Chapter 190: A Mountain Suspended, A River Submerged (4)
The southern region lay to the south of Binhai City. Overall, it was much warmer than Binhai, and even in early winter, there was no need to bundle up in heavy clothing.
However, as they were getting off the vehicle, the guide kindly reminded everyone to bring warm clothes.
“You’ve probably spent most of your time in the city, so you might not be familiar with conditions in the mountains. Even though this is the southern region, it gets really cold up in the hills.”
The guide explained with a smile. “A lot of backpackers have come out here to camp, but they end up freezing by midnight and shivering their way to us for help getting back down the mountain.”
“Although we’ll be staying in local villagers’ homes this time, it’s everyone’s first time here, so we don’t know if you’ll feel comfortable. Better to bring some extra clothes, just in case.”
As he spoke, the guide stuck his hiking pole into the soft earth ahead with each step, almost as if anchoring himself before moving forward, then yanked it out again to repeat the motion step by step.
The guests were all distracted by the scenery around them, chatting and laughing as they greeted the innkeepers along the way. No one noticed the guide’s strange walking habit.
Yan Shixun lowered his eyes slightly, his gaze falling to the guide’s legs.
There was nothing unusual about the way he walked, but judging by how he used the trekking pole… was he used to long hikes through mountain paths?
Otherwise, there’d be no reason to use a hiking pole even on flat terrain.
Yan Shixun casually looked away, not giving it too much thought.
After all, the guide had mentioned he was a local from the southern region, and with the area being full of mountains and rivers, it made sense if he came from a mountainous village and simply developed the habit over time.
Since it was early winter and considered off-season for tourism, even though the production crew didn’t clear the area of locals like other live variety shows did to maintain a controlled filming environment, the nearby inns were still mostly empty.
Colorful woven ribbons fluttered from the wooden two-story buildings, their ancient and intricate patterns crafted with skill. They danced in the wind beneath the clear sky, making crisp sounds that caught everyone’s attention.
Luckily, the journey had gone smoothly. None of the buffer time originally set aside for unforeseen events had been needed, so they arrived much earlier than planned. Because of this, neither the guide nor Zhang Wubing rushed anyone. Instead, it really felt like a leisurely group trip, with everyone taking their time to enjoy the scenery along the way.
Several guesthouses had small handcrafted folk decorations for sale hanging at the entrances. Their bright colors were eye-catching.
Song Ci, who rarely visited undeveloped tourist spots like this, found himself drawn to these simple yet culturally rich woven crafts. He walked over and asked the hostess about the prices.
Worried that the young master might not have brought any money, An Nanyuan followed him of his own accord, ready to act as a walking wallet if needed.
Seeing Song Ci show interest, one of the C-list male celebrities in the group came over and started explaining the decorations to him.
The actor seemed quite knowledgeable. While Song Ci just thought the patterns looked nice, the man was able to explain the symbolic meanings behind each design, even the significance of different color combinations.
“In this region, people tend to avoid white and yellow, that’s because they use white and yellow chrysanthemums for funerals and memorial rites. Over time, those colors became associated with death and fell out of favor.”
the man said, pointing at the item Song Ci was holding and smiled: “The one you’re holding symbolizes peace and longevity, which is why it doesn’t use white or yellow.”
“But if you look at this one,”
The man pointed to another piece in the hostess’s hands, “this design is meant to calm the spirit and soothe the mind. It uses a bit of white to represent tranquility and yellow to symbolize blessings.”
Song Ci looked skeptically at the fabric in his hands, unsure how a simple accessory could carry so many meanings. But seeing the man’s eyes light up as he spoke with such passion, he politely refrained from expressing any doubts.
Even though the young master had a bad temper, he still knew not to ruin someone’s mood when they were clearly enjoying themselves.
So even when Song Ci started to feel a bit impatient as the man rambled on like he was giving a lecture, he still gave him face and kept nodding along with simple one-word responses.
The hostess looked at the actor in surprise. “Young man, how do you know all this?”
“I’ve run this guesthouse for over ten years, and this is the first time I’ve heard anyone explain it all so clearly.”
She laughed. “Feels like I’m the customer and you’re the owner!”
Only then did the actor stop talking, realizing he might have gone a bit overboard. Embarrassed, he rubbed his nose.
The hostess, having dealt with all sorts of people over the years, noticed the actor’s awkwardness. But her compliment had been genuine, and she felt a little guilty for making him uncomfortable.
With a cheerful wave, she called out to the production crew members scattered nearby. “Come over and take a look—if there’s anything you like, it’s all on me today to thank this young man for his explanation!”
The guests let out cheerful shouts and quickly gathered, excited to see what Song Ci had been looking at.
After all, the young master of the Song family had seen all kinds of high-end custom pieces from luxury international brands, yet he stood at the entrance of the guesthouse, picking and choosing for such a long time.
Song Ci’s eyes were lifeless: …So crowded. Can you all back off a little?
Luckily, Zhao Zhen was quick and sharp-eyed, reaching in to pull Song Ci—who was surrounded by the other guests—out of the crowd, saving the pampered ragdoll cat from having his fine, noble fur rubbed into a mess.
But Song Ci looked up at Zhao Zhen in displeasure.
Zhao Zhen: “?”
He scratched his head in confusion, not sure what he had done wrong again to upset the young master.
Song Ci stomped his foot in frustration. “The one I picked is still hanging there! Idiot, go get it!”
Zhao Zhen could only sigh helplessly. Relying on his long arms and legs, he squeezed back into the crowd again.
The others weren’t really fighting over the little trinkets, but the cheerful, hearty demeanor of the hostess immediately put everyone in a good mood. Plus, receiving these local folk ornaments as gifts showed care and thoughtfulness. They hadn’t even arrived in Longevity Village yet, and already they felt warmly welcomed.
Feeling cheerful, Lu Xingxing started talking a mile a minute, calling the hostess “sister” this and “sister” that. The compliments flowed like a waterfall, so over-the-top they could practically brush shoulders with the sun. Even though the hostess knew this young person was clearly flattering her, she couldn’t help grinning from ear to ear.
Being called “sister” sweetly by a handsome young person—and hearing herself described as a flower blooming in the mountains—how could she not be delighted?
An Nanyuan, who had originally come as the group’s financier, tried to pay but was firmly turned down by the hostess.
“I see you’re all carrying cameras—are you filming some kind of promo video?”
She smiled and said, “Just promote Longevity Village well for us. If business is good on my end too, I’ll be over the moon. Why would I take your money?”
“You young folks are all into branding and image-building these days.” As she spoke, the hostess straightened her collar with a proud look. “Then I’ll give myself a… um… a kind-hearted and generous image. Wouldn’t that appeal to tourists?”
Having run the guesthouse for years and living a peaceful life in the mountains, the hostess rarely kept up with what was happening online. So she didn’t even know what the show Heart-Pounding Journey of Ninety-Nine Days was, or that the people standing in front of her were currently being streamed live.
But her straightforward way of openly saying she wanted to craft her own image took the viewers by surprise—and made her seem unexpectedly charming.
Secretly trying to craft an image tends to feel disingenuous, but when someone’s this honest about it, it suddenly comes across as endearing.
For a moment, the live chat was flooded with comments like “If I go to Longevity Village, I’m definitely staying at the sister’s guesthouse” and “Sister seems so sweet, hahaha.”
An Nanyuan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Since he couldn’t argue with her, he had no choice but to put away his wallet.
“May your business always flourish.”
He said sincerely. “I think anyone who watches our show will fall in love with your image. Really—it’s wonderful.”
Surrounded by a group of exceptionally good-looking young people, and with someone like Lu Xingxing around, spewing flattery so sweet it could circle the earth three times, the hostess burst into cheerful laughter.
She looked toward the male celebrity who was still introducing the textiles to the other guests and asked curiously, “Young man, from your accent, you sound like you’re from the southern region? Where’s your hometown?”
A look of nostalgia briefly flickered across the male celebrity’s face.
He had been raised by his grandmother as a child. Later, he moved to the city with his parents, then entered the entertainment industry and never looked back. His original accent had long faded, lost over time. Now, if he were suddenly asked to speak in his hometown dialect, he probably wouldn’t even remember the words.
He hadn’t expected someone to still pick up on the remnants of his southern accent.
For a moment, he felt as if he had never left—that he was suddenly reconnected to the hometown he had long been separated from.
“I spent my early years in the southern region. Later, my parents came and took me away.”
He smiled and said, “My hometown isn’t far from here, so the accents should be pretty similar.”
Once they heard he was from the south, one of the guesthouse staff, who had been sitting nearby, came over curiously and said something in the local dialect.
What the celebrity heard was: “Jibber jabber jibber jabber.”
His face went blank, and he offered an apologetic smile. “Sorry, my hometown’s a few mountain ranges away from here. I really can’t understand much.”
Although the staff looked a little disappointed, they didn’t mind much and waved it off with a grin as they switched to Mandarin. “Hey, it’s normal. Around here in the south, even one mountain over, customs are completely different. Not understanding is totally normal.”
After the male celebrity finished explaining what each pattern symbolized, everyone had picked out a fabric they liked and returned to the group, satisfied.
Curious, the male celebrity asked the hopkeeper, “I only know about this because my grandma used to tell me about it. She used to make these too. But these fabrics are nearly extinct now. How do you have so many?”
What surprised him the most was the accuracy of the weaves.
His grandmother had been one of the most respected elders in their village, deeply knowledgeable about traditional customs. That was how she had saved him back when he encountered a ghost as a child and why she taught him so many of the village’s folk traditions.
But that had been many years ago.
Since his grandmother passed away and his parents took him to the city, he hadn’t seen folk ornaments this well-made. Even among successors of the craft, many would mix up colors or use the wrong patterns.
Yet what he saw here, in the hopkeeper’s collection, was both exquisitely made and perfectly accurate—just like something his grandmother would have woven herself.
He couldn’t help but grow curious about where these fabrics had come from.
The hostess didn’t feel there was anything to hide. Even if the other party found out where her goods came from, it wouldn’t pose any real competition to her.
Besides, she only softened because the two sisters looked so pitiful. That’s why she agreed to take the handmade items they brought and paid them outright, thinking that such trinkets wouldn’t sell well anyway. She treated it as an act of kindness.
To her, the fact that the crew liked these items felt like an affirmation of her own local culture. Delighted, she gave them away casually—just little things that didn’t cost much—hoping to form some good karma.
But when the male celebrity asked who made the woven goods, she hesitated, unsure if she should reveal the sisters’ identities.
After all, judging by their shabby clothes and the way they always came secretly, it seemed like they didn’t want anyone to know.
She didn’t think it was a big deal, just worried that it might disturb their lives…
After thinking for a moment, the hostess said, “They’re from the village behind the mountain. They wanted to do some handiwork to make ends meet and exchanged them for a bit of money.”
The male celebrity smiled and thanked her. Other than being moved by the fact that these traditions hadn’t died out and being happy that people in the mountains still remembered them, he didn’t dwell on it much.
Yan Shixun watched as everyone ran off toward the guesthouse like they were on a field trip. Even the usually composed variety show celebrity had joined in, and he pressed his temples with a bit of a headache.
Why did this feel more like a primary school spring outing?
And what did that make him—the kindergarten teacher leading the group?
Zhang Wubing had wanted to run over and join them too. But with the cameras rolling and the crew watching him, waiting for him to give directions, he was technically still working. Embarrassed to do something that might undermine his “director’s authority,” he stretched his neck and watched longingly instead, his face full of envy.
Yan Shixun said dryly, “If you want to go, then go.”
Zhang Wubing looked like a puppy trapped in a cage, gazing wistfully at his playmates outside.
When he heard Yan Shixun’s words, he took two steps forward but stopped himself after a moment of internal struggle.
“No need.”
As he spoke, his eyes stayed fixed on the brightly colored woven fabric in Lu Xingxing’s hands. He was clearly yearning for it but pretended otherwise.
The audience watching the main camera feed noticed this interaction and nearly laughed themselves to tears.
[Brother Yan looks like a steady, responsible parent, while Xiao Bing is like the eldest son trying hard to act grown-up.]
[Pfft, the poor kid’s practically drooling—like a kindergartener who didn’t get a piece of candy.]
[Honestly, I just listened to the explanation on the other screen, and even I was tempted. I want one of those pieces.]
[Noted down “Longevity Village” in my travel list. Next time I’ll consider visiting—and grabbing one of those fabrics. They look so pretty.]
A few scattered tourists staying at the guesthouse stepped outside and immediately noticed the group with the cameras. Some even recognized it as the most popular variety show recently, and after a moment of stunned silence, they excitedly approached, asking for autographs and photos.
Yan Shixun had initially planned to refuse. He didn’t think there was any reason for him to give someone his autograph—he wasn’t a celebrity.
That was what he was thinking as he casually turned to grab someone—anyone—to sign instead, only to find that everyone else had completely gone wild. The only people still standing here were him and Zhang Wubing.
Zhang Wubing realized that Yan Shixun didn’t want to do it, so he stepped forward to offer the autograph himself.
But the tourist looked at him in confusion and asked, “Sorry, who are you?”
Zhang Wubing: !!! That hit right in the heart!
Crushed, Zhang Wubing curled up like some kind of formless blob. Yan Shixun chuckled and shoved him aside, then sighed and reluctantly took the paper and pen offered by the tourist. He casually drew a protective talisman and handed it back.
Yan Shixun’s Yan Mais in the split-screen chat were baffled: [???]
[Wuwuwu, it’s Brother Yan’s autograph! I want one too!]
[Wait a second… that messy doodle… is that a talisman?!]
[I’m shocked—this is seriously beyond expectations.]
[Pfft, of course it’s Brother Yan. Everyone else gives a proper autograph or a cute doodle. Only our guy draws an actual spell as his signature.]
When the tourist received Yan Shixun’s “autograph,” he looked dazed.
He wasn’t particularly emotional about this show or Yan Shixun—he’d just seen the program a couple of times and knew it existed.
It was more a case of “Oh, a celebrity! I don’t know who he is, but I might as well get a signature since the chance is rare.” That was his motivation.
But he hadn’t expected… a hand-drawn talisman?!
What kind of operation was that??
Yan Shixun also noticed the man was dressed in outdoor gear and asked curiously, “You’re hiking even in early winter?”
The guide had mentioned earlier that it gets really cold in the mountains this time of year, and camping would be particularly tough.
The man had originally lost interest and was about to turn back to rejoin his teammates, but when he heard Yan Shixun express curiosity about his area of expertise, his enthusiasm reignited. He explained, “No matter the season, it’s always worth coming here.”
That person explained that compared to popular tourist destinations, Longevity Village was more like a sacred spot for mountaineers and backpackers like themselves.
From the very beginning, Longevity Village had gained its reputation through backpackers. Before it was developed, it was these free-spirited travelers who slowly explored and discovered the routes themselves.
“Longevity Village is beautiful all year round, but we avoid the other seasons because of the tourists, so we deliberately chose this season—it’s peaceful.”
The man chuckled and said, “Plus, we’re planning to stay here for quite a while, and it’s inconvenient when the village is crowded with visitors.”
Many people came to Longevity Village not just for its stunning scenery, but more so because of its longstanding reputation for “longevity.”
Some people, suffering from illnesses that couldn’t be cured, would come here out of desperation, hoping that the land and water of the village might somehow heal them.
Initially, when a cancer patient first tried this approach, many tried to dissuade him, saying he’d be better off finding a reliable hospital.
But the patient had already been worn down by the disease—he was emaciated and his money couldn’t support any further treatment. So, with a heart resigned to death, he came to try his luck.
Unexpectedly, a few months later, the same patient left Longevity Village looking radiant, as though he had been completely cured.
He joyfully told others that it was Longevity Village that healed him. He said he felt purified, both physically and spiritually. So now, he planned to wrap up his affairs outside the mountains, leave all his money to his wife and children, and then return to the village alone, never to come out again.
When others questioned him further, he simply said that this was what his condition required.
And so, the patient returned to Longevity Village and, just as he had said, settled there permanently. No one ever saw him again.
His wife and children tried to visit, but the mountainous paths were treacherous and easy to get lost in. After several failed attempts, they eventually gave up.
Some people suspected that maybe he knew he didn’t have much time left and didn’t want to burden his family, so he said those things to find a place to die alone.
But after other patients heard about this, they too went to Longevity Village—and came back just like the first man, claiming they were healed. They insisted Longevity Village was real, not a scam, and also decided to settle there.
As the stories spread, more and more people grew convinced of Longevity Village’s power. They believed the mountains and waters there were truly extraordinary.
Among the backpackers that happened to meet the film crew, there was also one such patient. His family had gone bankrupt trying to treat his illness, and not wanting to drag them down further, he came to Longevity Village after saying his goodbyes.
“We’re all here to heal our bodies and minds—only that one old brother came to cure his illness,”
Said the man who had just asked Yan Shixun for an autograph, smiling: “We’d already asked the villagers to help us find vacant houses. We’re heading up the mountain now.”
The man sighed with emotion, “It’s only after coming to Longevity Village that you realize—this is what life is supposed to be like.”
As soon as he said that, the other few people with backpacks nodded in agreement, their expressions sincere.
Yan Shixun frowned, feeling that something was off.
Why would a tourist spot.. be regarded as some kind of spiritual sanctuary?
Zhang Wubing, on the other hand, nodded in understanding. “I get it. It’s like those people who go to the highlands. They say being close to the sky purifies the soul.”
Yan Shixun, who had never heard of such a method of spiritual purification, thought, “…”
None of the scriptures he’d read ever said anything like that. Where did all of you even hear these ideas? Do they really work?
Yan Shixun was doubtful, but since it was someone else’s choice, he didn’t interfere. He simply nodded,
stepped back a couple of paces, and stayed out of it.It
was only when that seriously ill man walked past Yan Shixun that he clearly saw the man’s sunken, dark eye sockets, the space between his brows so black it looked like someone who had been mining coal for years without washing his face. The man’s actual facial features were even obscured by the thick black aura.
It was clearly a sign of certain death.
Startled, Yan Shixun instinctively pinched his fingers to divine a quick reading—and saw that this man was indeed gravely ill. His family had gone bankrupt trying to treat him. The illness had burrowed into his bones and corrupted his meridians. He didn’t have long to live.
Yet these people swore with utmost certainty that the Longevity Village could cure illnesses…
And there were also previous patients who came because of its reputation, whose experiences served as testimony.
Yan Shixun’s eyes darkened slightly, his gaze following the group as they drifted off the main path.
“Brother Yan, aren’t you going to pick one?”
Bai Shuang came back cheerfully holding a beautiful handmade fabric. “It’s really pretty! I didn’t expect handcrafted things to be this exquisite. I’ll hang it up at home once we’re back.”
Song Ci had initially lost interest in the fabrics due to the noisy crowd pushing to get a look. But as he stared at the small trinket in his hand, he suddenly looked up in confusion and asked Zhang Wubing, “Zhang Dabing, did you buy your Binhai University diploma?”
Zhang Wubing: “???”
What did I ever do to you? Why are you suddenly questioning me like this?
Song Ci rolled his eyes. “Don’t you think this item is perfect for the production team to buy and use for giveaways on social media?”
“This way, people who don’t win would still feel a sense of longing, and the southern region could use this as a cultural product to promote sales, which would help stimulate the local economy. It could also provide job opportunities for those who rely on home-based labor. Most importantly, it would increase audience engagement with the show.”
Zhang Wubing was dumbfounded.
He had wanted to snap back at Song Ci, but unexpectedly, everything Song Ci said made perfect sense. Why hadn’t he thought of that before? For a moment, he even began to doubt himself.
Could it be… I really did buy my diploma?
Zhang Wubing fell into a spiral of self-doubt.
The director team, meanwhile, were nodding enthusiastically, their eyes gleaming with interest. The assistant director had already walked over to the guesthouse, wanting to ask whether they could order the items in bulk.
The hostess looked troubled. “The people who bring these handicrafts don’t come on a regular schedule. Sometimes it’s once a year, sometimes they show up every few days.”
Worried the assistant director might think she was being stingy and unwilling to share her supplier, she quickly added, “These things aren’t worth much money. They just bring them here to exchange for some cash to buy food or essentials. After all, as girls grow up, there are always some necessities…”
She accidentally let slip that it was two sisters bringing the items and immediately regretted it, giving herself a scolding pat on the mouth for not keeping secrets. She quickly changed her story: “Even if you wanted a large quantity, it might not be possible. People aren’t machines, after all.”
The assistant director didn’t think much of her mentioning girls. In his view, such delicate handmade items were clearly made by local women, so he didn’t notice her attempt to cover up.
But Yan Shixun, who had just walked over, heard the word “girls” and instinctively stored the information in his memory.
“Ma’am, may I ask you something? Do people like them…”
Yan Shixun gestured toward the group of backpackers who had already set off. “Do they often come here during winter?”
Though the hostess wasn’t a local, she had run her guesthouse near Longevity Village for over ten years, relying on the attraction’s fame, so she had a fair amount of knowledge.
“If you’re asking specifically about that group, I’ve never seen them before. But if you mean backpackers in general, Longevity Village gets them year-round.”
She smiled as she spoke. “I’ve met a lot of people like that. They’re not like tourists—tourists come and go. These folks think the environment here is nice and consider settling down.”
“Didn’t someone settle down here over a decade ago? They even wrote a blog to document their life. Come to think of it, it was that blogger who inspired me to start my own business here. But they stopped updating the blog eventually, and I haven’t seen them since.”
She sighed with emotion. “More and more people have come in recent years. Some because of stress, others looking for a place to quietly wait for the end—hoping they might get lucky and be cured. And those people really did settle down in the village. None of them have been seen coming back down from the mountain in all these years.”
An employee nearby joked, “Like hermits, huh?”
The hostess laughed. “Pretty much. But I’m just someone trying to make a living—I can’t understand that kind of mindset, haha.”
The employee was about to say something else when his eyes suddenly lit up. He stood from his little stool and ran toward someone behind Yan Shixun.
“Boss, let me carry those.”
Hearing this, Yan Shixun turned around and saw a man with sun-darkened skin walking over.
The man wore traditional local clothes. Despite the early winter chill, his two muscular arms were bare, as if he didn’t feel the cold.
He was holding two large buckets, one in each hand, and carrying a huge backpack on his back. Some dirt and crops peeked out from the bag.
After the employee took the buckets from him, the man let out a long breath and wiped his sweat with a towel.
But Yan Shixun didn’t see any sweat glistening on his forehead.
The hostess also noticed and smiled as she asked, “Was the trip smooth?”
The man nodded but looked worried. “My phone can’t record videos, so I don’t have any proof that I actually fetched this water fresh from the stream. Sigh… once we send it out, if people say it’s no good and leave bad reviews, our online store rating is going to drop again.”
The hostess comforted him, “It’s okay. As long as we do things with a clear conscience, we’ve got nothing to be ashamed of. If others don’t understand, there’s nothing we can do, right?”
The man seemed comforted, and his expression relaxed.
As he turned slightly, he saw Yan Shixun and the others, smiled warmly, and said, “Welcome!”
But the hostess lightly smacked his arm and said, “They’re heading to Longevity Village, not staying here.”
The man suddenly understood and then smiled as he said to Yan Shixun, “Then you’ve come to the right place. Longevity Village is a great spot—I feel uneasy if I don’t visit it for a few days.”
“If you’re sick or feeling off, just spend some time there. I guarantee it’ll cure everything.”
He patted his chest in a sincere, honest manner, vouching with full confidence.
The hostess burst into laughter out of frustration and remarked that it was rude to jinx someone with illness. Then, she awkwardly turned around and apologized to Yan Shixun.
The man chuckled too, not at all offended, and admitted that he wasn’t good with words.
Watching the couple’s warm and affectionate interaction, Yan Shixun gave a slight smile, nodded politely in acknowledgment, then turned and left the guesthouse, choosing not to intrude on their moment.
Just then, the tour guide began calling everyone to set off, saying it was the perfect time to head into the mountains—any later and it might get dark.
The mountain path was rough, and everyone carried their own luggage. The weight quickly sapped their strength. Apart from Zhao Zhen and An Nanyuan, who were used to regular physical training, the others were soon gasping for breath.
However, because they’d each been given a small souvenir earlier, everyone remained in high spirits. They didn’t mind the exhaustion and continued chatting with one another, smiling as they compared their little trinkets. Some asked what meanings were behind the choices, curious why each person picked the symbol they did.
Once they entered the mountains, Yan Shixun—familiar with the southern terrain from previous visits—handled the challenging paths with ease, unfazed by the steep or slippery ground.
While others tiptoed cautiously over the stones in the stream, pants rolled up and arms flailing for balance, Yan Shixun moved like a swallow, gracefully leaping with his long legs straight to the opposite bank. Hands tucked casually in his coat pockets, he stood relaxed, watching the others struggle with faint amusement.
Song Ci gritted his teeth. “Brother Yan, do you know how punchable you look right now? Like that one guy during military training in college who just watched everyone suffer from the sidelines.”
Yan Shixun raised an eyebrow. “If you want to hit me, I won’t stop you—if you’re strong enough.”
Song Ci: “…………”
He now deeply understood that some people deserve a punch because they provoke others without having the strength to back it up. But someone like Yan Shixun, whose strength didn’t even seem human… Well, with him, all you could do was endure. There was no winning.
After all, he couldn’t beat him!
So unfair.
The young master’s face flushed red with frustration, but he had no choice but to grit his teeth, lower his head, and keep watching his step.
The rocks in the stream were slippery and treacherous. A single careless move could send someone into the icy water. Song Ci didn’t want to get soaked in such cold weather. If he got sick, he’d become a burden in the mountains.
Zhao Zhen, stifling his laughter, extended a hand to help support Song Ci.
The guide tried to reassure them. “Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it. There are over twenty more stretches of road like this ahead.”
Everyone: “…………”
That’s your idea of comforting us?!
While the group groaned and sighed, Yan Shixun’s gaze fell on Ye Li.
Ever since they got off the vehicle, Ye Li’s mood had seemed off. His face remained dark and cold.
Although Ye Li never had the best temper, the contrast in his behavior around Yan Shixun made it easy for someone like Yan Shixun—who had seen both sides of him—to read his real emotions.
Ye Li… was angry.
Yan Shixun frowned and asked, “Are you feeling unwell? Or did you see something?”
Something that might have upset a spirit or ghost?
Ye Li’s thin lips moved slightly, but all he said in a low voice was, “No. Just remembered something unpleasant.”
It had happened many years ago… before he met Shixun at the market.
Now that his mindset had changed, there was no reason to let past memories cloud his judgment.
Ye Li’s indifferent gaze swept across the steep slopes and eventually returned to Yan Shixun.
He noticed the faint concern in Yan Shixun’s eyes, and just like that, his bad mood vanished.
“Let’s go.”
Ye Li smiled as he spoke.
After much effort, encouragement, and cheering from the guide, everyone finally managed to cross the twenty or so difficult mountain paths, pass through the forest, and cross the small streams. They had finally reached Longevity Village.
When they saw the village from a distance, Lu Xingxing, completely exhausted, collapsed onto the ground with a thud, looking like a husky that had been dragged around, staring blankly with no desire to move.
“You guys are so lucky, but look at me!”
Lu Xingxing slapped his backpack repeatedly, indignantly shouting, “I’ve got a whole bag of books here—books! The heaviest and hardest things to carry!”
Song Ci was speechless. “Who told you to bring them?”
Lu Xingxing retorted, “My master would’ve beaten me to death if I didn’t carry them!”
Yan Shixun leisurely stretched his long legs and walked past Lu Xingxing, giving him a friendly fist pump of encouragement.
“Knowledge is power. Taoist Song was only thinking of you.”
Lu Xingxing: “…………”
The person who wanted to punch him the most was the one he couldn’t fight back against!
The guide cheerfully said, “Everyone, just wait here. I’ll go call the villagers over.”
Except for Yan Shixun, the others weakly waved their hands, only wanting to find a bed and lie down. They didn’t even have the energy to say another word.
……….
In the guesthouse, the hostess was cleaning up the dishes after their meal.
When she saw her husband’s bowl still full of soup, she raised an eyebrow in confusion and muttered, “Huh?”
He hadn’t had even a sip. Was the soup not good today?
Curious, she tasted it herself and thought it tasted fine. Still puzzled, she went to ask her husband, “Would you like me to make a different soup?”
The man, having just chopped a pile of firewood, straightened up, wiped the sweat off his forehead, and waved his hand dismissively. “No need, I drank plenty of water on the way to Longevity Village. I’m not thirsty.”
The hostess glanced at the large cup of tea next to him, which was still full, untouched.
Wasn’t he thirsty after doing all that hard work?
She found it strange but didn’t think much of it, simply nodding as she turned to walk away.
As she passed the water bucket, the hostess suddenly remembered a review she’d seen online about someone killing their fish.
She took a sip of the water herself, still puzzled. There was nothing wrong with it, so how could that happen?
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