Jiang Xi felt her vision blurring, her heart pounding uncontrollably, and a feeling of immense pressure in her chest, as if a thousand pounds of air were about to burst out. Suddenly, many images flashed through her mind.

Some children sat with their parents in the old house, warming themselves by the fire and watching TV, while others rode bicycles home with Yan Zheng when they were teenagers.

Most of the time, she sat in her grandmother's lap, waiting for her grandmother to peel persimmons. Her grandmother's embrace was so warm.

Countless moments flowed through her mind, like the intangible wind, rising and falling in her short life.

Just as she was about to lose her composure, the hunter in front of her finally gave up the search and began to turn around.

The black bear strolled off to forage elsewhere, and only when the footsteps faded into the distance did both of them breathe a sigh of relief.

After an unknown amount of time, when the sweat on his body had been soaked and dried repeatedly, and when he could no longer hear any sounds other than birdsong, Yan Zheng finally put down his sword.

At this moment, they finally relaxed completely, and Yan Zheng buried his head in Jiang Xi's shoulder, breathing heavily.

Whether it was lingering fear or the exhilaration of surviving a close call, he felt his blood begin to flow again, and his hands, which were supporting him at his sides, unconsciously tightened around Jiang Xi's shoulders.

Jiang Xi's eyes reddened from holding her breath. Suddenly, her shoulder was tightened and she let out a faint, pained gasp, but to his ears it sounded like a deadly poison.

Reason and impulse were torn apart within him. He trembled violently, his body trembling as he searched and frantically sought a solace. Jiang Xi lay beneath him, feeling his firm, warm chest and the taut heat beneath her.

From ear to cheek, and then to soft lips, breaths mingled in the small cracks in the rocks, ambiguity lingered in dizziness and trembling, followed by an intense and relentless kiss and sucking, a restless and anxious exchange.

What could be more out of control than this moment?

Seemingly devoid of love or resentment, Yan Zheng's actions showed no tenderness or restraint, but rather a release of pressure. He was fierce and domineering, trapping her beneath him, his grip on her shoulders tightening, cold and ruthless yet forceful.

Jiang Xi frowned slightly and had no choice but to tilt her head back slightly to meet his gaze. She didn't know whether to cry or laugh, but she instinctively tried her best to steal his breath. Tears streamed down her face, as if she were struggling and defying her helpless situation.

This embrace reminded her of the sweltering summer of her first year of high school.

As the final exams approached, Jiang Xi's math scores remained low, so she enrolled in a tutoring class near the school.

It was a dark night, and the weather forecast predicted a storm. The wind picked up as soon as get out of class ended.

The streetlights, perhaps due to years of disrepair, flickered shakily in the wind a few times before going completely out by the time Jiang Xi reached the corner.

There are usually few people passing through the alley. Looking at the dark intersection, she clenched her hand holding the shoulder strap of her schoolbag and cheered herself up. She was only five minutes away from home. After turning the corner, she could just jog and be there in no time.

Just as I turned the corner, a man carrying a bottle of liquor, wearing a crooked narrow-brimmed hat, and muttering something under his breath, staggered out of the alleyway.

As night deepened, the face of the person approaching could not be seen clearly. The figure was limping and trembling, with an odd posture.

The lights behind him made him appear exceptionally tall and eerie, and Jiang Xi got goosebumps all over her body.

The indistinct dialect words drilled into Jiang Xi's ears, making her legs weak and unable to lift them; fear accumulated in her brain.

She steeled herself, lowered her head, and quickened her pace. Her instincts compelled her not to stop, but fear made her legs weak and unable to run.

The footsteps behind her grew closer and closer. Because of the darkness and her panic, she couldn't see the road clearly. She tripped over something and fell forward.

Suddenly, her shoulder sank, and she unexpectedly bumped into a warm chest, then a pair of hands pulled her firmly into their embrace.

"Come home with me."

A voice unique to teenagers going through puberty rang out from above her head, devoid of warmth yet brimming with power, like a potent tranquilizer, giving her immense peace of mind.

That was the first time she had been so close to him, burying her face in his chest as he held her shoulders, leading her away from that gloomy place.

The streetlights in the alley were repaired the next day and stopped flickering. Every now and then, elderly men and women wearing red armbands would wander around the intersection.

Most importantly, Yan Zheng, who has always excelled in math, also appeared at the tutoring class, waiting for her to finish class every day so they could go home together.

From that day on, many unspoken thoughts, sensitive and hidden, seemed to become a silent agreement between the two of them.

Jiang Xi felt dizzy and disoriented in the scorching air, as if she were on a weightless roller coaster, going up and down. In her dazed state, she couldn't distinguish between the past and the present, but she couldn't help but murmur to herself.

“Ah Zheng”.

His movements faltered, and his rapid breathing gradually subsided in Jiang Xi's ears, like a bucket of cold water being poured onto a hot iron.

He then rolled over and lay down beside Jiang Xi.

Jiang Xi gently touched her injured lip with her finger and felt that it must be bleeding. She had never been so crazy in her life. There was an indescribable feeling in the air.

After a long while, his hoarse voice was heard: "I'm sorry."

Jiang Xi wondered, what was the reason? Was it lingering feelings? Or was it that he couldn't let go? That made him lose control like this.

She couldn't sort out her thoughts at that moment, nor did she know whether she felt fortunate or regretful.

Is she fortunate that she can still use his lingering feelings to salvage a chance in this kind of place? She seeks his protection by posing as his former lover.

Or do you regret that you made such a hasty choice in this relationship?

She loathed the scheming she was now filled with, and regretted that she hadn't had the courage to forge ahead.

The atmosphere was both awkward and oppressive. Jiang Xi deliberately changed the subject, but then, remembering his worried look before bed, she tentatively asked, "Did you have a premonition that this thing would come?"

"I'm not sure, maybe it's an occupational hazard." His voice was low and hoarse, still cryptic.

Yes, he had spent two years in the deep mountains and dense forests, and must have encountered many such dangers. Her heart skipped a beat, a sour and swollen feeling, as if a stone had been lodged in her throat.

After this experience, Jiang Xi instinctively felt that they could no longer stay in this place; they couldn't take the risk.

Before dawn, as soon as they saw a glimmer of light, the two began packing. Since they had packed everything last night, it saved them a lot of trouble today. Yan Zheng slung his backpack over his shoulder and took an axe, while Jiang Xi carried the thick clothes that the two of them had tied together with vines on her back.

Not knowing if there would be enough food to fill their stomachs on the road ahead, Jiang Xi really couldn't bear to leave these chestnut trees. At least with these trees, the two of them wouldn't have to worry about food. After discussing it, they finally decided to fill their backpacks before continuing.

We ran quickly to the tree, one of us knocking and the other peeling, trying to keep up the pace. We couldn't even zip up the backpack, so we ended up having to take the water bottle out and put it in the side pocket of the backpack.

As dawn approached, accompanied by the morning light and a thin mist, and carrying a bounty of chestnuts and hawthorns, the two set off again, heading towards the highlands where mountain ranges could be seen ahead.