Chapter 131: Desert Nocturne

Although it was already late at night,

the guesthouses along Qing Brick Avenue and the streets of Qixia Town were still bustling with life.

Hongsha Gang Village 256 hadn’t turned empty after the National Day holiday; aside from day-trippers from nearby cities having gone back, both Qixia Town and the Qing Brick Avenue guesthouses remained fully booked.

Many visitors venture out in the evenings not only to admire the desert’s starlit expanse but also to take in the mesmerizing night views of ancient architecture.

“I heard the TV series filmed at Oasis 2 airs tonight!”

A couple strolled along Qing Brick Avenue, chatting idly.

They had been here for two days and still weren’t ready to leave.

By day they wandered, feasted on camel meat, and even rented traditional costumes for photos; by night, lying in the desert and counting stars was pure bliss.

“Hmm!”

The Young Man nodded.

“It’s a pity we missed it in the desert just now. I wonder how the series from Oasis 2 turned out,” he said.

The woman lamented a little.

“No worries—we only missed two episodes. We’ll catch up when it goes live on the video sites tomorrow,” the Young Man replied nonchalantly.

The Young Man’s tone was calm and unconcerned.

“True!”

The woman nodded agreeably.

Yet, not long after leaving, the couple noticed that many guests originally heading back to the guesthouses had reversed course; several had even opened their room doors.

This unexpected change left the couple momentarily stunned.

“What’s happening? It’s already ten at night—why would guests be coming out instead of resting?”

Puzzled,

the Young Man immediately approached a couple who were about to leave.

“Excuse me, sir, could you tell us what’s going on? Why is everyone heading that way?”

“Don’t you know?”

The couple exchanged a surprised glance with the young pair.

“What’s up?”

“Just a moment ago, Mingsha Tourism’s official website announced that tonight at ten, Oasis 2 will officially open, with guesthouse bookings starting at dawn tomorrow,” they explained.

“Ah? It opens at ten tonight?”

The couple was visibly taken aback.

“Yeah, we didn’t expect it either. But that works out fine—we’re leaving tomorrow, so we can check out the night view at Oasis 2,” one added.

“Especially Tingchao Pavilion!”

“I bet many guests just wrapped up watching ‘Snowbound’ at the guesthouses and want to be the first to experience it!”

The couple glanced back at several passing guests.

“But Oasis 2 is five kilometers away. Walking there would take at least an hour—and coming back would be exhausting, right?”

The Young Man glared, thinking, ‘These people really have endurance.’

“Nothing we can do; ‘Snowbound’ is just that captivating! Besides, Mingsha Tourism now even runs night caravans. If you’re tired, you can always hop on the public carriage,” he explained.

The couple laughed together.

They had just finished watching ‘Snowbound’ in their room—otherwise, they wouldn’t have stayed out so late.

“So ‘Snowbound’ is really that good?”

“Yeah!”

“Well…”

“If you can wait until tomorrow, you should go. We feel pretty lucky to have caught Oasis 2’s opening before leaving; if not, we’d have to make another trip.”

“Forget it—if everyone’s going, we might as well join them!”

The Young Man glanced at his companion.

Sometimes, if everyone else goes and you don’t, it just feels like you’re missing out.

“Alright then—since I’ll be tossing and turning anyway when I get back!”

The woman nodded hurriedly.

While guests along Qing Brick Avenue were reacting similarly, those in Qixia Town had already received the news and were riding night caravans to Oasis 2.

“This is breathtaking!”

Fresh off the bus, many were left in awe by the scene before them.

By the serene lakeside, an ancient building lit with vibrant lights stood proudly. The sign for Tingchao Pavilion shone particularly bright, and behind it lay an old city.

The ancient city was aglow, its outlines sharply defined, and the decorative lights encircling the small lake made the scene utterly enchanting.

“This trip is absolutely worth it!”

“Mingsha Tourism really knows how to stir things up,” someone added.

“It’s totally different from Qixia Town—but I love both styles!”

After a moment of awe, many guests surged toward Tingchao Pavilion while others headed for the ramparts of Wudi City.

Tonight, the desert guesthouses were set to deliver a truly unforgettable night!

Meanwhile,

in the heart of Wudi City at the Ancient Building Courtyard,

Xu Hao sat at a tea table with Fang Hou, Zhu Qiang, and Luo Peng, engaged in conversation.

“Hao, those folks from Tianchen Culture and the Director Association must be livid right about now!”

After a brief pause, Fang Hou chuckled.

Although they weren’t watching ‘Snowbound’ on TV, Yan City TV staff had already sent the ratings straight to Fang Hou’s phone.

“They practically brought it upon themselves—no wonder others are upset!”

Xu Hao took a careful sip of his tea.

In truth, once Wulin Wai Chuan became a sensation, success was inevitable. Audiences from both worlds shared almost identical tastes—a hit on Earth was bound to be popular here as well.

“But this time, the Director Association ended up losing face. They’ll definitely try something soon.”

“Something more? You think they’re backing down?”

Fang Hou raised an eyebrow.

“Absolutely. That’s why we need to start preparing for that historical intrigue drama immediately.”

Xu Hao nodded in agreement.

Last time, when Yan City TV’s director, Han Lijun, visited, he divulged many behind-the-scenes details. The more you know, the deeper you realize how treacherous showbiz can be—especially with the Director Association! Ordinary cultural companies simply wouldn’t stand a chance.

“Alright, count me in.”

Ring, ring. Just as Fang Hou was about to add something, his phone rang.

After signaling Xu Hao and Zhu Qiang, Fang Hou stepped out to take the call.

“Brother Hao, Oasis 2 is officially open now, and soon the mobile stalls along both sides of Qing Brick Avenue will be set up. We shouldn’t have any issues accommodating the tourists for the festival,” the voice came through.

Zhu Qiang spoke up,

“Yeah, no matter what—our service must keep pace!”

Xu Hao nodded.

It had been planned that after two episodes of ‘Snowbound’ aired, Oasis 2 would open; it wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment decision triggered by soaring ratings.

“Our service will be top-notch. But what about developing Oasis 3 now?”

Zhu Qiang continued,

explaining that earlier that morning he had received Xu Hao’s blueprints. Overall, the scale of construction needed for Oasis 3 was just as large as that for Oasis 2—if not larger.

“Is it a materials transportation issue?”

Xu Hao furrowed his brows.

“Yes—in this area, with both Qixia Town and Wudi City bustling, the influx of tourists means heavy equipment would disturb them.”

“What if we reroute through the back of Qing Brick Avenue, or better yet, use camel convoys in smaller batches—transporting a bit each day?”

Luo Peng couldn’t help but interject,

“Reroute?”

Xu Hao shook his head.

Rerouting would require building a new road from scratch, which is too costly.

“But transporting in small batches is a solid plan. We can even set aside two camel convoys over the next few days solely for this purpose.”

Until Qing Brick Avenue’s new road was complete, most tourists opted for camel convoys. Now, with the road open, fewer tourists choose that option.

After all, many scenic spots nationwide rely on camel convoys, but nowadays guests prefer sedan chairs, ostriches, or public carriages.

“Alright then. Tomorrow, I’ll start organizing some basic materials. Brother Hao, are you heading to Oasis 3 tomorrow? Two bulldozers have already been dispatched today.”

Luo Peng added.

“Not tomorrow. The leaders from the Ancient Architecture Research Institute are arriving, and I need to host them. Let’s head over the day after tomorrow and assess the situation.”

Xu Hao shook his head.

This time, the Ancient Architecture Research Institute had come to support the Mingsha Tourism Festival—they were like family, and we had to make a great impression.

“Alright, Brother Hao!”

Luo Peng quickly nodded.

There was no avoiding Xu Hao’s requests—not that Mingsha Labor or Mingsha Tourism lacked enough manpower; some tasks simply couldn’t be handled by others.

Creak!

While the three were still talking, the door opened and Fang Hou, having just finished his call, re-entered.

“Hao, the head of Qixiong Video just called. They want to buy the online streaming rights for ‘Snowbound.'”

Before he could sit down, Fang Hou continued,

“What’s the asking price?”

Xu Hao inquired.

He wasn’t surprised—a call from a video site at this hour was expected; if they didn’t call, it’d be odd.

“Same as last time—50 million!”

“50 million? That sounds about right!”

Xu Hao nodded.

For a hit drama, that kind of figure was par for the course.

“With a 50-million cultural company still turning a profit, what are we waiting for? Let’s hurry and start our third production—Oasis 3 is now all about Haofang Culture!”

At this, Zhu Qiang and Luo Peng exchanged glances upon hearing the figure.

Even though both Mingsha Tourism and Mingsha Labor had made a huge commotion—and even when operating at full capacity during the seven-day National Day period, net profits were only about 30 million—in contrast, Haofang Culture’s hit drama Wulin Wai Chuan grossed over 200 million, and ‘Snowbound’ fetched around 150 million. With the low costs and subsequent tourist spending at guesthouses, they were practically money-making machines.

“That’s because both our dramas were hits. If they hadn’t been, we wouldn’t have seen these profits. Still, the scenic area is continuously investing, and once the infrastructure is complete, the big earnings will roll in.”

Fang Hou laughed.

“Alright then, it’s getting late. Let’s all get some rest—you know, we can always touch base if anything comes up.”

Glancing at the time, Xu Hao noted that before they knew it, dawn was nearly upon them.

“Alright!”

The following day

Online, news about ‘Snowbound’ and the guesthouses poured in nonstop. The buzz was intense, especially the announcement of Oasis 2’s official opening, which had sparked feverish discussion among tourists.

But Xu Hao barely had time to keep up with the chatter.

At 11 a.m., he arrived at a parking lot near the ancient city’s gate.

Soon enough, a minibus slowly pulled into the lot; several people disembarked as the door opened.

At the head of the group was none other than Li Jue, the dean of the Ancient Architecture Research Institute.

“Xiao Xu!”

“Dean!”

Seeing this, Xu Hao hurried over to greet him.

After shaking hands, Xu Hao turned to the others behind him, “Dean Liu, Dean Cao, thank you for your effort on the way!”

“We’re all family—no need for thanks!”

Liu Shan and Cao Jun laughed in unison.

“Dean Xu, hello.”

At that moment, a middle-aged man whom Xu Hao had never seen before approached and extended his right hand.

“Dean Xu?”

At first, Xu Hao was momentarily puzzled, but the moment he heard the name, he was utterly stunned.