Baoshi Mountain

Back in the dorm, Zhang Hupan of course faced a barrage of intense questioning. While Hu Zhiming and the others noticed the military jeep parked outside the dorm, fortunately, they couldn't make out the license plate. Otherwise, with such a distinctive plate, Zhang Hupan wouldn't have been able to explain it away as just a friend from his hometown. It was also possible that Chen Jiaying and the others' male identities played a role. If they had been women, they would have been scrutinized down to their great-great-grandparents even if they had just walked over, let alone arrived in a military jeep.

In the following days, some strange things happened. Although these events were insignificant compared to international news, they were quite sensational for the people of Hangzhou. Xiasha's well-known Songxia Japanese-funded Enterprise was ordered to cease production. This was the first time such a bizarre incident had occurred in Hangzhou. China was currently promoting investment and attracting foreign capital everywhere, especially for internationally renowned enterprises like Songxia. The Hangzhou government usually went out of its way to protect them, so how could they have done something so out of line? However, this incident allowed local enterprises, which had always envied the preferential treatment given to foreign companies, to vent their frustrations.

Meanwhile, in Tokyo, Japan, Nakata Shimo-i, the head of Japan's Seikon Department, was sweating profusely as he received a furious reprimand from the Japanese Prime Minister, Koizumi. He kept nodding his shriveled, bald head, saying, "Hai! Hai!" Perhaps Koizumi grew tired of scolding him, rubbed his temples, and then waved his hand, lost in thought about how to negotiate with the Chinese government. Nakata Shimo-i felt as if he had received a great pardon and hurriedly took his leave. Upon arriving at the headquarters of the Seikon Department, he furiously found a female ninja to vent his anger. Japan is such a despicable nation. Towards those in power, they act like dogs, but towards those beneath them, they act like wolves!

In November, the Hangzhou mornings were already showing a slight chill. It was Saturday, and Zhang Hupan rode his bicycle to Liu Xizhen's house very early. Liu Xizhen lived in a two-story detached villa on South Mountain Road, not far from the bar.

Liu Xizhen had asked Zhang Hupan to climb Baoshi Mountain with her the previous night. When a beauty invites, Zhang Hupan wouldn't dare refuse. So, he rushed to Liu Xizhen's house early in the morning.

When Zhang Hupan arrived at Liu Xizhen's antique-style detached villa, he found Liu Xizhen already waiting for him at the entrance, her beautiful eyes occasionally flashing with a hint of anxiety and anticipation, like a young girl on her first date with the prince of her dreams. However, compared to the hundred-year-old Zhang Hupan, Liu Xizhen could indeed only be considered a young girl. But Zhang Hupan, who had already seamlessly entered his role as an ordinary person, didn't realize he was already a hundred-year-old ox! Perhaps considering they were going hiking, Liu Xizhen was wearing a very casual white Nike tracksuit and white sneakers. It was just strange that Liu Feifei wasn't there. Dressed all in white, combined with her tender, fair skin and youthful, vibrant appearance, Zhang Hupan stared at Liu Xizhen blankly, as if he had seen Snow White from a fairy tale. Although Liu Xizhen had weathered many storms and was now the mother of a daughter, for some reason, in front of Zhang Hupan, she always felt like a young girl. Now, as Zhang Hupan looked at her like this, she, a strong woman, actually showed the shy expression unique to a young woman. She glared at Zhang Hupan coquettishly and said with a playful pout, "What are you looking at? Haven't you ever seen a beautiful woman before?"

Hearing her crisp, sweet exclamation, Zhang Hupan finally woke up as if from a dream and awkwardly parked his bicycle in the yard. Then he asked curiously, "Where's our adorable little Feifei?"

"Feifei is staying at her piano teacher's house for the past two days to practice piano, so it's just the two of us going hiking," Liu Xizhen said. As she spoke, she seemed to remember something and glared at Zhang Hupan angrily, asking, "Are you not interested in accompanying this old woman like me!"

"That's a colossal injustice! To be able to climb Baoshi Mountain with a beauty like you, Sister Xizhen, is a blessing that my ancestors for generations couldn't have accumulated. Old? Sister Xizhen, do you feel old? I see many people looking at me with the intention of an old cow eating young grass. Please, dress a bit more maturely in the future, okay? Don't let me be misunderstood!" Zhang Hupan's exaggerated words and expressions made Liu Xizhen purse her lips and giggle incessantly, causing passersby to cast sideways glances. Of course, the passersby's gazes didn't convey the meaning of an old cow eating young grass, but they definitely implied a beautiful flower stuck in cow dung, which made Zhang Hupan grimace.

Baoshi Liuxia is located on Baoshi Mountain on the northern shore of West Lake. It was originally named Shimu Mountain and was also called Baoshu Mountain, Baosuo Mountain, Shizeng Mountain, Jushi Mountain, and Gutao Mountain. The mountain is rich in strange rocks, including Yiyun Stone, Tunxia Stone, Fengxiang Stone, and Luoxing Stone. King Qian Feng of Wuyue later named the latter Shouxing Stone. The mountain body is composed of volcanic rocks like tuff and rhyolite. When sunlight shines on it, its color resembles jade and agate, hence the name "Baoshi Mountain." Especially during the early morning glow or the afterglow of sunset, the elegant Baoshu Pagoda and the purplish-brown mountain rocks present a charming scene of misty light and colorful clouds, giving it the name "Baoshi Liuxia."

Baoshi Mountain is famous for its peculiar rocks. Ascending to the summit, next to the Baoshu Pagoda, there is Laifeng Pavilion, also known as 'Baoshi Feng Pavilion,' which is one of the eighteen scenes of Qiantang in the Qing Dynasty. Beside the pavilion, on the mountain rock, there is an oval giant stone about two to three meters long. Because its lower part is detached from the mountain rock, it is precariously balanced, as if it fell from the sky, and is popularly known as Luoxing Stone. King Qian Yu of Wuyue once conferred it the title of Shouxing Stone. Nearby is Kansong Terrace, inscribed with the characters 'Tunxia.' Legend has it that Qian Yu admired the undulating landscape of pine trees here. In the sunlight, the rocks shimmered like accumulated colorful clouds, hence the name Tunxia Stone. To the west of Laifeng Pavilion is a cave called Chuanzheng Cave. Beyond Chuanzheng Cave, there is a stone gorge about 10 meters long and less than 1 meter wide, with sheer rock walls on both sides. Legend says it was a path that Qian Yu kicked open with his foot, named 'Dengkai Ridge.' The peak of Baoshi Mountain is Shizi Peak, with steep terrain and towering giant rocks, known as 'the ambition of a single peak.' On the southern foot of the mountain, there is also a 'Qin Huang Xi Lan Stone,' which tells of the year 210 AD when Qin Shi Huang, on his southern tour to Kuaiji Commandery to worship Dayu, sailed here. Due to the strong winds and high waves at the mouth of the Qiantang River, he anchored at the foot of Baoshi Mountain and tied the ship's cable to the stone.

On Baoshi Mountain, there is also Geling Hill, with its highest point at an altitude of 125 meters. Legend has it that Ge Hong of the Jin Dynasty refined elixirs here. The hill features the famous Baopu Taoist Temple, the Alchemy Platform, the Alchemy Well, and Chuyang Terrace, among other historical sites. Chuyang Terrace is located at the highest point of Geling Hill and is a two-story stone pavilion, a prime spot for watching the sunrise. In the Yuan Dynasty, 'Geling Chaotun' was one of the ten scenes of Qiantang.

To ascend Baoshi Mountain, it is generally more convenient to start from North Mountain Road or Geling Hill. The main attraction of Baoshi Mountain is the Baoshu Pagoda, a six-sided, seven-story solid brick pagoda, 45.3 meters high. It was first built during the Kaibao era of the Northern Song Dynasty. It was erected by Wu Yanshuang, the maternal uncle of King Qian Hongshu of Wuyue, to pray for his safe return when Qian Hongshu was summoned to the capital, hence the name Baoshu Pagoda. The current pagoda was rebuilt in 1933. The pagoda's body is slender and elegant, like a beautiful woman standing gracefully by West Lake, earning it the praise "Baoshu is like a beauty" and making it a prominent landmark on the skyline of West Lake.

Zhang Hupan and Liu Xizhen chose to ascend Baoshi Mountain from the North Mountain Road entrance. Liu Xizhen naturally linked her arm with Zhang Hupan's, leaning gently against him as they slowly walked along the edge of West Lake towards Baoshi Mountain. Although it was still early morning, there were quite a few people coming to West Lake for sightseeing and morning exercise. Seeing such a beautiful woman as Liu Xizhen, clinging to the ordinary-looking Zhang Hupan with her petite, bird-like demeanor, everyone cast envious glances at Zhang Hupan. Of course, this included many jealous looks that could have killed Zhang Hupan many times over. Zhang Hupan felt immense pride and happiness from the gazes directed at him. However, with a beauty by his side, he also felt like he was sitting on pins and needles, and it tested his endurance. The faint fragrance that occasionally wafted into his nostrils was particularly sensitive and stimulating on such a fresh morning. Fortunately, they soon reached the Baoshi Mountain entrance on North Mountain Road. When climbing, Liu Xizhen naturally couldn't cling to Zhang Hupan anymore, so she let go of his arm, and they began climbing side by side. Although Liu Xizhen's excessive intimacy made Zhang Hupan feel like he was sitting on pins and needles, when Liu Xizhen's arm, entwined with his, left him, Zhang Hupan felt a hint of loss.

Although Baoshi Mountain was very close to Liu Xizhen's home, ever since returning to China, Liu Xizhen had been busy with the bar and taking care of her daughter, and had never had any interest in climbing Baoshi Mountain. Therefore, even though she had been back in China for five years, Liu Xizhen, who lived by West Lake, had never actually climbed Baoshi Mountain, which could be considered a miracle.

Since meeting Zhang Hupan, his clear eyes, his neighborly and approachable demeanor, his impressive performance at the bar, and especially her daughter's affection for him, had inexplicably made the over-thirty Liu Xizhen develop an indescribable fondness for him. Although they hadn't spent much time together, Liu Xizhen felt incredibly secure and happy being with this man ten years her junior. Since Zhang Hupan appeared, Liu Xizhen found herself slowly emerging from the painful shadow of her past in America.

Climbing a mountain is actually a very pleasant activity for both body and mind. Not only can you see the lush green mountains and strange peaks, but you can also breathe fresh air and exercise. Of course, Zhang Hupan now found that climbing mountains also allowed him to admire the graceful posture of beautiful women and hear their alluring laughter echoing in the valleys.

Soon, Zhang Hupan discovered that Liu Xizhen, who seemed delicate, was actually very agile. All the way up, Liu Xizhen was like a bird released from its cage, full of energy, chattering away, and constantly climbing up and down with extraordinary spirit. They soon reached a relatively high peculiar rock on Baoshi Mountain. Zhang Hupan quickly took out a disposable tablecloth he had prepared earlier, spread it on the rock, and they sat down. Liu Xizhen naturally leaned her arm on Zhang Hupan's again, nestling beside him. The spot they had unintentionally chosen happened to be an excellent vantage point. From here, they could see the red light of the rising sun casting upon Baoshi Mountain, and the small rocks looked like glittering gems, appearing infinitely magnificent and colorful. Looking around, to the south lay the rippling waters of the lake; to the north were flat fields and densely packed buildings; to the east were bustling streets and commercial areas, full of vitality; to the west were layered green peaks, connecting to the clear sky, offering a panoramic view of the boundless beauty.

Looking at the beautiful scenery that had been a part of her life for many years, yet she had never paid attention to appreciating it, Liu Xizhen suddenly felt that her life over the years had been so terrible! She stole a glance at the man beside her, suddenly feeling so vulnerable, so much in need of a shoulder to lean on. "If only I could lean on Zhang Hupan's shoulder like this, just sitting here, how wonderful that would be!" The sudden thought made Liu Xizhen panic. Although Zhang Hupan made Liu Xizhen feel very close, she was, after all, a woman over thirty, and she had a five-year-old daughter. Zhang Hupan, on the other hand, was still just a freshman in college. The two were like parallel lines, destined never to intersect. Therefore, Liu Xizhen had always acted without reservation in front of Zhang Hupan because she believed she only saw him as a younger brother. Now, the sudden thought that popped into her mind, how could it not make her heart flutter and her mind race in confusion?

Zhang Hupan, sitting beside her, naturally sensed Liu Xizhen's unusual state. He softly asked, "Sister Xizhen, is something wrong?"

Hearing Zhang Hupan's concerned inquiry, Liu Xizhen's emotions became even more flustered, as if her thoughts had been exposed. She used her hand to smooth her hair, which had been blown messy by the wind, to conceal her inner turmoil, and quickly replied, "No, no, I was just reminded of some past events by the scenery."

"Oh, really? If you don't mind, tell me about your past!" Zhang Hupan had also always wanted to know about the past of the beautiful woman beside him, so he took the opportunity to ask. (To be continued)