We don't have much to do on this day off. It is cold and most of the time is occupied with keeping warm.
Four of us go for a walk while Gong Jianping stays warm inside. It is a barren place with endless vistas.
In the late afternoon we make friends with a pair of policemen assigned to patrol the area for poachers. In particular they are supposed to protect a rare breed of deer prized for its fur. These two live in a green tent by the road, with a stove inside to cook and to provide warmth. They invite the five of us for dinner and treat us to hand-made noodles, which I think they eat day in and day out.
It's more comfortable to spend the night in here, so Brice and Jianping each take a bed; Gao Ceng and Fangkun double up on one, and I stake out a space on the earthen floor. I spend the night wondering when sleep will come.
This morning Gong Jianping complained of stomach ailment and headache. We put off departure. We agreed that we'd rest another day here in Budongquan and if he still doesn't feel well he'd hitch a ride.