Free Web NovelChapter 474: Chapter 169: Gathering Herbs in the Mountains (2)
"Okay." Jie Jingchen gave Qin Mei an indulgent glance, looking as if he were ready to follow her to the ends of the earth.
Gathering herbs on the mountain required a hoe and a back basket. The two of them first went to buy their gear, stocking up on water and dry rations. Then, Jie Jingchen drove toward the outskirts of the city.
Two hours later, Qin Mei stared at the massive mountain before them. ’Will we get lost once we’re inside?’
In her past life, Qin Mei had been camping before, but she had always chosen scenic, flat areas. Going into the deep mountains and wild forests wasn’t camping; it was wilderness survival, and she had no experience in that.
"Are you familiar with the terrain in these mountains?" Qin Mei asked, looking at Jie Jingchen. He was bent over, packing the dry rations and water from the trunk into a back basket.
"Not really." Jie Jingchen paused, then added, "But I have experience going into the mountains."
That didn’t do much to reassure Qin Mei. Still, having some experience was better than none. If he had none and she had none, the two of them would just be wandering aimlessly through the mountains, and that would be a total disaster.
"How about we go to the mountain Jing Wu took me to last time?" Qin Mei suggested. Safety first, gathering herbs second.
Her top priority was safety.
Seeing her start to get cold feet, Jie Jingchen became even more determined that this was the mountain for them. He wasn’t worried she’d be afraid—he was worried she *wouldn’t* be. Otherwise, he wouldn’t get a chance to show off.
His machismo kicking in, Jie Jingchen closed the trunk, slung the basket over his back, and walked over to Qin Mei, pulling her into his arms. "I’m here. There’s nothing to be afraid of."
Qin Mei stared at him, stunned. She couldn’t shake the feeling that this man was up to no good. ’I want to go to the mountain Jing Wu took me to. What do I do?’
Jie Jingchen’s brow furrowed, his expression darkening. "Can you even call that place a mountain?"
"And why can’t it be called a mountain?" Qin Mei retorted, indignant.
"Be good. You need to have faith in me. I’ll protect you," Jie Jingchen soothed.
Qin Mei rolled her eyes. "They say a husband and wife are like birds in the same forest—when disaster strikes, they fly their separate ways. Jie Jingsi, if you abandon me and fly off alone, I’ll be in an unfamiliar place, deep in the wild mountains. My cries to the heavens will go unanswered, and my pleas to the earth will fall on deaf ears. I’ll be left to live or die on my own."
"Nonsense. Don’t worry, I won’t fly off alone. I swear on my name, I’ll fly away with you," Jie Jingchen said, throwing the words Qin Mei had used to clap back at Grandma Hua in the hospital right back at her.
Qin Mei gazed at him intently. She believed his words. Having him by her side put her at ease. Feigning dismay, she said, "But I’m a burden. What if you can’t fly with a burden like me weighing you down?"
"Then we’ll face life and death together," Jie Jingchen blurted out. Words spoken without thinking are either dismissive nonsense or heartfelt truths.
’Facing life and death together.’ It was a beautiful vow. But if you believe a vow like that even once, you’re screwed.
Qin Mei lowered her head, lost in thought.
"I spent several years on the border patrol. The mountains there are several times bigger than this; *that’s* what you call real deep mountains and wild forests. We’d go in for wilderness training and stay for months at a time. I know that kind of terrain like the back of my hand. This mountain here is a piece of cake, no pressure at all." Jie Jingchen took her hand, his gaze deep and sincere. "If I can bring you here safely, I can definitely get you out safely. Meimei, do you trust me?"
"I trust you." ’Could she dare spoil the mood? After all that buildup from Jie Jingchen, if she didn’t play along, she wouldn’t be surprised if he just killed her and dumped her body in the wilderness.’
Jie Jingchen was satisfied. He took her hand and led her into the mountains.
Just as they entered the mountains, they came across a middle-aged man carrying a bundle of firewood down the path.
"You two..." The man stopped, sizing them up with a scrutinizing gaze. From their clothes, they were clearly city folk. They carried a basket and a hoe—not dressed for hunting, not dressed for chopping wood. ’Are they here to gather herbs?’
"We’re here to gather herbs," Qin Mei said.
"We’re a married couple," Jie Jingchen said.
They spoke in unison. Qin Mei looked at Jie Jingchen in astonishment. ’Was it really necessary to tell a stranger that we’re a married couple?’
"There are a lot of herbs in the mountains, but I should warn you not to go too deep. It’s dangerous in there. It’s not worth losing your life just to gather some herbs," the man kindly advised them.
"Okay, we understand. Thank you, sir," Qin Mei said with a smile.
The man didn’t say anything more and continued down the mountain with his firewood.
The mountain path was rough. A branch scraped across Qin Mei’s cheek, breaking the skin. The cut wasn’t deep, just a small scratch that drew a tiny bead of blood. Qin Mei didn’t pay it much mind, but Jie Jingchen’s heart ached to see it.
He no longer let Qin Mei lead the way. He walked in front to clear a path for her, making sure she wouldn’t get scratched by any more branches.
Just as the man had said, there were many herbs in the mountains, but they were all common varieties. Qin Mei didn’t bother picking any. Her goal for entering the mountains was clear: she was after precious and extremely rare herbs. The common ones she could just buy on the black market.
