The two got into the car, and Bai Yichen started the engine. He glanced at An Xin in the passenger seat and asked calmly,
“Where are we heading?”

An Xin suddenly realized she hadn’t given him the address. Quickly, she leaned her hand under the headlights and showed him the address written on the back of her hand.
“This is the place!”

Bai Yichen nodded and instructed,
“Alright, I know the way. Buckle up—the road ahead is rough and bumpy. Don’t get hurt.”

Being in the exploration field, Bai Yichen was familiar with the terrain and villages in the area. The address An Xin gave led to a small mountain village near Chahe Village. The terrain there was rugged, and the living conditions were even worse than in Chahe Village. He couldn’t understand why An Xin wanted to visit such a remote place in the middle of the night.

However, Bai Yichen was a reserved man. Since An Xin didn’t explain, he didn’t pry. After being married for so long, he understood her well enough: if she wanted him to know something, she would tell him. If she didn’t, there was no need for him to dig. He wasn’t the type to press for answers.

“Okay,” An Xin replied, obediently fastening her seatbelt.

The car quickly left the provincial capital and sped toward the remote mountain village.

Driving at night was challenging due to poor visibility, and the winding mountain roads made the journey even harder. Bai Yichen’s foresight in asking An Xin to fasten her seatbelt proved vital. The bumpy road had her nearly thrown from her seat multiple times.

After more than an hour of jarring travel, during which An Xin felt her internal organs might have been shaken loose, they finally reached the small village described by Sanmao. Beneath the dark night sky, the quiet village glimmered with scattered lights, punctuated by the occasional bark of dogs.

Bai Yichen parked the car in a flat clearing within the village and turned to An Xin.
“This is the address you mentioned.”

An Xin nodded, grabbed a flashlight from the back seat, and said,
“Let’s go.”

Bai Yichen also picked up a flashlight, and the two began navigating the muddy village paths. An Xin led the way, with Bai Yichen quietly following behind. His sharp eyes scanned their surroundings while occasionally glancing at the petite woman ahead of him, his gaze complex and unreadable.

In rural areas like this, every household kept dogs for protection. As An Xin and Bai Yichen passed one home, several dogs suddenly charged from the yard, snarling fiercely and lunging at them.

“Ah!” An Xin yelped, instinctively retreating, only to fall into Bai Yichen’s warm embrace. The faint scent of wood lingered on him, inexplicably calming her nerves.

Without hesitation, Bai Yichen swung the long stick he’d picked up earlier, swatting at the dogs and forcing them to retreat. Though they backed off, they continued barking viciously, their eyes locked on the pair like predators eyeing prey.

Bai Yichen kept An Xin securely in his arms, his gaze vigilant as he asked,
“Are you hurt?”

Luckily, his earlier intuition to grab a stick paid off. Without it, they could’ve been in serious danger. Village dogs, especially at night, were notoriously aggressive. While they might merely bark at familiar villagers, they could be outright dangerous to strangers. Stories circulated of intoxicated visitors being mauled to death by village dogs while relieving themselves outdoors.

An Xin shook her head, rubbing her forehead in exasperation.
“Goodness, why are there so many dogs?”

She silently thanked her decision to bring Bai Yichen along. If she had come alone, she might’ve been torn apart by these dogs.

At that moment, a door creaked open nearby, and the dogs’ owner stepped out to investigate. Bai Yichen carefully shielded An Xin as they approached the homeowner.

An elderly woman with gray hair and a deeply lined face peered at them with a mix of wariness and curiosity.
“Who are you looking for, coming here so late at night?”

Bai Yichen glanced at An Xin, prompting her to step forward and explain.
“Hello, ma’am. We’re looking for a friend named Kaizi. He came to your village chief’s house today for some business. Have you heard of him?”

The old woman shook her head and glanced at the young couple standing close together. Finally, she said,
“Kaizi? Never heard of him. But the village chief’s house is at the east end of the village. I’ll have my grandson lead you there—otherwise, the dogs might keep chasing you.”

She turned toward the house and called,
“Xiao Dong, come out and take these guests to the village chief’s house. Otherwise, our dogs will scare them to death!”

A lively voice answered from inside,
“Okay, Grandma! I’m coming!”

Soon, a small boy dashed out of the house and stood behind the old woman.

An Xin glanced uneasily at the pack of dogs still watching them like hawks. Flashing a sweet smile, she said,
“Thank you, ma’am! We came in a hurry and didn’t bring any proper gifts, but here’s a pack of candy as a token of appreciation.”

She quickly pulled a pack of candy from her spatial storage, confident that Bai Yichen wouldn’t notice in the dark.

Bai Yichen cast her a questioning look. Where did the candy come from? Earlier, she only had a flashlight. Did she have it in her pocket all along?

The old woman’s face lit up as she accepted the candy. “Oh, you’re too kind! Well, I’ll gladly accept, then.”

Candy was a rare treat in these parts. Her grandson’s eyes sparkled with excitement as he eyed the pack. She handed him two pieces, and the boy happily led Bai Yichen and An Xin toward the village chief’s house.

The village chief’s house was soon in sight, its yard illuminated by flickering flames and filled with the hum of conversation. Smoke curled into the night sky, hinting at a lively gathering inside.

From the sound of it, the small courtyard was bustling with activity, the voices cheerful and animated.