China was truly large. Even the border province had a ridiculous area. Chasu City was approximately 1000 kilometers away from Kanas Lake. Shao Hua already began preparing as the vacation would be soon. There was only one more week until the seven-day May 1st vacation.

According to what Shao Hua found on the internet, it would even occasionally snow over at Kanas Lake in May. They would need to bring warm clothing, then. They also needed sneakers for mountain climbing. However, Shao Hua’s parents hadn’t gone on vacation for many years already. They only had leather shoes. Zhang Fan also only had leather shoes. He rarely wore sneakers. He typically wore either his work shoes or leather shoes with a shiny finish.

Shao Hua also wanted to prepare some food to store in the car in case of unexpected situations such as a major traffic jam, which was something common near vacation sites. Since they were going on this vacation, Shao Hua wanted to be as prepared as possible. She said, “Forget it, let’s not eat at home today. Let’s go eat somewhere outside so that we can go shopping afterwards and buy some clothes and shoes for all of you. There’s only a few days before we leave.”

“I don’t think it’s too necessary?” Shao Hua’s mother didn’t want to say anything too forceful, since Zhang Fan was still technically an outsider. She didn’t want Zhang Fan to think that she was too miserly.

“Let’s go, Ma’am,” Zhang Fan spoke up as well. Although Shao Hua’s income was quite decent at her bank, her parents had gotten accustomed to a plain lifestyle, and didn’t like to spend money frivolously.

There were quite a few large malls in Chasu City. Zhang Fan parked the car, while Shao Hua and her parents went into the mall first. While separated from them, he took advantage of being alone by purchasing a 3,000 yuan gift card for this mall. Shao Hua definitely wouldn’t accept any cash from him, so he could only spend it in this indirect manner.

Not only did Shao Hua purchase new shoes, shirts, and pants for her parents, she also bought Zhang Fan a complete outfit from head to toe. Zhang Fan was quite obedient, and let her choose whatever she wanted with zero objections.

Although it all seemed like a lot of clothing, the total cost wasn’t that high. Shao Hua hadn’t picked very expensive clothing for her parents, as they would be unwilling to wear it. Zhang Fan didn’t care about the price, as he was willing to wear anything that Shao Hua picked out for him.

When it was time to pay for everything, Zhang Fan brought out the gift card he’d previously purchased, and remarked, “Oh, by the way, this is a gift card that my hospital gave to me. There’s 3,000 yuan on it. It’ll be wasted if we don’t spend it, because the gift card will expire.”

Shao Hua’s parents were still upstairs in the shopping mall. It was only Shao Hua and Zhang Fan together while paying. Shao Hua didn’t want to spend Zhang Fan’s money. She glanced at him, and said, “Don’t lie to me. You just purchased this gift card when you arrived. Did you really think that I didn’t notice? Just keep it for yourself. Buy some things for your family for your visit home.”

“Please take the money, it’s not like I’ll go broke. Since you know the truth already, then allow me to say this. I can’t guarantee you a high-class lifestyle or anything like that if you stay with me, but what I can promise you is that your parents are just like my parents. This money is to support them in their old age. Please take it.”

Shao Hua was incredibly moved to hear this. Her eyes reddened as she voluntarily squeezed Zhang Fan’s hands. She choked up as she said, “I’m the only child of my family. I’m truly happy that you can treat my parents this way.”

“Sir, Miss!” The two of them still wanted to flirt with each other, but the mall’s cashier interrupted them because there were plenty of others standing behind them in line, waiting to pay.

Thus, Zhang Fan handed his gift card over to the cashier. This time, Shao Hua truly was moved. It wasn’t just about money, as Shao Hua’s income was also alright, and she could afford all the clothing purchased today. Although Zhang Fan hadn’t said any other sweet words, his words had already warmed her heart so much. Everyone would have parents. No matter if you were a son or daughter, it wasn’t like you jumped out of a rock. There was a saying that children would take care of you in old age, but wouldn’t you also get old even if you had no children?

The May 1st seven-day vacation week arrived. Zhang Fan set out together with Shao Hua’s family at five in the morning. There weren’t many cars on the road at this time. Shao Hua rode in the passenger seat and acted as the tour guide as she held a map in her hand and acted all serious. Actually, she didn’t even know how to read this map. However, Zhang Fan did know the way to Kanas Lake.

The distance between Chasu City and Kanas Lake was more than 1,000 kilometers. It would indeed be possible to reach Kanas Lake in a single day if Zhang Fan focused only on driving, but they were traveling for a vacation, not to arrive as fast as possible. Their first stop was Shiyou City, the richest city here in the border province. Although this city suffered from severe pollution, it was also really beautiful. The residents’ average income was quite high here. Zhang Fan could tell from everyone’s appearance and energetic expression that they seemed to be happy and peaceful.

On the next day, they reached Burqin City. Zhang Fan and Shao Hua were both young, so they were fine with the long-distance drive so far, but Shao Hua’s parents were getting a bit tired. Burqin City was a classic example of a tourist hotspot. There would be a huge number of tourists here in summer, but this city would be empty after the holiday ended. Many businesses would leave together with the tourists, leaving Burqin City quite empty afterwards.

The locals weren’t very satisfied with this sort of situation. They had a real headache about the summer tourism, but they wouldn’t be able to support themselves without making some money off the tourists. They would raise their prices greatly when it was tourist season. For example, even a simple bowl of noodles would cost as much as 60 yuan ¹ !

Zhang Fan drove all over Burqin City to look for a hotel. It wasn’t that there weren’t any hotels, but rather that there were too many of them. Burqin City was filled with hotels and restaurants. However, the hotel prices were truly outrageous. It cost 800 yuan per night for a single 30-square-meter room that didn’t even come with a bathroom. There was only a bed and two chairs in such a room. The hotel owner wouldn’t really care if you stayed or not.

In the end, Zhang Fan finally found a slightly better hotel and paid for two rooms there. Zhang Fan roomed together with Shao Hua’s father, while the two women shared the other room. They then went to a restaurant together. They found the restaurant’s prices just as ridiculous, but there was no helping it, as this was tourist season!

Although the hotel and food prices were ridiculous, the scenery here was truly beautiful. Siberian larches, Siberian firs, Siberian spruces, and Siberian pines could be seen everywhere. They all had deep green needles and metallic black trunks. The scenery here was quite different from southern China’s which would have much more slender trees.

The scenery here gave off a powerful metallic impression. There were also snow-covered mountain peaks visible in the distance. The nearby scenery consisted of large patches of straight and tall dark trees that reached high up into the clouds.

There was also a blue-green lake nearby. As the cold wind blew past, this place really did seem like a fairy realm. Peak tourist season would only arrive after June, so there weren’t too many tourists currently.

Zhang Fan and Shao Hua’s family stayed in this scenic location for two days and one night. They truly didn’t want to leave. Next to the forest was a plain, which had countless tiny streams upon it along with so many sheep that they all seemed like clouds. There were also plenty wildflowers coloring the landscape. The cold breeze blowing down from the snowy mountains combined with the fragrance of the trees, flowers, and plants to make one feel as if they had broken free from the worries of the world.

Shao Hua’s parents were walking by a small stream off in the distance, and Zhang Fan and Shao Hua held hands while walking down a forest path.

“I really don’t want to go back. It would be so great to live a nomadic life here!” Shao Hua commented as she gazed at a flock of sheep in the distance.

“Oh! Haha, you’ll only feel endlessly isolated out here after the sense of freshness is gone. Although a nomad’s life seems peaceful and free, it’s actually filled with hardship. Without regards to anything else, just a single big rainstorm or snowstorm might cause both your livestock and yourself to be in danger.”

“You wooden block!” Shao Hua pouted and complained about Zhang Fan because he had pulled her back to reality from her fantasy. At this time, a hare suddenly dashed out of the forest. This forest hare was no small white rabbit, but was rather large and gray.

This hare ran right over Shao Hua’s foot! Shao Hua was so surprised that she even screamed out of fear. She also nudged herself really close to Zhang Fan, who took advantage of the situation to embrace her.

“I think that was a big bad gray wolf!” Zhang Fan whispered to her as he enjoyed the sensation of her warmth and softness.

“You fool!” Shao Hua lightly pushed Zhang Fan.

They then lightly kissed each other! The taste was so alluring! They both got addicted to this endless sweetness.

Shao Hua ended up twisting Zhang Fan’s arm slightly to get his attention. She shyly said, “You fool, I almost suffocated because I couldn’t breathe! Let’s go back already, otherwise my parents will start worrying about us.”

“Yeah, okay!” Although Zhang Fan said this, he kept holding onto Shao Hua in his embrace without letting go.

He really wanted to stay like this with her forever!