Chapter 43

Nian Qi advised Ruan Qing, “It’s really far. Why don’t we just stroll around here and enjoy the scenery? When the time’s right, we can call the village. If they insist on seeing it themselves, I’ll lead them there later.”

“You have no concept of our timeline here,” she replied. “Haven’t studied modern history yet, have you? There’s been a lot of changes over time in this region. What if you mess something up and they see through it right away?”

She made a good point. After all, there was a certain barrier between Nian Qi and this era, and gaps in common knowledge could easily show up in unexpected ways. Their previous trip into the mountains had only taken an afternoon, but today they’d been hiking since early morning, and still hadn’t arrived by noon. Ruan Qing had assumed Nian Qi took so long yesterday because he was lugging two large bags, but she was wrong—the place was genuinely far. And at times like this, the navigation map was useless. It showed a solid block of green, with no roads, buildings, or any signs of civilization—just a vast sea of trees.

“Don’t worry, Grandpa Qi. We’re in the mountains, and the view here is amazing,” she said into the phone. “And don’t worry, I brought food—plus all those buns everyone packed for me!”

The flour used in the village was milled locally. They didn’t use stone mills manually anymore; it was all electric. Still, the flour was minimally processed and free of additives, darker than what you’d find in a supermarket, but it made incredibly fragrant buns. When Ruan Qing had mentioned she was going into the mountains, several women from the village had stuffed her bag with a big plastic sack of buns. Though she’d already packed some food—like bread—she didn’t refuse their kindness, not knowing how long this “scene” might end up taking. Now, they all sat in her backpack.

The whole situation looked somewhat comical: Nian Qi, dressed in his “beggar” ensemble, lugging a large outdoor backpack. He even wore cloth shoes, the hand-sewn kind. He’d deliberately worn them out, with holes near the toes. His “antique-style” socks were machine-stitched but had been carefully re-sewn by hand to look less perfect. You wouldn’t think a hitman could sew, but his stitches were shockingly quick and precise—almost with an air of the legendary Eastern Invincible. Now, fully dressed and with his shoes and socks thoroughly worn and dusted with dirt, his appearance was flawless. Even with his tattered shoes, Nian Qi walked more steadily and quickly than Ruan Qing, without breaking a sweat.

Ruan Qing, a regular at the gym, was admittedly a bit embarrassed. After hanging up the call with her Grandpa Qi, they walked a bit further before she finally conceded, “Let’s… take a break!”

Ruan Qing had hiked before, but this was different. Trekking ten or so kilometers on flat ground was one thing; mountain climbing was another. And they weren’t on a well-groomed scenic trail. There wasn’t even a proper path beneath their feet—it was rough going.

Nian Qi took a water bottle from his bag and handed it to her. She gulped down a few sips and handed it back, while he tucked it away in his backpack. The sun was unrelenting.

Ruan Qing leaned against a tree, fanning herself with one hand while muttering, “I’m going to melt in this sun!” She took a step back, hoping to escape into the limited shade. But the next moment, her heart plummeted as she felt a sudden weightlessness! The world flickered in and out; her feet found no ground, and her wrist throbbed painfully! Ruan Qing’s eyes widened. It was dark around her, close to her nose were rock walls and earth, and the damp, decaying smell of moss invaded her nostrils. She could hear nothing but her own breathing and pounding heart—each beat and breath echoed loudly as if right by her ears.

She swallowed, looking down. Below her feet was empty space, already several dozen meters down. Further below was pitch black, an unfathomable depth, and a chilly draft rose up from it. She shut her eyes and drew in frantic breaths. Time seemed frozen as the echoes of her own panicked breathing and racing heart filled her senses. Just then, Nian Qi’s voice broke through, “Don’t be scared!”

Ruan Qing opened her eyes, looking up. There, at the edge of the gap, Nian Qi was crouched, gripping her wrist with a steel-like grasp, keeping her from falling any further. His hand held her so tightly that it hurt, but it was the only thing keeping her stable. If he let go even slightly, she would fall to her death. She had never been this close to death; her forehead was drenched in cold sweat, and her nose flared as she struggled to breathe.

Bit by bit, Nian Qi pulled her out of the gap. When her upper body emerged, he wrapped his arms around her and lifted her entirely to safety. Once her feet touched the ground, her legs gave out, and she clung tightly to Nian Qi. Right now, there was no thought of waistlines or firm abs—she was limp and shaken, her heart beating so wildly it hurt. Classic adrenaline aftermath—surviving a near-death experience.

Nian Qi knew she was shaken and held her, gently patting her back to calm her. “It’s okay, you’re safe now.”

Ruan Qing pressed her head to his chest with her eyes closed. Nothing about it felt romantic; he hadn’t bathed in days, and his scent was as expected. But at that moment, it didn’t bother her at all. She pressed against his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart, and gradually her breathing calmed. She wasn’t sure how long she held onto Nian Qi.

When she looked back, she saw how dangerous the spot had been. There was a gap in the rock just wide enough for a person to slip through, resembling a well. It was covered by overgrown wild grass and shrubs, making it look like solid rock at a glance. Who would’ve known it was hollow underneath, one slip away from falling to one’s death?

She looked up at Nian Qi. She owed her life to him. If it had been anyone else, she might not have made it. It takes incredible core strength to lift a falling adult, usually requiring multiple people to pull someone up in a situation like this. Nian Qi managed it alone, something even her gym trainer likely couldn’t do.

Nian Qi asked carefully, “Feeling better? Want a bit more water?”

Ruan Qing took several sips from his hand before she could speak again. “That scared the life out of me.” She’d always been bold and quick-tempered, even since she was a kid.

Back in middle school, when she encountered a handsy guy, other girls only dared to avoid him, but she shouted at him and called the police. She always thought there was nothing she feared. Today, she learned that when faced with overwhelming fear, it’s real—your limbs go weak, and you can’t speak. She had experienced it firsthand and hoped there wouldn’t be a second time.

“It’s my fault; I didn’t notice. I shouldn’t have let you get so scared,” Nian Qi said apologetically. “Let’s rest here a bit longer if you need to catch your breath.”

“If it weren’t for you, I’d be dead,” Ruan Qing replied. “How could I blame you?”

Seeing her calm down, Nian Qi relaxed a bit. When she was in his arms just now, her fingertips were trembling, her face was pale; she was clearly shaken. He pointed to a rock nearby, “Why don’t you sit down for a moment?”

“No need, I’m fine. Let’s keep moving… ouch!” She tried to take a step but felt a sharp pain in her ankle. It was from when she slipped earlier; she must have twisted it. Nian Qi helped her to the side and knelt to check her ankle. He was as gentle as he could be, but she still yelped in pain as he examined it.

“It’s a sprain, nothing serious,” he concluded. “Put some liniment on it later, and it’ll be fine in a few days.”

“Okay, but what about now?” Ruan Qing asked, still wanting to reach their destination.

Having seen her determination over the past two days, Nian Qi offered, “If you really want to see it with your own eyes, I can carry you.”

But even the strongest person isn’t a pack animal, she thought. Hiking up the mountain had exhausted her even without carrying anything. She sighed in regret, “Never mind; if you’re sure everything is set up properly, I can let it go.” She added, “Besides, my twisted ankle fits the story perfectly—I’ll call my Grandpa Qi and tell him I sprained my ankle and got rescued by you.”

She pulled out her phone to make the call but found there was no signal—just a tiny “x” symbol. Nian Qi noticed, “No signal, huh?” He remembered the signal issues she’d mentioned and that he should try high ground if needed.

“I was scrambling all over the mountain yesterday, looking for a signal,” he chuckled.

“What a joke, we had it just a minute ago!” Ruan Qing grumbled, grabbing onto Nian Qi for support. “Alright, let’s head back… oww!” The pain flared again as she moved.

Nian Qi laughed and adjusted her backpack in front of him, crouching down with his back to her. “Hop on.”

With no choice, Ruan Qing sighed, “Well… I owe you for this,” and gingerly leaned onto his back. Once she was secure, Nian Qi stood up and adjusted her weight. “Hold on tight.”

This wasn’t her trying to take advantage of him—it was his offer, after all. She obediently placed her hands on his firm chest. “Alright, let’s go. And be careful with your footing.”

The untamed mountains were a brutal path, and any hidden danger could lead to what just happened. With a heavy backpack in the front and her on his back, keeping balance had to be tricky. Ruan Qing held on, staying as still as possible, not wanting to throw off his balance.

But then Nian Qi said, “Hold tight,” and suddenly—they were in the air. Flying. Yes, flying! What on earth?! Ruan Qing had always thought Nian Qi’s “lightfoot technique” was similar to modern parkour skills. Sure, she had seen the “grasshopper leap” move, but she’d watched plenty of parkour videos where experts did impressive jumps too. She’d imagined his “rooftop running” skills to be akin to rock climbing and parkour—gripping onto a ledge with finger strength, pulling up with core muscles, and using leg power to launch. She had even thought of it as something like the famous “gorilla jump” technique.

Turns out, it wasn’t like that at all!