Chapter 57

Ruan Qing, however, wasn’t foolish enough to argue with Grandpa Qi just yet. Once Nian Qi got his registration, he could leave whenever he wanted—nobody could stop him. As they descended the mountain, Ruan Qing’s ankle had nearly healed, so she was able to walk on her own most of the way, only relying on Nian Qi to carry her over particularly steep terrain. 

The route they took to climb up the mountain had plenty of tricky spots, and the group had to take detours around these areas. But this time, to save time, Nian Qi simply lifted each person over these difficult sections one by one.

Wanting to show respect to the family and friends of the one he admired, Nian Qi was especially polite. Ruan Qing’s uncles and cousins all got to experience the “princess carry,” soaring across the mountain paths with ease. When their feet touched the ground, they felt as though they had defied gravity itself! Thanks to Nian Qi’s shortcuts, the group reached the base of the mountain by noon.

When they’d originally gone into the mountains, they had taken a three-wheeled vehicle and two electric scooters, which were still parked near Ruan Qing’s car. Ruan Qing suggested that Grandpa Qi, Ruan Xiangyun, and Nian Qi ride in her car, and everyone agreed. To their surprise, however, Nian Qi’s eyes lit up when he saw the three-wheeler. “Can I ride in that one?” he asked, clearly intrigued.

Grandpa Qi chimed in, “This one’s better! It’s far more interesting.” Nian Qi, keen on trying out a different type of transport, said playfully, “It looks like a metal box.”

Ruan Xiangyun remembered to ask, “Have you ever been in a car before?” He continued, “Have you ever even left the mountain or seen outsiders?”

Grandpa Qi quickly responded, “He’s never left the mountain, just seen people from afar, who didn’t see him. If Ruan Qing hadn’t been in danger, he wouldn’t have come out at all. My master was amazing—completely dedicated to reclusive life, never letting him leave the mountain! They didn’t even have salt in there; he and his master drank animal blood each month to get by.”

After asking Nian Qi a hundred questions the night before, Grandpa Qi felt he was now an expert on life at the Wild Hermits’ Temple, ready to answer any questions that came up. So, in the end, the other three rode in Ruan Qing’s car, while Ruan Xiangyun and Grandpa Qi insisted on joining Nian Qi in the three-wheeler. Grandpa Qi, especially, stuck to Nian Qi’s side like he was a national treasure, a rare specimen that needed careful guarding.

They had called ahead to let the family know they were coming, so when they arrived in the village, Ruan Xiangyun’s wife—whom Ruan Qing addressed as “Aunt Xiangyun”—warmly welcomed them and urged them to sit down for a meal.

The villagers, having worried about Ruan Qing’s safety, gathered around to check on her. But Grandpa Qi stretched his arms out, shooing them away, “Shoo, shoo! Don’t scare the young man!” Not that Nian Qi was actually frightened, but in Grandpa Qi’s mind, an aloof recluse shouldn’t be crowded by curious onlookers—it was undignified.

Having spent a few days together, Ruan Qing no longer felt formal around Grandpa Qi. Feeling completely at ease, she announced, “Grandpa Qi, I need a bath!” The farther they had walked, the hotter it had gotten, and by the time they returned to the village, she was drenched in sweat. Plus, she hadn’t been able to bathe for the past two days—the last time was back at the hotel two nights ago in the neighboring county.

By the time she finished bathing, lunch was ready. Ruan Qing turned to Nian Qi and said, “Go ahead and eat first, then you should take a bath too.” Nian Qi agreed, though Grandpa Qi thought her tone sounded a bit too informal for addressing a man of his stature.

But she was still just a young girl, and as Ruan Aihua’s precious daughter, Grandpa Qi couldn’t exactly criticize her. So, he held his tongue.

At the lunch table, Ruan Xiangyun was nowhere to be seen. Since he was in charge of Nian Qi’s registration, Ruan Qing asked, “Where’s Uncle Xiangyun?”

His wife replied, “He’s on the phone! He’s been calling non-stop since we got back. So many calls, I don’t know who he has left to talk to. He said to go ahead and eat without him.”

Ruan Xiangyun was the village committee secretary, and having been away for two days, he might have had official matters to catch up on. Ruan Qing didn’t think much of it. Just as they were finishing their meal, Ruan Xiangyun finally joined them, quickly shoveling food down as he said to Nian Qi, “No need to worry about your registration. I’ve already contacted the police station.”

Relieved, Ruan Qing was about to thank him on Nian Qi’s behalf when he added, “I’ve also reached out to several county media outlets, the city’s Taoist Association, the Religious Affairs Bureau, and officials from the township and county governments. I’ve reported it all.”

Ruan Qing froze, gripping her chopsticks tightly. Ruan Xiangyun barely paused as he ate, starving from all the time spent on calls, and continued, “We can’t let the Wild Hermits’ Temple go unnoticed like this! So many unsung heroes buried in obscurity. If we didn’t know, fine, but now that we do, how could we let it lie?”

As he grew more animated, he gestured with his chopsticks, his eyes bright with excitement. “Just wait! I’m going to make something big out of this!” As soon as he finished speaking, his phone rang again. He glanced at it, immediately picked up, and said, “Secretary Wang? Yes, yes, it’s all true. I personally brought him down from the mountain. Yes, the letter is with me. I can take you up to the temple for an on-site investigation…” He walked away, still talking, only to have another call come in as soon as he hung up. His wife teased, “Look at him, acting busier than the president himself.”

Ruan Qing: … 

Ruan Qing did not look pleased. Nian Qi noticed her expression but didn’t quite understand it, so he asked Grandpa Qi, “What does it all mean?”

Grandpa Qi happily explained, “It means they’re going to make your story famous, write news articles, so everyone knows there’s a Wild Hermits’ Temple in Lao Mei Valley, with Master Zaojiao and all those brave Taoist masters. Xiangyun wants to make a big deal out of it, spread the story far and wide. You’ll be on the news, maybe even on TV—or online, which everyone’s on these days. Soon enough, everyone will know who you are.”

Nian Qi suddenly understood why Ruan Qing looked so frustrated. Genuine things can stand up to scrutiny, but no matter how perfectly constructed a facade is, it’s never truly real, and those who build it will always feel some doubt.

Ruan Qing was furious enough to snap her chopsticks! Everything had been going smoothly—if the village committee provided a certificate, they could have legally resolved Nian Qi’s registration issue through official channels. But now her Uncle Xiangyun was overcomplicating things!

Ruan Xiangyun returned to the table, his face beaming as he announced, “The county got back to me; tomorrow, both the county and township leaders will come for an on-site inspection! Media and public relations teams are coming too, along with the police from the registration department. And the Taoist Association also wants to come for a look.”

All these parties showing interest and coming to see for themselves—this clearly showed they found the matter intriguing.

As long as they inspect it themselves, they’ll see this project is worth exploring and investing in! With such a great start, Ruan Xiangyun’s face was red with excitement. In contrast, Ruan Qing’s face was turning green. It felt like a runaway horse all over again—and this time, even worse! But logically, she had no grounds to stop Ruan Xiangyun. In fact, if it weren’t for the fabricated story about the abandoned baby, Nian Qi, she would fully support him in promoting the Wild Hermits’ Temple.

After Ruan Xiangyun finished talking, Ruan Qing and Nian Qi exchanged a glance. Nian Qi gave her a subtle shake of the head as if to say, Don’t worry. Whatever comes, we’ll handle it. The path will appear when the time comes. Being around someone so composed was a comfort to Ruan Qing, and his calmness soothed her anxieties.

“Well… maybe not too many people, though?” Ruan Qing suggested to Ruan Xiangyun. “After all, Nian Qi has never left the mountain before, and aside from Master Zaojiao, he’s never interacted with anyone. Maybe they could just tour the temple and let Nian Qi avoid it all?”

But Ruan Xiangyun refused. “No way! Nian Qi is the soul of this story! We can’t do it without him!” He turned to Nian Qi. “Tomorrow, it’ll be all leaders coming who are interested in the story of our temple. I’ll be with you, so don’t worry. Once they approve, the media will give you all the publicity you could want. Master Zaojiao’s story will spread across the nation!”

Ruan Qing didn’t answer, her frustration now channeled through her chopsticks, which she tried to snap—but ended up only hurting her hand.

Grandpa Qi, sharing in the excitement, finally remembered Ruan Qing was still there. “Are you planning to stay another couple of days, Qingqing?” This was more of a polite suggestion than an invitation, the rural equivalent of saying, “It’s almost mealtime; you should be heading off.” He didn’t actually expect her to stay, knowing she planned to stay in the county hotel instead of overnight in the village. He understood that a girl from the city wouldn’t be used to staying here. Besides, she’d brought gifts to honor her roots and visited him respectfully—clearly a child who hadn’t forgotten her origins.

It was only midday; she’d finished gathering material, and after an unexpected night on the mountain with plenty of stress, she could reasonably want to leave. But to his surprise, Ruan Qing agreed right away. “He saved my life,” she said sincerely. “I can’t just leave until his situation is sorted out.”

“Oh, that reminds me,” she added, “Grandpa Qi, did you tell my parents about everything that happened to me in the mountains?”

Grandpa Qi looked slightly guilty. Technically, she had encountered danger on their turf, and they should have notified her parents immediately. But back then, they’d hesitated; after all, she was Ruan Aihua’s daughter, and if something serious had happened, they would bear the brunt of the responsibility.

They decided to wait and confirm the situation, then call her parents. When they confirmed she was safe, they figured it was unnecessary to stir up trouble. So as it stood, her parents still had no idea she’d been stranded in the mountains for two days and two nights.

Grandpa Qi tried to explain, “We were worried they’d get too worked up. Not knowing the situation, and being so far away, they’d be even more anxious. So, we thought Xiangyun and the others would go up first, get you back safely, and then we’d call them.”

Ruan Qing asked, “So, did you call them?”

“…”

Grandpa Qi, sheepishly: “No, we didn’t.”

Ruan Qing let out a sigh of relief. “Good, as long as no one got hurt. I’m fine now, so there’s no need to tell them. Otherwise, I’ll just get scolded again.” Keeping it quiet seemed like the best choice. Grandpa Qi also preferred that Ruan’s father remain in the dark. Everyone had their own reasons, but they unanimously agreed on this matter.

Originally, everything revolved around Ruan Qing. It was for her sake that everyone ventured into the mountains. But now, Nian Qi had unexpectedly become the center of attention. Secrets don’t last in small villages. Those who had gone along were already recounting the story of the wildman shrine three or four times over. The tales of Nian Qi’s ability to “fly across rooftops and scale walls” had grown increasingly exaggerated.

Of course, these claims were met with disbelief.
“Pfft—what a load of nonsense!”
The storytellers, their faces flushed with frustration, swore up and down that they were telling the truth. But no one believed them. Furious, they went to Grandpa Qi’s house, hoping to drag Nian Qi out to perform a demonstration. However, Grandpa Qi chased them off, waving a large broom.
“What do you think this is? A circus? Perform for you? Get lost!”

Given his seniority, the younger villagers who got smacked by the broom had no choice but to cut their losses and run off.

The intense interest in Nian Qi meant Ruan Qing hadn’t had a chance to speak with him privately. It wasn’t until late at night, after everyone had been assigned rooms to sleep in, that she finally heard two soft taps at the window. She quickly sat up, slipped on her shoes, and went to open it.

Nian Qi climbed in and immediately pulled Ruan Qing into his arms.

Their relationship was still in its passionate early stage, and after a whole day of being unable to get close due to prying eyes, Nian Qi’s face remained calm, but his heart was eager. Now that he could finally embrace her, he wanted to take it further. But Ruan Qing blocked his lips with her hand.
“It’s prickly.”

Nian Qi frowned, frustrated. “When can I shave?”

“Just hold off for now,” Ruan Qing replied. “Don’t shave your beard.”

“And don’t let anyone take pictures or videos of you. Remember, no matter what, you can’t let those reporters catch you on camera or in the news.” Ruan Qing stressed this point repeatedly. “Zhao Hao has seen you before.”

She wasn’t worried about others, like doctors or nurses at the hospital. A doctor might spend all night seeing hundreds of patients, and a nurse would do the same. To them, you’re just one face among hundreds.

The same applied to bus drivers and conductors. You might take the same bus every day and think they’d remember you. But to them, you’re just one of the hundreds or even thousands of faces they see.

However, Zhao Hao was different. He had faced off against Nian Qi directly. There was a real risk he could recognize him.

They had to come up with a plan.