From humble beginnings to the pinnacle of life

I leaned softly against Su Qing's chest, feeling as if all my strength had been drained away, my limbs were weak and powerless, and my eyelids were drooping.

Emerging from the desolate, near-death experience zone, all defenses and tension were released, and a wave of relief and relaxation washed over me.

Sleepiness overwhelmed me like a tidal wave, and I could fall into a deep sleep almost at any moment.

Just as I was drifting off to sleep, my phone on the bedside table suddenly chimed.

Having grown accustomed to the deathly silence of the environment over the past twenty-odd days, this slight sound triggered an almost reflexive jolt, instantly waking me up as I instinctively reached for my phone to check.

A message popped up in our WeChat group, which had been silent for more than twenty days. The message was sent by Luo Peng.

"Brothers! We've finally made it to the city! We've finally made it! Tonight we have to have a big feast! Hot pot, barbecue, all kinds of hearty dishes! I've been craving this lavish meal for over twenty days!"

I was exhausted and so sleepy that I was about to fall asleep.

Seeing this message instantly whetted my appetite.

Looking back on these past twenty-odd days, we've been eating nothing but compressed biscuits, self-heating rice, and dried meat day after day. It's all so bland and tasteless that we've practically lost our appetite.

Just thinking about steaming hot pot and sizzling grilled meat...

My stomach immediately felt empty, and my belly started growling uncontrollably.

I was just about to agree with Luo Peng and ask Su Qing what she wanted to eat that night so I could treat myself.

The next second, Su Wan's message popped up.

"Don't eat indiscriminately. For more than 20 days, our digestive systems have only been digesting bland dry food and cold fast food. Our gastrointestinal mucosa is already severely overworked and very fragile. Suddenly consuming oily and spicy food can easily trigger acute gastroenteritis, and in severe cases, it can even lead to stomach perforation."

Su Wan's words were like a bucket of cold water poured over our heads, instantly extinguishing our restless appetite.

It must be said that Su Wan is always the most clear-headed and rational.

We were all overjoyed at being out of danger, and all we could think about was having a big meal.

But only she considered our physical condition first.

But she was telling the truth; our stomachs are too fragile now and can't withstand that kind of stress.

Luo Peng immediately sent a string of crying emojis, followed by a voice message popping up:

"Seriously, Sister Wan! We barely survived for over twenty days, and we can't even have a decent meal? I'm about to lose it!"

Su Wan calmly replied in her typed message: "I've endured more than twenty days of hardship, one more night won't make a difference. For the next few days, I'll eat a light diet, focusing on nourishing my stomach and gradually adjusting it. Once my digestive system has recovered, I can eat oily and spicy foods normally again."

Luo Peng sent another sad, dejected emoji and said pitifully, "Fine, fine, I'll listen to you and just bear with it a little longer."

Looking at the interactions in the WeChat group, I gave up the idea of ​​having a big meal and agreed with Su Wan's statement.

We may be craving food and appear to be starving, but our digestive systems are actually already overtaxed.

If you indulge in unrestrained eating and drinking and then fall ill right after escaping a desperate situation, then you've truly suffered a loss.

Su Qing leaned on my shoulder, looked at her phone screen, and couldn't help but chuckle softly, saying:

"My sister is just too rational; she doesn't know how to indulge herself at all."

She paused, then gently rubbed my stomach, her voice full of concern as she said:

"But she's right. Your bodies are too weak and your digestive systems are too fragile right now. You really can't eat or drink whatever you want. Take good care of your stomachs and get your bodies back in shape. That's the most important thing."

I nodded, then suddenly remembered something important, and quickly looked up at her, asking earnestly:

"By the way, how are you feeling? Did you have the surgery we talked about before? I wanted to ask you this afternoon, but there was no signal, so I didn't get a chance to speak."

Su Qing gently shook her head and replied, "I haven't had the surgery yet. Didn't I promise you that I would wait for you to come back safely so I could go with you?"

Upon hearing this, my heart tightened instantly, and my tone involuntarily became serious:

"Can your body handle it? You clearly need to rest, yet you specially came all the way to a high-altitude area to wait for me. You really don't care about yourself at all..."

Before I could finish expressing my concerns, Su Qing reached out and covered my mouth, interrupting my rambling:

"Here we go again, chanting sutras like Tang Sanzang. Don't worry, I'm perfectly fine. I've been taking my medicine on time and I don't feel any discomfort."

"Don't lie to me!" I was still worried.

Su Qing looked at me helplessly, raised her hand and pinched my cheek: "Big brother, take a good look at my complexion, it's rosy and full, and I'm in such good spirits, do I look like I'm not feeling well?"

I looked her over carefully and she did indeed have a very good complexion, with bright and lively eyes and a lot of energy.

My heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled down a little.

I softened my tone and earnestly instructed, "When we get back, contact the hospital immediately and get the surgery done as soon as possible. Don't delay any longer."

"Okay, I'll do whatever you say." She nodded obediently, and the next second she jumped back into my arms.

I was completely exhausted, with no strength left in my body, and utterly unprepared.

Her sudden pounce pushed me down onto the bed.

Her soft body pressed against me, her head resting on my chest.

She didn't get up; she just lay quietly in my arms.

The usually proud and lively Su Qing was now quiet and clingy, as gentle as a lazy kitten, which was especially endearing.

I gently wrapped my arms around her waist and lay there quietly, without any other thoughts in my mind.

In an instant, the noise outside the window, the past hardships, and the weariness in my heart were all swept away.

The whole world was quiet, with only the tenderness in my arms remaining.

After what seemed like an eternity of tenderness, the phone suddenly rang.

It was Luo Peng calling, urging us to come downstairs for dinner.

Sleepiness washed over me again, and my eyelids felt so heavy they were almost stuck together, but my stomach was indeed growling with hunger.

I finally managed to get up, intending to eat something simple before coming back for a good night's sleep.

I put on my coat, took Su Qing's hand, and we walked out of the room together.

Luo Peng and Su Wan were already waiting in the hotel lobby.

As soon as he saw me, Luo Peng grinned and joked, "Not bad, Brother Lin, you're finally starting to look like a human being."

I rolled my eyes at him and retorted with a laugh, "Get lost! What do you mean 'finally acting like a human being'? Was I a ghost before?"

Just as we were teasing and joking with each other, Su Qing suddenly let go of my hand and walked up to Su Wan.

Just as I was wondering, she took a box of skincare products out of her bag and handed it to me.

"Sis, this is for repairing and moisturizing. Apply it before bed. The wind and sand at high altitudes can damage your skin, so take good care of it and it will recover quickly."