Chapter 310: Arrival

The plane soon reached a stable altitude, soaring above a sea of clouds.

After the initial awe, Su Yuqing felt a deep sense of tranquility and peace from the world outside.

The engine’s roar was filtered by sophisticated soundproofing into a low, rhythmic white noise, which only served to accentuate the unique stillness of the high altitude.

She leaned back lazily in her seat, which felt as comfortable as a cloud. The tension from the takeoff and climb had long since vanished, leaving only complete and utter relaxation.

Chen Mo gently adjusted her seatback to the most comfortable angle. He turned his head, his gentle gaze falling upon Su Yuqing as she watched the clouds drift and unfurl outside the window, a doting smile playing on his lips.

...

A gentle female voice came over the broadcast system, announcing the plane’s descent and instructing passengers to fasten their seatbelts and return their seats to the upright position. By then, the view outside the window had already quietly changed.

The boundless sea of white clouds gradually thinned and broke apart. Through the wispy gaps, a vast and unfamiliar land slowly unfurled below.

Su Yuqing held her breath, gazing down from an altitude of ten thousand meters at the city that would be their home for the next few years—Xiangsha.

The first thing that caught her eye was a winding river, like a silver ribbon, flowing relentlessly from south to north, cleaving the city in two. Su Yuqing knew this was the Xiang River.

The river was dotted with several lush, green sandbars. The largest and most eye-catching among them was shaped like a massive green warship poised to set sail. Even though she had never been there, Su Yuqing had long heard of its fame: this was Xiangsha’s renowned 5A-rated scenic area, Juzi Island.

On the west bank of the Xiang River, Lu Mountain stood tall and majestic like a giant jade screen, its overlapping peaks lush and green, exuding a powerful presence.

At the foot of the mountain, nestled among the trees, a dense and orderly cluster of buildings spread out along the mountain’s slope, exuding the unique solemnity and structure of a university—that was the main campus of Zhongxiang University.

Shifting her gaze slightly to the northwest, within the West River area but away from Lu Mountain’s main peak, a sprawling, brand-new complex of modern buildings glittered in the sun. It seemed to echo the distant main campus of Zhongxiang University—this was the thriving new campus of Xiangchuan Medical College, and it would be the "main battlefield" for their undergraduate studies for the next few years.

The east bank of the Xiang River, by contrast, presented a more bustling, urban scene.

Skyscrapers stood shoulder to shoulder, and modern new districts intertwined with old city quarters steeped in history.

And in the bustling heartland near the riverbank, another vast complex of buildings was equally striking, blending a sense of weathered history with modern grandeur. This was the spiritual foundation and clinical core of Xiangchuan Medical College: its old campus and affiliated top-tier medical institutions.

The city’s roads were like an intricate network of arteries, with an unceasing flow of traffic outlining the provincial capital’s powerful, vibrant pulse.

In early September, Xiangsha was still firmly in the grip of the lingering late-summer heat.

Viewed from above, the entire city was bathed in brilliant, scorching sunlight, shrouded in a faint haze formed by the evaporating heat.

A fiery and intense atmosphere, so different from her coastal hometown, washed over her—the distinct character of Xiang Province.

As the plane continued to descend, the texture of the city became increasingly clear and discernible in Su Yuqing’s view.

It skimmed over the sparkling river, flew past dense residential areas and industrial parks, and finally lined up steadily with the long runway of Red Flower International Airport.

A slight jolt, accompanied by the low rumble of tires touching the ground, announced the end of their journey.

The moment Chen Mo and Su Yuqing walked hand-in-hand out of the cabin door, a scorching wave of heat instantly enveloped them, a stark contrast to the cool air inside.

As soon as Su Yuqing stepped onto the jet bridge, the intense sunlight made her exposed skin feel instantly hot.

"It’s so... sunny, so hot..." she couldn’t help but exclaim in a small voice, subconsciously raising a hand to shield her eyes from the blinding light.

"It’s okay. I’ll get an umbrella for you in a bit," Chen Mo said with a smile.

The airport terminal was a cacophony of voices, a mixture of Mandarin spoken with various accents and other local dialects.

But the most striking sound was the local Xiang Province dialect itself, with its unique rising intonation and distinct rhythm. It heavily flavored the Mandarin in the broadcast announcements and the conversations of people all around.

Su Yuqing listened with a mixture of novelty and slight bewilderment, while Chen Mo, full of interest, took in all the lively, animated tones.

Thanks to their first-class tickets, they once again enjoyed the convenience of priority deplaning and expedited passage through the terminal.

The two of them pushed a luggage cart out of the Red Flower International Airport arrivals hall, where their pre-booked rideshare was already waiting.

The driver enthusiastically confirmed their destination in Mandarin thick with a local accent: "Headed to the West River University City to check in at Xiangchuan Medical College’s new campus, right? Over by Tongzipo, got it! Don’t you worry, I know this road like the back of my hand!"

The car entered the airport expressway, heading toward the city center and the West River district.

The view flashing past the window was typical of the city’s outskirts.

In the September fields, the late-season rice paddies were a mix of green and yellow.

Low-slung houses, bustling auto repair shops, small restaurants, and newly built commercial housing developments appeared one after another, all simmering with summer heat under the glaring sun. The hot air made the distant scenery shimmer and distort.

As the car merged onto the ring road expressway, modern high-rises and large residential communities became more frequent.

The scenery outside transitioned from open suburbs to developing urban areas: newly built residential complexes, tech parks, logistics centers, large supermarkets, and hotels began to fill their view.

When the car drove onto a major bridge connecting to the West River district, the view suddenly opened up.

The wide, murky Xiang River flowed beneath them.

After crossing the river, they entered the West River district.

The car continued on, and the modern buildings lining the road grew denser.

When they turned onto Tongzipo Road, the atmosphere changed noticeably. On a wide expanse of land stood modern academic buildings, laboratories, and a library, all with innovative designs and clean lines, their glass curtain walls reflecting the sunlight.

It was a stark contrast to the classic, historic main campus of Zhongxiang University.

The most eye-catching sight was a set of massive, modern high-rise buildings on one side of the road—that was Xiangchuan Third Hospital, located right next to the new campus of Xiangchuan Medical College.

Huge signs for "Emergency" and "Inpatient Department" were clearly visible.

This was the new campus’s most prominent landmark!

Around the campus, they could see newly constructed student dormitory buildings, cafeterias, and the beginnings of a small commercial street serving students and faculty (convenience stores, copy shops, fast-food restaurants, etc.).

Although it wasn’t as developed as the old city district, it was filled with the vibrant energy of a new area.

It was young, energetic, and thoroughly modern.

Crowds of young people pulling suitcases, accompanied by their parents, had gathered here, filling the air with the vigorous energy unique to the start of a school season.

The air was a mix of the fresh scent of newly mown grass, the faint, scorched smell of sun-baked pavement, and the bustling atmosphere of the crowd.