Chapter 46 Zhou Yue is a bit unreasonable.

"Engineer Zhou, over here!"

Zheng Jinbu saw the person and ran over quickly. It was worth it for him to come to the train station a day early yesterday. He guessed that Engineer Zhou would definitely arrive in the next couple of days.

I learned from the train duty room that there was a train coming from the south this morning, so I came to the train station early this morning to wait for it.

"Give it to me, Mr. Zhou. This way."

Zhou Yue introduced the man to his wife and daughter, saying, "This is Comrade Zheng Jinbu, my bodyguard."

"Hello, sister-in-law!"

The other person grinned, revealing a set of bright white teeth. He looked to be no more than twenty years old, yet possessed a composure beyond his years. His skin tone was not the usual wheat color, but rather a rough, bronze hue, honed by the scorching sun and sandstorms of the Northwest.

He has exceptionally white teeth when he smiles, and he is tall and slender, standing straight and tall like the poplar trees that Cheng Cheng has seen along the way.

Cheng Cheng smiled and said, "Hello, Comrade Zheng."

"Hello, Uncle Zheng~"

Little Lingxiao imitated his mother's greeting, his beautiful, curious eyes curving into crescent moons, full of curiosity about everything around him.

Zheng Jinbu's sharp, hound-like eyes instantly fell on Zhou Gong's fair-skinned daughter, and immediately became gentle, kind, and warm.

"Hello, young comrade!"

Before meeting them, Zheng Jinbu had imagined more than once what Zhou's wife and daughter were like. Would they be as meticulous as Zhou, focused solely on scientific research, and indifferent to everything and everyone else?

Are all of them exceptionally intelligent, each immersed in their own academic world, exuding pure rationality like Engineer Zhou, devoid of any of the joys and sorrows of ordinary people?

Now that she has met him in person, Zheng Jinbu feels as if some filter in her mind has shattered. It turns out that Engineer Zhou is just an ordinary man. His wife is elegant and beautiful, and his daughter is fair-skinned and lovely. Moreover, Zheng Jinbu keenly notices the changes in Engineer Zhou.

I used to feel that Engineer Zhou wasn't a real person. It was as if they only saw his body, and his soul was something they had never seen. It always felt like there was a layer between them.

Zhou Gong seems to have a nonchalant and indifferent attitude towards the outside world, completely immersed in his own world, quiet and reserved. Unless he is talking to others about his profession, Zhou Gong becomes a rigorous, powerful, meticulous, and somewhat stubborn scholar who pursues the truth. It is not that he is indifferent, but rather that he is rational and pure.

Now, Mr. Zhou seems to have a real human touch, a down-to-earth quality. He will look down and listen attentively to his wife, holding his daughter in his arms, truly becoming a father.

Zheng Jinbu was a little shocked to see warmth on Zhou Gong's usually serious and calm face. He didn't know that Zhou Gong could turn into two different people.

The jeep arrived quickly. After putting the luggage in the car, Zhou Yue opened the door and let his wife and daughter get in first.

Little Lingxiao was very excited when she rode in a car for the first time. She kept asking her dad what this was and what that was. She even asked Uncle Zheng if she could touch it.

Zheng Jinbu already knew what Zhou Gong's daughter's name was. Little Lingxiao was so well-behaved; she was the most polite child he had ever met.

The jeep sped across the vast Gobi Desert. The sun was scorching hot, and the air was thick with the heat. Cheng Cheng took off her coat.

It was a bit cool on the train in the morning, so Zhou Yue took out a jacket from his suitcase and gave it to her and Xiaoxiao to wear.

She originally wanted to pack up all her clothes, except for those she wore in the summer, and send them over, but Zhou Yue stopped her.

I picked out a few clothes for spring and autumn, saying that the temperature difference in the Northwest is huge, it is cold in the morning and evening, and the temperature rises and becomes warmer only when the sun is out during the day, so you need to wear a jacket in the morning and evening.

We drove from morning to afternoon with very few stops along the way, and Zhou Yue took over driving in the middle of the day.

"Dad can drive!"

This realization made the little girl extremely excited and happy. Her bright, sparkling eyes looked at her father driving in the driver's seat, filled with immense pride!

Cheng Cheng was no exception; she was somewhat surprised that Zhou Yue could actually drive.

But thinking about it, it's not surprising. Top-tier experts can learn anything quickly. What's so special about being able to drive? A true master is someone who can be both scholarly and skilled in the kitchen!

Zhou Yue drove for two hours, then Zheng Jinbu took over. They ate some dry food along the way, hurrying on their way.

Suddenly, Zhou Yue spoke up: "Xiao Zheng, the slope ahead is sheltered from the wind, let's stop here for a bit."

Cheng Cheng and Xiao Lingxiao looked at Zhou Yue with confusion, while Zheng Jinbu in front quickly understood what Engineer Zhou meant and stepped on the gas.

The jeep sped off like a dragon, stopping at the foot of a nearby earthen slope and turning off the engine.

At the same time, Zhou Yue closed both windows tightly, took out an old cotton-padded coat that he always kept in the car from under the seat, and used it to seal the gaps in the windows.

Zheng Jinbu blocked those in front, and Zhou Yue blocked those behind. The two remained silent, their hands moving very quickly.

Xiao Lingxiao huddled nervously against her mother, and Cheng Cheng hugged her tightly, a bad feeling creeping into her heart.

After everything was done, Zhou Yue turned to his wife and daughter and explained the reason: "There might be a sandstorm."

He then reassured her, "It's alright, don't be nervous. Dust devils and sand pillars are common here. Just take precautions and you'll be fine."

Zheng Jinbu, who was in front, also said, "Sister-in-law, Xiao Lingxiao, Engineer Zhou is right. Don't worry, it's just a small sandstorm, which is very common in the Gobi Desert. It's nothing serious."

Zhou Yue and Zheng Jinbu had lived in the Gobi Desert for a long time and had seen many such things, so they were not surprised. But for Cheng Cheng, it was an unforgettable experience.

Looking out the window, the sky, which had been a clear blue just moments before, had turned a murky yellow. The wind outside began to pick up speed and made a rustling sound, and the distant earthen slopes and sand dunes began to blur.

The whole world suddenly became eerily quiet, so quiet that only the howling wind could be heard.

Cheng Cheng subconsciously moved closer to the man, her expression showing a hint of worry.

Zhou Yue pulled his wife into his arms, held her hand which was pale with nervousness, and whispered to comfort her, "It's okay, don't be afraid, I'm here."

"It'll be fine, it's probably just a dust devil, it'll be fine once it passes."

Zhou Yue's embrace was strong and firm, full of protectiveness and rock-solid strength. His chest was broad and warm, and the warmth from his back stopped Cheng Cheng from trembling slightly.

His warm palms tightly enveloped her slightly cold hands, and a surge of heat flowed from her fingers throughout her body. Cheng Cheng gripped his hand tightly in return, her fingers slightly cool, desperately trying to draw upon this only source of warmth.

Hearing Zhou Yue's steady and powerful heartbeat, one beat after another, all her chaotic thoughts were miraculously calmed down. She raised her head and fell into the man's deep eyes.

She had never seen him look like that before. Calmness was replaced by warmth; there was concern, worry, and a kind of care she had never seen before, burning hot, making her subconsciously want to escape.

The instinctive fear of natural disasters turned into helplessness and confusion.

But the man's calmness and composure, his broad and warm shoulders, made Cheng Cheng want to rely on him from the bottom of her heart, and draw a sense of security from him.

Little Lingxiao nestled in his father's arms, clutching his clothes tightly. He looked up at the yellow whirlwind outside, tilting his little face up to look at his father.

A clear, bright voice, full of curiosity, asked, "Daddy, why are there dust devils? Where do they come from?"

Upon hearing this, Cheng Cheng was shocked. Her beautiful eyes widened slightly in surprise as she looked down at her daughter in disbelief.

Even at this time, my daughter is still full of curiosity and a spirit of exploration, caring about the reasons behind the sandstorm phenomenon. This untimely curiosity and calmness are just like Zhou Yue!

"Xiaoxiao, do you remember what Daddy told you? Everything in the world has life. Look at the Gobi Desert outside, it breathes just like us. But when we came here, wasn't the sun really strong and hot?"

"When the earth is heated by the sun, it also heats up the air around it. The heated air becomes very light, so where does it go?"

Xiao Lingxiao immediately replied, "I know, float up into the sky!"

Was the air in the sky cold or hot?

"It's cold~"

The book "100,000 Whys" that Grandpa Zhu gave her said that the peach blossoms in April had already faded, while the peach blossoms on the mountain were just beginning to bloom. Her father had explained the reason to her and mentioned this before, and she still remembered it.

“Yes, Xiaoxiao got it right.” Zhou Yue continued to patiently explain to his daughter, “The hot air wants to rise, but the cold air doesn’t want the hot air to take their place, so they rub against each other, and that’s how they fight, right?”

Xiao Lingxiao nodded vigorously.

"The two will form an airflow. If they fight more and more fiercely, the airflow will become bigger and bigger, so big that it will pick up the sand and dust on the ground, and then it will become what we see now."

Outside the window, yellow sand churned, and the wind howled like ghosts. The yellow dust devil, carrying sand and dust, spiraled upwards, sometimes piercing straight into the sky, sometimes twisting and swaying, like a wind spirit dancing alone and wildly on the vast wilderness.

Cheng Cheng suddenly felt that the raging dust devil wasn't so scary after all.

But wasn't the gift from the Northwest a bit too extravagant?

Zhou Yue's explanation was easy to understand. Not only did Xiao Lingxiao understand it, but even Zheng Jinbu understood how the tornado came about.

In the past, Zheng Jinbu only knew that tornadoes and sandstorms were common in the Gobi Desert, and he had become accustomed to them and were not surprised by them. But after hearing what Engineer Zhou said, Zheng Jinbu suddenly felt that his scalp was a little itchy.

He scratched the back of his head, as if knowledge had crawled into his brain on its own.

Engineer Zhou is really amazing, he knows so much!

The swirling dust swept past them like a giant dragon, the pebbles it kicked up pelting against the car windows.

In an instant, Zhou Yue pressed his wife and daughter's heads into his arms, protecting them tightly with his arms. A thick smell of dust inevitably rushed in through the gaps.

Cheng Cheng gripped Zhou Yue's clothes tightly, burying her face in the man's chest, her nose filled with his clean scent, mixed with the unique dusty smell of the Northwest.

Outside, a whirlwind raged, but inside the small, enclosed carriage, Cheng Cheng felt a sense of peace and tranquility she had never experienced before.

The world seemed to shrink, so small that it consisted only of the tiny space in the back seat, where the family of three embraced tightly—that was their whole world.

Like a dust devil roaring with the fury of thousands of wild beasts, it arrives with a devastating force, only to vanish without a trace within minutes, as if it had never existed.

All things in heaven and earth return to a state of tranquility.

"They're finally gone, everything's alright now."

Zheng Jinbu opened the car door, and a cloud of dust rushed in, choking him and causing him to cough violently a few times before raising his arm to cover his nose.

After getting out of the car, I took a rag and wiped the dust off the windshield.

Cheng Cheng lifted her head from the man's embrace, her hair disheveled, her captivating peach blossom eyes gazing at him, her reflection clearly and completely mirroring his image.

Her body was still pressed tightly against him, her right hand held firmly in the man's hand.

Zhou Yue lowered his head, his brows furrowing slightly. After confirming that she was alright, his furrowed brows slowly relaxed. He raised his free hand, his movements somewhat stiff and hesitant, and gently tucked the hair stuck to her cheek behind her ear.

Her once clear and serene peach blossom eyes became somewhat flustered, glistening with tears, and her eyelashes trembled slightly.

After gazing deeply into his eyes for a moment, Cheng Cheng lowered her eyelashes and unconsciously tried to pull away from the man's embrace.

Sensing the movement in his arms, the man did not loosen his grip on her; instead, he instinctively tightened his arms around her even more.

"Ah Cheng, are you alright?"

His calm and collected voice now revealed pure worry.

Cheng Cheng nodded, placing her left hand on the man's chest. The muscles beneath her palm were strong and powerful, which surprised her slightly.

She seemed reluctant to leave, pressing against the man's chest, using the force to pull herself out of his embrace.

It was only because the man loosened his grip that the woman was able to withdraw so smoothly, though their tightly clasped hands remained firmly in place.

Cheng Cheng struggled a few times but couldn't pull away. Instead, their fingers became intertwined, with the man forcefully inserting his fingers into every gap, leaving no room for refusal and carrying a strong sense of aggression.

Cheng Cheng looked up at the other person in surprise, and unexpectedly met the man's deep eyes, which were tender yet somewhat domineering.

Zhou Yue is a bit unreasonable!

Has the big shot's persona been ruined?

Shouldn't Zhou Yue be a big shot who only cares about scientific research and academic truth?

Gentle and polite, serious and composed, handling everything with ease and composure, with everything under control.

He dedicated his entire life to scientific research. His favorite thing was the blue sky and starry sky. He only had work and career in his eyes, and love and romance were irrelevant to him.

Cheng Cheng's mind raced, and she looked at the man with a puzzled and helpless expression. This big shot had such a handsome face, a cool and aloof temperament, and appeared to be a gentleman, yet he was actually holding her hand and refusing to let go behind her back!

She always said her intuition was right!

The boss is really bored!

Zhou Yue, do you know you're a bit of a closet pervert?

At this moment, Zheng Jinbu finished wiping the windows and got into the car.

"It will probably take us another two hours to get there. Hopefully we can reach the base before sunset."

Cheng Cheng swallowed back what she wanted to say, and winked at the man, "There are outsiders here, let go of me!"

Instead of loosening his grip, the man held on even tighter, gently stroking the back of her fair hand with his fingertips. When he looked down at her, his eyebrows were slightly lowered, but the corners of his lips were raised.

A soft chuckle escaped his throat, and when he looked down at her, the corners of his eyes curved slightly, revealing a touch of childlike stubbornness.

Zhou Yue committed a foul!

Zhou Yue is being a scoundrel!

I never imagined Zhou Yue would be this kind of person!

Cheng Cheng knew the man was deliberately being unreasonable. She glared at him, but didn't try to pull away with her fingers anymore. The slight annoyance in her heart felt soft, warm, and misty, as if it had been soaked in hot spring water.

The panic in my heart suddenly dissipated, replaced by an indescribable upward feeling, like being blown by a gentle breeze, soft and gentle, even my breathing became lighter.

"Dad, do you know where the tornado went?"

Little Lingxiao climbed down from his father's lap, his little hands gripping the windowpane, his bright black eyes gazing out at the boundless Gobi Desert, where the terrifying tornado had vanished without a trace.

As the jeep started up, a man's clear voice rang out.

"Dust devils wander to other places in the Gobi Desert. When the cold and warm air masses get tired of fighting, or when they go to a cool place, they will disappear there as if they never existed."

Cheng Cheng looked out the car window. The Gobi Desert stretched as far as the eye could see, seemingly without end, with only the endless horizon extending into the distance.

Zhou Yue was explaining the principles of weather formation to his daughter in a serious tone. The heat from his palms and fingers wrapped around him like vines, making his heart burn and sending a tingling, itchy sensation through him.

The woman's eyelashes were lowered, her gaze fixed on the window, her cheeks flushed a faint pink. Zhou Yue's peripheral vision revealed a sense of carefree relaxation, and the corners of his mouth involuntarily turned up.

If you ignore the other person's bright red ears, you might actually be easily fooled by a man.

As the jeep rolled over a gentle slope, a winding river, like a swimming dragon, came into view.

At this moment, the sun, like the yolk of a soft-boiled egg that Cheng Cheng usually lay in the morning, was a bright red color with a hint of orange-yellow, and it was extremely beautiful.

The sun was sinking unhindered toward the horizon, its rays turning into a golden glow that spilled across the vast Gobi Desert. The once gray-brown sand dunes were now outlined in shimmering gold, and the long river rippled with light.

The baptism from the Northwest brings not only breathtaking sandstorms, but also magnificent sunsets.

Cheng Cheng was stunned by the beautiful scenery before her. She felt like she had countless things to say, but she couldn't say them at the moment.

So this is what Wang Wei meant by "a lone plume of smoke rises straight from the desert, the setting sun hangs round over the long river."

All the words I could say can be summed up in one sentence: "So beautiful!"

"Xiao Zheng, please stop the car up ahead."

"Yes, Engineer Zhou."

Zheng Jinbu carried out the order without any objection, and the jeep pulled over to the side of the road.

Cheng Cheng snapped out of her shock and turned to Zhou Yue. "Aren't we in a hurry to get going?"

Zhou Yue gently squeezed his wife's hand, a faint smile on his lips, and looked at her: "There's no rush. The scenery along the way is also part of the journey, and it's worth stopping to appreciate it."

Those words really hit her right in the heart!

Cheng Cheng's eyes practically sparkled as she opened the car door, her voice brimming with excitement, "Let's go, Xiao Xiao, let's go admire the sunset over the long river!"

As Cheng Cheng stepped onto the ground, she was instantly overwhelmed by the breathtaking scenery. The world was vast and magnificent, and on the boundless horizon, the enormous red sun seemed within reach, right before her eyes.

The winding river is like a golden ribbon, and the setting sun casts shimmering light on its surface, a sight that touches the heart.

The setting sun over the long river is round; Wang Wei's words are truly not deceiving me.

Cheng Cheng ran towards the setting sun with all her might, as if she wanted to learn from Kuafu chasing the sun.

"Mom, wait for me."

Xiao Lingxiao jumped out of the car and saw his mother running ahead without hesitation. He was about to run after his mother.

Looking up, the fiery red sun hung in the sky, and Xiao Lingxiao exclaimed in amazement.

Zhou Yue took his daughter's hand and looked at his wife.

At this moment, time seemed to stretch out infinitely. The vast Gobi Desert, the fiery red sunset, the obedient and lovely daughter beside him, and his wife chasing the sunset, the wind blowing his wife's long hair and the hem of her clothes, free and unrestrained.

"Zhou Yue, come quick! She's so beautiful!"

I wish I could remember this forever. My eyes welled up with tears. It was so beautiful!

The sky and earth are vast, the sunset over the long river is magnificent, and the family of three stands together, quietly admiring this stunning sunset.

Humans are always insignificant in the face of nature, and being fortunate enough to witness this scene is a gift from the Northwest.

To give his daughter a better view, Zhou Yue put Xiaoxiao on his shoulders. Cheng Cheng stood beside him, gazing at the sunset over the river, and suddenly looked up at the man beside her.

Zhou Yue noticed her mood and looked down to ask her what was wrong. Cheng Cheng shook her head, "I just feel that things are really good right now!"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yue grasped his wife's hand, a smile appearing on his lips, "We will see many more sunsets together in the future."

"good."

The afterglow of the setting sun cast long shadows of them, while their bodies felt warm.

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Author's note: Goodnight, see you tomorrow!