By the time Lin Mo arrived in downtown Chengdu, night had already draped itself over the city.
After saying goodbye to Cizhen in the baggage claim area, she took a taxi alone to the hotel she had booked near Chunxi Road.
The moment she checked in and dropped her luggage onto the bed, a wave of restlessness washed over her.
Maybe it was the excitement of finally leaving home.
Maybe it was the anticipation of the journey ahead.
Whatever the reason, she couldn’t bring herself to stay indoors.
So after a quick break, she grabbed her phone and headed back out into the city.
The night was young.
And Chengdu was very much awake.
…
Chunxi Road lived up to its reputation.
Bright neon lights illuminated the streets like a sea of stars.
Crowds flowed endlessly between shopping malls, restaurants, and cafés.
Laughter echoed from every corner.
The entire district buzzed with energy.
Lin Mo found a small restaurant and ate a simple dinner before wandering aimlessly through the bustling streets.
At first, everything felt fresh and exciting.
But after twenty minutes, her enthusiasm began to fade.
Shopping districts, no matter what city they were in, eventually started to look the same.
Luxury brands.
Fashion stores.
Cosmetics counters.
Rows and rows of products designed to tempt people into spending money.
Lin Mo had never cared much about those things.
Material possessions simply didn’t excite her.
There was very little she wanted to buy.
And even less she felt compelled to own.
After another short stroll, she decided it was time to return to the hotel.
Unfortunately…
That was when disaster struck.
Lin Mo possessed many admirable qualities.
A strong work ethic.
Artistic talent.
Kindness.
Patience.
But she also had one fatal weakness.
Her sense of direction was absolutely terrible.
Armed with complete confidence and a navigation app, she turned left.
Then right.
Then left again.
Then another right.
Ten minutes later, she had absolutely no idea where she was.
The warm yellow glow of the streetlights blurred together around her.
Every street looked vaguely familiar.
Which only made things worse.
“How did I end up here…?”
Lin Mo stared helplessly at her phone.
Even the map seemed confused.
Just as she was considering asking someone for directions, something caught her eye.
Two large characters hung above a beautifully designed entrance.
Wujie.
Lin Mo stopped walking.
Her attention immediately focused on the sign.
The calligraphy was stunning.
Each brushstroke flowed with effortless elegance.
Strong.
Bold.
Yet graceful.
It felt as though a master calligrapher had completed it moments ago.
As someone who practiced calligraphy herself, Lin Mo couldn’t help admiring it.
An instant sense of goodwill formed in her heart.
Then a memory surfaced.
Wujie…
Wasn’t that the bar Cizhen had mentioned on the plane?
Her eyes widened.
“No way…”
What were the odds?
Curiosity quickly won the battle.
She had never visited a bar before.
Not once.
Still, there was plenty of time before bed, and she wasn’t tired yet.
After a brief hesitation, she pushed open the door and stepped inside.
…
The moment she entered, she froze.
This wasn’t what she had expected at all.
Not even close.
The bars she imagined were noisy, chaotic places.
Flashing lights.
Drunken shouting.
People dancing wildly.
A mess of alcohol and bad decisions.
But Wujie was completely different.
It was a jazz bar.
And an extraordinarily tasteful one.
Soft lighting illuminated the room.
Warm wooden furnishings created a comfortable atmosphere.
The air carried the gentle aroma of alcohol mixed with faint notes of fruit.
Onstage, a female singer sat beneath a spotlight, softly strumming a guitar.
Her slightly husky voice carried warmth and life.
Jazz and blues drifted through the room like silk.
The music wrapped around every corner, every table, every person.
Before she realized it, Lin Mo had become immersed in the atmosphere.
She looked around.
Some guests sat quietly with their eyes closed, enjoying the music.
Others leaned toward one another, speaking softly over drinks.
A few young men and women had gathered near the dance floor, swaying gently to the rhythm.
Nobody was shouting.
Nobody was causing trouble.
Yet everyone seemed… free.
The music gave people permission to let go.
To simply exist.
And Lin Mo liked that feeling.
A lot.
The nervousness she had felt upon entering gradually disappeared.
She found a quiet corner and ordered a glass of sake.
Sitting there in her simple white summer dress, she looked less like a customer in a bar and more like a university student studying in a library.
Her gentle, scholarly aura seemed entirely out of place.
Yet somehow, that contrast only made her stand out more.
“Lin Mo?”
A familiar voice suddenly called out.
Lin Mo looked up.
Then her eyes widened in surprise.
“Cizhen?!”
The Tibetan girl stood nearby, looking equally shocked.
“What are you doing here?”
Lin Mo laughed.
“I could ask you the same thing.”
“What a coincidence!”
Cizhen immediately plopped into the seat across from her.
“I was just passing by and decided to stop in.”
Lin Mo suddenly felt a little embarrassed.
Earlier that day, she’d declined Cizhen’s invitation.
Now she’d somehow ended up here anyway.
Her cheeks instantly turned pink.
Fortunately, Cizhen either didn’t notice or kindly chose not to mention it.
Instead, she grinned.
“Pretty amazing, right?”
“It really is.”
Lin Mo nodded honestly.
“It’s nothing like I imagined.”
“Of course!”
Cizhen lifted her chin proudly.
“My brother has excellent taste.”
A smile appeared on Lin Mo’s lips.
“We really do keep running into each other.”
“Right?”
Cizhen laughed.
“Actually, I saw my brother after we landed.”
“The owner?”
“Yep.”
She nodded enthusiastically.
“Can you believe he was on the same flight as us?”
Lin Mo blinked.
“Really?”
“First class.”
Cizhen rolled her eyes dramatically.
“So naturally, I didn’t even know.”
After a pause, she added,
“We’re technically just fellow townspeople anyway. We haven’t really stayed in touch much.”
The words sounded oddly self-reflective.
Then her playful smile returned.
“You know, if you’d come with me after the airport, my brother would’ve given us a ride.”
She pointed accusingly at Lin Mo.
“I saved a lot of taxi money today.”
Lin Mo laughed awkwardly.
A tiny bit of guilt surfaced in her heart.
Maybe she’d been too cautious.
Cizhen genuinely seemed like a good person.
“That really is unfortunate.”
“Exactly!”
Cizhen’s eyes sparkled mischievously.
“My brother’s here tonight.”
She leaned forward conspiratorially.
“I’ll introduce you later.”
Then she wiggled her eyebrows.
“Trust me.”
“My brother is ridiculously handsome.”
“And ridiculously capable.”
“You’ll fall for him instantly.”
“Pffft!”
Lin Mo nearly sprayed sake all over the table.
This girl really had no filter.
Seeing her reaction, Cizhen burst into laughter.
…
“So what are your plans tomorrow?”
Cizhen asked after recovering from her own joke.
“Going to see the giant pandas?”
“I haven’t decided.”
Lin Mo shook her head.
“I’ll probably look through some travel guides tonight.”
“You’re so relaxed.”
Cizhen sighed dramatically.
“Meanwhile, I’m heading back to Kangding tomorrow.”
The moment she said it, her expression darkened.
“My uncle came to Chengdu on business.”
“My mother wants me to ride back with him.”
“Kangding?”
Lin Mo’s eyes lit up.
“You’re from Kangding?”
“Yep.”
Then Cizhen laughed.
“What?”
“Thinking about coming with me?”
She was obviously joking.
After all, what tourist came to Chengdu and skipped the pandas?
Yet Lin Mo actually considered it.
Seriously.
According to her research, Kangding was one of the key stops on the route to Genie.
She had planned to go there anyway.
More importantly, she had been worried about transportation and local contacts.
Traveling with Cizhen suddenly sounded like the perfect solution.
And for some reason…
She trusted her.
As for the pandas?
They weren’t going anywhere.
She could always see them on the return trip.
Lin Mo had never enjoyed rigid itineraries.
Detailed plans felt restrictive.
To her, half the joy of travel came from embracing the unknown.
It was the kind of thinking only an artist could truly appreciate.
After a moment’s thought, she looked up.
“Would your uncle happen to have an extra seat?”
Cizhen blinked.
Then blinked again.
“…Wait.”
Her eyes widened dramatically.
“You’re serious?”
Lin Mo nodded.
“Very serious.”
For a second, Cizhen stared.
Then her face exploded into a grin.
“Hold on!”
She immediately pulled out her phone.
A rapid stream of Tibetan flowed from her lips.
The language rose and fell like music, carrying rhythms completely unfamiliar to Lin Mo.
Several minutes later, the call ended.
Cizhen raised both thumbs triumphantly.
“Done!”
“My uncle said there aren’t any other passengers.”
“He’d be happy to take you.”
Both girls smiled.
Moments later, they exchanged contact information and arranged a meeting time for the following morning.
Just like that, a new travel companion entered Lin Mo’s journey.
…
Not long afterward, Cizhen ordered another drink.
Unlike Lin Mo’s sake, this one smelled considerably stronger.
Lin Mo glanced at it curiously.
Cizhen laughed.
Then she lifted the glass and took a huge gulp.
“We children of the grasslands grow up on horseback.”
Her voice carried unmistakable pride.
“Ever since we were little, we’ve been drinking the barley wine our mothers make at home.”
She waved dismissively at the cocktail.
“Compared to that, this is basically fruit juice.”
The amber liquid reflected the warm lights overhead.
For a brief moment, Lin Mo could almost imagine endless grasslands stretching beneath blue skies.
Fresh wind.
Galloping horses.
Boundless freedom.
The more she spoke with Cizhen, the more she liked her.
Warm-hearted.
Straightforward.
Bright as sunshine.
The kind of person who made others feel comfortable without even trying.
…
At that exact moment, another person stepped behind the bar.
Danzeng Luobu.
With practiced ease, he picked up a shaker and began mixing a drink.
Years earlier, while still attending university, he had founded Wujie.
At first, it had simply been a place where he could escape the pressures of life.
A refuge.
A quiet corner of the world.
Unexpectedly, it had grown into one of Chengdu’s most beloved hidden gems.
A sanctuary where exhausted souls came to breathe.
Danzeng himself embodied the spirit of a Khampa man.
Growing up surrounded by traditional culture, he had developed a deep appreciation for alcohol.
Not merely drinking it.
Understanding it.
Respecting it.
Eventually, that passion inspired the vision behind Wujie.
Unlike trendy bars chasing internet fame, Wujie followed a different philosophy.
The tranquility of the Tibetan Plateau formed its foundation.
The warmth of Tibetan culture became its soul.
Solid wooden tables filled the room.
The walls were painted in muted shades of Tibetan blue.
Ancient copper kettles and handwoven wool textiles decorated the corners, each piece personally collected by Danzeng from his hometown.
Gentle Tibetan folk melodies blended seamlessly with jazz and blues.
Everything felt natural.
Everything felt intentional.
Even the cocktails reflected his creativity.
Many incorporated highland barley liquor from the plateau, carefully paired with premium fruits and modern techniques.
The first sip was crisp and refreshing.
The lingering aftertaste was smooth and unforgettable.
Much like the plateau itself.
Quiet on the surface.
Yet capable of leaving a mark that lasted forever.
And tonight, as Danzeng calmly mixed drinks behind the bar, he had no idea that fate had already brought the girl from the airport back into his life.
Nor did he know that she was sitting only a short distance away.
Waiting for their paths to finally cross.