By linking my account to the check-in system, I became a leisurely traveler.

Chapter 131 Ma Xiaocheng Girl [6.4 thousand words!]

In November, the chill in Xilinhot is like fine needles, piercing through even a fur coat.

Lan Yiyi pushed open the heavy wooden door of the stable, and a warm current mixed with hay, fermenting horse manure and animal body heat rushed out, temporarily suppressing the cold wind outside.

Little Cabbage—her gentle white mare—stood quietly inside the enclosure.

A small, dark brown creature nestled beside it.

Upon seeing Lan Yiyi enter, Xiao Baicai immediately turned her ears toward her and shifted her body slightly to the side, protecting the foal even more tightly in the corner between herself and the fence.

Lan Yiyi chuckled... Xiao Baicai was a first-time mother and had little experience. Even she was on guard at this moment, so she didn't get any closer and stopped a few steps away, resting her hand on the rough wooden railing.

The little thing moved.

Its downy fur was dry, fluffy and curly, dark brown, with a darker color on its neck and back, like freshly combed lamb wool.

A thin leg covered with the same curly short hair awkwardly kicked out, revealing a light-colored, still somewhat pink but already noticeably firm hoof underneath.

It tried to stand up, its front legs bracing against the grass mat, but its hind legs slipped uncoordinatedly, and its whole little body fell sideways onto the thick layer of dry grass with a "plop".

The little cabbage immediately lowered its head, gently but firmly nudging its side with its nose, and making a low, soothing "gurgling" sound in its throat.

The foal shook its big head and lifted it up.

Those eyes were unusually large, like two deep pools of water, clear and innocent, reflecting the dim light coming through the roof of the stable, with long eyelashes fluttering.

It seemed to want to see Lan Yiyi, this "big thing," and tried to stretch its neck, but it was obviously too much of a strain. Its head drooped down again, and its chin rested on the hay, making a soft "plop" sound.

It didn't give up. It tried again, its front legs supporting it, its hind legs kicking wildly. Finally, its four thin legs, like newly installed supports, spread apart and stood firmly.

His knees trembled violently, as if they were about to fall apart. His small body was taut, his chest heaving rapidly, and his nostrils flared wide, exhaling fine white breath.

Despite having seen newborn foals many times before, Lan Yiyi was still charmed by the scene before her.

She couldn't help but let out a soft "woof"... looking at the little cabbage and its one-day-old foal with doting affection.

This foal is a descendant of the Altai horse, a precious native Chinese breed.

This type of horse is mainly distributed in the Altay region and belongs to one of the large red deer populations. It is tall, reaching nearly two meters in height when fully grown, with strong and powerful limbs and a gentle gaze.

They can survive and reproduce on the grasslands of northern Xinjiang where temperatures drop to tens of degrees below zero, demonstrating their endurance and physical strength to withstand severe tests.

Although the pony in front of me is still not quite steady on its feet, it has a well-developed frame, long and straight legs, and a smooth curve in its neck, vaguely revealing the outline of a handsome man in the future.

The little cabbage lowered its head and gently licked its back and rump again and again.

Lan Yi leaned against the railing, her breath quickly dissipating into the warm air of the stable.

Her fingertips could feel the rough texture and coolness of the wood, but what came to mind was... Li Younan.

He'll like this little guy.

Xiao Baicai turned her head to look at her, the wariness in her eyes had faded, leaving only a weary calm.

Lan Yiyi then approached and reached out her hand. It obediently allowed her to touch the thick fur on its neck. The skin was warm, and she could feel the strong pulsation of its veins.

The little creature, having eaten its fill, released the nipple and shook its head contentedly. Its four slender legs continued to struggle to maintain their balance.

It seemed to finally have the time to notice Lan Yiyi, this big thing, and stared at her intently for a few seconds with its big eyes, filled with pure curiosity.

Then, as if a taut string had suddenly been released, or perhaps feeling safe, her four thin legs bent, and her whole body softly and defenselessly lay down in the thick pile of hay, right next to her mother's strong forelegs.

It curled up, rested its head on the hay, its little ears twitched unconsciously, and its eyelids began to droop heavily.

Soon, the small chest was reduced to even, slight undulations, almost invisible beneath the fluffy brown downy hair.

Newborn horses need a lot of sleep, sleeping at least a dozen hours a day.

The stable was extremely quiet, with only the soft rustling of Xiaobaicai slowly chewing hay and the faint breathing of the little creature as it slept.

Lan Yiyi came out of the stable with a smile.

I have to rush back; I need to go to the airport tomorrow.

……

Lan Yiyi arrived at the airport early.

She checked the time; Li Younan's flight still had an hour or so to go.

During this break, Lan Yiyi took out her phone and, somewhat bored, scrolled through the videos and photos she had taken of Little Cabbage and its babies the night before.

This foal is a stallion, and because of its excellent bloodline, it will surely grow up to be a magnificent horse.

One thing is certain: Li Younan really loves horses and is an excellent rider.

She watched the video for a while, then put her phone away, her mind still filled with images of Li Younan riding a horse. She still harbored some doubts and questions.

She rode horses from a young age, and for a long time she even felt nauseous from riding them, which is why she has such superb riding skills.

Li Younan rides horses so well... You can tell from some details that someone who isn't used to riding horses can't ride with such ease.

There's a big difference between being able to ride and riding well.

The horsemanship used in Olympic competitions is quite different from that of Inner Mongolia.

Western equestrian competitions emphasize precise control, requiring riders to move specific steps and change gaits without making a sound. This demands a high level of understanding and coordination with the horse, which is very expensive to feed and train.

In domestic equestrian competitions, whether in snowy areas or Inner Mongolia, there are almost no requirements for the fine handling of the horses. What is tested more is the rider's own skills, such as picking up hada (ceremonial scarves), shooting arrows on horseback, doing handstands, and 10-kilometer races.

What surprised Lan Yiyi was the attention to detail.

Li Younan rode an ordinary horse that tourists ride in Inner Mongolia. After a short period of getting used to it, he was already able to control the horse to make some relatively subtle movements, such as making the horse walk sideways to the left or right.

While it falls far short of the level of precision control found in Western horsemanship, it is still quite astonishing.

However, besides getting to know the horse quickly and issuing commands discreetly, Li Younan also demonstrated some body control abilities typical of nomadic peoples.

Lan Yiyi remembers that Li Younan was on horseback at the time, and the horse was still trotting, but he took out his phone, let go of the reins with both hands, and replied to someone else's message.

This seemingly simple action is actually quite valuable.

He can play on his phone while riding a horse, or he can play with a bow and arrow while riding a horse.

After seeing that scene, Lan Yiyi wouldn't be surprised if Li Younan were playing with a bow and arrow on horseback.

Lan Yiyi couldn't help but laugh as she thought about it. Why was she thinking so much?

Of course, the better he is at riding a horse, the better, so he'll like the gift I give him.

She then took out her phone and started playing with it, opening Li Younan's video homepage.

……

"So that means your friend is a celebrity?" Chen Rui asked, sitting on the plane, with a hint of surprise in her voice.

Li Younan took a sip of the Coke the flight attendant handed him, then said calmly, "It's not that exaggerated. He's just a nobody actor. Anyway, I haven't seen any of his TV dramas or movies. I can't even remember the name of the show where I was his stunt double."

Chen Rui's expression was somewhat complicated, and she sighed softly, "What if they become famous later?"

Li Younan chuckled: "If I become famous, I'll just change how I talk to people when I'm chatting with them, saying I'm a slightly famous second-tier actor or a very famous first-tier actor."

Chen Rui was amused by Li Younan. After laughing, she asked curiously, "From your description, you two seem to have a good relationship. He even wants to give you a horse, but you've only met a few times in total?"

"Well, that's two big times..." Li Younan turned to look at Chen Rui, then suddenly remembered something Huang Xiaoyang had said earlier. After a moment's thought, he asked, "Do you think it matters how many times two people meet when they're friends?"

Chen Rui paused for a moment, thought about it seriously, and said with a somewhat confused look in her eyes, "If we share similar interests, we can start chatting right away. There must be a feeling of instant connection to create such an idiom, so the number of meetings shouldn't be necessary."

Li Younan nodded and said with a smile, "Right?"

Chen Rui immediately asked, "What about me?"

Li Younan was taken aback. Chen Rui stared intently at Li Younan with her bright eyes and asked again, "You think that the female lead who got the role by bringing her own investment is straightforward and frank, so you're happy to be friends with her. What about me? Do you think we need to meet many times to have that kind of harmonious friendship?"

Li Younan thought for a moment, then smiled with a somewhat amused expression: "You're different."

"What's the difference?"

"Your mom and my mom are friends, so you have to call me brother."

"Ah!"

Before Chen Rui could say anything more, the flight attendant's voice came through the announcement: "Attention passengers, we are about to arrive at our destination. Please fasten your seatbelts..."

Chen Rui had no choice but to go and fasten her seatbelt first...

An hour later, Lan Yiyi successfully picked up Li Younan.

Upon seeing Lan Yiyi for the first time, Li Younan enthusiastically introduced her to Chen Rui: "This is Lan Yiyi, the second-tier superstar I told you about."

Lan Yiyi blushed and quickly shook her head: "No, no, I'm not a big star, I'm just a small-time actress..."

Chen Rui's expression was somewhat complicated for a moment.

……

Instead of heading straight to Lan Yiyi's horse farm, Lan Yiyi decided to extend hospitality by inviting Li Younan and his sister to a meal.

Lan Yiyi doesn't drive, so she doesn't have a car either. The three of them got into a taxi.

Li Younan joked, "Without a car, I thought you would come to pick us up on horseback."

Lan Yiyi was taken aback, not realizing Li Younan was joking, and explained seriously, "No, many people think that we in Inner Mongolia ride horses to and from school and that we live in yurts. That's a huge misunderstanding..."

But as she explained earnestly, she gradually noticed that Li Younan's expression first showed a slight surprise, then a half-smile as he looked at her. She immediately realized that he was teasing her and snorted, "You're so annoying!" Chen Rui's eyes flickered at this sight.

Lan Yiyi took them to a well-known local restaurant.

Seidmon Restaurant.

The nasal cavity senses the atmosphere in the room first: the warm aroma of milk, the smell of stewed meat, and the subtle smoky scent of charcoal, mixed with a unique, unfamiliar smell similar to fermented oil.

A waitress wearing a blue apron peeked out from the steamy open kitchen window, weighing a piece of dark red mutton. Seeing that there were three people, she arranged for them to sit at a small square table against the wall.

Next to him were several men wearing thick leather vests, talking in hushed tones in Mongolian. On their table was a huge copper pot, with milky white soup bubbling and clean bones scattered around.

After ordering, Lan Yiyi gave Li Younan and the others a brief introduction to the restaurant.

As they chatted, Li Younan became curious and asked about Lan Yiyi's family situation. After all, Lan Yiyi was an actress who brought her own investment to the production, so her family must be in some kind of business. He wondered how their circumstances compared to Huang Xiaoyang's family.

At first, Lan Yiyi answered somewhat hesitantly, but later she gradually revealed some information about her family.

Lan Yiyi is indeed from Xilinhot, but now only her grandparents live in Xilinhot, while her parents are working in Beijing.

It's worth mentioning that Lan Yiyi proudly shared a little-known fact: "Let me tell you a secret, the place with the most standard Mandarin Chinese is Ceylonhot. You can write it down. If you ever encounter a quiz that asks you where the most standard Mandarin Chinese is... it's my hometown, Ceylonhot, hee hee."

Their family owns hotels in several cities in Inner Mongolia, including Hohhot. In general, they are in the hotel industry, and also run a travel agency and a taxi company in a county.

The reason Lan Yiyi was hesitant... was naturally because she thought of her embarrassing past of getting the role by bringing her own investment.

Of course, as shameful as it is, it's really sad that you can't get into the group on your own.

At this moment, the man at the next table skillfully used a dagger to slice the meat out of the crevices of the lamb bones. In the semi-open kitchen, the chef threw a whole piece of tripe into a boiling pot, and a stronger steam, carrying the unique aroma of offal, billowed out.

The tea was served first.

Instead of the drink I expected served in a cup, it was a heavy, low-bellied copper pot, placed on a small alcohol stove, bubbling gently.

The aroma of milk mixed with the slightly salty smell of meat hits you right up.

After settling down, Lan Yiyi took out her phone to show Li Younan photos and videos of Xiaobaicai and its babies.

Li Younan stared intently at the video on his phone, unable to look away.

Lan Yiyi moved very close, swiping left and right to show Li Younan all the videos and photos she had taken. She accidentally swiped to one of her own private photos and quickly swiped back in a bit of a panic.

Li Younan blinked, not quite seeing it clearly, but it looked like a swimsuit photo?
It's so white...

He remained calm on the surface, pretending not to have seen it.

Lan Yiyi coughed, trying to cover her embarrassment, and was about to speak... when Li Younan saw through her act.

He sighed inwardly. The best way to deal with this kind of awkward situation was not to ramble on and on about explaining, but to pretend that nothing had happened and to act like ostriches burying their heads in the sand.

Before Lan Yiyi could speak, he changed the subject: "Is this horse a gift for me?"

Lan Yiyi blinked, momentarily forgetting what she was going to say, and quickly nodded: "Do you like it?"

Li Younan nodded: "Altayma, this bloodline looks very pure."

"Oh, right, right! You can tell that? You recognize this horse?"

That's fantastic news! This kind of horse is very valuable, but it would be... a little shameful to just say that a horse is valuable without permission.

Li Younan has equestrian skills and knowledge of almost all horse breeds. The special characteristics and temperament of different horses will affect handling, so they must be matched.

Li Younan praised the horse in the photos and videos very earnestly.

Lan Yiyi was initially very happy, but as she listened, her expression became somewhat strange.

Because Li Younan mentioned that he was "tall and imposing, and although his eyes looked tired, you could tell that he must be very dashing when he was in good condition..."

It wasn't until Li Younan said, "It's a pity it's a mare..." that Lan Yiyi realized what he meant. She rubbed her forehead and said resentfully, "What are you talking about? I wanted to give you this one, this one!"

She poked the little pony next to the bok choy.

Li Younan was stunned for a moment: "Huh? Little Ma..."

"Why do you sound so disappointed?"

"Well, I'll be able to ride it soon... but I still really like it, hahaha..."

"Together... oh no, it's more fun to raise it slowly."

……

The contents of the pot were murky, with golden-brown fried rice, curled dark brown beef jerky strips, and a thick layer of semi-melted milk skin floating on the surface of the milky white broth.

Stirring with a wooden spoon, I even scooped up a few soft pieces of cheese from the bottom.

The first bite was piping hot, with the saltiness clearly overpowering the milky flavor. The chewiness of the beef jerky and the grainy texture of the soaked fried rice intertwined between the teeth.

It slid down my throat, leaving a peculiar, heavy feeling, like swallowing a mouthful of warm porridge.

With Li Younan's culinary skills, I am very satisfied with today's meal.

There are also lamb chops.

Soon, the bones piled up around the edge of the plate.

Lan Yiyi turned her gaze to Chen Rui, who hadn't said much.

I was so busy chatting with Li Younan that I didn't pay much attention to Chen Rui, so I took the initiative to start a conversation: "By the way, I heard from your brother that you are his sister. What is your relationship with him?"

Li Younan silently picked up her cup and drank her milk tea.

Chen Rui paused for a moment, then shook her head: "Actually, he's not really my sister. My mom and his mom are very good friends, and he's a little older than me." As Chen Rui said this, she shrugged helplessly, with an expression of resignation that she had been taken advantage of.

Upon hearing this, Lan Yiyi's eyes flickered. She looked at Chen Rui with a blank expression, but then suddenly asked, "You like him?"

Chen Rui hadn't expected Lan Yiyi to ask such a direct question.

Her expression froze, her composure vanished instantly, and she stammered, "Ah, no...no."

Li Younan was also taken aback for a moment, but continued to slowly finish her milk tea without saying a word.

Lan Yiyi's expression didn't seem feigned; she showed appropriate confusion: "Then it's quite reasonable for him to treat you like a younger sister... You two really do look like siblings!"

Chen Rui's head was spinning. She picked up the cup and blinked, "Oh, is that so..."

"I guarantee it, absolutely!" Lan Yiyi said with certainty.

Li Younan silently put down his cup, picked up a piece of mutton, dipped it in dried chili powder, put it in his mouth, and chewed it slowly.

……

Instead of going to the horse farm that day, he took Li Younan and Chen Rui for a stroll around Xilinhot city. Strictly speaking, there wasn't much to see in the city, but Li Younan still leisurely enjoyed the local customs and traditions.

We first went to Beizi Temple. There weren't many people in the square, only a few old people wrapped in thick cotton-padded coats turning prayer wheels, the wooden axles making a "creaking" sound as they turned.

I went inside the hall and wandered around. The smell of incense mixed with the aroma of ghee was very strong. It was warmer inside than outside, and the sound of my footsteps on the floor was particularly clear.

Later that evening, I went to the Xilingol League Museum. There weren't many people or many exhibits. The only things I remember were bronzes, saddles, and leather robes. Oh, and there was also a display case with sheepskin boots that herders wore in winter. The stubble was still earthy, and you could see the loose threads in the stitches if you looked closely.

But overall, there isn't much to browse.

Lan Yiyi said somewhat shyly, "If I hadn't wanted to show you two around, I wouldn't have been here for many years, back when I was in school for a school activity." She added, "Generally speaking, Xilinhot is still quite small..."

Li Younan shook his head and said seriously, "No, the small size itself is part of the appeal. If someone has always lived in a city of reinforced concrete, then everything in such a small city will be a new experience for them."

Li Younan took many photos with her phone.

Lan Yiyi looked at Li Younan with some surprise, then laughed happily and asked Li Younan loudly, "Do you like my hometown?"

Li Younan smiled and said, "I quite like it."

He didn't say it, but in fact, he loved every inch of the land he had walked on, whether it was cold or hot, open or rugged, it was all part of the beauty of this nation and this country.

But Lan Yiyi was already very satisfied with this answer.

Chen Rui listened to their conversation silently, tilted her head, and smiled with amusement.

……

As a native of Xilinhot, Lan Yiyi's family naturally owns a hotel in Xilinhot, though it's not an extravagantly large hotel, just a mid-range chain hotel.

Lan Yiyi arranged for Li Younan and Chen Rui to stay, and she also booked a room on the same floor. Her reason was: "It'll be easier to take you out to play tomorrow if we stay closer."

After Li Younan returned to his room, his fan group was noisy.

Li Younan rarely looks at his fan groups on short video apps; he only checks them every now and then.

I happened to have some free time today, so I took a few more glances. A fan in the fan group asked rather resentfully, "It's been so long since you updated your videos, Nan Nan, where have you been?"

Li Younan saw that the fan's profile picture was an Angry Bird and found it amusing, so he casually replied: "I arrived in Xilinhot today. There's a video of me going to Beidahu that's still being edited. I'll release it in a couple of days."

He then ignored the sudden uproar in the group chat, with comments like "Ahhh! He's come back to life!" and "The streamer actually replied to my message!"

……

Hundreds of kilometers away from Xilinhot, in Weichang, burly men, as big as mountains, are currently chewing on hand-pulled mutton while idly scrolling through short videos.

Suddenly, I saw a message in the fan group from Li Younan saying that he had arrived in Xilinhot.

(End of this chapter)