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Psst! We're moving!
How far is it from Beijing?
Why would he suddenly go there?
What is he even studying?
A series of question marks popped into Chu Ning’s mind. Then she asked Qi Yu the question she cared about most – “When is Ying Jing coming back?”
“There’s no definite answer, Sister Ning. The Aerospace Department belongs to the Ministry of Science and Technology, so they won’t tell us the details.”
Chu Ning understood.
The Ministry of Science and Technology was a department directly managed by the Heavenly Dynasty. Simply put, the nation’s most advanced scientific technologies were all concentrated there. Many confidential projects, spanning years, decades, or even generations, brought great honor and renown. But more often, it involved quietly working like an ox for the greater good.
Chu Ning’s feelings were hard to discern at the moment.
Qi Yu coughed twice: “Sister Ning, please don’t mind. This news came very suddenly, and he left without warning. Ying Jing even left a lot of his things behind, which I have to bring for him. Please don’t blame him. The discipline there is quite strict, and we don’t even know if mobile phones can be used.”
Chu Ning: “Are you going too?”
“Yes, the day after tomorrow, we’re going in batches.”
Chu Ning composed herself and asked, “Have you booked your flight?”
“It’s booked.”
“Then send me the information.” Chu Ning swallowed, her voice exceptionally clear in the car: “I’ll go with you. I’ll stay outside, just treat it as a trip. I promise not to disturb you guys. Okay?”
Chu Ning’s decision, although impulsive, wasn’t made on a whim.
This relationship, currently, seemed to be quite a hassle, but she could honestly face herself: liking him meant liking him. She was angry, but definitely not throwing a tantrum. She couldn’t confirm if Ying Jing shared her view on relationships, so she could only focus on doing her part first.
The distance was long and arduous.
But it absolutely couldn’t be the distance between their hearts.
However, this last-minute decision still caused a lot of trouble. The company was busy these days, practically working overtime every day. Chu Ning endured Wei Qilin’s displeasure, delegated her tasks to the vice president, and cleared her schedule.
Work matters were easy to deal with, but her mother, Chen Yue, was a headache.
An uncle from the Zhao family was celebrating his sixtieth birthday with great fanfare, and the birthday banquet was on the day she was supposed to leave. Chen Yue repeatedly instructed Chu Ning to be sure to attend the birthday celebration on time. When Chu Ning said she couldn’t go, Chen Yue’s attitude became very sharp: “You put everything else aside for a matter of such importance! You absolutely must go to your uncle’s.”
Chu Ning tried her best to explain, finally managing to excuse herself by claiming a business trip.
Chen Yue was furious, pointing at her forehead: “How did I raise a daughter like you? They say daughters are little padded jackets, but you’re a steel cannon!”
Chu Ning smiled apologetically, letting her rant.
It was always the same few lines, and Chu Ning had pretty much memorized Chen Yue’s script.
When she finished scolding, she paused to catch her breath. “Oh, by the way.” Chen Yue suddenly remembered something important: “Do you know Ziyang went to France?”
Chu Ning feigned surprise. “Ah, when did that happen? I didn’t know.”
“He’s been gone for about a week. It’s said he had a big fight with his new love and went to seek peace.” At this, Chen Yue’s brows relaxed slightly, and she said eagerly, “That girl is incredibly troublesome. She even went to his company to block him. It looks like they’re breaking up. Hey, you, pay attention, don’t be muddle-headed.”
Chu Ning didn’t know whether to laugh or cry: “What did I do to upset you again?”
Chen Yue was simply exasperated, pointing at her and saying urgently, “The probability of you two getting back together is very high. Men might want a temporary fling to experience something new, but for marriage, they still need to find someone who can hold up the family name.”
“Stop, stop.” Chu Ning was about to roll her eyes. “Don’t you understand that a good horse doesn’t eat old grass? He doesn’t want me anymore, why should I cling to him? Sending myself to be defiled, Mom, I’m telling you, I’m not the kind of person who would do that!”
“You child, why are you so impossible to reason with!” Chen Yue sat on the sofa, legs crossed, chin held high, like a statue of a noblewoman—she was truly angry.
Chu Ning, however, wasn’t planning on indulging this noblewoman this time. She raised her eyebrows, showing no concession: “I can’t possibly never have another boyfriend.”
Chen Yue paused, turning her head to look at her.
“Fat or thin, old or young, older than me or younger than me, it’s all up to me. If you can’t stand it, just cover your eyes with an eye mask and don’t look. I don’t want to hear you spouting nonsense again later.”
With that, Chu Ning picked up her bag and left.
This was like giving a preventive shot, phew! Satisfying.
Everything was arranged, just waiting to depart.
What she didn’t expect was another change on Qi Yu’s side.
Chu Ning received his call while packing her luggage at the apartment.
Qi Yu sounded quite apologetic. “Sister Ning, I’m really sorry. They just informed me that my flight is in two hours and I have to leave.”
This news stunned Chu Ning. “You’re leaving today?”
Qi Yu hurriedly explained, sounding truly apologetic. Finally, he said, “Sister Ning, why don’t you cancel your trip? It’s one thing to have a companion, but now you’ll be alone, it’s really not suitable.”
Chu Ning took a deep breath, pressing down on her suitcase with one hand, and said, “It’s okay, I’ll go by myself.”
Qi Yu tried to persuade her again: “It’s really far away. After you get off the plane, you’ll have to transfer to another vehicle. It’s near the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and the altitude is high, your body won’t be able to take it.”
Still the same reply: “It’s okay.” Chu Ning’s tone was calm. “Thank you for the reminder, I’ll be careful.”
It had come to this, further persuasion was useless.
Qi Yu was thoughtful and worried. He wasn’t at ease. “Alright, Sister Ning, if anything happens on your way, please call us. I’ll meet Ying Jing tonight, and I’ll be sure to tell him to pick you up in Kangding.”
Chu Ning was used to being independent and wasn’t so particular. She said, “He’s busy, I can manage by myself, don’t bother him.”
The call ended, and Qi Yu quickly sent a text message with detailed addresses, transfer routes, and even the local government’s emergency hotline, meticulously covering every detail.
Chu Ning saved them one by one and replied, “Thank you.”
________________________________________
The next day, she flew from Beijing to Kangding. There were no fixed long-distance buses from Kangding to Danba, so it was purely by self-driving.
Chu Ning got off the plane at 12:30 PM.
In Western Sichuan, the temperature was lower than usual. While she could still wear short sleeves in Beijing, here, even a jacket felt a bit insufficient. Chu Ning first called Ying Jing, but the phone was still off. Then she called Qi Yu... amazingly, his was also off.
Fine, she’d settle down near the destination first.
The journey from Kangding to Danba was still a four to five-hour drive. There were many private cars offering rides, all low-spec family cars costing fifty to sixty thousand yuan. The dark-skinned local men with accents tried to attract passengers. If they encountered someone indecisive, they would get anxious, and their words would become somewhat slurred and indistinct.
Chu Ning, being alone, naturally became the target of “搶奪” (grabbing/competing for).
Her demeanor was cold, and she rarely smiled, a true ice beauty, which scared off many drivers. Finally, she carefully observed for a while and chose a driver who seemed relatively honest.
The key was that his car was a small SUV, much more robust than the others.
Chu Ning told him the destination, offered 1200 yuan, and the deal was made.
The driver had a big beard and looked honest, but surprisingly, he talked a lot along the way. However, his Mandarin wasn’t standard, mixed with his local accent, making it difficult to understand his gibberish.
At first, Chu Ning listened attentively, but after half an hour, she grew tired. She simply propped her forehead, twisting her eyes to look at the scenery.
The road to Danba was rough, bumpy, mountainous, and full of sharp turns.
After passing the Jiameng section, there was basically no phone signal.
In the plateau mountains, it got dark early. Just past five o’clock, the sky was visibly darkening.
The bearded driver also suddenly stopped talking.
The vast sky and open wilderness, like a giant curtain, pressed down, making one feel anxious. Chu Ning was a little nervous. Especially when the car bumped and suddenly slowed down, she thought the driver was going to stop.
“............”
To her surprise, after two minutes, the car really did stop.
Chu Ning raised her guard, instinctively moving closer to the car door.
The car, used for long-term passenger transport, had a strange smell. Random things were stacked behind the seats, including two sheep bones. The bearded driver turned his head and stared at Chu Ning.
Chu Ning’s heart sank, and she gripped her bag tightly.
The driver suddenly smiled, the folds of flesh on his face creasing into two wrinkles.
Chu Ning thought, I’m done for.
Mountains surrounded them on all sides; there was nowhere to run.
“Get out,” the driver said.
Chu Ning’s eyes were like blades, glaring fiercely at him.
The bearded man was quite displeased, repeating: “Get out!!”
Chu Ning was truly scared. Was it robbery, murder, or some other malicious intent? She checked her phone; no signal. Finally, hardening her heart, she decided to use the chain on her bag as a weapon. If he dared to touch her, she’d seize the opportunity to strangle him!
The bearded man lost patience, also a hot-tempered person, he roared, “Flat tire!! Get out and push the car!!”
Chu Ning was stunned. “Huh?”
The bearded man rolled his eyes in an exasperated way, as if to say, “Huh my ass.”
The left rear wheel had run over a sharp rock. The driver, who drove this road year-round, was experienced. He noticed something was wrong while driving, and indeed, the tire was leaking air.
The bearded man inspected it and told Chu Ning in broken Mandarin, “It’s stuck in the pit, can’t change the spare tire. We have to push it to flat ground first.”
He pointed to a spot fifty meters away.
What else could she do... Push!
The main thing was that she thought she would see Ying Jing today, so she had also dressed up carefully. Although the temperature wasn’t high, she bravely wore a long dress, and her shoes had a bit of a heel. The terrain here was rugged and bumpy, huh, how exciting!
First, she tried a few times, pushing the car’s rear with the bearded man. Oh my god, it was deadly, it didn’t budge an inch.
The car probably hadn’t been washed in centuries, getting her clothes all dusty.
No choice, she took them off.
Chu Ning took off her high heels, rolled up her sleeves, and then, finding the long dress cumbersome, simply tied a knot at her calves.
Her feet sank deep into the mud, and Chu Ning’s heart was breaking. The bearded man roared with all his might: “1, 2, 3—push hard!!”
Chu Ning used all her might, but the car still wouldn’t move.
After repeating four or five times, just as she was completely exhausted and decided to steal a moment of laziness.
The car! Moved!
The bearded man, being a strong fellow, kept pushing with a determined roar.
Chu Ning didn’t react in time and stumbled forward with the car—falling to the ground.
The muddy slush made her look like a piece of chocolate.
Damn it!!
________________________________________
Near a certain Tibetan village.
A flat plain, heavily guarded, the base surrounded by barbed wire fences. To the left was the experimental area, to the right was the control room. White walls and stone bricks, square, and at the top of the roof, a straight flagpole.
The five-starred red flag fluttered in the wind.
At 8:10 PM, a burst of cheers and applause erupted from a room on the southeast side of the third floor. It was a celebration, a satisfaction with the results of several days of diligent discussion. A certain node in the independent research had been overcome, and everyone was happy.
Ying Jing sprinted out of the laboratory, the first to go to the logistics department to retrieve his phone.
The person in charge of logistics, surnamed Ren, was in his thirties, an active member of the station. He smiled at everyone he saw. “Oh, Xiao Jing, number one, here’s your phone.”
Ying Jing held it as if it were gold. “Thank you, thank you!”
Brother Ren teased, “Contacting your girlfriend?”
Ying Jing nodded like a pecking chick, quickly turning on his phone.
While waiting, he heard Brother Ren sighing with a smile, “Ah, it’s like this for everyone who comes to the station. The organization has regulations, strict discipline, and what you do is special. As you move up, the levels are different, so these rules are unavoidable. Comrade Xiao, please bear with it.”
“It’s fine, I’m honored to be here to learn.” Ying Jing was polite and knew how to make people comfortable with his words. His phone was slow to turn on, and he kept tapping the screen.
“The department has been following your competition. You’re outstanding, Comrade Xiao Jing, with boundless prospects.”
“You’re too kind. You all are the backbone.”
The phone turned on, instantly vibrating his hand numb, with various text message alerts—unread messages, missed calls. Four from Chu Ning, three from Qi Yu. Ying Jing quickly called Chu Ning’s number back.
“—Sorry, the user you dialed is temporarily unreachable.”
He didn’t hesitate, and called Qi Yu instead.
Qi Yu answered almost instantly: “Xiao Jing! Have you met Sister Ning?!”
Ying Jing was stunned. “What are you saying?”
“Damn it!” Qi Yu rarely got this agitated, he was more anxious than an ant on a hot pan: “Before I came, I had an agreement with Sister Ning, but then my schedule moved up, and I was told to stop in Chengdu for a training. Damn it, I didn’t get Sister Ning’s call, and when I called back, I couldn’t reach her!”
Ying Jing’s heart sank, and fear spread through him. “Do you know what time her flight was?”
“I checked the flight, it wasn’t delayed, she should have arrived at noon.”
It was now 8:30 PM.
Ying Jing paused, not speaking.
Three seconds later, he abruptly turned and ran out!
His reckless energy startled Brother Ren behind him, who, seeing his unusual state, thought, Oh no, something’s probably wrong.
“Xiao Jing, Ying Jing!” Brother Ren chased after him. “If you have any trouble, tell me.”
Ying Jing was brought back to his senses by the calm voice.
In the plateau region, one still needed to wear a thick jacket at night, but at this moment, his back was covered in cold sweat. He grabbed Brother Ren’s hand, stammering, “A friend of mine came from Beijing to find me, she arrived in Kangding at noon, and now I can’t reach her.”
Brother Ren also frowned, calculated quickly, and thought, This is not good.
The journey was long and remote, and the place was isolated, truly a nuisance.
He put a hand on Ying Jing’s shoulder, comforting him, “Don’t panic, don’t worry. I’ll send a car to search in the opposite direction now. Maybe her car broke down on the road, or maybe, your friend didn’t come at all and is resting in the county town.”
Just as he was about to act, Brother Ren’s phone rang. He listened for a few seconds, his eyes lit up, and he looked at Ying Jing: “Someone’s at the gate looking for you.”
Before the sentence was even finished, Ying Jing sprinted out.
Brother Ren was dumbfounded: “Oh my! This young comrade must have practiced Ling Bo Wei Bu!”
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