The wealthy military officer spoils his wife excessively

The doctor used scissors to cut the sock along the edge, but when he finally took it off, it was still stuck to the skin. Suwen, who was watching from the side, gasped – it was a very deep wound, a shocking sight.

However, he didn't utter a single word of "pain" all night, nor did he even frown.

If it were her, she would probably have fainted from the pain long ago.

He was always patient, whether in matters of the heart or in life. The mist that dissipated from his face at sunrise was probably just a fleeting illusion.

No, it's enough that she saw that one moment.

Nie Suwen, wrapped in a quilt, squatted to the side, watching the doctor disinfect and bandage Lu Zheng. Seeing his face so pale that it had no color in it, yet his expression showed no sign of pain, she herself began to feel pain first.

She was quite miraculously unharmed, without a single scratch or bruise.

Even the doctors were amazed.

She understood what was happening. When he turned over, he shielded her completely, giving her no chance to get hurt.

After the initial treatment, the clinic provided the two with simple food and water, and an electric stove warmed them up, gradually helping them recover from their frozen state.

They lingered at the foot of the mountain for another half day, and naturally had lunch in the small town. There were no proper restaurants, and the locals didn't seem to like using seasonings. The dishes had a very raw pork fat flavor, and Suwen didn't have much of an appetite. She ate a couple of bites and then refused to touch the food anymore.

"Never mind, don't eat, just drink some water." Lu Zheng handed her a glass of water.

Suwen took the cup, but found that Lu Zheng had not let go. Instead, he was staring at her intently, as if lost in thought.

Su Wen was puzzled and used a little more force, but he suddenly let go.

A thick fog filled Lu Zheng's eyes again, like a dense, dangerous, miasma-filled jungle, murky and filled with pain and sorrow that Nie Suwen had never noticed.

Taking the cup, Suwen gulped down several mouthfuls before rinsing away the lard taste in her mouth and spitting out a long mouthful.

Then she looked up at Lu Zheng with a smile.

Her eyes shone brightly, sparkling like stars, piercing him.

That last, radiant smile.

In the afternoon, local villagers found them and told them that if they wanted to go back to Lhasa, there was a bus every day that they could catch.

Both of them breathed a sigh of relief, finally able to go back, but also felt a little regretful that they had to go back so soon.

Lu Zheng bought tickets, and the two of them sat together, their seats adjacent to each other. Because there was only one train a day, the train was quite crowded, and almost all the seats were occupied.

With some time before departure, Suwen, who had originally come to circumambulate the mountain, had her camera in her backpack. She had checked it at the clinic; the camera was intact and hadn't been damaged. Taking advantage of this rare moment, she strolled around the foot of the mountain, capturing these precious photos.

This trip wasn't entirely fruitless.

Turning around, Lu Zheng called her from the car. She blinked, and she suddenly raised her camera, pressed the shutter, and captured his most unguarded moment.

Back in the car, Lu Zheng seemed annoyed, probably because she had taken his picture without his consent. Su Wen didn't explain and happily sat down next to him. Although she hadn't managed to worship at the sacred mountain and had even narrowly escaped death, her wish seemed to have been fulfilled.

After the bus departed, Suwen began to doze off, her head tilted to the side. The bumpy road made her feel a little uncomfortable, perhaps because she had caught a chill the night before. She rested her forehead on her hand and frowned. Lu Zheng quietly stayed with her, occasionally covering her with a blanket. When they passed through the aisle of the bus, he practically hugged her, shielding her in front of him, as if afraid she might trip over or get scratched by the carrying poles or packaging bags sticking out from inside the bus.

After Suwen sat down again, the aunt sitting on the other side of the aisle smiled and said to her, "Your husband is so thoughtful."

Although it has a strong local accent, you can still understand it if you listen carefully.

Su Wen turned her head and glanced at Lu Zheng, then she smiled frankly and said, "Not my husband."

"Boyfriend?" the aunt asked.

Suwen thought for a moment and said, "Yes...an old friend."

"Oh..." The auntie suddenly understood, and stopped saying anything, just smiled with an "I understand" expression. The young man was probably shy; they'd been together for years but hadn't yet confessed their feelings. These days, good-looking kids are so easily embarrassed.

Suwen knew she had misunderstood, so she didn't explain further. She pondered her own answer and gradually calmed down.

She thought she and Lu Zheng would become husband and wife, but in the end, they remained old friends.

Since he doesn't want me anymore, at least we can still be friends, right?

This explains why he still takes such good care of her; it could be... out of friendship.

Lu Zheng seemed to only then notice their conversation. He turned to look at the woman, who smiled and sized him up. Lu Zheng nodded slightly to her.

Good manners from the inside out, polite and courteous.

The aunt was even happier.

"The young man is good, very good." The aunt turned her head and winked at Suwen, indicating that she should hurry up.

Suwen smiled, pursing her lips.

On the bus, there was a family of three traveling together, young couples like them, a few tourists, but most were local residents. They tilted their heads, chatting in twos and threes, sometimes sighing in boredom, sometimes muttering to themselves, and sometimes laughing heartily.

She observed other people's lives and felt happy. A happiness filled with the warmth and comfort of everyday life.

Once upon a time, her ideal life was nothing more than this: following her husband, holding her child's hand, carrying gifts, visiting relatives and friends, year after year, the children grew up, got married, and left. She and Lu Zheng would lie in rocking chairs, waiting for the next generation to come and visit them, holding their children's hands and carrying gifts.

Life slowly came to an end like that.

Even if she now earns a fortune and works hard to become a star admired by millions, it's all for the sake of living a peaceful life in her later years.

She grasped fame in one hand and fortune in the other, yet her initial goals drifted further and further away from her. Like a mirage.

Strangely enough, this time, Nie Suwen had no regrets.

She is calm.

As the car drove along the winding mountain road, she thought of the scene from the previous night when they sat in the bumpy truck, silently facing each other.

After another sharp turn, Nie Suwen's hand, which was resting on her knee, was unexpectedly grasped by the person beside her.

The warmth of his palm made Suwen turn her head away.

Lu Zheng seemed to have been watching her from the very beginning, his gaze focused and thoughtful.

He naturally noticed her dazed expression and wavering.

Suwen smiled and looked away.

She slowly pulled her hand out of Lu Zheng's palm.

Slow, but determined.

Exceptionally determined.

Lu Zheng felt the soft warmth in his hand suddenly disappear.

The cold wind seeped in through the cracks in the window and slipped through the gaps between his fingers.

He looked at her with suspicion.

Suwen shook her head and smiled as she said to him, "I am very grateful for everything you have done for me. Even though you said you no longer loved me, you still risked your life to protect me. I will cherish everything that happened in Tibet and keep it safe in my memory. This journey may be the last time we travel together. From now on, I will be fine on my own. You really don't need to worry about me anymore."

She choked up as she said this.

Lu Zheng remained silent, still gazing at her.

They seemed to be trying to find some clue on her face.

"I will never ask you why you left me again. Maybe I have no right or standing to ask. I will never ask about your decision, your difficulties, or your reasons. Really, for me, last night was enough."

She still managed to smile, her tearful eyes clearer than ever before.

Yes, in the sacred mountain, she suddenly understood.

Before you let go of your obsession, it's like a fog. If you're in that fog, you'll naturally get lost and unable to see the way. You'll drive yourself into a dead end with nowhere to escape.

Rather than being trapped together, it's better to let go and be free to come and go as you please.

At the moment of sunrise on the mountain, when the all-pervasive golden light illuminated Lu Zheng's face, when all the concealment was exposed, she felt so clearly that she and he had once loved each other.

If the person you love with all your heart can only end with your own life, she would rather their ending be peaceful and uneventful, a clean break.

Whether her feelings for Lu Zheng were love or resentment, they will all be gone.

She left the love of her life in the sacred mountain.

From then on, they were "old friends".

This role reversal was somewhat sad and melancholic, but it also made her feel relaxed and at ease.

That's fine...

Lu Zheng withdrew his hand, his eyes reflecting her image, equally clear and innocent.

Then, he slowly turned his head away from her and said, "Okay."

With just this one word, he gave her a word that seemed to have no meaning whatsoever in response to her "profound enlightenment."

But Nie Suwen already felt at ease.

The car was still moving, and there was no further conversation or physical contact between them.

Three hours later, they returned to their hotel in Lhasa.

After settling Suwen in, Lu Zheng took the next available bus back to Longzi County.

Suwen didn't get up to see him off. Lying on the hotel bed, she stared blankly at the damp ceiling, tears streaming down her face like tiny crabs.

Pingcuo Hotel in Lhasa.

She tossed her phone into some unknown corner and tirelessly sang, "I smile the moment I see you..."