As Zhao Qiang's gaze swept past the tent entrance, he noticed some close-fitting clothing inside. It seemed that Xiao Baihe was wearing a tattooed bra with a small cup size, and it was hard to believe that her frail body concealed a pair of large breasts. However, this did not arouse Zhao Qiang at all, as there were several girls around him with breasts that were much larger.
"Let's go." Yang Shiyun dissuaded Zhao Qiang from talking here. The two followed each other to the farmhouse where they were staying. Li Hua had not returned yet. The lonely tent stood in the yard. The elder sister-in-law's family was eating. The husband looked a bit old, and the two children were dressed in old and tattered clothes. The village's economic income was really not good.
"Brother, are you full? Why don't you go dancing?" the sister-in-law asked.
Zhao Qiang said, "We're a bit tired after traveling all afternoon, so we'd like to rest early."
The elder sister-in-law lit an oil lamp for Zhao Qiang and helped carry it to the next room: "That's right, the road into the village is really difficult to travel. We usually only go out of the mountain once a month to buy some necessities. Let's get some rest early, we still have to climb the mountain tomorrow."
Zhao Qiang casually asked, "Sister-in-law, is that mountain behind the village Wulong Mountain?"
The elder sister-in-law said, "Yes, don't you look like a coiled black dragon during the day?"
Zhao Qiang said, "Yes, it looks like it. I wonder if there are any scenic spots on this mountain that we should pay special attention to?"
The elder sister-in-law said, "Yes, there are many ancient pines on the mountain that are hundreds or thousands of years old. You might also find wild ginseng. The spring water in the Dragon Pearl Cave is very sweet and can make you feel energetic. Remember to bring a bottle when you go up the mountain, or you will regret it."
"Just drink until you're full. Even if it tastes really good, filling a bottle or two won't help." Zhao Qiang asked, "Are there any dangerous areas?"
The elder sister-in-law said, "Large wild animals are not common in these mountains, so you don't need to worry. It's just that the terrain of Dragon Pearl Cave is a bit complicated, but Li Hua is not a first-timer in mountain climbing, so with him leading the way, there shouldn't be any problems."
Zhao Qiang said, "Thank you, sister-in-law."
The eldest sister-in-law walked out of the room and said, "You're welcome. You should rest." After saying that, she closed the wooden door, leaving only Zhao Qiang and Yang Shiyun in the room.
The two of them shared one bed. Zhao Qiang glanced at Yang Shiyun and said, "You go to bed. I'll make do on the floor for the night." He couldn't have both of them in bed, could he? Outsiders might think that, but Zhao Qiang couldn't take advantage of his sister-in-law.
Yang Shiyun nodded, gave half of the hay on the bed to Zhao Qiang, and then the two said goodnight and lay down fully clothed without exchanging words. The blanket had a strange smell, and Yang Shiyun frowned, not daring to cover herself with it. At first, she could bear it, but in the second half of the night, the temperature dropped, and Yang Shiyun shivered from the cold, finally unable to resist pulling the blanket over herself.
Listening to Zhao Qiang's breathing, which was steady, Yang Shiyun touched the blanket on her body and felt that it was unfair to Zhao Qiang. He had given her the blanket and was sleeping on the floor. If her sister found out, she would blame her for not taking good care of him.
Zhao Qiang turned over; he did feel very cold. He hugged his arms to his chest. Yang Shiyun called out from the bed, "Zhao Qiang."
Zhao Qiang jolted awake and opened his eyes: "Huh?"
"Are you cold?" Yang Shiyun asked.
Zhao Qiang said, "Are you alright? Can't you hold on any longer? We came in such a hurry that we didn't bring any luggage. We're really sorry to have troubled you."
"I'm not complaining, just go to bed."
"ah……"
Yang Shiyun said, "Don't misunderstand, there's a blanket on the bed. I feel uneasy if you do this. If my sister finds out, she'll scold me."
Zhao Qiang said, "Let's forget it. How would she know if I don't tell her? We haven't reached the point where we sleep in the same bed yet."
Yang Shiyun said, "What are you thinking? We're not taking off our clothes, can't we just sleep at opposite ends of the room?"
Zhao Qiang said, "Since you've invited me so kindly, I have no choice but to accept." With that, Zhao Qiang got up from the ground, spread the dry grass back on the bed, and then lay down opposite Yang Shiyun, their feet touching heads. Yang Shiyun sniffed, "You didn't wash your feet?"
Zhao Qiang was embarrassed. A man's feet don't smell good, and it's not entirely related to whether or not he washes them. Yang Shiyun then said, "Why don't you come over here? We can talk." Was she trying to seduce Zhao Qiang?
Zhao Qiang didn't say anything, but he got up and lay down next to Yang Shiyun.
"Zhao Qiang," Yang Shiyun called softly, her voice gentle.
Zhao Qiang asked, "What is it?"
"I always have this feeling that I've known you for a long time."
Zhao Qiang said, "Really? Looks like I'm quite popular."
“No, no,” Yang Shiyun said, “It’s not because of my popularity. I feel very relaxed when I’m with you, really.”
Zhao Qiang touched his nose without saying anything, but he was very happy inside. Yang Shiyun's words were a compliment to him.
"What changes have occurred in my body? I feel like I've forgotten a lot of things these past few days."
Zhao Qiang said, "How about we find a safe hospital in Shanghai to give you a check-up?"
Yang Shiyun said, "Hmm, I also want to know what's going on. Have I really developed superpowers now?"
Zhao Qiang said, "I can be sure of that. At the very least, being able to control energy is already quite remarkable."
"You still need to teach me other things," Yang Shiyun said in a slightly coquettish voice in Zhao Qiang's ear, which made Zhao Qiang's ears itch. He quickly rubbed them with his hand. "No problem. We didn't bring any luggage or food. After we enter the mountains, you will be in charge of our actions. This will be a test of what you have learned so far."
Yang Shiyun said, "I'll try my best to pass. After all, I'm also a well-known Spider-Man in the big city."
A loud snap shattered the silence of the night, followed by a cacophony of noise and barking dogs. The entire village was awakened, torches were lit, and everyone gathered at the campsite in the center of the village.
Zhao Qiang got up: "I'll go take a look."
Yang Shiyun followed, saying, "I'll go too." As they reached the door, a cold wind blew in, and Yang Shiyun unconsciously pulled Zhao Qiang's arm. The two looked very affectionate.
(Thanks to BigCat88 for the donation)
Volume 2 [637] Climbing the Mountain
【637】Climbing mountains
Inside the tent area, someone was cursing: "You bitch, don't push your luck, or I'll make sure you die here and never get back!"
Zhao Qiang had X-ray vision glasses with night vision capabilities, which allowed him to get closer to the scene. He explained to Yang Shiyun, "It's Section Chief Wang. There seems to be a woman crying on the ground next to him. It's Xiao Baihe. She was slapped and looks disheveled."
Li Hua arrived before Zhao Qiang, because as the team leader, he was responsible for mediating conflicts among team members.
"What happened? Xiao, why did you get into a fight with Section Chief Wang?" Li Hua asked unhappily. Section Chief Wang was a powerful figure whom he couldn't afford to offend and even had to curry favor with.
Xiao Baihe was sobbing and unable to speak. Section Chief Wang said, "This bitch tried to seduce me in the middle of the night. I have a girlfriend, doesn't she deserve a beating?"
Xiao Baihe shouted, "No, that's not how it is! I just went to the restroom, and you...you touched me inappropriately."
Section Chief Wang shouted, "You're talking nonsense! You seduced me! If you dare to insult my innocence again, I'll shoot you dead right here!"
As he spoke, Section Chief Wang actually pulled out a pistol from his waist and showed it to Xiao Baihe. Xiao Baihe was so frightened that her face turned pale, and she quickly shrank to the side, of course not daring to say another word.
Li Hua quickly stepped forward and pressed down on Section Chief Wang's hand: "Section Chief Wang, please don't take it to heart. I think it's getting late, everyone should get some more sleep. We'll be leaving soon, how can we climb the mountain if we're not well-rested?"
Section Chief Wang took the opportunity to back down, put away his gun, and returned to his tent. His so-called girlfriend was lying naked at the tent entrance, half of her white breasts exposed. Section Chief Wang crawled inside, grabbed the breasts, and then grinned lewdly.
Section Chief Wang's girlfriend squirmed in his arms: "You're so naughty. You just peeked at someone peeing and then threatened her with a gun."
Section Chief Wang cursed, "Damn it, if she's on the right track, I'll fuck her and drag her into the tent so you two can fly together."
The woman said, "This is not like the city. Your police identity is useless here. Please don't get into trouble."
Section Chief Wang patted the holster on his waist: "What's going on? I'm the boss because I have a gun. First, lick my gun down there..."
Li Hua comforted Xiao Baihe for a few words, telling her not to provoke Section Chief Wang, before going back to sleep.
Yang Shiyun was furious. "I'm going to find that Section Chief Wang."
Zhao Qiang pulled her back: "Don't be impulsive. So what if you beat him up here? If you really want to deal with him, you should put him in jail. Anyone who's arrogant like that has a dirty past."
Yang Shiyun said, "So Xiao was just bullied for nothing?"
Zhao Qiang said, "Then go into the tent, grab him, and beat him up."
Yang Shiyun said, "That's exactly what I was thinking." As she spoke, she walked to the outside of Section Chief Wang's tent. At this moment, the panting of the woman inside the tent could be clearly heard, as well as the squelching sound of water being squeezed. Yang Shiyun reached out and pulled open the tent. She only glanced at the woman, whose face turned as red as a lantern, and immediately put down the tent door and ran away. Zhao Qiang followed with a wicked smile. Of course, he knew that Yang Shiyun had seen a scene she shouldn't have seen. This matter could only be left unresolved for the time being. He couldn't very well drag Section Chief Wang and that woman out naked.
Soon dawn broke, and Li Hua went from tent to tent calling out, "Get up, get up, we're going out!"
Zhao Qiang stretched, and Yang Shiyun lay down with her back to him. Nothing romantic happened between them last night, which was normal. It would be abnormal if it were like what Section Chief Wang did.
Li Hua knocked on the door, and Zhao Qiang called out, "I heard you, I'll be right out."
Yang Shiyun got out of bed and rubbed her shoulders: "I really didn't sleep well."
Zhao Qiang said, "Traveling is all about suffering, but you can also experience joy in suffering, right?"
Thinking of the beautiful scenery along the way and the wild vegetable feast last night, Yang Shiyun agreed with this point. Isn't it said that you can't enjoy life without suffering?
Breakfast was ready. There was no bread or steamed buns, only several bowls of rice porridge mixed with leftover wild vegetables from last night. It looked yellowish-green. Zhao Qiang drank two bowls, while Yang Shiyun only drank one. After that, Li Hua urged everyone to pack their bags, and they finally set off before the sun came up.
Xiao Baihe walked silently beside Zhao Qiang and Yang Shiyun, carrying a large bag on her back, while Section Chief Wang and his group walked at the front. At this moment, they were full of energy and their excitement for climbing the mountain was high.
Once outside the village, the road becomes steep, but thankfully there's a narrow path that villagers often use to get into the mountains. As they walk, Li Hua shares his experience with everyone: "Don't rush. Let's climb slowly. That way, we'll reach the top before lunch, have a picnic in the Dragon Pearl Cave, collect some spring water, and then head down the mountain. We can get back to the village before dark."
As the mountain path became steeper, trekking poles became very important, but not many people usually carried them, so Zhao Qiang and Yang Shiyun had a hard time walking.
Zhao Qiang whispered to Yang Shiyun, "Didn't you think of a solution to the trekking pole problem?"
Yang Shiyun shrugged: "There's no metal material here, how am I supposed to solve this?"
Zhao Qiang said, "Don't think about using energy for everything." He then casually picked a branch from a tree by the roadside and said, "Can't this be used as a substitute? Don't get stuck on this. Hiking poles aren't all made of metal."
Yang Shiyun chuckled: "Sorry, I forgot about that. I was misled by the trekking poles they were using."
A sharp knife had appeared in Zhao Qiang's hand without his knowledge. It was a grappling hook hidden in his wrist, now in a different shape, much more concealed and convenient than the screwdriver he used to carry on his waist. Zhao Qiang was strong, and the knife was sharp. With a few swift movements, he tidied up the tree branch in his hand into a hiking stick. After handing it to Yang Shiyun, he disassembled another branch and tidied it into a second hiking stick as they walked.
Xiao Baihe was already panting heavily. She quickened her pace and finally caught up with Zhao Qiang. "Mr. Zhao, your knife is so sharp."
Zhao Qiang shoved the knife into his sleeve: "Hehe, it's for cutting apples. What kind of knife is it if it can't even cut a twig?"
The mountain path was too narrow, and Xiao Baihe was walking side by side with Zhao Qiang. Her outer foot was almost stepping on loose stones, and she accidentally twisted her ankle. Zhao Qiang quickly reached out to help her up. Xiao Baihe's body went limp and she almost fell into Zhao Qiang's arms. Zhao Qiang quickly blocked her slumped body, saying, "Take care."
Xiao Baihe finally stood up straight. "Thank you."
Zhao Qiang reached out to take the backpack from Xiao Baihe's shoulder: "Let me help you carry it."
Xiao Baihe said, "I can't accept this."
Zhao Qiang said, "At worst, you can treat us to a meal when we get up the mountain. You saw it yourself, we didn't bring anything."
Xiao Baihe said, "No problem." She no longer refused Zhao Qiang's help to carry her bag, and instead walked one in front of Yang Shiyun. Although Yang Shiyun was not a girl who liked to chat with others, Xiao Baihe's words were very insightful. Although she talked casually as they walked, it was clear that Yang Shiyun did not have any ill feelings towards her.
Li Hua's voice came over, "There's a gentle slope ahead. Everyone can rest there, have some food and water, and be careful not to leave your luggage behind."
The uphill climb was exhausting, and everyone's legs ached; a rest was necessary. Zhao Qiang and Yang Shiyun were fine, but the average tourist was already like a dead pig. If they hadn't been pushing themselves, they probably wouldn't have made it this far. It was still cloudy today; if the sun came out, they'd be sweating even more.
This resting place was probably formed after a mudslide. The mud and rocks from the landslide were stopped by several large trees, which piled up to form a platform. After countless tramplings by previous people, this excellent resting place was formed. The air in the forest is fresh, and the temperature is just right, giving people a feeling of being relaxed and refreshed.
As soon as they sat down, everyone perked up with laughter and took out bottled water and various drinks from their bags. They gulped down several large mouthfuls. Zhao Qiang and Yang Shiyun hadn't prepared any, but Xiao Baihe had plenty in her bag. She took some out and shared it with the two of them, then handed them a piece of chocolate and some ham, so that Zhao Qiang and Yang Shiyun wouldn't just watch others eat and drink.
Li Hua walked over carrying a plastic bag containing drinks and some food. He handed it to Zhao Qiang and said, "Here, this is what you are entitled to from the fees you paid."
Zhao Qiang didn't stand on ceremony and took it, putting it in Xiao Baihe's bag first, since they would have to have lunch when they got up the mountain.
A muffled thud, followed by a scream. It turned out Manager Hu and his group had opened a beer bottle and been bouncing around for half the morning. The pressure inside was high, and a burst of foam sprayed out, hitting a girl in the face. She screamed in fright, which made everyone laugh. The joy of the trip invigorated everyone; living in the city for too long, it was time to get out and have some fun.
After resting for fifteen minutes, Li Hua shouted, "Let's go! Everyone get up and go. We'll rest again when we get to the top of the mountain."
Stopping here caused many people to feel soreness, numbness, and pain in their legs, but they had to keep going. Painful expressions were on everyone's faces, and the pace of travel naturally slowed down. "Traveling is, in fact, a painful experience," some complained. But the pain was mixed with joy; laughter and chatter continued along the way, and the scenery made the trip worthwhile. The fatigue was definitely worth it.