The Extreme Path Team enjoyed a luxurious breakfast comparable to that of a five-star hotel. Although the team members were reluctant to part with the melons in front of them, Manager Li, glancing at the time, reluctantly took another bite of ham and bread before urging the team to get back to work.
“The desert is nice, but compared to these melons, work seems a bit dull,” someone remarked.
“Still, my holiday overtime pay is five times the usual rate, which is pretty sweet,” the logistics girl in the off-road vehicle sighed sincerely.
Though they would have loved to stay at the inn and continue eating melons, everyone on the team was earning more than triple the standard wage for working during this long holiday. Of course, it still paled in comparison to Miss Xu, who had received two properties yesterday and a large gemstone today.
As the saying goes, comparing yourself to others will only make you miserable. One must learn to be content with what they have, the logistics girl thought to herself.
Yan reclined on the spacious backseat, her head resting on Zhu Jue's lap. She let out a long sigh, though she wasn’t sure why. She just had a feeling that something big was about to happen.
“Director Yan, is that Miss Xu your classmate?” the logistics girl chimed in.
Although Yan hadn’t shared much with the team, the gossip enthusiasts had already pieced together information from subtle clues and conversations among the men.
“Yeah,” Yan replied listlessly.
“Was it XX High School? No wonder it’s different from our district-level high school. You even have school directors there.”
The logistics girl marveled inwardly. Is this how dramatic the lives of rich kids are? Director Yan seemed so used to it all.
Yan absentmindedly responded while her thoughts wandered. She couldn’t understand why anyone would want to stay in this small town in the Mengga Desert. Why weren’t they leaving?
Would Xu Jiaojiao and the others just stay here indefinitely?
Although they had enjoyed a lavish breakfast that morning, Yan would much rather quietly follow the team and complete the trip without all the drama.
Having already ventured into the desert the day before, the journey felt smoother today. Lying down, Yan noticed the ride was less bumpy than yesterday.
She muttered, “I don’t know what Shen Jingchen was thinking, putting a ring in a bowl of zhajiang noodles.”
This comment immediately resonated with the girl in the front seat. “True, I’ve only ever seen rings hidden in cakes online. Or maybe in a ring box tucked somewhere. Putting it in zhajiang noodles is a first for me. Wouldn’t it get all greasy?”
“But if I received it, I wouldn’t complain. I’d just wash it off,” the girl added.
Yan thought about it. If she were eating noodles and accidentally took a big bite, she might chip a tooth!
Then she wouldn’t know whether to feel worse for her tooth or the gemstone ring.
Moreover, putting a beautiful blue gemstone ring into a bowl of carefully crafted zhajiang noodles was a waste of both the ring and the delicious dish. Yan concluded that she simply couldn’t understand the thought processes of the privileged.
In high school, they had taken elective courses on jewelry appreciation and maintenance. Yan thought for a moment and sent Xu Jiaojiao a message.
Although aquamarine is relatively durable, it still needs proper care. Otherwise, the oily residue could dull its shine, reducing its value.
[Yan]: If you don’t have a professional cleaner, rinse the ring with water. Don’t scrub it directly with a toothbrush.
[Yan]: Use a water flosser or place it in a container of water with an electric toothbrush, but don’t let them touch directly.
A few minutes later, Xu Jiaojiao replied with an “OK.”
Yan lay on Zhu Jue’s lap as he gently massaged her temples with his fingertips.
After a while of comfortable pampering, Yan reached out with her left hand and clasped Zhu Jue’s hand, intertwining their fingers.
One sat while the other lay down, idly playing with each other’s hands.
Yan formed half a heart shape with her fingers, and Zhu Jue completed it with his.
When their thumbs pressed together, their hands spread outward, forming the shape of a little bird in flight.
When they pressed the backs of their hands together, it became a bunny.
Without a word, a simple twist of the wrist, and the other hand would instinctively follow, creating adorable little animals.
Back in elementary school over a decade ago, their class had held a shadow puppet competition. There were individual and team events. Yan and Zhu Jue had practiced tirelessly, only to tie with Tan Dabao and Tan Xiaobao in the team event.
After reliving all the shadow puppet memories, Yan stretched out her hands. Zhu Jue gently stroked her back and helped her sit up.
After playing for a while, Yan’s mood had improved significantly.
She rubbed Zhu Jue’s thigh and whispered, “Is it numb?”
She had been lying on his lap for quite some time.
Zhu Jue smiled at her. “No.”
He reached over to smooth her slightly messy hair. The two leaned against each other in the backseat as Yan typed a message on her phone.
[Yan]: (＾▽＾) Zhu Jue, I was thinking about our childhood.
[Zhu Jue]: Me too.
Yan chuckled as she typed.
[Yan]: Back then, after being challenged by Tan Dabao and Tan Xiaobao during the shadow puppet competition, I kept thinking that if we were twins, we’d have that psychic connection too.
Back then, the internet wasn’t as widespread, and twins or fraternal siblings were rare.
Young Yan, who was always surrounded by extraordinary people, had wondered:
Because Tan Dabao and Tan Xiaobao were twins, they were the “genius little treasures.”
In their naivety, the two had even asked their parents if they could be put back in the womb and reborn as twins, even deciding who would be the older sibling.
To this day, it remained a joke among their families and neighbors.
As she grew older, especially during her teenage years in middle and high school, Yan wished she could go back and silence her younger self.
[Zhu Jue]: Good thing we’re not twins.
[Zhu Jue]: We’re just us.
From childhood to adolescence, and into adulthood, they had always shared the most intimate memories. They had spent more time together than with their own parents.
A glance, a gesture, the first word spoken—over the long years, they had memorized every detail about each other.
In this world, there would never be another person like them for each other.
They were irreplaceable.
Another day in the desert was spent chasing after the land-dominant vehicles, testing and adjusting various data and parameters.
Yan and Zhu Jue also lent a hand to the team, counting supplies and flying drones. Immersed in the desert, the vast expanse of yellow sand made it easy to forget other worries.
Under the scorching sun, Yan sipped water cautiously. Water was the source of life, and even though they had ample supplies, the desert instilled a sense of cherishing everything.
In the desolate, majestic landscape, survival was the top priority, and all other concerns were set aside.
After another bumpy day, Yan wondered on the way back to town: If this continued, wouldn’t their bottoms be sore from all the jolting?
Although the team’s work wasn’t particularly strenuous, sitting in a vehicle and enduring the bumps all day felt just as exhausting as a regular workday.
When the Extreme Path convoy returned to the hotel’s large parking lot and approached the entrance, the windows of the off-road vehicles rolled down.
It was dinnertime, and the on-site food trucks and stoves were already set up outside the hotel.
There were wok-fried dishes and freshly grilled steaks, a blend of Chinese and Western cuisines. The aroma of the food wafted through the air, instantly making everyone’s mouths water!
The logistics girl in the same car instinctively glanced at Yan in the backseat. “Director Yan, can we tag along for dinner again tonight?”
Yan’s expression was blank. She had no idea.
Had Shen Jingchen and the others done the same at lunch? If they kept lingering here, the boxed meals the Extreme Path Team had ordered from the town’s restaurants would pale in comparison to the five-star chef’s live cooking.
If they couldn't eat, it would be the ultimate test of everyone's willpower and endurance, and it would be too unbearable.
"Is she not here? No drama to gossip about?" The logistics lady looked left and right but didn't spot the protagonist from the morning, her eyes inevitably filled with disappointment.
The team parked their cars, gathered their things, and entered the hotel lobby, where the hotel owner greeted them warmly.
"Hey, Manager Li, President Qin, you're back."
"Is there boxed dinner tonight? The assistant of that big boss, Shen Jingchen, said there's plenty of ingredients, and the extra will be made into boxed meals for 20 yuan each."
The hotel owner glanced around, covering her mouth with one hand, and whispered, "I took a peek. It's some foreign beef, like A5 or something, and some cured ham I've never seen before. I saw on short videos that it's super expensive."
Hearing this, the team members' eyes lit up instantly. "Really? Twenty yuan?"
One of the quicker-tongued members blurted out, "If the company meal exceeds the budget, we can buy it ourselves."
President Qin clapped his hands. "Alright, then let's all go with this boxed meal. The company will cover it. Please keep track of how many, boss, and we'll settle the bill later."
The boxed meals were packed with thick cuts of steak, steamed fresh shrimp, and other dishes, each one slightly different depending on what the chef had prepared. Some had stir-fries, while others even had a spoonful of caviar. Even the rice was steamed with mineral water, making the meal feel absolutely luxurious.
The team ate their boxed meals right in the hotel's dining area. Yan and Zhu Jue didn't hold back either. Though they weren't sure why Shen Jingchen had suddenly arranged this, after a day of bouncing around in the desert, they really needed the nourishment!
Sharing the table with them were President Qin and Manager Li. Manager Li had been monitoring data in the land cruiser all day, using up a lot of mental energy, and had already eaten who knows how many energy bars.
Now, as he ate the boxed meal, he was deeply moved. "Real food is so much better. Those energy bars are way too sweet."
"This meal is almost as good as the company annual dinner. I hope this drama lasts a few more days."
As bystanders, no matter how much drama unfolded, it wouldn't affect the Extreme Path Team's testing. Plus, they got to enjoy delicious food. With all the gossip and good meals, the team's morale was high. Manager Li even hoped these people would stick around until the team left.
Yan quietly swallowed a bite of greens. People's joys were different, and right now, she just wanted to finish eating and head back to her room.
It wasn't for any particular reason, but after the team parked in the lot, she noticed a new luxury B-class RV had appeared at the hotel.
She wasn't sure who had brought it, but she wondered what kind of drama was coming next.
"Manager Li, our desert schedule is about three or four days, right?" she asked Manager Li.
Manager Li, busy devouring his meal, nodded. "We've already collected plenty of data in the past two days. The weather has been great, and all the tests have gone smoothly."
"We'll continue to fill in any gaps tomorrow, and if everything goes well, we can move on to the mountain roads ahead of schedule."
After eating sand in the desert for so long, everyone was starting to feel the strain.
After dinner, Yan and Zhu Jue returned to their room, while the rest of the team dispersed. They lingered in the dining area and lobby, looking around for a while, but no further drama unfolded.
Back in her room, Yan still felt a lingering sense of unease. If nothing happened tonight, she was already inexplicably worried about the next morning.
Ning City.
That evening, Chu Bingbing, having returned from the Great Wall, collapsed onto her hotel bed, utterly exhausted.
She had booked a hotel spa and nibbled on some fruit, too tired to eat a proper meal.
As she enjoyed the aromatherapy massage, she nearly fell asleep. The spa therapist was quiet, not pushing any products or prying into her privacy, only occasionally asking if the pressure was comfortable.
After an hour-long spa session, Chu Bingbing felt completely rejuvenated, though her stomach was starting to growl.
She had switched hotels today, staying at one called the Royal Hotel, which promised guests an experience akin to that of ancient royalty.
Chu Bingbing had booked a massive Chinese-style courtyard suite for 16,888 yuan per night, luxurious enough to accommodate an entire family. She had made the reservation last minute, and due to the holiday season, the price had doubled. But the service was impeccable. She had her spa session in the courtyard's spa room, where she could enjoy the view of the garden through the windows. The courtyard was adorned with maple trees, their red leaves adding a touch of autumn beauty.
"Miss, what does your hotel restaurant recommend? I heard your Chinese cuisine is excellent, especially the Ning City-style fried noodles by one of your chefs," she asked the spa therapist.
Chu Bingbing had chosen this hotel based on a popular influencer's recommendation. She distinctly remembered the influencer raving about the fried noodles and even introducing the chef in the video.
Ning City's fried noodles were already famous, and she hadn't had a chance to try them since arriving.
The spa therapist smiled apologetically. "Miss Chu, if you're looking for Chef Du's fried noodles, he's currently away on a business trip. Chef Huang is handling the dish now."
Chu Bingbing was taken aback. "Chefs go on business trips? For competitions?"
The spa therapist shook her head. "It's an internal transfer within the group. We don't know the details."
"That's fine. I'll have Chef Huang's version then," she said, not too bothered. After all, both chefs were top-tier, so the noodles couldn't be that different.
Chu Bingbing didn't leave her courtyard, simply waiting for room service to arrive.
While some might find traditional Chinese decor eerie, her suite was a modern take on the style, spacious and bright, without the overly dark wooden tones often seen in period dramas.
Still, being alone did feel a bit lonely. She had no one to chat with, and even when she messaged her roommate, she had to wait for a reply.
Of course, there were perks to being alone too—no need to consider anyone else's feelings. Chu Bingbing could do whatever she pleased.
Today's trip to the Great Wall had been quite remote, and she had been on edge the whole time, worried that the system might suddenly assign her a timed task. With the crowds at the Great Wall and the notorious traffic in the capital, getting stuck would have been a disaster!
A hotel staff member wheeled in a cart, setting down a simple bowl of fried noodles, accompanied by a few side dishes and fruit, all within five minutes of being prepared.
After scheduling a cleanup an hour later, Chu Bingbing was left alone in her courtyard again. She ate while scrolling through her phone.
She casually clicked on a trending post at the top of her feed. Why was she seeing something about the desert?
Had the app mined her photos after she saved Yan's desert scenery shots? These companies were really crossing the line with their data collection!
Frowning, she was about to mark it as "not interested" when she noticed the post was tagged in Menghe Town.
Chu Bingbing found the name familiar.
After a moment's thought, she realized Yan and the team had gone there. She swiped to the second photo in the post, which showed a helicopter landing in the town.
"Some big shot must be in town! My daughter thought the helicopter was a giant toy and wanted to take it home. [Laugh-cry emoji]"
"Huh?" Chu Bingbing's eyes narrowed.
Was something wrong on Yan's end? Why was there suddenly a helicopter dispatched?
Weren't those usually for emergencies?
She switched to WeChat and checked the group chat where Yan had recently shared photos.
"Everything should be fine," she murmured to herself.
Returning to the post, she noticed the helicopter photo was from yesterday and immediately felt relieved.
The blogger seemed to be just sharing daily life, with each post casual and personal.
Chu Bingbing read the comments, which were clearly from locals chatting with each other.
"Apparently, it's some big boss from the capital!"
"We got free food this morning! If you take your kid tomorrow, you might get lucky too."
Chu Bingbing's mind stirred as she clicked into the person's profile, which was publicly visible and not hidden. The top post was a video.
She clicked to play the video, which was a bit shaky, clearly filmed casually by hand.
She saw two elongated food trucks, and in front of them was an open area where a team of chefs was busy cooking on-site.
The chefs were fully dressed in their hats and uniforms. As the camera moved, Chu Bingbing followed the angle and saw both Chinese and Western dishes being prepared.
For a moment, she thought it might be some kind of live cooking competition, similar to the shows she had seen on CCTV-2 before.
But then, as the cameraman turned around, one of the chefs came into view, and Chu Bingbing froze in shock.
This person, this chef’s uniform—she felt like she had just seen him in another video. She paused the video, took a screenshot, and then exited to find the video she had watched earlier, recommended by an influencer, about the Royal Hotel in Ning City.
Chu Bingbing quickly clicked into that video, scrolled to the part with the chef, and took another screenshot.
Switching to her phone’s photo gallery, she compared the two screenshots. From the similar angles, it was obvious—it was the same person!
It was Chef Du from the Royal Hotel!
Chu Bingbing’s eyes widened. What kind of coincidence was this? The Chef Du, whose zhajiang noodles she had missed today, had actually appeared in the desert town where Yan and Zhu Jue were staying.
She remembered what the spa attendant had mentioned about a business trip. A chef from a five-star hotel in the capital traveling halfway across the country to a small town for work?
She continued watching the blogger’s video. Besides the shaky footage, the blogger had also written a long caption:
“A big boss from the capital came to our town looking for someone. He even arranged for food trucks and a helicopter to be brought here. This morning, there were free noodles for the townsfolk, along with Wagyu beef, Australian beef, and ham. Even though I’ve never been abroad, I got to taste all of it. They say the chefs are from five-star hotels. Thank you, big boss [smirk].”
Reading this, Chu Bingbing was stunned.
What the heck!
All the pieces of information came together, and a glimmer of realization flashed in Chu Bingbing’s eyes.
A big boss from the capital coming to look for someone—who else could it be but Yan and Zhu Jue?
Mobilizing food trucks, all kinds of ingredients, and even a helicopter to deliver them to the town, all while offering free meals to the townsfolk—this was clearly a grand gesture to curry favor.
She searched online for the Royal Hotel she was staying at, which belonged to the Fuping Group, a conglomerate that owned hotels, tourist areas, and various industrial ventures across the country, with a reputation for investing heavily in emerging industries.
Chu Bingbing took a deep breath. The group’s big boss had transferred a five-star hotel chef to a small town, clearly not to cook for himself but to impress someone else.
This was Ning City, the capital. A chef specializing in zhajiang noodles would naturally be catering to people from Ning City.
And Yan and Zhu Jue—they were both from Ning City.
So, the boss of the Fuping Group had brought a chef all the way to the desert town, just so Yan and Zhu Jue could have a taste of home in a place with scarce resources.
Chu Bingbing suddenly recalled scenes from TV dramas where local officials would fawn over their superiors in ancient times.
Although ever since she had acquired the “God of Wealth” system, she had been met with smiles and flattery from service staff wherever she went.
But this time, Chu Bingbing was genuinely shocked by her own deductions.
For a group boss to go to such lengths, traveling thousands of miles with a team of chefs, even having them cook in small food trucks on-site—this elevated Yan and Zhu Jue’s status in her mind to an entirely new level.
This was the boss of a major conglomerate, yet he was bending over backward to please them.
And the boss was probably older than Yan and Zhu Jue, right?
Someone who, in the eyes of ordinary people, was already untouchable, was going to such lengths.
Chu Bingbing took another deep breath. No wonder they hadn’t returned to Ning City during their break. If she had simply thought of it as visiting a roommate’s hometown, Yan and Zhu Jue might have felt awkward, afraid of revealing their true identities.
They had grown up in such an environment, and they had specifically chosen to attend university in Bin City to escape the complications of their family backgrounds. Yet, even during their break, they couldn’t escape being pursued and flattered by those with ulterior motives.
Chu Bingbing put down her chopsticks, a glint of wisdom shining in her eyes.
She could now confirm it—Yan and Zhu Jue were from the legendary aristocratic families often talked about online!
