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

Lin Qingqing thought she had misheard, or that the thunderstorm had damaged her ears.

She gripped her collar tightly with both hands, staring wide-eyed at Qin Lie like a fawn cornered on a cliff, her eyes filled with terror and disbelief.

"Big brother... what did you say?"

Seeing her guarded demeanor, Qin Lie felt even more irritated.

His brows furrowed deeply, and his tone left no room for negotiation: "I said, take off your wet clothes. Do you intend to spend the night in these waterlogged clothes? It's freezing cold in the mountains at night. If you get sick, I won't have time to take care of you."

"But..." Lin Qingqing's face turned bright red, and the blush spread down her neck to behind her ears.

"But what?" Qin Lie interrupted her impatiently, his gaze sweeping over the damp fabric clinging to her skin. The fabric, soaked with water, had become semi-transparent, revealing glimpses of the bodice underneath, arousing arousal.

He abruptly turned his head away, his Adam's apple bobbing, his voice deepening: "I'm turning my back on you, I won't look at you. Hurry up, don't dawdle."

After saying that, he actually turned around, facing the dark cave wall, with his back to the fire and her.

Lin Qingqing bit her lower lip, looked at Qin Lie's broad back, and then at her own clothes that were still dripping wet.

It was really cold; the damp cold felt like countless tiny needles piercing into the bones.

She couldn't help but shiver, her teeth chattering softly.

She knew Qin Lie was right. Getting sick in these deep mountains and forests was tantamount to death.

"Then... Big brother, you're not allowed to turn around." Lin Qingqing's voice was barely audible, with a slight tremor.

"Hmm." Qin Lie responded sullenly, took out the flattened pack of cigarettes from his pocket, took one out and put it in his mouth. He didn't light it, just chewed the cigarette butt dry, using the bitter taste to suppress the irritation in his heart.

A rustling sound came from behind me.

It was the sound of fabric rubbing against skin, very soft, but in the silent cave it sounded like it was ringing in Qin Lie's ears.

Unbutton.

Take off your sleeves.

The dull thud of wet clothes hitting the ground.

Qin Lie stared at the rock wall in front of him. The firelight danced behind him, casting their shadows onto the stone wall in front of him.

He forgot about that.

On the stone wall, there was originally only his tall, stiff, dark shadow. Then, another, smaller shadow slowly began to move.

The shadow raised its hand, and its previously bulky outline gradually peeled away. As the outer garment was removed, the shadow's lines became breathtaking. A neck so slender it seemed it could snap at any moment, rounded shoulders, and further down... a suddenly tightening waist, and that astonishing curve.

Qin Lie froze, his cigarette dangling from his lips.

He was a normal man, a man who had been celibate for twenty-eight years. This image, though merely a shadow, was more unbearable than seeing it directly. Every movement of that shadow felt like a tug-of-war on his taut nerves.

He could even picture how white and smooth that skin would look in the firelight, and how soft and yielding that waist would feel in his hands.

"Hold."

Qin Lie cursed under his breath, then abruptly closed his eyes, the veins on his forehead throbbing. He felt he was only reaping what he sowed, asking for trouble for no reason.

"Big...Big brother, I'm all better now."

Lin Qingqing's timid voice came from behind, slightly nasal, and sounded soft and sweet.

Qin Lie took a deep breath, calmed his breathing, and then opened his eyes. But he didn't turn around. Instead, he reached out and pulled the sack over, taking out a neatly folded military green overcoat.

These are old items he used to own when he was in the army. He brought them with him on this trip into the mountains. They are filled with real cotton, so they are windproof and warm.

With a flick of his wrist, his coat traced an arc in the air and precisely landed over Lin Qingqing's head.

"Put them on."

Lin Qingqing hurriedly pulled off her coat. The coat had a faint smell of tobacco, as well as Qin Lie's unique scent, like pine needles dried in the sun.

She quickly put her hands into her sleeves.

This dress is way too big. Qin Lie is 1.9 meters tall, while she's only a little over 1.6 meters. When she wears it, the sleeves are way too long, and the hem drags on to her ankles. She looks like a child wearing an adult's clothes, all baggy and unflattering.

But the clothes are dry and warm.

The moment she was enveloped in that thick cotton, Lin Qingqing sighed with relief, and her trembling body finally calmed down.

"Are you dressed?" Qin Lie asked.

"Okay, all done."

Qin Lie then turned around.

Upon seeing this, he was startled again.

In the firelight, the girl huddled inside the oversized military coat, revealing only her small face and bare feet.

Her coat collar stood up, making her face look even smaller. Her peach blossom eyes were wet, with red marks from crying at the corners. She looked so obedient and soft, like a kitten that had just been weaned.

The coat was one he had worn, and now it was wrapped around her. This subtle sense of overlap made Qin Lie's lustful fire surge even higher.

He looked away, his gaze falling on her feet, which were red from the cold, and he frowned.

"Come sit over here and warm yourself by the fire."

Qin Lie pointed to the spot next to the fire where dry grass was laid out, and then moved aside to make room for her.

Lin Qingqing wrapped her coat tighter around herself, carefully moved over, and sat down next to him.

There was a fist's distance between the two.

Qin Lie didn't speak, but picked up some branches from the ground and added them to the fire. The flames crackled and popped, occasionally bursting into sparks.

Lin Qingqing didn't dare to speak. She tucked her hands into her sleeves and secretly sized up Qin Lie.

He was shirtless, his muscular upper body gleaming with a honey-colored sheen in the firelight.

Those muscles were smooth and strong, full of explosive power.

The wound that had just been bandaged was on his back, so she couldn't see it, but she could see the bulging veins on his arms and several old scars on his chest.

This man was like a rock in the mountains, hard and solid, yet exuding a reassuring sense of weight.

"What are you looking at?" Qin Lie suddenly spoke, not looking at her, still staring at the fire.

Lin Qingqing was startled and quickly looked away, her cheeks burning: "No... I wasn't looking at anything."

Qin Lie chuckled, it was unclear whether he believed him or not. He picked up a branch and used it to lift up Lin Qingqing's wet clothes that she had just taken off, then placed them on a rock next to the fire to dry.

That dark blue coarse cloth shirt, and that... light pink bellyband.

The small bib, embroidered with two mandarin ducks, emitted wisps of steam when heated by the fire.

Lin Qingqing's face instantly turned crimson, as if she wanted to disappear into the ground. She reached out to grab it, saying, "I can do it myself..."

"Don't move." Qin Lie blocked her hand with the branch in his hand. "You're too close to the fire. What will you wear if you get burned? Go down the mountain naked?"

That's incredibly crude.

Lin Qingqing bit her lip in embarrassment, buried her head in her knees, and dared not utter another sound.

Outside the cave, the rain showed no sign of letting up; in fact, it poured down even harder. The wind whipped the raindrops against the vines at the cave entrance, creating a rustling sound.

The temperature inside the cave is gradually decreasing.

After the initial warmth wore off, Lin Qingqing started to feel cold again. Although the military overcoat was thick, it was still drafty. Since she wasn't wearing anything underneath, the cold air seeped in through the hem, making her shiver.

Not wanting to cause trouble for Qin Lie, she could only grit her teeth and endure it, shrinking herself into an even smaller ball.

Although Qin Lie didn't look at her, he kept an eye on the movements around him out of the corner of his eye.

Feeling the person next to him trembling like a leaf, he paused in his act of adding firewood.

"cold?"

Lin Qingqing nodded, her teeth chattering, "Yes... a little."

Qin Lie threw down the branch he was holding and dusted off his hands. He turned his head, his dark eyes appearing exceptionally deep in the firelight, as if they could suck people in.

"Come here." He opened his arms to her.