Carrying an adult for four hours would be exhausting even on flat ground.
Let alone on a mountain trail.
Qin Yuhe could push through, but that didn't mean he wasn't tired.
The moment they reached the foot of the mountain, Song Xinya struggled to slide off his back, refusing to let him carry her any further no matter what he said.
By now, the sky had turned completely dark.
Looking at the lights glowing ahead, Qin Yuhe asked for Song Xinya's opinion, Since Jian Shuibing abducted Jian Yiyi to a place like this, she definitely wouldn't hide her in a house where she could be easily found. Let's find a place to rest for today, and tomorrow we'll head deeper into the mountains to start the search. What do you think?
The group had been trekking for so long that their energy was at its limit. In the dead of night with poor visibility, wandering deeper into the mountains would yield nothing and might even lead to accidents.
Qin Yuhe's plan was the most reasonable.
Song Xinya replied, That works.
Holding her hand, he walked up to the nearest farmhouse and knocked on the door to ask for lodging.
In the middle of the night, anyone would refuse a group of strangers standing at their door.
However, Boss Qin simply offered too much.
One hundred thousand RMB for a single night's stay.
In this world, you can hold a grudge against anything, but never against money.
If money can't solve a problem, it's only because there isn't enough of it.
The farmhouse gates swung wide open for Qin Yuhe and his group.
Song Xinya and Qin Yuhe took the most spacious room.
Conditions in the mountains were limited. There were no showerheads, let alone bathtubs.
The bathing area was a makeshift shed built from a few broken wooden boards. It had no roof, making it open-air, and no door—just a ragged cloth for cover.
A wild, open-air little bathhouse.
Song Xinya stood inside this wild open-air little bathhouse to wash up, while Qin Yuhe stood at the entrance, keeping guard for her.
Under the witness of the moon and a sky full of stars, she quickly finished her bath.
Lifting the ragged cloth, Song Xinya stepped out of the wild open-air bathhouse.
Her dark hair hung down wet and loose, and her fair, clean cheeks were damp with mist, making her look even more tender and delicate. Enveloped in the moisture, her features were soft and gentle.
Song Xinya: You go in and wash up. I'll keep watch for you.
Qin Yuhe: No need. Go inside the room. Who would want to peek at a grown man taking a bath anyway?
Song Xinya recalled the women they had encountered along the way; every time they saw Qin Yuhe, their eyes would light up brightly.
Men need to protect themselves when they are out, too.
Qin Yuhe: My body is only for you to see, is that it?
Song Xinya: Of course. Did you want to show it to other women?
Qin Yuhe: Never crossed my mind.
Song Xinya: You had better not, otherwise I will curse your dick to rot.
Qin Yuhe froze for a moment, then put a hand to his forehead and laughed speechlessly, No, seriously, Song Xinya, it is the middle of the night, what kind of wild talk is that?
Song Xinya's small face was full of seriousness: I am not talking wild. I am telling you this very seriously.
She knew that thing was incredibly important to men, which was why she used it to curse him.
Of course, if he didn't let other women see his body, the curse wouldn't come true.
Qin Yuhe cupped her face with both hands, squishing her pretty little face out of shape.
He lowered his head and kissed her lips: I won't let anyone else see. Only you.
Song Xinya blinked at him in agreement.
Qin Yuhe released her cheeks, placed his hands on her shoulders, and gave her a gentle push forward: Hurry back to the room and dry your hair, don't catch a cold.
Song Xinya went back inside, and before she could even finish drying her hair, Qin Yuhe returned from his bath.
Men really do shower fast.
He took the towel from her hands and helped her dry her hair, strand by strand.
At this moment, Song Xinya was sitting on the bed while Qin Yuhe stood beside it. She wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her face against him, snuggling up to him submissively.
After drying her hair, Qin Yuhe said, All done.
The woman hugging his waist didn't respond.
Qin Yuhe looked down. Her eyelashes were lowered, her eyes closed; she had already fallen asleep.
Holding her shoulders, he gently laid her down on the bed.
There were many mosquitoes deep in the mountains, but fortunately, a mosquito net hung around the bed.
Due to its age, the white mosquito net had yellowed and bore several large patches.
Qin Yuhe set up the net and checked it over to ensure there were no mosquitoes inside.
Just as he was about to lie down and sleep, he heard a knock on the courtyard door.
The farming couple climbed out of bed once again: Who is knocking now? Tonight is like snow in June, one bizarre thing after another.
Despite their grumbling, the couple ran faster than anyone. Who knows, maybe it was another God of Wealth coming to deliver money to them.
Opening the courtyard gate, the couple saw a slender figure wearing a black hat, a black mask, and black sunglasses.
In the middle of the night, this outfit looked both bizarre and creepy.
The prerequisite for wanting money is being alive to spend it.
There is a specific kind of pain: dying before you can spend your money.
Bang—the couple slammed the door shut.
The knocking sounded again, accompanied by a clear, youthful voice: I am not a bad person. Please open the door for me.
Judging from the boy's voice, he wasn't very old. He even used the word please, so he didn't sound like a bad guy.
The couple opened the door again, and the youth outside immediately handed over a gold bar: I would like to stay the night.
The couple instantly invited him inside.
It wasn't that they were blinded by the sight of gold; it was mainly because this young man looked like a good person.
If he were a bad guy, he would have just forced his way in instead of taking out a gold bar to sincerely make an exchange with them.
After the youth walked into the living room, he came face to face with Qin Yuhe.
Like a mouse spotting a cat, he hurriedly turned around, putting his back to Qin Yuhe in a vain attempt to slip by unnoticed.
Qin Yuhe: Stop hiding, Jin Ruizhi. I spotted you back on the train.
Jin Ruizhi turned back around and took off his hat, mask, and glasses: If you recognized me, why didn't you say anything?
Qin Yuhe: Are you some kind of hot commodity that I have to throw myself at you?
Jin Ruizhi: I am already here at Mount Bilao. Even if you try to chase me away, I won't leave. I am worried about Jian Yiyi, and I am going to find her.
Qin Yuhe glanced behind him: All by yourself? No escort team?
Jin Ruizhi: No. I came all by myself.
In the dead of night, dragging an injured arm, trekking over mountains and ridges all alone to come deep into the wilderness—he certainly had guts.
Jin Ruizhi looked at Qin Yuhe with a stubborn gaze: Are you still going to chase me away?
Qin Yuhe: No. You have the right to pursue your happiness.
Jin Ruizhi successfully secured a room in the farmhouse.
Qin Yuhe returned to the bedroom and saw Song Xinya sitting up in bed, lifting the mosquito net with her fingers, about to get out.
Why are you getting up all of a sudden?
Song Xinya: I woke up and saw you weren't here, so I wanted to go find you.
Qin Yuhe embraced her and lay down on the bed: No need to look, I am here.
The next day, bright and early, Qin Yuhe led a team deep into the mountains to search for Jian Yiyi.
The mountains rolled on endlessly, and the forest stretched out like a boundless sea.
Clouds and mist drifted slowly through the dense woods; the air was damp, and the light was dim.
Qin Yuhe was walking at the front of the group when, suddenly, a faint hissing sound brushed against his ears.
His footsteps came to a dead halt.
Sensing that something was wrong, the others also stopped in their tracks and looked in his direction.
That single glance was enough to nearly scare the living daylights out of them.
Right beside Qin Yuhe, on a tree branch less than a meter away, a snake was flicking its forked tongue.
Its body was a dark brownish-black, featuring distinct neck folds and spectacle-like markings. The sides of its neck had expanded into a terrifying hood.
A chill ran down everyone's spine.
"Holy shit! A snake! It's a cobra! It's venomous!"
"Does anyone have a stick? Find a stick and kill it!"
"Its body is suspended in the air, hanging from the branch. There's no leverage. A single strike won't kill it, and it might just agitate the snake, causing it to attack Mr. Qin, who is closest to it."
"Damn it! What do we do?"
"We can't just stand here doing nothing, can we?"
If standing completely still could out-wait the snake until it slithered away, it wouldn't be a bad survival tactic.
However, the snake suddenly reared up, unhinged its jaws, and lunged straight for Qin Yuhe's neck.
"Ahhhhh! Mr. Qin, watch out!"
The crowd screamed and scrambled backward in sheer terror, desperate to flee.
Yet, a slender figure pushed against the fleeing crowd and rushed to the very front.
In the split second before the cobra could sink its fangs into Qin Yuhe's neck, Song Xinya tightly grabbed the cobra by its neck with both hands!
