149: Chapter 149 The journey was wonderful from the very beginning.

The pilot's steady voice came over the cabin intercom, announcing that the flight was about to land at the airport.

Outside the window was a nearly dazzling, clear azure blue, and in the distance, a horizon that seemed endless, blurred by the scorching sun.

In Xinjiang during early August, the sunlight was unreservedly direct and intense.

"We're finally here."

Chen Yu stretched his neck, turned his head, and smiled at Su Lingyin, who was sitting by the window.

Su Lingyin was staring intently out the window at the incredibly vast, desolate land, which was completely different from the skylines of eastern cities.

That's how people are; they always marvel at novel things.

Hearing him, she turned back, her eyes still filled with a touch of immersive wonder: "Yeah, the sky is so blue. It feels like we're really close to the clouds."

There was a slight fatigue in her voice after the long flight, but it was overshadowed by the excitement of stepping onto unknown land.

"Then let's go." Chen Yu took Su Lingyin's hand.

Su Lingyin felt a bit awkward and tried to pull her hand away, her eyes darting slightly as a rosy flush quietly appeared on her pretty face.

Chen Yu acted as if he didn't notice, his large hand gripping hers tightly, unwilling to let go.

Just like that, they looked like a sweet couple.

The cabin door opened, and a wave of dry heat, mixed with a strange, slightly dusty scent, surged into the cabin.

It felt like the unique, passionate greeting of Xinjiang in early August.

"Whoa, this sun..." Chen Yu instinctively squinted his eyes as he followed the flow of people out.

They collected their luggage, got into the Production Team's car, and began today's recording.

"Did the Production Team really not arrange any missions?" Su Lingyin asked, feeling a bit uneasy.

It was because the Production Team always loved to stir up trouble, making things difficult for people.

"A director of this stature should be a man of his word." Chen Yu spoke up, putting the director on the spot.

Director: I'll just take that as a compliment! (ૢ˃ꌂ˂⁎)

...

After dropping off their luggage, they prepared to go for a stroll at the Grand Bazaar.

They could fill their stomachs and experience the exotic atmosphere at the same time.

As the car drove into the city, the early August heat wave, carrying a strong sense of life, rushed toward them.

The poplar trees on both sides of the street were tall and straight, casting mottled shadows, yet they couldn't block the power of the midday sun at all.

Modern high-rises stood side-by-side with domed buildings featuring ethnic characteristics.

Old men wearing Doppa and stylishly dressed young people moved through the same streets.

The magnificent Islamic-style domes shone brightly under the sun, and the area was bustling with noise.

The sounds of bargaining in various languages, the shouts of vendors, and the music of the Dombra drifting from somewhere intertwined to form a strange, vibrant symphony.

"So many people."

Su Lingyin instinctively leaned closer to Chen Yu, her eyes flashing with excitement and a hint of nervousness.

With a broad gesture, Chen Yu directly grabbed her hand.

"This way we won't get separated."

Chen Yu naturally slowed his pace, letting her walk slightly ahead of him at his side in an inadvertent protective stance.

Her gaze swept across the dazzling array of stalls, finally landing on a shop hanging countless Atlas silk scarves.

"Shall we go look at those?" Su Lingyin pointed to the nearby stall selling beautiful scarves.

"Okay." Chen Yu nodded in agreement.

The stall was crowded with tourists, and the brilliantly colored silks fluttered gently in the breeze like flowing rainbows.

Su Lingyin picked up a long silk scarf with a complex pattern, primarily in royal blue and orange-yellow. She held it up against the small mirror provided by the vendor, her eyes showing some hesitation.

"Does it look good?" She turned her head, seeking Chen Yu's opinion.

Chen Yu looked at her face, which appeared even fairer against the vibrant colors, and her bright, questioning eyes. His heart inexplicably skipped a beat.

He cleared his throat and tried to give an objective evaluation: "The color suits you well, it's just... is it a bit too bright?"

"When you come to Xinjiang, you have to be a bit more colorful!"

The stall owner, an enthusiastic Uyghur woman, interjected with a laugh, her Mandarin carrying a heavy accent.

"The girl is so pretty, and the boyfriend has great taste!"

Both of them were stunned at the same time.

"We're not..." Su Lingyin instinctively wanted to explain, her cheeks flushing slightly.

Chen Yu smiled at the stall owner but didn't directly deny it.

He pointed to another silk scarf with a white base and an exquisite pomegranate-red pattern, saying, "This one is also nice."

He skillfully changed the subject, but the title of "boyfriend" was like a small pebble thrown into the calm lake between them, sending out tiny ripples.

Chen Yu, for his part, quite enjoyed it, a bright smile spreading across his face.

﹋o﹋

Su Lingyin's cheeks were red; perhaps the UV rays were too strong. She gave him a quiet, reproachful glare.

Su Lingyin pursed her lips and didn't continue explaining. She took the red and white scarf and looked at it; it was indeed more to her liking.

"Then I'll take this one."

"Can it be a bit cheaper?" She began to haggle with the vendor. Girls always have to haggle when shopping; the money saved can buy more.

Chen Yu watched from the side, unable to stop the corners of his mouth from turning up.

In the end, Su Lingyin bought the scarf at a price both parties were satisfied with.

Su Lingyin wrapped the silk scarf around her neck. The raised edge of the silk lightly brushed against Chen Yu's arm, bringing a cool, smooth sensation.

"Hungry?"

Chen Yu asked at the right time, his gaze sweeping over the surrounding fragrant food stalls.

"I heard the Baked buns here are top-notch."

They stopped in front of a stall emitting billowing steam and a tempting aroma.

The golden-brown Baked buns had just been removed from the Tandoor, their roasted scent hitting the nose.

Chen Yu bought four and handed her two.

Su Lingyin took a cautious bite. The scalding mutton juice instantly overflowed, making her gasp from the heat, yet she couldn't help but have her eyes light up because of the extreme deliciousness.

"So hot! But it's so delicious!" she said indistinctly, a bit of oil stain on the corner of her mouth.

Seeing her satisfied look, Chen Yu smiled and pulled a tissue from his pocket, handing it over naturally: "Eat slowly, no one is going to take it from you."

At that moment, there was a kind of indulgence and doting in his eyes that he hadn't even noticed himself.

Su Su is actually quite cute when she's eating.

Sunlight spilled through the gaps in the Grand Bazaar's roof, casting pillars of light into the bustling crowd. The air was thick with the scent of spices, the aroma of roasted meat, and the sweetness of fruits.

They walked side-by-side, sharing a bag of freshly bought, incredibly sweet dried figs, their shoulders occasionally bumping due to the crowding of the people.

"My teeth hurt, it's too sweet," Chen Yu said, covering his mouth.

"Then do you want to go to the hospital?" Su Lingyin asked concernedly.

Chen Yu burst into laughter: "Fooled you!"

Su Lingyin gave him a hard slap.

"Ow! That hurts!" Chen Yu cried out in pain.

Their flirting attracted the attention of other tourists, which made Su Lingyin feel embarrassed.

"What are you shouting for? Let's go!" Su Lingyin lowered her head.

"It's because you used too much force."

"But I didn't even use any strength. Could it be that you're just too weak?"

Chen Yu: "..."

"If you're going to put it that way, I..." Chen Yu swallowed the last half of his sentence.

He would get beaten!

And it would be the kind of beating that was really miserable!

"Stopping mid-sentence is truly hateful!"

To change the subject, Chen Yu took her hand again, and they slowly strolled along, feeling the peacefulness of the moment.

Chen Yu couldn't help but think that it would be quite nice if things could just keep going like this.

An indescribable sense of closeness quietly grew and spread amidst the exotic bustle and the shared flavors of the food.

The early August sun no longer seemed so scorching; instead, it became a catalyst for some kind of passionate emotion.

Chen Yu looked at Su Lingyin's earlobe, which was almost transparent in the sunlight, and the slight upturn of her lips. Something in his heart moved gently.

This trip, right from the start, was so beautiful.

♪(^∇^*)

...