Kathmandu, Nepal
The bitter winds from the high plateaus were blocked by the vast Himalayas, hailed as the world's third pole, while the warm monsoon breezes from the Indian Ocean arrived as always, breathing life into this ancient land.
Nestled at the foot of the Himalayas, Kathmandu was embraced by lush green trees and enjoyed a pleasant climate. Here, you could even get by wearing just a light layer.
Sham lifted her gaze, and following her line of sight, she saw the snow-capped mountain range stretching across the land like a heavenly wall.
In ancient times, it was considered the end of the world—a place still rarely tread, yet yearned for by many, where countless expedition teams pursued their passion.
"Hey, Sham! Over here!"
With brisk, light steps, a tall girl stood by the roadside waving at Sham.
Her short black hair gave her a dashing look, and atop her head were a pair of diamond-shaped horse ears.
Nepal was a deeply religious country, with Hinduism widely practiced.
Throughout Kathmandu, you could see clusters of temples large and small. In the city center stood a pure white stupa, known locally as the Boudhanath Stupa.
It was said that in older cities, some temples even covered more land than residential areas.
But the short-haired girl paid none of this any mind, cheerfully calling out in the streets.
"Coming, Linda."
Sham responded, pulling her gaze away and walking toward Linda.
"What took you so long? The local guides charge by the day, you know—this just added a big chunk to our expenses."
Linda looked at Sham with a mix of scolding and concern, taking the travel bag from her shoulder. The two seemed very close; Linda wasn't intimidated by Sham's fierce expression.
"Got a little injured during the run in Hong Kong, got held up a few days. I'm fine now."
"Always pushing yourself like there's no tomorrow when you run—so typical of you. Ah, forget it, it's not like you'd listen anyway. Just glad you made it. A few more days and we would've had to set off without you."
"Let's just head back to the guesthouse for now."
Sham nodded and followed step by step behind Linda.
The old-fashioned city had some modern buildings, but an air of mystery and ancient charm still lingered. With so many devout followers, it might just be the closest place to the gods in this world.
Rows of houses and temples stood neatly arranged, and beyond them lay the snow-white heavenly wall.
In truth, they were still some distance from the Himalayas, but it looked as though the mountains rose right at the city's edge.
Sham was the quiet, reserved type, while Linda was quite the talker.
The whole way, Linda hadn't stopped chattering, pointing at this and that, her voice a near-constant stream. Sham only nodded now and then, whether she was really listening or not.
"Listen, the transport here is so inconvenient. To get to Sagarmatha National Park, there's no direct way from Kathmandu…"
"The signal's so unstable too, always dropping in and out of service… Well, at least it keeps people from bothering us, I guess."
"We even went to a temple to offer incense—when in Rome, right? Wow, that incense stick was taller than me and as thick as my wrist! The smoke made me cough like crazy, and it was crazy expensive too. I'm pretty sure we got ripped off…"
"But climbing Everest—better safe than sorry, right? I heard some climbers lose their lives up there for all sorts of reasons, can't even bring their bodies down, just left up there as markers. You wanna go make an offering too?"
"Anyway, we'll fly to Lukla first. That's the closest town to the Himalayas. Once we're there, our trekking and climbing journey begins!"
Linda lifted Sham's travel bag and swung her arm, eagerness written all over her face. "After all this preparation, I can't wait!"
"Mhm."
Sham paused in the street, thought for a moment, and then took out her phone to snap a picture of the Himalayan range.
She wasn't one for taking photos, nor did she like being in them. She always turned down Linda's requests for selfies together. This was truly out of the ordinary.
"A photo? Why didn't you call me for a photo?" Linda immediately grinned and sidled up, linking her arm with Sham's. "Come on, quick, let's get one together."
Sham ignored Linda and sent the photo to the group chat.
This chat had been created after the race, and every competitor was in it. Thank goodness there was signal in Kathmandu.
--+--
[Sham] : [image]
[Sham] : Made it to Nepal. Might be out of touch for a while. I'll reply when I get to a place with signal.
[Where's the Gray Uma Musume?] : So you really went to climb the snow mountains.
[Golden Koi Twirl Twirl] : So pretty! So jealous.
[File Transfer Assistant] : How are you two replying so fast? Are you together right now?
[Golden Koi Twirl Twirl] : Who's with her? I'm on the train.
[Where's the Gray Uma Musume?] : I'm right behind you.
[Golden Koi Twirl Twirl] : ?!
[Sea the Stars is #1 ] : ✧ദ്ദി( ˶^ᗜ^˶ )
[Hello everyone, I am Ever Flourishing, pleased to meet you] : (˵ ¬ᴗ¬˵)
[File Transfer Assistant] : Ever Flourishing, did you mistakenly set your join-group remark as your nickname?
[Hello everyone, I am Ever Flourishing, pleased to meet you] : ( ˶°ㅁ°) !!
[Hello everyone, I am Ever Flourishing, pleased to meet you] : My bad!
--+--
"What're you looking at?" Linda stood on her tiptoes, trying to see Sham's phone.
"Just some friends," Sham said, putting her phone away. "Some I knew before, others I met recently."
"Haaaaah?" Linda stared at Sham in disbelief. "You? You made new friends?"
"I don't believe it, no way!"
Sham placed a hand on Linda's head and nudged her forward. "Alright, let's go."
Linda stared at Sham's retreating back, dazedly rubbing her eyes.
No way… Did she see that right just now?
That Sham… the one with a face like a stone… she actually smiled?
Impossible, absolutely impossible!
"You're not Sham! Who are you really?"
Linda hurried to catch up, chattering nonstop. The two walked toward the snow-capped mountains, their figures growing smaller and smaller, until they merged with the streets, the city, and the mountains themselves.
Every feast in this world must eventually end. No matter how thrilling the race or how dazzling the reunion, there always comes a day when it concludes.
Meetings and partings are the rhythm of this world. Each person is a solitary individual; no one can stay by another's side forever.
But, as that beautiful line from an ancient Chinese poem says: If in this world a true friend lives, then distance can't keep hearts apart. And especially now, with technology so advanced…
There will always be a time to meet again.
And the bonds between us will never fade.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.