From humble beginnings to the pinnacle of life

After hearing these words, my heart sank.

My heart was filled with mixed feelings, and a great sense of regret and sorrow overwhelmed me.

Su Qing's eyes widened instantly, her face filled with astonishment. She couldn't help but ask, "You...you didn't know he had a sister?"

"I don't know." Su Wan shook her head gently. "When we were together, he rarely mentioned his family, and I never asked him about it either."

Su Qing frowned, speechless, and sighed heavily: "Does this girl know about your past relationship with her brother?"

Su Wan shook her head again, saying with endless regret, "I didn't mention it, and there's no need to mention it anymore."

A misunderstanding ruined a sincere relationship, caused a lifetime of missed opportunities, and left behind five years or even a lifetime of regret.

It took me a long time to calm down before I could suppress the shock in my heart and ask softly, "So, your insistence on going into the no-man's-land this time was for him?"

Su Wan no longer tried to hide her feelings and nodded frankly, her eyes filled with melancholy.

"For the past five years, I have been restless day and night. I have always wanted to go to the place where he had the accident, to walk the path he didn't finish, and to fulfill the promise we couldn't keep back then."

As she spoke, she looked up at the clear blue sky in the distance and murmured to herself:

"I should have come to this road a long time ago, but I was five years too late."

My perception of Su Wan has completely changed.

I always thought she was cold, unflappable, and had no weaknesses.

But it turns out that she had simply kept all her deep affection, regrets, and pain hidden in her heart, enduring it all alone for five whole years.

Su Qing always said that her sister was cold-hearted and indifferent, and would never fall in love in this lifetime.

But what she didn't know was that Su Wan wasn't heartless; she had just suffered too many injuries and no longer dared to easily show her emotions.

After a brief silence, Su Wan quickly composed herself, regained some composure, and looked at Su Qing beside her.

"I have never forbade you from pursuing what you love, nor have I ever intended to hinder your dreams."

"But your body really can't withstand the extreme strain of the no-man's-land. Listen to me this once, go back and take good care of yourself, there will be plenty of opportunities to come again in the future."

Su Qing kept her head down, clutching the hem of her clothes tightly.

Tears fell silently, landing on her clothes and leaving a small wet patch.

I understand her feelings, and I understand her resentment.

I could force myself to follow, but my body would never allow it.

Watching everyone else embark on the journey they dream of, while they themselves can only stop here.

Such a gap and regret is enough to crush anyone.

After a long while, Su Qing finally raised her reddened eyes, her voice soft, tinged with a weary resignation:

"I understand. I won't be willful anymore, don't worry."

Upon hearing this, Su Wan's tense brows relaxed slightly, and she visibly breathed a sigh of relief.

Su Qing said softly, "You guys go back to the guesthouse first. I want to be outside by myself for a while."

Su Wan didn't force me, but turned her head and gave me a deep look.

I nodded immediately, indicating that she could rest assured that I would stay with Su Qing.

Su Wan said no more and turned to walk towards the parking lot.

The lonely and desolate figure hides countless regrets and loneliness.

Watching her departing figure, Su Qing sighed softly, filled with emotion, and said:

"I never imagined that she had such a deeply unforgettable past."

I softly echoed, "That's how people are. Everyone has secrets they can't tell, regrets they can't undo, dreams they can't reach, and people they can't forget."

Su Qing looked up at me, her moist eyes filled with curiosity: "And you, Lin Ye, do you have any regrets you can't undo, or any love you can't forget?"

I chuckled helplessly and shook my head, saying, "I don't have such a sentimental past. I'm just an idiot when it comes to relationships. I have no regrets."

Su Qing didn't ask any further questions, but simply stood quietly in place and sighed heavily.

All that hard work, perseverance, passion, and aspirations came to an abrupt end with a single diagnosis.

She had fantasized countless times about running freely in the wilderness of a no-man's-land, live-streaming the extreme scenery of the wasteland, and completing her own redemption and adventure.

But now, all expectations have been dashed.

She felt a deep sense of self-blame, believing it was her fault for slowing down the team's schedule.

After a long silence, she said in a hoarse voice, full of guilt, "If I hadn't eaten those random things, if my health had been better, if I hadn't gotten sick... wouldn't this have happened, and wouldn't have troubled everyone?"

Seeing her remorseful and guilty expression, I felt both pained and anxious.

I stepped forward and gently turned her shoulder.

I made her look me straight in the eye and said seriously, "It has nothing to do with you, it's not your fault."

"Getting sick is an accident that no one can control, and no one will blame you. Compared to a trip to the wilderness that may or may not be worthwhile, your health is the most important thing."

"A journey can be revisited, and scenery can be revisited. But once your health collapses, no amount of regret or attempts to make amends will help."

Su Qing stared at me blankly, all the bravado and grievances she had accumulated along the way finally breaking down at this moment.

She stepped forward, reached out and hugged my waist tightly, buried her face in my chest, and sobbed softly as tears streamed down her face.

Throughout the journey, she pretended to be strong and indifferent. Even when she was unwell, she was always careful, afraid of burdening anyone.

At this moment, she finally shed all pretense and was able to be a vulnerable child without any worries.

I gently raised my hand and patted her back to comfort her, feeling a pang of sadness and heartache in my heart.

She had overcome countless hardships, but she fell just before the finish line. This regret in the no-man's-land will stay with her for a very long time.

I stayed with her on the street for a long time to calm her down. Only after she had completely stopped crying and calmed down did we take a taxi back to the guesthouse.

My heart was filled with mixed feelings throughout the journey.

This long-awaited journey to the no-man's-land ended in regret for her alone.

I was still secretly thinking about how to comfort her when I got back, and how to explain things to everyone.

How to arrange the subsequent itinerary so that she doesn't feel like a burden.

But I never expected that after returning to the guesthouse courtyard...

What awaits me is a cataclysmic change that will completely upend everyone.

After helping Su Qing calm down, we returned to the guesthouse. As soon as I stepped into the courtyard, my heart skipped a beat.

Wang Ge, Luo Peng, A Qiu, Chen Yunqing, and Su Wan, who had returned earlier, sat quietly by the stone table in the courtyard.

There was no laughter or playful banter as usual, no busy preparations before departure; the entire courtyard was deathly silent.

All five people had their eyes downcast, their faces solemn, and the atmosphere was oppressive.

The wind on the plateau gently rustled through the treetops, making the leaves whisper in the breeze.

The faint sound was exceptionally clear in the deathly silent courtyard, making the silence all the more eerie.

I slowly approached, looked at everyone, and asked in confusion, "What's wrong with you all? You all look so pale."

No one responded to me immediately.

After a few seconds of silence, A Qiu slowly raised his head.

She first looked at Su Qing, who was standing next to me, and asked in a low voice, "How were the test results? Are you alright?"

I had a vague sense of unease, and I felt that something was off about the atmosphere.

Even if Su Wan came back early and told everyone that Su Qing had health problems and couldn't go to the no-man's-land, it shouldn't have made the whole team so depressed.

The atmosphere was more like a great disaster was about to strike.