return trip
At four o'clock in the morning, the camp was still shrouded in darkness. The team members got up by the light of their headlamps, ate a simple breakfast, and began their final preparations before the summit attempt.
The beams of headlamps crisscrossed the snow, illuminating the steep snow slope ahead. In the distance, the snow-capped mountains loomed in the night, like sleeping giants.
The journey to the summit was extremely difficult. The altitude kept increasing and the air became thinner and thinner. Every step required a huge amount of effort. The breathing sounded heavy like a bellows, and it felt like there was a fire burning inside the lungs.
The team members encouraged each other, saying things like, "Just hang in there, we're almost there," and "Come on, we can do it!" These simple words conveyed strength in the wind and snow.
As dawn approached, the wind and snow returned, the gale whipping up snowflakes that stung their faces. The headlamps became blurry in the snow, only allowing them to vaguely see the backs of the team members ahead. Old Zhou shouted, "Stay close to me, don't fall behind!" The team members followed closely, climbing upwards step by step with great difficulty.
The snow slope became increasingly steep, almost vertical in some places, requiring ice axes and ropes to climb. My fingertips were numb with cold, but I still gripped the ice axe tightly, not daring to relax for a moment.
Around 10 a.m., we finally reached the summit at an altitude of 5,000 meters!
At that moment, the wind and snow suddenly stopped, and sunlight pierced through the clouds, shining on the snow-capped mountains and refracting a dazzling light. Below were rolling, snow-white mountain ranges, with a sea of clouds surging beneath them, and distant peaks resembling silver jewels set on the horizon.
The group members embraced each other excitedly, their tears mingling with sweat, freezing into ice on their faces.
Old Zhou gazed at the distant snow-capped mountains with a solemn expression: "This is the gift of the snow-capped mountains. Only by experiencing extreme hardship can one see such scenery."
Liang An held up his phone to take pictures, wanting to freeze this stunning moment forever. He turned around and found Ling Xiao watching him from behind. His eyebrows relaxed slightly, losing their sharpness, and the corners of his eyes turned up slightly, revealing a delicate tenderness.
Liang An couldn't help but raise his hand and snap a picture, capturing this tender moment along with the distant mountains in his phone.
After spending 20 minutes at the summit taking various group photos, we began our descent.
The descent was equally dangerous; the snow slopes were slippery, and avalanches could occur at any moment. The team members walked cautiously, making sure each step was firmly planted before daring to move. By evening, they returned to the assault camp, exhausted but unable to hide their joy at successfully reaching the summit.
Before nightfall, under Lao Zhou's direction, the group members climbed into the off-road vehicles one by one and returned to Cilang Town.
The scenery outside the car window remained magnificent. As the altitude decreased, the snow on the snow-capped mountains gradually melted, revealing the gray-brown rocks below. Streams babbled, and vegetation sprouted, a stark contrast to the desolate scene when we reached the summit.
Liang An reflected on the past few days, from the initial excitement to the fear and exhaustion along the way, and then to the thrill of reaching the summit, all sorts of emotions intertwined in his heart.
He thought of Wen Zhi. Ever since that chance encounter, Wen Zhi seemed to have vanished, and he hadn't seen him since.
Liang An leaned back in his seat and fell asleep, exhausted.
Upon returning to Cilang Town, the group members were reluctant to part ways and hugged each other goodbye.
This mountain climb was not only a physical challenge, but also a spiritual baptism.
Those moments of perseverance in the wind and snow, the camaraderie of fighting side by side with teammates, and the awe and emotion of reaching the summit will all become the most precious memories in everyone's life.
Liang An walked up to Ling Xiao, opened his arms, and embraced him. Ling Xiao smiled and tightened his arms, gently pulling Liang An into his embrace.
They embraced tightly, carrying the lingering chill of the snow-capped mountains and the warmth of each other's bodies. There were no many words, only a tacit understanding flowing in silence.
They didn't exchange contact information. Perhaps they both understood that the friendship forged on snowy cliffs and in the cold nights of tents would ultimately belong only to this special journey.
The road down the mountain leads to their respective lives, and they will eventually return to unfamiliar surroundings. No one wants to ruin the memories and beauty of the journey; they just want to quietly capture these moments and cherish them.
-----------------
When Liang An returned to Haicheng and opened the door to his home, he felt a little dazed and unfamiliar surrounded by silence.
He unloaded his dusty backpack, washed his hands, and lit three sticks of incense for his parents to let them know he was safe.
In the days that followed, he would often dream of snow-capped mountains, and in his dreams there would always be a warm figure accompanying and watching over him, together resisting the howling cold wind and the continuous snow.
He printed out Ling Xiao's photo—the person in the photo had a smiling face with crescent-shaped eyes, and behind him were continuous snow-capped mountains.
He kept the photos within easy reach, often stroking their edges, trying to grasp at the last vestiges of warmth.
Days passed by one after another. On a sunny day, life finally regained its steady rhythm. He put the photos back in the storage box and hid them in a corner of his study, no longer dwelling on them.
Liang An resumed his routine of boxing in the morning, reading in the afternoon, and occasionally going for a walk.
Aunt Liang Xiaohui finally learned about Liang An's decision to drop out of school and called to express her concern. She didn't pry or lecture him too much, but accepted and supported Liang An's decision, inviting him to stay in Xing'an Town for a few days.
Liang An hesitated for a moment, then agreed. He knew his aunt was worried and wanted to see him for herself, and he didn't want to refuse her kindness.
Xingan Town is a historic water town with a relatively underdeveloped economy. In recent years, the town has been vigorously developing its tourism industry, attempting to integrate its cultural history with its water town scenery.
After his grandfather passed away, Liang An never came to Xing'an Town again.
Because of the need to protect the ancient buildings, the town as a whole hasn't changed much. After getting off the bus, Liang An, relying on his memory, pushed his suitcase and walked to his aunt's small supermarket.
The bluestone path, polished smooth by time, meanders along the stream, flanked by old Ming and Qing dynasty houses with white walls and gray tiles, their gabled roofs and upturned eaves covered in deep green ivy.
The ancient bridge at the entrance of the town spans the clear river. The bridge is covered with moss and blurred inscriptions. The water flows gently under the bridge, and occasionally a small boat with oars glides by.
After crossing the ancient bridge, you will arrive at the streets and alleys in the center of the town.
The streets and alleys are rarely filled with the roar of motor vehicles, only the shouts of old people pushing bamboo woven stalls, the occasional children chasing and playing, and the faint aroma of tea from teahouses floating in the air.
Several old shops lined the street, all looking quite similar, with their wooden doors open and selling all sorts of goods.
Liang Xiaohui's small supermarket was among them. As she organized the shelves, she kept an eye on the door, thinking that Liang An should be arriving soon.
Welcome!
The doorbell rang, and Liang An stepped into the supermarket, pushing his suitcase as he stood at the checkout counter, searching for his aunt.
"Xiao An, you're here!" Liang Xiaohui greeted with a smile as she walked from the shelf to the cashier upon hearing the doorbell.
She looked Liang An up and down. "You seem to have lost some weight. Since you've taken a break from school, stay a while longer. Your aunt will help you recover."
Liang An smiled and nodded, looked around, and asked, "Are Uncle and A Yao home?"
"Your uncle is still at work and won't be off work this early. He'll pick Ayao up from school later and we'll come back together. Your aunt has prepared some good food; let's have a nice get-together tonight."
As she spoke, Liang Xiaohui took Liang An's luggage. "Let's go. Your room is all ready. You should rest for a while. You must be tired from the journey. I'll call you when dinner is ready."
The supermarket is located in the old house of Liang Xiaohui's husband, which is an old-style building. The front half of the old house is a street-front shop, the middle is a courtyard, and the back is a two-story residential building.
Liang An followed Liang Xiaohui around the courtyard to their room on the second floor. After putting away their luggage, Liang Xiaohui left Liang An alone in the bedroom to rest, then quietly closed the door and went downstairs.
Looking at the unfamiliar room, Liang An could sense Liang Xiaohui's thoughtfulness.
The room is decorated in a warm and bright color scheme, imbued with the unique gentle warmth of an old house. A solid wood desk is placed by the window, and in the center of the desk stands a celadon vase with faint crackle patterns on its surface, in which several fresh pink peonies are arranged.
Sunlight streamed in obliquely through the old-fashioned wooden lattice windows, and when you opened the window, you were greeted by the natural light from the courtyard.
The carved wooden bed was covered with clean and soft pure cotton sheets, on which were folded a pale yellow winter quilt and a pillow embroidered with orchids, exuding a warm, sunny scent.
Liang An sat at his desk, gazing quietly at the clear sky outside the window, slowly letting his thoughts drift away.
The sound of children's excited shouts came from the courtyard downstairs, and the stairs were thumped loudly. Soon after, there was a knock on the door.
When Liang An opened the door, he saw a cute girl with two cute little braids standing in the doorway, tilting her head to look at him.
"Are you cousin An'an? Mom was right, you're really handsome!"
Upon hearing this, Liang An burst into laughter, his laughter carrying a frank and vibrant energy, making him appear like a deity descended to earth in the light.
And so, Liang An temporarily stayed at his aunt's house.
My uncle is a henpecked husband who listens to my aunt very much. He works at the township power supply station and spends his time either going to and from get off work or picking up and dropping off his daughter, Ayao, from school. He also helps my aunt out when he gets home.
He treated Liang An with great calmness, maintaining a comfortable distance.
My cousin, Ayao, is very smart, but also very playful. She loves to pester Liang An, and with his company, she always manages to complete her homework obediently.
Life in the small town is peaceful and cozy. Surrounded by green mountains, far from the hustle and bustle, time seems to slow down here.
Liang An has a habit of running around the town after getting up in the morning to feel the fresh scent of grass and soil.
After my run, I go back to the old house, have a bowl of plain porridge with pickled vegetables, and then curl up at my desk on the second floor to read.
In the afternoons, he would take a book downstairs to help his aunt watch the supermarket checkout counter. He gradually learned to scan barcodes and give change skillfully, occasionally looking up to respond to customers' inquiries with gentleness and patience. His handsome appearance also attracted many customers to the small supermarket.
Time flowed by, gently soothing the confusion and unease brought about by rebirth.
Wen Zhi seemed distant and unfamiliar with the passing of his previous life, no longer dragging Liang An into the quagmire of fate, and life slowly unfolded in a new direction.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com