From humble beginnings to the pinnacle of life

"Su Qing, from the very beginning, when I planned to take the Terra route, I wanted to be with you. I even listed both of us on the application materials."

After a brief silence, Su Qing asked me again, "Could we communicate with the authorities to change the accompanying personnel? If you explain the situation to the staff, you should be able to apply for a change, right?"

Looking at the expectation in her eyes, I stood in the quiet hospital corridor and fell silent.

I remained silent for a long time in the cold hospital corridor, my emotions churning.

Seeing my tense expression, Su Qing sighed softly, softened her tone, and said:

"I know what you're thinking. You're afraid I'll feel regretful and sad. To be honest, when I learned that I would have to take a six-month break, I did feel a sense of loss. I really wanted to go on the Terra route with you and see those less-traveled and magnificent mountain landscapes."

She changed the subject and said seriously, "But I know what's important. My current physical condition simply can't handle it. But we absolutely cannot give up this hard-won approval process."

"Think about it carefully. The fact that the authorities made an exception and approved our application is itself a form of recognition. If we give up because of me, we're not just losing an adventure opportunity, but also betraying that trust. In the future, if we want to apply for similar wilderness routes, they will most likely reject us outright and never give us another chance."

Looking at her, I knew in my heart that every word she said made perfect sense.

Before I could respond, Su Qing put away her melancholy and smiled easily, saying:

"Okay, it's settled then. Contact the official staff later and explain my health condition to them, then request a change of companion. There shouldn't be any major problems."

She has already weighed the pros and cons so clearly, I have no reason to refuse.

I know in my heart that my momentary soft-heartedness and concession meant giving up not only a hiking adventure route, but also the most valuable official endorsement in the outdoor blogger community.

This opportunity is far more important than a moment of companionship.

Without further hesitation, I nodded emphatically: "Okay, I'll contact the authorities right away and try my best to get things done."

"That's more like it."

Su Qing's brows relaxed, and she smiled gently as she comforted me, saying, "You don't need to worry about me or feel disappointed. After you leave, I'll stay home and rest peacefully, watch your live streams, and accompany you on this Terra route."

Seeing how sensible she was, I felt a surge of warmth in my heart, but also a pang of guilt.

She gently tugged at my sleeve and said in a light tone, "Let's go, let's get out of the hospital quickly. I've really had enough of the pungent disinfectant smell here, I don't want to stay a moment longer."

We returned to the ward, picked up our simple luggage that we had already packed, and walked out of the inpatient building.

The moment I stepped out of the hospital, the fresh evening breeze swept over me, dispelling the oppressive smell that had been lingering in my nostrils for days.

Su Qing tilted her head back slightly, took a deep breath of fresh air, and a bright and lively smile bloomed on her face.

These past few days, I've been burdened by a heavy sense of guilt.

Because I had deceived her with a white lie, I was always afraid that she would be angry when she found out the truth, so I was always careful not to tell her the truth.

But I was overthinking it.

Su Qing is not a pretentious or stubborn person. She is insightful and considerate of the big picture. Instead of blaming me for concealing the truth, she comforted me.

At this moment, I am incredibly grateful that I chose to tell the truth.

If I continue to hide it, and she accidentally discovers the truth in the future, it will no longer be a well-intentioned comfort, but a complete estrangement and distrust.

A gentle evening breeze caressed her hair. Gazing at the clear, expansive blue sky above, Su Qing murmured, "The breeze outside is the most comfortable, so free and gentle."

I reached out and carefully pulled her coat collar tighter to block the cool evening breeze.

Looking at her vibrant appearance, all my entanglement and guilt slowly dissipated at that moment.

We took a taxi back to the riverside courtyard. The familiar streets and alleys were quiet and peaceful, the river breeze was gentle and warm, and the green plants in the courtyard were lush and vibrant.

Back home, Su Qing leaned back lazily on the sofa, gazing at the lush greenery in the yard, and relaxed completely.

The days ahead of me staying home to recuperate will be ordinary and mundane, yet exceptionally gentle and peaceful.

I took care of all the housework, carefully prepared three light and nutritious meals a day, strictly followed the doctor's orders to regulate her body, reminded her to take her medicine on time every day, and did simple rehabilitation stretches.

In our spare time, we devoted ourselves to the preparation work for the media company.

With the business registration, business license, and industry-related qualifications all approved, our own media company has been officially launched.

The office space I ultimately chose is located in the cultural and creative park in the city center.

The location is ideal, with complete amenities, making it perfect for a startup team, and the rent is within our budget.

I had already arranged with the renovation team and finalized a minimalist, youthful design style that fits the tone of the self-media industry.

That evening, Su Qing leaned against the sofa, holding her tablet, patiently refining the team recruitment plan and building the account content operation system in a clear and organized manner.

"Editors must be selected based on their expertise in documentary style, and we must avoid the flashy editing formulas of internet celebrities. The core of our account will always be authenticity and power; this is the foundation of our existence."

"We must also strictly screen business liaison positions, and the outdoor brands we cooperate with must be legitimate and reliable. We absolutely cannot ruin the reputation and goodwill we have worked so hard to build for short-term gains."

I sat beside her, listening attentively to each of her suggestions and writing them down one by one.

From the moment the video of the no-man's-land went viral online until now, we have remained absolutely clear-headed.

Traffic is a fleeting trend; only reputation and solid content are the foundation for long-term success.

Too many outdoor bloggers are short-lived, quickly monetizing their popularity and consuming traffic before their careers come to an abrupt end.

Our goal with Su Qing is not to achieve fleeting fame, but to transform popularity into substance and turn temporary hype into a lasting career.

Just as I was thinking about these things, Su Qing suddenly asked me again:

"By the way, do you have a suitable candidate for the Terra route this time?"

I haven't really thought about that yet.

After a brief silence, I asked her, "Do you have one?"

Su Qing didn't answer me immediately. She thought about it carefully before saying, "I think the person who goes with you must be one of our own, preferably someone we can train."

I understand what Su Qing means. She also knows that whoever goes with me to the Terra route this time will attract a lot of attention.

Therefore, you really can't just pick this person randomly.

I considered having Luo Peng come with me, but aside from his own unwillingness, he's not really suited for this path.

Thinking about it carefully, I don't actually have such a person around me right now.

I can't possibly have invited Su Wan to come along, can I?

Although we had worked together very well in the no-man's-land before, and now there is discussion about it all over the internet, she is already in the eye of the storm.

But it's impossible for her; she wouldn't care about that kind of traffic anyway.

After a moment of silence, I said to Su Qing, "Let me think about it. I haven't really made up my mind about this yet."

"No rush. You've been working so hard lately, running around the hospital every day. It breaks my heart to see you like this."

I smiled and said, "Haven't you heard the saying, 'Tired but happy'?"

Su Qing rested her head on my shoulder and said in a light tone, "Your happiness is my happiness."