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

Chapter 147 Under the Same Tent (Part 2) [Second Update]

In fact, Li Younan did not notice immediately that Zhu Qingyue had a cold.

After saying goodbye to the herdsmen, Li Younan packed his bags and called Zhu Qingyue to continue their journey.

Today they have an important destination: Lake Ledomann.

This location is a very important place that Zhu Qingyue's aunt will be passing through. Besides Luo Yong telling them about it before, she herself has also posted on her WeChat Moments and other places that she is going to this place, so it is definitely a place we will visit.

Li Younan glanced at the altitude display on his watch; the altitude was now around 4300 meters. He looked at Zhu Qingyue with some concern. Zhu Qingyue's face was a little pale, but her gaze remained firm as she forced a smile: "I'm fine."

Li Younan nodded and said, "The altitude over the ice lake is over 4500 meters, almost 4600 meters. If you can't hold on any longer, tell me immediately."

Zhu Qingyue nodded.

The route wasn't very long, and the elevation gain wasn't particularly high, so it was mostly done on foot. A few hours later, around 3 PM, they successfully arrived at Lake Ledoman.

We naturally traveled and stopped frequently along the way, taking breaks from time to time.

Li Younan was not in a hurry; he approached the journey with a leisurely, strolling mindset.

The baggage on his back wasn't too heavy for him; he just kept checking on Zhu Qingyue's condition from time to time.

When traveling on such a high plateau, it is crucial to avoid any strenuous activity. Even for local residents who have lived at high altitudes for extended periods, sudden and excessive movement can easily lead to accidents.

Li Younan, of course, had no such concerns. At least for now, the altitude was less than 5000 meters, which was no different from being on the plains for him. He couldn't help but marvel at the power of the system once again.

After turning a ridge, the glacial lake of Ledomanin lay before you.

The lake in April had not yet fully thawed, and a few pieces of broken ice floated near the shore, like shattered glass, dazzling in the afternoon sun.

Most of the lake surface is still frozen, and the ice is not very smooth, so you can see the lines that were torn out when the water flowed underneath and froze.

Meltwater from the distant glacier seeped down through the cracks in the rocks, dripping onto the ice and creating small craters. The dripping sound was intermittent in the wind.

The stones by the lake were frozen solid, and stepping on them made no sound.

Several waterbirds took flight from the meltwater pool in the middle of the frozen lake, their wings stirring up the ice shards, and then only the sound of the wind remained.

Zhu Qingyue took off her backpack, squatted by the lake, touched the broken ice on the shore, and said, "This ice looks hard, but it's actually full of frozen light inside."

Li Younan found it somewhat amusing. This artsy girl was truly remarkable; no wonder she wrote novels, she could utter such poetic phrases anytime, anywhere. If it were Li Younan, she definitely wouldn't have been able to come up with something like "all the light was frozen inside" in such a short time.

He took out his camera from his backpack and snapped a few photos, then used his action camera to shoot footage. He documented all the scenery along the way, though the internet connection was terrible, practically nonexistent.

These materials were all stockpiled there, with the intention of sending them to JK Dragon after they were released.

Because of the long journey ahead, Li Younan didn't bring many lenses this time, only a basic set. After taking the photos, Li Younan turned around to take a picture of Zhu Qingyue as well.

Then he paused for a moment.

Zhu Qingyue's face was unusually flushed, and her breathing seemed a little erratic. Li Younan frowned and walked over to ask, "Are you alright?"

Zhu Qingyue shook her head and said, "It's alright. Let's not delay today. We still have a long way to go."

Li Younan didn't say anything, but moved closer.

Zhu Qingyue opened her eyes wide, tilted her head, and said, "What are you doing?"

Without a word, Li Younan simply placed the back of his hand on Zhu Qingyue's forehead. The sudden action startled Zhu Qingyue, but she quickly realized that Li Younan was just checking her temperature. She blinked and said, "I might just be experiencing a little altitude sickness."

Li Younan frowned, his expression turning serious. After a moment, he sighed deeply and said, "You can't continue the journey."

Zhu Qingyue's eyes widened: "It can't be that hot, can it?" Li Younan put his hands on his hips and nodded seriously.

Zhu Qingyue cupped her face in her hands: "No, right? I didn't feel anything at all, and I don't feel uncomfortable at all. Look how much I walked." She stood up, spun around, and proved to Li Younan that she was completely unaffected.

Li Younan said nothing, but silently looked at Zhu Qingyue.

Under Li Younan's gaze, Zhu Qingyue lowered her head dejectedly, like a little girl who had done something wrong, pouting as if she was about to burst into tears at any moment. She sniffed and said, "We finally made it this far..."

Li Younan shook his head and said, "I have to be responsible for your safety." At this moment, Li Younan was as cold as ice.

Zhu Qingyue could even feel Li Younan's chill.

She never expected Li Younan to have such a domineering side.

Li Younan took out his phone and silently estimated the distance. At this point, turning back was definitely not a realistic option.

Then we can only continue forward to Yulong West.

Their original destination was from Lvlongxi to Zimei Pass. After crossing the pass, heading northeast would lead them to the place where Luo Yong had mentioned losing contact with his aunt.

But right now, Zhu Qingyue is clearly no longer able to make her way to her destination.

After a moment, Li Younan made a decision. He pointed to the map and said, "We definitely can't go back today. Let's keep going and try to reach Yulong West before dark. If we really can't get there, we'll set up camp first."

Zhu Qingyue desperately needs rest, which will definitely affect her travel speed, so she can't force herself to continue. Yulongxi is a village accessible by road, where they can surely find a vehicle to take her to the county town for medical treatment. Although a cold isn't a major problem, in this environment, it would be troublesome if it developed into pneumonia or another illness.

Li Younan's tone was domineering and unquestionable.

Zhu Qingyue wanted to say something, but a tiny bit of fear crept into her heart. So, with resentment and grievance, she could only accept it.

As expected, Zhu Qingyue's physical condition simply couldn't support her long trek; reaching the frozen lake seemed to have exhausted most of her strength. For the rest of the journey, Zhu Qingyue was panting more and more, forcing Li Younan to slow down. Although Zhu Qingyue tried to force herself to appear strong and healthy, Li Younan refused.

They hadn't reached Yulongxi before dark. So, before nightfall, they found a suitable spot to camp and set up their tents.

That evening, Zhu Qingyue's condition worsened. Li Younan, however, was very experienced in taking care of people. He boiled hot water for Zhu Qingyue and then went to the vicinity to find some medicinal plants, which he then burned to fumigate her.

Zhu Qingyue could also feel that her body was getting worse and worse. When she arrived in the Gongga Mountain area yesterday, she only had a slight headache, which she thought was normal altitude sickness. Now she realized that the seeds of a cold had been sown at that time.

Based on the expected progression of her illness, the following evening would likely see a peak in symptoms. She drank copious amounts of hot water, hoping to alleviate her discomfort. Throughout this process, Li Younan's calm and composed demeanor only intensified her feelings of guilt.

Thinking about this made me even sleepier. After dinner, I climbed into the tent alone. It wasn't dark yet. I hid in my sleeping bag, my mind wandering to all sorts of things, from my aunt to the little things I had shared with Li Younan along the way. Before I knew it, I had fallen asleep.

In the dead of night, the strange sensations in her body reached their peak. She felt unbearably cold, yet her face was burning hot, her throat was tight, she wanted to drink water, and her head was spinning. Under these circumstances, she finally couldn't help but cry.

When people are extremely helpless, they try to rely on anything they can. She softly called Li Younan's name. After a moment, she received a response. Zhu Qingyue sniffled and said, "I feel so cold..."

She had her eyes closed, but vaguely heard the sound of the tent being opened. Li Younan brought in an extra down comforter he had brought, which he had originally planned to use high in the mountains.

Zhu Qingyue's tent was rather cramped, and Li Younan knelt inside. He wasn't cold despite wearing a thick down jacket. He covered Zhu Qingyue with a blanket and said, "If you really can't hold on any longer, I'll go to Yulong West tomorrow and get someone to come and carry you on a stretcher."

As Li Younan finished his task and prepared to leave, a hand suddenly grabbed him. He was startled. Zhu Qingyue had already opened her eyes. She looked at Li Younan, her eyes somewhat unfocused: "Li Younan, you, you... hug me."

……

After settling Zhu Qingyue in, Li Younan's journey was not over. He wasn't doing it because of Zhu Qingyue, but because he wanted to continue on his own.

He stood at the village entrance, gazing at the snow-capped mountain that never melts, his heart filled with anticipation. He simply wanted to see the scenery from above, and incidentally, he was also curious about how far he could actually reach.

He set off alone for the rest of the journey.

(End of this chapter)