Font Size:
Zhou Cong went out riding alone.
He didn’t return until noon.
Ji Huailuo made several phone calls, but no one answered.
The Chixia Horse Ranch isn’t entirely safe; it’s surrounded by grasslands and mountains. There’s a large area deep inside that hasn’t been developed, and if one accidentally ventures in, even the signal could be lost.
Xu Zhiqiao was restless, regretting that she hadn’t told Zhou Cong not to go when he asked earlier.
“Don’t worry,” Hua Qingyang reassured her. “Ah Cong has been following Grandpa Zhou around since he was little, climbing mountains and crossing seas. Our own Chixia Mountain is no challenge for him.”
Qu Xiuxiu wrapped her arm around Xu Zhiqiao’s shoulder. “Really, when we went out this morning, that brother was pointing out where the swamps and animal traps were. He seems very familiar with the terrain.”
Xu Zhiqiao couldn’t sit still, afraid that something might happen to Zhou Cong because of her.
Just as Ji Huailuo and the others were about to go look for him, the familiar sound of hooves reached their ears.
Xu Zhiqiao immediately stood up and jogged towards the sound.
Ji Huailuo frowned. “Don’t run. Your mom doesn’t let you run!”
The sound of hooves seemed to quicken, growing closer with rhythmic da-da-da sounds.
Under the bright midday sun, a man appeared from the green mountains, his tall and upright figure emerging clearly as he raced toward his destination.
When Xu Zhiqiao recognized Zhou Cong, she let out a breath she didn’t realize she had been holding.
Great.
She promised she wouldn’t ask for anything again next time.
The man on the horse held the reins with one hand, and with a swift motion, he jumped off the horse, gracefully landing on the ground.
“Did I just see you running?” Zhou Cong took a few steps forward. “Didn’t your brother scold you?”
Ji Huailuo made a face. “He’s scolding, but there’s nothing we can do. You’ve been gone so long, everyone’s worried.”
Zhou Cong patted the little rabbit in his arms. “I wanted to catch a white one, but there weren’t any.”
He only caught a little gray one.
Xu Zhiqiao loved small animals, but because of her health, Xu Shu never allowed her to keep any.
“Can we take care of it?” Xu Zhiqiao asked, her eyes glued to the rabbit.
Zhou Cong suddenly grabbed her wrist and guided her hand to touch the rabbit’s ear. “We can.”
Actually, wild rabbits are hard to raise, and their survival rate isn’t high, but Zhou Cong just casually answered.
Xu Zhiqiao hesitated. “Doesn’t it need to go back home?”
Zhou Cong paused. “You probably won’t believe it, but its burrow was dug up by wild dogs. I saved it.”
“…” The rabbit’s ears were smooth, and Xu Zhiqiao looked up at Zhou Cong, a little uncertain.
“But my mom won’t agree.”
“I’ll take care of it,” Zhou Cong said, looking at her. “You can play with it.”
Ji Huailuo clicked his tongue. “Why don’t I take care of it for her?”
Zhou Cong remained calm. “Can you raise it?”
“…”
Ji Huailuo couldn’t make any guarantees.
“If it dies,” Zhou Cong continued, “are you prepared to have your sister cry by your bed every day?”
“…Damn!”
The thought of that scenario was terrifying.
Ji Huailuo didn’t argue any further and threw his hands up, letting them do what they wanted.
Xu Zhiqiao gently petted the rabbit, her gaze drifting to something that made her stop. “Zhou Cong, are you hurt?”
The man’s arm, hidden under his sleeve, showed two bloodstreaks, faintly visible as he reached out.
“It’s nothing,” Zhou Cong shrugged nonchalantly. “I scratched myself by accident.”
Xu Zhiqiao hesitated. “You should apply some medicine.”
“No need.”
“…” Xu Zhiqiao murmured, “Don’t let it get infected.”
Zhou Cong raised an eyebrow. “Is this cut worse than the one you bit last time?”
“…”
Forget it.
Whether she liked him or not.
“Xu Zhiqiao,” Zhou Cong teased in a low tone, “Are you saying the one you bit was fine, but this one will get infected?”
“…”
Xu Zhiqiao, still holding the rabbit, turned away, unwilling to engage in this conversation.
Though Ye Shuanglu had left, the others hadn’t had enough fun, so they stayed at the horse ranch that night.
Qu Xiuxiu poked at the rabbit’s head. “Such a soft, fragrant, spicy little head.”
“…” Xu Zhiqiao remained expressionless. “Its name is Qu Bie Zhen.”
Qu Xiuxiu pouted. “Don’t give it my surname.”
“It’s not your surname,” Xu Zhiqiao explained. “It’s the ‘Qu’ from Qu Bie Zhen.”
“…”
Xu Zhiqiao quietly chuckled. “Alright, how about Xu Bie Zhen?”
Qu Xiuxiu smiled. “That’s more like it.”
After changing its name, Qu Xiuxiu whispered into her ear. “That older brother seems distant, but he’s actually very kind. He even taught me and Wei Long to identify mushrooms. How does he know so much?”
“I heard,” Xu Zhiqiao replied, “that his grandpa is very strict with him. He would often take him to survive in the wilderness when he was little.”
Xu Zhiqiao paused, then added, “But are you sure he’s kind?”
“Ah,” Qu Xiuxiu nodded enthusiastically. “Wei Long asked him a lot of questions, and he patiently answered them all. He even recommended a few low-key brands to Wei Long.”
He didn’t seem anything like the arrogant, dismissive person she had imagined.
Qu Xiuxiu continued, “Rich young masters, I’ve met a few. When they talk about their casual clothes, watches, and sports cars, they always have this sense of superiority, looking down on upstarts.”
“…” Xu Zhiqiao thought for a moment. “I told you, Zhou Cong’s manners are better than my brother’s.”
Qu Xiuxiu raised an eyebrow. “Tell that to your brother.”
Just then, there was a knock at the door.
It was the cleaning lady from the horse ranch.
The lady had a shopping bag in her hand and asked, “Miss Ye from next door left something behind…”
Qu Xiuxiu had already heard that Ye Shuanglu had left. “Give it to the owner. We don’t know her.”
The cleaning lady nodded. “…Alright.”
She brought the shopping bag over to Zhou Cong. He glanced at it indifferently. “What is it? If it’s not valuable, just dispose of it.”
“It looks pretty valuable. There are a pair of diamond earrings,” the lady said, “and… well, a half-opened package of sanitary napkins.”
Zhou Cong, holding his phone, froze for a moment, narrowing his eyes. “Sanitary napkins?”
“Yes,” the lady said. “The earrings were on top of the sanitary napkin bag. She probably took them off while showering and forgot to take them with her… I just packed them together.”
Zhou Cong’s gaze darkened for a brief moment, then he leaned back, his lips curling into a faint smirk. “You deal with it. The Zhou family will send her a new pair of earrings.”
“Alright.”
As night deepened, everyone in the next room had tired themselves out and went to sleep early.
Zhou Cong got up and opened the window, letting the wind clear the stuffiness in the room.
The night was filled with the sounds of insects in the wild grass. Zhou Cong sighed, then sent a message from his phone: [Xu Zhiqiao, come downstairs.]
The message sent, and the glaring exclamation mark immediately popped up.
“…”
He had forgotten.
After she blocked him last time, Xu Zhiqiao hadn’t unblocked him.
Zhou Cong felt a tight knot in his chest and went straight next door without knocking.
The room was dark, with Ji Huailuo and Hua Qingyang sleeping inside.
Ji Huailuo’s phone was on the bedside table.
Without hesitation, Zhou Cong grabbed it and sent a message to Xu Zhiqiao.
When he put the phone back, Ji Huailuo stirred and cracked his eyes open.
The next second,
“I, fuck, damn!!” Ji Huailuo jumped up. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?! Waiting for me to fall asleep so you can sneak in?? I’ll fight you!!”
Hua Qingyang, startled, tumbled out of bed, holding onto his blanket. “Who’s stronger, huh?”
Zhou Cong: “…”