Sudden avalanche
The Alps are exceptionally tranquil at night. The mountain peaks merge seamlessly with the distant horizon, stretching as far as the eye can see, as if one could reach out and touch the stars that adorn the sky. Looking down the mountains, the town is brightly lit, the warm yellow streetlights making the town, surrounded by mountains, shine like glittering jewels.
In an instant, the sky and the earth reflected each other, as if one were in a postcard-perfect scene, making it hard to tell whether it was reality or a dream.
In the stillness of the night, the silence seemed to ignite a deep longing within, stirring even the most composed mind with a flicker of impulse. Summoning courage from who-knows-where, Song Zicheng tilted his head, turned slightly, closed his eyes, and kissed Lu Zhiyan's lips.
The gentle kiss and the quiet surroundings made Song Zicheng's breath catch in his throat and his heart race.
The moment their lips met, Lu Zhiyan's eyes widened in surprise, as if this kiss was the first one between them, a tentative yet innocent one.
Song Zicheng's initiative delighted Lu Zhiyan. His eyes darkened, and he placed his right hand on the back of Song Zicheng's head, tenderly deepening the kiss witnessed by the high mountains, the bright moon, the glaciers, and the snowfields.
The two didn't sleep all night, and on the last day of their climb, they saw the golden sunrise on the mountain.
Sunlight streamed down, landing on the highest mountaintop, and then gradually spread, illuminating the endless mountain range with a bright, golden glow.
Song Zicheng was stunned by the powerful scene before him. He was mesmerized and lost in thought for a long time before he came to his senses. He took out the national flag he had carefully folded from his backpack, raised his arm, and the five-star red flag fluttered freely in the air. That splash of Chinese red was bright enough to attract attention and inspire patriotism in everyone's heart.
After filming the entire process, Lu Zhiyan smiled and placed his long, slender fingers, covered in veins, on Song Zicheng's chin. Then, with a slight push, the two kissed face to face.
Lu Zhiyan looked at Song Zicheng with a lingering gaze, his nonchalant smile like a kitten's paw, tickling Song Zicheng's heart.
"Seeing the golden sunrise on the mountain will bring you good fortune for the rest of your life."
Song Zicheng tilted his head and retorted, "Isn't it about being lucky all year round?"
Lu Zhiyan chuckled, gently rubbing his finger against Song Zicheng's lips, which still held his warmth, and said indulgently, "Silly, wouldn't you be lucky every year if you climbed the mountain every year?"
"What if you get old and can't climb anymore?" Song Zicheng said vaguely.
"Don't worry, I have plenty of money. This little thing is no problem for me."
Upon hearing Lu Zhiyan's Versailles-like remarks, Song Zicheng scoffed and muttered, "Indeed, money makes the world go round."
On the last day, even Charles woke up unusually early. He looked at the two people in front of him, raised his camera, and said, "Let me take a picture of you two."
With a click, this masterpiece, featuring the golden sunrise over the mountains, was born. The two people in the photo are standing very close, both giving a thumbs-up with their right hands, their faces beaming with radiant smiles.
The touch of red and the vast expanse of gold didn't seem out of place at all; in fact, they harmonized quite well. Song Zicheng in the photo exudes youthful energy, as if he's returned to his eighteen-year-old self. The inherent spirit and pride of youth are vividly portrayed in this moment, making it impossible to look away with envy and admiration.
The three of them took turns taking photos together, each showing their best and most wonderful side in front of the camera. Even Lu Zhiyan was different from his usual self, smiling so brightly and vividly.
After taking in the panoramic view from the mountaintop, the three of them picked up their bags and backpacks and began their return journey.
If the ascent from the bottom of the mountain is filled with the unknown, curiosity, and hope, then the descent is filled with tranquility and excitement. Even though the scenery along the way has been fully taken in, Song Zicheng believes that the mindset of going up and down the mountain is different, and even the same scenery has a different charm.
Because they had witnessed the golden sunrise over the mountains, the three of them didn't notice the subtle change in the weather on their return journey. When they reached the halfway point, Charles noticed large, dark clouds about to obscure the sun. The dark clouds moved very rapidly, and in an instant, lightning flashed, thunder roared, and a fierce wind raged. The bright blue sky seemed to turn into night, much like a scene from a movie, a sign of impending doom.
Song Zicheng was confused, but seeing the frightening scene before him, he couldn't help but panic. Charles, abandoning his previous casualness, said seriously, "Let's go."
His words made Song Zicheng even more nervous. He looked at Lu Zhiyan with a worried expression. Lu Zhiyan frowned and didn't say anything. He grabbed Song Zicheng's arm with his right hand and quickened his pace.
They hadn't walked more than a few steps when a loud bang suddenly came from the mountaintop. The sound was so powerful that it startled everyone. The ground shook, and they could vaguely see large patches of white snow rushing towards them in the distance.
“Avalanche! Run!” Charles yelled at the top of his lungs.
"Hurry up," Lu Zhiyan's tightly closed lips opened and closed again at this moment.
Song Zicheng said "okay" in a soft, trembling voice. He was scared; having never encountered such a situation before, he couldn't remain as calm as Lu Zhiyan.
Suddenly, a pair of warm hands grasped Song Zicheng's cold palm. Lu Zhiyan's hands were large enough to completely envelop Song Zicheng's hands, and this unexpected contact made Song Zicheng feel very safe.
He glanced up at Lu Zhiyan in front of him. His well-defined profile was calm, showing no sign of unease. Perhaps sensing Song Zicheng's gaze, Lu Zhiyan turned to look at him, a faint smile on his face, and nodded as if to reassure Song Zicheng.
The three of them sped up even more, but no matter how fast they ran, they couldn't outrun the raging avalanche. It was getting closer and closer to them, and the dark sky suddenly turned a terrifying white.
"Lie down, lie down..." Charles shouted, reminding them.
Before Song Zicheng could react, he felt a sudden darkness descend upon him, and he was completely shielded by Lu Zhiyan, his nostrils filled with the citrus scent emanating from Lu Zhiyan.
Amidst the clamor, he heard Lu Zhiyan let out a muffled groan. A few minutes later, the avalanche rushed down the mountain, and the surroundings gradually quieted down.
Lu Zhiyan held him tightly, and Song Zicheng had to use a lot of effort to slowly push Lu Zhiyan off him to the side. His mind was blank, and he was still in a daze, panting heavily due to a brief lack of oxygen.
Song Zicheng knelt on the ground and patted Lu Zhiyan's face: "Lu Zhiyan, are you alright?"
"Lu Zhiyan?"
Song Zicheng called out several times but received no response. Looking at Lu Zhiyan's tightly closed eyes, pale face, and bloodless lips, fear instantly overwhelmed him. He breathed heavily and tremblingly reached out to place his hand near Lu Zhiyan's nose, only to feel a very faint breath.
Song Zicheng panicked and could no longer control himself. Tears streamed down his face. He opened his mouth, his voice trembling, "Lu Zhiyan, Lu Zhiyan, wake up."
No matter how much Song Zicheng shouted, Lu Zhiyan didn't react at all.
Song Zicheng pinched Lu Zhiyan's nose with his cold right hand and gently stroked Lu Zhiyan's cheek with his left hand. He bent down, pressed his lips to Lu Zhiyan's lips, and blew air into Lu Zhiyan's mouth. He repeated this artificial respiration many times, which almost exhausted all of Song Zicheng's energy.
In the end, Song Zicheng used all his strength, his whole body limp and numb, barely managing to keep from collapsing. Lu Zhiyan remained motionless, and Song Zicheng felt an unprecedented sense of powerlessness and fear as he looked at him.
"Lu Zhiyan, Lu Zhiyan, don't scare me, wake up."
Song Zicheng was at his wit's end. At this moment, all the dissatisfaction, resentment and hatred he felt towards Lu Zhiyan vanished. This feeling seemed to bring him back to the heart-wrenching pain of his parents' death.
He could forgive and forget everything from the past; all he wanted was for Lu Zhiyan to wake up. In the past twenty years, Song Zicheng had acquired very little, and the people and things he truly cared about were few and far between, with Lu Zhiyan being the only exception.
Lu Zhiyan, who appeared out of nowhere, brought him both pain and happiness, disrupting his life. He appeared before him without warning and gradually took an important place in his heart.
The pretense that had been maintained for so long collapsed in an instant. If Song Zicheng could still brainwash himself into thinking that Lu Zhiyan had done things for him before that they were mutually exploiting each other, he could no longer deceive himself in this situation. The emotions that he had been suppressing deep in his heart and dared not face burst forth in an instant.
Gone was his usual pretense and restraint; in this moment, Song Zicheng revealed the true self that he had sealed away for so long. He reached out and pulled Lu Zhiyan from the ground into his arms, holding him tightly as if he wanted to meld the other into his very bones, so that no one could separate them.
Song Zicheng cried very sadly, and his heart-wrenching, intermittent sobs rang in Lu Zhiyan's ears. Suddenly, the person in his arms moved, and Song Zicheng was stunned for a moment. He immediately cupped Lu Zhiyan's face and gently shook him.
"Lu Zhiyan, wake up, wake up."
Song Zicheng's moist and hazy eyes saw Lu Zhiyan's eyes gradually open a small slit, and then open wider and wider until the two eyes met.
Song Zicheng burst out laughing, his previous tension and anxiety instantly dissipating. He let out a long sigh as if he had survived a disaster, his eyes shining as he stared intently at Lu Zhiyan.
"You cried?" These were the first three words Lu Zhiyan uttered.
Song Zicheng did not answer. He hugged Lu Zhiyan tightly again, his whole body trembling, and his voice choked as he said, "I was so scared. I thought you wouldn't wake up."
Lu Zhiyan chuckled softly, gently patting Song Zicheng's tense back. His voice was hoarse but tender: "It's alright, it's alright. I'm fine, aren't I? I made you worry."
"Yes, could you please not do that again? It's really scary."
"Okay, whatever you say."
When the two of them got up from the ground after hugging for a while, they remembered Charles. They looked around but couldn't find him. Just as they were in a panic, Charles came out from behind a large rock.
He looked at the two people holding hands in front of him and couldn't help but click his tongue. He said with a hint of sadness, "You only think of me now?"
Song Zicheng lowered his head, a hint of embarrassment flashing across his face.
Charles didn't really care; he just wanted to tease her. He smiled at Song Zicheng's flushed face, then winked at Lu Zhiyan, who ignored him.
"Are you all alright?"
The two shook their heads.
Charles continued, "Since everything's alright, let's hurry up and leave. Judging by the sky, there's probably another avalanche later, and I don't want to encounter it again."
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