“There aren’t many children in the village to begin with, so I run into them all the time.”
Danzeng smiled as he ruffled the hair of a little boy standing beside him. Then he reached into his pocket and handed out a handful of candies.
The children’s eyes immediately lit up.
“The conditions here are tough,” he continued. “We’re far from everything, and the high-altitude environment isn’t easy for outsiders to adapt to.”
A trace of helplessness flashed across his face.
“Teachers come and go. Very few stay for long.”
He looked toward the distant village.
“The children only receive the most basic lessons in Chinese and mathematics. There aren’t any art classes, music classes, or extracurricular activities. Educational resources are limited too.”
His voice softened.
“So whenever I come back, I bring books for them. At the very least, they can learn about the world beyond these mountains and broaden their horizons.”
Lin Mo quietly listened.
Then she looked at the children.
Bright smiles.
Pure excitement.
Eyes filled with curiosity and hope.
Finally, her gaze shifted back to Danzeng.
The afternoon sunlight bathed his profile in a warm golden glow, making him seem gentler than ever.
Until now, she had always seen him as a reliable guesthouse owner.
Handsome.
Capable.
Kind-hearted.
But today, she saw something deeper.
A quiet sense of responsibility.
A devotion to his homeland.
A genuine love for the children growing up on this plateau.
Without realizing it, her understanding of him deepened.
And so did the feelings quietly taking root inside her heart.
…
As the sun dipped lower in the sky, the children gradually dispersed and headed home.
Lin Mo watched their small figures disappear into the distance.
A thought suddenly surfaced.
Maybe…
There was something she could do for them.
Something meaningful.
Perhaps she could use her art to bring a little more color into their childhoods.
A way to give back to this land that had given her so much.
She turned toward Danzeng.
Her eyes sparkled with excitement.
“Can I teach them drawing?”
Danzeng blinked.
For the first time, genuine surprise appeared on his face.
“You have the time?”
Then he paused.
“You’re not planning to leave anytime soon?”
Lin Mo nodded.
“Not really.”
A smile appeared on her lips.
“I don’t have any plans for the near future.”
As she spoke, her voice grew firmer.
For the first time in a very long while, she felt certain about something.
Danzeng’s eyes immediately brightened.
“Then that’s perfect.”
A grin spread across his face.
“I’ll take you to the school tomorrow.”
“Principal Ciren will be thrilled.”
…
That evening, after organizing the photographs and sketches she had created throughout the day, Lin Mo finally remembered the account she had registered.
Curious, she opened it.
The moment the page loaded, she froze.
Then nearly dropped her phone.
“What?!”
Her eyes widened in disbelief.
The account had exploded.
Notifications flooded the screen.
Comments.
Likes.
Private messages.
Mentions.
The red notification dots were so numerous they almost covered the interface.
And the numbers…
Had already exceeded ten thousand.
Lin Mo stared blankly.
Then excitement burst inside her chest.
“Oh my God!”
“Where is this place? It’s absolutely gorgeous!”
“The artist’s brushwork feels alive!”
“I feel like I’m standing there myself!”
“This is incredible!”
“Please tell us where this is!”
Comment after comment poured in.
Some people were captivated by Genie’s breathtaking scenery.
Others praised her artistic style.
Many wanted to know if such a beautiful place truly existed.
Several design platforms had even reached out, requesting permission to feature her work.
The more she read, the more stunned she became.
Her fingers moved rapidly across the screen.
A feeling of happiness and accomplishment slowly filled her heart.
She had never imagined that something created purely out of love would resonate with so many people.
Back in university, most of her projects had been assignments.
Even her freelance work had always revolved around clients, deadlines, and requirements.
Rarely had she been allowed to create freely.
Rarely had she poured so much of herself into her work.
Yet here in Genie…
Everything felt different.
This untouched land had awakened something sleeping deep inside her.
Every brushstroke.
Every frame.
Every tiny detail.
They all came from genuine inspiration.
And now she finally understood something.
When art is created sincerely, it can cross mountains and oceans.
It can connect hearts.
…
As she watched her follower count continue to rise, another idea gradually formed.
Perhaps she could use her work to introduce Genie to more people.
Not only the landscapes.
But the people too.
The children.
The culture.
The warmth hidden within this remote corner of the world.
And maybe…
One day…
She could go even further.
When she finally shut down her computer, moonlight had already climbed the snowy peaks outside.
The sacred mountains stood silently beneath the night sky.
Lin Mo lay in bed, staring at the ceiling.
Her heart overflowed with anticipation.
She looked forward to teaching at the school.
She looked forward to discovering new inspiration.
And most of all…
She looked forward to whatever encounters awaited her on this remarkable journey.
…
The next morning, Danzeng brought her directly to the village school.
Fortunately, it wasn’t far from the guesthouse.
They simply walked there together.
When they arrived, Principal Ciren was unlocking the school gate.
The moment he spotted Danzeng, his face lit up.
“You’re back!”
He immediately invited both of them into his office.
Danzeng skipped the formalities.
Getting straight to the point, he explained why they had come.
The principal’s eyes widened.
Then his expression transformed into pure delight.
The children hadn’t had a proper art class in a very long time.
Last year, a language teacher with some artistic experience had occasionally taught them basic drawing.
Unfortunately, the teacher had only stayed for a few months before leaving.
“Danzeng!”
Principal Ciren nearly jumped out of his chair.
“Where did you find a teacher like this?”
Danzeng glanced sideways at Lin Mo.
A teasing smile appeared.
“No idea.”
“I picked her up somewhere.”
Lin Mo immediately shot him a glare.
Unfortunately for her, the glare lacked any real intimidation.
Instead, it carried a trace of playful affection.
“Hello, Principal Ciren.”
She quickly straightened up.
“My name is Lin Mo.”
“I’m from Qing City.”
“I recently graduated from Shanda University’s Department of Design.”
“I’ve studied art since childhood.”
“These are some of my certificates and awards.”
Opening her phone, she carefully displayed the documents she had prepared beforehand.
Professional certifications.
Competition awards.
Art qualifications.
Everything was neatly organized.
Surprisingly, she looked a little nervous.
Watching from the side, Danzeng raised an eyebrow.
He knew she was talented.
But he hadn’t realized she was this accomplished.
Nor had he expected her to come from northern China.
With her gentle temperament and refined appearance, she seemed more like a graceful girl from the Jiangnan region.
…
Meanwhile, Principal Ciren found himself struggling to process the situation.
The young woman before him was clearly talented.
Well-educated.
Refined.
Capable.
So why would someone like her choose to volunteer at a tiny school hidden deep in the mountains?
The entire situation felt almost unreal.
Seeing the confusion on the principal’s face, Danzeng explained,
“She’s traveling through the area.”
“She’ll be staying at my guesthouse for a while.”
“After hearing about the school’s situation, she wanted to do something for the children.”
Understanding finally dawned on Principal Ciren’s face.
He immediately stood up.
Then extended both hands toward Lin Mo.
“Teacher Lin!”
His voice trembled slightly with emotion.
“Welcome!”
“On behalf of all the children…”
“Thank you.”
“Thank you for your selfless generosity.”
Lin Mo hurriedly shook his hand.
The phrase “selfless generosity” made her ears turn pink.
“It’s really not that much.”
She smiled shyly.
“I’m just happy to help.”
The principal thought for a moment.
“How about two classes each week?”
“Monday afternoon and Wednesday afternoon.”
“Would that work for you?”
“Of course.”
Lin Mo nodded.
“That’s perfectly fine.”
A bright smile bloomed on her face.
Two tiny dimples appeared on her cheeks.
Like dew-kissed wildflowers blooming across the grasslands of Genie.
Fresh.
Sweet.
Beautiful.
For a brief moment…
Danzeng found himself staring again.
…
That afternoon, Danzeng had errands to take care of elsewhere.
Lin Mo returned to her room and continued working.
Under her brush, yesterday’s glacier slowly came to life.
Then Qumu Mola’s pasture emerged across the page.
The yaks.
The tents.
The golden sunset.
Everything gradually took shape.
After working for a while, she stood up to pour herself a glass of water.
As she walked past the window, she vaguely heard voices downstairs.
Someone was checking into the guesthouse.
A smile unconsciously appeared on her lips.
Business here really wasn’t booming.
During the past few days, she had noticed that most visitors simply stopped to take photographs before moving on.
A handful stayed overnight.
Many preferred camping nearby.
To be honest, she worried about Danzeng’s business.
After all, he employed several staff members.
And there was also one full-time freeloader who ate his food every day.
Namely…
Herself.
So hearing that a new guest had arrived made her strangely relieved.
At least the guesthouse wasn’t completely empty.
Feeling a little more optimistic, she returned to her desk.
Time slipped by unnoticed.
By the time she finished editing and uploaded her second video, evening was already approaching.
Compared to her first attempt, the entire process felt smoother.
More natural.
More confident.
After replying to a few comments from her growing audience, her stomach finally began protesting.
A laugh escaped her lips.
Saving her work, she stood up.
The aroma of food was already drifting through the guesthouse.
Warm.
Comforting.
Inviting.
Putting away her phone, she headed downstairs toward the dining hall.
For the first time in a very long while…
Everything ahead felt full of endless possibilities.