Chapter 2: A Chance Worth Chasing
The idea of Yunnan caves wouldn't let him go. For the next three days, whenever Lin Yuan had a spare minute, his mind found its way back to that cave in Yunnan.
He'd be stopped at a red light, and then he'd remember the photos.
He'd be walking up yet another broken-elevatored apartment building to deliver dinner to yet another customer, and he'd suddenly wonder what the air inside a limestone cave would smell like.
It was absurd. He knew that. The odds were too slim. Most people wouldn't even entertain the thought.
Still… what were the odds of changing his life if he continued to do exactly what he'd been doing for the past two years? That didn't seem much better.
"You seem distracted today," a voice said.
Lin Yuan looked up from the stack of cardboard boxes on the warehouse floor. Old Chen, the supervisor of the warehouse, was standing a few feet away, a clipboard tucked under one arm. The fifty-year-old man had worked there for so long that everyone called him Old Chen, and no one even knew what his real name was.
"I was just thinking," Lin Yuan said.
Old Chen snorted. "That's a dangerous habit to pick up."
Lin Yuan let out a short laugh. "I'll try to avoid it."
The older man leaned his back against a pallet stacked with packaged electronics. "So what's on your mind?"
Lin Yuan hesitated. It sounded juvenile even in his head. "I was thinking of taking a short trip."
"Vacation?"
"Not exactly."
Old Chen folded his arms. "You're twenty. When do you think you'll have time for a vacation if not now?"
Lin Yuan smiled. "When I have the money."
"You'll never have the money if you think like that," the man said.
The response came so quickly, so casually, that Lin Yuan was startled.
Old Chen rubbed his chin. "You don't think I went through that?"
He gestured to the warehouse floor, where scores of men moved boxes from one conveyor belt to another. "I was pulling eighteen-hour shifts when I was your age. Trying to save up. Trying to retire before I was forty."
Lin Yuan raised his eyebrows. "And?"
Old Chen let out a booming laugh. "I'm fifty-three."
Lin Yuan grinned. "So retirement didn't go quite as planned."
"My son went to university."
"Ah."
"My daughter decided she wanted to study abroad."
"… Ah."
"My wife said that the apartment was too small."
Lin Yuan nodded in understanding. "… That explains it."
The older man smiled. "It certainly does."
A moment of silence hung between them. Finally, Old Chen asked, "Where are you thinking of going?"
"Yunnan."
His grin slowly faded. "That's a long trip."
"I know."
"With friends?"
"No."
"A hiking group?"
Lin Yuan shook his head. "I'm going alone."
Old Chen stared at him for a long moment as if waiting for the punchline. When none appeared, he sighed. "You young people, always making life harder for yourselves. So why Yunnan?"
Lin Yuan looked down at the roll of packing tape in his hand. "I want to try something different."
Old Chen looked at him for another moment, then nodded. "I get it. But…" He gave Lin Yuan a light clap on the shoulder. "… make sure you come back in one piece."
"I'll do my best," Lin Yuan said.
That night, Lin Yuan sat cross-legged on his apartment floor with his notebook, his phone's calculator, and every single bill he had saved over the last month. Train ticket, accommodation, food, gear, emergency money. Each category was listed neatly in columns.
He frowned. "… Still short." He erased one number, then scratched out another.
Finally, his eyes settled on a line item: Flashlight – 280.
He pulled up his online shopping app. Cheaper models populated the results almost immediately, but their reviews were disappointing.
"Stopped working after one trip."
"Battery lasts only two hours."
"Wouldn't recommend for caves."
Lin Yuan sighed. "You really do get what you pay for."
He closed the app and surveyed the room, assessing what else he could sell.
An old fan that had barely been working. A rice cooker. Two extra jackets. His aging laptop… He looked at it for a long moment.
"No." He couldn't part with his laptop; it was essential for his studies and for finding potential business ideas. Everything else could go.
Sunday arrived much faster than Lin Yuan expected. Instead of rolling out of bed and indulging in some much-needed sleep, Lin Yuan was already out the door with a cardboard box, heading towards the weekend flea market by the river.
People ambled between stalls piled with all manner of used goods, haggling over everything from bicycles to well-loved books.
A young couple stopped in front of his stall. "How much for the fan?"
Lin Yuan blushed slightly. "It works."
"That's not a price."
"… Thirty yuan?"
The man plugged it in to a socket on the wall behind his stall. The fan coughed and sputtered like a dying tractor before reluctantly beginning to rotate slowly.
His girlfriend giggled. "It sounds like it's dying."
Lin Yuan scratched the back of his head. "It's… been around a while."
The couple both laughed. "Twenty."
"Twenty five?"
"Deal."
As they walked away with the rattling fan, Lin Yuan allowed himself to smile. One down. Many to go.
By late afternoon he had sold most of what he was willing to let go. The sum was pathetic. But it was enough. Just enough.
He placed the coins into his wallet carefully. For the first time since he'd decided on the trip… things had come together.
The outdoor supplies store was situated on a quiet street near the edge of town.
Racks of backpacks hung from the ceiling while shelves displayed helmets, ropes, flashlights, hiking boots, and waterproof clothing.
Lin Yuan felt woefully out of his element, every other shopper seemed to know exactly what they were looking for.
He picked up a small, compact flashlight and studied the tag. "Three hundred forty yuan… that's nearly a week's worth of groceries."
"You'll need something more powerful," a gruff voice said from behind him.
Lin Yuan turned to find an old man with weathered skin restocking climbing rope. "I was just looking."
The old man chuckled, "That's what everyone says right before they buy the cheapest item."
Caught, Lin Yuan smiled awkwardly, "I'm trying to stick to a budget."
"Where are you headed?"
"Yunnan."
"Camping?"
"Cave exploring."
The old man stopped stacking the rope. "Cave exploring?"
Lin Yuan nodded, "It's my first time."
For a few seconds the man simply looked at him, then he reached out and took the flashlight from Lin Yuan's hand, putting it back on the shelf. Without a word, he selected another, sturdier model, which was slightly heavier.
The price tag made Lin Yuan's heart sink, it was almost twice as much.
"You'll want this one."
"I… I don't think I can afford it," Lin Yuan replied with an apologetic smile.
The old man considered him for a moment. Then he pulled a small sticker from the price tag, scribbled on a new number, and pressed it down over the old one. He handed the flashlight back to Lin Yuan.
Lin Yuan stared, blinked, and stammered, "Sir…?"
"That one's been on the shelf over a year."
"But…"
"I'll give it to you at clearance price."
Lin Yuan examined the new number, it was nearly exactly the amount of money he had saved. "Thank you."
The old man waved his hand, "Don't thank me yet. When you step inside a cave…" he pointed at the flashlight, "that thing isn't a tool. It becomes the difference between finding your way out, and becoming part of the mountain."
Lin Yuan instinctively tightened his grip on the flashlight, the words reverberated in the quiet store long after the old man had returned to his rope display.
This time… the trip no longer felt like an exciting adventure, it felt real. And real things always involved risks.
The old shopkeeper entered the storeroom and emerged a moment later with a small plastic container. He laid it on the counter and opened it slowly. He pulled out the contents one by one.
'A basic first aid kit,' he placed it in front of Lin Yuan. 'Extra batteries.' Next item. 'A whistle.' And finally, a neatly folded silver emergency blanket.
Lin Yuan stared at the growing pile of items, "I just wanted the flashlight."
"I know."
"I can't pay for all of that."
The old man adjusted his glasses, "I didn't say you were paying."
Lin Yuan blinked. "… What?
"It's all leftovers." The shopkeeper was so unconvincing it would have deceived only the youngest child. The first aid kit had a freshly stuck price tag, and the batteries had clearly been stocked only days ago. Lin Yuan looked at the man for a second, then smiled.
"It's not leftovers."
The old man coughed into his fist, "They… became leftovers just now."
Lin Yuan couldn't help but laugh, "You're a terrible liar."
"Yes, well, I've spent sixty years fixing things, not charming them."
There was silence for a few moments. Lin Yuan picked up the whistle carefully, "I'll pay you back sometime."
The old man waved his hand, "If you make it back alive, we can call it even."
The train station was already a bustling throng of people when Lin Yuan arrived three days later.
Announcements boomed throughout the huge space while travellers rushed past, pulling suitcases behind them. Families embraced tearfully at the platform, while children tugged at their parents' hands. Business people strode purposefully, eyes fixed on laptops and mobile devices.
Lin Yuan only luggage was a backpack. Everything he needed for the coming days fit comfortably inside.
At the security gate, the guard noticed his camping gear. "Going hiking?"
"Something like that."
The guard smiled. "Have a good trip."
"I'll try." Lin Yuan replied. As he walked toward platform seven, he looked back through the glass doors of the station.
Beyond them lay Chongqing, the city where he had lived his entire life. The city that had taught him how to survive. Perhaps it would also be the city to which he returned someday as someone completely different.
The train pulled out of the station exactly on time.
For the first part of the journey, Lin Yuan watched the landscape unfurl beyond the window, the towering buildings of the city giving way to rolling hills. The factory chimneys were soon replaced by the dark silhouettes of trees, and the grey of concrete and asphalt surrendered to the vibrant green of nature.
He rested his forehead against the cool glass, there was a strangely peaceful feeling in leaving a city behind – not because he disliked Chongqing – but because, for the first time in years, he wasn't travelling for work.
"Young man" he heard from the aisle.
Lin Yuan looked up to see a white-haired woman smile from across the train.
"Would you do me a favor?" She asked, the corners of her eyes crinkling up.
"Im having trouble fitting my suitcase under the seat."
"Absolutely". He easily hefted it up into the overhead rack.
"Thank you so much. My grandson always did that for me." Her smile was wistful now. "He is studying in Beijing now."
Lin Yuan gave her a polite nod and turned back to the window. After a few moments, he heard her voice again.
"Traveling for business?"
"No. "
"Visiting family?"
"No."
She tilted her head. "So what takes you all the way to Yunnan?"
He pondered for a moment. "I've come to pursue an opportunity. "
She let out a soft chuckle. "When I was your age..." she said, turning to look out the window, "I pursued opportunities too."
"And?"
"And I caught your grandfather."
Lin Yuan burst into laughter. "I don't think that's quite the sort of opportunity I have in mind" he admitted.
She winked "You never know. "
They chatted until the train reached the next station, then the next. She told him about raising three kids. About starting a small noodle shop with her late husband. About going into the shop for almost forty years straight, every day.
Before she got off at the third to last stop, she reached out and pat Lin Yuan's shoulder.
"Don't wait for your life to get easier" she said gently. "It rarely will. Instead..." she offered him a warm smile, "become stronger than your problems. "
Lin Yuan watched her melt into the crowd on the platform, those words resonating with him long after the train had departed.
By late afternoon, Yunnan greeted him with cool, crisp mountain air. The air here tasted…cleaner.
An earthy fragrance mixed with the sharp, clean scent of pine, wafting on the breeze.
Even breathing felt easier. He had no trouble locating the guesthouse. It sat at the edge of a serene village nestled amongst rolling green hills.
Unlike the towering high-rises back home, the simple wooden inn looked as though it had naturally sprung from the very landscape it occupied.
As Lin Yuan pushed the door open, a small bell chimed.
"Welcome!" A round-faced elderly woman appeared from behind the front desk, flour still clinging to the apron cinched around her waist. "You must be Mr. Lin Yuan."
"I booked online."
She nodded with a smile. "We don't see many guests this time of year. "
Her husband shuffled out from the back carrying a basket full of fresh vegetables. "Ah, our guest!" He beamed at Lin Yuan. "Perfect timing. Dinner is almost ready. "
Lin Yuan felt a flicker of unease. I really don't want to trouble you."
"It's no trouble" the woman assured him with a hearty laugh.
"If we let you go to sleep on an empty stomach after your journey, our ancestors would rise up and haunt us!"
Lin Yuan felt his resistance crumble. "I suppose I cant argue with ancestors."
The meal was simple: rice, stir-fried vegetables, a small serving of braised pork, and a steaming bowl of mushroom soup.
Lin Yuan hadn't realized just how hungry he was until the first spoonful touched his lips.
"City folks always eat so fast" the old woman remarked knowingly.
"I'm in food delivery" he explained, his mouth full of rice.
"Ah… I see."
Her husband sipped on a cup of tea before asking casually, "So, what is it that brings you to our humble village?"
Lin Yuan swallowed. "I've heard there are limestone caves nearby."
The old couple exchanged a barely perceptible glance.
"There are" the husband replied, his voice smooth and calm.
"Planning on exploring them"
"Without hesitation" Lin Yuan answered, "If possible."
The silence that followed felt thick and heavy.
Eventually, the woman said "most visitors come to see the waterfalls. The caves aren't as popular."
"Because they're dangerous?"
"Not really."
"Because no one bothers them."
Lin Yuan frowned. "Is there a reason?"
"My grandfather told stories" the old man said, scratching his chin.
"About what?"
"He believed the mountains remembered things."
Lin Yuan managed a polite smile. "In what way?"
"He said that whatever a person takes from the mountain, the mountain remembers."
The woman rolled her eyes. "Don't feed the boy superstitious nonsense."
The husband turned to Lin Yuan, a playful twinkle in his eye. "I'm just answering his question. "
"Just stories" the woman stated flatly.
"Of course they are" the old man agreed, glancing back at Lin Yuan.
"I don't believe in ghosts" Lin Yuan stated firmly.
"Good". The old woman winked. "Because ghosts don't believe in you either."
For a moment, all three of them stared at each other.
Then she burst into a fit of laughter, even her husband groaning. "You've been saving that all day, haven't you?"
"Maybe."
Lin Yuan laughed harder than he had in years.
Back in his room that night, sleep eluded him. Not from excitement. From the quiet. In Chongqing, sleep never fully arrived.
Always the noise of the city traffic, sirens, distant conversations. Here…there was nothing. He stepped out onto the tiny wooden balcony of his room.
Above him, the night sky bloomed in a riot of stars, a breathtaking tapestry that stretched from one horizon to the next.
He couldn't remember the last time he'd seen so many stars. Somewhere beyond the village, shrouded in the silvery moonlight, lay the mountain. An indistinct, dark shape that emanated a profound sense of ancient, silent power. Lin Yuan gripped the railing with both hands.
"So, this is it" he whispered to himself.
Tomorrow, he would finally enter the cave he'd spent days picturing in his mind. Perhaps he'd find nothing. Most likely, in fact.
Perhaps he'd simply experience the journey before returning to the noise and familiarity of Chongqing and his usual life. He was okay with that, honestly. This journey had already been worth it.
For the first time in years, he'd spent money not just on survival, but on hope.
A cool breeze whispered through the valley. Far beneath the mountain's slopes, deep within layers of earth undisturbed for millennia, a faint warmth stirred in the boundless darkness. Not enough to stir the consciousness from its aeons-long slumber. But enough to detect a new presence drawing nearer.
For the first time in an age lost to history, it waited.
Not for a conqueror or one seeking power. But for a young man who believed that if life wouldn't offer an opportunity, he would climb a mountain and create one for himself.