Ch. 241

Xie Shiqing: “The key is the gains and happiness in the process. The result isn’t important.”

Zhong Ning raised an eyebrow.

Xie Shiqing pressed her lips together, but after only a few seconds she broke, “Alright, it’s still important. But both the process and the result are important. As long as one of them is achieved, that’s enough.”

Zhong Ning laughed along with her. The two leaned close and shared a light kiss. “I thought you had become a philosophy master.”

Xie Shiqing curved her eyes. “If I’m a philosophy master, then you’re a master of chicken soup. Chef Zhong’s praise-flavored chicken soup truly has a unique taste.”

“Ha! Making fun of me! Take this—tickle attack!”

“Hahahahaha, alright, alright, stop messing around. We still have to get up early tomorrow. I was wrong, I was really wrong!”

Pine Mushroom in the doghouse rolled over, kicked her hind legs a few times, and fell asleep again.

Climbing Mount Everest was a dual test of physical strength and willpower.

The two put on their gear, fully armed, and followed a small team of professional protective personnel they had hired as they began the ascent.

When they first started walking, it was still fine. The foot of the mountain wasn’t that cold yet, and the oxygen supply equipment would be replenished at stations further up. This was when they were the lightest.

The snow here was fine and dense, like a mixture of white sugar and salt.

When stepped on, it made crisp creaking sounds.

Trekking through snow was no easy task. With the added slope and the weight of their equipment, it felt almost like trudging through mud.

Zhong Ning had good stamina and strong physical fitness, so she walked with relative ease. Xie Shiqing, however, had it much harder.

Her physical foundation had already been drained. The shortest plank of the wooden bucket was too short—no matter how much water was added, it was useless.

So Zhong Ning reached out a hand to pull her along.

“It’s really quite cold.” Her voice was slightly distorted through the mask. “Another thousand meters and we’ll reach the first supply station. Hang in there.”

Xie Shiqing panted heavily. She couldn’t speak, only feeling a dry ache in her throat.

“We can go up north sometime in the future, ride a dog sled, haha, it must be exciting,” Zhong Ning said. “I heard it’s really bumpy. Do you think it’ll jolt the two of us right off?”

“Do you want to go? If you do, shake my hand once. If you don’t, shake it twice.”

Their clasped hands shook once.

“Alright. But we’ll have to rest for a while first. Let’s go in winter.” Zhong Ning said between breaths, “Anyway, we always have time.”

They reached the first supply station. Xie Shiqing slumped down and sat for quite a while before recovering.

The increase in altitude also brought some negative effects. These were things they had to adapt to. The supply station existed for rest and buffering.

The small hut wasn’t exactly warm, but it absolutely blocked the wind. After resting for more than ten minutes, the group set off again on the next stretch.

The sky here looked low yet clear, like a glass dome. Looking into the distance, the snow-capped mountains rose and fell in continuous ridges, like a white silk ribbon, or like a silver dragon lying prone in peaceful sleep.

The world was so vast, and people were like tiny specks of dust, insignificant particles.

Yet even these tiny particles possessed their own tenacious will.

Xie Shiqing kept her head lowered as she walked. Taking advantage of the moment, Zhong Ning clumsily fumbled in her pocket, gripping the ring box tightly in her palm. Suddenly she let out an “Ow” and threw herself forward onto the ground.

Xie Shiqing, who had been focused on walking, immediately panicked. “What’s wrong? Ning Ning, what’s wrong?”

Zhong Ning lay on the ground and raised one hand, waving it. “I’m fine, it’s just…”

She shifted into a one-knee kneeling position, took out the ring box with her other hand, snapped it open, and held it up toward Xie Shiqing. “I want to propose to you.”

“Shiqing, are you willing to spend the rest of your life with me?”

Her voice sounded as if it were muffled inside a plastic bag, yet tears fell from Xie Shiqing’s eyes at once.

“Don’t cry, don’t cry! Your tears will freeze!”

Only then did Zhong Ning realize the most crucial factor she had overlooked in her plan.

This place was high, beautiful, magnificent, romantic—but completely unsuitable for expressing emotions!

“Stop crying, hurry up and say yes!”

Xie Shiqing wanted to cry and laugh at the same time. For the sake of her eyes, she forcibly held back her tears. “Yes, I agree!”

The two embraced atop Mount Everest. Behind them stretched the boundless expanse of heaven and earth, vast and free.

Chapter 82

This was a celebration party. Golden champagne swirled in tall glasses, rising bubbles bursting one by one, reflecting bright lights like shattered gold.

Zhong Ning’s fingertip tapped casually against the wall of her glass. As guests came forward to congratulate her on successfully acquiring Xie Corporation’s entertainment division, she curled her lips slightly, her smile casual and arrogant.

“Congratulations to President Zhong for expanding her wealth again. Why the long face? Not happy?” Fu Nanshuang walked over and gently bumped her shoulder.

“A bit bored.” Zhong Ning swirled her wine, a trace of weariness in her eyes. “It was too easy. I originally thought Xie Corporation would be a tough bone to chew, at least give me some challenge. What a pity—there was none. They didn’t even last a few months.”

“So boring.”

Fu Nanshuang rolled her eyes.

Who could be as blessed with outrageous luck as you? Xie Corporation had originally been an industry leader. Ever since Zhong Ning decided to acquire it, it began to decline, plagued by such misfortune that people suspected they had offended something they shouldn’t have.

The key point was that at that time, Zhong Ning hadn’t even made a move yet.

From childhood to adulthood, whatever this person wanted came effortlessly, as if she had gathered all the world’s favor upon herself. There was nothing she couldn’t obtain.

Fu Nanshuang curled her lips. “If you’re bored, go suffer a bit in love. Or keep a few little lovers. Stop calling me in the middle of the night all the time.”

“I still have a nightlife to live, okay? Go date—date a hundred of them.”