Chapter 26 Baby Baby Baby~ [Romance Line]
After bidding farewell to the desolate Yumen Pass in Dunhuang, the Tank 300 carried the three of them eastward, deep into the heart of Qinghai, embarking on an extremely unique journey in the Great Northwest.
Go and explore those stunning salt lakes scattered like a palette spilled by God.
Our first stop was Emerald Lake in Da Qaidam. It is not a single, complete lake, but rather a collection of numerous small salt lakes of varying sizes and shapes.
When Xu Nianyi got off at the first stop of the miniature train in the scenic area, she couldn't help but exclaim "Wow!"
This is not a lake.
This was unlike any lake she had ever seen in her 24 years of life!
The large lake on the left has a bright, vibrant emerald green water.
The smaller patch on the right displays a fresh and sophisticated Tiffany blue.
"My God! Is this lake water mixed with dye? It looks so unreal!" Fang Qihang expressed his utter shock. "If I posted this on WeChat Moments, people would definitely think I went overboard with the color mixing!"
"These are colors that are naturally occurring," Tan Chen explained, holding up his phone. "They are because they are rich in minerals such as potassium, magnesium, and lithium at different concentrations."
Fang Qihang couldn't wait to take the drone into the air. From God's perspective, the view before him was even more magnificent!
The colorful salt ponds, like countless uncut jade, turquoise, sapphire, and citrine, are carelessly scattered on the boundless white velvet.
Xu Nianyi secretly reached out and hooked Tan Chen's little finger, which was hanging by his side, and whispered in his ear, "Tan Chen, how about you propose to me in the future, instead of buying me a diamond ring, give me a sapphire ring as beautiful as this lake?"
Tan Chen turned to look at her and solemnly replied, "There will be."
Xu Nian instantly covered her mouth, her eyes curving into crescents as she smiled like a little hamster who had stolen some cheese, and asked mischievously, "So you were proposing to me just now~"
"..." Tan Chen was speechless, realizing he had been tricked.
Xu Nian knew when to stop, and satisfied, she stopped teasing him and excitedly pulled him by the hand to run towards the sapphire blue lake.
"Hang-ge! Hang-ge! Help us take a picture!" She called out to Fang Qihang, wanting to record it with a drone.
Fang Qihang maneuvered the drone to fly above the two of them. "Yes! Just like that, be natural, move around freely! Hold hands and spin around, imagine you're waltzing! Hey, yes, yes! That's a good move too! There's a fork in the lake over there, go over there! Great, great, great! Unbeatable!"
A drone is recording this.
Although Tan Chen's movements were all static and static, he couldn't resist having Xu Nianyi, who was lively, energetic, and full of energy, by his side.
Xu Nian ran behind Tan Chen and shouted, "Catch me!"
Without warning, it jumped up and landed precisely on Tan Chen's back.
Tan Chen reacted quickly, supporting her knees firmly with both arms, and instinctively carried her around twice on the spot.
"Great job!" Xu Nianyi took advantage of his turning his head and gave him a satisfied kiss on the cheek as a reward.
Tan Chen's ears turned slightly red, but she couldn't help but smile.
"Oh my god~ This dog food is being stuffed into my mouth!" Fang Qihang shouted as he operated the drone from a distance, but still recorded every sweet moment.
"Nianyi, when you're editing this video, make it play in slow motion and add a classic Korean drama OST. It'll be absolutely stunning!"
They continued their journey, and their second stop was the Qarhan Salt Lake, the largest salt lake in Asia and the second largest in the world, known as "the apple juice spilled by God".
After entering the scenic area, we took a shuttle bus for nearly half an hour to reach the Ferris wheel.
However, the Ferris wheel here is just a steel wheel without any suspended cabins, so it cannot be ridden.
Xu Nian looked up, hoping that she and Tan Chen could ride a Ferris wheel together someday, kiss each other at the highest point, and walk happily ever after.
The Qarhan Salt Lake has once again refreshed their understanding of color!
Centered around a huge, rose-shaped salt terrace, this place is surrounded by a large, lush, apple-green lake whose water truly resembles freshly squeezed apple juice!
And then there's the breathtaking salt bridge spanning the lake.
It is made entirely of natural salt crystals, spans the lake, and vehicles can drive freely on it.
In the distance, on the massive salt mountain, modern salt-mining equipment can be seen in operation.
"Good heavens! There's so much salt! This is enough to feed the entire nation for years!" Fang Qihang exclaimed in amazement as he took out his phone to check the salt reserves of the Qarhan Salt Lake.
"Look! There's a swing over there!" Xu Nian spotted the photo props set up on the lake shore: a white hanging swing.
She ran over and sat down, looking at Tan Chen with a beaming smile.
Tan Chen was naturally summoned by her and stood behind her, gently pushing the swing.
CP leader Fang Qihang immediately got to work, raising his camera, "Yes, yes, yes! That's the feeling! Nianyi, smile more, like you're showing your teeth! Tan Ge, soften your gaze! Don't just push, put some emotion in it, or people will think you're pushing a child in the park!"
Their final stop was the most famous "Mirror of the Sky," Chaka Salt Lake.
Because of its fame, there are significantly more tourists here, including many tour buses.
Xu Nianyi looked at the aunties getting off the bus, each holding an identical red silk scarf, waving it in the wind, and felt a little envious.
She wanted it too...
The three of them first rented rubber shoe covers. Unlike the other two lakes, Chaka Salt Lake allows people to wear shoe covers when swimming.
Upon entering the scenic area, to be honest, Xu Nianyi was slightly disappointed at first glance.
Having seen the stunning beauty of Emerald Lake and Chaka Salt Lake, this lake, dominated by light blue and light green water, seemed somewhat bland.
But as they venture deeper into the area and away from the crowds, its true charm is revealed.
The lake is extremely flat and vast, like a giant mirror, blending seamlessly with the sky, making one feel as if walking on clouds.
Tan Chen first carefully stepped into the water wearing shoe covers to test the firmness of the salt layer.
In some places, the ground is indeed loose, and you can sink into a deep hole with every step.
He turned around and reached out his hand to Xu Nianyi on the shore, "Come on, I'll pull you over. Follow the path I've walked."
Xu Nianyi is not a child; she walks very steadily, so there's absolutely no problem if she's careful.
But at this moment, she was already making her own plans.
In order to create an opportunity for close contact, she deliberately pretended that her shoe covers did not fit properly, slipped, and fell forward with a cry of pain.
Tan Chen reacted quickly, stretching out his long arm to grab her and hold her tightly in his arms.
"Oh dear, don't look! Don't look!" Fang Qihang exaggeratedly covered his eyes, but his fingers were wide open.
The two hugged for a while before separating. Tan Chen pretended to be calm and looked at Fang Qihang on the shore, "Don't stand there, come down quickly."
"Brother Tan~" Fang Qihang said in a high-pitched, coquettish voice, "I want you to pull me too~"
The sound sent chills down Tan Chen and Xu Nianyi's spines, giving them goosebumps.
Xu Nianyi looked down and studied the lake water beneath her feet. It was crystal clear, and white salt crystals outlined strange patterns on the bottom of the lake.
She crouched down to examine the salt grains, when suddenly a mischievous thought struck her, and she excitedly shouted, "Look! What's down there!"
Fang Qihang, being the curious child he is, immediately fell for it and squatted down to join in the fun, asking, "What? What?"
In the blink of an eye, Xu Nian scooped up a tiny handful of lake water and made as if to splash it at him.
Because the water volume was small, Fang Qihang simply leaned back slightly to avoid it, and the droplet splashed back onto the lake surface, creating a small ripple.
Fang Qihang, driven by a desire for revenge, immediately bent down to throw water in retaliation.
"Baby, save me!" Xu Nianyi cried out in fright, hiding behind Tan Chen.
Tan Chen used the back of his windbreaker to shield her from a wave of lake water.
"Stop fooling around, Fang Qihang!" Tan Chen called out to stop him.
"You're so heartless, always chasing after women!" Fang Qihang complained, feeling wronged.
“No,” Tan Chen explained helplessly, “the salt concentration in this water is too high, and too much contact with it is bad for the skin.”
Upon hearing this, Xu Nianyi quickly looked at her little hands.
The lake water on her hands had long since evaporated, leaving her palms white and the lines on them exceptionally clear and deep, making them look like the hands of a woman in her sixties or seventies.
"Aaaaaah! My hand! My hand is being corroded!!" she screamed in terror.
"It's alright," Tan Chen said, holding her hand. "It's just some salt residue; we can rinse it off with water later. Will you be so reckless next time?"
"No, no!" Xu Nian shook her head vigorously.
Fang Qihang sighed, "Sigh, nobody cares about me..."
That evening at the hotel, Xu Nianyi used the excuse of watching the footage Fang Qihang had shot together to stay in Tan Chen's room and refused to leave.
Tan Chen sat on the chaise lounge by the bed, and Xu Nianyi lay down without any hesitation, comfortably resting her head on his lap, and began to concentrate on editing her sweet videos.
She suddenly remembered something important and abruptly asked, "By the way, did you find out the exact address of that temple from Auntie?"
"Yes, I found out. It's in a village. I checked the route; it's about a two-hour drive away."
"Oh, when we go to see her, should we buy a gift to take with us?" Xu Nianyi seriously considered the matter of etiquette.
“No need.” Tan Chen’s voice was lower. “She said she is now cultivating herself, and needs to abandon these worldly things and endure hardship in her spiritual practice.” He paused and added, “When you see her tomorrow, don’t call her Auntie, but respectfully address her as Master.”
“Okay, I understand.” Xu Nian nodded. “I’ll remind Hang-ge tomorrow too.”
As night deepened and the video editing was nearly complete, Xu Nianyi prepared to return to her room. Before leaving, she pouted and asked, "Tan Chen, I wonder if I'll get a goodnight kiss tonight?"
This time, Tan Chen didn't remain silent as usual. Instead, his Adam's apple bobbed, and he said in an almost inaudible voice, "Could you call my name again?"
"Huh?" Xu Nian didn't react for a moment. "What do you mean?"
"It was this afternoon at Chaka Salt Lake, when you were hiding from the water and called out to me like that..." His voice grew softer and softer, and his ears turned noticeably red.
Xu Nian blinked, tried hard to recall, and finally remembered the words she had blurted out in her panic: "Baby, save me!"
"So you like that nickname!" She sat up straight excitedly, grinning like a cat that had just stolen some cream. "Tan Chen! You're such a closet pervert!!"
Tan Chen was so embarrassed that he stood up from the sofa, walked quickly to his desk, opened a bottle of mineral water and drank several mouthfuls in a row, trying to calm his restless heart and the heat on his face with the cool water.
Xu Nianyi wasn't about to let him off the hook. She jumped up and hugged his waist from behind, pressing her cheek against his broad back. Her voice was full of pride and sweetness. "Do you like hearing me call you that? Then I'll call you that from now on! Baby! Baby! Baby!"
She let go of him and started circling around him, running from in front of him to behind him, calling out "Baby, baby, baby, baby!" from all directions, up and down, like a tape recorder on repeat.
This sweet voice attack completely shattered Tan Chen's self-control.
He pulled the still-chattering Xu Nianyi into his arms, lowered his head, and accurately captured her lips as she kept calling out "baby".
His kiss was awkward and restrained, just a light touch, as if afraid of disturbing her.
Xu Nian felt an overwhelming surge of joy and initiative.
She tiptoed, wrapped her arms around his neck, and responded passionately, even taking the initiative by pulling him back a few steps until they fell together on the soft bed, deepening the kiss they had long awaited.
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