Chapter 2

The two approached as if they had encountered family, repeatedly expressing their gratitude for his tireless efforts. Hou Peng had a darker complexion, a kind appearance, and when he smiled, he revealed a set of white teeth. His gaze quickly swept over the faces of the two young people, pausing briefly on Lu Jun's face, revealing a look of incredulous surprise. He smiled, suppressing the words that rose in his throat, and led the two towards a nearby vehicle, before saying: "I didn't expect the headquarters to send you here, so young, just graduated, right?"

Zhou Xu couldn't help but chuckle, offering his seat beside him for her to sit down. "I can call you, but you can't call me. President Hou said to let you sleep a little longer"

Finally, she was awakened by the noise. Zhou Xu saw her open her eyes and pointed out the window: "We are about to land; below is Islamabad."

In fact, two or three days before boarding the plane, Lu Jun felt a sense of unreality rising from the depths of her heart, as if the idea of leaving her homeland for a legendary and religiously vibrant country was merely a dream; at this moment, as this magnificent yet unreal tapestry unfolded before her, she instead found a certain sense of grounding.

Therefore, that meal lasted exceptionally long, and everyone spoke freely and openly. Although training had been received beforehand, they listened even more attentively at that moment. Despite the breakfast being completely unappetizing, it did not affect Lu Jun's cheerful mood at all

Hou Peng scrutinized him seriously this time, with a hint of a smile and a touch of contemplation: "Your name is Zhou Xu?"

The airplane glided above the clouds

Hu Xiao laughed heartily and winked: "Not only young, but also—"

Satisfied, she returned to her seat, shaking her head and then sighed: "Unfortunately, I didn't bring my camera"

The night in Islamabad is quiet, with very few people on the streets, so silent that even the sound of a mosquito is absent; any noise made is amplified many times over. They got off the vehicle and entered the small courtyard of the office, dragging their luggage up to the top floor of the indistinct small building. The building is almost devoid of light, with only a single white light in the hallway, casting long shadows of the three individuals.

Although it is early summer, this place is still in South Asia, and after just a few steps, sweat clings to the forehead. As they walked and talked, they soon arrived in front of the two small vans. Hou Peng helped the two of them place their luggage in the trunk of the car, then opened the door and pushed them into the back seat. After the police also got into the car, he turned his head from the driver's seat on the right to look at them, smiling kindly: "Xiao Zhou, I once knew a young man, and what you just said is just like what he said. That young man was quite impressive; not only was he smart, but he was also diligent. His patent could even be used for playing cards, and now he is already a senior engineer with limitless prospects. It seems you too can achieve success like him"

Zhou Xu's hand rested on her shoulder: "There will be plenty of opportunities in the future"

Lu Jun became interested: "Who is who?"

After all, it is getting late, and everyone is gradually feeling sleepy

He is quite good, and it's hard to find any shortcomings. Once you meet him, you'll understand. Hou Peng noticed their concerns and smiled, saying, "Actually, he is not much older than you, just around twenty-eight or twenty-nine."

Her performance was quite convincing, and everyone burst into laughter

Lu Jun listened, and a surge of admiration welled up in his heart: "I know there are always people in the world who make us look up to them. I really want to meet him soon"

During the conversation, a colleague named Hu Xiao inquired about their school. Lu Jun responded one by one, and Zhou Xu added: "We all studied hydraulic and water systems in our undergraduate program. She studied hydraulics and river dynamics in her graduate studies, while I focused on hydraulic power generation"

Hou Peng led them to their respective rooms, briefly explained the precautions, and then left to rest. Lu Jun and Zhou Xu accompanied him to the stairway, and then slowly walked back to their own rooms

Zhou Xu nodded: "I had already prepared myself mentally before coming here. When you are young, you should endure some hardships. Being able to enter the San Dian and receive such a valuable learning opportunity, to be honest, I could not have asked for a better chance."

Lu Jun is not a picky person; the room is simple and tidy, which is indeed much better than she had imagined, a pleasant surprise. That night, she slept very well, without even a single dream.

Lu Jun recalled the conversation from last night and curiously asked, "This Engineer Wu, is he quite impressive?"

Indeed, Hu Xiao leaned in, his expression mysterious, as if he were harboring a monumental secret in his mouth. "You all should be cautious; he is very strict, both with himself and with others. However, this is only to be expected. Those who emerge from his tutelage are quite exceptional. Learning a bit more from him will undoubtedly be beneficial."

Hu Xiao let out a sound of "ha": "It's good that you all have arrived. A few days ago, Engineer Wu called to urge me, saying that there is a significant shortage of personnel over at Swat."

Only Lu Jun was still not sleepy. Having slept enough on the plane, her eyes were bright, eager to see more of the scenery of this mysterious country. However, it was undoubtedly deep night; no matter from which angle she looked out, it was pitch black, with few stars, and the moon hidden behind the clouds. She extended her hand out of the window, feeling the damp winds of South Asia rushing through her fingers.

Thus, when she woke up the next morning, she felt particularly refreshed. After washing up and changing into a dress, she went to knock on Zhou Xu's door, but after a while, no one answered. She had no choice but to go downstairs alone. In the hall, she saw seven or eight people, some familiar and some not, gathered around a table having breakfast. She immediately blushed and stammered, "I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I overslept."

Zhou Xu, with his eyes closed, dozed off, his body gradually leaning against Lu Jun. Lu Jun, fearing to wake him, sat still, not daring to move a muscle.

Indeed, a few male colleagues nearby laughed, saying, "Beautiful women should sleep more; this is how they maintain their beauty"

It was already known in advance that the head of the office, Hou Peng, would come to pick them up. As the two walked while observing their surroundings, they indeed spotted a middle-aged man with a Chinese face and demeanor at the airport exit, holding a sign with their names on it. Beside him stood an armed police officer.

The two individuals listened like students

Hou Peng took one last look at them, smiled, and turned back to start the car

Hou Peng waved his hand and introduced everyone present in turn, then concluded by saying: "Since we are all colleagues and in a foreign land, we should take care of each other. I am about to go to the embassy to handle some matters, so please explain the situation in Pakistan to the two new colleagues, including what to pay attention to and how to ensure personal safety, among other things"

Lu Jun's excited face was radiant; if she were on the ground, she would have jumped up. However, being restrained by the seatbelt, she had to suppress some of that joy and turned to Zhou Xu beside her, saying, "I didn't expect to see such spectacular scenery on my first flight; it's truly a bargain."

Zhou Xu is her classmate; they were in the same class during university. Although they pursued different fields in graduate school, it was a coincidence that they both signed contracts with the Third Hydropower Group at the same time. When they received their contracts, they exchanged glances and burst into laughter, saying, "How is it you again?" To others, it seemed that their academic performances were comparable and that they had a special connection, leading to frequent jokes about how they were not a couple, which seemed quite unreasonable. However, the reality is that they truly are not a couple. During their studies, one was married, and the other was also in a relationship, making it impossible for them to be together. Later, they both ended their respective relationships, yet they still did not spark any romantic feelings. To outsiders, it appeared that their academic achievements were on par and that they had a unique bond, prompting repeated jokes about their lack of a romantic relationship, which seemed quite unreasonable. But the truth remains that they are not a couple; during their studies, one was married, and the other had a partner, making it impossible for them to be together. Eventually, they both parted ways with their partners, yet they still did not ignite any romantic chemistry. Their interactions remain harmonious, and they are very good friends, sharing a sibling-like bond.

Lu Jun asked: "It is said that he is very young?"

There will be no more opportunities in the future," another person assessed her and said, "I heard a girl was coming, but I didn't expect her to be so beautiful and young. It seems our team at San Dian is going to have a new flower.

Leaving the airport was surprisingly smooth; the wait for luggage was a bit longer, but the security procedures were straightforward and efficient. Aside from catching a glimpse of the machine gun slung over the airport police officer's shoulder and his stern expression, Lu Jun did not feel that this mysterious country was particularly different from any other.

"Yes," Hou Peng glanced out the window and continued, "We are currently in Rawalpindi, and it will take us half an hour to reach the office in Islamabad. If you are tired, you may rest for a while. We can discuss other matters tomorrow"

Lu Jun actually has quite a thick skin, but being praised by a colleague she doesn't know yet made her face turn even redder

Zhou Xu, although not as excited as she was, was equally moved and attracted by such scenery, deeply agreeing: "Indeed."

The scenery quickly became tiresome. Lu Jun was excited all night last night, hardly sleeping at all. When the sights before her turned into a monotonous layer of clouds, waves of drowsiness surged up like the sea.

"Yes, Mr. Hou. I just graduated in March, and the company sent us here, so here I am," Lu Jun replied excitedly, not forgetting to curiously glance around. In fact, there was little to see of the outside scenery; it was a dark expanse, with only occasional flickers of light.

It is already late at night, and the white clouds have vanished without a trace. Through the airplane window, one can see the dark earth and the lights resembling countless stars approaching. The force of descent is evident, and we are closer to the ground, with the outlines of various cities and buildings appearing faintly, flickering in and out of view.

His surname is Wu, said Hou Peng, "He is currently one of the persons in charge of the Gelam Hydropower Station, located in Gelam Town, which you are quite familiar with, in the northwestern border province, on the Swat River. That is the place you will be visiting in two days. The scenery there is quite nice; if you go now, you will have taken advantage of it, as it is a great place for summer retreat."

"It won't happen again in the future," Lu Jun raised her hand as if making a vow, then imitated the ancient custom of a girl bowing, smiling as she said, "Having just arrived in this esteemed place, I am unfamiliar with the customs, so I kindly ask for everyone's understanding."

She knew that a kind of life she had never experienced before was beginning

When you see him, you will understand

The sky above the roof of the world presents a dreamlike azure, pure yet strangely unfathomable. Lu Jun pressed her face against the window, her nose and eyelashes flattened against the glass. The Himalayas undulate like waves, steep and rugged, with a harmonious arrangement. In the distance lies a sea of clouds, while nearby is a mountain sea. The mountaintops are blanketed in snow, and the sunlit side of the snow-capped peaks is tinged with blue, varying in depth and brilliance, appearing so intense from certain angles that it becomes almost unbearable to gaze upon.

This completely piqued her appetite. Lu Jun developed a great interest in her future superior and eagerly pressed on with her questions: "And then, what happened next?"

Yes, he replied with utmost respect

However, most newcomers are assigned to external posts, Hou Peng showed no signs of fatigue, with a smile reminiscent of an elder. "I also worked here for two years when I graduated. At that time, the conditions in Pakistan were worse than they are now," he said, becoming serious as he pointed to a truck in the distance and the police on it. "However, safety was much better back then"

Most of those present are also young people, and she, who is very understanding, warmly invites her to take a seat

As the airplane gradually ascended, Lu Jun turned back with lingering affection to take a careful look. The mountains lay low, the clouds drifted by, and the sunlight, like a chariot of the sun, shone brilliantly for miles. In that moment, a sense of indescribable majesty was felt