Before anyone noticed, the sky had darkened and the rain gradually ceased. The once vast and beautiful scenery had now transformed into a boundless, pitch-black world. Yet the sky above was clear, with remnants of clouds and a few scattered stars hanging in the distance. Following the car's headlights, You Mingxu could make out a stretch of yellowish land dotted with undulating rocks and mounds, somewhat resembling a yardang landscape. There were also lakes scattered among them, their surfaces shimmering with faint, tranquil blue lights in the night.
After driving for so long, Gu Tiancheng remained focused and calm. You Mingxu thought to herself that spending such a night with such a man, traveling on an endless Wilderness road, wasn't such a bad feeling after all.
"Cold?" Gu Tiancheng asked.
As night fell, the temperature dropped even faster. You Mingxu hugged her arms tightly. With one hand on the steering wheel, he turned and fetched a jacket from the back seat, placing it in her lap. It was a dark gray men's windbreaker—clean and slightly cool. Too lazy to unbuckle her seatbelt, she slipped her arms into the sleeves and draped the jacket over herself, the hem reaching her knees, leaving only her head exposed.
Gu Tiancheng chuckled and said, "Like a little kid."
You Mingxu replied, "I'm already twenty-five."
He said, "That makes you two years younger than me."
You Mingxu fell silent. As she casually moved her head, her cheek brushed against the collar of the jacket—a slightly stiff fabric carrying a faint scent of men's cologne she hadn't expected. She glanced up subtly, her eyes sweeping over Gu Tiancheng.
"How much longer until we reach the Tibetan family's home?" she asked.
Gu Tiancheng answered, "I'm not sure either. There were some around here two years ago. Let's keep driving and try our luck."
Seeing her silence, Gu Tiancheng paused thoughtfully and asked, "Want to listen to some music?"
You Mingxu said, "Sure."
She expected him to turn on the radio or connect his phone via Bluetooth, but instead, he cleared his throat, placed one hand on his thigh, and began tapping to a rhythm. Then he started humming. The man didn't sing any lyrics, only hummed in a deep, clear voice, rising and falling with cadence. It was a well-known folk song about leaving the city and heading into the distance.
After listening to him hum with such seriousness for a while, You Mingxu couldn't help but laugh. Gu Tiancheng glanced sideways at her, his expression slightly lazy, but his eyes sparkled with a lively, almost childlike brilliance.
"What? Not good?" he challenged.
You Mingxu shook her head provocatively, "Why don't you say you're a singing champion?"
Gu Tiancheng laughed softly, "Then you give it a try."
You Mingxu replied, "No way. I've never been able to sing. I'm not about to embarrass myself."
The smile at the corner of his lips deepened, and he tapped his fingers on the steering wheel, his whole demeanor becoming even more relaxed and casual. You Mingxu couldn't help but notice his faintly outlined profile in the darkness—the lines from his forehead to the bridge of his nose and down to his chin were sharp and distinct. She recalled reading somewhere that people with such features tended to be strong-willed and stubborn.
He said, "Since you won't sing and you're not impressed with my humming, we'll have to settle for the radio." He adjusted a few buttons, and after a brief crackle of static, a music station came on, playing a melodious and pleasant tune.
Both of them listened quietly.
The surrounding night seemed to deepen further, and the scenery on either side of the road became completely indistinguishable. The car felt as if it were plunging headlong into a deeper, more distant world.
"Get some rest if you're tired," Gu Tiancheng said."I don't want to sleep," You Mingxu replied.
"With me here, you can rest assured," he said softly.
You Mingxu fell silent for a moment, a faint bitter smile curling at the corners of her lips. "Gu Tiancheng, I've only known you for two hours."
"So?" he asked.
"Are you a good person?" You Mingxu said. "Can I trust you?"
Gu Tiancheng's expression remained calm. "You decide for yourself."
After a while, he heard her whisper, "You are a good person."
However, they weren't the only ones stranded on this road by the stormy night.
In the distance, they spotted a cyclist by the roadside frantically waving at them. From his build, he appeared to be a tall man. Not only was he waving, but he even jumped a few times.
Gu Tiancheng gradually slowed the car. You Mingxu noticed his calm expression, his slightly furrowed brow fixed on the man as if observing and assessing him. "You actually don't want to pick up hitchhikers, do you?" she said.
Gu Tiancheng's brow relaxed as he glanced at her.
You Mingxu's lips curved slightly. "When I wanted a ride earlier, you seemed hesitant too. You almost left me to my fate, didn't you?"
Gu Tiancheng chuckled. "It wasn't about leaving you to your fate. If I picked up everyone needing a ride along this road, I'd never manage. This trip was supposed to be a vacation for me to relax. I originally planned to drive alone, taking it slow, going wherever the road led. Sleeping in the car or a tent would've been fine."
You Mingxu understood completely and repeated, "Thank you."
Gu Tiancheng kept his eyes on the road ahead. "I'm happy to give you a ride."
You Mingxu nearly blurted out "Why?" but stopped herself. Subconsciously, she didn't want to ask.
The car had already pulled up beside the man.
The man removed his helmet, revealing a very young boy, probably in his early twenties. His hair was somewhat long, almost covering his eyes. He had fair skin, a straight nose bridge, and full lips. Leaning against the car window, he flashed a bright, spontaneous smile. "Hey man, can I get a ride? It's so late, I really can't bike anymore. I'm exhausted and starving. Could you take me a stretch? Please?"
He then glanced at You Mingxu. She also saw his somewhat misty eyes behind the long bangs, with a faint, ambiguous smile.
Gu Tiancheng asked, "Where are you headed?"
The boy named a place. Before You Mingxu could even figure out where that was along their route in her mind, Gu Tiancheng was already shaking his head. "We're not going the same way. There should be Tibetan homes not far ahead. You can bike there yourself in a little while."
The boy pleaded, "Come on, I really can't bike another inch. Don't worry, I'm not a bad guy. I'm a student from XX University. And I promise I won't interrupt your couple time! Just drop me off at any Tibetan home where I can find lodging! If I keep biking, my legs are going to fall off. I'm begging you, don't leave me out here. What if some serial killer roaming the road gets me? How tragic would that be..."
Gu Tiancheng frowned slightly. "What nonsense are you talking?"
Suddenly, he felt someone grip his arm. It was You Mingxu, looking at him, actually amused by the guy outside. She said softly, "Let him ride with us."
Before Gu Tiancheng could respond, the guy outside had already heard. "Whoa, hear what your girlfriend said? A real man listens to his woman, of course."
This brought a smile to even Gu Tiancheng's eyes. You Mingxu said, "I'm not his girlfriend." Then she gave Gu Tiancheng a slight nod.Gu Tiancheng suddenly felt that the young man outside the car wasn't so noisy and irritating anymore. He thought to himself, she was right earlier. They had only known each other for just over two hours. Yet in their interactions, there seemed to be a subtle understanding already forming between them.
"Alright, stop pulling me. I'll listen to you," he said softly to her, then turned toward the window and called out, "Get in the car."
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