Chapter Thirty-Five: Sorry, Miss, I'm late.

Time passed unnoticed in the cave, and Chen Qing had no idea how long she had slept. When she opened her eyes, the cave was still dark, with only the moss shimmering with a faint light.

The weight loss section in the system shop has been refreshed! Chen Qing actually lost five pounds yesterday!

There are a total of 2,500 weight loss points!

I'm no longer worried about starving to death in the cave!

Chen Qing was overjoyed, because she hadn't lost so much weight in a long time.

"System, system, why did I lose so much weight yesterday? Will this affect my health?"

Chen Qing couldn't help but worry. She hadn't eaten or drunk anything yesterday and had even cut off a piece of flesh. If losing weight affected her health, it would be a huge loss.

Moreover, through the consultation system, Chen Qing found the reasons that helped her lose weight and was able to address them accordingly.

The system can answer any question related to weight loss. Sure enough, the system quickly scanned Chen Qing's body and found out why she lost five pounds in one day.

Excessive exercise, extreme fright and exhaustion, plus...

kiss.

Scientific research shows that deep kissing can help people lose weight.

Chen Qing was completely baffled. Where did this scientific research come from? How come she didn't know about it?

However, since the system said so, it means that kissing does indeed help with weight loss.

Thinking about it carefully, kissing the Milky Way doesn't actually feel so bad.

He shouldn't refuse to kiss me, right?

Lost in thought, Chen Qing suddenly noticed that Yinhe was not nearby. She quickly got up, and her injured arm suddenly throbbed with pain, causing her to gasp.

Yinhe was digging a tunnel when he heard Chen Qing's voice and rushed over immediately.

"You're awake?"

Chen Qing quickly summoned the system to exchange for healing potions. She already had enough points for weight loss, so there was no need to save a little and make herself suffer.

After using the healing agent, Chen Qing's bandaged wound seemed to heal quickly and was less painful.

Yinhe thought she had aggravated her wound, so she grabbed her hand and wanted to see it, saying, "Let me see."

His tone was firm and unyielding.

Afraid of being exposed, Chen Qing quickly wrapped her arms around his waist and scolded him first, "Where did you go? I woke up and couldn't find you. Do you know how scared I was?"

With a soft, warm body pressed against him, Yinhe's body stiffened, and he even started to stutter.

“I, I didn’t go far, I was digging a cave right there.”

He instinctively wrapped his arms around Chen Qing's waist and even pinched it, but Chen Qing slapped his hand away, saying, "You're so annoying, don't pinch me!"

It makes her look like she has a lot of fat on her body. Chen Qing also cares about her appearance!

Yinhe chuckled quietly, "Very cute."

Hearing him praise her cuteness, Chen Qing didn't roll her eyes. "I just found some food in my sleeve. Let's share it first, and then I'll dig a cave with you."

Yinhe did not suspect anything. He had not searched Chen Qing's body. It was normal for Chen Qing to be wearing thick clothes and carrying food.

Chen Qing exchanged for two pieces of braised beef and four large steamed buns, which the two of them shared for the time being.

"There's some food that we need to save. I'll keep it safe. You don't mind, do you?"

Yinhe shook his head; why would he have any objections?

And so, Chen Qing began his great operation to escape the cave.

She was in charge of planning supplies and directing operations. Chen Qing strictly controlled food and water rations, dividing a day's worth of food into two or even three days' worth. Most of the time, they survived by drinking spring water.

Hunger was ever-present, and waves of burning pain would come from my stomach.

Fearing that Yinhe might notice something was wrong, Chen Qing even considered eating moss to survive.

Yinhe was in charge of the physical labor and safety. He used the scattered rocks in the cave and the clay by the hot spring to try to reinforce the cave's weak points and prevent secondary collapses.

He also used sharpened stones and some simple materials provided by Chen Qing to make several rudimentary animal traps, which he placed in the gaps in the ground, hoping to catch some small creatures that had wandered in, but unfortunately, the results were minimal.

In his spare time, Chen Qing endured hunger and weakness and still insisted on doing what he could in the cave, such as walking and stretching.

Every movement was strenuous, but Chen Qing refused to stop. For her, becoming thinner meant having a greater chance of survival.

Yinhe never tried to stop her. When Chen Qing exercised, Yinhe would watch her with only heartache in his eyes. He began to learn to take care of her, carrying her to a hot spring to bathe after she was covered in sweat from exercising, to help her recover from her fatigue.

The hot spring water in the cave is around 40 to 50 degrees Celsius, making it the perfect place for a relaxing bath.

On the second day in the cave, Chen Qing couldn't stand the filth on his body and chose to take a bath in the hot spring.

At first, she asked Yinhe to go further away, such as to dig a cave, so that she could hear what Yinhe was doing and make sure he wouldn't peek.

Yinhe was very obedient and did not go against her wishes. Chen Qing even wondered if she was overthinking things. What man would want to peek at her body?

After all, Chen Qing sometimes didn't dare to look at her for long because she was just too chubby.

Soaking in the comfortable hot spring water was the most pleasant time of Chen Qing's day. She leaned against the hot spring pool, her long hair soaking in the water. She wasn't afraid of getting wet because Yinhe was there and could use his internal energy to help her dry her hair quickly.

Chen Qing then began soaking in the hot spring without any restraint.

One day, two days, three days passed by, and Yinhe's digging of the tunnel was beginning to show results. He had dug out part of the tunnel, but it was still unknown how long it would take to complete it.

Their food was almost gone.

Chen Qing wasn't lacking in food; she was just afraid of arousing Yinhe's suspicion.

In the darkness, only the two of them depended on each other for survival. Chen Qing disliked the darkness, so in her spare time, she would chat with Yinhe.

"Why did those men in black want to kill you?" This was the question Chen Qing had been asking all along.

Yinhe stood behind her, acting as a human cushion, answering Chen Qing's questions: "Someone doesn't want me to return to Hanxing Pavilion alive."

"Internal strife?" Chen Qing raised an eyebrow, not surprised. Wherever there are people, there is a world of intrigue, and assassin organizations are no exception.

"Hmm." Yinhe didn't say much; this was a secret of the Cold Star Pavilion. But he looked at Chen Qing, "I've dragged you into this."

"What's the point of saying all this? We're in this together now," Chen Qing waved her hand, and the next second, Yinhe grabbed her hand and started counting her fingers one by one. "Do you know who ordered this?"

After a moment of silence, Yinhe did not answer directly. He said, "The drug they gave me was Bone-Corroding Incense. Those in Hanxing Pavilion who can use this kind of poison are of a high level."

"Bone-corroding fragrance?"

Chen Qing was somewhat curious.

Yinhe said, "Those who are poisoned by this will be paralyzed and weak all over. After twelve hours, their tendons and veins will be severed. Even if they survive, they will become a cripple."

Chen Qing was horrified. Could there really be such a vicious poison in the world?

"Did you take the antidote?"

Yinhe shook his head, he was also puzzled, "No, but the poison has been neutralized. I think it should be related to the blood you fed me."

When Yinhe was trained as an assassin at Hanxing Pavilion, he had seen many poisons and naturally had some knowledge of antidotes. He recognized from the bloodstains left by Chen Qing that Chen Qing's blood seemed to be a natural antidote.

"Why can your blood be used as an antidote?"

Chen Qing's eyes turned slightly cold as she realized that Chen Jiao and her mother had been drugging her since she was a child in an attempt to harm her.

"That's why I've gotten so fat. If I hadn't been lucky enough to find the antidote, I probably would never have been able to lose weight and would have just gotten fatter."

Upon hearing this, Yinhe said decisively, "Once we get out, I'll kill them."

"Should I thank you?" Chen Qing looked up, and from her angle, she could just see Yinhe's Adam's apple. He hadn't shaved for a few days, and his bluish stubble was a bit prickly.

He was born with handsome features, so beautiful that it was hard to tell if he was male or female. After growing a little stubble, he became even more masculine.

Chen Qing reached out and touched his chin; his Adam's apple bobbed slightly, which was very sexy.

Chen Qing pulled him by the collar, drawing him closer, and placed a kiss on his Adam's apple.

Yinhe, without any instruction, leaned over and kissed her.

Their lips met, and the two exchanged their warmth.

The Milky Way looks cold, but when it kisses you, it's like a blazing fire, with undercurrents surging and a frightening heat.

Chen Qing could barely breathe, clutching Yinhe's collar tightly, "Wait... ugh... you bastard!"

Having tasted the sweetness of Yinhe, he finally let go of Chen Qing. Chen Qing, panting, leaned against him, looking like a cloud, gentle and lovely.

Ever since the system said that kissing is good for weight loss, Chen Qing has been kissing Yinhe whenever she has nothing to do. As long as she gives a little signal, Yinhe will take the initiative to come over and kiss her hard until Chen Qing protests.

The hardness behind her had become undeniable, and Chen Qing naturally knew what it was. Yinhe embraced her tightly, resting his chin on her shoulder, his breathing remaining calm and steady, as if nothing had happened.

Chen Qing blushed. Although she had little experience and only knew Shao Yang, she knew that it was very uncomfortable for a man to be in that state.

Yinhe has a lot of potential; at least from Chen Qing's furtive observation, he's much more capable than Shao Yang.

Does he really not feel anything? Doesn't it need to be addressed?

Chen Qing's mind was full of curiosity. That damned man from Shaoyang treated women like dogs, which was disgusting. Chen Qing realized from him that men's lust was as natural as breathing.

During the few days that Yinhe spent with her, a lone man and a woman, both lightly dressed, in the darkness, Yinhe never revealed his bestial nature.

He basically did whatever Chen Qing asked him to do, and he never protested.

Chen Qing's wicked sense of humor kicked in, and she deliberately squeezed herself closer to Yinhe's embrace. Soft and gentle as jade, with such a beauty in her arms, even a man as cold as Yinhe felt his breathing become heavier.

Chen Qing chuckled, but Yinhe caught him red-handed. He sucked on Chen Qing's earlobe and mumbled, "What are you laughing at?"

"Hmph, what's it to you?"

Yinhe chuckled, the vibrations of her chest making Chen Qing even more embarrassed. Her hand, like a snake, slid across Yinhe's chest, feeling the muscles throbbing beneath her. Chen Qing seemed somewhat intoxicated.

No one knows who started it, but Chen Qing kissed him again.

She didn't know how many days she had spent in the cave, but Chen Qing had lost a lot of weight. If it weren't for the system, she would have died long ago.

On this day, the Milky Way made a new discovery while exploring the crevice.

"There's a sound!" His voice held a rare hint of excitement. "Listen!"

Chen Qing struggled to crawl over and listened intently. Apart from the faint sound of the wind, she seemed to hear... an extremely subtle knocking sound, and the faint sound of someone talking.

"So many days have passed, even if she were still alive, she should have starved to death long ago! Pei Xuan, are you coming with me or not!? I can't stay here and indulge your whims any longer! Come with me!"

Outside the cave, Pei Xuan and Li Yi were digging diligently. Li Yi had just returned from being punished at Hanxing Pavilion and dared not delay for a moment. Upon learning that Chen Qing was buried in the avalanche, Li Yi broke down but then rallied.

"The young lady couldn't possibly be dead! She must still be waiting for me to save her!"

Pei Xuan thought so too. No one understood Chen Qing's strangeness better than him. Perhaps, just perhaps, Chen Qing was still alive.

So from the day Chen Qing was trapped, Pei Xuan and Wang Zhongxiao never gave up searching for him. After Li Yi returned, he also joined the search.

Unfortunately, they hadn't found anything in the past few days.

Until a few days ago, Xiao Wu accidentally fell down and heard a rhythmic knocking sound coming from the crack in the stone. She called Li Yi and Pei Xuan over and asked them to listen as well. Sure enough, they both heard it!

Li Yi and the others shouted loudly, but received no response from Chen Qing. They figured he must be too far away, so Li Yi began to search for a place where a cave might be hidden.

Persistence pays off, and they finally found the crevice closest to Chen Qing.

"Young Miss! Young Miss! Are you down there?"

Upon hearing Li Yi's voice, Chen Qing was so excited she almost cried out. She quickly stood up, waving her hands frantically, "It's me! Li Yi! You're back!"

"It really is the young lady!"

"The young lady is still alive!"

Pei Xuan was incredibly excited, wishing he could immediately dig through the mountain and rescue Chen Qing.

"Sister Qing, wait for me, I'll save you right now!"

Chen Jiao stood there stunned. Chen Qing was still alive! How could she be so lucky?!

Eight days ago, Chen Qing was buried under the snow mountain. Chen Zhenyan immediately wanted to send people home. They stole Chen Qing's carriage, left Pei Xuan, Xiao Wu, and Wang Zhong behind, and gave them very little.

Unexpectedly, a few days later, Chen Jiao had a change of heart and returned, intending to persuade Pei Xuan to give up looking for Chen Qing and to return to the Chen family with her to enjoy a life of comfort.

Pei Xuan not only coldly rejected her, but also asked her to send people to dig through the mountain with him to find Chen Qing, only to be met with Chen Jiao's ruthless reply: "She is definitely dead!"

Hearing Chen Qing's voice coming from below, Chen Jiao's face contorted in shock.

Why, why is this damned woman still alive!

Upon discovering that Li Yi and Pei Xuan were trying to save him, Chen Qing immediately regained his composure and rallied.

Hope, like a ray of light in the darkness, instantly illuminated their hearts, which were on the verge of despair.

To leave the cave, they had to crawl into the narrow cavern.

"But...we can't get through." Chen Qing looked at the narrow gap, and the hope that had just been ignited dimmed again.

Yinhe remained silent for a moment, her gaze falling on Chen Qing's noticeably thinner face and figure. The inhuman torment she had endured these past few days had caused her to lose weight at a visible rate; her once round cheeks now had a clear outline, and her waist had become much slimmer.

"Let's try again."