It happened long ago, back when he had just graduated and was assigned to a secret base deep in the Northwest Desert to participate in aerospace technology research.

Due to safety and security concerns, the base was constructed underground, camouflaged by the shifting sands to confuse outsiders. Back then, the technology for building underground structures was rudimentary, and collapses or being buried under quicksand were common occurrences.

This meant that regular expeditions were necessary to scout out solid geological structures as a contingency plan. But finding a suitable location wasn’t easy, and more often than not, expeditions returned empty-handed.

Professor Zhou, along with two other newly assigned graduates—a young man and a young woman—were sent to work at this base. Being new recruits with few assignments, and with the other staff tied up with more urgent matters, the exploration task fell to them.

Heading out for these expeditions was tough work, often involving ten to fifteen days of trudging through the desert. The terrain was treacherous, and the threat of danger was constant. A sudden sandstorm could easily turn a routine mission into a life-or-death situation.

For this reason, Professor Zhou usually ventured out with the male student, Bill Zhao, leaving the young woman, Love Li, behind at the base.

On this particular day, it was time for another expedition. However, Bill Zhao came down with a fever. Professor Zhou thought about postponing, but recent sandstorms had buried much of the base, making it crucial to find a new location for relocation as quickly as possible.

He considered going alone—after all, with the right gear and enough supplies, it was possible to manage. But the desert was treacherous, and going solo could be fatal. Sensing his hesitation, the young woman, Love Li, volunteered to take Bill Zhao's place.

The base's leader was hesitant—after all, a city girl like her might not be able to endure such a tough journey. But in the end, Love Li’s insistence, buoyed by her declaration that "women can hold up half the sky," won him over.

Professor Zhou remembered how, before departure, his mentor at the base had pulled him aside, cautioning, “Love Li's a girl—make sure you look out for her.”

Then, glancing at her, the mentor teased him further: “Love Li’s quite the catch. You’ve noticed how Bill Zhao’s been doting on her, haven’t you? You’d better make your move if you’re interested.”

Bill Zhao was the male student, and Love Li was the woman’s name.

Professor Zhou, blushing at his mentor’s words, felt as though his thoughts had been laid bare. Worse, when he tried to steal a glance at Love Li, she caught him in the act.

Love Li—yes, her name was Love Li. Even now, Professor Zhou could vividly remember her simple ponytail, the red scarf she always wore, and the way her dimples deepened when she smiled. Her eyes—those large, expressive eyes—seemed to shine with energy.

Once, to break the ice, Professor Zhou asked her about the significance of her red scarf. She explained that her mother had knitted it for her when she was little, and she’d worn it ever since. Being far from home now, it was like a piece of her mother was always with her. She even told him, quite seriously, that the scarf wasn’t something she could give away yet, holding it protectively as though it were a prized possession.

Remembering that moment, Professor Zhou couldn’t help but smile. But as he did, his thoughts drifted back to their time together, trekking through the desert on that fateful mission.

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At first, Love Li was like a bird set free from its cage, brimming with excitement and curiosity about everything in the desert. She even teased Professor Zhou and Bill Zhao for not taking her out on earlier trips.

But as the novelty wore off and the grueling nature of the work set in, both of them—Professor Zhou included—began to feel the monotony.

It was during this time that he noticed Love Li often stealing glances at him. Whenever he looked back, she would flash him that sweet, dimpled smile. Every time their eyes met, his heart raced a little faster, and he found himself becoming gentler and more attentive toward her.

On that particular day, after a long trek, Love Li collapsed onto the sand with a groan of exhaustion. Though it was winter, the midday sun was intense, and the sand was still hot to the touch. Worried she might get burned, Professor Zhou quickly pulled her up.

Seeing her dazed expression, he instinctively reached out to brush the dust off her head. He wanted to say something, but then suddenly felt something was wrong. Why were his eyes stinging?

He rubbed at his eyes, but before he could blink, more sand hit his face. His cheeks stung from the onslaught, and the air grew thick with dust.

Realizing what was happening, Professor Zhou forced his eyes open. In the distance, the sky had turned an ominous shade of gray, and the horizon was rapidly darkening. The sun fought to pierce the gloom, flickering like a weak beacon as the storm rolled in.

It was a sandstorm.

Reacting quickly, Professor Zhou grabbed Love Li’s hand and tried to pull her to safety, but running in such a storm was futile. Instead, he found a low-lying spot, quickly wrapped Love Li’s scarf around her face, and ordered her to lie down flat, face-first. “This is the best way to protect yourself in an open area like this,” he yelled over the roar of the wind. “Once the storm passes, we’ll be fine!”

With that, he pressed her down, making sure her head rested on her hands, then threw himself over her, using his own body to shield her from the oncoming storm. Within moments, the sandstorm enveloped them, burying them beneath layers of sand.

When the wind finally began to die down and the sky cleared once more, the once-flat desert had transformed into a series of dunes. The place where they had lain was now a small hill of sand.

After what felt like an eternity, a hand suddenly burst through the surface of the dune, followed by another. Professor Zhou emerged, coughing and gasping for air. Wasting no time, he started digging frantically, uncovering Love Li from beneath the sand.

She had dozed off during the storm but woke up when he shook her. Coughing and spitting out sand, she pulled her red scarf from her face and took a deep breath, finally able to relax.

Relieved, Professor Zhou couldn’t help but smile. "It's all over now," he thought. Love Li, noticing his look of concern, gave him a soft, warm smile, her eyes sparkling with gratitude.

After a moment, she clenched her scarf tightly in her hands, then, with a sudden resolve, pulled her long hair behind her ear and shyly offered the scarf to him. “Here… I can give it to you now,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. Without waiting for a reply, she pushed the scarf into his hands, her cheeks flushed.

Startled, Professor Zhou froze for a moment, realizing what the gesture meant. His heart began to race. Seeing her run off towards a nearby dune, he felt a surge of joy and hurried after her.

When he caught up, he gently took her hand, which trembled slightly with nerves.

Love Li didn’t pull away; instead, she squeezed his hand tightly, lacing her fingers with his. After a moment, Professor Zhou brushed the sand from her hair, his touch tender. Love Li smiled and held his hand even tighter.

As they stood together on the dune, the sky above them began to shift with the colors of the setting sun. The clouds turned a soft pink, contrasting against the vast, blue sky. The whole scene seemed to merge with the golden dunes, creating a breathtaking view.

“Look, Zhou!” Love Li suddenly exclaimed, pulling him from his reverie. “Over there! Doesn’t it look like a group of buildings emerging from the sand?”

Following the direction of her finger, Professor Zhou gazed into the distance. Sure enough, there was a distinct, dark-blue formation emerging from the golden sands. Its stark contrast against the desert made it stand out with remarkable clarity.

However, from a distance, the dark, bluish structure was still unclear. It seemed at times like massive boulders rising from the earth, and at other times, it resembled a cluster of ancient buildings. Most likely, the recent sandstorm had blown away the dunes that had long buried this enigmatic structure, finally revealing it to the world.

Driven by curiosity, Professor Zhou grabbed Love Li’s hand, and they raced toward the newly uncovered site. Though it had seemed close when they first spotted it from the dune, they found themselves climbing over ridge after ridge of sand, each step taking more effort than the last. Breathless and sweating, they finally reached the dark, mysterious formation.