Tibet in late November, approaching December, is much colder than the northern part of the city.
After Zhou Zuizui and Shen Nan boarded the plane, she kept looking out the window, feeling indescribable, but she quite liked it, and it felt quite different.
Shen Nan looked at the documents beside her. Zhou Zuizui couldn't understand them and knew they were confidential, so she wouldn't take the initiative to look at them.
At first, Zhou Zuizui was very excited, but later, when Shen Nan sternly asked her to go to sleep, she drifted off to sleep and didn't wake up until she got off the plane.
After getting off the plane, the two carried their luggage out, and someone came to pick them up.
"Sinking Team."
Shen Nan smiled and said, "They've arrived." He turned to Zhou Zuizui and introduced her, "This is He Zheng, Captain He."
The man looked at Zhou Zuizui and said, "This must be your sister-in-law."
"Hello."
Zhou Zuizui's arm was still injured, so Shen Nan carried everything, although the two of them didn't have much luggage.
The man chuckled and said, "Come on, get in the car. You must be hungry. I'll take you to get something to eat first, and then I'll take you over there."
Shen Nan hummed in agreement and looked at the person: "How are you?"
"It's alright." He Zheng nodded with a smile: "Everyone's doing well, they're just missing you a bit."
After all, Shen Nan had been here for two years. When Shen Nan first arrived, the environment here was very bad, and there was not much organization or discipline. At that time, He Zheng was the deputy captain and learned a lot from Shen Nan. A year later, He Zheng went to another team to become the captain. After Shen Nan left, he was transferred back to his original team.
He came to the meeting at the last minute, and knowing that Shen Nan would be there, he came to pick him up.
Upon hearing this, Shen Nan chuckled and looked at the scenery outside: "Is that so?"
He Zheng laughed: "Of course!"
He Zheng took them to a local restaurant for a meal, and only after they had eaten and drunk their fill did they prepare to drive away.
Before leaving, He Zheng thoughtfully prepared an oxygen tank and placed it in the car.
Shen Nan looked at Zhou Zuizui and explained, "I'm afraid you won't be able to handle it. The altitude over there is very high."
Although Zhou Zuizui had undergone physical testing before coming, she was still worried about the possibility of something going wrong.
Guarding the Tibetan border is an enormous challenge for many people; their bodies may not be able to withstand it. Many people find it beautiful and attractive, but in reality, they have to worry about their lives at all times. It is a place without any security guarantees.
Or rather, yes, but not high.
The altitude is too high, and we live in a state of slight oxygen deficiency every day. We can't do too strenuous exercise, the natural conditions are harsh, and the air is thin. All these factors indicate that this is not a place that anyone would want to come and protect.
But no matter how difficult, every task needs to be done by someone.
Having lived here for two years, Shen Nan knows all too well the harsh conditions here.
Zhou Zuizui nodded, squeezing his hand and smiling, "I know, you've already told me everything."
Before she came, many people had already told her about this.
Shen Nan smiled and said, "Then let's sleep in the car for a while. It's still early, and it will take us a long time to drive in."
The duration of this "long" is uncertain.
The snow on the mountain road is now very thick, so driving speed will be much slower. Even He Zheng, who is very familiar with this road, will drive slowly for safety reasons.
He Zheng nodded in agreement, "Sister-in-law, you should get some sleep. It'll be quite a while before we arrive."
Okay. Thank you for your hard work.
He Zheng looked at Shen Nan: "Captain Shen, you should take a nap too."
Shen Nan nodded and said, "How about I drive for a while first, and you can drive on the unfamiliar roads later?"
"Alright."
It's always easier for two grown men to take turns driving.
He Zheng sat in the passenger seat talking to Shen Nan, while Zhou Zuizui sat in the back looking out the window at the scenery. She had to admit that the scenery here was so different from that of Beicheng; it was breathtaking. She stared at it for a long time, and after letting her family and friends know that she was safe, she put away her phone and prepared to rest.
She couldn't help with driving, but she wanted to do her best to avoid any adverse reactions and not hold them back.
Zhou Zuizui was sleeping in the back, while the two people in front were talking quietly. Shen Nan's voice could be heard from time to time. Hearing the man's deep voice, her eyelashes trembled slightly, and she fell into a deep sleep.
When Zhou Zuizui woke up, it was already dark outside.
She paused for a moment, then shifted her body. The person next to her asked in a low voice, "Awake?"
Zhou Zuizui let out a soft "Ah," having somehow ended up lying on Shen Nan's lap. "You're awake." She rubbed her eyes and sat up. "What time is it? Why is it dark outside?"
Shen Nan chuckled: "You slept for three hours."
Zhou Zuizui was stunned for a moment, then asked incredulously, "Is it past six o'clock already?"
"right."
He pointed and said, "Have some water, then look outside. It's covered in snow."
Zhou Zuizui took a sip of water before looking out the window.
The streetlights outside illuminated this section of the road, and one could vaguely see the thick snow and ice outside. This kind of snow is something you can't see in the northern part of the city. The thick snow seemed to stretch as far as the eye could see, and it was so beautiful that it was breathtaking.
She blinked and exclaimed, "It's so beautiful!"
He Zheng smiled and said, "Sister-in-law, you'll get used to it in a few days. It's like this every day here."
"Do you do this every day?"
He Zheng nodded: "Yes. Every day is spent with ice and snow."
He explained with a smile, "There are no outsiders at our camp, only ice, snow, and soldiers."
The saying that "looking out at a glance, you see soldiers looking at soldiers, but you can't see any lush greenery or birds in flight" refers to the environment of the Tibetan border region, the roof of the world.
"You've worked hard," Zhou Zuizui said softly.
Although I know my words are futile, I still want to say to the soldiers stationed on the border: Thank you for your hard work. Your tireless vigil day and night has brought us peace and security.
This is true both in the frontier and elsewhere.
"Of course," He Zheng said with a smile. "We'll pass a parking spot later, so let's stop there to rest for a while and buy something."
He said, "There are relatively few things available inside. Sister-in-law, please buy what you want at this site."
"good."
Later, after asking Shen Nan, Zhou Zuizui bought some daily necessities, but not much else. Shen Nan, however, gave her a lot of snacks, saying in a low voice, "You'll be bored over there, so buy some more food."
Zhou Zuizui was both amused and exasperated.
"good."
After resting for a while, the group continued on their way.
It was already midnight when they arrived at their destination. The drive had been very long, and the roads were in poor condition, making it quite tiring. Fortunately, both men knew the route well and took turns driving. Occasionally, Zhou Zuizui would stay awake and chat briefly with the driver, not disturbing him, but also ensuring the car wasn't too quiet.
It was very late, but there were still soldiers stationed at the gate. They stood straight in the wind and snow, saluted when they saw the vehicle, checked and registered it before letting it pass.
"Captain Chen!"
Someone shouted, "It really is you back!"
Shen Nan chuckled and looked at the group of adorable people: "It's me."
As soon as she finished speaking, several people rushed over. Zhou Zuizui subconsciously took a step back, temporarily giving her husband to the others.
He Zheng coughed from the side and said, "What are you doing! Your sister-in-law is watching."
Instantly, the group released their grip on Shen Nan, looked at Zhou Zuizui in the lamplight, and hurriedly greeted her, "Hello, sister-in-law, hello, I am..."
Zhou Zuizui smiled and said, "Hello, thank you for your hard work."
"It's not hard work at all!"
He Zheng was both amused and exasperated: "Go inside first. Do you want your sister-in-law to stand here in the cold wind?"
The temperature here is lower than I expected.
"Oh, right, right, come in and warm up!"
"good."
It wasn't until she entered the house that Zhou Zuizui felt like she had come back to life.
Mom, it's so cold outside!
There was a fire inside, so she warmed herself by it first, without urging Chen Nan on. She knew the man had something to say to his teammates. Zhou Zuizui sat not far away, watching the man standing in the middle surrounded by everyone, seeing the smile and confidence on his face, and felt a sense of pride.
That's her man.
That's great.
Zhou Zuizui felt that the proudest thing in her life was marrying a soldier named Shen Nan.
She stared at it intently for a while before laughing at her own thought.
She smiled slightly, and Shen Nan returned shortly afterward.
Are you cold?
"It's cold." Her face was red from the cold.
Shen Nan smiled and said, "Let's bake it a little longer. I'll go and move the things back to where we're staying." He said in a low voice, "The conditions are a bit tough."
Zhou Zuizui smiled and said, "It's enough to be with you."
Shen Nan rubbed her head and hummed in agreement.
Half an hour later, everyone went to rest.
Zhou Zuizui was still not used to the first day and felt a little dizzy after returning to her accommodation, so she washed up and rested early.
The room was really basic, with just a bed, a small cabinet, a table, and two chairs. There was nothing else there.
Zhou Zuizui was half asleep, while Shen Nan was coming and going.
That night, we finally decided to stay here.
She finally arrived, in the place where Shen Nan had lived and lingered for two years.
The next morning, Shen Nan touched her head and felt relieved after not sensing anything unusual.
Zhou Zuizui opened her eyes and looked at him: "What are you doing?"
Shen Nan lowered his head and kissed the corner of her lips: "I was afraid you'd get a fever."
He said, "Previously, some military personnel's family members came here, but they started having high fevers on the first night and couldn't adapt to the environment here. I'm a little worried about you."
Zhou Zuizui said "oh" and reached out to hook her arm around his neck, acting coquettishly: "I won't, I have great stamina."
Upon hearing this, Shen Nan raised an eyebrow and smiled: "Is that so?"
Zhou Zuizui patted his shoulder and said speechlessly, "Don't make dirty jokes at me, what time is it?"
"Ten o'clock."
Zhou Zuizui: "???"
She stared at Shen Nan in disbelief, her eyes wide: "What time is it?!"
"Ten o'clock." Shen Nan pulled her up and said with a smile, "I've already come back from a meeting outside."
He came here for work and couldn't spend every day with Zhou Zuizui, but Zhou Zuizui didn't need to. She just wanted to come and visit, and keep Shen Nan company.
Zhou Zuizui got up and washed up. After washing her face, she drew back the curtains and looked outside. What she saw made her a little stunned.
Last night it was too dark, and even with the lights on, it wasn't very clear. But now it's broad daylight, and the white snow under the blue sky looks even more beautiful. Looking out the window, the snow and sunlight are all right in front of me.
It's so beautiful! You can't truly appreciate the breathtaking beauty of nature without seeing it for yourself.
Shen Nan looked over, smiled, and said, "Put on your clothes, and put on lots of hand warmers, it's very, very cold outside."
As he spoke, he also found a military overcoat for Zhou Zuizui: "Put this on last."
Zhou Zuizui: "..."
She looked at it, smiled, and said, "Okay."
After eating something simple, Shen Nan even had a doctor come and check on him. Finding that there was nothing wrong with his health, Shen Nan felt much relieved.
Shen Nan didn't have anything important to do that day, so he could take her for a walk around.
Want to go for a walk?
"Yes!" Zhou Zuizui said without hesitation, "Even though it's cold, I still want to go and see it."
Shen Nan pondered for a few seconds, then said in a low voice, "They've gone to dig up the road. Shall I take you to see?"
What does "digging up a road" mean?
"The snow covered the roads, and cars and people couldn't get in. They had to clear the way and shovel the snow to the side."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Zuizui instantly understood.
"Then let's go take a look."
"good."
As soon as she stepped outside, Zhou Zuizui was blown back a step by the cold wind. The sun was bright, but the wind was also strong. She subconsciously squinted her eyes. Shen Nan, both amused and exasperated, pulled her into his arms and said with a smile, "Eat more and gain some weight, otherwise you'll be blown away by the wind."
Zhou Zuizui rolled her eyes helplessly: "I just lack experience."
Shen Nan smiled, put her hand in his pocket, and then led her to the other side, in the opposite direction from where they had come back yesterday.
The snow here is really thick; each step leaves a deep imprint, but it's quickly covered up again. Zhou Zuizui found it amazing and deliberately stomped her foot really deep, having a great time.
Shen Nan watched and let her be.
As long as she's happy, that's all that matters. I brought her out to relax anyway.
"It's so cold." Zhou Zuizui, bundled up tightly, couldn't help but say, "It's so cold, how do you guys stand it?"
Shen Nan pondered for a moment and then said, "It's about carrying it."
No one is truly immune to the cold or the difficulty breathing, but there's no other way; it's their duty. Everything they do is forced upon them, they just have to endure it, and once they get through it, they succeed.
Zhou Zuizui looked up at him, tiptoed up and kissed him, her eyes crinkling with a smile: "Captain Chen is amazing."
Shen Nan pinched her cheek and looked up at her: "We're almost there."
After walking for about ten more minutes, the two finally arrived at the place where the road was being dug. Looking into the distance, Zhou Zuizui could see a whole row of olive green uniforms, carrying out their task in an orderly manner, digging a path in the snow to make it easier for everyone to travel.
They weren't dressed warmly, in fact, they were rather thinly dressed. Holding shovels, they worked with great effort, clearing a path through the snow. Sunlight shone on them as they toiled away, heads bowed. From her angle, the snow and blue sky merged together, making the soldiers' silhouettes appear incredibly tall and imposing.
They are truly outstanding.
They are the heroes here, protecting the well-being of the people. They braved ice and snow, standing here with their will and bodies, forging an iron-willed border defense.
Shen Nan led her over, and the leader recognized Shen Nan and quickly saluted, "Captain Shen!"
Shen Nan nodded: "How long has it been going on?"
Two hours.
Shen Nan nodded and looked at Zhou Zuizui: "Why don't you go play over there for a while? I'll go help."
Zhou Zuizui shook her head without hesitation: "How about I follow behind you and help you?"
"good."
The two joined the snow-shoveling team, and Zhou Zuizui had barely stepped in when she realized something was wrong. The deeper the snow, the wetter it became. She had only been down for less than five minutes when she felt her boots were soaked. She glanced at the soldiers in front of her; their backs and trouser legs were completely wet, soaked through with icy water, yet they seemed oblivious, tirelessly serving the people.
Zhou Zuizui pursed her lips, then lowered her head and began to work on it vigorously.
Everyone can do it, so can she.
She didn't expect to be able to help, but at least she didn't want to hold everyone back. She also wanted to experience their hardships so that she could have a better understanding of their work.
She finally understood why some people said that soldiers on the frontier were so great.
The effort they put in was beyond what most people could achieve. She didn't know how Shen Nan had managed to endure two years in such a place, but now, experiencing it firsthand, she felt no resentment, only heartache.
He was alone, and at first he was unfamiliar with everything here. He came for two years and never left for a single day.
By noon, the road here was finally cleared.
Afterwards, Zhou Zuizui looked at their shoes, which were all completely soaked.
She turned to look at Shen Nan, who looked down at her and asked, "Are you feeling alright?"
Zhou Zuizui nodded: "I'm fine."
The group called out, "Let's go back and eat!"
Along with a group of people and two dogs, Zhou Zuizui saw many different beautiful sights in this stunningly beautiful place.
On the way back, the dog led the way, while the soldiers all held hands and walked back together, like a city wall, tightly clasped together, incredibly strong! No one could break through this defense.
After having lunch, Shen Nan took Zhou Zuizui back to rest.
"Don't stay outside too long, it's too cold."
He gave a few instructions, saying, "I'm going out to train with everyone. You stay home and keep an eye on things. If you get really bored, you can go for a walk." Thinking about it, Shen Nan said, "It seems a military family member has come. If you're bored, you can go downstairs and see them. They live downstairs."
"good."
After Shen Nan left, Zhou Zuizui touched her camera and looked at the pictures she had just taken. Suddenly, a theme came to her mind. Thinking about it, Zhou Zuizui directly transferred all the pictures to her computer.
The only good thing is that there is at least a signal here, and I can occasionally access the internet.
Only after Zhou Zuizui had done all this did she contact Xia Wen and the others.
After letting Shen's mother know she was safe, she immediately started chatting with the group in the chat group.
Knowing that she and Shen Nan were here, they were worried about the poor signal, so they created a group chat for them to chat in. This way, they could know immediately if anything happened. There were more than a dozen people in the group.
Zhou Zuizui: I'm here to post photos, but I don't know if I can post them!
Xia Wen: Ahhhhhh, you finally have a signal!
Zhou Zuizui: Yeah! Surprising, right? I went out this morning.
Duan Weiyi: Waaah, isn't it super beautiful there, sister? I really want to go too! Are you feeling alright? Are you experiencing any discomfort?
Zhou Zuizui: No, everything is fine.
Ai Zeyang: Where are the photos?
Zhou Zuizui: I can't send it out... The signal here only allows me to send text.
Lu Jiaxiu: Sister-in-law, please be careful. It's very cold over there. Remember to be vigilant and come back safely.
Zhou Zuizui: Okay, don't worry.
She chatted with a few people for a while before feeling sleepy. It was probably altitude sickness; she felt drowsy all the time after arriving here.
Over the next few days, Shen Nan continued training as usual. They even trained on the snow. Zhou Zuizui felt cold watching them from inside the house, but they seemed to have an indomitable will. Not only did they train, but they also shouted slogans in unison! It was truly inspiring!
Zhou Zuizui was touched by this atmosphere and felt an indescribable sense of emotion.
In his spare time, Shen Nan would take her out for walks, revisiting places he had been before. During one of his breaks, they even visited the Potala Palace, a place Zhou Zuizui had always wanted to see. They even took a rare photo together at the entrance.
Zhou Zuizui wanted to remember all the places she and Shen Nan had been together, and even more so, she wanted to record them all with photos so that they could have a different feeling when they looked back on them in their old age.
The Potala Palace was more devout than she had imagined, and she even made a wish there.
—I hope everyone can be safe and healthy.
My wish is grand: that all the soldiers stationed on the front lines of the country can be safe and sound.
After leaving the Potala Palace, the two returned to their camp and resumed their normal lives. Shen Nan was quite busy during this period, leaving early and returning late. In the blink of an eye, a month had passed.
Zhou Zuizui has adapted to the weather here, and has even formed a friendship with a soldier's family member downstairs, another soldier's wife.
That military wife and her husband had been married for ten years, but they had never spent more than a hundred days together. Many times, she had to travel long distances to see him because she had no choice; her husband was a soldier stationed on the frontier.
Zhou Zuizui liked this military wife very much, and the two of them would often give them extra meals.
It was almost the end of December, the start of the new year. The team had an event that evening, and Zhou Zuizui and the military wife decided to make dumplings for them.
"Can you do that, Zui Zui?"
Zhou Zuizui smiled and said, "I should know a little, but I'm not very familiar with it. I'll need my sister-in-law to teach me later."
"No problem." Liu Mei smiled and said, "I've wrapped them twice before, this time I'll teach you."
"OK."
The two of them worked together with the people in the kitchen, and by the afternoon, everyone had finished training.
The first thing Shen Nan did upon entering was to look for his wife.
"Blow it on."
Zhou Zuizui laughed: "I'm here."
Shen Nan glanced up, then walked straight over: "Making dumplings?"
“Yeah.” Zhou Zuizui looked at him: “Want to try it? It’s my first time.”
Shen Nan smiled and said, "Okay."
He washed his hands and stood next to Zhou Zuizui, imitating her. The two of them looked incredibly well-matched.
Shen Nan's gaze was fixed only on the person in front of him.
After a while, the dumplings were wrapped with everyone's joint efforts. Shen Nan took a look and then pulled Zhou Zuizui away.
Zhou Zuizui was both amused and exasperated: "Where are we going? Aren't we going to eat dumplings yet?"
Shen Nan said, "There's still time. I'll bring you over to take a look first."
Zhou Zuizui raised an eyebrow, smiled, and looked at him: "What are you looking at?"
The next second, she saw what Shen Nan had given her.
Zhou Zuizui was slightly taken aback, looking at the mysterious thing he had taken out, and became somewhat distracted.
She smelled it and immediately recognized what it was.
"liquor?"
Shen Nan nodded: "Yes. It's for you."
Zhou Zuizui stared at the small bottle, paused for a moment, and then looked up at him: "Did you make this?"
Her eyes sparkled: "You made this yourself?"
"Um."
Shen Nan looked down at her and said, "Didn't you say you wanted to drink this wine last time?" He said in a low voice, "The conditions here are limited. I asked the camp's purchasing agent to help me buy the materials and make this. It will definitely be different from what you make. Would you like to try some?"
"
Zhou Zuizui didn't know how to express her feelings of being moved.
About two weeks ago, she casually mentioned that she wanted to drink and eat dumplings on New Year's Eve. This person remembered it and even brewed them himself.
She reached out and threw herself into Shen Nan's arms.
She murmured, "Why are you like this?"
How can there be such a person? As long as you remember everything you say, they can always surprise you with a fatal blow at the right time.
He never makes verbal promises, but even if he does, he'll deliver on them immediately. He gives you more of a sense of purpose and commitment through action.
Zhou Zuizui knew that the liquor was difficult to brew, especially in a place like this, as the taste would change. The soldiers here certainly had alcohol to drink, but very little, and it was mostly beer. However, she had a discerning palate and, having grown accustomed to her own brewed liquor, she genuinely craved it after a month without it.
She never expected that her casual remark would be remembered by this person, who would even secretly prepare it behind her back, all to satisfy her selfish desires and longings.
Such a man is so touching.
Shen Nan smiled, patted her back, and gently coaxed her, "Don't cry, if you cry, those people will punish me when we eat dumplings later."
Zhou Zuizui ignored him, nuzzled his neck, and remained silent.
"Do you like it?" he asked softly, kissing the corner of her lips.
Zhou Zuizui hummed in agreement, hugged him tightly, and whispered, "I like it."
I'm absolutely crazy about it.
Author's Note:
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