From humble beginnings to the pinnacle of life

Silent companionship is worth more than a thousand words.

The room was unusually quiet, with only the soft sound of our breathing.

I silently repeated a sentence in my heart, and all my feelings were submerged in it: In this life, the greatest fulfillment is to cherish the present moment.

That young man spent his entire life yearning for mountains and seas, but ultimately he never managed to personally venture into the wilderness of the human world.

All his unfulfilled aspirations, the scenery he never got to see, and the loves and regrets he couldn't fully express.

When I embark on the Terra Line, I will carry his expectations and obsessions, traversing every inch of wilderness and mountains, and witnessing the vastness of every starry sky.

The distant places he couldn't reach, I will go to see for him.

For the next three days, Su Qing and I went into full-on sprint mode.

Each person performed their duties, clearly and meticulously handling both company and travel-related matters.

Su Qing stayed behind the scenes throughout the entire process, taking charge of all the company's core preparatory work.

The biggest shortage during the preparation period of the new company was manpower. She carefully screened the resumes for every position, including editing, operations, business, and administration.

She personally communicated with all the interviewees, preferring quality over quantity, and never hiring just to fill a quota.

In addition, she also had to coordinate with the renovation team and keep an eye on the final construction details.

Checking the purchase lists for office equipment and live streaming equipment, she managed the trivial matters of the huge new company in an orderly manner.

I, on the other hand, completely put aside my worries about the rear and devoted myself wholeheartedly to the preparations for the Terra Line trip.

Itinerary planning, equipment inspection, live broadcast process reporting, and emergency plan preparation.

I checked each item repeatedly, not daring to make the slightest mistake.

That morning, I made a special trip to Wang Ge's outdoor gear store.

The shop is still the same as before, simply furnished, with walls covered with all kinds of professional outdoor equipment, so quiet that it doesn't feel like a place for doing business.

It's rare to have a new customer in the store today, but Brother Wang's condition remains unchanged.

He was not good with words and knew nothing about sales techniques. When customers took the initiative to ask about equipment matching, he would always answer one question at a time in a stiff tone, without saying a single extra word.

The customer hesitated in front of the shelf for a long time, and he just kept his head down and fiddled with the accessories in his hands, without taking the initiative to talk to him.

I was getting anxious just watching from the sidelines.

To be honest, if I were a customer and encountered such a cold and indifferent service attitude, I would most likely turn around and leave without lingering for even a second.

Sure enough, the customer frowned, looked around, and was about to turn and leave.

Seeing this, I quickly took two steps forward and called out to him with a smile:

"Hey bro, wait a minute. Judging by the gear you've picked out, you're planning a hike in the mountains, right?"

The customer stopped, glanced back at me, and nodded slightly.

I maintained a friendly smile and casually asked, "A beginner?"

"I guess so."

He finally said a few more words, his tone tinged with helplessness, "I have absolutely no idea how to match equipment, and I'm afraid that if I buy the wrong thing, it will be useless in the mountains."

As he spoke, he subconsciously glanced at Brother Wang beside him and muttered a complaint under his breath:

"Your employee is so cold-hearted. He only answers one question at a time, as if I owe him money."

I was momentarily at a loss for words, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

This customer had no idea that the cold-faced Wang Ge was actually the real owner of the store, and instead mistook me for the owner.

I quickly smoothed things over: "Don't mind him, bro. That's just his personality. He's naturally quiet, it's not directed at you. Come on, let me take a look and put together a set of equipment that's perfect for a beginner."

After I finished speaking, I led him back to the shelf.

Based on my previous experience in making travel guides, I patiently and meticulously explained each point.

"When beginners go hiking in the mountains, don't just go for the most expensive equipment. Suitability and practicality are the most important things."

As I spoke, I took the shoes off the shelf and handed them to him.

"The most essential item is hiking shoes. Regular sneakers may look comfortable, but when you encounter loose rocks and slippery surfaces in the mountains, you can't get any grip and it's very easy to sprain your ankle. If you're a beginner, choose a pair of mid-cut, non-slip, waterproof hiking shoes that are durable, support your ankles, and offer good value for money."

The customer listened attentively, examining the shoes repeatedly, and was clearly much more satisfied.

I continued to help him choose the rest of his gear: "A 35-40 liter backpack is enough; it's just the right size for dry food, water, a first-aid kit, and other personal items. You don't need to blindly go for expensive brands; as long as the waterproof, windproof, and breathable ratings are up to standard, it'll be sufficient for typical mountain road conditions."

In just over ten minutes, I gave him a clear overview of everything from shoes and backpacks to protective gear and emergency equipment.

He was visibly annoyed when facing Brother Wang just now, but now he listens quietly to my explanation and even asks questions from time to time.

Wang Ge, who was standing to the side, leaned against the worktable the whole time, holding a small multi-functional wrench in his hand, and quietly watched me work, his expression still indifferent.

After more than ten minutes of fussing, the customer finally got a complete set of basic beginner gear and paid the bill readily.

Before leaving, he turned to Brother Wang and teased him, "Brother, you really need to learn from your boss. He knows how to talk. With your personality, you'll lose all your business sooner or later."

Wang Ge merely twitched the corners of his mouth slightly, forcing out a very faint smile, too lazy to explain his identity as the boss.

After the customers left, the shop instantly returned to silence.

I let out a long sigh, turned to look at Brother Wang, and half-jokingly, half-seriously complained:

"Good heavens, Wang Ge, if you keep doing business like this, your perfectly good outdoor gear shop will be forced to close down sooner or later. Every time a customer comes in, you have a cold face the whole time, and you don't say a word when asked a question."

Wang Ge casually tossed the wrench into the toolbox, his voice still low and hoarse as he said, "You know perfectly well that I didn't open this shop to make money."

He looked out the window and said softly, "It's about finding a place for my hobbies to take root, and living a life surrounded by what I love. People I get along with will stay without me having to say anything. As for those I don't, there's no point in forcing it."

I know it in my heart.

Wang Ge is aloof and taciturn, speaks bluntly and lacks tact and social skills, which makes him difficult to get along with in the eyes of outsiders.

But I know this isn't arrogance; it's the stubbornness and purity of a professional who has dedicated themselves to the outdoors for many years and is used to working alone.

I didn't try to persuade them any further, and walked over to sit down on a chair.

After a moment of silence, Wang Ge, who is usually taciturn, actually took the initiative to ask me, "What brings you here today? You wouldn't have made a special trip just for no reason."

I joked with a laugh, "I missed you, so I came to see you, okay?"

Wang Ge didn't buy my act at all. He picked up a cigarette from the coffee table with a blank expression and handed it to me.

He lit one himself before saying, "Come on, you never come here unless you need something. Just tell me, what do you want?"

I'm used to his straightforward nature and understand that he never has bad intentions; he's just not good at polite small talk.

This is also why Su Qing is not very willing to deal with him, but I have always been very comfortable with it.

I lit a cigarette, my joking expression fading, and said seriously, "I do need to talk to you. You've probably heard of Terra Wire, right?"

Wang frowned slightly: "What? You've got your eye on this line?"

I nodded slightly: "Hmm, I have some ideas, come and hear your opinion."