He wants to adopt a younger sister, but his aloof wife disagrees.

When I left Shanghai, Jianghai City was still damp and cold with continuous rain, but when I arrived in Golmud, the world was just pure white and blue.

Kunlun Mountain, the ancestor of all mountains.

There are no legendary gods or monsters here, nor any eerie ghost soldiers passing through. What you find here is only the most breathtakingly beautiful scenery sculpted by nature, and the profound awe and sense of insignificance that humans feel when facing these majestic snow-capped mountains.

This time, Jiang Che didn't bring the intimidating "Shadow" guard team. He only brought Han Xiao and two of his most trusted assistants to handle driving and logistics.

They weren't driving armored vehicles, but three top-of-the-line MAN 8x8 off-road motorhomes. These behemoths, dubbed "Doomsday Arks," offer comfort akin to mobile castles. The interiors are temperature and humidity controlled, equipped with a state-of-the-art kitchen, bathroom, and oversized soft beds, even featuring a small karaoke system.

Rather than an adventure or mystery-hunting trip, this was more of an ultra-luxurious road trip spanning most of China.

……

At four o'clock in the afternoon, on the outskirts of Nalenggele Canyon (commonly known as "Death Valley").

The setting sun painted the snow-capped mountains a breathtaking golden-red hue. The convoy slowly came to a stop on a sheltered alpine meadow. At an altitude of 3800 meters, the view was expansive, with snow-capped mountains as a backdrop and a winding glacier as a backdrop—a scene of unparalleled beauty, like an oil painting.

"Wow! This place is so beautiful!"

As soon as the car door opened, Su Xiaoruan jumped out, wrapped in a thick white down jacket. She wore fluffy rabbit earmuffs and snow boots, her feet crunching softly on the snow.

"Brother! Sister! Come quick! There's a wild donkey! And what's that... that thing that looks like a cow?"

Jiang Che took Shen Qingge's hand and slowly stepped out of the car.

Shen Qingge wore a burgundy parka with a fluffy silver fox fur collar, which made her face appear tiny, and her skin glowed white in the snow. She took a deep breath of the crisp, fresh air, feeling as if all the stale air in her chest had been washed away.

"That's a Tibetan wild ass, that's a wild yak."

Jiang Che smiled and explained, reaching out to help Shen Qingge tighten her scarf: "Don't run too fast, the altitude here is high, be careful of oxygen deprivation."

"I'm not afraid! I have the Rhodiola rosea water my brother gave me!" Su Xiaoruan excitedly grabbed a handful of snow, rolled it into a ball, and, taking advantage of Han Xiao's inattention, "smack!" on his back. "Assistant Han! Take this!"

Han Xiao was busy directing parking when he was hit squarely. He looked helplessly at his little princess, who was worth hundreds of billions, and said, "Miss, can you stop messing around? I still need to set up the tent."

"Hmph, boring adults." Su Xiaoruan made a face and ran off to wreak havoc on the withered grass by the roadside.

Shen Qingge watched this scene, and the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up. She turned to look at Jiang Che, her eyes full of tenderness: "Jiang Che, thank you."

"What are you thanking me for?"

"Thank you for bringing me here." Shen Qingge leaned on his shoulder, looking at the golden mountains in the distance. "I used to think that happiness only came from winning at the negotiating table. But now I feel that being able to stand like this under the snow-capped mountains, watching the sunset with you, is what it means to truly be alive."

"Is that all you're satisfied with?"

Jiang Che reached out and gently pinched her nose, his eyes filled with doting affection.

"This is just the beginning. Once we find that 'coordinate,' and put our minds at ease, we will truly be free."

"Then, we can travel the world, or we can go back to Jianghai and live our quiet life. If you want to work, go to the company and yell at people; if you don't want to work, just stay home and pet the cat. How about that?"

"Sounds good," Shen Qingge smiled. "And what about you? What do you do?"

"Me?" Jiang Che raised an eyebrow. "Of course I'll continue to be a kept man. I'll cook for you every day, drive you to and from get off work, and by the way..."

He leaned close to Shen Qingge's ear, his voice low and suggestive:

"Incidentally, dedicate yourself to the great cause of human reproduction."

"You rascal!" Shen Qingge blushed and playfully punched him, but her body betrayed her by snuggling closer into his arms.

……

As night fell, the temperature plummeted.

But inside the starry sky tent set up outside the RV, it was warm and cozy.

A huge kerosene heater radiated heat, and thick wool mats were spread on the carpet. Jiang Che was busy at a folding table.

In this freezing weather, nothing is more comforting than a steaming bowl of traditional Beijing-style hot pot.

The clear broth in the copper pot was bubbling away, made with mineral water, scallions, ginger slices, red dates, and goji berries, which best complemented the deliciousness of the mutton.

The table was filled with thinly sliced ​​Sunite mutton rolls, hand-cut fresh mutton, tripe, honeycomb tripe, frozen tofu, and Jiang Che's specially made sesame sauce—chive blossom sauce, fermented bean curd sauce, and chili oil, topped with a spoonful of freshly fried Sichuan peppercorn oil. The aroma was simply amazing.

"Dinner's ready!"

At Jiang Che's command, Su Xiaoruan, who was already starving, immediately picked up her chopsticks.

"I want meat! I want meat!"

Su Xiaoruan picked up a large piece of mutton with her chopsticks, dipped it in the pot for a few seconds, and as soon as it changed color, she took it out, coated it thoroughly in the sesame sauce, and stuffed it into her mouth.

"Ugh—!!!"

Su Xiaoruan squinted her eyes happily and mumbled, "It's so delicious... Is this the taste of heaven?"

Shen Qingge ate rather elegantly, but she didn't eat slowly. This kind of high-calorie food in extremely cold environments can bring great satisfaction.

"Eat slowly, there's still plenty left." Jiang Che poured Shen Qingge a cup of warm Shaoxing wine while cooking meat for the two of them. "Have some wine to warm yourself up."

Outside the tent, the wind and snow howled; inside, a bubbling hot pot and the smiling face of a loved one filled the space.

At this moment, nothing matters anymore—not even billions in assets or family feuds.

After a hearty meal and drinks.

Han Xiao and her assistants went back to another car to rest.

Jiang Che, Shen Qingge, and Su Xiaoruan squeezed into the largest RV.

The car has a huge panoramic sunroof.

The three of them lay on the large bed (there was nothing romantic about it, just a cozy "family of three" setting), covered with thick down comforters, looking up at the dazzling Milky Way overhead, which seemed almost within reach.

The starry sky over the plateau is so pristine it makes you want to cry.

"Brother," Su Xiaoruan said, squeezing between the two of them, her voice sounding sleepy, "Will we be able to find that place tomorrow?"

"Mmm," Jiang Che replied softly.

"Could there be...treasure?"

"Maybe." Jiang Che patted her head. "But for me, the greatest treasure is right beside me right now."

Su Xiaoruan chuckled, hugged Jiang Che's arm and rubbed against it, and soon began to breathe evenly.

Shen Qingge stepped past Su Xiaoruan and grasped Jiang Che's hand.

"Can't sleep?" Jiang Che turned to look at her.

"I'm a little nervous," Shen Qingge admitted. "That longevity lock... can it really unlock the secret left by your mother?"

"Whatever it is, it's time to come to an end."

Jiang Che gazed at the starry sky, his eyes calm:

"Go to sleep. Tomorrow, everything will be clear."

……

noon the next day.

The convoy has arrived at the coordinates.

This is not some treacherous wasteland, nor is it the legendary terrifying thunderstorm zone.

This is a small, sheltered, and sunny valley hidden deep in a canyon.

Surprisingly, deep in this desolate plateau, there stands a... small wooden house.

Although the wooden house is somewhat dilapidated, with many roof tiles missing, its overall structure remains intact. Even the open space in front of the house is surrounded by a fence overgrown with withered yellow weeds, faintly revealing traces of someone who once lived there.

"This is... those coordinates?"

Shen Qingge looked at the simple little house in surprise. She had originally thought it would be some mysterious underground palace or ancient ruins, but she never expected it to be so full of life.

"This is it."

Jiang Che's heart raced. The longevity lock hanging around his neck, though it didn't emit light or heat (a trope in fantasy novels), he could feel that this was the end.

"Han Xiao, you guys stay outside and keep watch."

Jiang Che took a deep breath, took Shen Qingge's hand, and led Su Xiaoruan to push open the wooden door that had been sealed for twenty years.

"Squeak—"

The wooden door made a dull thud.

The room was simply furnished, yet cozy. There was a wooden bed, a desk, a bookshelf, and an old-fashioned fireplace in the corner.

Although covered in dust, everything was arranged neatly.

Several paintings hang on the wall, all depicting the scenery of Kunlun Mountain, with delicate and gentle brushstrokes.

On the desk sat a rusty tin biscuit box.

That box was exactly the same as the candy box that Jiang Che remembered the orphanage used to hold.

Jiang Che walked over, his hands trembling, and picked up the box.

A small brass lock hung on the box.

No blood oath is needed, nor are any complicated passwords.

Jiang Che took off the longevity lock from his neck, aligned the seemingly decorative tip on the lock head with the keyhole of the brass lock, and gently poked it in.

"Click".

The lock is open.

Everything was so simple and unadorned, yet so heartbreaking.

Jiang Che opened the box.

There was no gold or silver treasure, no peerless martial arts manual, and no earth-shattering secret that would shock the world.

Inside was only a thick diary, a few yellowed photos, and a pair of tiger-head shoes.

Those are tiger-head shoes for babies.

The stitches are fine and dense, each stitch reflecting a mother's love.

Jiang Che picked up the diary and opened it to the first page.

The handwriting is elegant and refined, exuding a scholarly air.

"In early spring of 1998, I left that suffocating capital city, and that cowardly man. I didn't want my child to be born into that kind of calculating and indifferent wealthy family. I wanted to take him to see the world, to see snow-capped mountains, to see grasslands..."

"In the summer of 1998, I came to the Kunlun Mountains. The herders here were very kind and took me in. I named my unborn baby 'Che,' hoping he would be as clear and free as the snowmelt from the mountaintop."

"In the winter of 1998, Che'er was born. He cried loudly and was a strong little boy. I made these tiger-head shoes for him, hoping that he would grow up healthy like a little tiger."

……

The diary is not long; it records some trivial daily events.

My mother was neither a descendant of a reclusive family nor a master with extraordinary skills.

She was just an ordinary woman who saw through the hypocrisy of the wealthy and longed for freedom and love.

Back then, she wasn't forced by the Song family. Rather, she chose to live in anonymity to protect the unborn child affected by the power struggle within the wealthy family. She spent the last and most peaceful time of her life in this secluded place.

Later, a sudden blizzard, coupled with postpartum weakness, caused her to fall ill.

In the final moments of her life, she entrusted her child to a passing expedition (who was later transferred to an orphanage), while she herself remained forever on the land she loved so dearly.

The last page of the diary contained only one sentence:

"Che'er, I don't ask you to be rich or powerful, nor do I ask you to seek revenge. I only hope that you will never be swayed by desires, to love someone who is worthy of your love, and to live the life you want to live. Peace and joy."

Below those words was a photograph.

In the photo, a young mother is holding her swaddled baby, sitting on the grass in front of a wooden house, smiling so brightly and gently.

On the back of the photo, there was a line of small print:

"Leave this to my daughter-in-law: If this brat dares to bully you, you beat him up for me."

Upon seeing this sentence, Shen Qingge's tears instantly burst forth.

She covered her mouth, trying not to cry out, but her shoulders trembled uncontrollably.

Jiang Che clutched the diary tightly and closed his eyes.

Two streams of hot tears slid down his cheeks.

There is no earth-shattering conspiracy, no complicated background.

He had only one mother who wove a dream of "love and freedom" for him with her life.

So, this is the truth.

That is also the best truth.

"mom……"

Jiang Che called out softly in his heart.

"I did it."

"I've found someone worthy of my love."

"I'm living the life I've always wanted."

Don't worry.

a long time.

Jiang Che opened his eyes, his gaze becoming clearer and gentler than ever before.

He took out the tiger-head shoes and handed them to Shen Qingge: "This is the 'imperial sword' that Mom gave you."

Shen Qingge took the tiny shoes, held them carefully in her hands, and smiled through her tears: "Well, if you dare to disobey in the future, I'll use this 'family discipline' to punish you."

Su Xiaoruan leaned closer, looked at the photo, and sniffed: "Auntie is so beautiful... Brother, your eyes look like Auntie's."

"yes."

Jiang Che closed the box again and carefully put it into his arms.

"Let's go."

Jiang Che looked around the little wooden house, as if trying to etch everything about it into his mind.

"Let's go home."

"Back...to my real home."

……

The weather was exceptionally good when we left Kunlun Mountain.

The snowstorm stopped, and the sunlight shone on the snow-capped mountains, casting golden rays.

The atmosphere inside the RV is relaxed and cozy.

"Brother, where are we going next?" Su Xiaoruan leaned against the window, watching the snow-capped mountains gradually disappear into the distance.

"Return to Jianghai."

Jiang Che said as he drove:

"The company just went public, and there's a ton of stuff to take care of. Besides..."

He glanced at Shen Qingge in the passenger seat, his eyes softening.

"Our new house should be renovated by now."

"A new house?" Su Xiaoruan's eyes lit up. "Is it bigger than Tomson Riviera?"

"It's big." Jiang Che smiled. "That's a 'manor' we built ourselves in the center of Jianghai City."

"There you'll find the private cinema you wanted, the large garden Qingge desired, and more..."

"There's also a big kitchen, enough for me to cook for you for the rest of my life."

"Great! I want the biggest room!" Su Xiaoruan cheered.

Shen Qingge looked at the fleeting scenery outside the window, her hand gently placed on her lower abdomen (she wasn't pregnant, it was just a subconscious action), her heart filled with anticipation.

The Kunlun trip has come to an end.

Everything from the past, whether it was the grudges of the Ye family or the mystery of his origins, was left behind forever with that heavy snow.