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Because the Wind Is Right
墨書 Inktalez
On the way to Daocheng, they encountered a mudslide.
Zhou Yao and his companions huddled in the car, staring in shock at the flying sand and stones ahead, as the mountains cascaded down like a waterfall.
Fortunately, there were no casualties. Their car was stuck, being the fifth in line.
Sulianlin, seeing a mudslide for the first time, was excited and jumped out of the car to take pictures. Zhou Yao advised her not to act recklessly, but before he could finish his sentence, Sulianlin had already thrown her camera to him and dashed ahead in excitement.
Zhou Yao called after her but couldn't stop her. He quickly opened the sunroof and poked his head out. The sky was blue and the mountains green; at the landslide site, a tall man was setting up warning signs and putting up caution tape.
Zhou Yao shouted, "Sulianlin, come back!"
Sulianlin weaved between vehicles, running while looking back, "Just one picture. Hurry up!"
Zhou Yao retreated into the car, feeling exasperated: "Who will go take a picture for her?"
Both boys and girls shook their heads: "Just kill me."
"I really want to strangle her," Zhou Yao muttered in frustration as he jumped out of the car, slamming the door behind him, and ran toward the mudslide scene through the congested vehicles.
The highway was flanked by mountains on one side and cliffs on the other.
Dirty water and mud flowed everywhere.
...
Creak, creak.
"Is that enough?" Zhou Yao handed the camera back to Sulianlin.
"Let me see. — No, this one makes my eyes look small. — This one makes my legs look thick."
"There are more from behind."
"This expression doesn't look good. — Not a single one I can post on social media. — Zhou Yao, did you even take these photos seriously?"
"Sister, the background here is a mudslide; can you really pose with a sexy expression?"
"Then I'll change my expression."
"Alright, alright, go ahead, I'll take another for you."
"Take a few more."
Creak, creak.
"—Done. Here, take a look yourself."
"Mmm, this one won't do, this one's bad... Oh? The last one isn't bad at all!" Sulianlin finally seemed satisfied.
"Let's go, don't linger here. Be careful of secondary landslides." Zhou Yao lowered her head, tiptoed as mud and water flowed freely around branches and stones, and she hopped over them.
"Wait a minute," Sulianlin said, pulling her back. "Zhou Yao, look!"
They stood at the edge of the cliff, below them, the winding mountain road looked like a ribbon entwined in the mountains.
"Chuanxi is beautiful," Sulianlin exclaimed, spreading her arms.
Zhou Yao, used to rivers and mountains, didn't find it particularly stunning, but that didn't stop her from enjoying the view. However, in less than a second, Sulianlin said, "Zhou Yao, hurry up and take a picture of me with the cliff."
Zhou Yao just pulled out her cigarette case from her pocket, looking at her with a deadpan expression. "Can I have a smoke first?"
She took out her lighter, struck it once, but the flame was extinguished by the mountain wind. After several attempts, she finally lit the cigarette.
Gradually, the traffic behind them became increasingly congested. More tourists were getting out of their cars, all dressed in colorful jackets. The mountains slowly filled with voices as people busied themselves taking pictures.
Zhou Yao squatted at the edge of the cliff smoking when she began to smell a different kind of smoke in the wind—stronger than hers.
Following the direction of the wind, she saw a tall and sturdy man standing about three to four meters away at the edge of the cliff smoking. He wore a gray sweater and black pants, looking out of place among the crowd.
Zhou Yao remembered he was the man who had set up a warning line near a landslide not long ago. As the wind blew, his smoke wafted over to her, invading her space.
She pouted, tossed away her cigarette butt, crushed it underfoot, and called back, "Sulianlin!"
...
Sulianlin was posing at the edge of the cliff while Zhou Yao stepped back with the camera.
"Yao Yao, step back a little more; you're too close to me. — A bit more back. Zhou Yao, I want a large background; I want to be just a small figure in it. — Step back a little more."
Zhou Yao bumped into the warning line set up by the unfamiliar man.
"Step back a bit more."
Zhou Yao shouted, "If I step back any further, I'll end up at the top of the mountain!"
"Alright, alright, just pose." Sulianlin got into position, "Make sure it looks good."
Zhou Yao stood close to the warning line, raised her camera, and unconsciously took another step back: "One, two..."
Before she could say "three," a man walked into the frame. He was on the phone but had his eyes fixed on the camera lens. Zhou Yao looked up and unexpectedly met his bright, sharp gaze.
He approached Zhou Yao, grabbing the back of her hood with one hand and pulling her away from the warning line.
"Hey!—" Zhou Yao was suddenly attacked and struggled hard, but with her back turned, she was defenseless.
"This area is safe." He dragged her outward with one hand while continuing to talk on his phone with the other, "I’ll arrive around six or seven, don’t wait for me for dinner."
Sulianlin rushed over and shouted, "Let her go!"
He glanced at her while still on the phone, then looked back at Zhou Yao before releasing his grip. Zhou Yao stumbled and lost her balance, stepping right into a muddy puddle.
Sulianlin questioned, "What are you doing?!"
"Just hold on for now." He put away his phone and looked at Sulianlin, seemingly about to say something. Suddenly, a loud rumble echoed, accompanied by screams from tourists. A surge of mud and rocks cascaded down the mountainside.
Sulianlin turned pale instantly. Zhou Yao, however, remained quiet throughout the ordeal.
The man turned to Zhou Yao and asked, "Are you trying to die?"
Zhou Yao, knowing she was in the wrong, pressed her lips together and remained silent.
Sulianlin also stayed quiet, feeling resentful that he was so harsh with his words, but she too knew she was at fault.
He asked, "Are you here for a vacation?"
Zhou Yao nodded lightly and replied, "Sort of."
He said, "If you're going to act like this, you should go home early. It's a hassle for someone to pick up the pieces if you die."
Zhou Yao didn't retort; she silently watched his departing figure and smiled secretly after a moment.
...
"That man is too rude," Sulianlin said while sitting in the car, recounting what had just happened to her companions.
The traffic jam had cleared, and they were heading towards Riwa Township.
"He saved Yao Yao, but did you see how he acted? He was rough, picking up Yao Yao like she was a little chick, and then he said, 'Are you trying to die?'" Sulianlin mimicked his cold tone seriously.
Summer Melody asked in surprise, "Did he really say that?"
"Yes."
"Our Zhou Yao didn't fight back?"
“Zhou Yao seems like he hasn't woken up today, all timid and not saying a word,” Sulianlin remarked.
“No, not at all,” Zhou Yao replied, fiddling with his fingernails. “I think he’s quite interesting.”
“He’s so fierce, and you still find him interesting?”
Zhou Yao didn’t argue. Sulianlin would never know.
At that moment, Zhou Yao was holding a camera to take a picture of Sulianlin. The view through the lens covered the area where the man was standing; he was on a phone call. Perhaps hearing Sulianlin repeatedly shout for her to back away, he inadvertently turned around and saw her stepping back. He gestured to indicate that there was danger behind her.
But Zhou Yao didn’t understand at the time. As a result, he strode over with the momentum of someone chasing a fugitive, as if he thought she was deliberately ignoring him.
Fortunately, nothing happened; otherwise, if she had been hit by a landslide, it would have been quite embarrassing for her as an insider.
“This person is quite interesting,” Zhou Yao said thoughtfully, smiling happily.
Seeing her expression, Summer Melody understood and turned to ask Sulianlin, “Is he handsome?”
“He is very handsome. Mainly his aura; he’s very manly. Not like those weak male students.”
Moyang, lying at the back, was displeased: “Why do our male comrades get caught in the crossfire even while lying down?”
Sulianlin laughed: “Sorry, I take that back. Excluding the boys in our car.”
Zhou Yao leaned back in his seat and looked out the window at the scenery. Up front, the leader Lin Jinyan noticed that the girls in the back had fallen silent and turned around to ask, “Are you hurt?”
“No.”
"Isn't it Altitude Sickness?"
"Isn't the altitude going down here?"
Sulianlin interjected, "Senior Brother, if you care so much about Zhou Yao, we might get jealous."
Lin Jinyan smiled, "I care about both of you as well."
"It's just that I care a bit more about Zhou Yao," Ji Yu, who was driving, added.
Facing everyone's teasing, Zhou Yao laughed, "It must be my dad and Lin Jinyan who said that if they don't take good care of me, they won't get any subsidies."
Just as they were joking around, the car slowed down ahead. The sun was setting, and a large group of Yak was crossing the road. The Herdsman in a Tibetan Robe, with skin darkened by the high-altitude sun, was herding the cattle while nodding apologetically at the people in the car.
Zhou Yao rolled down the window, leaned out, and said, "Take your time, it's okay."
This time it wasn't just Sulianlin; everyone took out their phones to take pictures.
Outside the window was an endless expanse of grasslands and wheat fields, with several Tibetan style watchtowers standing like castles. Cattle and sheep grazed in groups, and the White Pagoda had Prayer Flags fluttering in the wind.
The scenery was picturesque,
and soon they arrived at the foot of Yading Scenic Area, in Shangri-La Town.
Tang Shangri-La Duo wondered aloud, "Isn't there a Shangri-La in Yunnan? Why is this place also called Shangri-La? It's called Shangri-La everywhere; I should name one too."
Zhou Yao turned back to look at her and said, "Tang Shangri-La Duo."
Sulianlin was laughing so hard that his stomach hurt.
This time, their group consisted of seven people: three men and four women, all students from the Geology Department of A University, who came to Yading for a Geological Survey lasting one to two months.
Private vehicles were not allowed to enter the Yading Scenic Area, so they returned the rented car to the rental company and arranged for someone to pick it up. Then they shouldered their backpacks, bought tickets, and took the scenic area’s bus up the mountain.
The mountain road was winding, with beautiful scenery on both sides; on one side were rolling green mountains, and on the other side was a rushing stream flowing down from a sheer cliff. After about an hour's drive, they arrived at the scenic area.
Following the map, they found the inn they had booked, a square stone building with ethnic characteristics. Upon entering, they discovered a large open courtyard filled with blooming flowers. In the center of the cobblestone path stood a small White Pagoda, adorned with Prayer Flags hanging from its top to the stone building. There was also a small tea pavilion in one corner.
Inside was even cozier; the Common Area was spacious and equipped with various facilities such as guitars, checkers, darts, a stage, and bookshelves. The decor featured local Qiang Ethnic Group and Tibetan cultural elements, with rich colors that were aesthetically pleasing. Several guests were lounging on a long swing, reading and chatting.
"Where is the front desk?" Zhou Yao looked around. Sulianlin widened his eyes and pointed behind Zhou Yao. A man lying on a wooden sofa reading put down his book, stood up, smoothed his messy hair with his hand, and asked, "Are you looking for accommodation?"
Zhou Yao turned around in surprise: "What are you doing here?"
He replied, "What a coincidence."
Still taken aback by the surprise, Zhou Yao said, "It is quite a coincidence; are you staying here too?"
He smiled slightly and said, "I am the Boss here."
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