14. On Olkhon Island
A flight from Beijing to Irkutsk takes only three hours, closer than to Guangzhou or Shenzhen. You're in another country, but there's no time difference with Beijing, so you don't have to worry about missing emails or meetings—perfect for remote work.
After getting off the plane, she couldn't communicate with the black-haired, bearded driver because of the language barrier, but that didn't stop them from communicating clearly through gestures, and he sped towards the city center.
This largest industrial city in Siberia bears a striking resemblance to Beijing's streetscape. The orderly, wide streets, the neat rows of Khrushchev-era buildings, the frigid air that freezes your breath instantly—it's as if you've traveled back ten years. Only the Angara River flows majestically through the city, bestowing upon it a melancholy and gentleness unlike anything found in Beijing.
Fang Kaixuan wore a down jacket suitable for extremely cold weather, puffed up like a loaf of bread, while her woolen hat offered no protection against the biting cold. Along the Angara River stood a monument to a general whose name she couldn't recall, commemorating his bravery and defense of his country during World War II. Every now and then, solemn-faced people walked by with their dogs. Beneath the monument, an eternal flame burned slowly; a guard who looked only eighteen or nineteen stood there in the cold wind, his nose red, his eyes clear—clearly still a child.
Olkhon Island is a must-see when visiting Lake Baikal, and Fang Kaixuan and Gu Qiye arranged to meet there. Irkutsk was merely a necessary transit point.
She had booked the bus to the island in advance and departed early the next morning. The bus was full of locals, and she stood out—her black hair and black eyes were striking. The middle-aged man next to her reeked of alcohol early in the morning; he was the stereotypical Russian. He tried several times to chat with her, but they couldn't understand each other, and smiles alone weren't enough. He eventually gave up, pulled out a flat bottle of liquor from his pocket, and took occasional swigs.
The journey to the island takes five or six hours, and we were only halfway there by lunchtime. At the rest area, everyone lined up to get off and eat. The café only served local food, which wasn't bad; the baked buns were quite similar to those from Xinjiang. The most Russian-sounding thing there was the Russian aunties at the food counter—they all seemed enthusiastic yet impatient, chattering incessantly and rapidly while taking orders, even though they clearly couldn't understand what the other person was saying.
On the long bus ride, Fang Kaixuan didn't have much of an appetite, so she just ordered a few dishes and started eating. At that moment, a dark-haired girl sat down opposite her and asked, "Are you also from China?"
This girl had just graduated from university and hadn't found her ideal job, so she decided to travel alone by train from Inner Mongolia, heading north and east through Mongolia. Her previous stop was Ulan-Ude, a place Fang Kaixuan had never even heard of.
She took a local bus, which was cheaper, so Fang Kaixuan didn't see her on the bus.
At this moment, the driver shouted in a language that was incomprehensible, but it was clear that it was time to get on the bus. The girl was reluctant to leave and said to Fang Kaixuan, "There was only one Chinese person on my bus. They kept shouting about why they stopped the bus, but I didn't understand what they meant."
"It's okay, I'm the same here," Fang Kaixuan comforted her. "Shall we meet on the island?"
Another hour passed before the car reached the dock. In spring, after the ice melts, a boat trip is required to reach the island. At that time, it's not so complicated; cars can drive directly onto the lake. The ice surface is actually much more comfortable than the bumpy roads.
The view outside the car window stretched endlessly, with layers of ice in shades of gray, white, and blue extending into the distance. At the edge of the ice field lay snow-capped mountains. Perhaps because of the great distance, there was no sense of oppression from the mountains; instead, it resembled a delicate and gentle ink painting.
Driving in a place without lanes or road signs, the drivers were much more relaxed, and music blared in the car. Although the lyrics were incomprehensible, they seemed to be popular sad love songs. During the chorus, the half-drunk uncle next to Fang Kaixuan suddenly started swaying his head and singing along, as if he were singing with tender affection.
Strangely, although everyone says not to seek things externally, upon arriving in such a truly vast and open place, my nerves seemed to relax naturally, an effect I'd never experienced with anti-anxiety pills. The car swayed gently along, like a cradle, and Fang Kaixuan almost drifted off to sleep.
Suddenly, the car shook violently, almost throwing her into the air as her head hit the luggage rack. They had already arrived on the island.
There are almost no roads on the island. The driver twisted the steering wheel hard, turning left and right, weaving through the trees and rocks. It felt like his bones were going to fall apart, but everyone in the car looked happy.
We're almost there.
Olkhon Island is the largest island in Lake Baikal, and most tourists who want to explore the lake in depth will stay here for several days. The center of the island is a village with only two main roads, a few restaurants, a few supermarkets, and many souvenir shops. However, in March, it is the end of the peak season, and most of the souvenir shops are closed.
A chilly yet refreshing atmosphere.
The bus weaved through the village, dropping off guests at each guesthouse. By the time Fang Kaixuan was dropped off, there were only a few people left on the bus. Coincidentally, the young girl he had met at lunch was also staying at the same guesthouse and got off the bus a little later than Fang Kaixuan.
"Sister~ Sister!"
Her name is Kiki, but Fang Kaixuan didn't know her full name, nor did he ask. For someone you meet on a journey, a code name is enough. Who knows if the name Gu Qiye is real or fake?
But whether it's true or not, his good looks are undeniable. He was already waiting for her at the guesthouse entrance. When Qiqi saw him, her eyes widened, and she grabbed Fang Kaixuan's shoulder, winking at him. The meaning of this body language was quite simple:
Sister, you can do it!
This guesthouse is considered large on the island, with several independent buildings, but the conditions on the island are average, and the interior furnishings are only up to a standard three-star standard. Fortunately, there is no shortage of energy here, and even in the dead of winter when your breath turns to frost, the indoor temperature remains comfortable enough to wear short sleeves.
The bathroom is decorated with wood to resemble a sauna, and the floor temperature is so high it feels like it's scorching your feet.
All the dampness is gone.
On Olkhon Island, the itineraries are all pretty much the same, usually divided into a southern route and a northern route, with several attractions scattered along each route, each taking up a day.
Qiqi traveled alone from Inner Mongolia to Mongolia and then all the way to Russia, fearless and carefree. But now, having met Fang Kaixuan, her older sister, she suddenly reverted to her little girl nature and insisted on sharing a ride with them. Fang Kaixuan couldn't bear to refuse and agreed to take her along, but they first went back to their rooms to drop off their luggage and settle in.
Gu Qiye picked up her huge suitcase, and Fang Kaixuan, for some reason, suddenly became nervous as she followed him toward the small building in the distance. He had booked a two-bedroom suite; thankfully, she patted her chest quietly, relieved that she wasn't too embarrassed.
Fang Kaixuan also found it strange; at over thirty years old, where did this feeling of being hesitant and timid in love come from?
After a short rest, following the travel guide's advice, it was the perfect time to go to the lakeside to watch the sunset.
It was just past five o'clock, but the sunlight outside the window had already turned from white to gold, indicating that dusk was approaching. The air was so clear that it seemed as if PM2.5 did not exist. Fang Kaixuan stood by the window, gazing greedily, when suddenly a thought struck him.
Their first conversation was about watching the sunset.
*
This guesthouse is particularly popular because it is located next to Shaman Rock, the best spot on the island to watch the sunset, and is only a few minutes' walk away.
Crossing the guesthouse courtyard and exiting through the back door, follow the path worn into the hillside downhill until you reach the base of Shaman Rock. The path under your feet changes from rocks to gravel, eventually transitioning into a blue ice field.
He was still wearing that royal blue coat, while hers was a red with orange undertones. Kiki had come downstairs earlier and, seeing them, shouted from afar, "Over here! Red and blue couple!"
Fang Kaixuan blushed and tried to let go of his hand, but because it was early spring, the ice had melted slightly, and the ice near the shore had even cracked a little. The cracks were shallow and not dangerous, but the water was inevitably slippery underfoot. Even though she was wearing Sorel shoes, which were perfect for walking on ice and snow, she almost slipped and fell to her knees.
Fortunately, he reacted quickly and caught her in his arms.
Over there, Qiqi had already climbed up a small hill made of ice blocks, using both her hands and feet. She took selfies from different angles and waved to them from time to time, calling them to climb up with her.
Shaman Rock is a must-see attraction on Olkhon Island, and sunset is the best time to view it. Therefore, despite being on a wild, icy plain, it's almost bustling with activity at this moment. Every now and then, hovercraft rumble across the ice, people ride bicycles steadily on the ice, and some even skate gracefully and lightly, as if performing in a stadium. Only there are no spectators; each person is simply enjoying themselves.
The surroundings were noisy, but the two of them said nothing, only gazing quietly westward. The once stark ice field was now dyed by the sunlight in layers of light gold, crimson, pink, purple, gray, and blue; the subtle hues and transitions could only be created by the masterful hand of nature.
A lifetime spans seventy or eighty years, twenty thousand days, yet the moments etched into our memories are few and far between. In youth, we don't realize this, believing there's always something better; the world is too vast, and we can't wait to see further and newer places. The older we get, the more we understand that truly carefree moments of happiness are like sand in our hands, or the moon's reflection in water—they cannot be preserved or held onto.
Fang Kaixuan looked up at him; his long eyelashes were almost covered in ice crystals. She touched them, but her heavy gloves nearly poked his eyes. He smiled, took her hand, and gently pulled her to his chest, shielding her from the cold wind coming from all directions. Even though he was also cold, his body heat seemed to penetrate his thick waterproof coat. The two stood there quietly.
This peace has been so long coming.
For the past year, she felt as if she had been constantly roasted on a fire and then thrown into a frozen sea, tormented by alternating periods of burning passion and bone-chilling cold. That's why this peace was so precious, worth exchanging for so much. Someday, when she looks back, she will be amazed to realize that this was a special moment worth remembering, but not now. Right now, she only feels peace.
Su Shi, in his First Ode to the Red Cliff, wrote the most beautiful and insightful lines about life: "We are but mayflies in the vastness of heaven and earth, a mere grain of millet in the boundless ocean. We ride the wings of immortals to roam the heavens, embracing the bright moon for eternity." Mayflies live only a day, and so do humans. Yet, humans are far more arrogant than mayflies, believing they can control their lives, move mountains and overturn seas. Only when the physical body appears in the vastness of heaven and earth do we realize how insignificant we truly are.
Forget about controlling your life, you can't even see what your partner is thinking.
Fang Kaixuan shook her head, banishing the negative emotions that kept creeping into her mind. She took out her phone, thankfully it hadn't frozen off yet, and started listening to Li Jian's "By the Lake Baikal" on repeat. Before she came here, it was just an ordinary, nice song. But now that she was here, with her feet on ice tens or even hundreds of meters deep, it was undoubtedly the most beautiful song in the world.
He listened with great concentration.
Although he had seen many sunsets at different times, Fang Kaixuan knew that this one was undoubtedly the most beautiful.
Nothing special happened that day.
Fang Kaixuan spent a happy and peaceful evening.
///
In extremely cold places, it's good to huddle together for warmth.
Hug, hug, hug
Hilarious! It vividly reminds me of when I went to Lake Baikal to see the blue ice a few winters ago.
Haha! Shake hands~
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
