Chapter 674 - 560: Ten Days (2)

Chapter 674: Chapter 560: Ten Days (2)

The Liujiaping Town conservation station wasn’t in the town itself, but in Shengou Village, further south.

The village had an elementary school that served children from several nearby villages.

The conservation station was a two-story building not far from the school, built up against the mountain.

It had a commanding view. From the main gate, one could look down on Shengou Village, nestled between the mountains.

Looking further out, towering peaks rose one after another, vanishing into the mountain mist.

"Miss, you know even more than our teacher! You sound just like the English broadcasts our teacher plays for us."

Outside the conservation station’s main gate, a group of children crowded around Li Suhua. One of them, with a runny nose, spoke up.

In recent years, even remote mountain villages had begun to emphasize English education. However, the village elementary school had no proper English teacher; the Chinese teacher filled in.

His English was tinged with a thick, local dialect—nothing like Li Suhua’s standard, broadcaster-perfect accent.

Li Suhua smiled, encouraging the children to repeat English phrases after her. She promised a lollipop to whoever spoke most clearly.

A few steps away, Lu Weihong held his camera, framing a shot of Li Suhua surrounded by the children, with the mountains as a backdrop.

The sun was setting. Peering through the viewfinder at Li Suhua, whose face seemed to glow with a soft halo, Lu Weihong’s eyes were filled with tenderness.

After the children dispersed, Lu Weihong walked over. "This place is so poor, so isolated," he said.

Li Suhua nodded in agreement. "That’s why I think our story is so meaningful. It’s not just about reporting on the spirit of conservation passed down through generations in this reserve."

People here used to live off the mountain. A few decades ago, they would have been cutting firewood and hunting. Now, everyone from the elderly to the children was conscious of protecting the wild, natural environment.

This was the fruit of establishing a nature reserve.

"It’s also about letting the outside world know what kind of people are protecting our green mountains and clear waters. Only by drawing enough attention can we help these wonderful people live better lives."

Li Suhua pointed toward the mountain village ahead, full of fiery enthusiasm.

Lu Weihong followed her gesture, watching the smoke from cooking fires begin to rise from the village. After a moment, he shook his head. "Forget it. We’re from a magazine, not some investigative news program. Even if we did a real exposé, probably not many people would see it. We can’t fix this kind of thing."

Annoyed, Li Suhua pinched Lu Weihong’s arm, scolding him for being selfish and only wanting to mind his own business. If they had the ability to do something, she argued, they should.

Lu Weihong laughed and dodged away. Amid their playful chase, he suddenly turned and pulled Li Suhua into a tight embrace. Bathed in the sunset’s glow, he said affectionately, "I’m just an ordinary guy. I don’t have such grand ambitions. I just want to marry you, have a wife, kids, and a warm hearth."

Li Suhua gave a soft huff and melted into Lu Weihong’s arms.

Just then, the sound of footsteps approached.

The two of them quickly separated.

Li Suhua tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and turned to see Liu Baoli.

Liu Baoli smiled, a bit awkwardly. "Reporter Li, we’ve finished our meeting. The station chief has approved it."

Li Suhua and Lu Weihong had interviewed the station staff and had also requested to join them on a patrol route into the mountains to experience firsthand the hardships of the Patrol Officers.

The station had some reservations, mainly concerned about the risks of two city-dwellers venturing deep into the mountains without preparation.

This was despite Li Suhua’s claims that she was athletic and enjoyed hiking regularly.

But Green Times was an important industry publication sponsored by the Forestry Bureau, and the administration was also keen to use this opportunity to publicize the reserve’s work.

So, in the end, they had agreed.

"That’s wonderful!" Li Suhua was ecstatic. She eagerly asked when they would set off and which route they would take.

Personally, Liu Baoli wasn’t too keen on the idea. He felt that the two of them, being from the city and used to office jobs, couldn’t handle the hardships of the mountains.

"Let’s go tomorrow. It feels like the weather’s about to turn."

Liu Baoli looked up at the evening sky. The last rays of the sun spilled over clouds as thick as city walls, spreading out along the mountain range in a deep crimson.

It was colder this year than in previous years. It might even snow.

"As for which route, we’ll take Route 1."

Of the six patrol routes, Route 1 was the shortest.

In Liu Baoli’s opinion, they could do a one-day round trip, wander around the reserve’s periphery, take a few photos, and call it a day.

’Are we really supposed to take them deep into the mountains to suffer?’

"No, wait." Hearing it was Route 1, Li Suhua quickly protested, "Captain Liu, let’s take Route 6! I was hoping we might get lucky and photograph a wild giant panda."

Route 6 was the longest.

Liu Baoli hastily waved his hands and shook his head. ’Forget it,’ he thought. ’With your physique, Route 6 would flay you alive.’

Besides, giant pandas weren’t something you could see just by wanting to.

Seeing she was getting nowhere with Liu Baoli, Li Suhua went directly to Wang Wengang.

Her reasoning was very thorough. She said she wasn’t afraid of hardship, that only by taking the longest route could she truly experience the difficulties the Patrol Officers faced, understand their efforts, and write the most sincere and credible story.

She even cited examples of senior journalists in the field, talking about how some went undercover and risked their lives for a story. Compared to that, a trip into the mountains was nothing.

After a great deal of pleading and persistence, Wang Wengang was swayed.

In the end, they compromised: they would take Route 4. They wouldn’t have to go all the way; he’d let Liu Baoli assess the situation and turn back if they couldn’t handle it.

「That night」

Li Suhua began to pack her bags.

Wilderness survival tools, a sleeping bag... Li Suhua had already prepared some things before she arrived.

It was clear she’d had this idea in mind before she even came.

The station was short-staffed, so after some consideration, they decided to just have Liu Baoli lead the two of them.