After becoming a widow, I became the apple of a rough man's eye.

Once inside the woods, the light seemed to have been switched off, dimming several degrees in an instant.

All around were towering trees, their canopies crowding together, completely blocking out the sky above, leaving only a few dappled beams of sunlight to illuminate the decaying leaves and unidentified weeds on the ground. The air was filled with a damp, musty smell, a mixture of earth and pine resin—not unpleasant, but enough to make one feel a tightness in their chest.

Lin Qingqing followed behind Qin Lie, her steps uneven.

This mountain path couldn't even be called a path; it was entirely carved out by Qin Lie using his axe. Thorns and vines grew rampant, like ghostly hands, constantly catching on her trouser legs or snagging at her clothes.

"Stay close."

Without turning his head, Qin Lie casually swung his axe, and with a "crack," a thick, withered branch blocking his path was severed and sent flying.

He took long strides, walking steadily and quickly.

The huge pack of sacks seemed weightless on his back. In contrast, Lin Qingqing had been walking for less than an hour and was already panting heavily. Sweat streamed down her face, wetting the stray hairs at her temples and sticking to her face.

"Big...Big brother, slow down..."

Lin Qingqing was too exhausted to walk any further. Her legs gave way, and she tripped over a tree root protruding from the ground, causing her to fall forward uncontrollably.

The "mountain" in front looks like it has eyes in the back of its head.

Qin Lie suddenly turned around, stretched out his long arm, and grabbed her arm without even using much force.

The inertia caused Lin Qingqing to crash straight into his arms.

hard.

This was Lin Qingqing's first impression.

Qin Lie's chest was as hard as an iron plate, making her nose sting and almost bringing tears to her eyes. The strong scent of his hormones, mixed with the smell of sweat and a faint scent of tobacco, instantly enveloped her, making her head spin.

"Walking without watching where you're going?"

Qin Lie looked down at the person in his arms.

Her face was flushed, her lips slightly parted, and she was breathing rapidly, her chest heaving with each breath, rubbing against his clothes. Her large, watery eyes were brimming with tears, threatening to spill over.

Qin Lie tightened his grip on her arm.

The touch beneath his palm was unbelievably soft; even through the coarse cloth, one could feel the delicate tenderness of the skin. It was a completely different species from a rough, unrefined man like him.

"I...I'm out of energy..." Lin Qingqing sniffed, her voice soft and sweet with a slight nasal tone, sounding like she was being coquettish.

Qin Lie's Adam's apple bobbed, and his eyes darkened.

He didn't let go; instead, he lifted her up a little to help her stand firmly.

"Delicate."

Despite his verbal complaints, his hands didn't stop. He took a military-green water bottle from his waist, unscrewed the cap, and held it to her lips: "Drink."

Lin Qingqing was indeed extremely thirsty. Holding the water bottle, which was bigger than her face, in both hands, she didn't mind that Qin Lie had drunk from it and gulped down several large mouthfuls.

Water trickled down the corners of her mouth, slid down her fair neck, and seeped deep into her collar.

Qin Lie's gaze followed the watermark downwards, pausing for a second at the slightly open collar before abruptly shifting his gaze to the deep woods beside him.

"Take a five-minute break."

He took the kettle back, poured the remaining half of the water into the spout in one gulp, and then casually wiped his mouth with the back of his hand—a gesture that was both rough and sexy.

Lin Qingqing leaned against a big tree, trying to calm her breathing.

It's so quiet here, so quiet it's unsettling. The only sounds are the occasional strange bird calls and the rustling of the wind through the treetops.

"Big brother, how much longer do we have to walk?" Lin Qingqing asked softly.

"It's still early." Qin Lie took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, took one out and put it in his mouth. He was about to light it when he glanced at Lin Qingqing and put the lighter back. He just enjoyed holding it in his mouth. "We've only just entered the outer area. Those herbs grow in the deep mountains and ravines. We have to cross that mountain over there."

Lin Qingqing followed his gaze and saw only a continuous stretch of black mountain shadows, and immediately felt her calves start to cramp again.

"Afraid of getting tired?" Qin Lie looked at her bitter and resentful expression, and his lips twitched quickly. "If you're afraid of getting tired, then go back."

"I'm not going back." Lin Qingqing immediately shook her head, making a rattle-drum motion with it. "If I go back, I'll be carried off by wolves."

Rather than face the lecherous stares of the villagers, she would rather endure hardship with Qin Lie. Although this man was cold and had a sharp tongue, at least she was safe by his side.

Qin Lie snorted and said nothing more.

After resting for a while, the two continued on their way.

The further you go, the more difficult the path becomes. The path that was once visible has completely disappeared, and all around are waist-high weeds and bushes.

"hiss--"

Suddenly, a very faint rustling sound came from the bushes.

Qin Lie suddenly stopped in his tracks.

Before Lin Qingqing could react, she felt a tightness in her wrist and was pulled into the air by a tremendous force, being thrown behind Qin Lie.

"Don't move!"

Qin Lie let out a loud shout.

Immediately afterwards, a flash of cold light appeared.

Lin Qingqing stared wide-eyed in horror.

Where she had just stood, a black snake as thick as a wrist was raising its triangular head, flicking its red tongue, and was less than ten centimeters away from her ankle!

The colorful patterns on the snake's body were enough to make one's scalp tingle.

However, the next second, it flew away.

The hunting knife in Qin Lie's hand struck the snake precisely through its vital spot, pinning it firmly to a nearby tree trunk.

The snake's body was still writhing violently, its tail slapping against the tree trunk with a "slap, slap" sound.

Lin Qingqing was terrified.

She opened her mouth, wanting to scream, but her throat felt like it was blocked with cotton, and she couldn't make a sound. Her blood ran cold, her legs were too weak to stand, and she collapsed to the ground.

Qin Lie strode over, pulled out his hunting knife, casually flicked off the blood droplets, and then wiped it on the grass.

He turned around and looked at Lin Qingqing, who was lying on the ground, his brows furrowed into a deep frown.

"Did you bite it?"

He strode over and squatted down in front of her, his sharp eyes scanning her legs.

Lin Qingqing shook her head, and tears streamed down her face.

"No...no..."

She was truly terrified. For a fleeting moment, she had even smelled the stench emanating from the snake.

Qin Lie reached out and pinched her ankle, rolling up her trouser leg a few times to reveal a section of her snow-white calf.

Her skin was so white it was dazzling, almost glowing in the dark forest.

Qin Lie's hands were rough and calloused, and the temperature of his palms was frighteningly hot. He rubbed his thumb against her ankle, and only breathed a sigh of relief after confirming that there was only a small cut from a blade of grass.

"Not poisonous."

He pulled down her trouser leg, looked up at her tear-streaked face, and although his tone was still harsh, it had softened considerably. "What are you crying about? Are you dead?"

Lin Qingqing sobbed, reaching out to grab his sleeve: "Big...Big Brother, I'm scared..."

Her fingers gripped his sleeve so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

Looking at her frightened little rabbit-like appearance, Qin Lie felt that restlessness welling up inside him again.

This woman is truly made of water.

"Get up." Qin Lie stood up and extended his hand to her.

Lin Qingqing placed her hand in his large, warm palm.

With a little effort, he pulled her up from the ground.

Because her legs were weak, Lin Qingqing stumbled when she stood up and bumped into him again.

This time, Qin Lie did not push her away.

He supported her waist with one hand, letting her lean against him for a while to recover.

"There are a lot of snakes, insects, and rodents in these mountains. Stay close to me and don't wander off," Qin Lie said in a deep voice. "If there's a next time, I'll throw you into a snake pit."

Lin Qingqing was so frightened that she quickly nodded, gripping his clothes tightly with both hands, wishing she could stick herself to him.

After this experience, Lin Qingqing dared not be careless anymore. She followed Qin Lie closely, not daring to stray even half a step away, even when he bumped into her military pack.

The sun was gradually setting in the west.

The road ahead was blocked by a stream.

The stream wasn't wide, only three or four meters across, but the current was swift, rushing and shoving against the rocks on the riverbed. The water looked clear, yet it had a chilling coldness about it, clearly from melting snow from the mountain or from an underground river.

Qin Lie walked to the stream and tested the water depth; it was probably above his knees.

He turned to look at Lin Qingqing.

If she stepped into the water, her cloth shoes would be soaked through immediately. Besides, the water was too cold; the third brother said she was sensitive to cold and couldn't stand it.

"come over."

Qin Lie walked to a large rock, took off his pack and threw it onto the grass on the opposite bank.

He tossed the heavy bundle, weighing dozens of kilograms, with ease.

Then, he squatted down in front of Lin Qingqing.

"Come up."

Lin Qingqing was stunned. Looking at the broad and sturdy back in front of her, her face instantly turned red.

"Big...Big brother, I can walk by myself..."

"This water is bone-chilling." Qin Lie didn't turn around, his voice low. "Third brother said you can't touch cold water these days. If you develop a chronic illness and can't have children in the future, don't blame me for not warning you."

Lin Qingqing bit her lip.

In this day and age, being unable to have children is considered a huge sin for a woman.

She hesitated for a moment, then slowly moved over and carefully climbed onto Qin Lie's back.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her body against him.

For a split second, Qin Lie's body visibly stiffened.

The soft touch on my back was absolutely irresistible.

He took a deep breath, reached back with both hands, and supported Lin Qingqing's thighs.

"Hurry up."

Qin Lie gave a low shout, stood up, and stepped steadily into the stream.

The stream was icy cold, instantly submerging his calves. But Qin Lie seemed oblivious, each step he took was extremely steady, as if his feet were rooted to the ground.

Lin Qingqing lay on his back, burying her face in the crook of his neck.

His body heat radiated over her, making her cheeks burn.

As he moved, their bodies inevitably came into contact with each other.

Lin Qingqing could clearly feel the bulging of his back muscles, hard as iron, full of explosive power. This was the power of a man, reassuring yet making one blush and their heart race.

Qin Lie's hands were large, supporting her knees. The heat from his palms seeped through her pants, making that small patch of skin tremble.

"Big brother..." Lin Qingqing whispered in his ear.

The hot air sprayed behind his sensitive ears.

Qin Lie slipped and stepped on a moss-covered stone.

His body swayed suddenly.

Lin Qingqing gasped in fright and instinctively hugged his neck tightly, pressing herself against him completely.

"Don't move!"

Qin Lie gritted his teeth, his voice hoarse, "Move again and I'll throw you in the water."

Does this woman even know what she's doing?

Lin Qingqing quickly shut her mouth and didn't dare to move, shrinking onto his back like a quail.

We finally crossed the river.

Qin Lie placed her on a dry rock, but did not get up immediately. Instead, he supported himself on his knees with both hands and stood there for several seconds to recover.

Lin Qingqing looked at his back and noticed that the tips of his ears were so red they were practically dripping blood.

"Big brother, are you...are you alright?"

Qin Lie ignored her and turned to pick up the military pack from the ground, his movements appearing somewhat hasty.

"I'm gone."

He slung the bundle over his shoulder and strode away, his back view clearly conveying a sense of fleeing in disarray.

The sky in the mountains is like a child's face, changing in an instant.

The sky, which had been slightly bright just moments before, was suddenly covered by dark clouds.

The thick clouds, like cotton soaked in ink, hung heavily on the treetops, making it hard to breathe. The surrounding light quickly dimmed, and the once clear outlines in the forest became shadowy, like menacing monsters.

The humidity in the air suddenly increased, making it so hot and humid that you felt like peeling your skin off.

The cicadas have stopped chirping, and the birds are silent.

A deathly silence.

"It's going to rain." Qin Lie stopped and looked up at the treetops above, where only a sliver of sky remained. His expression was grave. "We need to find shelter quickly. The torrential rain in these mountains can kill a person."

Lin Qingqing didn't understand the customs of the mountains, but she knew something was wrong with the weather. The oppressive feeling made her panic, and she instinctively moved closer to Qin Lie.

"Then...where are we going?"

"There's a cave up ahead. We used to stay there when we were hunting." Qin Lie checked the direction and pointed to the hillside to the left. "We have to climb up. The path is difficult, so hurry up."

The voice just fell.

"Boom—"

A thunderclap exploded overhead, shaking the ground beneath their feet.

Immediately afterwards, large raindrops began to fall without warning.

This isn't just rain; it's like a huge hole has opened in the sky and water is pouring down.

In an instant, the whole world was swallowed up by the white curtain of rain.

"Walk!"

Qin Lie grabbed Lin Qingqing's wrist and dragged her up the hillside.

The rain was so heavy it stung my face, and I couldn't even open my eyes. The ground instantly turned into a muddy mess, so slippery I couldn't stand up.

Lin Qingqing was dragged along by Qin Lie, stumbling and climbing upwards.

This section is a steep slope, full of exposed rocks and slippery red mud.

"Hold on to the tree roots! Make sure you step firmly before you go!" Qin Lie shouted in the heavy rain, his voice half-swallowed by the sound of the rain.

He used one hand to grip the tree trunk for leverage, while his other hand gripped Lin Qingqing's wrist tightly, like an iron clamp, making her bones ache.

Lin Qingqing was soaked to the bone, her clothes clinging to her body and outlining her exquisite curves. She didn't care about that; she could only kick her legs frantically, trying to keep up with Qin Lie's pace.

But the slope is too slippery.

When we were still a dozen meters away from the cave.

The stone under Lin Qingqing's feet suddenly loosened.

"ah--"

A scream was shattered by the sound of rain.

Lin Qingqing lost her balance, fell backward, and slid down the muddy hillside.

"Lin Qingqing!"

Qin Lie's pupils contracted sharply, and his heart skipped a beat.

Without a second thought, he released his grip on the tree trunk and pounced down like a cheetah.

Mud and water splashed everywhere.

He managed to grab Lin Qingqing's hand halfway up the slope.

The immense force of the fall carried him down several meters.

"Hold on tight!" Qin Lie roared, and swung the axe in his other hand fiercely into the crevice in the rock beside him.

"clang!"

Sparks flew everywhere.

The axe blade got stuck in a crevice in the rocks, finally stopping the two men's slide.

Lin Qingqing was suspended in mid-air, below her was a deep ravine overgrown with thorns. Terrified, she was pale and trembling all over, clinging tightly to Qin Lie's hand.

Rainwater streamed down Qin Lie's face, stinging his eyes.

He gritted his teeth, the muscles in his arms bulging, the veins twisting like earthworms.

He was carrying a heavy pack weighing several dozen kilograms on his back and pulling an adult along. All the weight was on the axe stuck in the crack of the rock and the hand gripping the axe handle.

"Don't be afraid."

Qin Lie was panting heavily, his voice unusually steady in the heavy rain, "I'll find a way to pull you up."

He tried to lift Lin Qingqing up.

However, at that moment...

A sickening "snap" sound came from above.

Qin Lie suddenly looked up.

The rock that had been wedging the axe had loosened due to the erosion from the rain and the violent impact!

It was a rock the size of a washbasin, teetering on the verge of collapse.

If the stone falls, not only will the axe fall off, but the stone will also hit Lin Qingqing directly on the head below!