Snow Mountain
It takes about an hour to drive from the meeting point to the mountain base camp.
The bus climbed up the winding mountain road, and the vegetation outside the window gradually changed from broad-leaved forests to low shrubs, and finally only sparse alpine meadows remained.
The outline of the distant snow-capped mountains became clearer and clearer, like a silver behemoth lying on the horizon.
The bumpy ride and the gradually thinning oxygen made Liang An feel drowsy.
He gradually slumped to the side and drifted off to sleep. In his dream, he seemed to be embraced by the mountains, lying on soft grass, comfortable and warm, with a fresh scent, like the sprouting grass in spring.
He couldn't resist rubbing his cheek against the grassy hillside before continuing to snore.
Ling Xiao looked at Liang An, who was sleeping in his arms. She was as precious as a snow lotus, fair and translucent, unassuming and not cloying, pure and gentle, making him reluctant to wake her.
He gently raised his hand and carefully checked his breathing. Seeing that his face was relaxed and he was simply asleep, he closed his eyes and pretended to sleep as well.
Upon arriving at base camp, sunlight pierced through the clouds and spilled onto the pebble beach. Liang An awoke to a commotion, his hand seemingly resting on a soft cushion. He couldn't help but squeeze it, then opened his eyes to meet Ling Xiao's speechless gaze.
He was leaning against Ling Xiao's chest, his hand on Ling Xiao's pectoral muscles, the pleasant sensation making him want to pinch them again.
Fortunately, he regained his senses in time, and Liang An resisted the urge to touch his hands, got up and sat down, giving Ling Xiao an awkward smile.
"Hello, my name is Liang An."
Seeing that Liang An seemed a little lost, Ling Xiao said, "Let's get out of the car first, pack up, and get ready to pitch the tent."
"Great!" Liang An breathed a sigh of relief, beaming with joy, as radiant as the rising sun.
Ling Xiao couldn't help but smile slightly as he quickly got up and got out of the car.
"Alright, everyone, come and gather here." Team leader Lao Zhou called out through a small megaphone.
"Everyone should work in groups of four and divide the tasks of setting up the tent. Remember to make sure the guy lines are fully stretched and the tent pegs are driven 30 centimeters into the frozen ground."
The group members quickly found their teammates, chose a venue, collected materials, and got busy in a lively atmosphere.
Liang An did not take the initiative to strike up a conversation with anyone; instead, he stood still and observed whether any squad was short of members.
He saw that Ling Xiao had almost finished setting up a tent all by himself, faster than the other groups working together.
He walked toward Ling Xiao, organizing his thoughts and not yet figuring out how to begin, when he saw Ling Xiao drive the last nail into the frozen ground and then look up at him.
"Is it because you can't find any teammates?" Ling Xiao patted the crumbs off his hands, stood up, and looked down at Liang An.
He chuckled softly and said, "I joined later. I was planning to pitch my own tent and sleep here. Do you want to come with me?"
“Great!” Liang An smiled brightly, as if he had stolen stars and hidden them in his eyes, his pupils filled with the light of scattered gold.
After that, Liang An followed behind Ling Xiao, appearing busy, but actually doing nothing.
Ling Xiao always finished things before Liang An could even react, making him extremely efficient and reliable. He let Liang An follow him around without finding him annoying, showing great patience.
After setting up the tents, all the group members had a quick bite to eat, and then began their acclimatization hike in the afternoon.
Led by team leader Lao Zhou, we walked along the gentle slopes around the base camp, gradually climbing to an altitude of 3,300 meters.
"If anyone feels unwell, please speak up immediately. This afternoon's hike is to help everyone acclimatize to the high altitude. If your physical condition doesn't allow it, don't force yourself," Lao Zhou repeatedly emphasized as he walked, with several emergency oxygen cylinders hanging on his body.
Liang An adjusted his breathing and moved with the rhythm of the group. The meadow under his feet was damp, and occasionally he could see a few clusters of small purple flowers growing close to the ground. In the distance, the stream was covered with a thin layer of ice, and the water gurgled.
I didn't participate in the afternoon hike in Lingxiao; it seems I had other things to do.
Liang An picked a few small purple flowers and imagined tucking them behind Ling Xiao's ear, and couldn't help but laugh out loud.
"Xiao Liang is in great spirits! Hiking is very enjoyable for both body and mind," said Sister Chen, a member of the group. "Beautiful scenery and a beautiful person complement each other perfectly."
As evening fell and the sun set, the mountaineering group returned to base camp.
Upon arrival at the camp, the staff who remained there served us warm butter tea.
Everyone sat scattered around, drinking butter tea and watching the sunset paint the snow-capped mountains golden red, feeling very comfortable.
After washing up, Liang An returned to the tent but did not see Ling Xiao. A moment of disappointment flashed through his mind, too quick to catch.
He was still wondering whether he would have to sleep alone in the tent that night when he smelled a fragrance.
Conditions at the snow mountain base camp were limited, and Liang An hadn't eaten much for dinner. But when he smelled the aroma, his hunger instantly returned.
With a ripping sound, the tent zipper was pulled open, and Ling Xiao bent down to enter the tent, then turned around and brought out a small pot with a lid from outside the tent.
He put the small pot aside, first zipped up the tent to prevent the cold wind from getting in, and then carried the small pot to Liang An.
"I went to help the herders with some things this afternoon. This is yak meat cooked by the herders, with local spices. It's delicious. You should try it."
Liang An stared at Ling Xiao's gentle smile, somewhat bewildered, and could only stare at him blankly.
"What are you standing there for? Eat it while it's hot. I brought it especially for you. The temperature is low, so it won't keep warm for long."
"Have you eaten?" Liang An asked blankly.
"I've eaten." Ling Xiao smiled, lifted the lid of the pot, placed the small pot in Liang An's hands, took out disposable chopsticks from his pocket, tore open the packaging, and handed them to Liang An.
Liang An grinned foolishly, holding the pot in one hand and disposable chopsticks in the other, and began to eat heartily.
The aroma of the food explodes in your mouth, warm and comforting, flowing down your esophagus and throughout your body, like soaking in a hot spring on a snowy day, a feeling of happiness spreading to every nerve ending.
After Liang An finished eating, Ling Xiao put away the small pot and went outside the tent to wash it. Liang An followed closely behind Ling Xiao, unable to help at all.
"Go rinse your mouth again, clean yourself up, and get ready for bed. Tomorrow's schedule is pretty full, you'll have to get up early." Ling Xiao smiled helplessly and could only send Liang An to sleep for now.
After washing up, Liang An returned to the tent and saw two sleeping bags side by side on the double sleeping mat. A soft, warm feeling suddenly welled up in his heart, like the thawing stream in early spring, carrying the refreshing scent of grass and trees that washed over his body.
He slipped into the sleeping bag inside, wearing thermal underwear, a subtle sweetness lurking in his eyes, and gradually drifted off to sleep.
Ling Xiao tiptoed back to the tent, which was filled with a faint body fragrance, mixed with the dampness of the outdoor grass and the rough texture of the canvas, creating a unique and gentle barrier.
He looked at the sleeping Liang An, his breathing became light, he quickly took off his coat and pants, crawled into his single sleeping bag, reached out to turn off the light, and let sleepiness come over him.
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Liang An seemed to sink into soft, warm clouds, his face still carrying the lingering warmth of drowsiness. He slowly opened his eyes, and what came into view was a sharp jawline and rosy lips.
He curled up like a cicada pupa, nestled beside Ling Xiao, his head sticking out of the sleeping bag, his cheek pressed against Ling Xiao's neck. The warm breath brushed against the delicate skin of his neck, carrying a slightly itchy warmth, and the soft wisps of hair on his forehead brushed against his chin and nose.
Ling Xiao was still sleeping soundly and had not woken up.
Liang An suddenly felt very awkward. A surge of heat rushed up his neck and instantly spread across his cheeks. His mind was in turmoil, a mixture of the softness of their previous embrace and an inexplicable sense of unease. He just wanted to get away from this close intimacy immediately.
He instinctively curled up, his shoulders slightly tense, and tried to roll to the side using both hands and feet. With a "thump," he rolled under the sleeping mat, still wrapped in his sleeping bag.
Liang An struggled to climb out of his sleeping bag, and as soon as he sat up, he met Ling Xiao's smiling eyes.
"Did I wake you up?"
"Why are you such a restless sleeper?" Ling Xiao teased. "It's about time you woke up. Did you sleep well last night?"
“It’s great.” Liang An thought to himself. He had only known Ling Xiao for less than a day, but he felt an instant connection with him. He was completely unguarded around him, and he didn’t feel any resistance or discomfort when sleeping in the same tent with him at night, like when facing a stranger. He slept soundly until dawn and even felt a long-lost sense of security.
Seeing that Liang An was daydreaming again, Ling Xiao quickly got up, put on his coat, and tidied up his personal belongings.
"I'll go wash up first. You should also put on your coat quickly, as it's cold in the morning and you don't want to catch a cold."
At 6 a.m., before dawn, the temperature outside the tent was below -10 degrees Celsius. Liang An put on his down jacket and prepared to wash up. He turned on the tap, tested the water temperature, and shivered from the cold.
Ling Xiao carried the thermos and quickly walked towards Liang An. He placed the thermos aside, held Liang An's cold hand, and gently rubbed it to transfer warmth.
"The temperature is still quite low in the early morning. I went to the herdsmen and got some hot water. You can use the hot water to wash up."
As if seeing his savior, Liang An forgot his awkwardness and unease upon waking up. He held Ling Xiao's hand and smiled brightly at him, his dimples shallow, like flowers suddenly blooming in spring, his brows and eyes radiating warmth.
The group members gradually got up, and after a quick wash, they gathered together.
Breakfast consisted of tsampa and hot porridge. After quickly finishing breakfast, everyone packed their gear and began today's journey.
The first half of the journey is a steep scree slope. The stones underfoot are of different sizes and make a "crunching" sound when you step on them. You can easily slip if you are not careful.
Old Zhou led the way, while Ling Xiao brought up the rear to ensure no one fell behind. Liang An followed closely behind the main group, walking ahead of Ling Xiao.
The distant snow-capped mountains gleamed with a cold white light in the morning glow, and animal hoofprints could occasionally be seen on the scree slopes.
“Those are hoofprints left by argali sheep.” Ling Xiao’s clear voice rang in everyone’s ears, clearing up their doubts.
We rested at noon by a sheltered crevice in the rocks, eating the dry rations we had brought. The wind blew in through the crevice, and before we could eat anything, we were instead greeted by a mouthful of the mountain wind.
Ling Xiao shielded Liang An between himself and the crack in the rock, protecting him from the wind, and opened the self-heating rice, handing it to Liang An first.
"You eat first, then we can switch. We can shield each other from the wind."
Seeing this, the other members followed suit and quickly took turns eating lunch in groups of two or three.
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