Life, So Different

Outside the hotel, all was quiet.

At this hour, most people are still asleep, not yet out of bed.

Morning exercise is a must, but wearing a down jacket is undoubtedly a bit of a hindrance. Zhang Yang looked down at his down jacket, and without thinking, casually took it off.

The world was covered in ice and snow, and a chill was in the air.

As soon as Zhang Yang circulated his qi and blood, his blood vessels seemed to boil, almost completely blocking out the cold.

In the snow, Zhang Yang faced the rising sun and leisurely performed a set of punches.

This time it wasn't Tai Chi, but Cannon Fist, Beng Fist, and all sorts of other fist techniques, which he used until his whole body was radiating heat, like a walking branding iron.

"Ah... this... Brother Zhang?" Su Zongping hurriedly walked out of the hotel, then suddenly froze.

A figure in the distance, shrouded in mist, was practicing boxing.

Who else could it be but Zhang Yang?

A moment later, Zhang Yang walked out, his body steaming with heat.

Su Zongping realized what was happening and quickly grabbed his clothes, rushing over. "Brother Zhang, come on, come on, get dressed."

As he approached, he felt as if he were near a furnace.

Even the air was scorching hot.

"Thanks." Zhang Yang took the clothes and simply draped them over his shoulders.

"Brother, were you practicing boxing just now? It's freezing cold here, unlike the south. Come on, come in quickly." Su Zongping subconsciously reached out to pull Zhang Yang into the hotel.

He had just reached out and touched Zhang Yang's wrist when he was burned and hissed as he pulled his hand back.

"Brother Zhang, you..." he stammered.

"It's okay, I'm different from others, I'm not afraid of the cold," Zhang Yang said with a smile.

He can control the contraction of his pores to lock in body heat, achieving a kind of immunity to heat and cold, so naturally he doesn't care about this mere cold.

The two of them stood there on the snow for a short while.

Nothing had changed under Su Zongping's feet except for the footprints in the snow, but under Zhang Yang's feet, a small patch of snow had melted, almost revealing the ground beneath his feet.

"Let's go in." Zhang Yang walked into the hotel.

Su Zongping stood there stunned for a moment before he realized what was happening and quickly followed him inside, striking up conversations along the way.

"Hey bro, wanna go skiing today? That sounds awesome! Or maybe go see the reindeer? Oh, and the First Bend of the Heilongjiang River here is beautiful too. Can I arrange a car for you?"

"Let's talk about it later. I'll ask them," Zhang Yang said with a smile.

"Okay, brother, then I'll wait for your letter," Su Zongping said quickly.

Later that evening, Zhang Yang returned to the suite, went into the bathroom first, took a shower and changed his clothes.

When I stepped out of the bathroom, the curtains were already drawn.

The little girl was gently stretching her body, leaning against the window and looking at the snow scene outside.

"What are you peeking at?" Zhang Yang asked with a smile, looking down at him from his vantage point.

From this angle, the sweet girl's waistline is slender and her curves are exquisite, giving one the urge to grow taller overnight.

"Looking at the snow... ouch..." Bei Wei said softly, turning around with her pretty face flushed red. "You're so annoying."

··

It was nearly ten o'clock when the sun was high in the sky when Zhang Yang and Bei Wei finally left their room and went to the restaurant for breakfast.

Breakfast in Arctic Village starts with sauerkraut dumplings and large meat buns.

This is the second time Zhang Yang has eaten a large meat bun this morning. The first time was in his room, but he still wasn't satisfied.

"The meat buns are really good, big and soft."

"Just eat, don't talk..." Bei Wei rolled her eyes at Zhang Yang foot under the table.

Beside her, Bei Jiajia sat down with a bowl of noodles, still looking somewhat sleepy.

"Good morning." She yawned, then looked at Zhang Yang's plate, her eyes lighting up slightly. "Hey? Brother-in-law, your sausage looks good. I'll try it."

"Okay, eat up." Zhang Yang generously gave the sausage from the plate to Bei Jiajia.

Later that day, after breakfast, the group began their sightseeing in Mohe.

Daytime in Mohe is incredibly precious.

Under Su Zongping's arrangement, the group raced against time and got straight to the point.

Evenki Reindeer Park, birch forest, ski resort...

In the afternoon, we headed straight to Mohe city center, strolled around Songyuan Park, and walked to the Polaris Square, the highest point in Mohe.

Around 3 PM, as the sun was setting, both Bei Jiajia and Bei Wei wanted to visit the famous Mohe Ballroom.

This dance hall isn't anything special; it's mainly famous because of the song of the same name.

The dance hall, located a little after 4 PM, had a retro atmosphere and was quite crowded, mostly with tourists from out of town visiting to take photos.

Zhang Yang didn't feel anything, but both girls were sentimental people. After learning about the story behind the Mohe Ballroom, they both became somewhat silent and sad.

"I really wish there was someone like that, who would dance for me day after day, year after year, even after I'm gone."

The ballroom lights shone on Bei Jiajia's face as she murmured softly.

"Then you're being too selfish." Bei Wei shook her head, resting her head on Zhang Yang's shoulder. "I'll only feel sorry for him, that he'll never get over it. I don't need him to remember me. I just hope he can live a good life."

At this moment, Zhang Yang wisely kept quiet, letting them indulge in that emotion for a while.

The singing and music never stopped in my ears.

When I stepped out of the Mohe Ballroom, it was already pitch black outside.

Desolation and emptiness are the only main themes of Mohe.

Mohe City has a permanent population of 20,000, so naturally there isn't much nightlife. The only source of energy comes from tourists who come from afar.

At the northernmost point of the country, the group found a barbecue restaurant and had a barbecue meal.

Barbecue itself is nothing special, but the thought that this is the northernmost barbecue in China gives it a unique feel.

Pork belly rolls with pickled cabbage, spicy pork ribs, lamb skewers...

The three of them ordered a small table of food and asked the owner to make them some hot wontons.

Outside, it was freezing cold, but inside they were enjoying barbecue and wontons, which was quite a unique experience.

While eating barbecue, Bei Wei sat to the side, happily editing all sorts of photos from the trip.

She carefully selected some representative photos and then posted them in a nine-grid layout.

A moment later, Zhang Yang saw Bei Wei's WeChat Moments.

The title is quite poetic. "[The meaning of travel is on the road]".

The photos are also very representative, including selfies on a private jet, the snowy scenery of Harbin, the dazzling aurora borealis in Mohe, the gentle reindeer on the reindeer farm, and now, the three of them sitting at a table having a simple barbecue, with all three of them in the picture.

As you can imagine, among all the other friends' posts that were just about eating, drinking, and traveling, Bei Wei's post had a magical and explosive effect.

Zhang Yang noticed many of his former colleagues appearing on his WeChat Moments.

[Without realizing it, Bei Wei, you've become someone we can no longer reach.]

[Oh my god, why is this plane different from the one I'm on? A private jet? And, the aurora borealis? My goodness...]

[A match made in heaven]

[Ahhh, Zhang Yang is such a heartthrob! How come I never thought of catching someone like him back then...]

Zhang Yang saw this post on his WeChat Moments, smiled, and gave it a like, but didn't comment.

"Huh?"

In the comments section, Zhang Yang saw a name that seemed quite old: Xiang Youde.

This former good colleague has drifted apart since he left the company. It wasn't intentional estrangement, but the two of them are no longer in the same world and have no connection, so naturally they haven't kept in touch for a long time.

I remember Xiang Youde swearing to change himself back then; I wonder how he is now.

Thinking about it, Zhang Yang casually opened Xiang Youde's WeChat Moments and was slightly surprised.

Over the course of more than half a year, my WeChat Moments have witnessed Xiang Youde's gradual changes, from simply losing weight to his later transformation in clothing.

From clumsy to fluent.

The former Xiang Youde now appears as a well-proportioned, energetic, and well-dressed young man.

In the latest photos, he seems to have found his own love; she's a rather pretty girl.

"That's really inspiring," Zhang Yang muttered to himself.

My own transformation, my own earth-shattering change, stems from the system; it can be said that this is a unique case in the world, impossible to replicate. But others, as long as they have the will and the desire to change, can also completely transform themselves and have a life unlike any before.

Life is a wilderness, not a track.

··

That night, the three of them stayed overnight in Mohe City. The next morning, Su Zongping came to pick them up to go to the Arctic Island.

Along the way, we passed swaying birch forests Emuer River that flowed through the forests, finally arriving at the Arctic Island scenic area.

Within the Arctic Island scenic area, the three walked and stopped frequently until they reached the Ussuri Shoal.

The Ussuri Shoal is the northernmost point in China.

Along the way, the three walked along the riverbank, the water rippling gently. Russia, which they had once thought was far away, was just a hundred meters away.

The three of them took a group photo next to the stone monument marking the northernmost point of the motherland's landmass, which served as an important memento of their New Year's trip.

After the Ussuri Shoal, the group set off for the Longjiang First Bay.

It is also the place with the most magnificent natural scenery in Mohe.

Twenty minutes later, on the viewing platform of the Longjiang First Bay.

The grandeur is overwhelming.

At that moment, Zhang Yang didn't know what words to use to describe the scene before him.

Truly, the most beautiful Longjiang First Bay.

At this moment, the setting sun casts golden rays upon the frozen, winding river, offering a breathtaking panorama of the northern landscape and the magnificent scenery of our motherland.

Faced with such magnificent scenery, all sentimental feelings seem to become insignificant.

"The sunset is truly breathtaking." Bei Jiajia opened her arms wide, as if embracing the entire world.

Bei Wei nestled quietly in Zhang Yang's arms, An An the moment.

I wish time could stand still.

"There's always tomorrow," Zhang Yang asked with a smile. "We can come again next time."

"Who knows when next time will be?" Bei Wei smiled and tilted her face up in Zhang Yang's arms. "We agreed to come again next summer, okay? I want to see the Longjiang First Bay after it thaws."

"Okay." Zhang Yang nodded.

It's not like it's an unfulfillable wish. Maybe I can find some time later. I'll just treat it as a vacation.

This time, he was quite attracted by the unique local customs and culture of Mohe.

"Okay, next time it'll just be the two of us." Bei Wei smiled and hooked her arm around Zhang Yang's neck.

"Hey, hey, hey, it's one thing for you two to be all lovey-dovey in front of me, but trying to ditch me right in front of me is just not fair," Bei Jiajia said, her face flushed red from the cold.

"You really won't get any next time." Bei Wei shook her head decisively.

"Stingy," Bei Jiajia scoffed, muttering to herself.

"Sooner or later, I'll invite my brother-in-law over alone."

··

After visiting the Longjiang First Bay, we spent one last night in Arctic Village before boarding our return flight.

After the New Year, the number of people in Arctic Village suddenly decreased significantly.

After all, not everyone has so many opportunities to live life to the fullest and travel freely anytime, anywhere. Take Zhang Yang, for example; if he wanted, he could fly to Sanya tomorrow and experience the southern scenery again.

On the eve of his departure, Su Zongping hosted another banquet to bid farewell to Zhang Yang.

At the dinner table, the two of them drank heartily, while Bei Wei and Bei Jiajia left after eating their fill.

The outcome of the drinking session was predictable: Zhang Yang remained perfectly sober, while Su Zongping got completely drunk.

"Brother... Brother Zhang... I really haven't been a good host... If I have the chance to go back to Harbin next time, I'll treat you properly. Or, or we could go up north to Russia, I know that place well, and I can arrange a room full of Russian girls for you."

Men, after all, are driven by basic human needs like food and sex.

Zhang Yang brought his girlfriend this time, and actually, neither Wen Yu nor Su Zongping here gave him much freedom in terms of arrangements.

Zhang Yang expressed his understanding.

But as Su Zongping said, the idea of arranging a room full of Russian girls for him when he goes to the Russians' place next time, although he has never seen them before, is not actually that interesting to him.

Sigh! Ultimately, my mindset is a bit too conservative.

A good horse needs a good saddle, this foreign horse...

"Okay, okay, next time, definitely next time." Zhang Yang helped Su Zongping and escorted him back to his room.

On their last night in Mohe, Zhang Yang and Bei Wei cherished the beautiful night.

Especially Bei Wei.

She knew that in this remote, isolated village on the northern frontier, Zhang Yang belonged only to her, but once they returned, things might change.

Therefore, she was making the most of every minute, and was quite prepared to stay up all night.

Ideas are always beautiful.

When Zhang Yang gets serious, only the sweet little girl is left utterly defeated.

In the latter half of the night, the two embraced and slept soundly until dawn.

The next day, the three of them finally came to an end on their trip to Mohe.

Departing for home.

In summary, this trip was definitely worthwhile. I not only enjoyed the scenery of the North and experienced its local customs, but also witnessed the unforgettable aurora borealis, making it an incredibly wonderful year.

For Zhang Yang, this trip was incredibly rewarding.

As the plane soared at an altitude of 10,000 meters, the two sisters, Bei Wei and Bei Jiajia, were still excited and shared their feelings about the trip.

"Sis, look, my short video has gotten over 10,000 likes this time!"

Where is it? Let me see.

Zhang Yang sat by the porthole, gazing at the endless clouds outside while listening to the two sisters chatter away the time. His mood was as carefree and unrestrained as the clouds in the sky...

Later that evening, the plane landed in Harbin.

Zhang Yang and his two companions landed in Harbin without telling anyone, only staying for one night before embarking on their journey back to Shanghai.