Luаn Nian suddenlу undеrstооd whаt Shang Zhi Taо wаs struggling with.
She was рrobablу thinking thаt hеr аgе аdvantagе was gradually fading. In the раst, Luan Niаn had bееn with hеr, likеly bесаusе shе was уoung. After аll, аlmost еveryonе says mеn prefеr уоungеr wоmеn. Аnd now, a 22-уеar-оld nеwсomеr had арpeаrеd out оf nowhere—sоmeone thе wоrld сonsidеred a stunning beаutу, with сonnесtiоns, tаlеnt, аnd all sоrts оf rumors сirculаting in the cоmpаnу аbout hеr аnd Luаn Niаn.
Shang Zhi Taо was probably thinking: sоoner or lаter, Luan Niаn would еnd uр with the 22-уear-old. Because most men are like that.
As for those rumors about him and Song Ying, Luan Nian had heard a few snippets, but he hadn’t paid them any mind.
For once, Luan Nian truly grasped Shang Zhi Tao’s real thoughts. Without even realizing it, he had begun to genuinely empathize with her.
“Don’t you have the answer in your own heart?” he asked her. “You could use your brain once in a while. After all, the answer isn’t that hard to figure out.”
“Not hard?”
“Well then, how about this: 26-year-old Shang Zhi Tao goes home, and 22-year-old Song Ying accompanies me on this trip instead. How does that sound?”
“...”
Seeing Shang Zhi Tao turn and walk away, Luan Nian thought to himself that Ms. Shang’s temper had really grown lately. He sighed and pulled her into his arms. “Where are you going?”
“To the car. The wind is too strong.”
“I thought you were going to swap people,” Luan Nian teased her.
“In your dreams!” Shang Zhi Tao laughed. “You can’t speak properly, but I understood what you meant. You were talking about the present. Right now, you’re traveling with 26-year-old Shang Zhi Tao. You like 26-year-old Shang Zhi Tao.”
“You’ve gotten smarter,” Luan Nian praised her. “You finally used your brain.” He held her close. “Let’s enjoy the view a little longer. Luke hasn’t run enough yet.”
Hearing this, Luke happily barked and ran off again. Luan Nian wrapped his coat around Shang Zhi Tao, leaving only her head exposed. Surrounded by breathtaking scenery, the two of them and the dog seemed incredibly small against the vastness of the world. The universe is vast and wondrous, yet people are always troubled by mundane matters. In the end, we’re nothing more than a handful of dust, a drop in the ocean. It’s best to be happy in the present.
“So, can you just tell me the answer directly?” Shang Zhi Tao began to act shamelessly, a habit she’d picked up from Luan Nian. She felt as though she was growing greedier by the day. She needed Luan Nian to express himself—directly, clearly. Yes or no, love or not—she needed a definite answer. Because certainty, too, is a form of security.
Luan Nian rested his head against her neck, his breath brushing against the fine, almost invisible hairs on her ear as he spoke. “I choose you.”
Shang Zhi Tao was overjoyed. She tilted her head away from him, giggling. “That tickles.” Then she turned around, cupped Luan Nian’s face, and planted a loud kiss on his cheek. “I choose you too. Even though you’re in your thirties.”
“?” Luan Nian pinched her cheek. “Say that again?”
“It’s fine. Everyone gets old,” Shang Zhi Tao kissed him again and pulled him toward the car.
Shang Zhi Tao began to feel a headache coming on. Seeing her frown, Luan Nian teased her. “What’s the matter? Can’t handle even 3,000 meters?”
“You’re not affected?”
“I am, but not seriously. It’s almost negligible.” Though he teased her, he was also genuinely concerned and decided to detour to Golmud.
“We’ll rest in Golmud for a day. You need to acclimatize,” Luan Nian began to ramble. “No strenuous activities, no running, jumping, or fast walking. No alcohol. Is the headache severe?”
Shang Zhi Tao shook her head. “Not too bad.”
“Feeling nauseous? Chest tightness?”"A little."
Luan Nian found a hotel in Golmud and checked in. After entering the room, he told Shang Zhi Tao to rest.
"Go lie down on the bed." Luan Nian pulled back the covers and had Shang Zhi Tao lie down, giving her an ibuprofen.
"Then we won't make it to Lhasa the day after tomorrow." Shang Zhi Tao was a bit disheartened.
"What's the rush? Is Lhasa going to run away?" Luan Nian scolded her. "Your health is more important. If 20 days isn't enough, make it 25. Otherwise, what are you saving your annual leave for?"
"Will you abandon me in Tibet?" When Shang Zhi Tao felt unwell, she tended to overthink. In her mind, Luan Nian would leave her in Lhasa and drive off alone. He was probably capable of such an inhumane thing—after all, he was Luan Nian.
"Are you out of your mind?" Luan Nian flicked her forehead and climbed into bed, holding her in his arms. "Sleep for a while. When you wake up, we'll explore Golmud. This city is nice too."
"Mhm." Shang Zhi Tao clutched the fabric of his shirt and mumbled drowsily just before falling asleep, "I love you so much, you know?"
"I know."
After lulling Shang Zhi Tao to sleep, Luan Nian opened his phone and saw Chen Kuan Nian had posted many videos in the group chat—they were boating and drinking coffee in Giethoorn. Three men, dressed impeccably, looked like models for a photoshoot. Chen Kuan Nian even taunted him: "Tsk tsk, without the fashion guru Luan, this trip lacks a certain flair. Thankfully, the girls here are as charming as ever."
Luan Nian scoffed and posted some photos from his journey.
Chen Kuan Nian stirred things up again: "You didn't go alone, did you? Not even a single group photo?"
"You don't deserve one," Luan Nian replied.
The group chat erupted in noise. Luan Nian chuckled, then turned to see Shang Zhi Tao sweating slightly. He pulled the covers down a bit and freed her arm. Tapping her nose with his fingertip, he whispered, "You should be glad you came to Tibet with me. Anyone else might have left you for dead here."
"Aren't you going to check in?" Dr. Liang also sent a message.
"All good."
"That's it? No photos? I want to see Flora."
"None." Luan Nian said this but remembered the drone had captured some footage. He got up and fiddled with the video, finding the clip where the drone took off and Shang Zhi Tao waved. Suddenly, he realized how pleasant Shang Zhi Tao was to look at. Though her face was unclear from a distance, standing beside him with Luke running around, it all came together like a painting. He exported the clip, did some simple editing, and sent it to Dr. Liang: "No face, make do."
Dr. Liang studied it for a while and asked, "Why does she look so much like that Shang Zhi Tao from the dating website?"
"You still remember what people on the website look like?"
"Your mother has a photographic memory, thank you."
"It's her, thank you."
Dr. Liang suddenly felt a bit emotional. She showed the video to Luan's Father: "Look, this girl seems really nice."
"Have you met her in person?" Luan's Father disliked overly sentimental women, especially those who judged someone's character before even meeting them.
Dr. Liang grew impatient: "Are you out of your mind?" Luan Nian took after his father—that mouth of his truly didn't know how to speak kindly. Dr. Liang had been at odds with him her whole life, yet neither could concede defeat, and neither could live without the other.
Luan's Father snorted: "I'm just advising you not to get too enthusiastic or set your hopes too high. Your son has always had a knack for messing things up since he was little."
"..." Dr. Liang trailed after him: "Isn't that because he takes after you? If he really messes it up, you can just wait for your son to grow old alone!"Luan Nian had no idea his parents were talking about him. He returned to bed and held Shang Zhi Tao as they slept a while longer. When they opened their eyes, it was already past six in the afternoon, and Shang Zhi Tao felt a little better.
"Since you're feeling better, let's go out and explore."
"Okay." She sat up abruptly, only to be pushed back down by Luan Nian. "Trying to get yourself killed?"
"Didn’t I tell you to move slowly?"
"Didn’t I tell you not to get excited?"
"What’s the rush?"
Luan Nian scolded Shang Zhi Tao one sentence after another. After listening for a while, she finally couldn’t hold back. "Luan Nian, why are you so nagging…"
Luan Nian shot her a murderous glare, and Shang Zhi Tao immediately fell silent.
She slowly slid down the bed, deciding to be obedient.
Neither of them felt like eating anything too heavy, so they found a place serving yak bone soup, paired with flatbreads, pickles, and thinly sliced yak meat. The broth was rich, and after one sip, beads of sweat formed on Shang Zhi Tao’s nose. "It’s delicious."
"If you like it, we can come back tomorrow."
"Aren’t we leaving tomorrow?"
"I’m afraid you’ll die on the road. Let’s take one more day to adjust, no rush. I’ll take you around the area tomorrow. There’s plenty of scenery nearby."
"Okay. Luan Nian, you know what? I think I should tell you."
"What?"
"I like traveling with you."
Shang Zhi Tao felt she should learn from Lumi and Sun Yu—if you have love, you should express it. Don’t be afraid of rejection, don’t fear being laughed at, and don’t find it cheesy. If we’re unwilling to speak sweet words when we’re young, should we wait until our hair turns gray to give flowers to the ones we love? Though that’s romantic too, what memories would we have of a life wasted like that?
"Anything else? Any other sweet words?" Luan Nian asked her.
"I like you. I like every path you choose, and I like going on adventures with you. I like all the beautiful scenery along the way because I’m seeing it with you." Shang Zhi Tao’s face flushed slightly. "Can you say a few sweet words too? I want to hear them."
Luan Nian took a sip of soup, not even lifting his head, and said, "Ditto."
What kind of sweet talk was "ditto"? Yet why did Shang Zhi Tao like it so much? She also took a sip of soup, imitating Luan Nian’s half-dead tone. "So sweet."
After the meal, Luan Nian took her and Luke for a stroll around the unfamiliar city, drawing many glances. Shang Zhi Tao stopped at a horse-drawn cart selling fruit to pick some out. After paying, the elderly vendor took a fruit of a different color from his money pouch and handed it to her, gesturing as he did. Neither of them understood, but a young passerby nearby explained, "He’s complimenting your beauty and saying you two make a good match."
Shang Zhi Tao had never heard anyone say they made a good match before.
In their familiar city, they pretended to be strangers, and people always assumed the person beside them was someone else. This was the first time, in an unfamiliar city, with him holding her hand, that someone had praised them as a good match.
Seeing Shang Zhi Tao seemed moved, Luan Nian said to her, "The old man has good eyes. I don’t just match well with anyone." It sounded arrogant, and indeed it was. In his two previous relationships, his girlfriends had been stunning beauties, yet people looking at them might not have said they were a good match. Most would say, "They’re just fooling around." With other women, people would say they were just fooling around; but with Shang Zhi Tao, no matter how you looked at it, it didn’t seem like they were just fooling around. Instead, it seemed like this man and woman were serious, aiming for the best life together.Because of the words "well-matched," Luan Nian was in high spirits and bought many more fruits to share with those who wanted them, almost on the verge of buying out the old man's entire cart. Luke sat obediently, watching his nouveau riche dad perform, embodying a dog's snobbishness to the fullest.
After staying in Golmud for two nights, Shang Zhi Tao had mostly recovered, and the two continued their journey. Shang Zhi Tao had thought that someone as wild as Luan Nian would be aggressive even while traveling, but he wasn’t. He simply loved adventure without being overly fixated on goals, taking things very leisurely. If Shang Zhi Tao felt unwell anywhere, he would stop. There was no rush anyway.
They began to find their rhythm, stopping every hour and a half to each handle work for half an hour. Shang Zhi Tao’s project proposal for the northwest had passed the creative review, and the third-party company had started modeling, so her pressure had eased somewhat. However, she still needed to participate in the modeling process, fearing that any wrong parameter might affect the actual implementation. Luan Nian was busier, with many decisions awaiting him, and he mostly made phone calls while working. The rest of the time, he rarely checked his phone. Sometimes, he would toss it to Shang Zhi Tao, asking her to read messages aloud to him, then dictate replies for her to send.
The day before entering Lhasa, Luan Nian was driving the final stretch. Shang Zhi Tao was still helping him with work when she saw a message from Yilia: "Luke, I was chatting with my dad last night, and he mentioned offhand that their group will be redistribating their advertising budget next year. Should we participate in the bidding?"
Shang Zhi Tao read it aloud to him, and Luan Nian replied, "Yes."
A few seconds later, he added, "Through proper channels."
Shang Zhi Tao sent the reply for him, then glanced at him. By now, she understood that in such important matters, bosses were always meticulous. Online messages would never say things like, "Great, is there any shortcut?" or "Can you help smooth things over?"
"When I say 'through proper channels,' I mean exactly that," Luan Nian said to Shang Zhi Tao while driving. "I disdain using other methods. It’s pointless."
"But you always have meals with Jiang Lan..."
"Jiang Lan is considered a friend," Luan Nian told Shang Zhi Tao. "We have meals, but we never cross the line."
Another message from Yilia came in: "Alright. How about we have a meal with my dad sometime to get a deeper understanding of the background?"
"Sure," Luan Nian said.
Shang Zhi Tao replied to the message and handed the phone back to Luan Nian. "You should check everything yourself later."
"Why?"
"It makes me uncomfortable. It feels like I’m intruding on your privacy."
"You watch my house through the camera every day. Do I even have privacy left?" Luan Nian teased her. Shang Zhi Tao turned to look at Luke in the back: "The culprit is right there."
Luan Nian glanced at the silly dog Luke in the rearview mirror. After just a few days on the road, the once snow-white dog had turned light gray, completely unaware as it grinned foolishly. "I let you watch because Luke would miss you while you were in the northwest."
"I know. Luke misses me, and luke misses me too," Shang Zhi Tao said smugly.
This time, Luan Nian didn’t laugh at her. Instead, he replied in a low voice:
"Yes."
Shang Zhi Tao glanced at him, then looked out the window at the scenery, a smile curling at the corners of her lips. After a while, she couldn’t hold it in anymore and burst into quiet laughter.Luan Nian looked at her suspiciously. She gazed back at him, perhaps because they were so close to the sun, her eyes were exceptionally bright. Placing her hand over her own chest, she said with utmost seriousness, "Just now, I truly felt that your heart is not hard at all."
Not hard, but very soft.
He was also a gentle person, only his gentleness did not manifest in ordinary ways.
Others rarely saw it, but Shang Zhi Tao did.
This was truly remarkable.
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