Chapter 146: Queen, Would You Ride With Me? (Guaranteed Second Update)

Wei Ming held the envelope: “Yangwu Town—this is it. Thank you, sir.”

Wei Ming repeatedly thanked the tractor driver who had given them a ride.

Next, they would use the address to find the person who wrote the letter, then have her guide them to the suspected individual.

Wei Ming first went to the town’s supply and marketing cooperative, bought a few packs of Yuxi cigarettes, then asked the clerk for the address.

“Oh, Dr. Xu’s place? Not far. Keep going down this street, turn at the second intersection.”

Eventually they arrived outside a courtyard—it still looked like a clinic—someone was being treated, and the doctor was a woman in her thirties.

After the patient left, Wei Ming spoke up: “Hello, may I ask if Cui Cuicui lives here?”

The female doctor eyed them suspiciously: “You’re not here to see a doctor?”

“No, we’re looking for someone.”

“Looking for her for what?”

“We want to find someone through her.”

At that moment, a little girl with two braids ran in from outside.

The female doctor pointed at the girl: “This is the person you’re looking for.”

Cui Cuicui: “Who’s looking for me?”

Wei Ming was stunned—it was just a little girl. No wonder her handwriting was so childish.

He pulled out the letter and handed it to her: “Hello, it’s me. You should recognize me, right?”

Little Cui Cuicui widened her eyes, stared at Wei Ming from head to toe, then hurriedly pulled him into the back courtyard.

“Come with me!”

Xu Cunmao and Long Xiaoyang hesitated, then didn’t follow.

There were more buildings in the back courtyard, and a shed where a white horse was kept—small in size but strikingly noble, likely a Dian horse.

In the courtyard, Cui Cuicui first expressed her admiration for Wei Ming.

“I love your novels so much—you’re the greatest writer in my heart. I never imagined you’d actually come here—it feels like a dream!”

Fan mentality—he understood: “I can sign something for you later, but first, tell me: where is the woman who fled from Sichuan-Chongqing?”

Cui Cuicui calmed down and pointed at the female doctor: “Does she look like the person you’re looking for?”

Wei Ming couldn’t tell—he asked: “Who is she to you?”

“She’s my mother,” Cui Cuicui said.

Wei Ming asked: “May I ask—how old are you? How old is your mother? And what’s her name?”

Cui Cuicui: “You asked three questions.”

Wei Ming smiled and handed her three White Rabbit candies: “Will you answer?”

Cui Cuicui eagerly took the candies: “I’m twelve. My mom is thirty. Her name is Xu Yingying. Want to ask more?”

Wei Ming: “Age matches, but the name doesn’t.”

In his article, Wei Ming hadn’t revealed his aunt’s name—she was still young then, and if adopted, a name change would be normal.

Hearing this, Cui Cuicui sighed: “Oh, so I’m not your cousin after all!”

When she first read Wei Ming’s article in the *Youth and Middle Age Daily*, she’d dreamed for months of being the great writer’s cousin.

Wei Ming shook his head: “Not necessarily. I brought my older brother—he might be able to confirm. Let’s go.”

Wei Ming returned with Cui Cuicui to the clinic area, only to find his older brother already chatting with Xu Yingying—his Sichuan-Chongqing accent had sparked her willingness to talk.

But as he listened, Wei Ming sensed trouble: Xu Yingying had never changed her name; she’d always been called this since she could remember, and she’d fled to Yunnan with her mother, who didn’t survive the journey.

And she wasn’t from Ya’an—she was from Panzhihua.

Wei Ming then explained his purpose to Dr. Xu, and only then did his older brother realize she was the person mentioned in the letter—but clearly not his younger sister.

Dr. Xu stood and shook Wei Ming’s hand: “I thought it strange—why would outsiders suddenly come looking for Cui Cuicui? My husband passed away back home; I have no other relatives except my husband and daughter. Sorry to have sent you on a wild goose chase.”

Wei Ming waved it off: “Not a waste. I met one of my young readers, and along the way I saw many beautiful Yunnan landscapes—it enriched my life.”

Long Xiaoyang nodded in agreement: “Big brother’s right!”

Dr. Xu said: “You’re distant guests and fellow provincials—have dinner here. My husband would love to meet you, the great writer. All those magazines Cui Cuicui reads? He bought them.”

“Oh, where’s your husband? I haven’t seen him.”

“He works at the commune—he’s busy. Forget him for now. I’ll cook. Cui Cuicui, entertain the guests.” Dr. Xu rolled up her sleeves and headed to the back courtyard.

Cui Cuicui quickly brought over copies of *Shouhuo* and *Dangdai*, knowing he’d sign them.

Signing on magazines felt unprofessional, but he didn’t have his own book yet—soon, though. Once his collected works were published, he’d mail her a copy.

“You’re so young—can you even understand my novels?” Wei Ming pulled out a fountain pen.

Cui Cuicui: “What’s hard to understand? I’m in fifth grade.”

Long Xiaoyang flipped through Wei Ming’s novel, strained to read—but felt ashamed; he’d forgotten many characters.

After signing the dedication, Wei Ming looked at the horse in the courtyard and asked: “What’s its name?”

“Ni Bai.”

“Why such a strange name?” “When Mom first bought it, it was skinny and covered in mud—but after a bath, it turned white. So we called it Ni Bai.”

Wei Ming praised: “Great name! Can I borrow it?”

“Huh?”

Wei Ming blushed: “I have a friend nearby—I want to ride over to see her.”

He’d confirmed with the tractor driver—the village where *The Traitor* was filming wasn’t far from this town. Walking would be tough, but with a Dian horse skilled on mountain paths, it’d be perfect.

“Of course you can borrow it! But can you ride?” Dr. Xu’s cheerful voice came from outside.

Wei Ming replied: “Sister, my dad raised livestock back home—I’ve ridden horses, donkeys, mules, oxen—all of them.”

Dr. Xu said: “Then ride. You two can stay overnight. My husband won’t be back until noon, so you can talk literature properly tonight.”

Indeed—he wouldn’t make it back today after this detour.

Wei Ming looked at his older brother and cousin.

!

His older brother had no objections—Xiaoming wanted to meet this friend so badly, she must be very important.

Long Xiaoyang: “I don’t know if she’s important, but I know she’s a woman—and an actress!”

After lunch, having confirmed the route, Wei Ming left his older brother and cousin at the clinic, mounted Ni Bai, and rode off to find Zhu Lin.

Though the road was rough, the scenery was beautiful—he even stopped to take two landscape photos.

In this era, photos without people were already a luxury.

But as he rode, he suddenly saw rocks scattered across the path ahead.

Wei Ming pulled the reins tight, halted the horse, and scanned the surroundings—no ambush, just rocks fallen from the mountain.

Too many, too large to clear—no need to bother. Ni Bai leapt over them effortlessly and continued on.

After passing two villages, Mount Ailao rose before him—he’d finally reached the Hani village.

“Has anyone come to film a movie here recently?” After failing to communicate with several elders, he asked a young man—this time, he understood.

“Yes yes yes! I’ll take you.” The young man was enthusiastic—though the elders were too.

Through conversation, Wei Ming realized their warmth was because of Ni Bai—Dr. Xu was well-known in the area, and everyone recognized the horse.

Wei Ming chuckled: “Aren’t you afraid I’m a horse thief?”

The young man suddenly realized—oh right!

Seeing the young man grow wary, Wei Ming laughed: “Her daughter is Cui Cuicui, twelve, fifth grade. Her husband is Cui Sheng, works at the commune. We’re friends.”

The young man relaxed—he didn’t look like a thief; he was tall, handsome, and dignified.

The Hani youth led Wei Ming to a house where a cage held several snakes—he’d heard Yunnan folks ate everything, snakes, insects, rodents, you name it.

Lucky for him—he’d eaten snake soup before, and even wanted to grill one with Zhu Lin.

After explaining his purpose, the homeowner told him the film crew had gone into the mountains and hadn’t returned for lunch.

Wei Ming asked the young man: “Which path do they usually take to return to the village?”

Wei Ming could almost picture it—Zhu Lin, exhausted after a long day of filming, arriving at the village gate, only to see an old friend on a white horse grinning at her with a dazzling smile.

Hahaha—I’d be moved to tears if I were a woman!

Zhu Lin didn’t keep him waiting—before dusk, a group appeared in the distance, some carrying equipment.

Wei Ming was about to wave when he saw Zhu Lin, pale and weak, being supported by someone.

He immediately rode over: “Sister Zhu, what happened?”

Her cheeks were flushed—he thought she’d eaten poison mushrooms.

“Who are you?” the male second lead asked, looking up.

But Old Ma Jingwu recognized him at once: “Little Wei? What are you doing here?”

Wei Ming: “Long story—I’ll tell you later. What’s wrong with Sister Zhu?”

The director stepped forward: “This damn weather keeps shifting between cold and hot. Xiao Zhu felt feverish at noon but kept working. By the time we finished today’s shots, she was like this.”

Zhu Lin was too sick to show surprise, but internally, she was overwhelmed.

She thought she’d hallucinated from fever—how could Little Wei be here, riding a white horse?

But everyone was talking to him—he was real!

Strange… why did she suddenly want to cry?

Wei Ming said: “If you’re sick, get to a doctor right away!”

The director: “There’s no doctor in the village. Oh—Xiao Zhu brought her own medicine.”

Na Renhua fretted: “But the fever medicine is all gone!”

With that, Wei Ming extended his hand: “Come with me—I know where to find a doctor.”

The director refused outright, since he wasn’t familiar with him: “We have a car—it’s faster to drive to town.”

Wei Ming: “The road to town is blocked by falling rocks—your car can’t get through. There’s no time—hurry, get on horseback!”

……

(There may not be a third update later—I’ll try my best, but I’m just not feeling energetic today—sorry… and please drop a vote~)

(End of Chapter)