On July 28th, Rui Xiaodan and Shen Nan boarded a China Southern Airlines 757 at 3:30 PM from Guangzhou, arriving at Xi'an Xianyang International Airport at 5:50 PM. They took a taxi for over half an hour to West Huancheng Road in Xi'an and checked into the pre-booked Xi'an Qindu Hotel, a four-star establishment near the ancient city wall, about 67 kilometers from the city center, with scenic spots like the ancient city wall and the Bell Tower nearby.
They stayed in a standard room and immediately arranged for a taxi tour the next day to visit the Terracotta Warriors and Huaqing Pool, completing the necessary formalities like signing contracts and paying deposits. After a short rest, it was already past 8 PM. They called a taxi to have their first meal in Xi'an, opting for the famous beef and mutton paomo at Lao Sunjia Restaurant on Dongguan Main Street.
Even though the dinner rush was over, Lao Sunjia was still bustling. They leisurely enjoyed a bottle of beer and two small dishes while tearing the dense and chewy bread into tiny pieces, the size of soybeans. When the dish finally arrived, they found it far superior to any other beef and mutton paomo they had ever had—rich, flavorful, and truly living up to its reputation.
The next morning at 9 AM, they set off in a rented Santana car to visit the Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum and the Terracotta Warriors, over 50 kilometers away. Rui Xiaodan brought plenty of film, photographing nearly every sight with the curiosity and amazement of a first-time visitor. In contrast, Shen Nan's subtle inattentiveness and less precise words and actions suggested she had visited Xi'an's attractions before. Despite knowing that the mausoleum itself had not been excavated and was just a large mound of earth, they were keen to see it. In the afternoon, they visited Huaqing Pool, coinciding with a tour group, allowing them to listen to the guide describe the historic meeting of Emperor Xuanzong and Yang Guifei in the Huaqing Hot Springs Palace in 742 AD.
That evening, they went to the charming Beiyuanmen Snack Street, where the blue stone road and tempting signs made it difficult to choose among the local delicacies like mutton soup, steamed mutton, tripe hotpot, and soup dumplings. The street's rich folk atmosphere touched Rui Xiaodan's heart, making her think longingly of Ding Yuan Ying, wishing he were there to share the experience with her.
Early on the third day, they checked out and took the Thursday flight from Xi'an to Yan'an, arriving at 9:35 AM. Yan'an, famous for its revolutionary history and cultural heritage, welcomed them. They checked into the two-star Yan'an Sacred Land Hotel at Wangjiaping, just 200 meters from the Wangjiaping Revolutionary Memorial Hall.
If purely for tourism, they could have immediately rented a car to visit Hukou Waterfall, 200 kilometers from Yan'an, taking no more than four hours to reach and only needing two to three hours to tour. However, Shen Nan, citing tight schedules, suggested leaving early the next morning to ensure they returned before dark, which was safer for two women traveling alone. She proposed that they spend the afternoon separately, with Rui Xiaodan visiting nearby attractions like the Wangjiaping Revolutionary Memorial Hall and the Yangjialing Revolutionary Site, while she handled booking the car and buying provisions for the next day's trip.
Yan'an, being Wu Chengxiang's hometown, was a sensitive area. Shen Nan's decision was both reasonable and a subtle way to create ambiguity, as they would be separated for the afternoon, leaving room for speculation. Rui Xiaodan respected Shen Nan's plan and spent the afternoon exploring the Wangjiaping Revolutionary Memorial Hall, the Phoenix Mountain Revolutionary Site, and the Yangjialing Revolutionary Site, all while aware that she was being watched. She took her time at each spot, genuinely engaging with the history and taking photos, passing the hours without incident.
Returning to the hotel after visiting several main streets of Yan'an, she had nothing to do and watched TV in her room. Shen Nan returned around 7 PM, apologizing for the delay without elaborating. She had indeed bought plenty of supplies for the next day's trip and gifts for her relatives, which required considerable effort.
That evening, they dined at Yan'an's famous Muslim Snack Street, savoring the local favorite, lamb offal stew, a mix of lamb head, hooves, blood, liver, heart, intestines, and tripe, seasoned with spicy and sour flavors, and fresh herbs.
The next day, the fourth day of their trip, they set off for Hukou Waterfall in a rented Jeep costing 500 yuan. Hukou Waterfall, the second largest waterfall in China, is known for its dramatic drop of over 30 meters as the Yellow River narrows from hundreds of meters wide to just a few dozen at the Hukou. The sight and sound of the waterfall are awe-inspiring.
After visiting Hukou Waterfall, they returned to Yan'an before dark. Hukou Waterfall was the last planned stop of their trip, with the next destination being Shen Nan's hometown, Qinggu County. Visiting Shen Nan's relatives marked the final segment of their journey, bringing both their travels and missions to a close.
Qinggu County, a poverty-stricken area on the Loess Plateau, relies heavily on subsidies, with fiscal self-sufficiency below 30%. The county, home to over 300,000 people, primarily depends on agriculture and has a semi-arid, warm continental climate, with a fragmented and complex terrain suffering severe soil erosion.
Arriving in Qinggu County on the afternoon of August 1st, they endured nearly five hours of bumpy travel over 140 kilometers. They stayed at Qinggu Hotel, the best accommodation in the county. The small county town had asphalt main roads and only a few intersections with traffic lights and barriers. The main streets had concentrated shops with colorful tiles on the sidewalks, bustling with local life.
Shen Nan's grandparents, third uncle, and younger aunt lived in Qinggu County, with the uncle living with the grandparents. Out of courtesy, Rui Xiaodan accompanied Shen Nan to visit her grandparents, bringing gifts of branded nutritional supplements for the elderly. After a brief visit, Rui Xiaodan returned to the hotel, joining Shen Nan for a family dinner later in the evening. They decided to take the 8:40 AM bus back to Yan'an the next morning.