Free Web NovelChapter 475: Chapter 169: Gathering Herbs in the Mountains (3)
Qin Mei grew tired from walking and stopped, wiping the sweat from her forehead.
"Thirsty?" Jie Jingchen stopped as well, setting down his wicker basket. He took out a soda, twisted off the cap, and handed it to Qin Mei.
Qin Mei took it and had a sip. Holding the soda bottle, she watched Jie Jingchen drink from his canteen. The bobbing of his Adam’s apple was strangely alluring, and her mind went straight into the gutter.
Qin Mei snapped back to reality and bit her lip in frustration. ’My mind has gotten so corrupted.’ Just a single movement from Jie Jingchen was enough to send her imagination running wild.
"What’s wrong?" Jie Jingchen keenly sensed something was off. He capped his canteen and put it back in the wicker basket.
"N-nothing." Qin Mei, feeling guilty, tilted her head back and took another gulp of soda.
Jie Jingchen leaned down, moving closer to Qin Mei, his gaze deep and dark. "You look a little guilty."
"Guilty? What’s there to be guilty about? You’re the one acting suspicious. After walking for this long, I’m just physically exhausted, okay?" Qin Mei took a step back, putting distance between them.
Qin Mei flatly denied it, and Jie Jingchen didn’t press her. "I’ll carry you down the mountain, then."
"Go down the mountain? Why? I either don’t come to the mountains at all, or I don’t leave empty-handed." Qin Mei puffed out her chest, pushed past Jie Jingchen, and walked ahead.
Jie Jingchen quickly shouldered the wicker basket again, took her hand, and moved to walk in front of her.
"Jie Jingsi, the rare herbs are all deep in the mountains," Qin Mei said, staring at Jie Jingchen’s back.
’She remembered the uncle’s warning. She knew it was dangerous deep in the mountains, but how could she find the best herbs without facing a little danger?’
"Then we’ll go deeper into the mountains," Jie Jingchen said.
Qin Mei’s eyes flashed. She let her head hang and said dejectedly, "But it’s very dangerous deep in the mountains."
"I’ll protect you," Jie Jingchen said, his words making her feel completely safe.
Qin Mei didn’t dampen his spirits. Instead, she looked at him with pure adoration. "Jie Jingsi, you’re amazing."
’A man needs his praise. You have to praise him with all your might, praise him desperately, praise him without any principles or limits until he’s floating on cloud nine.’
’Being told he’s amazing by his own woman... what man could possibly resist that?’
Jie Jingchen stopped, turned, and lowered his head to kiss her on the lips. He had wanted to do this for a long time, holding himself back until this very moment. But with that one sentence, his self-control completely shattered.
His passionate kiss left Qin Mei dizzy and disoriented.
A man and a woman, all alone in the deep mountains—and a legally married couple at that. If they didn’t do *something*, it would be a complete waste of the perfect time, place, and people.
An ambiguous, tantalizing aura filled the mountain forest...
Qin Mei’s body felt boneless and sore. She let Jie Jingchen straighten her clothes for her, her crimson cheeks flushed with bashfulness.
’We came up the mountain to gather herbs, not to fool around in the woods.’
Jie Jingchen was exceptionally satisfied, yet also shocked. ’We actually... did it outdoors.’ The very thought was absurd.
’So this is what they mean when they say a king, besotted with beauty, skips the morning court.’ Jie Jingchen was beginning to understand the profound truth in that saying.
"Can you walk?" Jie Jingchen’s deep voice rumbled beside her ear.
Qin Mei glared at him. She was so exhausted she could forget about walking; if Jie Jingchen weren’t holding her, she couldn’t even stand up straight.
’She hadn’t slept well last night, and after indulging his... demands just now, her stamina was completely spent. A wave of exhaustion washed over her. All she wanted was to lie down in a comfortable bed and sleep.’
"I’ll carry you." Jie Jingchen adjusted the wicker basket so he was wearing it on his chest, then turned and crouched down, waiting for Qin Mei to climb onto his back.
Without hesitating, Qin Mei climbed onto his back. Jie Jingchen straightened up, carrying her as he walked forward.
"Jie Jingsi... go deeper into the mountains... no going back down..." Qin Mei’s eyelids were too heavy to keep open.
"Alright," Jie Jingchen nodded.
Only then did Qin Mei close her eyes and fall into a deep sleep. Hearing her steady breathing, a blissful smile touched the corners of Jie Jingchen’s lips as he carried her carefully toward the depths of the forest.
The deeper they walked, the quieter the birdsong became, and Jie Jingchen’s expression grew grim. He never felt afraid coming into the mountains alone, but with Qin Mei here, he had to be extra cautious.
Jie Jingchen didn’t know the first thing about herbs, and with Qin Mei fast asleep, he couldn’t bear to wake her. There was no point in continuing deeper into the forest, so he decided to stop and find a safe place to rest.
Suddenly, Jie Jingchen’s keen senses picked up something approaching. He instantly went on alert, readying himself.
The sound of hurried footsteps drew closer. With his sharp hearing, Jie Jingchen could tell the sounds were jumbled—a mix of human and animal steps.
From the sound of the animal’s gait, Jie Jingchen identified it: a wolf.
A flicker of tension appeared in Jie Jingchen’s eyes. Encountering a wolf in the mountains was never good. He could handle a single wolf, but a pack would be a huge problem. If he were alone, he was confident he could get away unscathed. But having to protect Qin Mei would divide his attention, making a clean escape much more difficult.
Suddenly, a black shadow shot toward him. Carrying Qin Mei, Jie Jingchen dodged with surprising agility, but sharp claws still raked across his chest, leaving several claw marks.
Jie Jingchen’s gaze locked with the wolf’s glowing green eyes. His own eyes turned dark and glacial, his expression radiating a murderous chill.
"Don’t hurt him!" a sharp voice cried out, and a figure came rushing over.
Upon seeing its master, the wolf’s ferocity instantly vanished, and it sat obediently by his side.
Jie Jingchen didn’t lower his guard. His thin lips were set in a cold line, his sharp eyes scrutinizing the young man.
"Chief!" The young man recognized Jie Jingchen and was overcome with excitement.
Jie Jingchen froze for a second, his amber eyes deep and unreadable as he stared intently at the young man.
"Chief, it’s me! Ah Bing!" Ah Bing said, slapping his chest excitedly.
Ah Bing. The name sounded vaguely familiar, and an image floated up in his mind. Jie Jingchen studied the young man before him, but he couldn’t reconcile this person with the figure in his memory.
’The Ah Bing he remembered was as timid as a mouse, a naive-looking kid with a standard buzz cut and sallow skin. But this guy... his hair was so long it covered one side of his face, he was wearing a gaudy shirt, and he had the air of a punk. If anything, he was even more of a degenerate than Jing Wu.’
"Still don’t recognize me?" Ah Bing sounded a little defeated. Then, thinking about how much he’d changed, he had a flash of understanding. ’Of course. He’s a completely different person than he was three years ago.’ Ah Bing brushed the long hair away from his face, revealing it completely.
The corner of Jie Jingchen’s mouth twitched. Ah Bing had a bizarre, uneven tan, no doubt a result of his ridiculously long hair.
Jie Jingchen didn’t know Ah Bing well, but the memory was a strong one. The kid had been assigned to his unit for training. Ah Bing was the first recruit under his command who hadn’t even lasted a full day. Jie Jingchen himself had been the one to end his military career and have him sent home.
Meeting again under these circumstances was more than a little awkward for Jie Jingchen. He felt like he’d just stumbled onto Ah Bing’s home turf, especially with that wolf sitting so obediently by the young man’s side.
"So, do you recognize me now, Chief?" Ah Bing asked.
Jie Jingchen didn’t reply, but his silence was answer enough for Ah Bing.
"Good, good. I’ve changed a lot, and we only knew each other for such a short time. I was honestly worried you wouldn’t recognize me at all," Ah Bing said with a cheerful laugh.
Jie Jingchen remained silent. ’Changed a lot’ was an understatement; the man was completely unrecognizable. If Ah Bing hadn’t said who he was and shown his face, Jie Jingchen would never have figured it out.
"Are you lost, Chief?" Ah Bing hopped in front of Jie Jingchen and peered at the person on his back. "Is that your sister, Chief?"
Jie Jingchen was speechless. ’He and Qin Mei look so obviously like a couple. What’s with this kid’s eyesight?’
"My wife," Jie Jingchen ground out from between clenched teeth.
"Ah!" Ah Bing exclaimed in shock, then rubbed the back of his neck.
"What are you ’ah’-ing about? Is it so shocking that she’s my wife?" Jie Jingchen asked irritably. He still hadn’t lowered his guard; he didn’t know this new Ah Bing and couldn’t be sure the kid wouldn’t use this opportunity to get revenge.
"Yeah, it is pretty shocking," Ah Bing said honestly. ’A man like Jie Jingchen... I didn’t think any woman could handle him.’ He couldn’t help but feel a flicker of interest in the woman on his back. "Chief, it’s getting late. Let me lead you down the mountain."
