Da Ge

Chapter 34
Wei Qian received a call and, true to his word, returned after a week.JhKNVqFzkngsHRAcecQrMDDKclXFoI

HXzVXKtrRjdQDyw

However, he didn’t come back on his own. Lao Xiong somehow managed to get a car and drove all the way to his doorstep.GYuOKRzzGXxUSgisXxkYwHibhRiOff

YSKiiPteJLatmAG

It was a scorching afternoon of summer, and San Pang was alone at home, having a belated lunch: a bowl of instant noodles.LtDoqGMBVszVAJxLfkHGPfgTMLWECS

iacDwrtOseHsiwL

The local TV station was airing some irrelevant news, such as a warehouse keeper violating rules, getting drunk, mistakenly locked in a cold storage by his shift colleague, leading to his demise.xmbIvsRXGVvCXXvXaCiukbPazEeaWd

pGuywxpZRpkqKAE

Xiao Bao, forced by Wei Zhiyuan to do her summer homework, grimaced in agony, sometimes zoning out, but she couldn’t help overhearing this piece of news. “What’s a cold storage?” she couldn’t resist asking.lqfYaUVfHJlSiGIrcPuEwmFZRLCuJT

rkSrCTxGCODUxPJ

Without even looking up, Wei Zhiyuan replied, “It’s like a big refrigerator.”QjyGewFKJhxCjVkcPRtGMiuKLaVwPI

OzzxQtNwauDUiuq

Xiao Bao asked again, “Whose fault is it then?”lnOXpirhAcdVWcrhUeBHymevqmyUcr

EMkbrIjZDwhozhg

Wei Zhiyuan smirked coldly, “They locked it on time. It’s his own fault for entering the cold storage after hours, clearly violating the rules.”NHTgdsXqTRCltWVQeWKEYwWJaLDTIq

dpuAAWeiPOYpnRr

Xiao Bao couldn’t understand, “But why did he go into that… um… big refrigerator after hours?”tHjKuBHPkRkOFeQGStiflgxqdPPhyV

vtlKpCVrxhmoOXw

Wei Zhiyuan ambiguously remarked, “Who knows? Probably had some issues.”vcwhcHPNFOhiLjXmRbFhGTzeEiBRlx

gqCpTxcAIbnkkqt

Xiao Bao pondered for a moment and commented, “Hmm, it’s the first time I’ve heard of someone freezing to death. Couldn’t he just jump around to stay warm?”TyXMwKNswKEobOcFitIxwKIwqnUWUT

WOelSPQTeHhKvQM

Finally, Wei Zhiyuan glanced at her and turned off the TV with the remote.EPRsPipsrSqRONnyiDDHOEZXYKmfFe

DJVrBpMCEdwjdBu

Xiao Bao stuck out her tongue, then reluctantly lowered her head to continue her homework.asXObMWJEDNpCYKfalDoskxSLyQEaf

lUtIfOSFLHkHGWL

Wei Zhiyuan eyed her for a moment, perplexed, “She’s actually the same mother’s child as Big Brother?”yocrggDfKjWUPYMbZhnqzsyefyaFBT

yCgbfVVNlKhNHtj

It was at this moment that Mr. Xiong, who had transformed into a sleek and shiny black bear egg, stepped out of the car, standing beneath Wei Qian’s building. He first bent down to tidy up his collar and hair in front of the car window, then straightened up and called out to the building, “Is Mr. Tan here? Mr. Fish Tan, are you here?”TnzRRLlxpmswgcvbaszdHxIrEveNCW

QomgvlPACsirUYM

Next to him, the car window rolled down, and Wei Qian’s voice came from inside. The respect for the future “path of wealth” had been eroded during several months of unreliable journeys. Wei Qian bluntly said, “Why are you calling him? Will helping me exhaust you to death, idiot?”XtSSpCJKlXakkeFFfAUTUwVJySiuNh

RchVmWAVZDPataL

Comrade Lao Xiong replied softly, “I’ll take your advice to exercise more in the future, but with my current physical strength, I’m afraid I can’t even lift a gas cylinder, let alone you, sir.”NLRKWDABWwnEglBbNGYlEeMIpBXNJa

aFaSTahpgqwBWrw

Wei Qian was speechless. After a while, he weakly said, “Don’t call him by his full name, be careful he gets mad at you.”xGBJAsYCmsoqNOIlDEfyuigZztwbJk

sEtkchzqgLtnEmH

Comrade Lao Xiong asked politely, “Oh, then may I ask how I should address him?”gEplnROVeCoVoKatRuzzYWnjoLAdUa

IahAYaJLFqdmFTg

Wei Qian: “…San Pang.”bOxzZLCatgvGvMvwsJhphqZIJHodtF

werDWTRoTbsVTHB

Comrade Lao Xiong nodded, stood up straight, and politely shouted to the building, “Excuse me, is Mr. San here?”dhSgPUWrbUHwSdxcFyYxBTmcvnMAZJ

TyHfchsbKLDKfoG

Lao Xiong nodded, straightened his body, and politely shouted towards the building, “Excuse me, is Mr. San here?”WslRQNQIaZIwnZCvxbgKyHQXtDouZN

WRiDnHttPzhPLqV

Wei Qian in the car silently turned his head away.owKivDvwMCEWJRIalXXfZvxMefCgof

nYKnaYGHzAFHjCz

Fortunately, San Pang, gifted as he was, was having lunch at home when he heard those faint calls of “Mr. San.” He actually understood the spirit behind them and promptly dropped his chopsticks, sticking his head out of the window. “Calling me?”xojHJJiDmaPamLRmxUeWwEfzfBqYWM

TTTXRYiHwXMvimI

Wei Qian weakly pushed open the car door and waved at him from downstairs. “Brother San, come down and give me a hand.”lHtuKXrhEdixNwQybXkMWipZXANTEI

lgSfUEeusPtSUsx

San Pang squinted his already small eyes, focused, and looked at him for a while. He exclaimed in shock, “Oh my! Brother! Qian’er! Weren’t you supposed to be dealing with ‘a foolish wealthy fish’ to flip medicine? How come you look like you’ve been buying kebabs with Maimaiti! Why this color?”XZrxNDVLCkOYaeJMepFLjTOVjzEBmA

iWlPULeQRtiuqDg

The “foolish wealthy fish” stood quietly on the side, listening.cuWdzOXSYXJpFDokUeOTtDitWMRjxc

JdVELAjmMoYcMVp

Suddenly, the window on the third floor where the voice came from was violently pushed aside. The person exerted too much force, causing the window to bang against the wall and then bounce back.PVLHQAuQRhFfYWgMggktDdAHXHejKL

JWwaWaNJclqjyBm

Wei Zhiyuan: “Brother!”PLIrUmkfQpvvDBRSsOfGnkomnJqrAA

SeOoLlgBuvriyip

The voice of the young boy in his voice-breaking period almost cracked. Wei Qian lifted his eyelids to glance at him. “Is that you?”XLdeDuZqEljBRjhvqSvnhNracPlsin

YEcyUugcUesWejf

He wasn’t any better than Lao Xiong, with only two white spots on his whole face—his teeth and the whites of his eyes. But in Wei Zhiyuan’s eyes, the appearance of this charcoal head was like an Aladdin’s lamp, instantly lighting up his whole life… Of course, due to that bizarre nightmare, a small shadow appeared under this lamp.UJrsQnwupKXrhfsbbCFRNkgGzrvvEJ

allhMchbwnAIcGd

Grandma Song wasn’t home during the day, so Wei Zhiyuan, Xiao Bao, and San Pang quickly went downstairs, only to find out why Wei Qian had been sitting still all this time. He had a cast on one leg.rnPWmvhTWcjdnugfLLfUlcVLAzTbCe

bBYMEDXtUFeSLHX

San Pang widened his eyes in disbelief. “Is… is this going to affect you going back to school? Is it heavy?”GQIzRfcTKTALINdegNgNHvgdZvkiTd

WGzRsVnSMvjnqmj

Before Wei Qian could speak, the wealthy fish, Lao Xiong, spoke softly like chanting sutras, “No, it won’t. A hundred days for the bones and tendons to heal, he’s probably got around fifty days left. Considering his thick skin, it should be removed next month.”vHELHXXQTiteGgeRoGDfzWinRVqAGi

fqvMKeRgBwNUnHp

Wei Qian stood up on one leg with the help of San Pang’s hand and waved at Lao Xiong, “Alright, you can leave now, countdown clock.”xnWAjhRchyjSsXyoJXVDRHFefUgzAD

ywNxJHcTilMxTUy

Lao Xiong shyly and awkwardly said, “Considering we’ve been through thick and thin together, could you accommodate me for a few days and let me rest?”QkRqPNWZcVDzlLHlTNVJbklMggsIvi

yyanpUvYqUJMsak

Wei Qian asked, “Has there been a partial earthquake at your home?”IHyZvXECISKNLlrrUXsPvhmquuQpNT

nZpEDRiIkWVvHmi

Lao Xiong even more shyly and awkwardly replied, “Forgive me, but with a wife like a shrew, and me not calling her for such a long time, I’m a bit afraid of her biting me.”GQByRYayrntsakGUpVObhXVMhnNvRj

QynNsVcXfRCdbEt

San Pang chuckled, “Big brother, you can dodge the Ides of March, but not the fifteenth. A true hero dares to face the bleakness of life. Why not go back and kneel down before your leader?”PSXOTfzhEXawTXvHJabllowvRkhFxj

ASWaPqbMrTvHFJa

Lao Xiong smiled and said to him, “I’m not a true hero, I’m just a ‘foolish wealthy fish.'”fHkxBsovpSqvariWgIUDIQBxIZHRxp

tfAEqNGmUUjBSJy

San Pang: “…”UupxWAnEoUgaWlTpiGwKBruqUiAonw

ZAGNlBnnWQfMvdT

Wei Qian: “…”ZCRLURJVvwgzaQKbfOUjjprplWXAbz

ZzZBdMBsaAsGJgX

San Pang reacted, his face turning blue. He cleared his throat and gave Wei Qian a fierce glare—this guy didn’t even give him a heads up.QJucRbYIAkMdJeSeRhhjBEAiwxTCGV

AqxWZZaCDTqerWl

With a heavy sigh, he bent his legs, assuming a horse stance, and patted his own shoulder, saying to Wei Qian, “You… sigh, come on, get on.”nmGHyzihGYOhmYRTFULXOgXPVCejVs

yFUChJtiWEWRCBT

San Pang carried Wei Qian on his back, still grumbling discontentedly, “My broad shoulders are still virgin territory, reserved for my future wife, yet I’m cheapening myself for you, grandson… sigh.”jKlyxEqHfchhbLdEpAjkulnBlkxDbJ

TxzjjjJMDmvzJBO

He glanced down at Wei Qian’s arm, trying to find some superiority from his painted skin. Mockingly, he said, “Brother San asks you, will you fade away after washing?”ANTEcPNSEDaKwNKwRMYOQvgjAORXwP

oFJhXexyIqBqGZx

“Why wouldn’t I?” Wei Qian replied coolly. “I might even shrink.”XoJjWccKoeYBFdXVrdBSYfbUysXpQj

WnoqEfIIOVqVHyl

Despite his jokes, San Pang’s heart was completely relieved—he realized the injury wasn’t severe, and all was well.XZXOQjACAolcFsnHHipmEDxUexeKQN

XvMMDmDFrIDwizy

In the end, the timid Lao Xiong didn’t dare to go back.uwvGOpvQeNmkrMXOClOWkIRRQAhqFU

ERFDPNSkAZksDrw

However, Wei Qian’s house was too small, and Wei Qian thought Wei Zhiyuan might be a bit “shy” due to childhood psychological trauma, always being a bit “reserved,” like the hostility in his eyes when he looked at Lao Xiong.tWlMVOZmRKgAaslvyLKnJaFqiaipdQ

yhipWtHaZggQTLG

So in the end, Lao Xiong went to stay at San Pang’s house—San Pang’s parents were out for purchases and wouldn’t be back at night.MGxhAtxIhcckoDPDLYjRNdFDIqdwzK

tQyvouKUhYfyIRC

The two big scammers quickly got along, like two obviously contrasting black and white pigs, friendly walking shoulder to shoulder upstairs for some ideological discussions.oTkcqoCGVOjCsfSLeutKkqAUBegZfx

ErOdRQyOsXFzNYq

Wei Qian didn’t even have a bite to eat, just threw his luggage and fell asleep immediately, not moving a muscle, not even turning over.wzMSHXQOGWswuGYrqNyFotSjYAtTHA

AfxehQyUseOqEau

At dinner, Grandma Song pondered for a long time before deciding to wake him up to have a few bites before sleeping again. Wei Qian was so tired that despite hearing someone calling him, he couldn’t wake up no matter what. Finally, relying on the strong willpower he had developed from enduring Lao Xiong’s presence for so many days, Wei Qian crawled up like a walking corpse, ate a few bites without chewing properly, and then crawled back to lie down again.VAXsoMeOHfHHmMuEgMzRZPsxyoWiIf

WFvxiVUJbfOZkkd

That night, Wei Zhiyuan stayed up until 1 a.m. doing his homework.NRpAUXhKDpiPUmRwUbjoFEHPVfKpXm

kCMrTgrtJgHgUMl

He had originally planned to use the money from the summer camp to buy Xiao Bao some clothes, deciding not to go himself. But now, it seemed he had to adjust his plans. The summer camp was a must, or else Big Brother wouldn’t have agreed. He had no choice but to quickly complete the extra math homework he had neglected the past few days—they would be checked by the teachers over there.CzxjjHQJePttIQxMZmMKbIbcsFUmGg

wORkbVprfuBSODF

As for that bear-headed sister, it seemed he didn’t need to worry about her for the time being. Just as Big Brother returned, she emerged from her brief phase of sensible innocence and was back to her cheerful self. In the afternoon, she went out to play with her friends, no longer saving her pocket money, swiftly spending it on a new dress for herself.jXtxMItyPrAJZuDdjfvNurRDSCCjaB

uiKHKOOmMcmSlAm

Closing his books, Wei Zhiyuan sat quietly on the chair, pondering Wei Qian for a moment. The bear-like appearance of his brother now was worlds apart from the captivating image in his dreams. Wei Zhiyuan shook himself out of his thoughts, curling his four fingers into his palms, alternately using his short nails to pinch the center of his palm.xfMjJKWFUoXPYIVSWhdoBYToVUYsKi

bkjjJhNpZelUBPO

“It’s just a dream, it doesn’t mean anything,” the newly grown teenager thought calmly. “Do people who dream of streaking really go streaking? Do people who dream of flipping over cars really have the strength to flip over cars? Impossible. If dreams weren’t absurd, no one would use the phrase ‘just a dream’ to dismiss things. Big Brother has been lying in that position all afternoon and night, isn’t his arm numb?”kzNqFTsxiPaKasIjLNBIrpxzgEbwoJ

zREMlxZNIqsXfDj

With these thoughts, Wei Zhiyuan walked slowly over, gently patting Wei Qian’s shoulder, carefully avoiding his injured leg, and turning him over, placing his head in the center of the pillow.aGxtaEcPqWTEvfSBXaDoxhutNjWGhT

CQCgragDVOoVBZM

Wei Qian’s steady breathing was undisturbed, brushing against Wei Zhiyuan’s wrist, creating a warm breeze.sRsGSWpgvHeMAFvNDvvlIGjmfLmlGv

tNlZGivJyrIcCem

The silhouette of Wei Qian in the darkness made Wei Zhiyuan’s heart skip a beat. Hastily withdrawing his hand, he lay down next to the bed like a zombie, in a proper and orderly manner.MCuomBXSCgnkVTOdzdEWVXHwmlmXYb

kpvmYGvycNpjqWm

Wei Zhiyuan fell into a strange state—Wei Qian’s return had eased his tense spirit like a loosened string, instinctively bringing a sense of pleasant exhaustion. He should have fallen asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow, but he was being influenced by some inexplicable excitement. Every vein in his body was pulsating with accelerated blood flow, quietly conveying the warmth of that dynamic sensation through his skin.MXLcBgRwXGoXisKetZOLKxZuDaDyLW

VzvAfSlXpyWaXpQ

He couldn’t close his eyes no matter how hard he tried.XkLWiYuXRsuOvHTMQzGUSFcolgneaU

WtTwYnxkEndrADL

As he looked up at the young man beside him from a child’s perspective, he once thought of him as towering and omnipotent. But now, that admiration had vanished along with the change in his perspective.fxqJtyziIjHLkdBMBINiadNLHHLhfk

eDqcNiKfdpVxQPn

He realized that his brother was just a mortal like any other.LHGIZmxmHqQkLtaSiaTVHGqKUuowyJ

LSmtuBvxkiPkZZc

And this insignificant mortal body, sunburnt into an African mummy-like state, seemed like a whirlwind, instantly sweeping away the dark clouds and bitter rain in his spiritual world, leaving behind clear skies and boundless wilderness.EWXtNFZRgFKAwsDyIVHJrnHPeEOLAA

XBQLtZqveNpeyWZ

Wei Zhiyuan lay on his back on the bed, dissecting his own heartstrings, like a third person floating in the night sky, scrutinizing himself from above—still filled with fear and dread… at his own weakness and incompetence.NjvLSSFKQcQJCcNSCQieTORnoNYkFl

vLHevRsKUlvFsPZ

Wei Zhiyuan came to a conclusion: he believed he was still too weak, which was why he needed his brother as a pillar in his spiritual world.GtogVOwNIUEECgyTysZbJLgmOpFgJQ

WPrtWZrYTPYGWUj

He decided he needed to completely remove this pillar.XZhvBOLnVZCrMZzkwpxIOLctLxBihx

RGAVJCYKGMgxuok

Yet even so, his mood didn’t suddenly brighten. There was still something sticky clinging to his soul.dernoaiDbEaEMeWPCqLfddwaZydXyW

zMEDqjtfSZxXbZs

Wei Zhiyuan’s dissection of his own soul stopped here. He instinctively feared that small patch of darkness, where the truth of the lingering stickiness seemed to be hidden. Out of self-preservation, he sealed away that tiny truth.jvZYAJfLiMRBtOFFbWpdXIASSqYUXU

rHmfzqePvWvlMcG

It was a twisted, perverted, and horrifying desire intertwined with death, far beyond what a teenager could bear.qfySKBYGXsAtBOBRwEDkEcSLJhZBQj

wsLKCJSStPpcGDC

“Spring breeze doesn’t understand romance, stirring the hearts of young men,” the lyrics were beautiful, but not every young man stirred by them was bathed in clear skies and bright moonlight.lZppjXqQUNEgVZyOZOomAKhBEQVHwl

VhiNSUqFIfqVkjG

Wei Zhiyuan knew clearly that he was slipping into an abyss, but he didn’t know how to stop it.TOAesLlZMcUpeJguPHFtPawriETRmq

lXDBmtykfUbGPdh

Wei Qian slept until late the next evening, amidst the worried looks of his family. He staggered out of bed, looking like a walking clothes hanger, and made his way to the bathroom, absentmindedly turning on the water to take a shower.slhbbgeDrtfVJUIuzvLyWLCgUXwQdH

MYBaXeVOOHJeEqR

The shower in his house was extremely primitive, consisting of just two rudimentary pipes—one connected to the hot water tank and the other to the faucet. Since the tap water flowed faster, whenever the shower was turned on, the water would be cold within ten seconds.GPpkOgqwrbLnkBojGkKCnBZSnxEzyf

UEmbeOPffBxlxhO

The cold water startled Wei Qian, instinctively causing him to step back, realizing he was back in the plains filled with oxygen bubbles.DBJswIOrWTxWKHDcMKcFAsmpELGauE

djgXFTykPQvGRGD

He felt sore all over from sleeping, and with one leg suspended, he managed to quickly take a shower before devouring three bowls of rice in one go, feeling alive once again.hTxYYRpLclmFHWXbkRjUgqnfBZMXvi

rObIhoPHPECZsbw

Despite his hands being covered in various scratches and scars, he still ate with lightning speed at the dinner table, unaffected.BGvhwiirExGBasQAhtWvsceicVCGkJ

deDCPCRGCLdRJYK

Watching him, Grandma Song sighed heavily and said, “You heartless rascal, where on earth did you go mad? Are you trying to kill us?”InoJKhGKyMIkXyvnEbRVrmGmASPSFK

iqzvxsFnCLsjFzn

Where did he go?aDgptnMaJaIcCyOvfpMHXXUxzRsOUA

MfYJVmhOsuLCQzL

That was a difficult question to answer.hZUaygrSrhdMNOgwdeXnUvOJEOMCBf

KhYEaRBTQSfCYfC

Wei Qian hadn’t intentionally caused his family to worry. Along the way, he had endured all kinds of hardships and misfortunes.iIVSZxFWkoKPFLzKdkuCdRFGemwdVC

bOUmCiqfwktzHFb

In addition to Wei Qian, Old Bear had brought along three other young men, all strong and robust. However, except for one named Xiao Liu, the rest had strong adverse reactions.FXGFduZytrLVGIRlTjUGBEGbJYsiJN

sULfiznehQxVpUZ

Their first stop was in Zaduo County, Qinghai, at an altitude of over four thousand meters, where Wei Qian had suffered from altitude sickness all the way.YERHevGQMuTSZHwktPpqIFJgDAlQZU

gcSTxOJmqwfMjyx

He had vomited so much bile that he felt like he had emptied his gallbladder. At the worst of times, he couldn’t sleep all night, feeling like his chest was being crushed by a heavy weight, and his temples throbbed painfully. Initially, everyone envied Xiao Liu’s resilience, but tragically, he died within days.JKewhZhrFboVpsBkSfzcpLuHUzChNJ

dpOhtpDmEAgzmgh

Amidst a gloomy atmosphere, Xiao Liu had enjoyed himself, feeling invincible. He took a long hot shower at the small inn they stayed at. The inn’s facilities were basic, and the hot water was intermittent. Xiao Liu had enjoyed the hot water for the first half of his shower, but it turned cold for the second half.FCHzDvBGiJpNEslvrwXHsUoPLfqqFK

KJYDeruhvyJdEAA

Wei Qian and the others began wrapping themselves up like quails every day, without anyone needing to tell them. But this was just the beginning. Behind the natural disasters, there lurked man-made calamities, and Old Bear himself seemed to embody disaster.geKtRQeoeZGIVQIbimjRMlyCQNTzjb

KaChSRDrGQfTXSR

First, he took Wei Qian and the others around the local area, dabbling in the purchase of some cordyceps, getting a rough idea of the market, and staying there for a while. Then, with a grand gesture, Old Bear made a decision—they were heading south to Tibet!pyDeTYWhLfQrdDVfFjcFvTkZymDclv

cRLzxyNckFUvCOT

At that time, Wei Qian naively didn’t question this decision, thinking there must be some deeper meaning behind it. It wasn’t until they reached a small town south of Lhasa, where Old Bear became enamored with a pot and decided to trek through mountains and waters for it, that Wei Qian truly realized the fact that there was a hole in this handsome man’s head.pzGaYbtEAAggSmDtKLtUkLOyjmMPqa

foplRtoPMeJgyKk

As they ventured further into remote areas, the first thing to disappear was the cellphone signal, followed by the phones themselves.hrEXkVEPKZvLWvBHsmqhDtsgePMwPY

ITOZhHmhvEQnBPS

One day, they stopped halfway to rest. Some ate in the car while others got out to relieve themselves—meaning they were urinating in the wild.spEOWpLHrnWHHLkmzxTrpndoxCNXXn

gCjqsgCHntLKsob

Wei Qian had little appetite and was about to get out of the car for some fresh air when suddenly, Old Bear, who had just finished his business, pointed at them with a terrified expression and shouted, “Get off! Get off the car quickly!”iIgXIoxZyefmANXVePfftQRsSKqNdk

jalCLPtKgpQVwuK

Rarely had Old Bear looked so grim, and his voice was as piercing as a rusty shovel scraping against a broken iron pot, almost stirring up a sense of urgency. Everyone quickly grabbed their valuables and jumped out of the car.cXXtgfYpAJpPLTpuazUAgjPbYTDSJH

PHkECIOmAlNJRfs

In the blink of an eye, Old Bear pulled Wei Qian down last, and they both sat on the ground, watching as their car tumbled off the cliff with a deafening crash.FpetFhzIBKWDKUgNuLljWbjERqjzuj

iJiUXXWxVLutTav

Later, Old Bear said that as he walked over, he noticed that the ground beneath the back half of the parked car had started to loosen. Sensing danger, he shouted, and everyone jumped out just in time. The shift in the car’s weight caused the loose soil to collapse, and the off-road vehicle that had accompanied them all the way ended up immortalized at the bottom of the cliff.CqGkpWPhbQrkhXngEwGlCpyoKycgzJ

DZPAyPfnpYhpLDT

No villages ahead, no shops behind, just two lonely roads under their feet.gvOqSlnEfyaBcjPtoHdzwThXpaITvS

gLniWTGwPfHfkSH

Wei Qian asked earnestly, “Boss Bear, could you repeat why we are walking so miserably on this godforsaken road?”SDQtMxxdvlbNGeyRdnMAcxuPwqtUHQ

QKQohtIyUnHnNRC

Boss Bear, the bastard, equally sincerely replied, “To buy a pot.”rGUcuekzAalqFLGZSTPnnAZdtxKCLi

PqeAuBJqyjdqceY

Wei Qian spoke his mind, “You’re just a big idiot!”OEAYfMoOrRwyURMTtCMKJKfWPjCwen

RPNPbzXwNwWFuBo

With the big idiot leading a group of little idiots, cut off from the outside world, luckily, occasionally on the Sichuan-Tibet Highway, there were Buddhist pilgrims walking from Sichuan to Lhasa. Among them were some who traveled alone and others who pushed carts loaded with supplies. After days of hardship, Wei Qian and his group were finally blessed to encounter this wave of Tibetans.mintIFkwdpGVnkddAqsJDHjNLSotTj

dwGWQiJJHygXgIx

Although their wealth was meager and their fixed assets consisted only of a pedal-powered tricycle, at least they were able to beg for some food. The experienced Tibetans knew how to procure supplies, ensuring they didn’t starve to death.TiwrjTgJHZDoYfXhzjfgauIjzlWcSG

rvbuKduWqNRuRXq

Along the way, they hitchhiked, camped under the open sky, and endured all sorts of hardships. Old Bear joked that their group, despite their current struggles, would become successful in the future. He compared them to the Jin merchants who traveled west and the Hui merchants who traveled south along ancient trade routes, scraping by to make a living.XXdLiqOEuZaGabDpBQRQUCWedTdtWz

IjMMhPgvWoGaSWk

No one paid him any attention; they all wanted to strangle the fathead.odueOjFDnXeNkPZTuUSArQVCXGBIAE

DmPTZcBTYfDNNeM

Eventually, Old Bear successfully bought his pot—a soapstone pot made from the cliffs of the unconquerable virgin peak, Namcha Barwa. The stone was so soft that it could be scratched with a fingernail, so everything had to be handmade. Even though Wei Qian, dubbed a “country bumpkin” by Old Bear, had little worldly experience, he could tell that it was a good piece.CrdAqTqNepGfHtFfvvYXGhTeZbZdpa

JSdifPdPdKnlkYi

Unfortunately, with no roads leading out of the area, as they each carried a load of cordyceps, saffron flowers purchased from local villagers, and several large pots, trekking through the mountains, everyone developed a deep-seated hatred for pots and their associated class resentment.TqCQlgJiQPBYbSHoNBxBEeNCAMuVTy

BKZvyJaLmlXJnLC

The journey was indescribable. Climbing over snow-capped mountains and through grasslands, Wei Qian even tumbled down a hillside, injuring his leg.BlOucIrRxHIDVClxkAvuHbikgmvmkK

kjeszzYvnbToDbB

Luckily, although Wei Qian had no faith, he had a determination to make money at any cost. He improvised a splint and dragged his injured leg along with them for another day before reaching civilization.jMJcdXyPbLDrJSQyFsqagZaUzpyzuI

jDxIajPsFcclHyh

The nomads there still had no modern communication with the outside world, but fortunately, they were hospitable. A family of nomads, who did business in Lhasa, had a small pickup truck, but the owner wasn’t home. Old Bear had no choice but to stay in the area for almost a month before finally renting the truck and making his way to Chengdu.DAxXBtRJcfDEPvQGBPiGloxWjxSGOY

HexfLUElYRnsBdJ

Until they arrived in Chengdu, Wei Qian finally got the chance to contact home.evSgnOrRDgPLOkYnskJceAENErDbSl

XZmrfrsmNOEWtAW

After staying in Chengdu for three or four days, Old Bear, with his almost magical persuasion skills, managed to sell the stone pot at nearly ten times the price he bought it for, recouping all the expenses from the trip and even making a little profit.EpWBFasMavPkZBYkpdTBZRENzwnwpu

okaVTlJVtaYejMl

There were also offers to buy medicinal herbs, but Old Bear refused them all. Not a single herb was sold because those items were lightweight and easy to carry back to the mainland. He had more efficient ways of making money.xGFyUfCtzPUUTTtvVxkaRwXxKGVRXy

EbSynAckDRYZAKf

Once the pot was sold, they didn’t linger for a day longer. That very evening, they set off back to Qinghai, retrieved their stored belongings, and returned, crawling and rolling once again.cUobADSsUhtZczDYKNzNxCKbjYGVLI

RlBQnZIIojyEeWg

In the midst of all this, there were as many trials and tribulations as there were grains of sand.AjYMvONlTXQyJfjCobhnfGcuUqcgDA

QKbqhnvSJnjIZSK

However, faced with this family, in the end, Wei Qian’s sense of responsibility overcame his youthful desire to show off after surviving a great ordeal. He simply, maturely said, “It’s nothing. The signal there was bad, and we couldn’t make phone calls. We managed to sell some things to make some money. You’re getting older; you shouldn’t go out and do such heavy work in the future.”eeQqPFZmTKTPjmCUZZUZfSTbGQNYaR

JPyrMHpSdXsHotb