In the еаrlу mоrning оf Lhasa, manу еlderly Тibetans hаd аlrеаdу mаde their wаy to the Jokhang Tеmрle. Нolding рrауеr wheеls оf vаriоus sizеs in onе hand and Buddhist bеаds in the оther, they wаlked with unsteаdy steрs, nеvеr сеаsing оn their pаth оf devоtiоn.
Тhe numbеr of guеsts аt Deji Inn was nоtiсeаbly fewer thаn during the summer. In anоthеr mоnth or twо, the inn's workers wоuld rеturn tо their hоmеtоwns, nоt tо rеturn until latе sрring the fоllowing уear. Тhis was thе nоrm fоr most оutsidеrs dоing businеss in Lhasa—spеnding half the year in Тibet and the оther half bаck hоmе. On оne hand, this was due to the fluctuation in tourist numbers, and on the other, it was a consideration for their health—those not raised on the plateau could ultimately suffer from prolonged stays in Tibet, which were detrimental to heart and lung function.
Hippo woke up excitedly and hurried across the street from the inn to buy breakfast, habitually choosing the breakfast shop Bayunye frequented. It wasn’t until he returned with porridge and steamed buns that he realized she hadn’t been around these past few days.
As he walked, he thought to himself that in Xi’an, she must be like a mouse falling into a rice jar—so happy she’d forget everything else. However, in their line of work, time spent with family or loved ones was short. While brief separations might initially feel like a honeymoon, after repeated partings, that feeling often gave way to suspicion, loneliness, and emptiness. Many in this line of work ended up divorcing after a few years, or remained unmarried into their later years, with few relationships lasting long.
This train of thought seemed to stir something within him, leaving him lost in contemplation until he nearly tripped and snapped back to reality.
From a distance, he saw Brother Long standing before a map of China, deep in thought, so absorbed that he didn’t even notice the boiling water. Frowning slightly, Hippo set down the plastic bag, tiptoed closer, and leaned over the counter behind Brother Long, tilting his head to look.
He saw Brother Long placing circular magnets on several locations: northern Tibet, Golmud, and Alxa, then drawing imaginary lines between the three areas, looking thoroughly puzzled.
Just as Hippo was about to jump up and startle him, Brother Long took out his phone, snapped a photo of the map, and seemed to send it to someone. Then, he made a call—
"Hey! Did you get it? Yeah, I don’t know what it means—take a look for me... Whether she wants to know or not, I need to find out... And that Song Fan, I’ve always thought there was more to him. How could he just be a tourist..."
Hippo secretly recorded a video with his phone, holding his breath and not daring to make a sound. Unaware of anyone behind him, Brother Long hung up and turned around. Hippo quickly hid his phone. Startled, Brother Long reached out and smacked him on the head. "Are you a ghost? Sneaking up behind me without a sound!"
Rubbing his forehead where he’d been hit, Hippo said, "I saw you making calls to help Master Ba with something—didn’t want to disturb you!"
Brother Long looked him up and down, raising his faint, almost invisible eyebrows. "You didn’t disturb me, but you scared the hell out of me."
"Brother Long, you care more about Master Ba’s business than your own."
"Don’t be fooled by her saying she doesn’t care—this has been weighing on her heart for years. In the early days, some people paid off thugs to cause trouble at the orphanage she used to live in. If it were anyone else, do you think she could’ve held back from taking action? But she couldn’t justify it, so she couldn’t bring herself to act, understand? That’s why I didn’t let her join me driving trucks right after high school. Back then, her temper was too fiery—I was afraid she’d get into accidents on the road or end up losing fights. Sending her to the military was to temper her, to refine her character."“But things haven’t been peaceful these past few years either. I remember when I first joined the club, you asked me and Ah Dian to accompany Master Ba back to her hometown. I thought we were going to enjoy the beauty of Yunnan, but instead we got splashed with paint, got into a fight, and spent two days painting walls.”
“You don’t know this, but too many people died in that car accident. Some family members still hold grudges, with nowhere to vent their anger.” Brother Long snorted. “Thankfully, she spent a few years in the military. Otherwise, with their reckless behavior, she might have ended up killing someone—believe it or not.”
“You’ve got my respect for Master Ba…” Hippo gave a thumbs-up. “If I were her, I’d offer myself to you!”
Brother Long pushed his thumb down. “We’re all just trying to make a living far from home, looking out for each other. If someday… you, Hippo, run into trouble, tell Brother Long. If I can help you settle it, don’t take matters into your own hands and go down the wrong path, understand?”
As he spoke, he looked deeply at Hippo, his eyes seeming to hold more unspoken words.
“Yes, sir!” Hippo grinned, standing at attention and saluting. “Hurry up and eat the buns. With Master Ba away, I bought too many…”
Brother Long nodded, grabbed a few buns, and left. Back in his room, he turned on his computer and pulled up the surveillance footage from the courtyard cameras. Seeing Hippo filming him from behind with a phone, his gaze turned cold. He took out his own phone, downloaded a short-video app Hippo often used, and muttered, “Turkey-flavored rice crackers… What a stupid name. I almost misread it…”
Entering Hippo’s profile, Brother Long casually browsed through the clips he had posted over the past two years—mostly short videos with scenic themes. Due to their lack of aesthetic appeal, most had low view counts. After flipping through a few pages, the sharp-eyed Brother Long seemed to notice something in the videos Hippo had shot last autumn during a small loop trip in northern Xinjiang. He searched for a few more episodes from that same trip, and his confusion deepened.
He pulled up the guest lists from those trips and called them one by one—only to learn that none of them had passed by Ketuomo Grand Canyon.
Ketuomo Grand Canyon is a wild, lesser-known spot with rough roads and no entrance fee, but it’s a must-visit for off-road enthusiasts. It’s understandable that Bayunye, who doesn’t often run Xinjiang routes, might not know about it. But Hippo used to work with the Scorching Sun Caravan, which primarily operated in Xinjiang, and he enjoys making Douyin videos. Yet, he had never once taken guests to see the free and spectacular Ketuomo Grand Canyon. As far as Brother Long knew, this spot was included in the Scorching Sun Caravan’s routes.
A question arose in Brother Long’s mind: Since joining the Eagle Club, had Hippo been careless about leading tours, hesitant to take charge in front of Bayunye, or… was he simply unfamiliar with Xinjiang routes?
Ge Mingliang had previously asked someone to look into it and confirmed that Hippo was indeed a former partner of the Scorching Sun Caravan. How could that be false? Though Brother Long knew better than to doubt Ge Mingliang’s sources, he decided to play it safe and gather information from elsewhere.
“Ah Teng… You’ve been driving for years and have plenty of connections. Could you help me look into a small matter? … Good, thank you in advance. Could you find some of the guests from the early days when the Scorching Sun Caravan was just starting out? … Yes, guests, not the drivers. Ask them if they know a driver named Ma He or nicknamed Hippo…”Hulatang soup and tuotuo steamed bread are to Xi'an locals what xiaomian noodles and wontons are to Chongqing people—breakfast staples so ingrained they're practically second nature. Bayunye couldn't stomach hulatang, so she idly tore at her steamed bread while watching him eat. She loved the way his Adam's apple bobbed when he swallowed. When they lay together, she enjoyed wrapping her arms around his neck, burying her face against his throat, where she could easily feel that small protrusion and the pulsing beat of his carotid artery.
Sometimes, her touch made his throat tighten and his scalp tingle. He would close his eyes and ask hoarsely, "Are you trying to seduce me or kill me, damn it?"
At the next table, a group of girls who seemed to be tourists in Xi'an were discussing climbing Mount Hua while the weather was good. Bayunye eavesdropped on their chatter, a faint smile playing on her lips.
After the girls finished and left, Diao Zhuo asked her, "Do you want to go?"
"I climbed Mount Hua a few years ago. The summit elevation isn't even as high as any random street in Lhasa."
Was that even comparable? Her bizarre logic left Diao Zhuo speechless. "In Lhasa, do you need to start hiking at two in the morning just to watch the sunrise?"
Bayunye pulled a chair over and leaned against him. "Today, I just want to wander around the streets."
Diao Zhuo tilted his head to look at her—she was leaving for Chengdu tomorrow afternoon, and they wouldn't see each other for over half a month. This was the norm in their lives: chasing careers, dreams, and livelihoods, each rushing about in different places.
"What do you want to buy?"
"Is shopping the only reason women go out?" Bayunye posed a question that struck at the very soul of straight men.
"If not to buy things, why else would you go out?" the steel-straight man retorted.
Bayunye spread her hands, speaking with utmost seriousness and sincerity: "Shopping is internationally recognized as one of the safest forms of hiking. There are no wild beasts or extreme weather to contend with, you can easily access food and water, and if you feel exhausted, there are plenty of places to rest and take shelter. In an emergency, medical help is readily available. Even people with no hiking experience or poor physical fitness can manage it effortlessly. One of my comrades who couldn't even run 1,000 meters when she first enlisted can walk for eight hours straight on the streets without buying a single thing."
This argument was flawless, leaving Diao Zhuo with nothing to say.
Despite Bayunye's life as a long-haul trucker crisscrossing the country, she was actually quite a homebody in her downtime. On her days off, she didn't enjoy wandering around. Instead, she tinkered with modifying her truck, hit the gym, or sparred at the sanda club. At her most bored, she'd stay indoors watching shows online. She didn't follow celebrities but was happy to be a casual spectator. Opportunities for such leisurely strolls were rare for her.
Diao Zhuo, a steel-straight man through and through, was much the same. He had a few brands he found comfortable to wear and would head straight to the store to buy them when the seasons changed.
Accompanying Bayunye on her "hike"—Diao Zhuo was more than willing.
When she shopped, she was as decisive as he was. One glance told her whether something would suit her. She'd go in, pick her size, and that was it.
As they continued walking, it was purely to admire the storefronts and window displays. She didn't step into another shop.
It was Diao Zhuo who paused before a brand's display window, staring for a long time at a garment on the mannequin. He gestured with his chin. "Try it on?"
He'd never done this before.
"That dress?" Bayunye's mouth twitched visibly—a V-neck, fitted-waist dress in pale pink.
Diao Zhuo hummed in agreement and led her inside.Bayunye grabbed his arm. "How can I drive wearing a skirt like that? It's so short, getting in and out of the car all day—how many times would I accidentally flash someone?"
"You won't always be driving."
"Well..."
"I've never seen you in a skirt." Diao Zhuo wrapped an arm around her waist. "Let's go."
"Straight men's taste is really something..." Bayunye sighed but followed him inside anyway. She got straight to the point with the approaching sales assistant. "What size do you think I should wear?"
The smiling sales assistant provided excellent service, not only bringing the skirt but also handing Bayunye a matching knit top and nude high heels.
Bayunye glanced at the heels, which were at least 7 cm tall, and whispered to Diao Zhuo, "I'll be over 180 cm tall in these."
The sales assistant continued smiling. "This skirt looks best on tall beauties like you. Besides, your boyfriend is so tall—even if you wore 10 cm heels, it wouldn't matter."
Diao Zhuo casually picked up a magazine, pointed toward the fitting room, and sat on the sofa to wait for her to change.
Inside the fitting room, Bayunye picked up the skirt and chuckled. Even though she spent several months each year in Lijiang, the city of romantic encounters, she hadn't worn a skirt like this in a long time.
She quickly changed, untied her ponytail, and let her hair fall naturally down her back. Standing in front of the mirror, she twirled a few times. The skirt accentuated her figure, and the high heels made her already slender legs even more alluring. Though it wasn't her preferred style, she had to admit Diao Zhuo had good taste—it was quite pretty.
She pulled open the door and walked out, only to bump right into Diao Zhuo, who was blocking the entrance.
"What are you..."
Diao Zhuo looked her up and down, a hint of a smile appearing in his eyes.
"Does it look good?" She twirled twice in place.
—It looks amazing.
He shook his head.
"It really doesn't suit me. Girls with fairer skin would look better in this." Not receiving a positive response, Bayunye wasn't upset. She nodded calmly and turned to go back in and change.
"The skirt is too long."
"Too—long?!" Bayunye was astonished. "If I bend over, my butt will show!"
Diao Zhuo insisted, "A little shorter would be better."
Stupid straight man! Bayunye rolled her eyes at him and was about to head back into the fitting room when Diao Zhuo grabbed her wrist. "No rush, wear it a little longer."
Bayunye looked back. "Just for the eye candy, huh? Does it look good or not?"
Diao Zhuo leaned close to her ear. "It's definitely eye candy."
She curled one corner of her lips, smiling mischievously and spiritedly.
She went back in to change. Diao Zhuo received a call from a few buddies he was planning to drive to Qinghai with in a few days. Hearing he was back in Xi'an, they invited him for drinks that evening to discuss the road trip.
Bayunye came out in her original outfit. Diao Zhuo took the clothes and shoes she had changed out of and handed them to the sales assistant. "Pack them up."
The sales assistant loved straightforward buyers like this and promptly packaged everything.
"Want me to introduce you to some clients?" Diao Zhuo asked.
"Thanks in advance." Bayunye clasped her hands in a gesture of gratitude and agreed. "I'll wear this new outfit."
Diao Zhuo said, "The skirt is too short."
Bayunye looked shocked. "Just now you said it was too long."
"Did I?"
Bayunye blinked, deliberately opposing him. "Well, I'm wearing it anyway."
OpenNovel