Chapter 7 The Night Wind of Burqin
9:03
Altay Railway Station was bathed in a clear and bright morning light.
The air felt like it was filled with ice crystals, and inhaling it brought a clean, stinging sensation.
Xu Nianyi, carrying a light canvas bag, walked out of the carriage with the flow of people, accompanied by two girls she had met on the train and were chatting happily.
One of them, Su Xiaoxiao, was a junior at a university in the south. She wore a fluffy white coat and spoke in a soft, sweet voice, like an innocent little rabbit.
The other one is named Wang Yue, a sports student with a cheerful and straightforward personality.
The two were high school classmates and have kept in touch even after going to universities in different cities. They took advantage of the winter break to travel together and originally planned to spend a week at the General Mountain Ski Resort in Altay.
Last night, in the bustling carriage No. 6, Su Xiaoxiao and Wang Yue's eyes lit up when Xu Nianyi excitedly mentioned that they were going to the snow-covered village of Hemu.
They had only planned to ski in Altay, but the snowy fairytale world of Hemu held a fatal attraction for them as well.
After a heated discussion and checking travel guides, the two immediately decided to change their itinerary and share Xu Nianyi's car to go to Hemu.
At this moment, the three of them chatted and laughed as they followed the flow of people toward the exit, planning to store their luggage, then go to Altay for a stroll before waiting for Tan Chen to pick them up.
Su Xiaoxiao, with her sharp eyes, spotted a striking figure in the crowd at the exit from afar. Wearing a military green flight jacket, with a tall, upright posture and a cool, aloof air, he stood out remarkably among the bundled-up passengers.
"Wow! Yueyue, Niannian, look! There's a handsome guy!" Su Xiaoxiao excitedly tugged at their sleeves, lowering her voice, her tone full of excitement at discovering a new world.
Xu Nianyi followed her gaze and her heart skipped a beat.
It was Tan Chen.
How did he end up here? According to the original plan, he should have left Urumqi this morning, and it would have taken him at least five or six hours to drive here.
It's only a little past nine o'clock.
Did he drive all night to get here?
Driving at night on roads in northern Xinjiang during winter is very risky.
Xu Nianyi's heart clenched instantly, filled with worry and a secret joy.
As the three approached, Tan Chen saw them and came to greet them.
"Why did you come so early?" Xu Nian blurted out.
“I can’t sleep tonight anyway.” Tan Chen’s answer was as concise as ever. His gaze lingered on her face for a moment, as if to check on her condition, before naturally turning to the two unfamiliar girls beside her.
Xu Nianyi quickly introduced, "This is Su Xiaoxiao, and this is Wang Yue. They are friends I met on the train. They are also planning to go to Hemu and will be sharing a ride with us."
She then said to Su Xiaoxiao and Wang Yue, "This is Tan Chen, my travel partner."
"Hello." Tan Chen nodded slightly as a greeting, then his gaze fell on the suitcases beside the two girls. "The car is parked in that parking lot over there. I'll take it." He spoke calmly, naturally taking the two girls' suitcases and turning to lead the way.
The three girls followed behind, instantly making the atmosphere even more lively.
Su Xiaoxiao leaned close to Xu Nianyi's ear and whispered excitedly, "Sister Nianyi! He's so handsome! And so considerate! Is he your boyfriend?"
Xu Nian's cheeks flushed slightly, and she quickly shook her head to deny it. "No, no! Don't make wild guesses. We're just classmates from junior and senior high school. We both wanted to go out and have fun, so we went together."
"What kind of ordinary boy and girl travel long distances together alone?" Su Xiaoxiao said with a knowing look, winking and saying, "I think he definitely has a crush on you! That look, that action, there's definitely something going on!"
Xu Nianyi's heart pounded at her words, but she forced herself to remain calm and brought up the reason Tan Chen had given her. "It's really not that. He said he was going to Jikepulin Ski Resort in Hemu, and it was just on his way."
However, this reason has gradually become questionable in her mind as she has been delayed in Urumqi for the past few days.
If it was just for skiing, given Tan Chen's financial means and way of doing things, he could have simply flown directly to the closer Kanas Airport or Altay Airport. Why spend several days with her in Urumqi dealing with trivial matters like picking up the car and making modifications?
This question, like a seed, quietly sprouted in her heart.
However, facing this man who once stirred her heart and whom she still couldn't understand, there were many things she simply couldn't ask directly.
She secretly decided in her heart: when she returned from Hemu, she must find an opportunity to seriously ask him if he wanted to continue the rest of the trip.
If he chooses to continue, then perhaps she will be able to muster the courage to ask the question that has been lingering in her mind for so long.
He can't just use "skiing on the way" as an excuse for his real reason anymore, can he?
Upon reaching the Tank 300, Tan Chen had already efficiently arranged everyone's luggage.
As soon as Xu Nian opened the car door and sat in the passenger seat, a faint smell of tobacco wafted towards her.
She could almost immediately picture it in her mind: on a dark night road, he was driving alone, a cigarette between his fingers, the crimson flame flickering in the darkness to dispel the fatigue and drowsiness of his long journey.
Thinking of this, the small resentment she felt for him driving all night without regard for safety turned into a deeper worry.
"You drove all night from Urumqi, aren't you very tired?" She fastened her seatbelt and couldn't help but ask again, "Should we rest in Altay city for a while and then go to Burqin later?"
“It’s alright,” Tan Chen started the car, the engine humming softly. “I’m not tired. Let’s set off now. If the road conditions are good, we can get to Burqin in an hour.” He paused, “Let’s rest when we get to Burqin.”
Seeing his insistence, Xu Nianyi suggested again, "How about I drive?"
Actually, she was in terrible condition herself. She had only slept for less than three hours on and off on the rattling train all night, and was only holding on by the excitement of seeing him.
Tan Chen turned his head and glanced at her.
She had a bare face, and to hide her haggard appearance, she wore a pair of thick-rimmed black glasses, but the heavy dark circles under her eyes behind the lenses were still impossible to hide.
He frowned almost imperceptibly, now with only one thought in mind: to get to Burqin as soon as possible so that she could lie in a comfortable bed and catch up on her sleep.
"No need, I can drive." His tone left no room for argument as he smoothly drove the car out of the parking lot.
On the way, the lively social butterfly Su Xiaoxiao asked one question after another, her attention almost entirely focused on Tan Chen, who was driving.
"Brother Tan Chen, how old are you?"
"Brother Tan Chen, what do you do for a living?"
"Brother Tan Chen, are you and Sister Niannian classmates? Have you known each other for a long time?"
Tan Chen answered these questions directly, briefly, and politely.
The carriage fell silent for a moment when Su Xiaoxiao asked, "Brother Tan Chen, you're so handsome, you must have a girlfriend, right?"
Xu Nianyi's ears perked up involuntarily.
After a brief silence, Tan Chen's deep voice rang out, containing only two simple words:
"No."
No.
Although it was the answer Xu Nianyi had been hoping for, countless thoughts still flashed through her mind.
If he didn't have a girlfriend, he could have just said "no," so why did he pause before answering?
Girls are always sensitive and suspicious. From that few seconds of pause, she seemed to sense a lingering feeling.
Could it be that he suddenly had time to take a long trip this time because he was heartbroken and wanted to get over it?
This guess stirred up an indescribable bitterness and disappointment in her heart.
The initial excitement caused by his unexpected appearance was now overshadowed by a faint shadow.
Lost in thought, exhaustion eventually overcame her mental turmoil, and she tilted her head and fell asleep as the vehicle smoothly drove by.
However, sleep does not last long.
It felt like only a short while before Su Xiaoxiao gently shook me awake.
"Nian Nian, wake up, we're at the hotel!"
Xu Nianyi opened her eyes groggily and found that the car had stopped in front of a hotel in Burqin County.
I checked the time and realized that less than half an hour had passed.
She forced herself to get out of the car and used her phone app to book a room for Su Xiaoxiao and Wang Yue for one night.
Because she frequently helped company clients book hotels, and her high-level software membership earned her points, the prices were usually cheaper than if others booked on their own.
When checking in, Xu Nianyi was in a low mood. She simply said to Tan Chen, "You're free to do whatever you want today. See you tomorrow," and then took her room key and headed for the elevator without giving him another glance.
Back in her room, she messaged Su Xiaoxiao and Wang Yue privately to discuss the afternoon's arrangements.
I need to go to the supermarket to stock up on supplies. Next, I'll be going to Hemu and Kanas, especially Hemu, where prices are incredibly high. Apparently, they have their own currency, the "Hemu Coin," which is comparable to the Shanghai Dollar! I definitely need to stock up on self-heating pots, instant noodles, snacks, and the like.
At night, Burqin, a small border town bordering Russia, Kazakhstan, and Mongolia, reveals its unique charm.
The streets are lined with many Russian-style buildings, with spires, domes, and brightly colored facades. Under the lights and snow, it looks just like a scene from a fairy tale illustration book.
Xu Nianyi ordered a cup of local specialty yogurt at a popular yogurt shop called "Little Cow Keen".
Holding the cold cup, I walked to a lakeside bench by the Kanasta Bridge, where the lights were on, and sat down.
The bridge's reflection and lights are mirrored on the river's surface, creating a shimmering, tranquil, and dreamlike scene.
She took out her spare phone and began editing the video footage she had shot on the Snow Country Train the night before.
The noise of the train, the laughter in carriage number 6, the impromptu piano music, and the dark snowfield flashing past the window.
Scenes flowed through my fingertips.
Her thoughts drifted back to her distant junior high school days. Back to Tan Chen, who suddenly became indifferent after the winter break of her final year of junior high.
From then on, he seemed to have a constant stream of girlfriends. Girls from his own grade, younger girls from lower grades...
We spent several months with each of them.
As a handsome man, he was already a popular figure at school, and these romantic tales would inevitably reach her ears through various channels.
Every time she heard the news of his breakup, besides a slight pang of sadness, a stubborn thought would always pop into her head: Why can't it be me? If you're with me, I will cherish you, I will never hurt you, and we will never break up.
"Did you buy this phone just to display it? Why aren't you answering calls?"
A familiar male voice, tinged with displeasure, suddenly rang out behind her, interrupting Xu Nianyi's reverie.
She was startled and turned around abruptly, only to see Tan Chen standing behind the bench, looking at her with a slight frown.
"Huh?" Xu Nianyi didn't react for a moment.
Then, she hurriedly pulled out her usual phone from her down jacket pocket, unlocked the screen, and sure enough, saw several missed calls, as well as several unread messages and voice calls from Su Xiaoxiao. The messages were roughly about inviting her to take photos at the nearby Russian-style street, stroll through the riverside night market, and asking what time they would be leaving the next day.
"Sorry, my phone was on silent," she explained somewhat awkwardly. "And I've been using this spare phone to edit videos, so I haven't been watching that." She waved the spare phone in her hand.
She called Su Xiaoxiao back. "Sorry Xiaoxiao, I didn't check my phone and missed your invitation. Have you finished shopping? Oh, Tan Chen told you he's leaving at 11 am tomorrow, right? Okay, see you tomorrow, goodnight!"
After hanging up the phone, she looked at Tan Chen standing to the side and asked curiously, "How did you know I was here?"
Tan Chen glanced at her speechlessly, his eyes seeming to say, "Is that even a question?" He even rolled his eyes in a cool way.
"This town is so small, it wouldn't take half an hour to walk around it, is it that hard to find?" he said irritably.
"Next time you take action on your own, let me know. Don't ignore my messages and make people worry."
The last phrase, "It's worrying," though not exactly gentle, made Xu Nianyi's heart feel as if it had been lightly brushed by a feather, causing a slight itch.
"Okay, I understand," she replied obediently.
The two sat side by side on a bench in silence, watching the Kanasta Bridge change color in the distance and listening to the soft rustling of the wind.
The cold night wind blew, but it couldn't dispel the subtle and complex atmosphere that permeated the two of them.
After sitting for about ten minutes, Tan Chen stood up. "Let's go, go back to sleep. We have to travel tomorrow."
“Mm.” Xu Nianyi also stood up.
The two walked back to the hotel in silence, one after the other.
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