Rhapsody
After sunrise, the sun shines brightly, and the surrounding world feels the warmth of the sunlight.
From afar, Dunzhu saw Sangqi and Lumin on the hillside. He jogged over and, smiling, gave Lumin a prayer flag.
"This is what you want."
This prayer flag was sewn stitch by stitch by Tenzin's mother, and it contains the simple Tibetan people's beautiful wishes for the gods.
Lu Min took the prayer flag and patted Dunzhu on the shoulder: "Thanks."
Sang Qi looked over and asked, "What are you going to do?"
Lu Min stroked the brand-new five-colored prayer flag, looked up at the snow-capped mountains, and smiled: "You're leaving soon. I'll tie a prayer flag for you at the foot of the snow-capped mountains, wishing you peace and joy."
After saying this, he waved the prayer flag in his hand, and the flag swept across Sangqi's head in an arc, like a rainbow passing overhead.
When the wind blows, the long prayer flags flutter in the wind, each flag inscribed with scriptures swaying in the breeze.
The tied prayer flags divided the sky, and Sangqi, standing under the prayer flags, kept looking up at them.
Tibetan travelers believe that every time the wind blows the prayer flags, it is a blessing.
Lu Min said, "Whenever the wind blows the prayer flags, it is because I am praying for you, praying for your peace, joy, and all your wishes to come true."
Sang Qi inexplicably pursed her lips, her mind in turmoil.
…………
That night, Sang Qi couldn't sleep.
As soon as she closed her eyes, she thought of the scene under the white pagoda on the snow-capped mountain during the day. The more she thought about it, the more confused she became, and her head started to hurt for no reason. She felt very uncomfortable.
She decided to get up and go outside for some fresh air, thinking that perhaps going outside would make her feel better.
It was past 1 a.m., and the wind was howling outside the window.
Not only Sang Qi suffered from insomnia, but Lu Min did too.
He had been lying there for three hours and still couldn't fall asleep. He had just started to feel sleepy, but the sound of the wind outside the window was making him restless.
He got up to use the restroom in the middle of the night. As he passed the window, he saw a vast expanse of white snow outside, with the wind swirling around it.
Gazing at the wind and snow outside the window, he stood still by the window. Suddenly, he heard light footsteps behind him. He turned around and saw Sang Qi standing behind him.
Sang Qi went to check when she heard a sound, and was surprised to find it was Lu Min.
Seeing Sang Qi standing before him with a flushed face and listless demeanor, Lu Min couldn't help but sense something was amiss.
Sang Qi's voice was barely audible: "You also have insomnia?"
"Hmm, you too?"
“...Yes.” Sang Qi said weakly.
Lu Min stepped forward: "You don't look well?"
Sang Qi frowned slightly; she was indeed not feeling well.
She felt unwell after dinner, and now she has insomnia, making her feel even worse.
"Where do you feel unwell?" Lu Min asked with concern.
As soon as he finished speaking, Sang Qi's eyes rolled back, his limbs went limp, he lost consciousness, and collapsed to the ground with a thud.
"Sang Qi!" Lu Min rushed over, grabbed her shoulders, and helped her up. When he touched Sang Qi's body, he felt that she was burning up.
Lu Min hurriedly touched Sang Qi's forehead and felt it was burning hot. He knew something was wrong.
Sang Qi has a high fever.
He should have realized that the petite Sang Qi was at risk of getting sick, having suffered such a great fright these past few days and been exposed to the wind for so long today.
He carried Sang Qi back to bed, somewhat flustered. Sang Qi was feverish, so he was unsure whether to cover her with a blanket or not, and whether to cool her down or something else.
Lu Min had never taken care of a patient before and had no idea what to do. In desperation, he gritted his teeth and decided to take Sang Qi to the hospital.
He ran to knock on Dunzhu's door, waking Dunzhu up.
Lu Min told Dunzhu about Sangqi's condition. Dunzhu knew that a high fever could be serious or minor and that there was no time to lose, so he lent Lu Min his motorcycle and told him that there was a health center in the nearby town that was staffed 24 hours a day.
Lu Min hurriedly thanked Dunzhu, then helped Sang Qili put on his clothes and braved the wind and snow to head towards the town.
In the dead of night, the mountain village was shrouded in snow, and the winding road ahead was silent and deserted.
A black motorcycle roared through the night, its orange spotlight piercing the darkness.
The motorcycle was traveling at maximum speed on the highway.
Lu Min drove through the wind and snow, while Sang Qi leaned softly against his broad back, her cheek pressed against his spine, her small hands wrapped around his strong waist.
Sang Qi regained some consciousness. At that moment, all she could hear was the whistling wind beside her ears, and she was enveloped in a biting cold.
She shifted her body, her lips twitched a few times, and she managed to say with difficulty, "How did I get here?"
Seeing that Sang Qi had woken up, Lu Min, whose face was covered in snow, glanced at her and said, "I'll take you to the hospital. Hang in there."
"……ah?"
"Don't talk." Lu Min was afraid that if she opened her mouth to speak, the wind would get into her mouth and she would catch a cold.
Lu Min, who was driving, used his massive body to shield Sang Qi from the oncoming wind and snow, protecting her from the biting wind and snow.
Even so, Sang Qi still felt unwell. She was breathing heavily, feeling dizzy, as if the world before her was spinning, stretching, twisting, and deforming, making her feel extremely uncomfortable.
Gradually, she lost consciousness again, her head drooping back against Lu Min's back, and she fell silent.
Sang Qi fell into a coma again, and Lu Min became even more anxious, but there was no use in being anxious now. He could only send her to the hospital as quickly as possible.
...
The health clinic, though shrouded in snow and wind, was still lit up late into the night.
Outside the ward, Lu Min took out a cigarette case, paused for a moment while lighting the lighter, and then put the lighter and cigarettes back into his pocket.
Smoking is not allowed in hospitals.
It was already past 3 a.m.
Back in the ward, Sang Qi was lying peacefully asleep in bed, with a needle inserted into the back of her hand and an IV drip attached.
Lu Min sat by the bedside and stayed with Sang Qi, not going anywhere else.
And so I waited all night in vain.
The following morning, the wind and snow stopped, the low-hanging leaden clouds dispersed, and the sun shone brightly.
When Sang Qi slowly woke up, she opened her eyes and saw Lu Min standing guard beside her.
He was leaning against the chair, head bowed, in a deep sleep.
Sang Qi pressed her head, feeling somewhat uncomfortable, and sat up straight on the bed, her gaze falling on Lu Min.
She tried hard to recall what happened last night, vaguely remembering the snowstorm and how Lu Min rode his motorcycle through the biting wind and snow to take her to the hospital. He was now asleep by her bedside, probably having stayed up all night with her.
Just then, Lu Min trembled and suddenly woke up.
When Lu Min opened his eyes, he saw that Sang Qi had already sat up. He leaned forward in surprise and asked, "You're awake? How are you feeling?"
Sang Qi nodded: "I'm much better now."
"That's good." Lu Min felt relieved and leaned back in his chair. He rubbed his temples wearily.
Sang Qi saw that he looked haggard and his eyes were bloodshot; this was because he had stayed up all night to keep her company.
At that moment, Sang Qi felt a sudden tenderness in his heart, like ripples gently spreading across the water.
"Are you hungry? I'll go buy you something to eat." Lu Min got up and walked out.
Sang Qi's gaze never left Lu Min: "Okay."
"I'll be back soon."
In Sang Qi's eyes, this was a rare display of tenderness from Lu Min, which made Sang Qi feel that it was extremely precious.
Lu Min returned after being gone for about ten minutes.
Considering that Sang Qi was ill, he packed some plain white rice porridge and steamed buns to take home.
"Come on, be careful, it's hot." Lu Min sat down on the edge of the bed and scooped up some porridge to feed Sang Qi.
Sang Qi was slightly taken aback, feeling somewhat at a loss.
"Hmm?" Lu Min looked at her.
“…No.” Sang Qi obediently leaned over to let Lu Min feed her porridge.
After they finished eating, Lu Min tidied up the lunchbox and asked Sang Qi to lie down and take a nap, but Sang Qi didn't want to sleep and wanted to sit for a while, so Lu Min had no choice but to stay with her.
"Thank you for last night."
"You're welcome." Lu Min pulled the blanket up a little higher for Sang Qi. "Be careful not to catch a cold."
Lu Min's thoughtfulness momentarily captivated Sang Qi.
"If you're sleepy, you can take a nap. I can sit here by myself." Sang Qi couldn't find anything else to say, so she just made up a random sentence.
Lu Min rubbed his face vigorously with both hands: "I'm fine, you don't need to worry about me."
Sang Qi didn't know how to respond.
At this moment, the nurse came in to change the IV drip and instructed Lu Min on how to take care of the patient. Lu Min listened attentively and even scratched the back of his head, looking somewhat comical. Sang Qi couldn't help but laugh when she saw this.
You looked so cute just now.
After the nurse left, Sang Qi teased Lu Min.
Lu Min asked in confusion, "Cute?"
"Hmm, cute."
"..."
This is the first time in his life that someone has ever called him cute.
“Actually, I think you would be very likable if you weren’t so fierce.” Sang Qi smiled and looked at Lu Min.
Lu Min chuckled, "Whether I'm fierce or not, I'm still likable." Then, he suddenly changed the subject, "You mean if I weren't fierce, you would like me?"
Sang Qi choked for a moment, his eyes filled with speechlessness.
Lu Min stopped teasing her and stretched: "Be a good boy and get better quickly so I can send you away and avoid any unforeseen problems."
"..."
This person's gentleness won't last more than ten seconds.
In the evening, Lu Min returned with dinner on time. As he had done in the morning, he tried to feed Sang Qi, but Sang Qi refused.
She felt that she didn't have much to worry about and could do it herself.
Lu Min didn't insist, and peeled another apple and put it aside, saying, "Have some fruit after you finish your meal."
“Oh,” Sang Qi replied obediently.
"You eat first, I'm going out for a smoke." He said as he tidied up the fruit-cutting knife.
...
As Lu Min walked down the stairs from the ward, he strolled leisurely, taking out a cigarette case from his pocket as he did so. He was bumped by someone passing by, and the cigarette fell to the ground.
Lu Min paused for a moment, and seeing that the person who hit him showed no intention of apologizing, he turned around and saw that the person who hit him was dressed in black and walked away as if nothing had happened.
"Damn it, he hit someone and still acts all high and mighty." Lu Min cursed.
If this were before, Lu Min would have dragged the guy back and beaten him up long ago.
Arriving at the entrance of the health center, Lu Min took out another cigarette, lit it, leaned against a big tree, and silently smoked it.
The health center is flanked by small restaurants and late-night food stalls, making it convenient for people visiting the hospital to have a meal.
The restaurant was crowded at this time, and the noise was quite loud. Lu Min smoked a cigarette, listening to the commotion.
Suddenly, he heard familiar cursing voices beside him, followed by several furious roars. Lu Min frowned, leaned forward involuntarily, and looked in the direction of the sound.
From afar, the sounds could be heard coming from a late-night food stall. A man and a group of men were arguing fiercely.
The voice grew increasingly familiar, and Lu Min couldn't help but step forward. As he approached, his expression changed, and he exclaimed in surprise, "Silver Fang?"
Hearing someone call out, Silver Fang, who was entangled with a group of people, was startled and turned around to see Lu Min standing not far away.
Silver Teeth was both surprised and delighted: "Brother Min!"
It really is silver teeth.
Lu Min was somewhat surprised. Shouldn't Silver Tooth be in Dali? Why did he come to Shangri-La?
He stepped forward, not asking Silver Fang why he was there, but instead glancing at the menacing group and asking, "What's going on?"
"This kid's brother got drunk and caused trouble, trying to hit me." Silver Fang's tone was arrogant, as if with Lu Min by his side, he had a powerful backer and was fearless.
"I'm sorry, let's just let this go." Lu Min didn't confront him directly, but instead took the initiative to make peace.
The silver tooth next to him was so shocked that his jaw almost dropped.
Lu Min used to be a ruthless man who didn't talk much; he'd rather take action than make a fuss. How come he's now so eager to make peace?
Those people knew that their own brothers had started the fight while drunk, and that they were in the wrong, so they quickly backed down when they saw an opportunity to save face.
After Lu Min saw that the matter was resolved, he raised his face to Yin Ya, signaling him to come with him.
Silver Tooth followed Lu Min's footsteps, saying as they walked, "How come Brother Min has changed? He's nothing like you."
Lu Min chuckled: "I've already retired from the life of crime, do you expect me to fight for you? I'm a law-abiding citizen now."
Silver Tooth curled his lip, unconcerned.
Lu Min walked to a stone bench near the clinic, sat down, handed a cigarette to Yin Ya, lit one for himself, and they both started smoking at the same time.
"Why did you come all the way from Dali to Shangri-La?" Lu Min asked.
Upon hearing this, Silver Tooth immediately flew into a rage, his eyebrows standing on end.
"What's wrong?" Lu Min sensed something was amiss and looked slightly surprised.
“We’ve all been fooled. Jin Hai and Yang Hao knew all along that Qian Kunpeng wasn’t dead. They’d colluded with Qian Kunpeng to sell Chang Le out.”
Upon hearing this, Lu Min stopped smoking, frowned, and said coldly, "Explain yourself clearly."
Silver Tooth stubbed out his cigarette and said seriously, "When you went to Dali to find us and told us that Qian Kunpeng was not dead, Jin Hai and Yang Hao already knew that Qian Kunpeng was not dead and had cooperated with him."
"Are you sure?" Lu Min couldn't believe it.
None of them had forgotten how badly Qian Kunpeng had harmed them back then, and they all regarded Qian Kunpeng as their mortal enemy. Why would Jin Hai and Yang Hao collude with Qian Kunpeng? Lu Min simply couldn't believe it.
Seeing Lu Min's expression, Yin Ya could roughly guess what Lu Min was thinking.
He said angrily, "I don't want to believe that Jin Hai and Yang Hao would do that either, but that's the truth. After you left Dali, Min Ge, I accidentally discovered Jin Hai and Qian Kunpeng's secret, and I also questioned Jin Hai about it."
"What did he say?" Lu Min asked in a deep voice.
"He said it was necessary for the development of Changle, and he also said that there are only permanent interests, not permanent enemies."
"Hmph, sounds like something he would say." Lu Min sneered.
"Anyway, I will not be like Jin Hai and blindly obey Qian Kunpeng. I have severed all ties with Jin Hai and Yang Hao and withdrawn from Chang Le," Silver Tooth said bitterly.
"So you came to Shangri-La all by yourself?" Lu Min's expression returned to normal as he squinted at him.
Silver Tooth's expression changed slightly, and he said solemnly, "No, I have important business to attend to in Shangri-La."
"Oh?" Lu Min suddenly became interested. "Something important?"
Silver Teeth's gaze turned somber: "Brother Min, do you know that Brother Hua has a daughter?"
"daughter?"
Lu Min was a little confused. In his memory, Liu Yaohua had never been married, so where did this daughter come from?
Seeing Lu Min's expression, Yin Ya guessed that he didn't know, so he continued, "Actually, Brother Hua has a daughter, but no one knows it."
"And then?" Lu Min asked.
"Now Qian Kunpeng and Jin Hai are chasing Hua Ge's daughter all over the world."
"Why capture her?" Lu Min became more and more confused as he listened.
"Before his death, Brother Hua led Chang Le to transform into a legitimate business. The gambling, prostitution, and drug operations, resources, and other things that were vital to Chang Le were stored in a storage device. It is said that after Brother Hua died, he gave the storage device to his daughter. Now Jin Hai and Qian Kunpeng are cooperating to obtain the storage device and completely control Chang Le, so they are arresting people now."
Lu Min immediately understood. It turned out that Qian Kunpeng and Jin Hai wanted to turn Chang Le back into the dark empire it once was.
"So you came to Shangri-La to find Brother Hua's daughter?" Lu Min guessed.
Silver Tooth nodded firmly and said, "Yes, Brother Hua has been incredibly kind to me. How could I let Brother Hua's daughter get hurt? Besides, I can't let the storage device fall into Qian Kunpeng's hands."
"How do you know that Brother Hua's daughter is in Shangri-La? Have you met her?" Lu Min asked again.
Silver Tooth raised an eyebrow: "I've inquired. The people Qian Kunpeng sent are all heading towards Shangri-La. There's a high chance they're here. And I've found out Hua Ge's daughter's photo and name through my connections."
As she spoke, Yin Ya took out her phone, opened the photo album, and showed it to Lu Min: "Brother Hua's daughter is named Sang Qi."
When the name Sang Qi reached Lu Min's ears, his eyes were fixed on the photo on Yin Ya's phone.
At that moment, his pupils shrank dramatically, as if struck by lightning.
At this moment, several images unconsciously flashed through Lu Min's mind.
At Lijiang Sanyi Airport, he picked up Sang Qi, and they were chased by mysterious vehicles all the way. There was also a group of people lying in ambush outside the hotel where Sang Qi was staying in Lijiang.
Then in Lijiang Old Town, then Baisha Old Town, wave after wave of people, and Dukezong Old Town, Sang Qi was chased and kidnapped in a back alley.
Finally, when he was taking Sangqi to Diqing Shangri-La Airport, he was hit by a car that was chasing him, and he almost fell off a cliff...
It turns out that all of this started a long time ago.
Lu Min couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine upon closer examination.
Sang Qi Sang Qi...
"Not good!" Lu Min thought to himself.
The man in black who bumped into him when he went downstairs, that man...
The next second, Yin Ya saw Lu Min go from being completely lost in thought to running away like a pot boiling over.
Silver Tooth didn't care about anything else and just kept following in Lu Min's footsteps.
Lu Min rushed back to the ward in fear, pushed open the door, and found the room empty.
In that instant, his heart suddenly stopped beating.
The unfinished IV drip was removed and hung by the bedside. A peeled apple, only half-eaten, lay on the floor, along with a pair of small slippers—Sang Qi's slippers.
"Fuck you." Lu Min grabbed his hair a couple of times, then clenched his fist and punched the wall hard.
Silver Fang caught up and was incredulous to see Lu Min's panicked and furious state. He had known Lu Min for so many years and had never seen him so panicked before, so he was extremely puzzled.
"Brother Min, what exactly happened?"
“Sang Qi has been captured.” Lu Min spat out each word through gritted teeth.
"Sang Qi?" Silver Fang asked incredulously.
Lu Min was too lazy to explain to Yin Ya. He strode out of the ward and walked out of the health center. Yin Ya hurriedly followed him.
Lu Min made a phone call as he walked.
"Hello?" After the call connected, Jin Hai's slightly puzzled voice came from the other end of the line, "Amin, why are you calling me now?"
“I know everything,” Lu Min said quietly.
"Hmm? What do you know?"
"I fucking know everything about you and Qian Kunpeng." Lu Min couldn't contain his emotions any longer.
There was silence on the other end of the phone.
"Was Sang Qi kidnapped by you?" Lu Min asked again.
“Amin, I…”
"Answer me!" Lu Min roared, his voice filled with rage.
"Yes, Sang Qi was captured by men sent by me and Qian Kunpeng." Jin Hai finally laid his cards on the table.
"I'm warning you, you better not touch Sang Qi, don't let a single hair on her head get hurt, or I'll never let you and that bastard Qian Kunpeng get away with it, even if I die." Lu Min warned Jin Hai through gritted teeth.
“Amin, it’s not what you think. I just want the storage device. She’s Brother Hua’s daughter, I won’t hurt her…” Before Jin Hai could finish speaking, Lu Min slammed down the phone.
Yin Ya was completely baffled, but seeing Lu Min's furious outburst, she didn't dare to ask further questions and simply asked, "What do we do now?"
"Let's go to Dali!"
Dali?
"Yes, go to Dali to rescue Sang Qi."
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