Lu Zhanguo listened to Zhou Siping's nagging without uttering a word. If they didn't return by the 11th, Cheng Qijia and He Qin, they'd have to wait until the snow had melted next year.
By October, it began snowing in the Tibetan Area. Heavy snowfall made the mountains impassable. They certainly couldn't risk returning, and would have to wait until spring next year.
Zhou Siping complained, but he also understood the nature of Cheng Qijia's work. Sighing, he said to Bai Xiaolan, "I should go. If your aunt gets wind that I've been here for so long without seeing your brother Qi, she's going to get anxious all over again."
"Just tell her you've seen my brother Qi, and that he's doing well and has even put on some weight. That will put my aunt at ease," Bai Xiaolan suggested.
