From humble beginnings to the pinnacle of life

As soon as Su Qing finished her teasing remark, the awkward atmosphere at the dinner table finally eased.

The quick-witted A-Qiu immediately followed up, a cheerful smile on her face, and began to introduce herself:

"Just call me A-Qiu. I'm in charge of emergency medical care and filming along the way in the team. I've been working with Brother Wang for several years now. If anyone feels unwell, has a headache or fever, or wants to take some nice landscape photos, feel free to contact me anytime."

After he finished speaking, he turned his head and looked at the taciturn Wang Ge beside him.

Wang raised his eyelids slightly, his voice low and crisp: "Wang, Director."

Luo Peng couldn't wait to speak, his face full of enthusiasm: "My name is Luo Peng. I'm in charge of the vehicle maintenance and support for the convoy. If there's any problem with the vehicles, just let me know."

Wei Qingyun then put down her phone, looked up at Su Wan, and spoke in her usual calm tone:

"Wei Qingyun, a staff member of the client, is responsible for recording vehicle driving data on a daily basis."

After the round of self-introductions was over, everyone's eyes fell on Su Wan.

Despite the stares of the crowd, Su Wan remained calm and composed, her face still bearing that aloof and unapproachable demeanor.

"It's your turn to introduce yourself." Su Qing looked at her across the table, her tone slightly awkward.

Su Wan spoke calmly, "Su Wan. I will accompany the convoy for the entire journey through the no-man's-land. I won't hold them back or cause any extra trouble. I will cover all expenses for food, lodging, and supplies for the entire trip."

Her words were brief and to the point, without any deliberate flaunting of wealth or feigned humility.

The others at the table exchanged glances, their eyes filled with surprise.

Ah Qiu was the first to come to her senses, and said with a smile, "This is great! The funding problem is solved."

I sat in my seat and felt an awkward atmosphere, but I couldn't quite put my finger on what the problem was.

It's likely that everyone was still unfamiliar with Su Wan after their first meeting, and coupled with her aloof and distant personality, it naturally made her seem difficult to approach and get along with.

I comforted myself, thinking that as we travel together for longer periods and spend more time together, our relationship would naturally improve.

Plates of Tibetan dishes with Sichuan characteristics were served one after another, with steaming matsutake chicken soup placed in the center of the table.

The matsutake chicken soup was steaming hot, with a clear yellow broth and a rich mushroom aroma.

Ah Qiu was very diligent, picking up a soup ladle and serving soup to everyone one by one.

When it was handed to Su Wan, she simply nodded her thanks, took the soup bowl, and said no more pleasantries.

Su Qing sat directly opposite her sister, slowly sipping her soup, occasionally turning her head to chat with Luo Peng next to her.

He never initiated a conversation with Su Wan.

I was filled with emotion; these two sisters were completely different from ordinary sisters.

The two did not communicate at all, and even deliberately avoided eye contact.

People who don't know them would never guess they are sisters.

This estrangement isn't so much about mutual hatred, but rather a tacit understanding developed over many years.

May we all be well and leave each other undisturbed.

Halfway through the meal, the easygoing Luo Peng suddenly slapped his thigh and casually said, "Su Wan, you and Su Qing have the same surname, and you look remarkably alike."

Among the convoy, only Wang Ge and I knew about the sisterly relationship between the two; everyone else was completely unaware.

Su Qing immediately looked up, her expression showing some resistance as she retorted, "Does it look that similar? How so?"

Luo Peng looked the two sisters across from him up and down, and analyzed in a serious tone, "Hmm, they look alike! The outline of their eyes and the shape of their faces are almost identical."

Su Wan said decisively, "I am her older sister."

Upon hearing this, everyone at the dinner table was stunned and looked up at the two of them in surprise.

Even Wei Qingyun, who had been engrossed in her work, stopped what she was doing and carefully examined the two sisters.

After a few seconds of stunned silence, Luo Peng quickly tried to smooth things over, saying awkwardly, "No wonder! I was wondering why we looked so alike, and why our surnames matched up. Turns out you're sisters. I hadn't realized it yet."

Su Qing pouted, remaining silent.

Su Wan simply offered a faint, polite smile and said no more.

An awkward atmosphere once again enveloped the entire dining table.

Soon, Su Wan turned to look at Wang Ge and asked, "What are the plans for tomorrow's route and itinerary?"

Wang looked up at her and replied in a deep voice, "The original destination was Batang, but there are many scenic spots along the way, and we will stop at any time to take pictures. It would be good if we could arrive before dark."

Su Wan nodded slowly: "My car is equipped with multiple spare fuel tanks. If gas stations are scarce along the way, I can refuel the convoy."

"What kind of car do you drive?" Wang Ge suddenly became interested.

"The Mercedes-Benz G63 has undergone minor modifications, with the chassis specially reinforced to adapt to the road conditions in uninhabited areas."

Wang Ge nodded knowingly, did not ask any further questions, and quietly exchanged a glance with A Qiu beside him.

The dinner wasn't exactly lively or noisy, but it wasn't awkward or embarrassing either.

A Qiu would occasionally share interesting anecdotes from her road trips, Luo Peng would chime in from time to time, and Wei Qingyun would occasionally throw out a few questions about vehicle parameters.

After finishing her work interacting with viewers in the live stream, Su Qing put down her phone, stretched lazily, and muttered wearily:

"I'm exhausted after a whole day of running around. I'm going to be able to sleep for a full twelve hours."

I couldn't help but joke, "Then don't go on a snacking spree on the bus tomorrow, lest you get an upset stomach again."

"You're being too nosy," she retorted with a hint of disdain, but without any anger.

After dinner, I got up and headed to the front desk to pay the bill, but Su Wan quickly followed me.

She said calmly, "I will take care of all your food and lodging expenses during the trip."

I turned to her with a smile and readily nodded, "Okay, then thank you for your trouble."

She didn't refuse and went straight up to pay the bill for the entire meal that night.

Su Qing then walked to my side, saw the scene before her, and muttered under her breath, "They're really planning to cover all the expenses, huh?"

"Isn't this exactly what you've been hoping for?" I said, looking at her.

"I didn't say I was dissatisfied."

She pursed her lips, turned and walked towards the door, saying, "It just feels a little strange. She never cared about these things before."

I followed closely behind and stepped out of the restaurant. A cool night wind blew from the depths of the canyon, carrying the dampness of the mountain river, and a chill hit my face.

After paying the bill, Su Wan also left the store.

Wang Ge looked at the gray Mercedes-Benz G-Class parked in the parking lot, then turned to Su Wan and asked, "Is this car yours?"

Su Wan nodded slightly. Wang Ge, who was a big fan of off-road vehicles, immediately stepped forward to examine the vehicle closely.

A Qiu also went over and circled the G63 to observe it, gently patting the heavy hood with his palm, and couldn't help but exclaim in admiration:

"Great car, the quality is undeniable!"

Even the usually taciturn Wang Ge agreed, saying, "The vehicle's performance is excellent; it's more than enough to drive through the no-man's-land."

Standing next to me, Su Qing felt a pang of bitterness upon hearing their praise, and she lowered her voice to sourly retort:

"Look at how fawning they are. Wang Ge is usually so quiet, but now he's unusually enthusiastic."