Chapter 127: Mountains, Rivers, Lakes, and Seas; Heaven, Earth, and Love

When she first went to Dali, she had promised herself that she would not leave until she found the other half of her life. Yet now, for Lin Shenlu’s sake, Hai Lanjing had left Dali. She chose to follow him to every city he set foot in, solely to open an inn there, ensuring that no matter which city he was in, a home would be waiting for him. But now... should she keep going? Should she continue to follow in his footsteps? The East Pole Island was merely a transition; soon he would embark on a new journey, and should she follow him there too?

Staring at the small blue box on her room’s table—the last thing Lin Shenlu had left behind, which she had retrieved from the trash—Hai Lanjing fell into deep contemplation.

...

Returning from East Pole Island, the three of them climbed back into their recreational vehicle. An Muxi lay comfortably in the air-conditioned cabin, watching television from the plush bed. This was the ultimate luxury of travel. The drive back to Chengdu could be considered a full-experience road trip. A normal drive covers over two thousand kilometers and takes about twenty-two hours, but Lin Shenlu was in no rush. Stopping frequently to eat and drink along the way, it took them nearly three days to return to Chengdu.

Upon entering the city, Su Bao’er felt quite at home. In her own words, she had lived here for many years, which perfectly explained her authentic Sichuan-accented Mandarin. Lin Shenlu drove An Muxi home and dropped off Su Bao’er there as well; after all, she was a young woman, and it was better not to have her living with him indefinitely. Lin Shenlu returned home alone.

The last time he had been back was when he returned from Dali to attend Lin Qingchen’s industry networking event, and nearly a month had passed since then. Lin Shenlu held deep feelings for Chengdu. Of course, if he hadn’t worked here for so many years, he might not have felt the urge to leave this familiar city. Returning to Chengdu meant transitioning from excitement back to silence. Someone who had just come from such a lively journey was reluctant to stay alone in his apartment, even if he did call it home.

"I might as well go out and find a small pub for a drink," he thought. After resting for a few days and submitting his Lishui manuscript to the editor, he would be able to set off for his next destination with peace of mind. For these few days, he would simply be a free man.

On his way to the pub, a thought struck him, and he stopped by a nearby bookstore to see if he could find any magazines. It was said that his first article about the trip to Dali had been a hit, and he hadn't even had a proper look at it yet. After wandering through the store and asking a clerk, Lin Shenlu was directed to the section for monthly magazines.

*Lonely Planet*. Lin Shenlu picked it up; it felt heavy in his hands. Hmm? He noticed another familiar-looking magazine next to the one he had bought. The name seemed to ring a bell. The green cover featured a fairyland-like mountain forest, with four large characters written on it: *Global Travel Photography*.

He picked it up and checked the editor-in-chief’s name: Chen Wan’an. What a strange name. Was it because he didn't like to sleep at night when he was a child? Wait!

Lin Shenlu’s memory drifted back to the last time he saw Lin Qingchen. She had told him to call a man "brother-in-law," and Lin Shenlu had assumed the man was her partner. Later, he realized it was just a lost love, though he didn't know who hadn't been able to let go. That man had been introduced by Lin Qingchen as "President Chen"... who ran a magazine called *Global Travel Photography*? Was this the very same magazine he was holding now?

Lin Shenlu decided to buy this one as well. He no longer felt like going to the pub; instead, he went home to get a good look at these two travel magazines. The first one he opened was not *Lonely Planet*, but *Global Travel Photography*. On the first page, there was a passage: "Mountains, rivers, lakes, and seas; heaven, earth, and love." It was a heartfelt magazine.

To his surprise, each issue introduced ten different places, and one of the pieces was always written by the editor-in-chief, Chen Wan’an, himself. Among the ten authors, there was one who specialized in international travel, using the pen name "Shining Fish." Lin Shenlu searched for him on his phone. He was clearly a specially signed contributor for the magazine, lived abroad year-round, and the most recent locations he had written about were all international—the latest issue featured New York. Lin Shenlu read the man’s work carefully and found that he was much like himself: a traveler who loved food. His prose was free and easy.

Of course, besides the specially signed contributors, the rest of the content came from freelance submissions. It was evident that the magazine’s popularity was quite high, and the pay was generous. Once accepted, one could earn about one yuan per character. If an article was ten thousand characters long, one could make ten thousand yuan. It seemed that running a magazine was quite profitable. Only someone like him, an on-the-ground traveler, had it the hardest.

*Beep, beep, beep...*

Lin Shenlu’s phone rang. "Sister Qingchen?" he asked curiously.

"I saw on your social media that you’re back in Chengdu?" Lin Qingchen’s voice was as crisp and cold as ever. Anyone who didn’t know her well would think she was unapproachable.

"Yes, sister. I’m back. Planning to rest for a few days before heading out again," Lin Shenlu said with a chuckle.

Lin Qingchen didn't mince words. "I’ll send you a location in a moment. Come find me; there’s business to attend to." Before he could decline, she hung up. Lin Shenlu could only sigh helplessly at his former boss.

Soon, a location ping arrived on his phone. Let’s go. This time, he didn't take the RV; he drove his own car, which he had retrieved from the airport immediately upon returning.

It didn't take long for him to arrive at the location—a high-end restaurant. Lin Qingchen was already waiting. Every time he saw her, Lin Shenlu was struck by her appearance. Today, she wasn't wearing professional attire, though whatever she wore always suited her perfectly. She liked bright lipstick, and today was no exception.

Taking a delicate sip of coffee, Lin Qingchen wiped the corner of her mouth and looked at Lin Shenlu with a smile. "Did you have a good time?" she asked.

"Sister, don't tease me. I was working," Lin Shenlu said, feeling a bit embarrassed. In front of Lin Qingchen, he could never be tough.

"Where are you heading next?" she asked with a smile.

"If nothing goes wrong, I plan to travel along National Highway 315," he replied.

Upon hearing this, Lin Qingchen paused. Her memory drifted back several years.