Chapter 91: The Journey

Chapter 91: The Journey

After a week of overcast weather, the skies cleared up on the day of their departure. Early in the morning, a ray of sunshine pierced through the curtains, illuminating the slumbering figures.

With his left knee on the bed's edge, Kuang Yanhe leaned forward, pressing a soft kiss to Tang Yun's forehead, rousing him gently.

"Time to get up and change."

"Mm, what time is it?"

Having slept through the night, Tang Yun's voice had taken on a raspy edge. Every sound seemed sticky, as if it could adhere to Kuang Yanhe's ears.

"It's 9:30."

Quickly doing the mental math, Tang Yun sprang up: "Could you squeeze out some toothpaste for me?"

"Of course."

Their luggage had been packed the night before. As the destination encompassed multiple spots and the weather was turning chillier, Kuang Yanhe had packed several autumn and winter outfits. The 28-inch suitcase was almost full. He also carried a backpack with essentials like his phone, power bank, and camera.

Before heading out, they left their cat's food in a prominent spot in the living room, along with a note. During their trip, Tang Yun's colleague and Liang Song would look after the feline. Tang Yun left a red envelope for each of them as a gesture of appreciation.

Ever since Kuang Yanhe had left Xiang Heng, he hadn’t hired a personal driver. The pair hailed a cab to the airport. En route, Tang Yun yawned several times. Kuang Yanhe patted his thigh, suggesting he lay down and nap for a bit.

As Tang Yun reclined, finding a comfy position, he heard Kuang Yanhe muttering, "Staying up late and struggling to wake up during the day..."

Tang Yun remarked in bemusement, "Who was it that kept me awake last night?"

"You were the one engrossed in videos, refusing to sleep. I was merely aiding your sleep. Without my intervention, wouldn’t you have scrolled until 4 or 5 in the morning before finally resting?"

Tang Yun was rendered speechless. When it came to such arguments, Kuang Yanhe always had his unique, albeit convoluted, logic.

By the time they landed in Ordos, it was past 3 PM. The temperature here was noticeably lower than in Nancheng, and the roads were far less congested.

Their driver, sent by the hotel, proudly introduced them to the region's famous attractions and delicacies. He even gifted them two hand-drawn travel guides.

"My daughter drew the illustrations in there. She works in tourism promotion."

"Wow, that's impressive!" Tang Yun flipped through the booklet, noting it covered almost all tourist spots in Inner Mongolia. The last pages listed precautions and helpline numbers — it was meticulously prepared.

When they arrived, the amiable driver even assisted with their luggage into the hotel lobby, smilingly saying, "Inner Mongolia welcomes you. I hope you have a delightful journey here. Feel free to call me if you have any questions."

Both of them expressed their gratitude.

In the elevator, Tang Yun murmured, "Such a warm-hearted man."

Kuang Yanhe added, "Such warm-hearted people of Inner Mongolia."

The first impression of an unfamiliar city is often shaped by the first local encountered; thus, their anticipation for the city deepened considerably.

Tang Yun had booked the hotel. Given the relatively affordable prices here, a little over 300 yuan could secure a spacious room with a king-sized bed in a well-facilitated star-rated hotel.

After settling their luggage, the two took a stroll down a nearby street, unexpectedly coming across a fiery red sunset and a beautiful twilight sky.

Such views were attainable in Nancheng, but towering buildings often fragmented the sunset into a mere sliver. Tang Yun couldn’t recall the last time she’d seen such an unobstructed sundown.

"It looks like a big mooncake."

Excited, Tang Yun wanted to take a photo. Fortunately, Kuang Yanhe had brought the camera along.

Kuang Yanhe teased, "Are you getting hungry?"

With a cheeky grin, Tang Yun admitted, "A bit."

The camera, with its added lens, was as heavy as a dumbbell. So, Tang Yun leaned her head against Kuang Yanhe’s chest, both holding one side of the camera and adjusting the angle.

The twilight captured in the frame resembled a romantic and exquisite oil painting.

"This must be the legendary ‘Heaven's light and cloud shadows lingering together’," Tang Yun found the perfect angle and directed, "Take the shot."

As Kuang Yanhe pressed the shutter, he turned slightly and planted a soft kiss on Tang Yun’s ear, which glowed almost as warmly as the setting sun.

"Hey, what are you doing..." Tang Yun playfully touched her ear, feeling a bit embarrassed given the number of passersby.

"It looked so enticing, like jelly."

"You're hungry too, aren’t you?"

Once inside the mall, they ordered the driver’s recommended dishes: lamb boiled in ice water, rib stewed noodles, meat-filled stomach, and homemade yogurt. Everything was to Tang Yun's liking, and even the meat-discerning Kuang Yanhe couldn't detect any muttony taste.

While dining, Kuang Yanhe downloaded a car rental app. Their destination the next day, the desert, was quite far from the hotel – at least a four-hour round trip, making it challenging to hail a cab.

After selecting a large off-road vehicle, by the time they finished their meal, the staff had conveniently parked the car downstairs.

After completing the rental agreement, Kuang Yanhe drove Tang Yun to a musical fountain and spent considerable time in a bookstore imbued with local charm before returning to the hotel.

The duo captured numerous videos. In the evening, snug under the covers, Tang Yun began editing a Vlog. She attempted to teach Kuang Yanhe, but worn out from the day’s travels, he soon dozed off.

Kuang Yanhe wrapped an arm around the person, entwining one of his legs around Tang Yun's, falling asleep in a possessive embrace.

After breakfast at the hotel the next day, they set off for the desert, guided by a map. Initially, Tang Yun was quite excited. Despite the vast expanse of the desert, she viewed it as a sightseeing attraction. However, to their dismay, both their phones lost signal midway.

Reluctantly, Kuang Yanhe decided to turn back to seek a location with a stronger signal.

The desert roads could only accommodate one to two cars, and the clarity varied due to the swirling sand. It felt as if the sand was poured onto the already narrow road, making for a very bumpy ride.

Tang Yun joked, "Good thing I'm not pregnant; otherwise, the child would've been jolted out by now."

Kuang Yanhe replied, "I'll drive slower then."

They eventually returned to the gas station they'd passed earlier. After downloading the map and purchasing an extra box of water, they resumed their journey.

Coincidentally, they encountered a truck loaded with desert willows.

The driver moved at a slow pace. An excited Tang Yun waved and asked, "Are you headed to the Ant Forest?"

The driver nodded in affirmation.

Through conversation, Tang Yun learned that the driver and his companions were locals, dedicated to afforestation in the desert for many years.

The Ant Forest was segmented into several planting zones, each with distinct markers and spaced far apart. Thankfully, with the driver's guidance, Tang Yun and her companion quickly found their destination.

As they disembarked, they were greeted with a blast of sand to the face. Tang Yun spat out the sand from her mouth, rinsed it, then went back to the car to retrieve a mask, wear a hat, and put on a coat.

Kuang Yanhe had initially imagined that each tree would be labeled for easy identification. However, the so-called "forest" was merely a forest in the context of ants.

Each tamarisk plant was petite, no taller than his calf, resembling roadside weeds. When gusts blew, they leaned precariously, appearing fragile.

As they wandered, they noticed many withered plants. Yet, there were some miraculous spots, like a dried poplar that sprouted tiny green leaves, indicating its roots were still alive.

Upon seeing it, Tang Yun was reminded of her own past struggles.

Kuang Yanhe had a similar thought and rushed back to the car for some water bottles, hoping to quench the plant's thirst. Yet, the entire bottle disappeared into the sand without darkening its hue.

Tang Yun crouched beside it, her tall stature seeming minuscule amidst the vast desert. She curiously wondered aloud, "I'm not sure if it even absorbed any water. Should we pour more?"

With that, Kuang Yanhe opened another bottle and poured it onto the plant.

Planting a forest in the desert seems as daunting as the old tale of a man moving a mountain, so daunting that it might appear... pointless.

Tang Yun was unsure about their effectiveness in windbreak and sand fixation until she chatted with a young local man responsible for planting, who showed her two photos stored on his phone.

The first, a satellite image from 2016, depicted the area in a pale yellow hue, appearing barren and dry.

However, this year's aerial view from the satellite revealed patches of varying shades of green.

Tang Yun was deeply moved and astonished by this transformation.

The efforts of today bring benefits for generations.

What some people consider meaningless might not be pointless at all.

Tang Yun took a photo with a young sapling and fetched a pine sapling she had purchased in town from her car, planning to plant it with Kuang Yanhe. This was her real purpose for the trip. She even had a red wish ribbon ready to tie around it.

Kuang Yanhe remarked, "What if it doesn't survive?"

Tang Yun glared at him, "Don't jinx it."

Kuang Yanhe replied, "Alright, I promise to send a helicopter every year to water it."

Tang Yun urged him to fetch a small shovel from the car.

Scuffing his shoe in the loose sand, Kuang Yanhe commented, "The sand's so soft, do we really need a shovel?"

"Just go get it, we brought it after all."

The spade, made of plastic and metal, was palm-sized, intended for planting small greens. After digging a bit, Kuang Yanhe unearthed a black jewelry box.

"Huh?"

Picking it up and brushing the sand off, he noticed the box looked fairly new, suspecting it might have been dropped by a passerby or a local.

"Oh, what treasure is this? Open it!"

The playful expression on Tang Yun's face was quite evident.

Kuang Yanhe caught on quickly, guessing she had deliberately placed it there, but he feigned ignorance and opened it nonetheless.

A platinum ring, with a flowing design, an imperfect band, engraved inside with the date the two confirmed their relationship.

This reminded him of the period when Tang Yun frequented a jewelry workshop...

Without a doubt, this was a ring made by Tang Yun herself.

"Oh!" Kuang Yanhe held the ring dearly, fearing it might slip into the sand and be lost forever. "It's actually a ring."

Tang Yun, with eager anticipation, asked, "Do you find it beautiful?"

"It's lovely," Kuang Yanhe replied, "Might have been lost by one of those tree planters."

A flicker of excitement crossed Tang Yun's face as he quickly urged, "Check inside for any engraving."

Kuang Yanhe chuckled, handing the ring back, "Why don't you put it on for me?"

Only then did Tang Yun realize, "How did you know it was meant for you?"

"Your acting was a tad unconvincing. It's a good thing you didn't pursue a career in showbiz; it felt like sitting on pins and needles."

Tang Yun burst into an uninhibited laughter.

But after all this time, he couldn't recall whether the ring symbolizing fortune should be worn on the left or right hand. No matter, its main purpose was psychological anyway.

"Which hand do you want it on?"

Kuang Yanhe extended his right hand, then hesitated and presented his left.

"Why not the right hand?" Tang Yun inquired.

With a hint of a smirk, Kuang Yanhe replied, "It's a busy hand; taking the ring on and off would be bothersome."

Realizing the innuendo, Tang Yun retorted, "You're so lewd!"

Kuang Yanhe teased, "Yes, yes, and you're the picture of innocence. Your first thought was just like mine."

Together, they planted a pine tree, tying the red ribbon around it, and took an instant photo of the moment.

As the picture slowly developed, Tang Yun carefully slid it into his shirt pocket for safekeeping.

Kuang Yanhe poured several bottles of mineral water over it, fearing it wouldn't survive.

The most miraculous moment happened then.

As they prepared to leave in their car, Tang Yun felt a droplet on his face, followed quickly by a second, then a third.

"It's raining!"

The two, amazed, touched the rain on their faces and bodies. For the first time, they didn't rush to shelter from the rain but savored this blessing from the heavens.