“A Luo! I’m back!”
The tent flap was suddenly thrown open, and Tshering rushed inside, bringing a blast of cold air with him.
“Tshering Abou? Why are you back?”
Seeing the unmelted snow clinging to the loose strands of hair on Tshering’s forehead, Sang Luo quickly stood up and pulled him down to sit. She grabbed a towel and placed it over his head.
“Quick, dry yourself off.”
“Abba heard at the ranch that you guys had come back. He was so worried about Abou’s injuries that he stayed up all night, so he insisted that I come back and check on him.”
Tshering hurried over to Dündup and anxiously examined the cast on his brother’s leg.
“Abou, how are your injuries?”
Dündup raised a hand and patted his younger brother on the shoulder, the corners of his lips lifting slightly.
“I’m fine now. Thanks to Sang Luo taking such good care of me, I was able to get approval to leave the hospital so quickly.”
“That’s good.”
Only then did Tshering relax. He turned back to Sang Luo.
“A Luo, the journey must have been exhausting, right? I hunted several particularly plump mountain chickens up on the mountain. They’re outside on the horse. Make sure you eat well and build up your strength.”
Sang Luo felt a little embarrassed by his intense gaze. She pressed him down onto the stool she had just made and began drying his hair with the towel.
“Was it cold outside? We have plenty of food at home. You and Abba work so hard at the ranch. You should keep them for yourselves.”
“We’re used to it. It doesn’t matter whether we eat them or not.”
Tshering grinned, revealing two rows of neat white teeth.
“And I wasn’t cold at all. Just thinking about seeing you makes my heart warm, no matter how cold the weather is.”
The moment those words left his mouth, the atmosphere inside the tent became subtly awkward.
Danzeng blinked curiously.
Dündup silently turned his face away and stopped looking at them.
Lazhen, meanwhile, pressed her lips together to hide her smile.
Sang Luo’s cheeks flushed. She tossed the towel at Tshering and stood up to take a package from the cabinet.
“If you’re not cold, then I suppose you don’t want the things I bought for you in the city?”
“I want them!”
Tshering sprang to his feet so quickly that the towel fell to the ground.
“I’m freezing!”
Sang Luo couldn’t help laughing at him.
She first took out a thick sheepskin vest and handed it to him.
“This is for you. I heard winter at the ranch is especially cold. This will keep you warm.”
When Tshering took the vest, his fingers accidentally brushed against the back of Sang Luo’s hand.
Both of them immediately pulled away as though they had been burned.
The tips of Tshering’s ears turned red, but he couldn’t stop rubbing the soft sheepskin, the smile on his face impossible to hide.
“And this.”
Sang Luo took out a pair of thick leather gloves.
“These are for Abba. Remember to take them back with you.”
“A Luo…”
Tshering was so touched that he didn’t know what to say. He could only awkwardly repeat himself.
“I really like them. I like them a lot. I really do!”
Sang Luo laughed at his reaction and took out another package wrapped in oil paper.
“These are candies and peach pastries I bought in the city. Take them back and share them with Abba.”
Dündup quietly watched the two of them interact.
His gaze moved between Tshering’s reddened ears and Sang Luo’s smiling lips before he finally lowered his eyes, hiding the complicated emotion that flashed through them.
“Oh, right.”
Sang Luo suddenly changed the subject.
“There’s something else I wanted to ask you and Abba about.”
“What is it?”
“I want to have a well dug in our yard.”
“A well?”
Tshering looked up in surprise.
“Yes.”
Sang Luo nodded.
“I did a small good deed in the city this time.”
She and Dündup had already agreed to keep Sang Yun’s matter from Lazhen, so she merely vaguely mentioned that she had received a reward.
“The government rewarded me with a thousand brick coupons. I want to use them to build a well, so we won’t have to go so far to fetch water anymore.”
Tshering became serious.
“Water is sacred to us. Digging a well is a major matter. We need to ask a Khangpa to choose an auspicious day and determine the location before respectfully informing the heavens.”
“Dündup Abou told me the same thing.”
Sang Luo took out the brick coupons and showed them to Tshering.
“I’ve already asked around. The most famous Khangpa—the diviner—in the area lives near East Mountain. Once spring comes and the snow melts, I’ll go invite him over.”
“There’s no need to wait until spring.”
Dündup suddenly spoke.
“I’ll go tomorrow.”
Tshering and Sang Luo both froze.
“But Dündup Abou, your injuries aren’t completely healed yet…”
Sang Luo was worried.
“It’s nothing serious. Digging the well is something good for the family. My arm and the injuries on my body haven’t completely healed, but there was no damage to the bone in my leg. It’s already recovered enough that I can ride a horse to East Mountain.”
Looking at Dündup’s determined expression, warmth welled up in Sang Luo’s heart.
“Then I’ll have to trouble you, Dündup Abou.”
“It’s what I should do.”
Dündup’s gaze lingered on her face for a moment before quickly moving away.
“I’m happy to be able to do something for this family.”
Sang Luo couldn’t help sighing.
“No wonder you’re the head of the family. I really envy the woman you love. When she marries you someday, she’ll definitely be very happy.”
Dündup remained silent for a long time before looking at Sang Luo and speaking softly.
“I only hope that she will be happy.”
His words were vague, yet they stirred something inexplicable in Sang Luo’s heart.
She raised her head and met Dündup’s deep eyes.
They seemed to conceal a thousand words, yet they disappeared just as quickly.
Watching the two of them look at each other, an indescribable sourness suddenly rose in Tshering’s heart.
He strode over to Sang Luo, blocking her view of Dündup.
“A Luo.”
Tshering’s voice was louder than usual.
“Once Dündup Abou brings the Khangpa back and we get the well location sorted out, do you want to come to the ranch with me for a few days? Abba has been talking about wanting to see you, and…”
His voice suddenly lowered, his face filled with anticipation and nervousness.
“I’ve already finished building the swing. It’s not far from the lake. The scenery at the ranch is especially beautiful in spring. I want to take you there to see it.”
Sang Luo was caught off guard by the sudden invitation. Before she could answer, Dündup spoke.
“No.”
“Why?!”
Tshering nearly jumped.
“A Luo just got back not long ago. Let her rest for a few days first before going.”
“I was just asking. I didn’t say she had to go right away.”
Tshering muttered in protest, but his eyes remained fixed on Sang Luo.
“A Luo, what do you think?”
Sang Luo looked at the undisguised anticipation in Tshering’s eyes, then glanced at Dündup’s slightly furrowed brows.
She suddenly found the situation rather amusing.
She gently nodded.
“Once the well arrangements are settled, I’ll go with you.”
“Wonderful!”
Tshering was so happy he nearly jumped for joy, completely failing to notice his brother’s expression darkening instantly.
Lazhen brought over steaming butter tea at just the right moment.
“Stop standing around. Come sit down and have some tea to warm yourselves up.”
Everyone gathered around the hearth, while Danzeng obediently poured tea for each person.
Tshering excitedly planned all the places he would take Sang Luo to see.
Sang Luo listened with a smile, occasionally nodding.
Dündup silently drank his tea, his eyes occasionally falling on the brick coupons Sang Luo had brought back, as though lost in thought.
Night fell.
Tshering helped Lazhen clean up the dishes while Sang Luo prepared to change Dündup’s dressing.
She carefully cleaned his wounds, her movements as gentle as though she were handling a precious piece of porcelain.
Dündup looked down at her focused profile and suddenly asked softly,
“Are you really planning to go to the ranch with Tshering?”