Psst! We're moving!
Outside the station.
“Please wait a moment.” The soldier on duty, dedicated to his job, said to Chu Ning after reporting on the phone, “You can stand by the wall there, it’ll block some wind.”
Chu Ning was already too worn out to have any temper left. She was in a dazed, empty state.
The bearded driver was a genuinely good person. The original agreement was just to drop her off in the county town and find a hotel for her to stay in. After their joint effort to push the car, their barrier lessened, and they could chat and pass the time during the latter half of the journey. When he heard Chu Ning was there to find her boyfriend, he got excited! He insisted on taking her all the way to her destination. He kept muttering, “A thousand miles of marriage tied by a single thread, thousands of mountains and rivers are all destiny.”
The people here were simple, genuine, and had a unique charm.
And so, like pulling a car full of junk, he brought Chu Ning here.
To a base of the Aero-Engine Laboratory of the Ministry of Science and Technology in Danba.
After the bumpy journey, Chu Ning was smelly all over. Her hair was messy, her skirt was torn, her white sweater had a gray-black smudge like dirt, her high heels were squashed, and the left heel seemed to have a crack.
She wanted to touch up her makeup, but when she looked in the mirror, she was shocked by her ghostly appearance.
Chu Ning felt like she should light a cigarette at this point, truly embodying a wanderer at the ends of the earth.
Then, she saw a figure running wildly from inside the station, growing larger from small, approaching from far away.
Chu Ning regretted it. She regretted coming all the way to the Sichuan-Tibet region to chase after her “husband.”
Ying Jing’s expression was incredibly anxious. He ran down the stairs, past the national flag, and peered through the fence, his eyes searching everywhere. Finally, he stopped, panting, his gaze fixed on the corner of the wall.
Chu Ning was too tired. She squatted there, a small bundle, looking up at him with an indescribable expression.
It was their first meeting after the cold war.
Ying Jing rushed over, holding her arms and examining her up and down, asking anxiously, “Are you okay? Are you hurt? Are you uncomfortable anywhere? You, why did you come?!”
He was clearly concerned, anxious, and heartbroken, but to Chu Ning, whose spirit was on the verge of collapse, it sounded like an annoying interrogation.
The accumulated grievances of the past few days suddenly surged up. Chu Ning shrugged off his hand, turned her head, and said flatly, “Can’t I come for a trip? Can’t I come by tour bus?”
Ying Jing heard this and chuckled, even cooperating by saying to the bearded man beside him, “Brother Driver, you’ve worked hard. The luxury tour bus lives up to its name.”
The bearded man had a low threshold for laughter and couldn’t stop roaring with laughter.
Chu Ning lowered her head, eyes downcast, her fingers tightly clutching her bag.
Ying Jing’s heart ached. He called her softly, tenderly, “Ning’er...”
Chu Ning’s eyes couldn’t hold back any longer, and two tears fell.
Ying Jing reached out and hugged her tightly, rubbing the back of her head. The person in his arms was delicate and soft, burying her head in his chest, suppressing her sobs, trying hard not to cry out loud. But her shoulders trembled in a controlled manner, indicating silent tears.
Ying Jing’s heart felt pierced by a knife. He only hugged her tighter, his voice hoarse as he explained, “Dean Xu informed me that the Ministry of Science and Technology sent a letter, specifically asking me to come to the base. The cars to the airport were already parked at the school gate. I thought it was just a regular visit and study, but I didn’t expect the regulations to be so strict; they collected our phones at the airport.”
Chu Ning muffled, “Then why didn’t you call me before you left?”
Ying Jing looked embarrassed and guilty. “Weren’t we fighting?”
Chu Ning was still angry and twisted his arm hard, really putting force into it. Ying Jing gasped in pain.
“I won’t dare again, I won’t dare again, there won’t be a next time.”
Chu Ning’s eyes welled up again. She clutched his clothes, choking, unable to catch her breath.
Once her emotions had stabilized, Ying Jing handled the aftermath. Like a host, he politely thanked the bearded driver, paid for Chu Ning, and instead of the agreed 1200, he gave him 2000.
He was grateful for her safe arrival after such a difficult and dangerous journey.
The bearded man adamantly refused, speaking in his broken Sichuan-Tibetan Mandarin, pointing at his phone loudly: “Add me on WeChat, introduce me to business later, I’ll give you a commission.”
Ying Jing patted his shoulder, cheerfully, “Okay!”
The thousand-mile husband-seeking expedition was considered a success. Ying Jing led her into the station, but Chu Ning still had reservations. “Should I just go to the county town and get a room?”
Brother Ren happened to come over, overheard her words, and quickly advised, “No, no need. I’ll arrange it. The station has guest rooms. Although the conditions are basic, they’re clean and tidy.”
Then, he enthusiastically extended his hand: “Hello, my name is Ren Qingming, I’m the logistics manager here. Welcome to our base, family member.”
Chu Ning shook his hand politely, unsure whether to awkwardly refuse or accept.
Ying Jing chuckled mischievously, nodding like a pecking chick, “Mmm-hmm, mmm-hmm!”
Chu Ning made a small movement with her hand, quietly pinching him on his lower back. The force was neither light nor heavy, more of a playful gesture.
It was too late for any more big commotion. Old Ren quickly arranged the room, and even brought up a bowl of local honey water and two steamed buns. “Have something sweet. The altitude here is quite high, be careful of altitude sickness.”
Chu Ning was truly hungry and devoured the food without regard for her image.
“Slow down, slow down.” Ying Jing took a tissue to wipe her mouth, feeling distressed. “You’ll have to make do for one night, I’ll take you out tomorrow.”
Chu Ning disliked that he hadn’t wiped her clean, and turned her right cheek towards him, pouting. The tissue gently and softly pressed against the right corner of her mouth.
She ate and asked, “Don’t you have to work tomorrow?”
“The experiment was successful tonight, so I’ll take a day off tomorrow.”
“You can take a day off?”
“I’m not a permanent resident of the station, so the requirements aren’t that strict,” Ying Jing said. “The instructions only told me to stay for a week.”
Chu Ning hummed, finished her food, and left the bowls clean.
Ying Jing took them out, and returned shortly, closing the door behind him.
Chu Ning glanced at him, but didn’t say anything, resting on the stool.
Ying Jing was quite considerate, kneeling on the floor to pack her luggage. The classic LV suitcase had also been battered beyond recognition from the journey. Ying Jing was meticulous, re-folding the clothes inside, and handled her underwear and bras without a change in expression.
A black demi-cup lace bra.
Black tiny briefs, with only a small piece of fabric being cotton, the rest entirely sheer.
...
Chu Ning was also calm, acting as if nothing was amiss, watching Ying Jing pack.
He was kneeling there, head down, hands busy. It was clear he was someone who had a methodical approach to organizing things.
In no time, everything was spick and span.
Ying Jing helped her place clean clothes on the bed and said, “Go take a shower, I’ll wait until you’re done before I leave.”
Chu Ning hummed, got up, and casually asked, “Where are you staying?”
“Downstairs.”
“Oh.”
The water pressure in the plateau region wasn’t strong; the shower head sprayed like light rain. Chu Ning didn’t waste water, showered quickly, and emerged from the bathroom smelling fragrant and feeling refreshed.
Ying Jing sat on the edge of the bed, looked up at her, his eyes dark and silent.
Chu Ning squatted on the floor applying skincare, with her travel-sized bottles and jars, and said evenly, “You should go rest early.”
Ying Jing silently stood up, obediently.
He walked to the door, Chu Ning even heard the sound of the doorknob turning.
Suddenly, a “bang!” She instinctively turned her head, but Ying Jing hadn’t left. Instead, he walked over and hugged her waist from behind.
His young heartbeat was strong and powerful.
Burning warmth penetrated Chu Ning’s back. Ying Jing whispered, pleading, “Can I wait until you fall asleep before I leave?”
Chu Ning didn’t respond, waiting for him to continue.
As expected, he had ulterior motives—Ying Jing whispered into her ear, “I’ll sleep with you for a bit, I want to hold you.”
And so, the two lay on the same bed.
Facing upwards, with at least twenty centimeters between them, their gazes were determined, their bodies stiff. One might have thought they were playing dead.
Chu Ning simply closed her eyes, practicing Buddhist-style sleeping.
Ying Jing couldn’t hold back. First, he tentatively moved closer, hooked her finger. No resistance? Good, he flipped over directly, resting his arm across Chu Ning’s stomach, hugging her.
Chu Ning held her breath, determined not to breathe.
Ying Jing felt it wasn’t enough, and placed his thigh over hers.
“Pfft!” Chu Ning couldn’t hold it in anymore and almost suffocated.
The awkward atmosphere suddenly eased.
They looked at each other and smiled, and laughed, and couldn’t stop laughing.
Ying Jing kissed her eyebrows, eyes, nose, and finally kissed her lips three times in a row.
Chu Ning gripped his chin, still somewhat rational: “Don’t mess around!”
After all, it was a national-level experimental base, and behavior needed to be more dignified. Ying Jing puffed out his cheeks and whispered, “Can I touch you?”
“...”
“I really just want to touch.”
Chu Ning’s mind exploded. She didn’t find it inappropriate; instead, she felt a surge of eagerness.
She half-resisted, half-yielded, giving an indistinct hum.
Ying Jing’s eyes flashed like light bulbs. Without wasting time, he immediately burrowed into the covers.
Chu Ning was terribly nervous.
His warm palm lifted her hem, moving upwards.
She could feel the person inside breathing heavily, even with a faint hum.
Then her chest felt warm, and his hand was doing mischief.
Men seemed to have a talent for intimacy, always adapting more quickly than women. Ying Jing emerged from under the covers, staring at her face without blinking.
Chu Ning’s face was flushed, her eyes becoming unfocused.
She looked back at him, instinctively wanting to wrap her arms around his neck.
But suddenly—
Ying Jing’s eyes froze, and his movements stopped.
Chu Ning’s voice even changed, “...Hmm?”
She felt an itch in her nose and instinctively rubbed it with her hand—
It was all blood!
Ying Jing reacted, his face instantly changing. He threw off the covers and got up. “Ning’er, don’t move!”
Chu Ning was dazed, propping herself up with her arms, and hadn’t even had time to ask what was going on.
Her vision swam, and she fell headfirst.
Ying Jing was horrified. He picked her up and rushed out like a madman, “Brother Ren!!”