Chapter 6 : Very Sweet

The bicycle moved slowly along the uneven village road.  

Shuiqiao Brigade was a small mountain village surrounded by more mountains than flat land. The road was bumpy and difficult to traverse.  

When Su Ranran first came to the countryside, the ride on a tractor had left her feeling as though she was being shaken to pieces.  

Even after decades, the memory of that discomfort remained vivid.  

Yet today, the bicycle ride was unexpectedly smooth.  

How was Shen He managing to keep it so steady?  

Su Ranran held onto the seat with one hand and clung tightly to the hem of Shen He’s shirt with the other. Her eyes roamed curiously and nostalgically over the scenery along the way.  

The morning breeze carried with it a faint, distinct masculine scent from him.  

In her past life, that scent had made her feel uneasy. But now, it caused her heartbeat, which she had finally managed to calm, to race uncontrollably.  

Still, despite her growing affection, the passage of decades had left her feeling a mix of excitement and hesitation.  

The ride from Shuiqiao Brigade to the county town was over ten kilometers. After what felt like an endless amount of time, Su Ranran began to frown.  

She shifted her position cautiously, trying to find a more comfortable way to sit.  

Suddenly, the bicycle screeched to a halt.  

Startled, Su Ranran blinked and asked, “Why did you stop?”  

“I’m tired. Let’s take a break,” Shen He replied, steadying the bicycle with his feet as he turned to look at her.  

Hearing this, Su Ranran let out a small sigh of relief.  

It seemed even sitting on a bicycle wasn’t as easy as it looked. While Shen He had ridden it steadily, her body still felt sore. Carefully gripping the back seat, she tried to dismount, but an unexpected movement caused her to gasp in pain.  

“Careful!”  

A large, firm hand quickly steadied her arm, and she heard Shen He’s voice, tinged with concern. The warmth of his palm sent her already racing heartbeat into overdrive.  

“Th-thank you,” Su Ranran stammered, lowering her head shyly. Her face no longer carried the fear of the past but instead held a delicate, bashful expression.  

Shen He froze for a moment before carefully helping her down. He didn’t release her hand until he was certain she was standing securely.  

Though Su Ranran still felt uncomfortable standing, it was much better than the ache she’d endured while sitting on the bicycle.  

“How much farther do we have to go?” she asked.  

Although she vaguely remembered going to the county town a few times in the past, the details of the journey had faded.  

“We’re about halfway there,” Shen He replied.  

Su Ranran sighed inwardly. Halfway?  

Noticing her discomfort, Shen He frowned slightly.  

“Wait here. I’ll be right back. If you need anything, call me,” he instructed before walking toward the nearby bushes.  

“Oh,” Su Ranran replied, unsure of what he was up to, but she nodded obediently.  

Once his figure disappeared into the trees, she turned her attention back to herself. She retrieved the water bottle from the bicycle basket and took a sip. The cool water soothed her dry throat, providing immediate relief.  

Just as she was about to take another drink, a thought crossed her mind.  

Quietly, Su Ranran summoned a drop of spring water from her mystical space and added it to the bottle. After letting the drop mix with the rest of the water, she shook the bottle gently, feeling a little guilty. Once the water was evenly mixed, she sniffed the bottle to check for any odd smells.  

Finding none, she took a few more sips.  

The sweet water flowed smoothly down her throat, cooling her from the inside out.  

As the liquid traveled through her body, it seemed to ease her discomfort, even soothing the soreness that had plagued her moments ago.  

Su Ranran blinked in surprise.  

What kind of magical water was this?  

Her mystical space was truly extraordinary.  

For a moment, she couldn’t help but wonder, was she really reborn?

Or was she dreaming?

But this question probably had no answer.

Su Ranran didn’t let herself dwell on it and pushed the thought aside.

Even if it was a dream, it was still good at least she could see him again.

After drinking a few more sips of water, Shen He finally emerged from the bushes, holding a piece of wood that Su Ranran couldn’t quite tell where he had gotten it from.

Curious, she walked toward him and saw that he was tying the wood to the back seat of the bicycle using rattan.

Seeing his focused and meticulous expression, Su Ranran’s heart softened. The unfamiliarity and hesitation she had felt earlier disappeared completely.

If he didn’t have her at the top of his heart, how could he consider her needs so carefully?

Once the wood was securely tied, Su Ranran offered him the kettle in her hand.

“Drink some water first.”

Shen He was momentarily stunned when he saw the kettle being handed to him.

“Okay.”

After a brief pause, he reached out to take it.

But just as he was about to drink, he hesitated for a moment.

When he saw that the kettle only contained half a bottle of water, he couldn’t help but feel a surge of joy in his heart.

Without any hesitation, he took a big gulp of water.

Su Ranran watched him anxiously, her hand still holding the bottle cap.

Would he notice anything strange about the water?

She didn’t know why she felt the need to do it, but she didn’t feel any regret.

As she watched, she suddenly felt a strange discomfort. The man’s sharp jawline and the Adam’s apple on his slender neck moved up and down as he drank. Just seeing that, Su Ranran couldn’t help but think of a single word in her mind.

Sexy!

The water tasted surprisingly sweet, and Shen He almost couldn’t resist drinking it all in one go. But in the end, he managed to restrain himself and took just one more sip before setting the kettle down.

As he was about to hand it back to her, he noticed her blushing and staring at his…Adam’s apple?

Seeing her shy expression, as if she wanted to look but couldn’t quite bring herself to, Shen He couldn’t help but smile softly.

“Ranran.”

“Hmm?” Su Ranran blinked, still slightly disoriented.

“Take the kettle.”

Worried about scaring her, Shen He lowered his voice, careful not to make any other movements.

Su Ranran snapped out of her daze when she heard him and blushed even more, avoiding his gaze. Not daring to look him in the eye, she reached out to take the kettle.

But just as she did, she suddenly remembered something and asked curiously, “What do you think of this water?”

Would he feel the same sense of energy she felt after drinking it?

“It’s very sweet,” Shen He said.

Hearing this, Su Ranran’s face heated up for no reason. She had clearly been talking about the water, but his words seemed to carry a hidden meaning.

Yet the serious expression on his face gave no hint of any deeper implication.

For a moment, Su Ranran couldn’t help but wonder if she was the one overthinking things. She bit her lip, unwilling to meet his deep gaze again, and quickly turned away, walking back toward the bicycle.

Behind her, Shen He’s gaze lingered, intense and burning with an unspoken heat.