Xili Bufa scrolled through the chat records. The other party's purpose was brutally cruel beyond measure—they clearly intended to deliberately provoke Su Yufan, probably planning to screenshot and post online, letting netizens cyberbully Su Yufan.
Since she had already chosen to face it herself, he couldn't just sit idly by.
After reading through the chat records, he proposed going to Mount Maxiang to see the alpine azaleas, and downloading a microblogging app along the way.
He wanted to let Su Yufan regulate her terrible mood.
Su Yufan didn't pay any more attention to the online comments. She planned to observe the direction of public opinion.
On the mountain, thick fog was just beginning to disperse, the ridgeline gradually emerging.
On the steep slopes, the azaleas were already blooming across the mountains.
Startlingly vivid clusters of crimson, purple-red, and pink-white bent the gnarled branches.
Mountain wind passed through the blossoms; petals surged silently, cascading into the deep valleys.
The azaleas covering the mountain bloomed in the silence of the mist and peaks, as if dyeing the cold, stark rocks with color.
Su Yufan and Xili took some photos of the mountain flowers.
Xili wanted to use them for drawing reference when carving.
About eight hundred meters down the mountain, an endless meadow appeared.
The verdant meadow was like waves of grain; wind brushed past gently, leaving behind waves upon waves.
Layers of green surged, rushing toward the slopes, rushing toward the edge of the clouds.
The meadow rippled gently, stretching to the limits of sight, as if the entire expanse had been crumpled by the wind, then smoothed out by the wind, over and over.
Su Yufan actually enjoyed natural scenery very much. Ever since she was young, she had either been running wild across grasslands or through great mountains.
But ever since she started dancing, she had rarely had such relaxed moments.
Knowing Xili didn't want her to get caught up in the storm of online public opinion, she fully enjoyed the mountain breeze's gentle caress.
She also lay on the meadow for quite a while, missing her mother, missing her grandfather, missing her grandmother, missing her own healthy self.
After her stomach let out a roar of hunger, Xili drove her down the mountain.
They passed a large stretch of terraced fields. Summer water brimmed full, and people were busy transplanting rice seedlings.
The terraces were like mirrors reflecting the sky's light and clouds' shadows; countless drifting clouds flowed, gathered, and dispersed within them.
The newly planted seedlings were freshly green, winding and swaying along the water ripples, light and dark interweaving like green silk ribbons.
From time to time cowbells tinkled; a light breeze startled the water into fine ripples. The hillside, within this moist greenness, was full of natural charm.
Su Yufan sighed with emotion, "Jianchuan's scenery is so beautiful. When I was little, I only cared about climbing, paying attention only to insects underfoot, ant nests, and such.
Now looking closely, this landscape holds a different kind of charm. Xili, is the Banna Rainforest this beautiful?"
"Of course. Their beauty is different, yet it is also the same."
Inside the car, mountain wind swept past their ears like a special kind of riddle.
Evening sunset slanted across Jian Lake, and Su Yufan suddenly recalled the image of her mother dancing by Jian Lake.
"Xili, can we still eat Jian Lake's Haishao fish now?"
"Yes. There's one in the ancient town. I'll drive you there now."
Arriving at the ancient town's pedestrian street, Su Yufan walked on the bluestone road, looking at the layered eaves of centuries-old houses, green tiles covered in moss.
Many wooden door lintels had dense carvings: birds holding branches in their beaks, cloud patterns curling and unfurling.
The alleys were classical and elegant. Notes of woody fragrance occasionally floated by, and old plaques from tea-horse relay stations had mottled, faded characters.
The entire town lay nestled in the arms of the mountains. Eave corners prodded at flying clouds, and the woodcarving patterns hid the years of the Ming and Qing within them.
They walked into an ancient residence from the Ming Dynasty, now converted into a private kitchen restaurant that only served Haishao fish.
They ordered and sat down.
Before long, a basin of Haishao fish arrived—about two fish, neither too big nor too small.
The accompanying ingredients included greens, potatoes, and cilantro.
She gently tasted a bite, discerning many seasonings: caoguo powder, salt, Sichuan pepper powder, chili powder, garlic, ginger, crushed peanuts, crushed walnuts, soybeans, and more.
She specially prepared a mom-style dipping sauce, swiping the fish through it before eating; the flavor was especially fresh and fragrant.
She noticed Xili ate more vegetables and hardly touched the meat dishes.
She didn't plan to ask about this.
After eating their fill, they wandered around the ancient town for most of the day.
Su Yufan was familiar with every brick and tile of the ancient town. Many ancient residences and former homes of famous figures had protective boundary markers installed and were no longer open to the public.
She suddenly felt that living slow, unhurried days in this ancient town wouldn't be bad at all.
No need to diligently practice dancing, no need to fight for competition honors—just doing whatever she wanted to do.
Staying was simple, but getting more people to like this ancient town and to like what she did was a very difficult thing.
"Su Yufan, Dr. Duan instructed you to go back for treatment after you finished the funeral matters. Shall I send you to Kunming tomorrow?"
"Xili, my illness can't be cured. It's a genetic mutation, and there are no targeted drugs."
This was the first time the two of them had discussed Su Yufan's illness. Xili was already uneasy, and hearing Su Yufan's answer, his heart turned half cold.
"But Dr. Duan said there's a new drug. Perhaps you can try it. Taking medicine isn't as painful as chemotherapy."
"Xili, new drugs all have side effects; perhaps they're even harder to bear than chemotherapy. I'm in the early stages. According to international guidelines, not treating is also feasible. It hasn't reached the point where treatment is absolutely necessary.
Actually, I don't want to disrupt my current state. I've seen people undergoing chemotherapy. It's not just about losing hair, nor is it just the vomiting and discomfort—it's a twisted agony where one's soul feels stripped away.
I don't want to take the risk of changing my current situation, especially not now.
I suddenly want to do something—to let more people know about Jianchuan, to let this ancient town once again welcome the liveliness and glory that belong to it.
Jianchuan has rich historical depth, a continuing Nanzhao culture, woodcarving skills renowned both at home and abroad, and many intangible cultural heritage arts. It is a nationally famous historical city.
Perhaps within my limited life, I can do something within my power."
Xili didn't understand. This didn't contradict treating the illness.
"Su Yufan, before you do these things, what you should consider most is living a little longer. Treatment is the only way.
I can do anything you want to do together with you, on the condition that you go receive treatment. At the very least, you should hear what the doctor has to say."
"What you said also makes sense. Then let's go hear what Duan Heng and his classmate have to say. For now, let's go home first.
Oh right, the only one who filmed the video of the property dispute that day was your master's son. I need to go back and settle accounts with him."
Su Yufan recalled this matter and felt somewhat angry.
No matter how you put it, she and the He family were at least partially family. How could they give the video to outsiders?
Looking at those comments and attached images, many were photos from the funeral that day. Apart from the He family, who else could provide them?
She was determined to settle this score!
Returning home, she went to find He Jun, who had filmed the video that day. This brat had just turned eighteen—he couldn't be this scheming, right?
There was a high probability the video had been posted by his mother.
Su Yufan found He Jun and immediately grabbed his collar, demanding, "The video you filmed that day—did you send it to someone else?"
He Jun, who had been cracking melon seeds, was completely stunned. How should he answer this?
"What video? I don't know."
"The day I came back, the video of your mom not letting me into the house. I saw you filming it with your phone. Today it's already on the hot search.
Tell me, what exactly is going on? And yesterday's funeral photos—why are so many of them posted online?
I see you holding your phone filming away all day long. Who else could it be besides you?"
He Jun was speechless. Wanting to break free from Su Yufan's grip, he pretended to cry out, "Mom! Dad! Su Yufan is bullying me! Hurry and save me!"
At his shout, He Wenkang and Zhao Wulan came out from the kitchen.
"Su Yufan, what are you doing grabbing my son? Let him go!"
At this moment, Xili stepped in front of Su Yufan to protect her. He pried Su Yufan's hands off He Jun, then himself twisted He Jun's hands behind his back.
"You're still dreaming of becoming an internet celebrity, aren't you? Those photos and videos—who exactly did you send them to? Tell the truth!"