Back when Danzeng had walked alone toward the distant mountains, Lin Mo had secretly raised her camera and snapped a photo on a sudden whim.
The result had been far better than she expected.
The image captured a lone figure striding across the vast wilderness, framed by endless grasslands and towering snow peaks. There was a freedom to it, a wildness that felt uniquely his.
She had liked it so much that she couldn’t bring herself to delete it.
Unfortunately, while organizing her files, she had accidentally included it among the photographs she sent him.
The moment she realized what had happened, disaster struck.
Lin Mo’s face instantly turned scarlet.
Covering her burning cheeks, she collapsed onto her bed in embarrassment.
Wasn’t this basically the behavior of a stalker?
The more she thought about it, the more mortified she became.
At that moment, she genuinely wanted the ground to split open and swallow her whole.
Just as she was agonizing over how to respond, her eyes landed on Danzeng’s profile picture.
She froze.
Then froze even harder.
He had actually changed his profile picture.
And the new profile picture…
Was that exact photograph she had secretly taken.
Lin Mo’s pupils shrank.
Her mind instantly became even more chaotic.
This straightforward acceptance somehow felt more dangerous than teasing.
Her fingers hovered over the screen for a long time.
Reply?
Explain?
Pretend nothing happened?
After struggling for several minutes, she finally gave up.
Turning off her phone, she buried her face in the pillow.
Forget it.
Tomorrow’s problem could wait until tomorrow.
…
The next morning, Lin Mo headed downstairs for breakfast.
She had barely found a seat by the window when a familiar figure entered through the front door.
Her heart skipped a beat.
Last night’s embarrassment immediately resurfaced.
The tips of her ears began heating up.
Without hesitation, she lowered her head and pretended to focus entirely on her breakfast.
If she couldn’t see him…
Then maybe he couldn’t see her either.
Unfortunately, reality was cruel.
Danzeng spotted her immediately.
His footsteps paused for a brief moment before he calmly walked over and sat across from her.
“Morning, Lin Mo.”
His voice carried the crisp freshness of the mountain morning.
Lin Mo tightened her grip around her spoon.
“Morning.”
Her reply was so soft it was almost swallowed by the air.
Danzeng acted as though he noticed nothing unusual.
He picked up the butter tea and poured half a bowl for her.
Then he said casually,
“I looked through all the photos.”
“They’re excellent.”
“They’d work perfectly as promotional material.”
The straightforward praise eased some of Lin Mo’s embarrassment.
She took a sip of the warm butter tea.
The comforting warmth slid down her throat.
After gathering her courage, she finally spoke.
“About that photo yesterday…”
Her voice grew quieter.
“I didn’t take it on purpose.”
“You just happened to be in the frame.”
“Oh?”
The corners of Danzeng’s lips lifted slightly.
A trace of amusement flickered in his dark eyes.
“Really?”
“Then thank you for your accidental masterpiece.”
Lin Mo nearly choked.
This man definitely knew exactly what he was doing.
…
After a brief pause, Danzeng changed the subject.
“Are you free today?”
“I’ll be returning to Chengdu in a few days.”
He looked at her.
“So I’d like to take you to see a few more places while there’s still time.”
Lin Mo immediately nodded.
“Of course.”
“I’ll get ready in a bit.”
“Good.”
Danzeng stood up.
“Wear something warmer.”
“And bring a jacket.”
“The wind is stronger today.”
With that, he turned around and went to get his breakfast.
Lin Mo secretly let out a breath of relief.
At least…
The awkward topic had passed.
…
After returning to her room, she changed into a windbreaker, packed her camera equipment, and slung her backpack over her shoulder.
Then she waited outside the guesthouse.
A few minutes later, the deep rumble of an engine echoed across the grasslands.
Lin Mo looked up.
And froze.
A black off-road motorcycle was tearing across the landscape.
The powerful machine kicked up trails of grass and dirt as it approached.
Danzeng sat astride it.
Today, he wasn’t dressed in his usual casual clothes.
Instead, he wore fitted black riding gear.
The outfit emphasized his broad shoulders and narrow waist perfectly.
His helmet rested behind his head, exposing sharp, handsome features.
His dark eyes gleamed beneath the morning sun.
Compared to his usual calm and steady image, today’s Danzeng looked dangerous.
Wild.
Like the protagonist of a road movie.
Lin Mo found herself staring.
“Come here.”
Danzeng stopped the motorcycle and planted his long legs firmly on the ground.
His voice snapped her back to reality.
She quickly walked over.
Curiosity immediately surfaced.
“Why a motorcycle today?”
She tilted her head.
“Did you borrow this one too?”
Danzeng stared at her for a second.
Then laughed.
“Is it impossible that I actually bought it?”
Lin Mo blinked innocently.
Danzeng shook his head helplessly.
“We’re heading to One Tree Glacier.”
“The motorcycle is faster.”
He reached into the storage compartment and handed her a helmet.
“And less likely to trigger altitude sickness.”
Then his expression turned serious.
“Put it on.”
“Safety first.”
…
Once everything was ready, Lin Mo carefully climbed onto the back seat.
She instinctively grabbed the rear handles.
The moment she settled down, the motorcycle surged forward.
Her eyes widened.
The mountain road was far rougher than she had imagined.
The motorcycle bounced violently over potholes and uneven terrain.
Every few seconds, it felt like the wheels left the ground entirely.
Lin Mo gripped the handles so tightly her knuckles turned white.
Several times she nearly lost her balance.
“Hold on to me!”
Danzeng’s voice came through the helmet.
Firm.
Authoritative.
“The road gets steeper ahead.”
“Don’t fall off.”
Lin Mo’s face immediately heated up.
For two full seconds, she hesitated.
Then another violent bump nearly launched her backward.
That settled it.
Slowly…
Very slowly…
She wrapped her arms around his waist.
The instant her fingers touched him, she froze.
Even through the riding gear, she could clearly feel the firm muscles beneath.
And his steady heartbeat.
The familiar scent of cedarwood and mountain grass surrounded her once more.
Closer than before.
More dangerous than before.
Her pulse instantly became chaotic.
Lin Mo silently grumbled.
This guy is definitely doing this on purpose.
Yet her arms tightened around him anyway.
…
Feeling her slender arms around his waist, an imperceptible smile appeared at the corner of Danzeng’s lips.
He deliberately slowed the motorcycle.
Carefully avoiding the larger potholes.
But every now and then…
A smaller bump somehow escaped his notice.
Each time it happened, the girl behind him instinctively hugged him tighter.
And every time she did…
Warmth spread through his chest.
…
After what felt like an eternity, the motorcycle finally stopped.
Lin Mo felt as though every bone in her body had been shaken loose.
Danzeng got off first.
Then he reached out and steadied her as she climbed down.
“We’re here.”
Lin Mo removed her helmet.
Her long hair had become a complete mess.
Before she could fix it, she looked up.
And forgot how to breathe.
…
Before her stretched a magnificent glacier.
Endless.
Pure.
Ancient.
Sunlight spilled across the massive ice fields, causing them to shimmer like crystal.
Natural ravines cut through the glacier’s surface, creating intricate patterns and textures.
Not a single speck of dust marred its pristine beauty.
The mountain wind howled across the landscape, carrying a biting chill.
Yet none of it mattered.
Because the sight before her was simply too breathtaking.
Lin Mo stood frozen.
Her mind exploded with inspiration.
How should she mix the colors to recreate that perfect white?
How could she capture both purity and depth?
What kind of brushwork could express the powerful texture of the ice?
And the contrast between the lone tree and the vast glacier…
The tension was absolutely perfect.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?”
Danzeng’s voice drifted over with the wind.
Lin Mo nodded vigorously.
Her eyes sparkled like stars.
“It’s incredible.”
She turned toward him.
“Thank you for bringing me here.”
The gratitude in her voice was genuine.
And for some reason, hearing it made Danzeng smile.
…
Lin Mo quickly entered work mode.
Camera first.
Sketchbook second.
She moved between photography and drawing with practiced ease.
Her pencil danced across the page as she outlined the glacier’s contours.
Completely absorbed.
Completely focused.
Even the fierce mountain wind couldn’t distract her.
Standing nearby, Danzeng quietly watched.
Sunlight illuminated her profile.
Her eyelashes cast faint shadows across her cheeks.
The tip of her nose had turned red from the cold.
Yet her eyes still burned with passion and excitement.
She looked beautiful.
Far too beautiful.
Before he realized what he was doing, he reached out.
A small piece of grass had become tangled in her hair.
His fingers gently brushed it away.
But in the process…
His fingertips accidentally grazed the curve of her ear.
Both of them froze.
Instantly.
…
Lin Mo’s face turned crimson.
She looked up.
Their eyes met.
Within Danzeng’s dark gaze, she saw reflections of the glacier.
The grasslands.
The endless sky.
And herself.
Her heartbeat immediately lost all rhythm.
Flustered, she lowered her head and pretended to continue sketching.
Even though she could no longer focus on a single line.
Meanwhile, Danzeng slowly withdrew his hand.
Sliding it into his pocket.
The faint coolness of her ear still lingered against his fingertips.
A gentle smile appeared on his lips.
And this time…
He didn’t try to hide it.
…
The glacier stretched endlessly beneath the heavens.
The lone tree stood proudly against the wind.
The grasslands rippled like emerald waves.
And somewhere between the mountains and the sky…
A quiet romance was beginning to bloom.
Lin Mo hadn’t noticed it yet.
But the seeds of affection had already taken root deep within her heart.