Chapter Nineteen: Across the Vast and Distant Mountains

Qin Ke traveled tirelessly between Shanxi and Henan provinces.

In Xinzhou, Shanxi, a piece of equipment at Company A frequently tripped and lost power. He arrived on-site and, after two days, identified the culprit: a sagging power line that had reduced the clearance between the power supply and the user's telephone cables. When strong winds blew, the high-voltage line would sway toward the telephone cable, causing a high-voltage surge to enter the phone line. This triggered the internal overload protection mechanism of Company A's equipment, forcing a power cut.

That evening, he called Bian Xiaoqi and explained the situation. He told her that if the equipment’s protection mechanism hadn't been robust, it would have been completely destroyed, resulting in millions in economic losses. "And that’s secondary," he added. "If someone had been touching the equipment at that moment, it could have easily resulted in injury or death."

Bian Xiaoqi was horrified by his description. "Qin Ke, is your job actually that dangerous? We should leave this line of work immediately; I’m worried sick."

Qin Ke laughed. "The odds of such an accident are extremely low, but I will certainly be careful. When you next meet with your clients in Sichuan, tell them this story so they can take precautions."

"You're right," Bian Xiaoqi agreed. "That’s a valuable lesson. I’ll be sure to warn them."

After Qin Ke resolved the safety hazard and saved the client from massive potential losses, they showed their gratitude by providing a car and driver to take him to visit Yanmen Pass and the Hukou Waterfall for two days.

He told Bian Xiaoqi, "Xiaoqi, Yanmen Pass truly lives up to its reputation as the greatest of the nine frontier passes; a single visit is like reading half of China’s history. The Hukou Waterfall is even more spectacular—the surging yellow water pours down, a torrent of chaotic, churning waves, with mist and spray filling the air and a roar that echoes for miles. It’s a pity I couldn't see it with you. If you were here, it would have been perfect."

"I’m so envious," she replied. "You must take me there one day and be my guide."

He smiled. "I promised to travel the world with you. Wherever you want to go, I’ll be by your side."

"Since you've seen such magnificent cultural and natural scenery, you must write a poem for me," she said. "When I read your poems, I feel as if I’ve been there myself."

"I was going to write them even if you hadn't asked," he replied. "How could I not write poetry to honor such grand landscapes? After visiting Yanmen Pass, I wrote a *Qilü*: 'King Wuling of Zhao built the Yanmen wall, where Han and Hu grievances linger through history. Li Mu was invincible in guarding the frontier, and Zhaojun left the pass in tears for a forced marriage. The Flying General fought to bolster the realm, and Sixth Brother bled to repay the grace of the heavens. Now the drums are silent and the beacon smoke has faded, leaving only the empty pass on the desolate ridge to hold the spirits.' After seeing Hukou Waterfall, I wrote a *Yujia Ao*: 'The nine-winding Yellow River flows through Shanxi and Shaanxi, carving deep trenches into the plateau. The surging, muddy torrent constricts at Hukou. I stand and gaze, my heart shaken by the thundering, turbulent falls. Mist rises from the trough as the waves churn, and rainbows dance in the spray against the clear sky. It surges forward, never tiring. I hold firm to my resolve, galloping toward the sea, seeking the ultimate truth.'"

Qin Ke felt as if Bian Xiaoqi were standing right in front of him, watching him intently, so he recited the two poems with great rhythm and feeling.

"Qin Ke, you are so passionate," Bian Xiaoqi said happily. "We've accumulated so many poems; I hope we can publish them one day."

"We’ll give a copy to every friend who attends our wedding as a souvenir," Qin Ke said excitedly.

"I haven't said I'd marry you yet!" she replied shyly.

"Xiaoqi, no rush. Take your time thinking, and I’ll take my time waiting. I’m not marrying anyone else in this life, unless you decide you don't want me."

"I’m just worried you’ll like someone else," she said softly.

"Xiaoqi, my love for you is like the surging water of the Yellow River at Hukou—it will never run dry," he stated firmly.

Bian Xiaoqi, hearing his words, sank into the sweetness of being loved and was silent for a moment.

"Xiaoqi, how has work been lately?" he asked.

"I need to head to southern and northern Sichuan over the next few days to negotiate two contracts. If all goes well, I should sign them soon. If I run into any technical issues, I’ll look for you."

"Definitely come to me for technical issues," he replied. "But if you have business problems, don't carry the burden alone—go to Cheng Ang or Gao Yuge. Please be safe, and come back as soon as you can. Try not to drink; it's bad for a girl's health—I avoid it whenever I can now. Eat on time, and get plenty of rest. No matter where you go, let me know your contact number."

"I will, don't worry. You take care of yourself, too," she said.

"How are your parents?" he asked.

"They're busy as always. Mom is at a meeting in Beijing, and Dad is in Shanghai. I'm all alone at home, it’s so boring. You have to call me every day, or I’ll miss you so much I won't be able to sleep."

"I wish I were in Xizhou so I could keep you company. Maybe you could visit our classmate Shen Jing?"

"If I get off early, I will. But Shen Jing has her bar to run, she can't always be with me. Oh, and Shen Jing and I attended a high school reunion."

"How was it? Lively? Fun?"

"Lively, yes, but far from fun. Shen Jing actually got angry."

"Did something unpleasant happen?" he asked with concern.

"I thought high school classmates would be close and could talk freely, but I realized that after entering the workforce, everyone has changed so much. That pureness is basically gone, replaced by worldliness. They compete over jobs, salaries, families, and connections; the women compare clothes and food, the men compare status. Nobody talks about ideals or sentiments. Except for Shen Jing, I felt like I couldn't connect with anyone."

"It’s true," Qin Ke agreed. "Most people become very realistic; society changes them. Especially in a place like Xizhou, where 'hidden rules' are inevitable. In major cities like Beijing or Shanghai, such phenomena are less common. Someone like Shen Jing, a talented woman who pursues freedom and individuality, probably makes them feel like she’s 'not striving' by running a small business, and they might be embarrassed to even call her a classmate."

"You sound like you were at the reunion yourself," she said. "There was a guy named Tang Juncheng who thought he was better than everyone else because his father is the director of the Jinyang District Commerce Bureau. He spoke with such arrogance, though he’s really just a gopher. He seemed interested in Shen Jing and told her to quit the bar, promising his father could find her a more 'respectable' job. Shen Jing turned him down on the spot. He couldn't handle the embarrassment and said something rude, so she poured a glass of wine in his face."

Qin Ke laughed. "Knowing Shen Jing’s personality, I fully believe she would do that."

"Tang Juncheng is ignorant. His father is just a district bureau chief; Shen Jing’s father is the Director of the Xizhou Finance Bureau—much higher status. Shen Jing is just so low-key, which is why we’ve stayed close for so many years. What bothered me most was seeing some of the other girls fawning over him."

"And you, such an elegant and beautiful talented woman—did any of the men fawn over you?" Qin Ke’s heart tightened as he asked.

Though they were thousands of miles apart, Bian Xiaoqi seemed to read his mind, giggling until he was on edge.

"If that happened, what do you think I would do?" she teased.

"You’d immediately announce you have a boyfriend to kill any hope they might have," he replied without hesitation.

"You're right, that’s exactly what I did. Some kept pestering me about what you do, but that’s my private business, and I refused to tell them."

"That’s a common flaw in many people," he said, his heart finally at ease.

"I’m not going to those reunions again," she said.

"Xiaoqi, once we’re together, you won't have to deal with these annoyances. We need to be together soon and walk our own path."

***

After solving the equipment issue in Daizhou, Qin Ke was assigned by Zhou Pinyi to go to Luoyang. He traveled south from Shanxi to Henan.

He encountered some bizarre problems: the equipment was providing communication services for the Xiaolangdi Dam project on the Yellow River. Of the ninety relay lines, only one worked; the other eighty-nine were unusable. The launch had been delayed for a week, and the on-site Company A engineers were stumped.

After careful analysis, he realized the problem lay in the system data generated by Company A’s engineers. He spent two days reorganizing the system data and regenerating the data format, which solved the issue. The client was delighted and treated him to a tour of the Longmen Grottoes and the Xiaolangdi Dam.

The Longmen Grottoes, the largest treasure trove of stone carvings in the world, began during the Northern Wei dynasty and flourished through the Tang. He was deeply impressed by the Vairocana Buddha, said to have been carved in the likeness of Empress Wu Zetian.

As the equipment was new and not yet operational, Qin Ke used the pretext of "long-distance call testing" to call Bian Xiaoqi and share his experiences.

Bian Xiaoqi had been busy in Sichuan. The northern contract went smoothly, but in the south, the client demanded a 2% kickback. She couldn't make that call, so she consulted Gao Yuge. Gao instructed her to concede only one of their demands: keep the price steady but offer a kickback between 0.1% and 1%. He even promised that 50% of any point saved from that 1% would go to the salesperson.

Armed with this, Bian Xiaoqi adjusted her strategy. With her wit and sincerity, she negotiated the contract: the price remained the same, but the kickback was reduced to 0.8%.

Qin Ke had been calling her hotel since 8:00 PM with no answer. He was worried she had run into trouble.

It was nearly midnight when she returned, exhausted, to find the phone ringing. "Xiaoqi, I’ve been calling for four hours! Are you okay?"

"Qin Ke, I’m so tired, but I got the contract! We celebrated with dinner and dancing, and I just got back."

"Did they force you to drink?" he asked, deeply concerned.

"I had about half a catty, but I managed to shift their focus and make them drink against each other. Two got drunk, and the rest went to the dance hall. I didn't want to go, but I wanted to ensure the payment went through."

"You're really pushing yourself for this contract," he said tenderly.

"It’s my first independent contract. I have to prove my worth. Plus, I get a bonus of 12,800 yuan—that’s more than half a year’s salary!"

"Xiaoqi, you don't need to prove yourself this way. Gao Yuge is truly cunning, forcing a talented woman like you to lower your guard for him."

"I’ve learned the rules of this industry and seen the greed of human nature. I won't be afraid of challenges anymore," she said.

"You're right, I support you. I’ve contacted a classmate in Beijing, Lin Haidong, and he says Company C has technical positions opening up. I want to try for one."

"Good, chase your goals. Qin Ke, I envy your work—it sounds so free, being treated like a guest rather than a beggar. Is that why you don't want to do sales?"

"It only looks easy, but it’s painful when you're stuck. But when the clouds part and the light shines through, I love that feeling." He then told her about Luoyang.

"Did you write any poems?" she asked, her energy returning.

"You're like a teacher checking homework! It’s too late, you need to rest."

"No, I want to hear them, or I won't sleep!" she pleaded.

He laughed and recited his poems for the Longmen Grottoes and the Xiaolangdi Dam.

"They're wonderful," she whispered. "I can sleep well now. Thank you, my dear."

"My dear, get some rest. Sweet dreams." Qin Ke couldn't help but kiss the receiver.

Listening to his voice, Bian Xiaoqi felt his warmth and soon drifted off to sleep. She was truly exhausted.