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

Chapter 241 The First Day of the Journey [7 words!]

Li Younan helped Liu Li take her luggage down, and the car was parked at the bottom of the stairs. Several passersby stopped to watch, and when they saw Li Younan, who looked like the owner, get out, they all praised him, saying, "Wow, this car is really awesome, is it your car?"

Li Younan smiled and gave a brief response to the attention from passersby.

Then, Liu Yu and her younger sister followed behind to the car.

Liu Li avoided the gazes of passersby, and quickly climbed inside as soon as Li Younan opened the car door.

Li Younan closed the car door. Liu Yu was about to say a few more words to Li Younan, but Li Younan shrugged and said, "Alright, I know what you want to say. Don't worry. A man who can turn living alone in the Canadian wilderness into a vacation, your sister will definitely be safe and sound with me!"

Upon hearing this, the passersby all looked enlightened. Although they didn't understand what "Canadian wilderness" meant, they roughly understood the relationship between them.

Everyone's gazes conveyed the same message: "So it's the brother-in-law seeing his sister and brother-in-law off."

Liu Yu felt somewhat helpless, but she was too lazy to explain to the passersby. After Li Younan's words, any further hesitation would only make her seem pretentious. So she snorted and said, "I didn't intend to say anything. Alright, you guys should set off early. Where are you headed today?"

"We'll start from the 318 self-driving base camp in Ya'an," Li Younan said casually. "However, before going to the 318 base camp, we need to buy some supplies. I plan to buy them in Chengdu and then rest in Ya'an without any further hassle. I hope to take it slow throughout the journey."

Liu Yu nodded: "That's good. My sister can adapt to it. She hasn't been on such a long trip since junior high school."

Without further ado, this time we're really off!

Li Younan entered through the cockpit door. Liu Li wasn't in the co-pilot's seat; she entered the living quarters through the connecting room door.

At this moment, Liu Li was putting her luggage into the cabinet, sitting obediently on the sofa, and fastening her seatbelt.

I have to give credit to this electromagnetic suspension system. Because of it, even on bumpy roads, as long as it's not an extreme off-road section, you can barely feel anything inside the car. It's like sitting in a maglev train. So even if there are cups or tea sets on the table, they won't be shaken off.

When Li Younan went in, Liu Li had just fastened her seatbelt and was fiddling with the small water outlet on the table that could dispense water—it was connected to the purification system and could dispense water directly for making tea.

When Li Younan came in, she withdrew her hand shyly.

Seeing this, Li Younan couldn't help but laugh: "Are you just going to stay in here?"

Liu Li hesitated for a moment. To be honest, staying in this RV was really safe and secure. The windows were double-layered, which could completely block out the light. If you didn't open them from the inside, it would be a completely enclosed space.

She hesitated for a moment, then silently unbuckled her seatbelt: "I...I'll go with you to the front."

As Liu Li entered through the connecting hatch, she saw her brother still standing there through the glass window and gave him a slight smile.

Li Younan didn't intend to give the brother and sister any more opportunities for tenderness and mushy moments. He started the car, the diesel engine roared, and finally drove away.

Liu Yu stood there, silently watching the RV drive away, her gaze following it for a long time.

Passersby thought he looked all alone.

A kind-hearted older woman patted Liu Yu on the shoulder and said with a smile, "Your brother-in-law looks like a nice young man."

Liu Yu's lips twitched slightly, but she ultimately didn't explain anything.

……

For most people, riding in a truck is an extremely rare experience.

In fact, Li Younan had never ridden in such a large vehicle before purchasing this Unimog RV.

Liu Li, who rarely goes out, has never had this experience.

Inside the car, she looked around curiously.

It's worth mentioning that while the Unimog's cockpit isn't exactly luxurious, its 2.4-meter width makes it very spacious. Li Younan also upgraded the interior and seats, since he spends a significant amount of time in the driver's seat.

The passenger seat is as comfortable as a sofa.

Liu Li still seemed to be caught up in her excitement, her gaze darting back and forth between the instruments and equipment inside the car, occasionally revealing a look of curiosity and doubt.

Li Younan chuckled and said, "Ask whatever you want."

Liu Li shook her head, thought for a moment, and then took out her phone to film Li Younan: "Let me film you."

Li Younan nodded: "OK, no problem."

"What is this thing?"

"This is the lighting controller. There's a row of high-powered spotlights on the front of the vehicle, you see? They'll be very useful in the wild."

"Oh, what about this one?"

"This is a vehicle-mounted radio. Even in remote areas with no signal, the radio can still make contact with the outside world. Of course, you need an operator's license to operate it."

"Then do you have it?"

"Me? I'm top-notch."

"You're not being modest at all, hehe."

After a brief chat, Liu Li's slight tension eased.

Li Younan drove to Sam's Club, where everything was sold in large packages, making it a good place to stock up on supplies.

His refrigerator was empty before he set off this time. To ensure the freshness of the ingredients, he planned to buy them in bulk on the day of his departure.

It's a little disappointing that Liu Li doesn't plan to get off the bus.

When Li Younan got out of the car, she went into the living area at the back.

Li Younan said, "Okay then, you rest for a while, I'll be back soon."

Liu Li nodded, but hesitated again just as Li Younan was about to leave.

Li Younan asked, "What's wrong?"

"Um... make sure the door is locked."

Li Younan blinked and nodded.

After Li Younan left, Liu Li sat on the sofa in a daze for a while. Thinking about it, she couldn't help but laugh. She then ran to the lift bed in the back, recalling how Li Younan had operated it last time. She pressed the button to lower the bed and then climbed on it.

I took off my shoes and rolled around on the soft mattress.

There was also a small window on the side of the bed. She opened the blackout panel a crack, lay on the bed, and looked outside through the crack in the window.

This is the underground parking lot of Sam's Club. Customers are pushing their shopping carts to their cars. Most of them look like families, and there are also some young parents pushing strollers.

As she watched, for some reason, her mood improved, and she hooked her long legs up and swayed them gently.

……

Meanwhile, Li Younan entered the supermarket. His goal for the day was clear: to buy fresh food.

He bought a large amount of beef, pork, seafood, vegetables, rice, milk, drinks, and a little beer, filling his shopping cart to the brim.

This food is enough to feed a family of three for ten to fifteen days, and with the appetites of myself and Liu Li, it might last even longer.

After bringing all the supplies back, when Li Younan got into the car, Liu Li had already raised the bed and was sitting in the work area, curiously fiddling with the electronic products.

When she saw him come in, her face flushed slightly again.

Li Younan pretended not to see and began to pack the supplies into categories.

At this point, his refrigerator was already packed full, and some supplies that did not need refrigeration were also placed in their respective storage compartments.

After finishing all that, it was already past lunchtime.

Li Younan said, "We'll get on the highway later and find a service area to have a quick lunch. I bought some bento boxes that can be heated in the microwave. We'll cook a proper meal when we get to Ya'an."

Liu Li nodded and said, "Okay, I'll do whatever you say."

Liu Li had a gentle smile on her face and spoke in a soft, sweet tone, which made Li Younan momentarily lose his composure.

A phrase suddenly popped into his mind: gentle and soft like jade.

He touched his nose: "Alright, let's continue on our way."

The car first stopped at the first service area shortly after entering the highway, where Li Younan needed to fill up the fuel and coolant tanks.

While he was busy refueling, Liu Li put two bento boxes in the microwave to heat them up, waiting for Li Younan to come in and eat.

Filling the clean water tank is not a quick process, as its capacity is surprisingly large. The whole process takes nearly half an hour, which is just enough time to eat.

While eating, I naturally turned on the TV and found a show to watch.

Although this wasn't the first time Li Younan had eaten with Liu Li, for some reason, he found Liu Li's eating manners very beautiful, so much so that he couldn't help but take a few more glances.

Noticing Li Younan's gaze, Liu Li thought there was something dirty on her face and touched her cheek: "What's wrong?"

Li Younan said with a half-smile, "What's wrong?"

"Are you looking at me?"

How did you know I was watching you?

"I……"

Liu Li was immediately startled. Wasn't this an indirect admission that she was also secretly watching Li Younan?

She lowered her head, put the spoon in her mouth, and said seriously, "A girl's sixth sense."

Li Younan laughed heartily: "Then can your sixth sense tell me what I'm thinking right now?"

Thinking of me?

"Ha, you guessed it."

"!?"

Li Younan stood up, cleaned up his finished lunchbox and trash, and slowly headed towards the cockpit.

The feeling of teasing a young girl... well, you'll know once you experience it.

The girl turned around and smiled at Li Youran's back, her cheeks puffed out and a little hot, lost in thought.

……

From Chengdu to Ya'an, the 318 self-driving base camp, you can take the highway the whole way, so generally speaking, this route is not troublesome. However, the scenery is just so-so; on the highway, basically everywhere looks the same.

JK Long sat in the passenger seat, wearing a seatbelt.

By this time, she had gradually lost the nervousness and excitement she had felt when she first got on the bus, but she was still very happy, leaning back in her seat and quietly looking outside.

On the way, Li Younan naturally explained in detail the plans and arrangements for the trip: "The 318 is a route into Tibet. Our first stage is to appreciate the scenery of the western Sichuan plateau, starting from Ya'an. Ya'an is close to Ganzi and Aba, but it is closer to Ganzi. We will rest at the 318 campsite in Ya'an today, and tomorrow we will go to Luding."

The car arrived in YA City in about two and a half hours. If it were a regular sedan, the time would probably be even shorter.

In general, even if it's already mid-March, it's not a typical time to travel to Tibet. After all, it's still quite cold in the plateau region at this time of year, as it's the transition from winter to spring, and there might even be snow in high-altitude areas... although the valleys at lower altitudes are already starting to warm up.

Therefore, the traffic on the road was not as heavy as one might expect.

The car arrived at the 318 campsite, a must-visit spot for every driver on the 318 highway. It features the 318 Cultural Experience Hall and a public campsite with excellent infrastructure.

When Li Younan's car arrived, there were already some cars parked there. Of course, at a glance, most of the cars driving on the 318 were family cars, with SUVs being the most numerous. There were several domestically produced tank-style off-road vehicles with signs that read "You must drive the 318 in your lifetime."

What was most surprising was that there was a Wuling Hongguang minivan in the campsite.

Besides these family cars, there are only two motorhomes, both of which are modified from Ford chassis. Naturally, these motorhomes that are allowed on the road are all qualified.

Li Younan's RV, which resembled a Rolls-Royce, unsurprisingly attracted a lot of attention when it arrived at the campsite.

As Li Younan parked the car, Liu Li, who had slept for the rest of the journey, woke up and stretched, asking, "Have we arrived?"

Li Younan nodded: "We've arrived."

He glanced at the time; it wasn't too late, only around 4 p.m. However, since it was mid-March, the days were generally short, and there were only two or three hours left until dark.

Liu Li went into the living area because she felt that some people were walking towards the driver's seat of the car, which made her feel a little uncomfortable.

After hesitating for a moment, she whispered to Li Younan, "Um, if they want to tour the RV, can we refuse?"

After saying this, she lowered her head somewhat embarrassedly, because she knew very well that when traveling, it wasn't unreasonable for someone to just want to take a look around.

If it weren't for him, Li Younan would definitely introduce himself to others in a very generous and natural way. Besides, he's an internet celebrity, so it's inevitable that he'll encounter fans on the street.

Li Younan chuckled and said, "Alright, let's allow others to come in and visit when you feel ready."

Having received Li Younan's affirmative reply, JK Long said apologetically, "I'm sorry, I... I've caused you trouble."

Li Younan paused for a moment, then gently tapped her head.

This sudden action startled Liu Li, because only her brother had ever done this to her.

Then she heard Li Younan say slowly, "Don't say things like 'it's troublesome' anymore."

Li Younan walked to the door, preparing to go downstairs, then turned back and smiled: "We're together... Our shared attitude is how we present ourselves to the outside world."

After saying that, Li Younan opened the door and got out of the car, then closed the door behind him.

Liu Li blinked and murmured, "A shared attitude..."

She pondered those words, her eyes flickering, lost in thought.

Sure enough, several tourists who were about to go on a trip were already standing next to his car, looking around and trying to strike up a conversation.

After a casual chat, everyone was quite friendly. Although some people suggested wanting to see the car, Li Younan readily replied, "Sorry, it's not convenient to do so in the car right now."

People were understanding about this.

When you refuse, you should be decisive and efficient.

Naturally, some fans recognized Li Younan; they were the young couple driving the Wuling minivan.

On this kind of journey, the proportion of people who follow Li Younan will be higher because they share the same interests, and the probability of encountering fans will increase as you travel to XZ.

This couple is quite surprising. They converted their van into a campervan and also make videos, which have made them quite famous online, with over 100,000 followers.

Although it's nothing compared to someone like Li Younan, the advertising deals they usually take on are enough to cover their expenses along the way.

The two warmly invited Li Younan to visit their campervan.

The driver and front passenger seats were intact, but all the seats in the back had been removed and insulated.

The car's space is limited after all. Apart from a bed and some cabinet storage space, there isn't much room for other things, but it's still quite complete.

The vehicle is equipped with a water tank of several tens of liters, and the young man modified it himself to include a sink, a foldable kitchen, a cutting board, and a worktable. However, overall, the space is still quite compact and cramped.

The couple set up a canopy and a small one, and cooked their meal underneath. It was a simple but very interesting travel experience.

However, Li Younan immediately noticed some drawbacks in the modifications to the car.

For example, relatively rough woodwork, with less tight joints and fits, may not be a big problem at the beginning, but once you get on the 318 highway, a few bad sections of road can easily make the wooden parts inside the car creak and groan.

For example, the car's heat insulation is probably not very good; it's just covered with a layer of insulation cotton. In this kind of weather, it will definitely be very cold on the 318 highway.

For example, if the vehicle's suspension and tires are not upgraded, its off-road capability will be somewhat poor.

Although the infrastructure on the 318 highway is now quite complete, it's better to be safe than sorry.

Li Younan didn't voice these thoughts. Since they hadn't asked for his advice, he shouldn't presume to offer suggestions.

Those minor issues aren't a big problem; we can always find a way to solve them if we take it slow.

Perhaps for them, solving those problems is also material for the video, which may not be a bad thing.

The couple really wanted to see Li Younan's car, but he politely declined. However, Li Younan did take them to see the external extension parts on his car.

Li Younan's car also had a sunroof that could be opened, as well as an outdoor kitchen kit that could be pulled out from a certain position on the chassis like a drawer. Inside, there was a multi-functional stove, an induction cooker, and a very spacious cutting board, which made the couple very envious.

However, they also know very well that Li Younan's current number of fans is not due to luck. Li Younan is extremely outstanding in every aspect, so there is no question of jealousy.

After chatting with the people around him and taking a stroll around the cultural center, Li Younan planned to return to his car. At that moment, Liu Li was preparing dinner.

She was slowly but very carefully chopping onions, potatoes, and lettuce into small cubes, while another glass bowl contained chicken that had already been mixed well.

When Li Younan came in, she smiled and said, "I'm making Kung Pao Chicken rice tonight. The rice is already cooked."

Li Younan nodded. Although he was a very good cook, for some reason, he was happy to eat Liu Li's cooking.

Liu Li's cooking seems to possess a wonderful, almost mystical, flavor.

While Liu Li was cooking, Li Younan carefully checked the car's condition again to ensure that there were no problems with the electrical system and the vehicle's body system.

Of course, Liu Li did not forget to film these events. Li Younan would appear in her videos, but she would not be in any shots of herself.

In fact, Li Younan had already posted a video explaining his vehicle's configuration in detail as soon as the car was modified.

The video went viral, after all, his vehicle perfectly embodies all the wonderful fantasies that ordinary people have about RV travel.

However, after officially setting off, Li Younan was not in a hurry to release a video.

His plan is to delay the release.

In other words, when you reach the next campsite, you post the video from the previous campsite, or you post the video from a few days ago a few days later.

This can prevent fans from deliberately seeking him out.

Li Younan still hopes that travel is a private matter.

As darkness fell, Li Younan and Liu Li ate dinner. Liu Li had calculated the portions of food very precisely, and there were no leftovers.

Li Younan took the initiative to clear the dishes, poured the little bit of food scraps into the toilet, and then washed the dishes.

For RV users, the biggest pain point is actually the disposal of the grey water tank.

Li Younan's grey water tank does not have any excrement issues, so it is relatively clean.

It's nothing more than water from washing clothes and dishes. Especially the wastewater from washing dishes doesn't contain any leftover food scraps or even a little bit of grease, as the detergent has already broken it down.

A 300-liter grey water tank can store a lot of wastewater. When it's full, you can simply find a drainpipe or discharge it in the wild without causing inconvenience to others.

Li Younan had considered all these aspects, and even now, while washing the dishes, he still felt very satisfied thinking about it.

Meanwhile, Liu Li uploaded the videos she had filmed that day to Li Younan's NAS.

A NAS can be understood as a dedicated network storage device designed for home or small team use. It can centrally store documents and data scattered across devices such as mobile phones, computers, and cameras, and allow direct access to this data at any time.

Installing a NAS on this RV can not only store the monitoring data of the entire vehicle, but also greatly improve the efficiency of Li Younan and Liu Li, who have video editing needs.

Afterwards, Liu Li threw herself into her work.

Since there were only two people's dishes and chopsticks, Li Younan cleaned up quickly. After finishing, she wiped her hands and strolled over to Liu Li's side to watch her edit the video.

Liu Li's fingers flew across the keyboard, switching between screens rapidly. Her dazzling movements appeared incredibly skillful, leaving a layperson completely baffled as to what she was doing.

Li Younan couldn't help but gasp in amazement: "Impressive, impressive."

Liu Li, who was focused on her work, had no time to pay attention to him.

Is she a serious girl...?

After watching for a while, Li Younan found it a bit boring, so he prepared to get off the bus and take another stroll.

At this time, some drivers had set up tents and were ready to rest, while others were sleeping directly in their cars.

The young couple I just saw were fixing a heating system; they looked like they were having some trouble.

Li Younan went over to take a look and saw that they were fretting over a diesel heater.

This diesel heater is different from the one in Li Younan's car. It is portable and works by physically burning diesel fuel to heat the ceramic discs inside the heater. The electric motor then heats the air and blows out hot air.

Diesel heaters are much more cost-effective heating devices than electric heaters, making them ideal for use in self-driving campers. Placing them outside the vehicle effectively prevents diesel exhaust fumes from entering, and they only burn two or three liters of diesel per night, making them very economical.

Li Younan glanced at it and immediately spotted the malfunction in the diesel heater.

His wife comforted him, saying, "It's okay, the two of us can squeeze together at night and it won't be so cold."

The young husband tugged at his hair in frustration: "It was working fine yesterday, what went wrong?"

"it's okay."

"No, I have to get it fixed."

Li Younan smiled and said, "Let me take a look."

The couple then looked at Li Younan.

At this point, they had no choice but to turn to Li Younan for help.

Li Younan checked it and found that it was indeed the problem he had guessed. He then took the tools from the car and helped fix their diesel heater.

When the heater was working again, the young couple thanked Li Younan profusely, which made Li Younan feel a little embarrassed, as it was just a small thing for him.

But for the couple, it meant warmth for the night.

As darkness fell, the weather outside indeed grew considerably colder.

Li Younan, wearing a leather jacket, also felt a little chilly.

When he returned to the RV, it was warm and cozy inside, and closing the door immediately shut out the cold outside.

Li Younan even had the illusion of coming home.

Liu Li had finished her work by now. She changed into a cute loungewear outfit, lowered the table in the booth, and turned the sofa into a bed, or even a larger sofa. She took off her shoes, sat cross-legged on it, held a game controller in her hand, and waved it at Li Younan twice: "Play games."

Seeing this, Li Younan was momentarily lost in thought.

A faint happiness spread through my heart.

The best thing I did on this trip... was probably bringing this girl along.

(End of this chapter)