Chapter 333: Chapter 144: Under the Same Tent (Part 2) [Second Update]
In fact, Li Younan did not immediately realize that Zhu Qingyue had caught a cold.
After bidding farewell to the herders, Li Younan packed up and urged Zhu Qingyue to set off again.
Today, they have an important destination, which is the Leduomain Ice Lake.
This place was a significant location that Zhu Qingyue’s little aunt passed through. Besides the stories Luo Yong had told them, she had also mentioned it on social media, making it a definite stop.
Li Younan glanced at the altitude display on his watch, which now showed around 4300 meters. He looked at Zhu Qingyue with some worry; her face appeared a bit pale, yet her gaze remained steadfast as she managed a smile, saying, "I’m fine."
Li Younan nodded and said, "The elevation at the ice lake is over 4500, almost 4600 meters. If you can’t endure it, tell me immediately."
Zhu Qingyue nodded.
The distance wasn’t too long, and the elevation gain wasn’t very high, so overall, walking was the main method of travel. A few hours later, around 3 in the afternoon, they successfully arrived at the Leduomain Ice Lake.
Along the way, they naturally walked and paused, resting from time to time.
Li Younan was in no hurry and approached this part of the journey with a leisurely mindset.
The backpack on his back wasn’t heavy for him; he just checked on Zhu Qingyue’s condition now and then.
When walking at such altitudes, one must remember not to engage in overly intense activities. Even local residents can have accidents if they suddenly exert themselves strenuously despite living in high-altitude areas for an extended time.
Li Younan, of course, didn’t have such concerns. At least so far, altitudes below 5000 meters felt no different from being on the plains to him. He couldn’t help but once again marvel at the system’s strength.
Rounding a ridge, the Leduomain Ice Lake stretched out ahead.
In April, the lake hadn’t completely thawed through, and chunks of broken ice floated near the shore, like shards of broken glass, dazzling under the afternoon sun.
Most of the lake surface remained frozen, with uneven ice displaying patterns created when the water underneath froze.
In the distance, glacial meltwater seeped through rock crevices and dripped onto the ice, forming tiny pits as the drip sound intermittently resounded in the wind.
Rocks around the lake were frozen solid, producing little sound when stepped on.
A few water birds flew up from meltwater puddles in the middle of the ice lake, their wing-driven wind stirring the broken ice before everything went silent, leaving only the sound of the wind.
Zhu Qingyue took off her backpack, crouched by the lake, and touched the fragmented ice by the shore with her hand, saying, "This ice looks hard, but it actually has frozen light inside."
Li Younan chuckled, realizing how remarkable it was for an artistic girl, a novelist, to come up with such literary remarks anytime, anywhere. If it were him, he definitely wouldn’t think of saying "the inside is frozen light."
Taking out his camera, Li Younan snapped a few photos and then used a sports camera to capture footage. He recorded all the scenery of the journey, though the network was extremely poor here, almost nonexistent.
All this material he planned to send to JK Dragon once he got out.
Since it was a long-distance crossing, Li Younan didn’t bring too many lenses, just a basic set. After the photos, he turned back intending to take one of Zhu Qingyue as well.
But then he paused, stunned.
Zhu Qingyue’s face showed an unusual flush, and her breathing seemed a bit irregular. Li Younan frowned and walked over to ask, "Are you okay?"
Zhu Qingyue shook her head saying, "I’m fine. We shouldn’t delay today. There’s more road ahead."
Li Younan said nothing and stepped closer.
Zhu Qingyue widened her eyes and tilted her head, asking, "What are you doing?"
Without a word, Li Younan placed the back of his hand against Zhu Qingyue’s forehead. The sudden gesture startled Zhu Qingyue, but she quickly realized Li Younan was checking her temperature. She blinked: "I might just have a little altitude sickness."
Li Younan frowned, his expression turning serious. After a moment, he sighed deeply and said, "You can’t continue with the journey."
Zhu Qingyue’s eyes widened: "Is it that bad, really hot?"
Li Younan stood with his hands on his hips and nodded sternly.
Zhu Qingyue cradled her face: "I don’t think so? I don’t feel anything, nor discomfort, see, I’ve walked so far." She stood up and twirled around to demonstrate to Li Younan that she wasn’t affected.
Li Younan said nothing, merely watched Zhu Qingyue silently.
Under Li Younan’s gaze, Zhu Qingyue lowered her head deflated, like a little girl who had made a mistake, puckered her lips, teetering on the edge of tears. She sniffled, saying, "Got all the way here..."
Li Younan shook his head, saying, "I must ensure your safety." At times like these, he was as cold as ice.
Zhu Qingyue even felt the chill from Li Younan.
She hadn’t expected Li Younan to have such a domineering side.
Li Younan took out his phone, quietly estimating the distance; returning was certainly impractical now.
The only option was to keep moving forward toward Green Dragon Creek.
Their original destination was to proceed from Green Dragon Creek to Zimei Pass, and after crossing the pass, heading northeast to the place Luo Yong mentioned where communication was lost with her aunt.
But now it was clear Zhu Qingyue could no longer head towards the destination normally.
After a brief moment, Li Younan had made his decision. He pointed to the map and said, "There’s no way to go back today. We’ll continue forward, aiming to reach Green Dragon Creek before nightfall, and if we can’t, we’ll camp."
Zhu Qingyue needs rest, certainly affecting the pace, and naturally, they can’t force the trek. Green Dragon Creek is a village accessible by road, where they can find transportation to take her to the county for medical attention. Though a cold isn’t a major issue, developing into pneumonia or other illnesses in this environment would be troublesome.
Li Younan’s tone carried an undeniable authority.
Zhu Qingyue initially wanted to say something but felt a tinge of fear. Thus, with reluctance and grievance, she could only acquiesce.
Indeed, Zhu Qingyue’s physical condition couldn’t support a long trek. Reaching the ice lake seemed to have drained most of her strength. Following the journey, Zhu Qingyue’s breaths increased, forcing Li Younan to slow his pace. Despite Zhu Qingyue’s attempts to display strength and health, Li Younan refused.
Before nightfall, they failed to reach Green Dragon Creek. So before night did fall, they found a suitable place to camp and directly pitched their tent.
In the evening, Zhu Qingyue’s condition worsened. With ample experience in caregiving, Li Younan boiled water for her and searched nearby for medicinal plants to burn as incense for her.
Zhu Qingyue was well aware of her deteriorating health; arriving in the Gongga Mountain region yesterday, she only experienced mild headaches, thinking it was normal altitude sickness, only now realizing that the roots of the cold might have started then.
According to the typical trajectory of illness, the following night would likely peak. She drank plenty of hot water to alleviate her condition. During this, Li Younan’s steady presence made her feel increasingly guilty.
While pondering, she became more and more sleepy. After dinner, she crawled into the tent alone, with the sky still unfaded, sprawled in her sleeping bag, her mind muddled with thoughts of her aunt and moments with Li Younan during the journey, unknowingly falling asleep.
At midnight, her physical distress reached its peak; she felt cold yet uncomfortably hot-faced, her throat tight, wanting water, her head dizzy. In this state, she couldn’t help but cry.
At moments of utmost helplessness, people seek whatever support they can find. She softly called out Li Younan’s name. Shortly, she received a response. Sniffling, Zhu Qingyue said, "I feel really cold..."
She kept her eyes closed and heard the tent flap open in a hazy consciousness. Li Younan brought in an extra down quilt, originally planned for use in the mountains.
Zhu Qingyue’s tent was quite small, and Li Younan knelt inside. He wore a thick down jacket, unaffected by the cold, covered Zhu Qingyue with the quilt, saying, "If you really can’t hold on, tomorrow I’ll go to Green Dragon Creek to call someone over with a stretcher to carry you."
After completing his tasks, Li Younan prepared to leave when suddenly a hand grasped him. He paused in surprise. Zhu Qingyue had already opened her eyes. She stared at Li Younan, a bit bewildered: "Li Younan, you, you... hug me."
...
After settling Zhu Qingyue, for Li Younan, this journey wasn’t over. He wasn’t influenced by Zhu Qingyue but felt compelled to continue on his own.
Standing at the village entrance, his gaze fixed on the mountain eternally shrouded in snow, his heart eager. He merely wished to see the scenery atop, curious about how far he could actually reach.
For the next leg, he set off alone.
