I am the old, fiery-faced man from the senior department.

Afterwards, she was pleasantly surprised to run into the friend she had just made the day before in the car.

Even sitting in a haystack, an immortal is still an immortal, and an ordinary person is still an ordinary person.

"Mr. Bai, this... is quite a coincidence."

Seeing Bai Zhou happily eating an apple, Jingzhe smiled and greeted him.

"Miss Jingzhe, what a coincidence! Are you also going hiking?"

Bai Zhou was also somewhat surprised by the fate between the two.

He simply intended to go up the mountain to enjoy the scenery, never expecting to encounter the little Qilin here.

"Yes, I need to go to that mountain to investigate. If Mr. Bai doesn't have anything urgent to attend to... it's best not to go into the mountain."

Having learned about each other's backgrounds during yesterday's conversation, Jingzhe had no intention of hiding anything from him and quietly told him the information she had gathered.

"Young lady, you trust me, Bai. Aren't you afraid that I might actually be an accomplice of that villain, trying to deceive a righteous person like yourself into going into the mountains so I can kill you?"

Jingzhe shook his head and said, "I believe in Mr. Bai. Those evil and heretical people would not have Mr. Bai's temperament."

"Hehe, you see right through my useless scholarly airs, Miss."

Looking at the girl who sat in the thatched hut without any airs, just like an ordinary traveler, Bai Zhou felt increasingly satisfied with her.

“But young lady, there’s no need to worry. I know a little about self-defense. A villain controlled by a weapon won’t be able to hurt me.”

"But it's the young lady."

Bai Zhou glanced at Jing Zhe, who was empty-handed, and asked with some confusion, "Where is the young lady's weapon?"

"Mr. Bai, you may not know this, but all my weapons are in this bag."

Jingzhe patted the small bag on her waist with a hint of smugness.

"Mr. Bai, don't be fooled by its small size. It actually has a lot of secrets inside and can hold a staff as tall as a person."

"It is truly amazing."

He glanced at it during the day and immediately understood its principle and structure. Although he knew it clearly, he didn't spoil the girl's fun.

"If that's the case, then I'm relieved."

After that, the two chatted about local customs. The girl seemed to really enjoy the topic, so Bai Zhou picked out some interesting ones to tell her.

"Hmm, is this Lushan?"

The two got out of the car at the foot of the mountain. Looking out at the ethereal mountain range, Jingzhe felt refreshed and invigorated.

"This mountain is a nice place to visit. There are not many wild animals in the mountain, and there is no danger. It is a good place to come here with three or five friends for a spring outing and enjoyment."

I've passed by here several times during the day, but I haven't stopped because of other things. This time I'm lucky, I have both free time and a good friend.

"But this mountain isn't very secluded. Could that villain be hiding here?"

Jingzhe suspected that the villain had already left and fled elsewhere.

"Perhaps he wanted to make things difficult for those in power, leading them astray. The girl's idea would have been exactly what he wanted."

"Mr. Bai is right."

Jingzhe nodded in agreement after hearing Bai Zhou's words.

"Since we're already here, let's search around."

As she spoke, Jingzhe unpacked the package and took out a drone.

"If I'm not mistaken, this should be a new product from the Sunbeam Group."

"Sir, you have a good eye."

Jingzhe glanced at the drone in her hand and felt her wallet screaming, "I'm hungry!"

This drone boasts numerous advantages, including long battery life, low noise, flight altitude and distance ten times greater than its competitors, video quality clearer than the human eye, and a shock-resistant and wear-resistant shell, which contribute to its reputation as an invincible brand.

However, the extremely high price deterred countless drone enthusiasts.

If it were 30% cheaper... no, even 10% cheaper, its positive reviews would double.

Even when Jingzhe, who came from a wealthy family, bought it, she was panting and her stomach was empty.

There's nothing I can do... This thing isn't part of the standard equipment, so the higher-ups won't report it.

"If such an expensive drone is damaged, it will probably cost a lot of money."

"Yes, if it's just a scratch or a little paint, that's fine. But if the wing is damaged, you'll have to replace the whole pair, and that's expensive..."

Jingzhe coughed softly and then fell silent.

It's best not to tell Mr. Bai these complaints, lest it spoil his mood.

"Then I'll go first..."

"Then let's go, Miss Jingzhe."

Before the words about the Awakening of Insects could be finished, Bai Zhou had already spoken, and people were already heading into the mountains.

"Isn't Mr. Bai going on a spring outing?"

Jingzhe's words drew a puzzled look from Baizhou.

"Spring hasn't arrived yet, Miss Jingzhe. At most, there are some pine trees and snow on the mountain; such evergreen snow scenes are not worth seeing."

"Moreover, I am also somewhat interested in that villain. Rather than the snowy scenery that can be seen everywhere, I would like to see with my own eyes how Miss Jingzhe will use her great power to arrest that villain."

"Hmm...showing off some great power or something..."

The girl with the unicorn spirit was on high alert.

"I will protect Mr. Bai!"

Return to Sixty-Eight Mountain Pavilion for a short break

It was the dead of winter, and although the sun shone brightly on the mountain, the faint warmth it brought was no match for the cold air from high above.

Because it wasn't cold down the mountain, Jingzhe forgot to prepare warm clothes and was now almost frozen solid, feeling quite annoyed at her oversight.

After drinking a mouthful of hot water from the water bag, my body, which had been stiff from the cold air, warmed up considerably.

"Phew... Mr. Bai, have some hot water to warm yourself up."

Mr. Bai must be feeling very uncomfortable in this cold weather.

As the girl with the Qilin thought this, her gaze followed the water bag.

"I'm sorry to trouble you with your concern, but my skills have improved considerably, so I can withstand this bit of cold. Besides, it's freezing cold today, and hot water is a precious commodity. It would be better if you kept it for yourself to warm yourself."

During the day, waving your hand dismisses the mere chill; hot water is hardly such an inconvenient thing.

"Although I've heard that the qi that martial artists cultivate after achieving mastery can ward off the cold and heat, maintaining such an ability for a long time must be exhausting. Mr. Bai, you should drink some."

Jingzhe did not take back the water bag; instead, she reached out and handed it to him.

"If we encounter villains, Jingzhe will need your help. If you are injured because of my personal feelings, how can I call myself your companion?"

The little unicorn spoke with righteous indignation, making Bai Zhou feel that it would be a real shame not to drink it.

"If I were to cause you any trouble, I would be the one who would have no face to face you. Very well... then I will not stand on ceremony."

Taking the water bag, Bai Zhou tilted his head back and took a small sip.

"Indeed, in such cold weather, we still need to drink some hot soup or similar beverages."

Bai Zhou returned the water bag to Jing Zhe, murmuring softly, as if the hot water had made him feel very comfortable.

"Yes, when I was on duty at the temple, my colleagues would often brew a pot of hot tea for us. The sweetness of the tea and the warmth of the hot water could make one feel comfortable all morning."

After putting away the water bag and feeling the warmth on her body, Jingzhe felt a pang of nostalgia for the tea at the temple and her companions who loved to slack off while fishing.

"Um, I'm sorry, Mr. Bai, I was daydreaming again."

While apologizing, Jingzhe focused on using the drone's control panel to operate the drone for aerial reconnaissance.

“It’s alright. This mountain is quite large, and it will take a lot of time to search it completely. The path up the mountain is also extremely cold. Talking to you, young lady, will help me forget the cold.”

"Sir, you flatter me. How could Jingzhe possess such abilities..."

"Miss, please don't be modest. With your qualities, even in the vast capital, you would find few who can compare to you. If any man could get to know you, he would probably feel his blood and energy flowing smoothly and his body warm and comfortable."

"...Mr. Bai, do you say the same thing to other girls?"

Seeing Bai Zhou looking over, the Qilin girl suppressed the urge to turn her head away to avoid his gaze and instead teased him instead.

"I am not the kind of womanizer who falls in love with every girl he sees."

"Um... Mr. Bai..."

Suddenly, Jingzhe felt a heat on her cheeks, as if her mouth had been stuck with a clump of honey. She felt a little flustered, yet also a little sweet.

What young girl doesn't yearn for love?

A young girl of sixteen or seventeen, already at an age when her thoughts are in turmoil, had never seen a man as handsome as Mr. Bai before her. Although she had only spent two days with him, such a handsome, knowledgeable, witty, and considerate man had already caught her attention. And then, suddenly hearing those ambiguous words, how could she not be flustered?

To calm herself down, the girl quickly patted her cheeks, trying to let the biting cold wind wake her from her dazed state.

"Are you cold, young lady?"

The Kirin Girl's actions naturally attracted the attention of Bai Zhou, who had been watching her closely.

"We've been walking for quite a while now, why don't we find a dry, warm place to rest before continuing our search?"

"Hmm... Mr. Bai reminded me. Then, Mr. Bai, how about we rest for an incense stick's time before setting off again?"

The two walked up the mountain for a while and found a pavilion not far away. Although it looked old and dilapidated, it was still a good place to rest. Jingzhe then put away the drone and walked there with Baizhou.

"Oh, this place is quite nice. The trees outside the pavilion provide just enough shelter from the cold wind. It seems that whoever built this pavilion had foresight and knew that this would be a good place for hikers to rest in winter."

As they approached the pavilion, the two noticed that the cold wind had lessened considerably. Once inside, they found that the mountain wind was no different from the gentle breeze at the foot of the mountain.

Jingzhe took out an unopened bag of pastries from her bag and called out to Bai Zhou, "Yes, this place is truly like two different worlds from the outside. By the way, Mr. Bai, are you tired from walking all this way? I have some crispy cakes here, why don't you have some to replenish your energy?"

"Crispy biscuit... Thank you, young lady."

He could drink less hot water during the day, but he could eat a few of these rather numerous crispy biscuits.

He simply didn't want to waste the Qilin girl's kindness, not for any sweets or pastries.