From humble beginnings to the pinnacle of life

I paused for a moment, then emphasized my words slightly before continuing:

"Su Qing is already in her twenties, a completely independent adult, and has the right to choose the path she wants to take and the things she wants to do."

"I know you're concerned about her safety. But you two know her personality better than I do. Even if you force us to cancel our trip this time by demanding a penalty, do you really think she'll obey?"

As soon as I finished speaking, Su Qing immediately added:

"That's right! I absolutely refuse to accept this! Even if you force Wang Yi to break the contract and cancel this trip, I will definitely travel through the no-man's-land alone in the future! No one can stop me!"

There was another moment of silence on the other end of the phone.

Through the receiver, I could hear Su's father's heavy, suppressed breathing.

After a tense standoff lasting several seconds, Su's mother's voice slowly came through:

"Su Qing, I'll just ask you one question: why are you so insistent on going to such a dangerous place?"

Her mother's voice had lost its previous assertiveness, replaced by a hint of weariness and helplessness.

Su Qing replied without hesitation, "Life is an experience. Is it wrong for me to want to see different scenery and experience a different life?"

"Why choose a no-man's-land when there are countless safe places to experience life?"

Su's father's voice softened slightly, with a hint of compromise in his inquiry.

Su Qing stubbornly replied, "No, I'm going to the no-man's-land. What you say won't make a difference."

Seeing that the father and daughter were about to reach another stalemate, Su's mother took over the conversation in a timely manner, her tone exceptionally rational.

"Lin Ye, tell me the truth. Every year there are news reports online about people getting into trouble in remote areas. Can you really guarantee your safety on this trip?"

Without changing my expression, I replied honestly and sincerely, "Auntie, I can't say it's 100% safe; there's no absolute certainty for any outdoor trip. But I can guarantee that we've made 100% thorough preparations."

"Our entire team is equipped with professional satellite phones, sufficient reserve fuel, a full set of emergency medicines, and food and fresh water are double the maximum consumption."

"Moreover, the convoy will move as a group throughout the entire journey, and Su Qing will not be alone. She will stay with me and I will keep a close eye on her safety."

After hearing this, Su's mother remained silent for a long time, seemingly weighing the pros and cons and digesting my words.

After a moment, she asked in a low voice, "Approximately when will you be back from this trip?"

"The plan is for two months, and the specific return time will be slightly adjusted according to road conditions and weather. We won't rush blindly," I answered truthfully.

Then another hushed conversation came from the other end of the phone; it was probably Su Qing's parents discussing their next move.

A few seconds later, Su's mother's voice rang out again, carrying the final concession.

"Then please be careful on your journey. When you reach a rest stop, you must have Su Qing let us know that you are safe."

"No problem," I readily agreed.

Without further argument, the call ended.

The carriage fell silent instantly, and the atmosphere gradually relaxed.

Su Qing sat there blankly for several seconds, still somewhat dazed, muttering to herself with a puzzled expression:

"Why did they suddenly agree? I thought we were definitely going to argue and have a complete falling out."

I took out a cigarette, lit it, slowly exhaled a puff of smoke, and looked at her helplessly, saying:

"With the confrontational tone you used during the argument, no one would feel comfortable letting you go out. That's just venting your emotions, not communicating."

Su Qing immediately pouted, her face full of indignation: "So their attitude was better? They came up without asking why or listening to any explanations, and just told me to go back. Why are they only criticizing me?"

"I didn't say they were right. Their desire for control is too strong, and their communication style is extremely domineering. This is the root cause of your accumulated conflicts over the years. It would be strange if problems didn't arise."

Su Qing waved her hand and said, "Never mind, at least the result is good, and they've given up."

As she spoke, she turned to look at me, her eyes filled with admiration: "I never knew you could be so quiet. You're usually so reserved, but you're so capable when it matters. You managed to win over my parents with just a few words. You're really something!"

I gave a wry smile and shook my head slightly: "It's not that I'm good at it, it's just that they are reasonable people, they just don't know how to express their concern."

"Don't even dream about it," Su Qing immediately scoffed. "If they were reasonable, would I have gotten into such a fuss with them?"

Seeing her stubborn expression, I patiently explained, "They are just typical Chinese parents who are used to expressing their care through a strong and controlling approach. They don't know how to communicate with their daughter on an equal footing."

"So you really think they genuinely care about me?"

"Otherwise what?" I countered. "Would a stranger call you repeatedly to persuade you to turn back, and be willing to pay hefty penalties for breaking the contract, just to protect your safety?"

Su Qing was instantly speechless, lowered her head silently, and fell silent.

I continued to gently comfort them, saying, "I'm not taking your parents' side, but from your perspective, I also couldn't stand this suffocating control."

"But you have to admit, they really care about you. They were so tough just now, but in the end they still relented and compromised. This includes their previous promise to give you a year of freedom, and even their tacit approval for you to live with me in the riverside courtyard. They were actually making concessions slowly."

"Many things don't have a perfect answer; freedom and control are always relative."

Su Qing pursed her lips and muttered softly, "But you can't blame me entirely. It was their problem to begin with."

"I don't blame you, nor do I blame them. It's just that so many years of estrangement can't be resolved overnight, and there's no need to rush to reconcile."

I know in my heart that these conflicts within my family of origin are deeply rooted.

It's impossible to completely erase the truth with just one phone call, and there's no need to force her to apologize right now.

But I could clearly sense that Su Qing's parents were slowly compromising and learning to let go.

Just then, Wang Ge's calm voice suddenly came through the vehicle's walkie-talkie, breaking the tranquility of the carriage.

"Attention all vehicles, the road is cleared. All personnel, prepare to continue!"

I immediately snapped out of my daze, composed myself, grabbed the walkie-talkie, and responded in a deep voice:

"The last shipment has been received; we can follow up immediately!"

After adjusting the seat, I started the car.

The car in front did start moving, so I shifted into gear and slowly followed its pace.

As the car picked up speed, the wind started blowing in through the window again, and Su Qing remained silent.

As the car gradually entered western Sichuan, the scenery on both sides changed, and we could even see snow-capped mountains in the distance.

The altitude isn't very high yet. I noticed a sign on the roadside that read, "Continuous uphill ahead, altitude increases by 800 meters."

After driving for about half an hour, Luo Peng's voice came through the walkie-talkie:

"Brother Lin, there's a gas station up ahead, want to fill up? My tank is less than half full."

"Let me confirm with Brother Wang," I replied.

There was a few seconds of silence on the walkie-talkie, then Wang Ge's voice came through:

"Let's stop at the next service area and fill up our tanks. Gas prices will be higher after we get to Kangding."

When we drove into the service area, Wang Ge and Luo Peng had already filled up their tanks and were waiting for us.

This service area is called "Tianquan Service Area". It is very large and has nice scenery.

Various RVs and private cars driving the Sichuan-Tibet Highway can be seen everywhere in the service area.

And there are slogans everywhere: "318 is a must-drive in this lifetime!"