From humble beginnings to the pinnacle of life

I originally thought that everyone would choose to turn around and leave me.

To my utter surprise, Luo Peng, who had been with me all along, was willing to stay and wait for news of me with Su Qing on the edge of the wasteland.

I looked at the brother in front of me who had shared joys and sorrows all the way, and my eyes instantly welled up with tears.

I took a deep breath and said to him in a low voice, "Luo Peng, you really didn't have to go this far. You could have gone home with Brother Wang and the others... Besides, I myself can't say for sure when I'll be able to walk out of this no-man's-land."

Luo Peng grinned, revealing a set of white teeth.

"Brother Lin, what you just said about everyone in our team having a backup plan is absolutely true. I do have a shop in my hometown county, but the property rights belong to my father, not me."

"I'm just as unwilling to drift through life aimlessly. You're risking your life for your future. I don't have the courage to go with you into the no-man's-land, but I'll stay outside and wait for you to return safely."

As he spoke, he turned to look at Su Qing beside him and continued.

"Besides, you must be worried about Su Qing, a girl all alone in such a remote and desolate small county. With me staying here with her, the two of us can look after each other, which will also provide an extra layer of security."

When Su Qing heard that Luo Peng was willing to stay and keep her company, a look of surprise and delight instantly appeared on her face.

"Luo Peng, that's great! With you here with me, I feel so much more at ease!"

Looking at the two people in front of me, I shook my head with a wry smile.

They didn't try to persuade me anymore, and I had no reason to try to persuade them.

I sighed and said, "Alright, if you want to stay, then stay. But you two must promise me that you will protect yourselves and never, out of curiosity, venture even half a step closer to the no-man's-land."

"Don't worry, Brother Lin! We know what we're doing!" Luo Peng nodded emphatically.

Chen Yunqing, who was standing to the side, slowly spoke, breaking the silence of the courtyard.

"Then I'll go back with Su Wan first thing tomorrow morning. Lin Ye, I wish you a safe journey. We sincerely hope to receive news of your safe return in a few days."

Su Wan raised her cool eyes to look at me, remained silent for a moment, and then slowly spoke.

"Lin Ye, I know no one can change your decision. I just want to remind you that too many people who went into that desolate Qiangtang region with regrets are buried there. Don't let your regrets remain on that land forever."

Listening to her words, I understood that her words contained a pain that had been buried for five years and that she still couldn't let go of.

Her advice wasn't just for me; it was also a dialogue she had with her past self, who was deeply mired in regret.

I nodded slightly to her.

"I've taken your advice to heart."

As the night deepened, the temperature on the plateau dropped rapidly, and a chill swept over the area.

The long conversation in the courtyard came to an end, and everyone turned around and went back to their rooms to rest.

Luo Peng went back to his guest room first, but I didn't go upstairs to rest with everyone else.

He turned around and walked alone towards the rooftop of the guesthouse on the fifth floor.

This guesthouse has a great location. Standing on the rooftop, you can see most of Lhasa's night view, with the Potala Palace standing quietly in the night in the distance.

Looking up at the sky above Lhasa, one sees a vast, dark night.

The sky was filled with countless stars, each one shining brightly and dazzlingly, covering the entire horizon.

But my heart felt heavy, and I couldn't relax at all.

Before I knew it, a tear slid down my cheek.

My tears were not because of fear, nor because I had given up hope...

Standing in the cold wind, I felt as if I could see through my difficult life through the shadow I cast on the rooftop.

The road ahead is long and arduous; to the left is a dead end, and to the right there is no way out either.

I took out my phone, intending to call home and say a few words to my mother.

But when I looked down at the time on the screen, it was already past 10 p.m.

My mom is already asleep at this time.

I had no choice but to abandon the idea of ​​calling home, so I took out a cigarette, lit it, and dialed my cousin's cell phone number instead.

The phone rang for a few seconds before the call was finally answered.

After waiting a moment, my cousin answered the phone.

His hushed voice came from the other end: "Yezi, what's wrong? Why are you calling so late?"

"Brother, you haven't rested yet, have you?"

I tried my best to regulate my breathing and make my voice sound calm and normal.

"Not yet, I just got the baby to sleep."

I took a deep drag of my cigarette, slowly exhaled a cloud of white smoke, and spoke in a low voice.

"Brother, there's something I need to tell you."

Perhaps my cousin sensed something was off about my tone, because he immediately asked me a follow-up question.

"What happened? Didn't you just tell me yesterday that you and your group had just arrived in Lhasa?"

"Yes, we just arrived in Lhasa and haven't entered the uninhabited area yet. But..."

I paused for a moment, then forced myself to say, "There's been a slight problem here. The weather in the Qiangtang no-man's-land has been extremely bad lately, and our guide is unwilling to take the team in to risk it."

After I finished speaking, I was mentally prepared, thinking that my cousin would also try to persuade me to turn back and go home.

There was a long silence on the other end of the phone before he slowly spoke.

"You called me in the middle of the night; it couldn't have been just to tell me about this, could it?"

I gave a soft "hmm," took another drag of my cigarette, and spoke in a deep, heavy voice.

"Brother, I'm planning to go in. And in the end, I'll be the only one left, driving in alone in an SUV."

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

Immediately afterwards, I heard the crisp sound of a lighter coming through the receiver, along with the sound of my cousin lighting a cigarette and smoking.

After more than ten seconds, my cousin sighed and said:

"So the person you're most worried about when you make this call is your mother, right?"

I responded with a sound, my voice becoming hoarse without my realizing it.

"Yes, my biggest worry is my mother. But this trip deep into the wilderness, even I can't guarantee I'll come out alive..."

My cousin sighed heavily, "You! I don't even know what to say to you."

"Brother, why don't you just yell at me a couple of times? Maybe it'll make me feel better."

My cousin sighed deeply and said gently:

"I won't scold you anymore. There are so many people in the convoy, they must have already taken turns criticizing you. If I were to join in now, it would only be adding fuel to the fire in your heart."

That simple sentence instantly touched the softest part of my heart.