhasa, ‘Ji’ as in backbone… though more accurately, it’s ‘La Chicken Mountain,’ chicken as in roast chicken.”

The girl finally showed some interest: “The mountain’s name is that casual?”

“Laji Mountain in Tibetan is ‘Gongmola,’ meaning the place where Gala chickens roost. Originally called Laji Mountain, that’s what people accepted. More precisely, translating from Tibetan, it’s La Chicken Mountain—that’s the real name.”

The girl said “oh,” then asked after a moment: “What’s fun at the top?”

“There’s a mountain god temple, locally called Laze, the largest Laze in the country, no ethnic distinctions,” Qu Yi Xian explained briefly. She could see the girl hadn’t researched local culture; too much detail would confuse her.

As expected, the girl nodded and asked: “What’s the elevation at the top?”

Qu Yi Xian rounded a mountain bend, casting a side glance through the window rearview. She couldn’t help but look twice.

Behind the Land Cruiser, not too far, not too near, a Wrangler soaked in wind and rain had just caught up.

It deliberately lowered its posture, moving steadily, keeping a polite distance.

Qu Yi Xian withdrew her gaze expressionlessly and answered the girl’s question: “4,524 meters.”

Hearing this altitude, the girl instinctively took two deep breaths.

Qu Yi Xian casually glanced at the Wrangler, deliberately slowed the Land Cruiser, and reassured her: “Don’t worry, we’ll go up slowly.”

Since yesterday, the girl had kept a stern, expressionless face, speaking coldly and emotionlessly. Hearing this, her eyelashes trembled, and she said softly: “My name is Jiang Yun. How should I address you, sister?”

“My surname is Qu,” Qu Yi Xian said, rounding the mountain bend. “Call me however you like.”

Jiang Yun said “oh” and remained quiet.

Half an hour later, the Land Cruiser stopped at the temple clearing atop Laji Mountain.

Qu Yi Xian intended to get out for a smoke. Seeing Jiang Yun, wearing just a shirt, about to step out, she reminded her: “It’s raining and windy outside.”

Jiang Yun was confused.

Qu Yi Xian, holding her cigarette, waved her hand: “Step out and feel it—you’ll understand.”

Jiang Yun hesitantly opened half the car door. The moment her foot touched the gravel, she recoiled like a rabbit: “Damn, it’s so cold!”

She put on her shell jacket and the red cloak on top, then shivered as she stepped out.

Passing in front of the car, Qu Yi Xian rolled down the window and called out: “Wind and rain make visibility low. Go take a photo by the stone stele and come back. If you can’t get it yourself, call me.”

Jiang Yun said “oh” and walked off alone.

Qu Yi Xian watched her retreating figure and tutted: “Poor thing.”

Yuan Ye followed behind Qu Yi Xian’s car, miserable.

The mountain road tested patience. Ever since the Wrangler fell behind the Land Cruiser, Qu Yi Xian had been toying with him—accelerating, then slowing down.

When fast, she would round a bend and vanish. When slow, as slow as a snail, Yuan Ye feared that if he eased off the gas, the car might slide straight from the mountaintop to the foot.

He had never felt so frustrated.

Thank heavens there was a temple at the top of Laji Mountain.

Otherwise, being tortured all the way to Qinghai Lake, he might never want to drive again.

He parked in the clearing next to the Land Cruiser. No sooner had he stopped than the front passenger door swung open, and Fu Xun got out.

Yuan Ye followed quickly, also getting out.

He pretended to head to the restroom, passing in front of the Land Cruiser.

Qu Yi Xian sat in the car, legs crossed, cigarette in mouth, and gave Fu Xun a lazy whistle.

Yuan Ye thought his Little Master was really cheeky—already learned to whistle at his sugar daddy.

The next second, Qu Yi Xian smiled and said: “Third time’s a charm? This is our fourth unexpected meeting.”

“Fu Xun, you’ve run with me across most of China… are you… in love with me?”