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

Chapter 75 Camping Trip Under the Stars

Li Younan finished the contract and sent it to JK Long. JK Long confirmed that there were no problems, so Li Younan asked him to send the signed contract to his home so that his mother could receive it on his behalf.

After finishing these tasks, he continued on his way.

For Li Younan, Anhui is a very interesting province.

This province has a very low profile. Li Younan thought for a moment, but couldn't think of anything representative about it.

Just like how thinking of Sichuan evokes images of pandas, Hainan of beaches, and Zhejiang of West Lake, when people first hear the word "Anhui," they can't even recall what their TV station's logo looks like.

But when Huangshan is mentioned, the text I learned in elementary school immediately comes to mind: Feilai Peak, Monkey Watching the Sea of ​​Clouds, Bright Summit, Welcoming Pine. Both the descriptive sentences and the accompanying photos are vivid in my memory.

However, when the words Huangshan and Anhui are combined, I was confused: "Oh, so Huangshan is in Anhui?"

After setting off from Ningbo, Li Younan did not rush to get there, but instead walked slowly and deliberately.

During the trip, he also had a custom-made mattress installed. This mattress is foldable and can be stored in a drawer under the trunk when not in use, taking up virtually no space.

Before leaving Zhejiang, Li Younan bought a small folding table and two chairs, which he folded up and put in the trunk. At this point, his trunk already had a portable gas stove, a table and chairs, and a sunshade and rain shelter, but it didn't take up much space.

Snacks and daily necessities are put in the drawer, which not only saves space but also prevents them from moving around and making noise in the car.

Li Younan was very satisfied with the clean and orderly interior space of the car.

After a leisurely three-day, two-night journey, they finally arrived in Anhui. Upon entering Anhui, Li Younan did not rush to Huangshan, but instead set his sights on a place called Huangjian Stargazing Camping Site.

Huangjian is a township nestled among mountains and forests. It's not a popular tourist destination; it's surprisingly niche.

Before officially driving in, Li Younan went to buy some more supplies, mainly food.

With the steering wheel in my hands, the road from Zhejiang was relatively smooth. The afternoon sun slanted through the car windows, making my arms feel a little hot. The Land Cruiser steadily climbed the last stretch of mountain road leading to Huangjian Township.

The cement road is narrow and has many bends, so be careful when passing other vehicles.

Li Younan's driving skills weren't very good; he always drove very slowly when passing other cars. Outside the window, the mountains grew deeper and the trees denser, the dust swirling in the beams of sunlight.

Turn off the air conditioner and roll down all the car windows. The mountain breeze immediately rushes in, carrying the scent of plants and the tireless chirping of cicadas in waves.

When we arrived in the countryside, the place was not big, and the houses were built along the mountainside, rising and falling.

Around three or four in the afternoon, the sun was still bright, but the shadows of the mountains had already slowly crept up onto some of the house corners.

Li Younan's plan was to stay overnight at the campsite.

This is the perfect time to go up.

Strings of dried bamboo shoots hung under the eaves of houses along the roadside, swaying gently in the wind.

Several elderly people sat on small bamboo chairs by the door, fanning themselves with palm-leaf fans, watching Li Younan's car slowly drive by.

Li Younan found an open space to park and turned off the car. With the engine stopped, the surrounding sounds became clearer.

A few barks of dogs in the distance, cicadas chirping in the trees nearby, and the rustling of leaves in the wind.

After getting off the car, Li Younan's legs were a little stiff. He stretched and breathed in the cool air, which smelled of mountains and trees.

We need to ask for specific directions to the campsite.

He approached an old woman fanning herself and asked for directions. The old woman was very enthusiastic and gestured to Li Younan in heavily accented Mandarin, pointing to a higher mountain in the distance: "Just follow that road uphill until you see a flat area, that's it. It's very cool there, but it seems like there's no one here today."

It's fine if there's no one else around; it's peaceful.

After thanking the old woman, I started the car again and continued climbing in the direction she pointed out.

The road became narrower and had more gravel, but fortunately the Land Cruiser handled it without difficulty.

After driving for about ten minutes and rounding a sharp bend, the view suddenly opened up before us. A fairly large, flat area in a mountain hollow, covered in lush green grass, surrounded by taller, denser trees. Since it wasn't peak tourist season or a weekend, there were no other cars or people at the campsite.

Li Younan found a corner with a good view, parked the car, opened the trunk, and took out the chairs, table, and canopy.

No rush, take your time. Find a level surface, set up the canopy, thread the poles through, and drive in the ground stakes.

The mountain wind was blowing, and the sun was shining on my back, making it a little hot, but as soon as it stopped, the wind came and it cooled me down.

Li Younan didn't buy a tent. He preferred sleeping in his car because it made him feel safer and more comfortable.

The only drawback is that the Land Cruiser is, after all, a gasoline-powered vehicle, so it can't run the air conditioning all night. In particularly cold or hot weather, the experience is not as good as some hybrid vehicles.

Fortunately, there are solutions. For example, in winter you can bring a down sleeping bag and two hand warmers to keep warm. In summer... it's not usually too hot outdoors. If all else fails, you can bring a small shopkeeper and a small fan to make do.

It's alright, Li Younan doesn't need it for the time being.

……

A cool breeze blew from the top of Huangjian Mountain, gently patting the edges of the sky. Li Younan propped up the last folding chair next to the table, placed the portable gas stove steadily on the stone stool, and arranged the matching small pot next to it.

The food container was filled with sliced ​​cured pork that I had just bought nearby, bright green bok choy, tender tofu mixed with sauce, and a large bottle of mineral water, all waiting to be boiled.

The sun sank a little further behind the mountain ridge, and the light turned into a deeper gold.

It's time to start a fire and cook.

Li Younan squatted next to the portable gas stove, turned on the gas valve, and went to press the ignition switch.

"Click," a crisp sound, but the stove remained motionless. Press again, "click," press a few more times, "click...click...click..." Only this monotonous sound echoed in the empty mountaintop.

Li Younan picked it up and looked at the tiny ignition needle against the light.

Ugh, this is really troublesome.

Li Younan doesn't usually smoke, and after searching the car thoroughly, he couldn't find a lighter or anything else that could even produce a spark.

I looked around, but there was nothing there.

On the entire hilltop, Li Younan was the only one, along with a pot waiting to be lit.

Li Younan leaned back in the folding chair, which made a slight creaking sound.

Looking at the cold vent on the stove, and then at the glistening cured meat and fresh vegetables in the food container next to it, my stomach growled softly at just the right moment.

The scenery is still beautiful.

But the pot is cold.

Li Younan remained seated, tapping his fingers lightly on his knees as he gazed at the pile of raw, cold ingredients and the silent stove.

Difficult to handle.

Just then, on the dirt road at the foot of the mountain, a pink dot was moving in the distance.

That color was very eye-catching in the mountains.

It slowly climbed up the road, sometimes blocked by trees, and then reappeared after a while, getting closer and closer to this side.

Li Younan squinted at it. It was a very small car, brightly colored. It drove slowly, struggling a bit to climb hills. The engine sound was barely audible.

The pink car finally climbed to a place with a clear view and drove towards us.

(End of this chapter)