Chapter 79

The next morning, the tour group gathered in the hotel lobby, ready to officially set off for the Tianshan Mountains. The tour guide took a roll call to ensure everyone was present, then called everyone to board the bus.

The Tianshan Mountains are a major mountain range in the eastern part of Central Asia, primarily in Xinjiang, China. They span the central part of Xinjiang, extending westward into Kazakhstan.

Anciently known as the White Mountains or Snow Mountains, they are covered with snow all year round. The Huns called them the Tianshan Mountains, and during the Tang Dynasty, they were also known as the Zherman Mountains. The mountains reach a height of 21,900 feet, are about 2,500 kilometers long, and have an average elevation of about 5 kilometers.

The highest peak is Tomur Peak, with an elevation of 7,435 meters, followed by Khan Tengri Peak at 6,995 meters, and Bogda Peak at 5,445 meters. These peaks are all located within China and are covered in snow year-round.

The three major rivers of Xinjiang—the Syr Darya, Chu, and Ili—all originate from these mountains. The Tianshan Mountains divide Xinjiang into two parts: the Tarim Basin to the south and the Junggar Basin to the north.

On the bus, the tour guide told us that today's destinations were the Tianchi Stone Gate, the Fifty-Tier Heaven, and the Queen Mother's Foot Basin.

The bus moved slowly toward the destination. Lin Xiao sat in a single seat and, with nothing to do, closed his eyes to rest. Unconsciously, Lin Xiao fell asleep and was only woken up when they arrived at the destination. He shook his head to clear the sleepiness and followed the group.

The tour guide introduced the scenic spot as we walked, saying, "The Tianchi Stone Gate was excavated by Ming Liang, the third governor of Urumqi, who was the nephew of Emperor Qianlong in 1783. The following spring, the water channel was cut off, and the channel's outlet was tens of feet above the water level, which was considered 'useless for farming.' Therefore, Emperor Qianlong ordered the excavation to stop and the funds used to be repaid by Ming Liang."

Listening to the tour guide's eloquent explanation of the cultural and historical background of the scenic spot, Lin Xiao was thoroughly engaged, feeling as if he were listening to a storyteller.

The first three days of the trip were all about visiting the various scenic spots around the Tianshan Mountains, while the last four days would be the highlight of the journey.

After the third day, when we had seen Tianchi, we had completed all the scenic spots in the Tianshan Mountains. The tour guide's eloquent and emotional narration continued throughout the trip, unlike many others who become numb after speaking too much and speak in a robotic tone.

Along the way, Lin Xiao and the others were lucky enough to see many protected animals of the Tianshan Mountains, such as marmots, argali, Tianshan deer, and Tianshan antelopes. Sometimes, an eagle's cry would scare the animals below, causing them to scatter.

"Come, gather around," the tour guide clapped his hands, signaling everyone to come closer.

"The last activity is mountain climbing. Our goal is Bogda Peak. Does anyone have any questions?" the tour guide continued.

Seeing that everyone had no questions, the tour guide went to make arrangements. "Hey, buddy, why don't you talk much during the trip?" a young man next to Lin Xiao suddenly turned and asked.

Lin Xiao knew this person, one of the more active members of the tour group. He smiled and replied, "Just here to relax, no need to talk much."

"I'm Sun Hongda, what's your name?" Sun Hongda asked with a familiar smile.

"I'm Lin Xiao, nice to meet you," Lin Xiao politely answered.

"Hey, buddy, don't be so quiet. Look, there are several pretty girls in the tour group. Two of them often sneak glances at you. If you go over and chat with them now, you could easily win them over," Sun Hongda nudged Lin Xiao with his shoulder, speaking in an envious tone.

"Really? That's impossible, you must be mistaken," Lin Xiao stared at Sun Hongda carefully and said.

"Buddy, you're not being nice. Your suspicious look hurts my self-esteem," Sun Hongda dramatically clutched his heart and pouted.

Lin Xiao's forehead was marked with three lines. "What do you want?"

"Buddy, you know me so well. We must have been best friends in a past life. Come on, best friend forever, let's fist bump," Sun Hongda rambled on.

Lin Xiao's head was full of question marks, almost at the point of exploding, and glared at Sun Hongda fiercely.

"Looking at me like that makes me feel embarrassed. Don't do that," Sun Hongda started a new round of torment.

Lin Xiao couldn't take it anymore. He punched Sun Hongda, who ended up with a bump on his head and fell to the ground, his eyes swirling.

"Phew, finally some peace and quiet," Lin Xiao sighed.

"What peace and quiet? Ah, best friend, your iron fist has me completely under its spell," Sun Hongda suddenly came back to life, acting like a lovesick fan and looking up at Lin Xiao with admiration.

Seeing Sun Hongda fully revived, Lin Xiao felt like dying, completely defeated and thoroughly failed. He hung his head and said, "What do you want?"

"This... that...," Sun Hongda was hesitant.

"Fine, forget it. I'm leaving," Lin Xiao saw Sun Hongda's hesitation and wanted to escape.

"No, no, I'll tell you," Sun Hongda's tone and expression were like a wronged housewife.

"Here, that girl over there is my sister. She wants to meet you. I've told her," Sun Hongda pointed in a direction and quickly left.

Lin Xiao looked in the direction Sun Hongda pointed and saw a girl with a delicate face, looking like a refined and gentle lady, sitting quietly. She smiled modestly when she saw Lin Xiao looking at her.

Lin Xiao found it strange. He had just come out to relax, and now this was happening. What was this, had he become a protagonist in a novel after a space-time shift?

As Lin Xiao was thinking, Sun Hongda's sister walked over and sat next to him, saying apologetically, "I'm sorry, Mr. Lin. My brother is always so unpredictable and has disturbed you."

Her soft voice brought Lin Xiao back from his reverie. Seeing Sun Hongda's sister up close, Lin Xiao was amazed. Her face was naturally rosy, her small face like a palm, her cherry lips, and her watery eyes—she was a true beauty.

"Is there something you need?" Lin Xiao couldn't pretend to be deaf and dumb, and smiled.

"My name is Sun Jing. I'm very happy to meet you, Mr. Lin. I apologize again for my brother's disturbance," Sun Jing introduced herself.

PS: New author, seeking collections and recommendations.

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