They say the best way to build a relationship is to travel together.
That saying is absolutely true.
If two people are compatible, a trip together will reveal their personalities almost immediately.
When Stephen Song was abroad, he preferred to travel alone, so he always packed and organized his own luggage himself.
Julia Yu just needed to bring her own little suitcase and follow along.
Julia had spent years caring for others, but now, being looked after herself, she finally felt relaxed and at ease.
Stephen brought two large suitcases and an extra-large storage box, making Julia's little suitcase look tiny and delicate beside them.
"Let's go, get in the car," Stephen said to Julia. "Time to hit the road!"
Julia happily climbed into the passenger seat.
As soon as she fastened her seatbelt, Stephen handed her a bag of snacks. "Something to nibble on during the drive. I’ve noticed young ladies love these, and you’re a young lady too."
Julia smiled and took the bag from him.
Honestly, Julia was truly happy inside.
She might be thirty, but who doesn’t want to be treated like a princess?
Cecilia Gu is thirty too, but Charles Yin always treats her like his princess. Years of marriage haven’t changed that.
Because their family is harmonious and their marriage is sweet, Cecilia looks like a twenty-year-old girl despite having two kids.
Isn’t it all thanks to love?
Julia would be lying if she said she wasn’t envious.
Now, she never imagined she’d be treated like a young girl herself.
Her heart felt sweet and warm.
Stephen Song is four or five years older than Julia, and he genuinely treats her like a young girl.
No matter how capable, impressive, or successful Julia Yu is, deep down, she’s still a woman.
So Stephen Song’s approach was spot on—he hit the mark perfectly.
Julia really did fall for this kind of care.
Stephen got in the car, grabbed a bottle of water from the back, opened the cap himself, then closed it again before handing it to Julia—as if she were a delicate girl who needed extra care, even with something as simple as a water bottle.
"Thank you," Julia said, showing a relaxed and natural smile. Since graduating college, it had been a long time since she felt so comfortable and at ease.
"Of course," Stephen replied with a faint smile, then fastened his seatbelt and started driving steadily.
Soft music played in the car, its gentle rhythm helping everyone relax.
Stephen noticed Julia looked sleepy and realized she hadn’t really rested yet.
Without a word, he raised the temperature, lowered her seat, and softly said, "It’ll take several hours to get there. Lie down and sleep for a while. I’ll wake you when we arrive."
Then he reached back, handed Julia a throw pillow, and said, "There’s a little blanket inside—cover yourself so you don’t catch a chill."
Julia didn’t stand on ceremony. "I’ll sleep for a bit, then after two hours, I’ll drive and you can rest."
Stephen just replied, "Okay," and focused on driving even more steadily.
Julia soon fell asleep. Stephen couldn’t help but glance at her several times, growing fonder and more at peace each time.
Stephen realized he had finally found the person he truly wanted.
Even if they rarely saw each other, even if they only had time for a couple sentences each day—
It was because she was the one, he felt a special sense of peace.
Stephen used to think love at first sight was a myth.
He thought love at first sight was too fake.
He figured so-called love at first sight was just about physical attraction.
After all, he’d met more than his share of beautiful women.
But it wasn’t until he met Julia Yu for the first time that he realized just how childish and laughable his prejudice was.
There really is such a thing as love at first sight—and it’s not always about looks.
Sometimes it’s just the other person’s vibe and how comfortable conversation feels.
Julia just made people feel so comfortable.
Being with her, no matter how busy or tired you were, even if you said nothing at all, just being together in silence was enough to help you relax.
She’s so smart, so perceptive—she’d always notice his problems before he even realized them himself, and would solve them directly.
That kind of comfort is something no one else can give, and looks alone can’t make up for it.
No wonder people say relationships start with looks but end with character.
In real love, looks are actually the least important thing.
Besides, Julia isn’t ugly at all.
Stephen drove along, lost in thought, his mind spinning with emotions—just like those stories you hear.
After just one meeting, he was already thinking about what to name their future kids.
Love at first sight that lasts a lifetime—maybe that’s what this is.
Leaving the city, it wasn’t long before they entered the county area.
Stephen wasn’t familiar with this road, so he drove a bit slower.
The GPS guided them slowly and calmly, and even though Stephen didn’t know the way, he didn’t get lost.
Soon they passed through the county and headed toward the mountains.
Though it’s called a mountain area, the roads were surprisingly well-built.
Twisting and turning, with guardrails perfectly in place on both sides.
Plenty of people come here to visit—lots of tour buses sped past them.
Stephen wasn’t used to mountain roads, and watching those buses zoom by made his heart race. He thought they were risking their lives driving like that on such winding roads.
At some point, Julia woke up—probably jolted awake by the bumpy mountain road.
"Where are we?" Julia yawned, sat up, adjusted her seat, and looked outside. She grinned, "You’re only here? Find a spot to park—I’ll drive. I’ve been here before, I know the way."
Stephen was a bit tired himself, so he quickly pulled over in a flat spot by the roadside.
Julia didn’t take the wheel right away. She got out to stretch first, and only after she felt fully awake did she get into the driver’s seat.
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Stephen adjusted his seat and watched Julia expertly navigate the mountain road, convinced she’d really been here before.
"Our branch office held its annual meeting here," Julia explained. "That year, Charles Yin and Cecilia Gu got married, and our boss was in a bad mood, so we didn’t go abroad for the meeting. We ended up here and discovered the scenery was pretty nice. Later, a few big conferences were held here too, so I know all the local resorts pretty well."
Stephen heard Julia mention Charles Yin and Cecilia Gu so casually and couldn’t help but ask, "I’ve heard of the Yin Consortium for ages. You seem to know them well?"
"Not too well. I’m friends with Mrs. Yin—she’s helped me a lot," Julia replied. "I hang out more with her assistant, though."
"What kind of person is Mrs. Yin?" Stephen grew even more curious. "Since I came back to China, I keep hearing people mention her, and everyone seems to respect her a lot."
Julia nodded. "She really is worthy of respect. You don’t know her background, so you don’t get that feeling. Do you know about the Yun Family from Y Province?"
"I’ve heard of them—they’re a legendary family," Stephen said, not hiding his admiration. "They probably have the world’s most complete library, preserving tons of lost culture."
"Right. The Yun Family has three treasures: books, medicine, and tea," Julia explained. "Each one is world-class. The family’s history goes back to the Spring and Autumn period, and their lineage can be traced back five thousand years!"
Stephen gasped. "No way! How could a family last that long? China’s history is only about five thousand years."
"Exactly. That’s why I said at least five thousand years," Julia replied. "The Yun Family’s ancestors probably came from a primitive tribe. They’ve always had astrologers in the family, and the tribe had a high priest—they share the same origin. So you can imagine how deep the family’s roots go."
Stephen was genuinely shocked!
"So Mrs. Yin is from the Yun Family?" Stephen asked, his voice trembling a little.
"Yes. She’s the Yun Family’s legitimate daughter," Julia confirmed. "And currently the only heir."
Stephen was completely speechless.
No wonder!
A lot of people mistakenly think Cecilia Gu married into the Yin Consortium for status—if only they knew how amazing she really is!
"Charles Yin and Cecilia aren’t in Newport City right now, but when they come back, you’ll get to meet them. Cecilia’s really easygoing—as long as you don’t cross her boundaries, she’s kind to everyone," Julia said with a smile. "She promised to bring me some goodies, so I’ll get them in a few days."
Stephen was suddenly at a loss for words.
Turns out the woman he liked was pretty impressive too.
Chatting as they drove, the two of them entered the scenic area.
Inside the scenic area, tour buses lined the roadside everywhere.
Plenty of people got out to take photos and selfies, making the place lively.
Julia didn’t stop, but kept driving further in. "The scenery out here is nice, but it’s nothing compared to what’s inside. I booked the resort at the very top—it’s usually closed to the public and regular tourists can’t get there."
Stephen nodded, not asking how Julia managed to book it.
At their level, doing things like this was perfectly normal.
That’s just how it is for the privileged class.
Besides, Stephen himself was part of that privileged class.
The car brushed past countless leaves, winding its way up the mountain.
Halfway up, they were stopped at a checkpoint, just as expected.
Julia showed her special pass, and they were quickly let through. She kept driving up the mountain.
At this point, there were hardly any cars left on the road. The few they did see were clearly privileged like them.