Chapter 33: Playing High Up 

“Sorry, you see, I went to pick goji berries and got a lot, so I came late…” 

She hurriedly set down the bamboo basket to show him. 

“How could you climb so high? You might get hurt if you’re not careful!” 

She chastised him in a soft voice, her clear, watery eyes showing concern. She wanted to apologize but couldn’t help but feel like scolding him. 

He still had injuries; if he fell and hit his head again, that would be terrible. 

The man looked closely at her, and she even noticed his lips were slightly cracked. 

He towered over her, and for some reason, Xia Li felt an overwhelming pressure. 

Suddenly, her gaze shifted, and she noticed something in his hair. She pointed, “You’ve got a leaf there.” 

As she said this, she reached out to help him remove it. 

But just as her hand lifted, a pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist like a wild beast, lifting her effortlessly onto his shoulder like a delicate willow branch! 

Xia Li was stunned! 

She struggled but didn’t dare move too much, fearing she might fall. He quickly secured her in place. 

Once she managed to sit precariously on his shoulder, her heart raced, beating faster than when she had first seen that patch of wild goji berries. 

“Wait… what are you doing!?” Suddenly lifted so high, she was frightened, her half-body leaning against the man. 

Without realizing it, her hands gripped his palm tightly, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. 

She lowered her head shyly to look at him, her face turning instantly red. 

The chubby little boy nearby was momentarily stunned, his round eyes wide open as he gaped at them, his mouth forming an ‘O’ shape. 

Then, his eyes lit up, bouncing with excitement as he began clapping his hands: 

“Lift high! Lift high! I want to! I really want to be lifted high!” 

At some point, the other little kids had all run over. 

Seeing this scene, they all chattered excitedly while jumping around, amazed and envious, each in their sweet, childish voices: “They’re lifting high!” 

“How awesome! He lifted her so high!” 

“I want to be lifted high too…” 

“I want to be lifted high! Please! I want to!” 

“Tian Dun’er, you’re too chubby; don’t lift him high! Let me! Lift me, lift me!” 

About six small children surrounded them, jumping and bouncing. 

With their bright, innocent eyes, they all looked up at Xia Li, their faces filled with an indescribable envy. 

Xia Li awkwardly sat on the man’s shoulder, her hands gripping his clothes tightly as she forced a smile at the kids. 

Blushing, she quietly said, “You can let me down now!” 

Being held like this on his shoulder, she could feel the man’s muscles were as solid as iron, and she felt utterly embarrassed! 

What was wrong with this man?! 

Why did he suddenly do this without saying a word? 

Could it be that he was playing a prank on her or punishing her for making him wait too long?! 

The little kids below were making a ruckus. 

The man seemed to ignore them, carrying her around in a circle, so terrified that Xia Li nearly screamed before he finally stopped. 

He raised his brow and looked at her, his deep voice asking, “Can you see?” 

“…See what?” She kicked her legs slightly, her heart still racing, as he tightened his grip on her ankle, the rough warmth of his palm transmitting a strange sensation. 

“See the scenery far away.” 

“…?” 

The man said again in a low voice, “In this mountain, no matter how high you climb a tree or how high you go, you can see further, but—” 

“But the person you want to find is like a fish released back into the river; no matter how hard you try to search, you still can’t find her.” 

“…” Xia Li’s breathing gradually steadied. 

It seemed she understood his meaning. 

Was he expressing his worry and urgency because he couldn’t find her? 

So he lifted her up to let her feel his feelings? 

Xia Li lowered her head, her gaze meeting his. 

Her face was slightly flushed from the tension of being up so high. 

She gently struggled with her ankle and managed to say, “Okay, I understand. I won’t let you not find me again. Please let me down…” 

The man’s rough palm held her delicate, smooth ankle firmly, completely encircling it. 

It was as if he realized for the first time what he was holding, and his dark eyes dulled a bit. Without a word, he released her, bending down to carefully set her back on the ground. 

As she was placed down, the kids around them looked at Xia Li with open, envious expressions of awe. 

It made her feel as if she had descended from the wings of a fairy, surrounded by a halo, making her feel quite shy.