Chapter 327: Dawn in the Desert

It was six in the morning, and the sky was still pitch black.

At this time of year in Dunhuang, sunrise was around seven thirty to eight.

Everyone had finished breakfast and gathered outside the hotel lobby.

The convoy and equipment had arrived at the hotel late last night and were now parked in the ground-level lot.

Several black Grand Cherokees sat side by side, looking imposing.

But what really stood out was the line of Wranglers next to them.

The sea-blue paint job was officially called ‘Porcelain Sea Blue’.

From a distance, Xu Chen thought the color suited Bing Ge’s vibe perfectly.

They chose this color for the ad shoot mainly because against the overall brownish-yellow backdrop of the Great Northwest, ‘Porcelain Sea Blue’ would pop.

The strong contrast would look stunning on camera…

The local guide, Yang Lei, with his dark skin, double-checked the itinerary with the director before giving a quick briefing to the drivers of the vehicles.

Xu Chen was among them, of course.

It covered driving rules, safety precautions, emergency communication, and response plans.

Then, each driver got a walkie-talkie and a paper map.

Once the walkie-talkies were tested and working, they split into teams and loaded up.

Xu Chen climbed into a Grand Cherokee’s driver’s seat and fired up the engine.

The interior felt more luxurious and solid than the Wrangler—comfortable leather seats paired with deep brown wood trim, giving it a retro feel.

But back then, big screens weren’t a thing; the small car system had a Kaidi map navigation.

The V8 engine’s deep growl really fired up that wild, boyish energy.

With a 4.7-liter displacement, it probably guzzled 18 to 20 liters per 100 kilometers.

American car makers had muscle and big displacement in their DNA—V8s born from an era of abundant North American energy, making them real gas guzzlers…

Xu Chen rolled down the window and waved at Bing Ge and Cheng Hong, then called out to Sun Aimi.

The three girls split up and got into the cars.

Bing Ge wore the assault jacket for the shoot, with the Jeep logo emblazoned on the chest.

She naturally took the passenger seat, happily becoming Xu Chen’s ‘seatmate’ again.

Sun Aimi and Coach Cheng Hong settled into the spacious back row.

Coach Cheng Hong yawned, clearly not fully awake, and said to Xu Chen:

“Drive steady, Xu. I’ll catch a nap in here.”

Xu Chen: “The first part out of the city is all paved road, Coach. Rest easy.”

“Once we hit the desert in the second half, I’ll keep it as smooth as I can.”

Coach Cheng Hong glanced at Sun Aimi, noticing her soft, plump build, and smiled, saying:

“Mind if I use your lap for a bit?”

Sun Aimi adjusted her round-framed glasses, her round eyes showing a hint of nervousness.

Cheng Hong chuckled, then lay down on Sun Aimi’s lap, looking utterly relaxed and content.

Xu Chen turned to Xie Bingran, checked her seatbelt, and said softly:

“You can grab some sleep if you want.”

Xie Bingran just smiled and shook her head without a word.

In her daily training routine, she was used to being up at this hour anyway.

In the dark, the convoy still had a grand, sweeping presence as it crossed the empty streets of Dunhuang, heading toward the desert outskirts of Mingsha Mountain.

After a short drive, soft, rhythmic breathing came from the back seat.

Xu Chen glanced in the rearview mirror and saw Cheng Hong and Sun Aimi had dozed off, holding each other.

It looked a bit funny…

Xie Bingran stayed quiet, turning to glance at Xu Chen and blinking her big eyes.

Xu Chen smiled, reached out his right hand, and gently squeezed her soft, warm left hand.

“I don’t want to… distract you from driving,” she whispered.

“I’m an old hand at this—steering with one hand is no problem at all…”

“Relax, the road’s good here, and we’re not going fast.”

Twenty minutes later, after some bumpy stretches, they finally reached the outskirts of Mingsha Mountain.

Under the high beams, the towering sand dunes loomed like massive, sleeping beasts, stirring a faint sense of primal fear.

In the back, Cheng Hong and Sun Aimi woke up, staring in awe at the desert nightscape before them.

Over the walkie-talkie, Yang Lei’s voice crackled through.

Under his direction, the convoy pulled into a camping area up ahead and stopped.

They killed the engines and got out to see several large tents already set up, glowing with bright camping lights.

The air outside was crisp and cool.

Xie Bingran stepped out of the passenger seat and moved to Xu Chen’s side.

In the shadowy spot, Xu Chen quietly took her hand again.

They tilted their heads back to gaze at the brilliant Milky Way stretching across the vast night sky…

“Wow! It’s so beautiful!” Sun Aimi exclaimed, tilting her head up.

Cheng Hong held onto Sun Aimi’s arm, resting her head on her soft shoulder, and murmured:

“It really is gorgeous…”

The director’s team was already buzzing with activity; cinematographer Leslie Kuang Chunlei led two lighting assistants in a military-like setup.

Director Paul Bao Junsen walked over and said to Xie Bingran:

“Bing Ge, let’s get your makeup and hair sorted first.”

“Even though it’s still dark out, the sun will rise fast once it starts.”

He was already calling her ‘Bing Ge’ now, just like everyone else.

Xie Bingran nodded and followed a photography assistant into the tent.

Paul Bao Junsen turned to Xu Chen: “Mr. Xu Chen, you can head to the tent and rest. There’s a monitor there to watch.”

“Once the sun’s up, we’ll shoot Bing Ge’s scenes and the sand-rushing ones in one go…”

Xu Chen: “You handle your stuff, Director. If you need help, treat me and Aimi like your crew.”

“No need to single me out…”

Paul Bao Junsen smiled: “Got it!”

Sun Aimi went off to help the director, holding the shot list and coordinating.

Xu Chen and Coach Cheng Hong made their way to the tent with the monitors, where He Da Chang, Yan Chuan, and Liu Wenqin were already in director’s chairs.

They exchanged quick greetings and sat down.

In that moment.

A shout came from outside the tent:

“It’s coming!”

On the monitor, dawn light suddenly burst forth, outlining the dunes’ massive, elegant curves.

Xu Chen and the others couldn’t hold back; they stepped out of the tent and looked toward the horizon.

Desert and red sun.

Stillness, flow, eternity…

For thousands—millions—of years, it was this grand spectacle.

Humans were mere specks of dust.

Before nature’s wonders, the schemes of the great and small alike were nothing but futile scrabbling.

Xu Chen turned slightly, glancing at the nearby dune.

Red glow, yellow sand, morning light.

The Porcelain Sea Blue Wrangler and the short-haired girl, her hair tousled by the wind.

She stared at the distant dawn, lost in her thoughts.

From afar, Xu Chen couldn’t make out her profile clearly, but he could picture it perfectly in his mind.

The dawn light she saw over the dunes must be the most beautiful.

The fine sand at her feet stirred in the wind, and her bangs couldn’t hide her delicate features.

Even though her life now was happy and lucky, a lingering shadow of melancholy still clung to her.

Xu Chen loved her.

So he could feel it all the more deeply.

An unhappy childhood takes a lifetime to heal.

Every time he thought of it, Xu Chen wanted to cherish her even more fiercely…

The morning light flushed her face red.

She turned slightly, looking this way.

Maybe she was just following the director’s cues for the shot.

Or perhaps, in the dawn light and swirling sand, she was searching for the face she’d already started to miss.

Less than half an hour later, the sun had fully torn through the endless yellow horizon, revealing the vast golden waves to the world.

Xie Bingran shot a few more dynamic scenes before being driven back to the tent in a Prado to rest.

As the ‘star’ endorser, she had her own setup in the tent where she’d gotten ready.

Stunt driver Zhou Yong took the wheel of the sea-blue Wrangler to film the sand-rushing scenes.

In the final edited montage, viewers would think it was still Bing Ge driving.

Coach Cheng Hong went to keep Xie Bingran company.

Xu Chen, He Da Chang, Liu Wenqin, and the others stayed by the monitors, overseeing the sand and off-road shots.

Zhou Yong was bold and skilled, tackling forty-five-degree sand slopes straight up and down.

At the top of the tallest dune, he even pulled off a tail slide in the sand.

Xu Chen felt a surge of excitement but held back since he was there to supervise the shoot.

Besides, the brand owner, He Da Chang, was right there…

Xu Chen glanced over and saw He Da Chang staring at the screen, his expression buzzing with thrill.

Xu Chen cleared his throat.

He Da Chang turned and met his eyes.

In that instant, the two men exchanged a knowing look.

He Da Chang grinned: “Let’s go!”

They headed straight for Yang Lei, the guide.

Yang Lei pointed to two dunes nearby:

“That spot works—out of the camera’s view, and the slope’s safe enough.”

“The Grand Cherokee can handle it…”

He Da Chang was already eager, grabbing the keys and heading to a vehicle.

Xu Chen veered toward the tent and quickly led Xie Bingran out.

Cheng Hong followed, saying:

“Be careful—don’t get my Bing hurt.”

Xu Chen: “Don’t worry, I’ve got this!”

Wheels churned through yellow sand.

The rush of wind, the thrill of heartbeats.

Xu Chen drove with Xie Bingran, tearing through the dunes.

Free as the wind, fueled by love.

In his psychology classes, Xu Chen had learned about ’embodied cognition’.

Basically, physical experiences can trigger psychological states in reverse.

For instance, to make a girl feel the spark of romance, take her on something exciting like a rollercoaster.

That racing heartbeat blends right in with falling in love.

Maybe that’s the first sign of real attraction.

The Grand Cherokee crested a dune, revealing endless yellow sand ahead.

It felt like the edge of the world.

Xu Chen stopped the car, his emotions and breathing still racing.

He looked at Xie Bingran, gripping the door handle, her excitement showing in her quick breaths.

Glancing back, he saw He Da Chang’s car hadn’t followed—probably went another way.

Xu Chen unbuckled his seatbelt and pulled Xie Bingran close, kissing her with urgent passion.

Xie Bingran’s eyes fluttered shut as he kissed her soft lips and teasing tongue greedily.

She had long since surrendered to him, dropping all her guards…

Suddenly, a flash of annoyance hit her, and she bit his lip hard.

Xu Chen yelped in pain.

“Why’d you bite me…?”

Xie Bingran pursed her lips, her big eyes glistening with hurt.

“You’ve never answered me—why didn’t you talk to me for those years…?”

Xu Chen took her hand:

“Back then, I didn’t realize how much I liked you.”

Xie Bingran touched his face, tears welling in her eyes:

“I want to devour you.”

Xu Chen kissed her lips again:

“Do whatever you want with me.”

A fierce heat flashed in Xie Bingran’s eyes as she leaned in eagerly, her plump lips pressing hard against his.

Matching the intense way she loved him.

Sand whipped up, time seeming to freeze.

The walkie-talkie crackled with static, breaking their moment.

“Prepare to move to the Yadan shoot site. Rendezvous at the tents…”

Director Paul Bao Junsen’s voice came through.

They stayed wrapped in each other’s arms.

Xu Chen chuckled, and Xie Bingran joined in.

“Your little tongue is so delicious,” Xu Chen whispered.

Xie Bingran bit her lip gently, then leaned closer, her tongue lightly teasing his.

They straightened up a bit and turned the car around, crossing the dune.

The slope wasn’t too steep, so for safety, Xu Chen took a diagonal path down.

Looking back, he saw He Da Chang heading toward the tents on the other side, kicking up dust.

Back at the tents.

The crew was loading equipment into the vehicles.

Liu Wenqin walked over with a smile:

“There’s a camel train nearby; they’re grabbing a shot of that. We’re heading to the Yadan site first.”

Xu Chen took the wheel again—driving in the Northwest was its own thrill.

Xie Bingran, Cheng Hong, and Sun Aimi piled back into his car.

They switched from national roads to highways, then back to national roads.

The highway was pretty empty, but the national roads were full of varied scenery.

Coach Cheng Hong watched Xu Chen drive and felt a pang of envy:

“I’m getting my license when we get back and going on my own road trips!”

Xu Chen laughed: “Once you have your license, Coach, we can plan a trip.”

Cheng Hong: “You’re on!”

“Yadan landforms” are scattered around here.

For time’s sake, the director’s team picked the closest one along the route.

It was nearly noon by the time they reached this Mars-like alien landscape.

Sun Aimi blinked her round eyes: “It really looks like another planet!”

The director’s crew was already diving into work.

They quickly set up two tents next to the vehicles.

A makeup artist approached:

“Bing Ge, let’s touch up your makeup.”

As she said it, she studied Xie Bingran’s face.

Xu Chen felt a bit guilty.

He knew he’d completely smudged off Bing Ge’s lipstick.

He knew he’d completely wiped off Bing Ge’s lipstick.