My Youth:Chapter 8

 　　Time flies in Lhasa. Before I knew it, the morning had flown by. It was a clear, sunny afternoon, and Chen Yueran and I strolled through the shallow grass, enjoying a very pleasant afternoon.

　　"This is our first day in Lhasa. How is it? How do you feel?" Chen Yueran asked.
　　"The altitude sickness isn't too severe. It gives you a sense of faith, making you feel connected to this land. The azure sky and lush green grass seem to be naturally suited to the plateau. The rich creativity of nature is truly amazing," I said. Lhasa is a wonderful place, something I can't experience when I'm trapped in the high-rise buildings of the city.
　　"Mmm, it feels wonderful," she said. "When I was your age, I came here too, captivated by this beautiful place. Back then, I was with someone capturing the most beautiful moments of Lhasa, but that beauty has now faded into dust, lost to the passage of time, never to be found again, only fragments of memory remain." She said with a touch of melancholy. She herself back then was as innocent as the girl before her, but since that incident, the dust in her heart could never be erased.
　　"It's alright, you're revisiting now," I comforted her. "But who is that photographer you mentioned? Is he special?"
　　"A very special person. As for his name, you'll find out sooner or later." She looked at me meaningfully, a hint of melancholy in her eyes.
　　I nodded. It must have been very important to her. About my age then? That's over ten years ago. For a memory from ten years ago to be so clear, it must be etched deep into her soul. Since she didn't want to tell me, I decided to let things take their course. I thought to myself,
　　"The timing is good; we can consider taking the photos." The melancholy in Chen Yueran's eyes had vanished, replaced by joy. This must be the true love for photography; no matter how troubled one is, the moment they hold a camera or phone, it all disappears.
　　I nodded again. We missed the opportunity to photograph the clear blue sky in the morning, but unexpectedly discovered a verdant willow tree in the distance. On the plateau, only one stood quietly. Unyielding to the wind and battered by the rain, its courage for life was on full display.
　　Choosing the right light and angle, I pressed the shutter. The image of the willow tree was projected into my phone's album, and even more so, imprinted in my heart. Ah, what a tenacious willow tree!
　　"The path of photography is difficult; it requires the courage to face the disapproval of others and to admit one's own failures. Photography is not simply about preserving scenery, but about using your own sweat to discover the little things in life, the beauty of a fleeting moment, the warmth of a moment—things worth keeping not only in photographs but also in your heart. Unwavering determination and diligent effort are the first steps on the road to success." Chen Yueran's moving voice gently drifted into my ears and into my heart...

My Youth:Chapter 7

 　　I don't know why, but Chen Yueran miraculously solved one of the biggest challenges of my photography trip. Even I was a bit baffled. But going to Lhasa seemed like a good idea, so under my father's calm gaze, I packed my bags, ready to leave in three days.

　　Time flies. Three days later, on the morning of the third day,
　　I sat by the window on the bus, wearing a white T-shirt and jeans. Patches of holly trees whizzed by, and cars flowed by like water. Time seemed to drag on, and it was a long time before I finally saw Chen Yueran's pretty figure.
　　"Good morning," she said.
　　"Good morning," I replied.
　　"Let's go, we'll be on the bus soon."
　　"Okay. It seems like it'll take at least two days, right?" I asked Chen Yueran in the waiting room.
　　"Pretty much. It's just a photography trip, so there's no need for expensive plane tickets. You can't afford them right now, and altitude sickness will be more severe. It'll be better to acclimatize with more time, and besides, we need to use that time to plan the route," she said.
　　"Okay, tickets are being checked, let's go." The words "Tickets being checked" appeared in the distance, and I urged Chen Yueran.
　　"Let's go, this is our own Lhasa trip."
　　The carriage was fairly clean and had air conditioning, so spending two days traveling here shouldn't be too tiring. Chen Yueran and I sat by the window, looking out at the rolling mountains and rushing rivers. The journey wasn't long, nor was it short; I only knew that when the morning sun shone through the clouds two days later, what greeted our eyes was an endless expanse of green grassland.
　　Stepping off the train, altitude sickness wasn't too severe for me, probably because I often travel for photography. Chen Yueran also didn't have much of a reaction. Altitude sickness wasn't a problem, but the visual impact seemed to showcase the beauty of the plateau to its fullest extent.
　　On the plateau, there are no flashy colors, no dazzling lights of bustling cities; what it possesses is a tranquility that seeps into the soul.
　　The sky was a deep, clear blue, almost like a ribbon of blue silk, with occasional wispy white clouds drifting across it, but mostly an elegant, ethereal sky blue.
　　The grass was green—emerald, light green, yellowish-green, dark green, grayish-green, and grassy green—every imaginable shade of green was gathered on this vast expanse of land. The grass seemed boundless and endless, soft and supple.
　　In this world, azure and grassy green reigned supreme; the blue was flawless, the green invigorating, a breathtaking beauty. On the distant hills, horses galloped, cattle and sheep grazed—a perfect blend of stillness and movement.
　　Chen Yueran and I left our luggage at the inn and walked between this vast expanse of sky and earth. I suddenly felt so small. Looking back at her, I saw that she, like me, wore an undisguised reverence. This wasn't just a fascination with the place, but a faith in nature, a sincere praise for the creativity of the natural world.

My Youth:Chapter 6

 　　In the afternoon, at home.

　　I was working on a set of practice problems, countless words and formulas crashing down on my shoulders, making it hard to breathe.
　　"Ring—" Thank goodness, I could finally escape the sea of ​​problems for a while.
　　"Hello, who is it? What's up?"
　　"It's me! Can't you recognize my voice?" The young woman chuckled on the other end of the phone.
　　"So it's the famous female boss. What's your name? I can't keep calling you 'female boss,' can I?" I said with a wry smile. Although we'd known each other for over half a month, I always forgot to ask her name.
　　"My name is Chen Yueran. Is that satisfactory? By the way, Lin Lu, are you free lately?" Chen Yueran asked.
　　"Pretty much, time can be squeezed out. What's up?" I asked. Although we'd only known each other for a short time, when did Chen Yueran have the leisure for this?
　　"The shop's not busy lately, and I'm thinking of going to Lhasa for a photo shoot. Do you want to come? If you do, the train ticket will be half price
　　." "Of course I want to go, but my father is keeping me from going." I smiled wryly. With my father's personality, how could he let me, who's about to enter junior high school, go out so easily? That's practically wishful thinking.
　　"It's okay, I'll take care of your trip. If you have time now, pack your camera equipment, travel expenses, and luggage. We'll leave from station X at 7:00 AM in three days."
　　"Hmm, if it's really as you say. But should we bring Xia Meng?"
　　Chen Xinran said, "I asked her, and she said she's a homebody and wants us to bring some souvenirs so she can take some photos of her." She smiled on the other end. Making friends with someone who smiles so much is probably not a bad thing, because she is as sunny as a sunflower, just like Xia Meng.
　　"Okay, I'll go prepare now." With that, I hung up the phone.
　　The New Year's money should be enough for the travel expenses. A phone and a macro lens will suffice for photography equipment; I'm always quick and easy. I've never bought a large camera before—firstly, it's not suitable for travel, and secondly, I don't have the funds—saving me the trouble of that step. The real challenge is convincing my father. I looked at him watching the game in the living room, a hint of distress in my voice. My studies are getting heavier, and Lhasa is so far away, making it extremely difficult. But Chen Yueran doesn't seem like the type to joke around. So, I'll just have to hope for a trip to Lhasa with her someday. I hope my wish comes true, I thought to myself.