The next day, Dong Huiying found two crescent-colored cloaks; she and Haoming each wore one, then double-checked their food and water supplies once more before mounting their camels.
Their team consisted of only three people but a total of eight camels, five of which were heavily loaded with provisions like food, water, and items such as clothes and tents.
"Let’s go!" Dong Huiying called out, and then the three of them, along with the eight camels, started their journey.
Camels, though not as fast as horses, are drought-resistant and have historically been dubbed the "Ship of the Desert." They can go four or five days without food; the fat stored in their humps provides the sustenance they need to survive. Furthermore, their stomachs contain many small vesicles that store water, allowing them to go several days without drinking without risking their lives. Additionally, the thick pads of their feet make them particularly well-suited for walking in the desert.
The trio left the Nomadic Town, aiming for the vast Desert ahead.
Tu Ya woke up early in the morning, thinking about striking up a conversation with Liang Haoming, but she never found the opportunity. Seeing the three set off, she couldn’t sit still any longer, "Quick, quick, Hulan, we should set out too!"
Thus, Tu Ya’s team, which was more than ten people strong, followed Dong Huiying’s trio into the Desert.
Hulan was the girl from last night who claimed to have seen Liang Haoming.
"Tu Ya! Those two girls, and that man, they are foreigners, aren’t they? Aren’t they afraid of getting lost in the desert without a guide?"
Tu Ya sat atop her camel, her eyes shimmering, "It’s better they didn’t hire one," she thought, seeing an opportunity to shine should anything go awry!
Hulan blurted out, "Tu Ya, that young girl last night, said that man was her husband. Is that true? It seems unlikely to me; she looks only about twelve or thirteen years old!"
Tu Ya was slightly annoyed, "Hulan, don’t set your sights on that man; I have my eye on him! I think my mother would definitely like him!"
Hulan glanced at her, knowing she couldn’t contend with Tu Ya, but felt a sourness inside, "But he is a married man! He has a wife already!"
Tu Ya’s lips curled up, "I don’t care. Anything I set my eyes on cannot escape the palm of my hand!" She made a grasping gesture, as in her view, Liang Haoming was already hers to claim.
She would first employ a roundabout strategy, to see if she could win his favor, and if that didn’t work... well, she could always use force, as it wasn’t the first time she had done so.
Hulan looked at her, hesitant to speak, thinking to herself how domineering Tu Ya was; but what could she do, when Tu Ya was... Hulan’s face fell; Tu Ya was never content. Despite having more than ten men in the tribe, she was set on the one man Hulan fancied... Oh, the despair!
Why was her life so full of hardship?
Hulan’s face was filled with melancholy.