You Mingxu tidied up her sleeping bag, then took out some chocolates and snacks from her bag to share with the girls. They all accepted and reciprocated with some snacks and water. The girls interacted politely and pleasantly.
Zou Furong remarked, "Hey, your friend is really cool. What does he do?" Her tone was full of girlish curiosity about an unfamiliar handsome guy. Song Lan said, "Enough already, tone it down." Zou Furong laughed heartily, and You Mingxu replied, "He said he works in IT."
Zou Furong asked, "Where is he from?"
You Mingxu said, "Didn't ask."
Zou Furong said, "Then I'll ask him later." Song Lan rolled her eyes at her, and Zou Furong retorted, "Damn, can't I just appreciate a handsome guy? Do you really think I want to do anything? The journey is boring, this is what you call a romantic encounter, understand? At least he's easy on the eyes, alright?"
At this, even You Mingxu laughed, her mind conjuring images of Gu Tiancheng's silent driving along the way—his profile, his shoulders, his hands. She thought to herself, he really is quite pleasing to look at. That man exuded an alluring charm from head to toe.
Mingtao, who was nearby, chimed in, "How come you girls have no sense of caution around strange men? Be careful you don't run into a serial killer."
Earlier, he had tried to warn the two women about the "highway serial killer," but they had only been slightly surprised and didn't pay it much mind. Zou Furong said, "Even if there is a serial killer, Tibet is so vast. What are the chances we'd run into one?" Song Lan added, "Yeah, we're actually quite cautious. There are three of you, and none of you look like bad people."
So now, hearing Mingtao once again preaching about the dangers of serial killers, the two women just smiled and continued chatting with You Mingxu about other things. Mingtao, failing to capture the ladies' attention, zoned out for a while before fiddling with his phone's dwindling battery.
Just as You Mingxu was about to return to her tent, she saw the figure who had caught the girls' fancy emerge from behind the house. Given the outdoor setting, it wasn't hard for her to guess what he had been doing.
As he approached, he looked at her and smiled, "Why are you staring at me?"
You Mingxu replied, "I was thinking... where you came from and where you're going."
Gu Tiancheng was taken aback for a moment before sitting down in his tent. Their tents were adjacent, and You Mingxu watched as the young man half-draped his windbreaker over his shoulders, revealing his well-defined shoulder line. He lit a cigarette, his face partly obscured in the shifting light and shadow, and answered, "I come from where I came from and go to where I'm going." He chuckled at his own words and added, "No joking, I came from Jiangcheng and have to return to Jiangcheng. What about you? Where are you from?"
It was, by and large, an exceptionally serene and tender moment. The sky had cleared completely, a deep, transparent blue with stars beginning to dot the expanse. Across the high mountain meadow, the wind whispered through the night. Amid the faint glow of lights, the two of them sat cross-legged on the ground inside their tents, chatting casually.
You Mingxu avoided his direct gaze and replied, "I'm from Xiangcheng. The same place as Mingtao's serial killer idol." She laughed as she said it, and Gu Tiancheng laughed too, saying, "That's close."
"Yeah, just across the river."
He asked, "Want one?"
"Sure." She took the cigarette and lighter—a "He Tian Xia" brand, with less than half a pack left.
"This Hunan cigarette is pretty good," he remarked.
She smiled, placing one between her lips, and said, "I usually can't afford these. Thanks."Gu Tiancheng chuckled softly and said, "If you ever come to Jiangcheng, I'll make sure you're well taken care of." After a pause, You Mingxu didn't respond, merely holding her cigarette between her fingers with a faint smile.
Her long hair cascaded down, and her windbreaker was draped loosely over her shoulders, revealing a black fitted T-shirt underneath. At first glance, her face—with its phoenix-like eyes and crimson lips—appeared aloof, naturally carrying a hint of allure. But upon closer inspection, her eyes were clear and bright, and there was a resolute air between her brows, giving her a composed and clean-cut demeanor.
Gu Tiancheng rarely paid much attention to women, but sitting opposite someone like her stirred a flicker of interest. The journey so far had been lonely and silent, making him miss the city's bustle and the cutthroat world of business. Unexpectedly, he had encountered this woman—beautiful, stubborn, mysterious, and sharp-witted, yet utterly unpredictable.
"Is your job interesting?" You Mingxu asked.
Gu Tiancheng replied lightly, "It's alright. I'm usually too busy, always flying around and attending social events. I prefer being alone."
You Mingxu parted her thin lips and blew a perfect smoke ring, saying, "Aren't you in IT? Why do you need to travel and socialize so much?"
Gu Tiancheng smiled and said, "I manage the technical side."
You Mingxu: "Oh." So he's some kind of executive, she thought. Then she asked, "So why did you come to Tibet? Chasing a dream? Escaping the world? Seeking spiritual liberation?"
Gu Tiancheng fell silent for a moment, his gaze fixed on the air before he laughed and said, "Do you believe that coming to Tibet once can grant someone spiritual liberation?"
You Mingxu shook her head directly. "Of course not. I only believe in saving oneself."
Gu Tiancheng looked at her and nodded. "You're right. So I came to Tibet just for fun. I've never been keen on those unrealistic expectations. What about you? Why did you come to Tibet?"
You Mingxu took the last drag of her cigarette, gently stubbed it out in the soil, and without looking up, answered, "A completely unknown journey isn't that interesting, is it? You have no idea what will happen tomorrow. For instance, today I got robbed, but I also met you. Now, I'm setting up a tent with four strangers in the Wilderness, spending the night, and smoking Hetianxia—something I usually can't afford."
Gu Tiancheng propped his arms behind him, tilting his face slightly upward, his eyes brimming with deep amusement as he softly uttered two words: "Kindred spirit."
This was probably the second time since humming in the car that this outwardly rigid and reserved man had shown such a spirited side. Yet You Mingxu was neither particularly pleased nor flustered. Instead, she mimicked his posture, stretching her arms out to support herself on the ground and straightening her legs—those beautiful long legs shifting slightly—before asking, "Do you have a girlfriend? Or are you married? Don't tell me a man like you is still single."
The ease on Gu Tiancheng's face faded slightly. He pulled out another cigarette, cupped his hands to light it, took a couple of slow puffs, and then revealed a gentle, calm smile as he answered, "I had one."
You Mingxu looked at him inquisitively.
He said, "Back then, work was just too demanding and exhausting. I had too little time to spend with her. She couldn't wait for me to achieve success and left."
You Mingxu fell silent. It was a common story, ordinary words. Yet coming from a man like him, it carried a certain poignant charm.
She said, "One must look forward.""Mhm," he said. "I've long forgotten her. She wasn't worth it. There are still many things in life worth pursuing."
You Mingxu smiled in agreement and asked, "What about now?"
Gu Tiancheng gazed at her, a smile in his voice as well. "What?"
"Haven't you had a girlfriend all this time?"
A flicker of amusement passed swiftly through his eyes, but his pupils remained clear and bright. "No. I've been waiting for someone to appear. You've been asking me all this time—what about you? Don't tell me a woman like you doesn't have a boyfriend."
He threw her words right back at her. You Mingxu, with a smile playing on her lips, replied, "Thanks. I..." She looked up at the sky, as if searching for something in the vast expanse. Gu Tiancheng heard her murmur softly, "I've also been waiting for someone to appear."
Gu Tiancheng followed her gaze toward the sky. Its color was as deep as an eternal, unawakening dream, yet the starlight shimmered gently upon it. Gu Tiancheng thought, so it really is like this. Some people, even after years of being together and years of love, remain strangers to you. Others, after just a few hours, can make you feel as though a white lightning bolt might silently explode in your life at any moment, leaving you dazed and on the verge of glimpsing something profound.
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