From humble beginnings to the pinnacle of life

I knelt down on both knees, kowtowed three times respectfully, then got up, unfolded the paper money and gold ingots, spread them on the ground, and lit them.

The mountain wind blew down from the top of the slope, and the black ash from the burning rose with the wind, like a flock of black butterflies fluttering their wings.

I gazed at the flickering flames and whispered to the tombstone:

"Dad, I've come to see you. The last few times I came back to our hometown, it was all too brief, and I never had the chance to go up the mountain to pay my respects to you."

"Don't worry, Mom and I are living a stable life now. I've landed a big project this time, which involves filming a live off-road video in the Qiangtang no-man's-land. If everything goes smoothly, I'll be able to turn my life around and won't have to worry or suffer for Mom anymore."

"Please bless me from over there, that this trip will be safe and sound, and that our whole team will have a smooth and uneventful journey."

After I finished speaking, I bowed again and kowtowed three times earnestly.

Su Qing walked slowly to the tombstone and solemnly bowed three times.

I squatted to the side, waiting until all the paper money had completely burned before standing up and saying to her, "Let's go, let's go down the mountain."

She took the lead on the way down the mountain. When they reached a gentle slope, she suddenly stopped, turned back to me, and asked softly:

How did your father die?

"He had stomach cancer, and it was already in an advanced stage when it was discovered. He didn't make it to the surgery stage before he passed away."

How old were you then?

"Twelve or thirteen years old, I can't remember the exact age."

It's not that I can't remember, it's just that I instinctively and deliberately avoid that memory, subconsciously unwilling to recall it.

Su Qing didn't press the matter further. She nodded gently and turned to continue walking down the mountain.

After walking for a while, she suddenly seemed to remember something important.

She stopped and turned to look at me, her eyes full of curiosity: "By the way, after lunch you said you'd take me to a place I'm sure I'd be interested in. Where is it? I want to go see it now."

Her reminder brought this matter to my attention.

It wasn't really anything earth-shattering; it was just a private secret I'd kept in my heart for over a decade.

But since I publicly promised to give her a real thank you and also promised to show her something different, I should keep my word and not go back on my word at the last minute.

I glanced at the mountain path ahead and nodded, saying, "Just keep going. It's right next to the path we just took to get up the mountain. It's only a few steps away, very close."

Su Qing frowned slightly, looking around with a puzzled expression.

"We just walked this way, and I didn't see anything unusual. You're not trying to fool me, are you?"

"You'll see when we get there," I said, setting a low point without further explanation.

She suppressed her curiosity and quickened her pace unconsciously, following closely behind me.

In just a few dozen seconds, we arrived at our destination.

I raised my hand to stop her: "We're here, this is it."

Su Qing stopped and looked around at the bare yellow earth, frowning as she said:

"That's it? A bare hillside, nothing at all! You're definitely trying to fool me!"

I ignored her teasing and walked straight to the old, crooked banyan tree by the roadside, standing steadily under it.

Su Qing's gaze fell on the tree, and she couldn't help but laugh and complain, "The thing you're talking about that could interest me isn't this old tree, is it?"

I looked up at the intertwined branches overhead, my gaze tender yet wistful, and whispered:

"It's not the tree, it's all my secrets hidden inside this tree."

"secret?"

Su Qing looked bewildered, quickly stepped forward, and said, "How can a perfectly good tree hide your secret? Stop being so mysterious and just tell me."

I raised my hand and touched the rough, cracked tree trunk, let out a long sigh, and slowly spoke:

"After my dad passed away, I completely changed."

"Huh?" Su Qing asked, looking bewildered. "How could your secret be hidden in a tree?"

"I was only twelve or thirteen years old at the time, and my personality suddenly became extremely withdrawn. I didn't like to talk or be in crowds, and I was even less willing to take the initiative to contact anyone. Although there seemed to be many peers around me, I always felt alone."

"No one listens to my complaints, no one understands my grievances, so I run to this mountain every day, climb this banyan tree, and stay there for a whole day. Sometimes, if I stay there for too long, I just lean against the branches and fall asleep."

Su Qing's eyes widened, her face showing an exaggerated expression of disbelief: "You're so free! Spending the whole day alone in a tree, aren't you bored or lonely?"

"I was young then and didn't know what boredom was."

I shook my head gently, my eyes filled with memories.

"Back then, I told all my unspoken thoughts and all the grievances I had kept inside to this tree."

"Over the years, it has been the only old friend who has listened quietly to all my troubles without finding me annoying or revealing my secrets."

As I spoke, I raised my hand and gently patted the thick tree trunk.

More than a decade has passed in the blink of an eye. The tender sapling of yesteryear has now grown into a lush and leafy tree, witnessing my entire dark adolescence.

Su Qing couldn't help but chuckle: "You're really something. Everyone else talks to friends, but you've gone and treated a tree as your confidant."

"So, does this count as my special thank you to you?"

I turned to look at her and said with a faint smile, "Don't you always like to tease and make fun of me? Now you have another embarrassing story to laugh at."

Su Qing instantly realized what was happening, laughing so hard she couldn't straighten up, nodding repeatedly, "Fine! That's a perfect deal! I can make fun of you about this for a whole year!"

I let her tease me and didn't argue anymore. I quickly used both hands and feet to leap into the air.

It landed gently and easily on the thick branch where it used to sit as a child, the movement flowing smoothly and in one go.

Su Qing stared wide-eyed, her face filled with shock: "Wow! You're so fast! You climbed up in the blink of an eye!"

"I used to climb here every day when I was a kid, so I'm pretty good at it. But I haven't been up here for so long that I'm a bit rusty now."

I sat on a tree branch, leaning slightly against the trunk, my tone indifferent.

"I want to come up and take a look too!"

Su Qing immediately became interested and rolled up her sleeves to prepare to climb the tree.

But she had been pampered since childhood and had never done anything like this before. She was clumsy and struggled to find a foothold on the tree trunk, looking both exhausted and embarrassed.

I sat in the tree and patiently guided you: "Step on the protruding knots below, grab the branches above, push off with your feet, and use your hands to gain momentum, and you'll be up in no time."

She tried my method several times, but each time she slipped halfway up and almost fell.

For me, who grew up in the mountains, climbing trees is instinctive, but for her, who was pampered, it was a huge challenge.

I didn't laugh at her, and she didn't give up either, stubbornly trying to climb up.

Finally, she managed to climb halfway up.

Seeing this, I immediately bent down and reached out my hand to her: "Hold on tight."

Without the slightest hesitation, Su Qing firmly grasped my hand in her palm.

With a little effort, using the momentum from her kicking the tree, I pulled her up.

The moment she landed, she was completely exhausted, panting heavily, her forehead covered in fine beads of sweat, and her cheeks flushed red.

"My God, this is so difficult! I really don't know how you managed to climb up here every day when you were a kid."

She muttered to herself as she tried to catch her breath, her face full of disbelief.

"Practice makes perfect," I said casually.

"I grew up in this kind of mountainous environment, and these skills are ingrained in my bones. You grew up in a different environment, so naturally you can't do them."

Su Qing didn't reply and turned to look into the distance.

From the summit, the entire rolling mountain range unfolds before your eyes.