The moment Danzeng heard the news, his brows knitted together.
Genie wasn’t an ordinary destination.
At those elevations, oxygen wasn’t simply a convenience.
For many visitors, it was the difference between sleeping comfortably and spending an entire night gasping for breath.
The oxygen system couldn’t be allowed to fail.
He lifted his head and gazed across the streets of Kangding.
For a brief moment, an absurd thought surfaced.
A small, foolish hope.
Perhaps, if he came back here, fate might allow him to see that girl again.
The girl whose smile had lingered in his mind far longer than it should have.
But reality quickly extinguished the thought.
Kangding wasn’t small.
The world wasn’t a romance novel.
What were the chances of meeting the same person twice?
A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
Then he shook his head.
Enough.
There was work to do.
Without hesitation, he dialed his mother’s number.
The call connected quickly.
“Amma.”
“Something urgent came up at the guesthouse.”
“I need to head to Genie immediately.”
“I’ll come see you after everything’s settled.”
His mother sounded completely unsurprised.
After all, she had spent years watching her son rush from one responsibility to another.
“Drive safely,” she reminded him.
Then, just before hanging up, she suddenly remembered something.
“Oh, right.”
“Your father is working in Yajiang these days.”
“If you have time, go visit him.”
Danzeng glanced at the clock.
“I probably won’t make it.”
“I’ll call him later.”
“Alright.”
After ending the call, he immediately purchased several supplies nearby, loaded everything into his SUV, and turned toward the open highway.
A moment later, he was gone.
…
Night slowly descended upon the plateau.
The road stretched endlessly into darkness.
Mountains stood silently beneath the stars.
Far in the distance, snow-covered peaks gleamed beneath moonlight like ancient guardians watching over the land.
Inside the vehicle, only the hum of the engine accompanied him.
One hand rested on the steering wheel.
The other tapped lightly against it.
His thoughts drifted.
Part of his attention remained on the broken oxygen system.
The other part…
Kept returning to a certain girl.
Lin Mo.
He wondered whether she was still in Kangding.
Whether she’d already left.
Whether she’d ever return.
The questions were pointless.
Yet they surfaced again and again.
Outside the windshield, the stars seemed impossibly bright.
Inside the car, he drove deeper into the night.
Completely unaware that fate was quietly drawing them toward the same destination.
…
Around ten o’clock that evening, Danzeng finally arrived at Wild Haven Genie.
The moment he parked, he grabbed his toolbox and headed directly toward the equipment room.
No greetings.
No rest.
No delay.
Work first.
The control panel stood open beneath harsh fluorescent lighting.
The fault indicator flashed red.
Danzeng crouched down immediately.
Flashlight in hand.
Eyes focused.
Mind sharp.
Years of experience took over.
Check the wiring.
Trace the circuits.
Disconnect.
Reconnect.
Test.
Replace.
Repeat.
His movements were swift and precise.
Confident.
Almost effortless.
Half an hour later—
The oxygen system hummed back to life.
Fresh oxygen began flowing into the guest rooms once more.
The warning lights disappeared.
Everything returned to normal.
Only then did everyone finally relax.
Deren released a long breath and wiped the sweat from his forehead.
“Brother Danzeng…”
His voice carried obvious relief.
“Thank goodness you came.”
“Otherwise, I don’t know what we would’ve done.”
Danzeng waved dismissively.
“It’s fixed.”
“Just make sure maintenance checks happen regularly.”
After confirming none of the guests were experiencing serious altitude-related complications, he finally returned to his room.
For the first time all day, he allowed himself to rest.
…
Danzeng had always possessed an uncanny instinct for business.
Years earlier, while still in university, he had noticed something most people overlooked.
Sichuan attracted countless tourists.
Yet many famous destinations lacked comfortable accommodations.
The scenery was spectacular.
The facilities were not.
Poor sanitation.
Limited services.
Outdated infrastructure.
Tourists wanted nature.
But they didn’t want hardship.
Recognizing the opportunity, Danzeng partnered with his closest friend, Dawa Gyatso.
Together, they entered the high-end guesthouse industry.
And succeeded beyond anyone’s expectations.
Over the following years, one boutique property after another appeared across Sichuan.
Jiuzhaigou.
Daocheng Yading.
Mount Emei.
Qingcheng Mountain.
Each location gave birth to another Wild Haven.
Wild Haven Jiuzhaigou.
Wild Haven Yading.
Wild Haven Emei.
Every property possessed its own character.
Its own soul.
Its own connection to the landscape around it.
Their philosophy remained simple.
Beauty.
Comfort.
Service.
Rather than chasing trendy internet aesthetics, they embraced natural materials.
Wood.
Stone.
Handcrafted decorations.
Traditional local culture.
Guests could enjoy untouched wilderness without sacrificing modern comforts.
Spotless rooms.
Smart technology.
Reliable oxygen systems.
Thoughtful service.
The formula worked.
Wild Haven quickly became famous.
Within just a few years, both Danzeng and Gyatso achieved what most people spent a lifetime pursuing.
Financial freedom.
But among all their properties—
One place stood apart.
Wild Haven Genie.
…
From a business perspective, the project made absolutely no sense.
Zeba Village sat deep within a remote mountain region.
Transportation was inconvenient.
Tourists were scarce.
Major attractions were nearly nonexistent.
The guesthouse had operated at a loss since opening.
Yet neither Danzeng nor Gyatso cared.
Because Genie wasn’t merely a destination.
It was home.
It was faith.
It was memory.
The sacred mountain had watched over generations of Kham children.
It had witnessed departures.
And returns.
It had nourished their ancestors with glacial water flowing from the holy peaks.
No matter how far they traveled.
No matter how successful they became.
Their roots remained here.
Wild Haven Genie wasn’t an investment.
It wasn’t a business venture.
It was something far more important.
A sanctuary.
A spiritual home.
A place where they would always belong.
…
The next morning.
Before sunrise.
Lin Mo opened her eyes.
Again.
Altitude sickness had turned sleep into an endless struggle.
Rest came in fragments.
Dreams came in pieces.
Unable to remain in bed any longer, she got dressed and headed downstairs.
This time, luck finally smiled upon her.
After breakfast, the hotel receptionist helped her contact a local driver.
Two couples were already planning to travel to Genie.
With everyone sharing the same destination, transportation costs could be split easily.
The arrangement was settled within minutes.
Just like that, the adventure continued.
…
Morning mist drifted across the grasslands as their vehicle departed Litang.
The driver was a cheerful local man.
Talkative.
Energetic.
The type who never let a trip remain ordinary.
After chatting with everyone for a while, he suddenly grinned.
“Since we’re heading that way anyway…”
“Why don’t I show you a few special places?”
His smile widened.
“I guarantee it’ll be worth it.”
The entire group agreed immediately.
…
Their first stop was Quenching Lake beneath Ironsmith Mountain.
The moment Lin Mo stepped out of the vehicle, she froze.
Ironsmith Mountain towered before them.
Massive.
Sharp.
Majestic.
Its shape resembled a colossal steel pyramid forged by giants.
Beside it lay Quenching Lake.
A dazzling sapphire mirror reflecting the sky.
The contrast was breathtaking.
Everyone immediately pulled out their phones and cameras.
Photographs.
Videos.
Group selfies.
No one wanted to leave.
…
The second stop was Lahacuo Lake.
And somehow, it was even more beautiful.
No crowds.
No noise.
No tour buses.
Only grasslands stretching toward the horizon.
Cattle and sheep grazed peacefully nearby.
Nestled within the valley lay two crystal-blue lakes.
From above, they resembled a pair of eyes gazing toward the heavens.
The landscape felt unreal.
Almost sacred.
The wind whispered through the grass.
Nothing else disturbed the silence.
For a moment, it felt as though the entire world had stopped.
Everyone stood quietly.
Simply looking.
Simply breathing.
Simply existing.
It was the kind of beauty photographs could never truly capture.
…
As they ventured deeper into the mountains, the road became increasingly rough.
Soon the vehicle began bouncing violently across uneven terrain.
Everyone was tossed around like dice inside a cup.
Lin Mo grabbed the handle above her head with both hands.
At one point, she genuinely wondered whether she might be launched through the roof.
Even the driver stopped chatting and focused entirely on the road.
Fortunately, everyone possessed adventurous spirits.
Instead of complaining, they laughed.
Again and again.
The road frequently disappeared beneath herds of cattle and sheep.
Every few kilometers, they were forced to stop and wait.
Yet nobody minded.
If anything, it became part of the fun.
Between the scenery and the laughter, time passed surprisingly quickly.
…
It was early summer.
Wildflowers had begun blooming across Genie.
Every hillside overflowed with color.
Purple.
Yellow.
Red.
White.
The mountains looked as though nature itself had spilled paint across them.
Lin Mo pressed her forehead against the window.
Unable to look away.
Every now and then, another snow-covered peak appeared in the distance.
Each sighting triggered excited screams throughout the vehicle.
Watching everyone react, Lin Mo couldn’t help smiling.
It felt wonderful knowing so many people loved snow mountains just as much as she did.
…
Around three in the afternoon, they finally arrived at Xiazetong Village.
The village felt untouched by time.
Primitive.
Peaceful.
Authentic.
Most restaurants had already closed for the afternoon.
The group searched for food.
Found none.
Then settled for instant noodles from a convenience store.
It wasn’t glamorous.
But hunger made everything taste good.
While eating, one of the girls excitedly wandered around taking photos.
“This is Ding Zhen’s hometown!”
She repeated it at least five times.
Lin Mo only vaguely knew who Ding Zhen was.
Celebrity culture had never interested her much.
Instead, her attention had been captured by something else entirely.
A hot spring near the village entrance.
“Why don’t we go check it out?”
The suggestion received immediate approval.
Within minutes, everyone headed toward the spring.
…
Several locals were already soaking their feet in the water.
Unable to resist, the group joined them.
The moment Lin Mo stepped into the spring—
“Ah!”
She jumped.
“It’s so hot!”
The nearby villagers burst into laughter.
One elderly man pointed toward the river.
“Move closer over there.”
“It’s cooler.”
His Mandarin carried a thick local accent, but his smile was warm.
Following his advice, Lin Mo moved toward the area where the hot spring merged with the river.
The temperature immediately became perfect.
She sighed in relief.
Then settled onto a large riverside stone.
Warm water flowed around her feet.
Steam drifted lazily across the surface.
Nearby, some people boiled eggs in the spring.
Others bathed.
Children laughed in the distance.
The village rested quietly beneath the mountains.
Everything felt peaceful.
Open.
Unhurried.
The sky stretched endlessly overhead.
The mountains stood silently beyond.
And for the first time in months—
Lin Mo felt completely at ease.
The pressure.
The anxiety.
The uncertainty.
All of it seemed to dissolve into the mountain wind.
As if Genie itself was gently washing away the burdens she had carried from the city.
Little did she know—
The sacred mountain wasn’t finished surprising her yet.
And very soon, beneath these snow-covered peaks, fate would finally bring her face-to-face with the man who had never truly forgotten her.