Chapter 75: He Carries a Cool Fragrance

Tang Mi hadn’t even seen clearly who it was before she felt herself being pulled into someone’s arms, and then the two of them rolled down the slope like a ball.

After a dizzying tumble, they finally came to a stop.

Other than twisting her ankle slightly at the start, Tang Mi wasn’t really hurt anywhere else.

Remembering something, she hurriedly pushed the person holding her away and sat up.

In the dim mountain forest, the faint moonlight cast over the man’s handsome, pure face, it was as beautiful as a god’s.

“It’s you?” Tang Mi was stunned when she saw his face clearly.

She hadn’t expected it to be him, she had thought it was Ye Junyu…

Ye Chenxuan quickly sat up, looking at her with concern. “Are you alright?”

He should have followed her earlier, then she wouldn’t have fallen like this.

Tang Mi belatedly blushed, shook her head slightly, and looked at him a bit embarrassed. “What about you? Did you get hurt?”

“I’m fine.” Ye Chenxuan stood up and looked upward. “Do you want to go back up?”

Tang Mi also glanced up into the pitch-dark forest. She wanted to say it didn’t matter anymore, but then remembered the concerned look in her grandmother’s eyes and nodded. “Yes, I need to go up.”

As she spoke, she tried to stand.

“Ah!” The sharp pain in her ankle made her fall back down instantly.

“Careful!” Ye Chenxuan reacted quickly and caught her again.

He gazed at her intently. At that moment, they were very close.

Tang Mi looked at him in a fluster, but was caught off guard by the deep emotion in his eyes, something she couldn’t understand.

They stared at each other for a long time. Eventually, Tang Mi shyly looked away.

Ye Chenxuan snapped out of it and gently helped her sit. “Did you twist your ankle?”

As he spoke, he reached to check her foot.

Tang Mi instinctively pulled it back, her face turning bright red as she looked at him.

Realizing his impulsiveness, Ye Chenxuan showed a hint of regret in his eyes and withdrew his hand. “You can’t walk like this. How about I carry you up?”

Tang Mi immediately panicked and shook her head. “No need.”

Ye Chenxuan looked at her helplessly, trying to appear more gentle. “If you don’t want to go up, I can carry you down the mountain instead.”

Tang Mi looked at him and still shook her head.

“I can’t go down, I haven’t gotten the water yet.” If she went back without the sacred water, her grandmother would be disappointed and worried.

As she spoke, she tried to straighten herself up, dragging her injured foot and continuing to climb. But with just one step, cold sweat broke out from the intense pain.

Biting her lip, she stubbornly kept moving.

She had to go up and fetch the water. She could do it!

Ye Chenxuan watched her determined expression, then suddenly stepped forward and scooped her up in his arms.

Tang Mi was startled, panic rising in her eyes. “What are you doing?”

“At this rate, you won’t reach the top by morning. And your foot, if you keep ignoring it like this, it might be ruined before you even get there.”He sounded cold and slightly angry, upset that she didn’t take care of herself. Then he carried her and started climbing quickly.

It was the first time Tang Mi had ever been carried like this by a man. Her face instantly flushed again. “Put me down!”

Ye Chenxuan ignored her and continued climbing.

Tang Mi grew irritated, glaring at him. Her voice was firm. “I said, put me down!”

Ye Chenxuan finally stopped. Looking at her angry expression, he ultimately gave in and set her down.

The moment her foot touched the ground, searing pain shot through her ankle again. Tang Mi knew she truly couldn’t walk anymore, whether up or down, she was stuck.

She looked up at Ye Chenxuan, blushed again, turned her face away awkwardly, and whispered like a mosquito: “Carry me on your back.”

Her voice was soft and barely audible, but Ye Chenxuan heard it clearly. A wide smile spread across his lips. He turned around and crouched down in front of her.

Tang Mi looked at his broad back, her face heating up again as she carefully climbed on.

Once she was secure, Ye Chenxuan began climbing again.

Tang Mi clung to his clothes nervously, trying not to press too close. But the mountain path was step, and she bumped into his back repeatedly.

Each time she bumped him, she felt his body stiffen slightly. Her face burned with embarrassment. She tried to close the gap between them a little, thinking maybe that would make the impact gentler and he wouldn’t react so strongly.

Because of the closeness, she caught a whiff of sandalwood from him, mixed with a faint trace of cool fragrance.

Cool fragrance!!!

Tang Mi’s heart suddenly skipped a beat. She leaned in closer and sniffed carefully. His clothes were heavy with sandalwood, but that faint hint of coolness, she couldn’t tell if it was from her cloak that had touched him, or if it was his natural scent.

Her heart grew flustered. She had never thought… could it be him?

How could it be him?

In her past life, they had never even interacted. She could count the number of times she’d seen him on one hand. How could he possibly be that man?

It shouldn’t be possible!

Tang Mi refused to believe he was that man. She stared at the back of his head, then suddenly leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his neck.

The sudden motion made Ye Chenxuan’s body freeze. But the girl acted like she hadn’t noticed and moved even closer.

She brought her nose to his neck and inhaled.

Her soft, broken breaths brushed against his skin, making his whole body tense to the point of breaking. His breathing became ragged, his whole body burning as if he might explode.

Tang Mi sniffed for a long time but still couldn’t determine the source of the cool scent. Was it really from her cloak?

She didn’t even realize how close they were now. She stared at his profile and suddenly asked:

“Why did you show up here? Why did you save me?”

Her soft, sweet voice was like a warm breeze in his ear, scratching an unbearable itch in his heart. He wanted nothing more than to fuse her into his very bones.

“Liao Chan…” Ye Chenxuan’s voice was hoarse and almost crumbling. He paused for a long while to steady himself, then finally said in a more normal tone, “The master said… you are my destined benefactor.”

Tang Mi stared at him blankly, then gave a bitter smile. “From the looks of it, you’re the one who’s my benefactor.”

If not for him, she would have been doomed in this mountain forest today.

Ye Chenxuan smiled and reminded her, “We’re each other’s benefactors.”

Tang Mi raised her eyebrows, and for the first time, seriously considered Liao Chan’s words.

Maybe… they really could be each other’s benefactors. She needed his influence, and he needed the military power behind her. That might be the best outcome.

“We’re here!” Tang Mi was lost in thought when Ye Chenxuan’s voice pulled her back.

She looked ahead and was stunned.

“This… is the mountain top?”

He had climbed so quickly, she hadn’t even noticed, and he was already here.

Ye Chenxuan looked innocent. “Didn’t you want to come up?”

Wasn’t she here to fetch the sacred water?

As he spoke, he jumped down with her from the shrine platform and walked toward the celestial pool.

“Wait!” Tang Mi suddenly tightened her arms around his neck when she saw the person standing next to the celestial pool.