The man wasn't lying to us. After about ten kilometers, the car finally emerged from the continuous mountain range. For Yang Sisi and me, those ten kilometers were like the boundary between life and death. If our car could have lasted another ten kilometers, the incident that just happened wouldn't have occurred.
But I also felt it was worth it, because during those waiting times, I experienced the genuine feelings that are sorely lacking among adults.
Yang Sisi is right. Perhaps some things can only be said in that kind of environment. Because of this, I saw a more authentic Yang Sisi... It's just a pity that I had more constraints than her, so I couldn't show her my most authentic self.
If one day we truly never see each other again, she will have no regrets, but I...
In a daze, Yang Sisi patted my leg and told me there was a gas station across the street. I quickly cheered myself up and drove the car in.
...
I first had the staff use a machine to siphon out the 92-octane gasoline from the car, and then I filled the tank with a full tank of 95-octane gasoline. After driving for another 40 kilometers, we finally arrived at the hospital where Zhou San was receiving treatment.
Yang Sisi insisted that I buy some warm clothes before she would let me go see Zhou San. Then we drove around the hospital area again.
Yang Sisi bought the clothes for me: a set of thermal underwear, a pair of sweatpants, and a windbreaker. She wore the same outfit, and the two of us walked down the street looking like a couple, especially when Yang Sisi held my arm.
I didn't refuse, and I found a long-lost feeling.
This feeling made me realize that even the cold city of Shangri-La has warmth... and everything seemed beautiful—the lights, the yaks, the ancient city, and even the few children playing around with runny noses. I could find something adorable in them, and I wanted to remember this night.
Yang Sisi seemed to share the same feelings as me. She would stop every now and then and use her phone to record the little things she saw. She even asked an old lady in the square to take a group photo of us. She casually made a peace sign herself, but asked me to "touch" the Tibetan Mastiff lying on the ground.
The Tibetan dog belongs to the old woman; she uses it specifically to take photos with tourists and then charges them five yuan for the photo.
After taking photos, we went to Turtle Mountain together to spin the prayer wheel. We heard that it is the world's largest prayer wheel, 21 meters high and weighing 60 tons. Spinning it once is equivalent to reciting the Buddha's name 1.24 million times, which can ensure peace and safety.
If the sky burial site weren't a bit eerie, she would have wanted to see it too.
I joined in her craziness and almost forgot about Wednesday.
No wonder some people say that you have to choose between power and beauty!
...
After wandering around for a while, it was already 10:30 p.m. She said to me again, "Michael, let's go eat yak hot pot... My friend recommended a place in the old town that makes it especially delicious, particularly their secret sauce, which is the best in the entire Shangri-La!"
"Do you remember why we came here?"
"I'm going to see Wednesday, I haven't forgotten... but it's already 10:30, I don't know if the hospital will allow visits, let's go tomorrow morning."
"I don't want to waste another day. I have to get back tomorrow morning... I have an appointment with someone this afternoon."
"I promise I'll get up at seven o'clock tomorrow morning and accompany you to the hospital at eight o'clock... After the visit, we'll leave, and we'll definitely be able to get back to Dali in the afternoon... I've asked a friend, and there's another route back to Dali that will save us 50 kilometers, but the road conditions aren't very good, and sedans can't pass. But we're driving an SUV, so we're not worried!"
Are you sure?
"I'm sure, 100% sure!"
I thought about it for a bit and agreed... Firstly, it was indeed quite late; secondly, I was already in Shangri-La, so one more night wouldn't make a difference.
With this decision, he felt much lighter, and then Yang Sisi took his arm and led him toward the yak hot pot restaurant she had mentioned.
...
On the way, I took my vibrating phone out of my pocket, glanced at the caller ID, and my mood suddenly changed...
Yang Sisi noticed my unusual behavior and asked, "Who is it?"
"Lu Jia".
Her emotional fluctuations seemed even greater than mine. First, she let go of my arm, then said "Come on," and walked away alone... I saw her finally sit down on a step, resting her chin on her hand, looking somewhat bewildered at the couples walking hand in hand across the square.
I feel the same way she does... I feel guilty and I don't know where my future lies... I'm not even sure if I'm single right now.
I want to marry Lu Jia, but there's a condition. We agreed that if neither of us finds a more suitable partner before she returns, we'll get married.
He and Ye Zhi had already broken up two years ago.
No matter how you look at it, I seem quite free, but the mental obstacles I face are more numerous than anything else.
...
I finally got through to Lu Jia on the phone, and then asked, as I had asked countless times before, "Is something wrong?"
Lu Jia retorted, "Can't I call you if there's nothing wrong?"
That's not what I meant.
Lu Jia smiled and asked again, "Where are you now?"
"Shangri-La... A friend of mine ran into some trouble, so I came to visit him."
"Oh, you're all alone?"
I paused for a moment, then lied and replied, "It's just me."
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