Chapter 708: Riding Horses

After leaving the door, Wang Yan and Xu Hongdou didn't rush to eat; instead, they strolled slowly along the stone path, glancing here and there, laughing and chatting as they took photos—sometimes snapping pictures of themselves, sometimes of each other, their cheerful demeanor radiating closeness.

It was the same principle: in an unfamiliar place, two people who were relatively more familiar with each other and shared similar circumstances often grew closer.

For example, in ordinary experiences, when multiple interns joined a new company, most often those from the same department grew closer, followed by those who had just been promoted to full-time status—provided, of course, that the newly promoted person wasn't arrogant or putting on airs.

As they wandered like this, the two arrived at the restaurant they'd seen earlier. Actually, it wasn't far from Youfeng Xiaoyuan, but they dawdled so much it still took them twenty minutes to get there.

This restaurant was called Gesanghua, one of only four or five eateries along their entire route. This was normal—after all, there were few tourists here, and the village wasn't large enough to sustain many businesses; locals rarely came to dine, so anyone managing to run a restaurant was already doing well.

After all, opening a business required preparing ingredients in advance, bearing the cost of spoilage, obtaining various permits, and enduring endless hassles. Many lacked the courage—or simply didn't want to bother—since profits weren't substantial. People preferred ventures with no risk, and favored comfort.

And this number of restaurants was already the village's limit. Even if others wanted to open one, these four or five families wouldn't allow it; few were willing to invite such trouble.

The restaurant wasn't large, with four tables set outside; two were already occupied, each by a couple—one man and one woman—who had clearly wandered here casually and decided to eat lunch on the spot.

Wang Yan and Xu Hongdou entered one after the other. A woman in ethnic attire sitting on a bench quickly rose, picked up a laminated menu, and asked: "Inside or outside? Here's the menu—what would you like?"

"It's a bit windy outside. How about inside?" Xu Hongdou took the menu and looked at the two tables inside.

"Whatever you say. Let's take the table by the window."

They sat down at the table, and the owner stood beside them with paper and pen. Xu Hongdou glanced briefly at the menu, then pushed it toward Wang Yan: "Here, I don't know how much you eat—you order."

Wang Yan didn't refuse. He took the menu and asked: "Any dietary restrictions?"

"Anything's fine."

"So nothing's fine?"

Xu Hongdou burst out laughing, shaking her head: "Really, anything's fine. I'm not picky—I'll eat anything, I just don't eat much of anything."

Wang Yan smiled, glanced at the menu, and asked the owner: "I heard you have the Bai ethnic specialty called 'Tǔ Bā Wǎn'—can you make it?"

"Oh no, we can't. Our place is small, we don't get many customers daily, and we can't stock all those dishes. Even if we bought ingredients now, we wouldn't have time to cook them. How about this: you order a few dishes first to see if you like them. If you do, we'll go to the market tomorrow morning and serve you fresh Tǔ Bā Wǎn at lunch. But eight dishes for just two people—I'm afraid you won't finish them…"

"No problem, Madam. I'm a big eater." Wang Yan returned the menu with a grin. "Here's what we'll do—we don't know what else you have. Just bring us four dishes and one soup, no restrictions, and the staple too—just serve enough to fill us up. Oh, and the soup? Make it 'Shuǐ Xìng Yáng Huā Tang.' The name sounds interesting."

"Got it!" The owner loved customers who ordered quickly—some fumbled over the menu for ages, never deciding.

"Madam," Xu Hongdou called out as the owner turned to leave. "Why is it called 'Shuǐ Xìng Yáng Huā Tang'?"

"It's a plant from Lugu Lake. Every summer it blooms on the water's surface, drifting with the current—that's how it got its name. The soup made from it is fresh, sweet, and fragrant—you'll see when you taste it."

With that, the owner smiled and headed to the kitchen to arrange the dishes.

"You say there are so few tourists here, they can't make much money—why do they still look so happy?"

"Their pace of life is slow. They're locals, generations rooted here with land and property. 'Not making much' is relative. Compared to their living costs, even selling just three meals a day is enough to live on, and they likely have other income sources too. As long as they don't suffer from incurable illness and keep their desires in check, life is naturally pleasant. Unlike you, a hotel manager earning over twenty thousand a month—you pay five or six thousand just to rent a room, spend thirty or forty on a meal that's still mediocre at best."

You deal with all kinds of guests every day, endure endless oddities—that alone drains your energy. You work night shifts too; sure, you get a free room to rest, but you never fully recover. Your hotel job is a youth-based industry, and as a woman, you also face future marriage and childbearing concerns. At thirty-two, you're in an awkward spot. Add in unattainable housing prices and an uncertain future—I don't know about others, but you're definitely not happy."

But you can't judge only by appearances—everyone has their own troubles. Think about children's futures, marriage, childbirth—all of that weighs on them. They just look fine on the surface—so why cry?"

Xu Hongdou couldn't help sighing: "You're right. Looking back now, I feel like I was just a walking corpse. Always sleep-deprived, my mind empty, day after day just work, work, work. Even on days off, I had to be ready to answer calls anytime. Ugh, it's really…"

"You quit already, right? Then enjoy yourself, relax fully—don't think about all that nonsense. Empty your mind."

"How can I really empty it? I have some savings, but nowhere near enough to quit working—I still need to plan for the future."

Wang Yan chuckled and shook his head: "If you think like that, you won't enjoy these months. But I bet you're just thinking this way because you just arrived. After a few days here, you won't feel the same."

"Then what will I think?"

"To hell with work!"

Xu Hongdou paused, then raised an eyebrow and smiled: "You're right—to hell with work…"

The restaurant cooked quickly; the couple worked in tandem. After twenty minutes of laughter and chatter, four dishes, one soup, and two small bowls of chilled chicken rice noodles were placed on the table.

Xu Hongdou leaned in, inhaled deeply, nodded repeatedly, and turned to the owner, who was wiping her hands with an apron: "So fragrant—I can tell it's delicious just by the smell."

The owner smiled: "Of course! Our restaurant's been open for years—everyone who's eaten here says it's good. Our clay-pot fish and braised chicken are our specialties—go ahead and eat. If you have any feedback, speak up—we'll take it to heart."

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Xu Hongdou smiled politely, handed her camera to Wang Yan: "Take a photo of me."

"Use mine. I'll edit it tonight and send it to you." As he spoke, Wang Yan leaned back against the chair, raised his camera to his eye, and grinned: "Come on—give life a peace sign."

Xu Hongdou laughed loudly, grinning and flashing the peace sign…

Click-click-click—Wang Yan snapped rapidly. Xu Hongdou also took photos of Wang Yan with her camera. After two minutes, seeing they'd calmed down, the owner asked: "Want me to take a photo of you two together?"

"Of course!" Wang Yan grinned, handed her the camera, showed her how to use it, then turned sideways with Xu Hongdou, tilted their heads, flashed the peace sign, and beamed.

The owner smiled warmly, pressed the shutter—click! —capturing the moment…

After eating and reserving the Tǔ Bā Wǎn for the next day's lunch, the two still didn't return—they kept wandering outside. After all, it was a vacation; time was plentiful, so why not wander more?

Outside Yunmiao Village lay a vast wheat field, with a two-lane asphalt road running through it. The emerald wheat fields on either side stretched endlessly beside the road; looking back, the village's distinctive architecture rose in layered, orderly rows. Above, the Cangshan Mountains loomed under blue skies and drifting clouds, their snow-capped peaks blending with the haze as if touching the heavens. Since the sun was sinking west and the village lay east of Cangshan, they stood in its shadow, making the mountain appear even grander and more imposing.

A gentle breeze stirred the wheat, creating beautiful rolling waves, lifting their hair into the wind, cooling their faces. The air they breathed carried the clean, natural scent of the open fields—refreshing, pure, cleansing the soul, making one reluctant to leave.

Crossing the wheat field and walking along the mountain's base, they climbed a small hill and saw a horse ranch. Some people held reins, others rode horses, some horses grazed, others wandered aimlessly. Not all were horses—there were a few old oxen, scattered chicks on the ground, and even a brownish-yellow farm dog happily playing by itself.

This was, of course, the horse ranch that Xie Zhiyao had taken over after its previous owner failed. The location was still good. The former owner failed perhaps because it wasn't on the main route to Cangshan, wasn't visible from the Erhai area, and had poor promotion—no new customers, no returning ones, so it collapsed. Xie Zhiyao was different: young, educated, visionary, skilled at promotion—he took it over and turned it around.

Or put another way: Xie Zhiyao was the male lead—he was destined to have a horse ranch showcasing his inner drive and ambition…

"So beautiful," Xu Hongdou sighed after watching for a long time from the hilltop.

Beside her, Wang Yan was clicking away with his camera. He smiled and said: "It's not that special. China has nine point six million square kilometers—there are countless beautiful mountains, rivers, and forests. I bet you've never truly looked at Beijing or its surroundings. You think this place is different because you've traveled over two thousand kilometers—that's psychological."

"Annoying. That's such a mood-killer."

Wang Yan laughed: "Come on—we're here already. Let's go check it out. Looks like it's open to the public—want to try? Can you ride a horse?"

"No." Xu Hongdou shook her head. "Can you?"

"Can I? Ride like the wind!"

Watching Wang Yan walk ahead, Xu Hongdou rolled her eyes: "Hey, wait up for me…"

"Seeing the mountain doesn't mean you've reached it." From the hilltop, it looked close, but it was still a distance away—they walked across the meadow for a long while before arriving.

Around the fence to the ranch entrance, a man in ethnic clothing in his forties stepped forward: "Hello, welcome to Cangshan Muyun Horse Ranch. Would you like to ride?"

"Two horses. She can't ride—give her a gentle one. I'll take whatever's fine—no need for a guide. Let's ride for… half an hour. Too long and even you'll get bored—just a quick taste."

Seeing him look at her, Xu Hongdou nodded and said, "I'll follow your lead." After all, she didn't understand anything—let Wang Yan decide.

The man in ethnic attire raised the sign hanging around his neck: "Two hundred, WeChat scan code. You'll also need to sign a liability waiver, since horseback riding carries some risk. Although the horses we provide for public rides are quite docile, accidents can still happen. But even after signing the waiver, our stable will fulfill the utmost safety obligations—you can rest assured. So far, our stable has never had a single accident."

Wang Yan paid the fee with a scan, without making Xu Hongdou pay, then followed the man into the large wooden building at the stable and signed the liability waiver. Xie Zhiyao wasn't incompetent—he handled everything professionally. Because he didn't require a safety attendant to accompany and lead the horse, his waiver was different: a long list of voluntary relinquishments. The room was equipped with cameras, and the middle-aged man who led them in patiently and clearly explained every detail, doing everything possible to avoid legal risks and mitigate any unfavorable outcomes should an accident occur.

But earlier he'd said the stable had never had an accident, making people overlook the possible risks and sign the waiver without hesitation.

This was a normal tactic, and understandable—except that Xie Zhiyao's waiver was particularly well-crafted. After all, when you go out to have fun, what doesn't carry risk? Flying has risk. Driving yourself has risk. Even walking down the street has risk. People simply assume misfortune won't happen to them, and don't care much.

After signing, and after Xu Hongdou put on her helmet and protective gear like knee pads, they followed the middle-aged man to the stable.

The stable held seven or eight horses—seven or eight horses, all Mongol and Kazakh horses. These were the ones for paying customers; the ones she'd seen earlier weren't among them. These horses weren't particularly good—just easy to raise. Compared to the horses that had once carried him into battle, they were worlds apart. His horses in the ancient world were the finest of the finest: Dayuan warhorses, the famed "blood-sweating steeds" said to gallop a thousand li a day. In terms of status, they were like today's multi-million-dollar luxury cars—more precious than people…

None of them were good horses, and there were only so many. Wang Yan didn't bother choosing—he let someone lead him any horse and they rode out.

Under the assistance of the staff member leading the horse, Xu Hongdou struggled to mount using the mounting block. She adjusted her helmet, looked down at Wang Yan taking photos, and said: "Big photographer, show me—let me see how you ride like the wind."

Wang Yan smiled, swung the camera slung over his neck to his back: "Then watch closely."

With that, Wang Yan effortlessly mounted the horse, gave a light kick to its belly, flicked the reins, and with a "Ha!" the horse shot forward like an arrow released from a bow.

Xu Hongdou watched as Wang Yan bent low on the horse's back, growing ever more distant—truly galloping like the wind.

"Whoa, your boyfriend's amazing."

Hearing the staff member's exclamation, Xu Hongdou paused, but didn't explain—it was pointless to explain unnecessary things to strangers.

Instead, she asked: "What's his level?"

"Very high. Think about it—even the most docile horse has a temper. Who can just ride any horse? Your boyfriend, on his first ride, made the horse so obedient, so fast, with such perfect posture—he's definitely an expert. How to put it… if he entered equestrian competitions or became a jockey for horse racing, under fair conditions, he'd have a real chance at winning."

Wang Yan, galloping on horseback, didn't know others' evaluations—and even if he did, he'd just laugh. After all, he was the undefeated general who had ridden into battle wearing dozens of pounds of full-face armor, wielding a three-meter-long, ten-pound lance, charging through enemy lines.

Now, after so long, riding again stirred his blood, awakening memories of his days charging across the land. He felt the wind's flow, heard the horse's thunderous neigh, and before his eyes, once more, men and horses tumbled in chaos.

When he came back to himself, he had circled a wide arc and was now charging toward Xu Hongdou, who held the camera, capturing his galloping moment.

A hundred meters vanished in an instant. Near Xu Hongdou, Wang Yan pulled the reins, slowing the horse. Then the horse reared high, neighing loudly, expressing its delight.

Only after letting out a satisfied snort did the horse, panting heavily, trot closer to Xu Hongdou.

Watching Wang Yan, face neither flushed nor breathless, still smiling, Xu Hongdou raised her thumb: "Impressive."

"I never boast."

"Where did you learn to ride? Inner Mongolia?"

"I've passed through so many stables on my journey—whenever I found one, I rode. Men, after all, who doesn't dream of galloping freely, living by honor and vengeance?"

"Maybe you've already fulfilled it—you've traveled so far, met so many people. Isn't that what it means to wander the Jianghu?" Xu Hongdou laughed. "Hey, when I saw you riding just now, I felt like watching a great general charging across a battlefield on TV—so mighty."

"Oh, thank you! That's the first time anyone's ever said that. Usually people just say my riding's good—you've got a new way of putting it."

At the foot of Cangshan Mountain, a man and a woman rode side by side across the green grassland. Without the staff members leading the horses, it would have been a beautiful scene…