Qian Wang bumped along the sandy road, driving slowly because the narrow path made it hard to navigate.

He had originally invited the mother and son to get in the car with him, but after opening the door, they quickly shut it again, awkwardly explaining that their ride was still at the gas station.

Once they drove off, Qian Wang saw that it was an old motorcycle. The mother and son rode ahead on it, while Qian Wang leisurely followed behind in his own vehicle.

It was midday, and as expected, the desert heat was scorching but with the air conditioning on in the car, it was much more bearable.

The mother and son pointed in a direction, and Qian Wang stayed in the car, looking toward it. The woman seemed a bit hesitant, her voice soft as she repeatedly cautioned him:

“In the past few days, there haven’t been any sandstorms, so the sand hasn’t moved much. You just need to cross this, then keep driving straight ahead. You all have compasses in your car, right? Once you see a large lake, don’t go any further. Just take a look and then return the same way you came.”

The woman repeated these words many times. Seeing the slight discomfort on Qian Wang’s face, she finally stopped, feeling uneasy. After taking the fifty yuan Qian Wang handed her, she led her son back the way they came.

Qian Wang watched the directions they walked, likely thinking they must live near the gas station. With that thought, he stepped on the gas and drove straight ahead.

The journey wasn’t very long. After driving past the massive sand dune the woman had pointed out, Qian Wang could faintly make out a lake in the distance, rising and falling with the landscape. He guessed it was the one the woman had mentioned, so he returned to the car, took a couple of sips of water, and continued on his way.

After passing the sand dune, Qian Wang saw the lake in the distance and guessed it was the one the woman mentioned. He stopped the car, took a couple of sips of water, and then continued driving. Later, as his view got blocked after descending the dune, he kept glancing around, hoping to catch a glimpse of that person, but he got distracted and didn’t notice how far off-course he had driven.

The sand roads earlier had been firmer, but soon he noticed the car struggling to move. The sand seemed to be shifting, sliding beneath his tires. When he checked the compass in the car, he realized that knowing the direction wasn’t much help. The car was making little progress, and if he kept spinning in circles like this, the fuel wouldn’t last.

With no other option, he sighed, took off his jacket, and left it in the car. Armed with just his shirt, a bottle of water, and the compass, he began walking toward the nearest sand dune on foot.

When he reached the top, the view left him stunned.

Qian Wang had hoped that once he reached the top and saw the large lake, he would find the actual tourist area. However, upon reaching the dune, all he could see was endless yellow sand. Aside from the glaring sky, there wasn’t a single trace of anything else. It was only then that he realized things had become tricky. No longer willing to play the hero, he took out his phone and decided to call Zhao Ziqiang.

No signal—of course. As far as he could see, there wasn’t a signal tower for miles.

Qian Wang furrowed his brow tightly, starting to regret his earlier carelessness and that one moment of poor decision-making.

Just as he was stewing in frustration, a figure emerging from the sand in the distance caught his attention.

He broke into a sprint, heart filled with a smug sense of excitement. Though he wouldn’t admit it, most of his happiness came from the childish thought that meeting this person under such circumstances felt like fate!

Zhao Ziqiang had spotted Qian Wang first before getting up.

That morning, Zhao Ziqiang had intended to follow the directions given by the boy and reach the lake for a quick visit before heading back. But along the way, he kept stumbling upon oddly shaped rocks and little flags left behind by others. Distracted by these finds, he unknowingly strayed off the original path.

However, Zhao Ziqiang knew he hadn’t wandered too far off course. With plenty of travel snacks and gear prepared in his bag, he wasn’t worried. So, he sat down right where he was and started eating.

By chance, as he followed the movements of a lizard crawling nearby, his eyes landed on a figure standing far away on top of a sand dune. His first instinct was that it was Qian Wang, though he couldn’t explain why.

This wasn’t the time for any more pranks, so he simply stood up and waved in that direction.

Qian Wang hurried over, out of breath. When they finally came face to face, both were genuinely happy. After all, in a situation like this, even encountering a stranger would be a reason to feel a bit excited, let alone each other.

The two of them packed up Zhao Ziqiang’s belongings and decided to head back to the car. Zhao Ziqiang didn’t ask Qian Wang why he was there, probably because the answer was obvious—he had come to look for him, so there was no need to ask.

Seeing Zhao Ziqiang so casual, Qian Wang also stopped being cautious. They chatted along the way, casually exchanging words.

When the conversation turned to the woman who had guided them, Zhao Ziqiang couldn’t help but laugh.

“Turns out you took the back road for the cheaper cost too… This family is really tricky.”

Qian Wang smirked, muttering quietly in disagreement.

“I thought you might have taken the same direction too.”

Zhao Ziqiang didn’t respond. By the time they reached the car, he opened the door, leaned inside to check, and found that aside from a suit jacket, there was nothing else in the car. Frowning, he turned back to give Qian Wang a little scolding.

“You’re something else—coming out to the desert without bringing anything. Let me see… you didn’t even bring any medicine, did you?”

“Qian Wang listened to the other person’s concerned words, feeling so happy inside that he could barely contain it. However, he didn’t dare show it on his face and simply listened quietly.”

Zhao Ziqiang scolded him for a bit, noticing that the man was listening quietly without complaining. Feeling a bit smug, he stopped and sighed.

“Well… what should we do now? You said the sand makes it hard to drive, right? We can’t just keep going, what if we run out of fuel?”

Qian Wang nodded thoughtfully, then, with a serious look, he rolled up his sleeves and said, “I’ll go check it out.”

Zhao Ziqiang rolled his eyes, brushing the wind-blown strands of hair behind his head.

“It sounds like I asked you to carry explosives and blow up a bridge. Fine, let’s go together. I’ve got everything ready. Your sense of direction isn’t great, and if I leave you behind, I’ll have to come back and find you.”

With that, he adjusted his backpack and headed toward the direction they had confirmed earlier.

Quan Wang had no choice but to quickly follow, willingly accepting the nagging, lecturing, and concern. This feeling of having such a capable companion made his spirits soar throughout the journey.

While their spirits were high, reality was much harsher. After several attempts and fruitless searching, they were exhausted and decided to return to the car to rest and recharge.

The sun was setting, casting a breathtaking glow over the horizon. Zhao Ziqiang watched in awe, murmuring to himself, ‘No wonder people love to travel. Nature is just beautiful—better than anything else!’

Qian Wang turned to look at the man beside him, who was smiling gently with his eyes slightly squinted. His heart fluttered. He knew that no matter how long he gazed, he could never get enough. It felt like seeing him for the first time, and he found himself liking him more than ever.