Crossing the Western Tianshan Mountains

Ling Fengxi hesitated, "Xiaoye, it's not that we can't go to the ranch, but we are outsiders after all and don't know anything about this place. If Hua Duo'er is under her parents' control, it might cause a dispute if you go to see her. Who knows what might happen."

"But I really think something happened to her. I can't get through on the phone. I haven't heard from her since she left."

Ling Fengxi was about to say something when Wu Yongjie interrupted him, "We have to go. If something happens to one person, then we can go with two people. If two isn't enough, we can go with three, or four or five. After all, we have everything, but we don't have people. The whole camp is here to help you."

Ye Minglang immediately looked at Wu Yongjie with gratitude, "Captain Wu, thank you!"

Wu Yongjie said, "So what are we waiting for? Let's go."

"Secretary, then Captain Wu and I--" Ye Minglang was still waiting for Ling Fengxi to approve a leave note.

Wu Yongjie said, "He has to approve it. Just tell him you're here with Captain Wu on official business."

Ling Fengxi:......

Ye Minglang: "Secretary, we..."

Ling Fengxi said, "It takes about two or three hours to walk from the camp to the pasture, and it's very tiring without horses or camels. Now that the snow in the western Tianshan Mountains has melted, there may be unknown dangers of floods along the way."

Ye Minglang took a breath and said, "I'm not afraid!"

Ling Fengxi lowered his head and continued to look at the computer. "I asked you to drive there. We observed it last time we went to Gulinar's ranch. Driving from the foot of the mountain to the bottom of the ranch and then hiking up can save a lot of time. They also have a road leading from the ranch to the bottom of the mountain. There is a small inn there where you can buy some gifts or something."

"Thank you, Secretary."

Ye Minglang and Wu Yongjie then drove to Gulinar's ranch, leaving only Ling Fengxi guarding the 14th plot. Lin Jinghui always seemed to have some unfriendly eyes towards Ling Fengxi, but Ling Fengxi was tactful enough to leave the 14th plot and return to the camp, where he smelled a strong scent of Chinese medicine.

Two large pots of Chinese medicine were cooking on the original large stove in the kitchen, and Fang Ya was watching the fire in front of the pots.

She was slender, wearing a white doctor's uniform, with her hair neatly tied back. The stove was too big for her, so she stood on tiptoe to look into the pot, stirring slowly with a large spoon.

What Ling Fengxi feared most was Chinese medicine. When he got closer, he found that there seemed to be the corpses of scorpions among these herbs... His stomach suddenly twitched.

"What is this for?" he asked.

"It's too humid. Everyone's running around in the water every day, and it's still cold. Many people have increased nocturia and can't get enough rest. The Chinese medicine I'm boiling now is for dispelling dampness. Every worker drinks a large bowl of it every day for ten days to ensure good health. Otherwise, excessive dampness will cause many other problems."

Ling Fengxi saw sweat on her head and asked, "Do you need help?"

"No need. You don't understand things like boiling medicine. I specially requested these Chinese herbs from Shanghai. They are all top-quality Chinese herbs. We can't waste them."

Ling Fengxi said, "But it seems like you will be leaving Xitian Mountain in ten days."

Fang Ya smiled and looked at Ling Fengxi seriously, "Yes, in ten days another medical team will come to replace us, and we will leave Xitian Mountain. We have just finished drinking these Chinese herbal medicine soups, and the new medical team may have new health care methods."

Ling Fengxi nodded, "That's good, you're thoughtful."

In fact, Fang Ya had been expecting Ling Fengxi to keep her, but Ling Fengxi finally just looked at the medicine in the pot again and left.

Fang Ya turned her head with a look of disappointment on her face, staring at the medicine in the pot in a daze.

When serving lunch, each person was given a bowl of boiled Chinese medicine.

The workers don’t like drinking Chinese medicine, especially right after lunch. After drinking a bowl of warm Chinese medicine soup, they almost vomit out their lunch.

The medicine is bitter, sour and astringent...

There was also a bowl on Ling Fengxi's table, but he didn't want to drink it, nor did he want to waste it. Until it cooled down, he neither poured it out nor drank it, but just left it there.

Later, someone came in to report on their work and asked the young man if he had taken any Chinese medicine at noon. The young man thought he had been caught secretly pouring out the medicine and was frightened. He quickly admitted, "Boss, I'm fine. I didn't want to drink it. The medicine was too bitter, so I poured it out. But I didn't do it on purpose. I really couldn't drink it."

Ling Fengxi said with a stern face, "Do you know that this medicine was specially ordered by Doctor Fang from Shanghai? It's all made of excellent herbs. She worked so hard to take care of your health, how could you be so ungrateful? Go, drink that bowl of medicine."

The young man made a bitter face, "Ah - this, this medicine -"

"Don't ask any more questions. Just drink what you're told. If you pour out the medicine without permission next time, I'll give you a serious warning. What a waste!"

The young man avoided the first day, but couldn't avoid the fifteenth. He steeled himself and drank the bowl of Chinese medicine in one gulp. His face turned pale with bitterness, and his stomach was throbbing with nausea. Ling Fengxi said, "It would be a waste if you vomit it out. Swallow it well."

The young man adjusted his breathing for a while and finally succeeded in putting the medicine steadily into his stomach.

Then he finished reporting his work and hurried out.

While wiping his mouth, he said, "Oh, it's so bitter!"

Others asked, "What's wrong with you?"

"Don't mention it. The secretary didn't want to take the medicine himself, but forced me to drink his share. I'm going to tell Doctor Fang!"

This sentence made several people around laugh.

When Wu Yongjie and Ye Minglang arrived at Gulinar's ranch, they were dumbfounded. Where the tents were originally set up, there were only traces of human habitation left. There was no trace of Gulinar at all. Even the sheep, cattle, and camels were gone. Even the neighbors seemed to have moved away.

Ye Minglang ran around on the empty grass, calling Gulinar's name loudly, but no one answered.

I was so anxious that I was at a loss for a moment. I kept calling Gulinar's cell phone, but no one answered.

"What's going on? Are they moving too?"

Wu Yongjie was much calmer. After arriving here, he put his hands on his hips and looked around. When he heard Ye Minglang's question, he said, "I'm sure they haven't gone far. I heard that herders have the habit of moving their pastures and won't stay in the same camp forever."

Ye Minglang calmed down a little, "You mean they changed locations?"

"Yes, and Yerlan and Nurlan have been bringing us milk, so their relocation site must not be far away. Look at this grassland, there are many puddles now. Obviously, they have been affected by the melting snow in the Western Tianshan Mountains and have moved to a new site. They should still be nearby."

Ye Minglang quickly climbed to a higher hilltop and looked up. He saw rolling hills in the distance, but no signs of human habitation.

"Flowers! Flowers!" he cried.

Wu Yongjie didn't climb the mountain. He was still standing there observing. Seeing Ye Minglang climbing to another hill, he shouted, "This won't work. Calm down. We'll come back tomorrow."