Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Zhang Zian had always thought that he was pretty good at maintaining a straight face while saying absolute rubbish. Now he understood that there was always someone or something better out there, and Peter Lee clearly outperformed him in this.
Seriuously though, the words he kept spouting might actually find an audience at a magazine stall or newspaper stand by the train station. He might even become a bestseller if he published a book.
But, there’s no definite in this world. If Peter Lee’s ancient map is actually real, and there really was a pyramid hidden within the deserts for thousands of years, then that would be the best place to place the Holy Cat Statue.
Even though Peter Lee and his gang were all obstinate people, these individuals were often also very proactive. Plus, they had no lack of money, and they all had status and fame. It wouldn’t be shocking to hear that they had cooked up something exotic.
Even though he didn’t hold much hope, Zhang Zian asked, “That…ancient map of yours—you wouldn’t just show it to anyone, right?”
Peter Lee chuckled. “That map was sewn onto sheepskin and has been damaged through the years. I definitely can’t bring it with me. So, Jeff, any other questions?”
“When are you leaving?” Zhang Zian asked again.
“The sooner the better, we can’t wait to reach our destination to absorb the purest energy that the universe has to offer to upgrade ourselves, and to evolve into a higher-level being! As long as we prepare the food and water, we are ready to leave any time. But, we can accommodate to your schedule.” Peter Lee said, pretending to be generous.
The sun was setting, and the evening came to them. The desert, without any plants around, was quickly decreasing in temperature.
Zhang Zian took a look at the sky. He estimated that the team would need one full day to prepare their materials, mainly food and water. The scientific equipment and jeep were easier to settle.
“The day after today. That’s the earliest we can make it,” he said.
“Sure. At noon two days from now, let’s meet here again.” Peter Lee put his hand out with a smile.
Zhang Zian shook his hand out of courtesy.
“Let’s go back to the city together. We have to use all the available time to prepare. Is there anything you need? We can help out.” Peter Lee put his hand out in a “please” gesture.
“It’s okay. I have some things I still need to do, so I need to stay a bit longer,” Zhang Zian said, rejecting them.
Peter shot a warning look at Nabari, as though warning him to not slip off without them, or he would be going against his chief’s orders.
Nabari remained silent.
Zhang Zian really did have something he needed to settle and wasn’t planning to slip off secretly. He knew the Bedouins’ culture, and he wouldn’t force them to do something against their will.
He wanted to ask Salem to record a video to prove that Sihwa really had saved him, and it wasn’t a show. That was important. It was bad enough that he hadn’t gotten a reward for saving them. He definitely couldn’t have a bad reputation for something like this.
Peter Lee led his members off first in their jeep, the Bedouin tribe finally returning to peace and quiet.
Smoke started to peek out of every house’s chimney. The people who had starved the whole day could finally eat with the sunset.
Nabari insisted on inviting Zhang Zian for dinner. The Bedouins were all hospitable people. Even though their walls were bare, they were willing to give everything for their guests.
Dinner was a biscuit that Nabari’s wife had made, eaten with a red sauce that had garlic in it. The sides were tomato slices, cucumber slices, and date slices. There was also milk wine. It was simple compared to what they could get outside, but that was all the food they had in the house, so there wasn’t much to complain about.
Nabari even asked Salem to go out with him to cull a goat to roast for dinner, but Zhang Zian stopped him. There was no fridge here. How could the three of them finish a whole goat? It would be a waste if they couldn’t finish it.
The biscuit was alright when paired with the sauce, but since they’d had the good food in the city, they could detect that there was a little sand mixed in the biscuit.
After dinner, a bonfire was started in the middle of the village. The men gathered around the fire with their song and dance, most likely to celebrate another end of the month of Ramadan. They didn’t have instruments and drummed out beats with only their hands. The children ran around the bonfire, bubbling with gleeful laughter, while the women watched from far away.
Nabari didn’t join in the festivities. He smoked his hookah and watched the bonfire, something on his mind.
Due to how dry the air was, and without the light and air pollution from the cities, the air in the desert was extremely clean and pure, much more than other places Zhang Zian had been to before. He could raise his head up and see a sky full of stars.
Lending light from the bonfire, Zhang Zian took out his phone, explaining the situation and his request to Salim, but only the bare minimum. He only told him that the lady that had saved him had met with trouble back in China, and the people had suspected that her heroic act was just a scam, and hoped for him to record a video to tell the Chinese audience that that was the truth, and to return that lady her innocence.
Salem was jumping in anger at that, his face flushed red, and he shouted, “That lady risked her life to save me, and yet she’s getting slandered by others? That’s injustice! Jeff, you said that lady is named Sihwa?”
“Yes, this is a screenshot of her livestream.”
When Salem saw Sihwa’s face, his eyeballs were close to falling out of their sockets, his face almost turning blue from not breathing.
God! This was the most beautiful woman he had seen in this life, his previous life, and his next life! Those female tourists from overseas and young locals who hadn’t covered their faces in Alexandria Port all added together wouldn’t be as beautiful as one of her eyelashes!
This woman must have saved the world in her past life for God to have blessed her with such beauty!
Such a gorgeous woman was actually his savior? If this wasn’t fate, then what was? He stared at the photo blankly, laughing like an idiot.
Honestly, Salem’s reaction didn’t surprise Zhang Zian. He could open the livestream of any streamer out there who had a filter on, and he would have his jaw blown off his face.
“Okay! For Sihwa, I would agree even if you needed my life!” Salem would’ve dug his heart out of his chest and given it to Sihwa if he could.
Zhang Zian smiled. “That’s too much. Your life is your own, and no one has the right to take it from you. You just have to tell the camera your name, race, where you work, and what happened that day. The more detailed, the better. Also, try not to bring up my name in the video. If you have to, just say it’s Jeff.”
Salem didn’t understand why Zhang Zian didn’t want to tell the audience his full name, but never mind, all he could think about right now was how his lifesaver looked…
“Oh right, will Chinese parents accept a foreign son-in-law?” he asked stupidly.
Zhang Zian didn’t have the heart to reject him. He probably already had their children’s names picked out and ready to go…
