Chapter 52 The Unfortunate Couple
Li Fu and two young men from the village committee waited anxiously for a long time behind the relatively safe rocks.
The heavy rain outside finally subsided, from the previous downpour to a drizzle, but the sky was completely dark, and the mountains and forests were pitch black. Only the faint beams of light from their headlamps swayed in the rain.
"The rain is getting lighter. We should try to go down and look for it!" Li Fu was extremely anxious and could not wait any longer.
The two young men agreed, and the three of them carefully followed the gentle slope they had come down, trying to find a path that would lead them down to where Zhou Ai and Chu Yi had fallen.
However, the sight they saw, illuminated by their headlamps, was devastating. The previously small landslide had expanded under the continued heavy rain, leaving a massive pile of mud, rocks, and broken logs at the bottom of the slope. Any remaining path had been completely buried and washed away. The slope was incredibly steep and slippery, making it impossible to find a foothold.
"No! Doctor Li! We can't go down! It's too dangerous!" A young man used a stick to test the soil at the edge, and the soft mud immediately fell down, unable to bear the weight of a person at all.
"Try my phone! Is there a signal?!" Li Fu suddenly remembered and hurriedly took out his phone. The other two also immediately took out their phones.
On the screen, the signal bar was completely empty, making it impossible to place an emergency call. The heavy rain and landslides had likely destroyed the already weak communication base stations in the mountains.
"No signal! I can't get through at all!"
Despair once again set in. They were trapped here, with both going up and down extremely difficult, and rescue impossible.
Silence permeated the three of them, with only the sound of raindrops hitting the heavy atmosphere.
Ah Liang looked at the dark and precipitous mountain road, then at the exhausted and pale Li Fu and his equally frightened companion. He spoke again with difficulty, "Doctor Li, this road is too dangerous, and it's completely dark now. It's extremely difficult for the three of us to return to the village, let alone go down to find someone. Going down would be suicide!"
He took a breath and continued, "Besides, the food we brought is almost gone, and we're running out of energy. What I mean is... the three of us can't be separated anymore! We have to act together! Our only hope now is for the three of us to look after each other and do our best to sneak back to the village! Only by returning can we quickly organize an equipped and experienced rescue team! If we stay here, we can't do anything and will only exhaust ourselves!"
Li Fu leaned against the cold, wet rock, rain running down his graying hair. He knew full well that what Aliang said was the most realistic and rational choice.
In such severe weather and environment, the success rate of the three of them going down to search and rescue is almost zero, and the greater possibility is that there will be new casualties.
Li Fu closed his eyes painfully, bloodshot eyes filled with a sense of powerlessness and immense guilt. His voice was hoarse: "... Let's go... Let's go back together. We must... We must bring people back as soon as possible..."
He didn't dare to think about the situation Zhou Ai and Chu Yi might be facing at the moment, and could only force himself to grasp the only hope of "going back to report the news."
The other young man also breathed a sigh of relief. He really didn't have the courage to stay alone in this dark and terrifying mountainside.
After reaching a consensus, the three of them did not dare to delay any longer and hurried back.
————
On this side, Chu Yi was sleeping in Zhou Ai's arms, sounding extremely sweet, as if wrapped in soft "cotton".
Zhou Ai was holding Chu Yi in his arms, completely awake. He checked from time to time to see if Chu Yi was cold, while also paying attention to adding firewood.
Halfway through the sleep, Chu Yi opened his eyes hazily in Zhou Ai's arms. When his eyes met Zhou Ai's, he muttered softly, "Why did I dream about you again?" Then he rubbed his face against Zhou Ai's chest and fell into a deep sleep.
When Zhou Ai saw Chu Yi open his eyes, he felt a moment of panic, but when he saw that Chu Yi seemed to be just talking in his sleep, he breathed a sigh of relief.
As for the casual mention of dream talk, he didn't hear it clearly, "Did I dream about you again?"
Zhou Ai didn't dare to be so confident as to attribute this "again" and "you" to herself. She could only feel sour bubbles in her heart and foolishly continued to hold Chu Yi in her arms, staring at the fire in the bonfire in a daze.
Zhou Ai had no memory of when he fell asleep.
It was already dawn outside the cave, and the rain had completely stopped at some point. The fire in the cave had long since gone out, with no one adding wood, leaving only a pile of gray embers.
Zhou Ai suddenly woke up, and his first reaction was to look down at his arms. Chu Yi was still sleeping peacefully in his arms, his cheek pressed against his chest, breathing evenly.
Zhou Ai finally breathed a sigh of relief, but then realized that the fire was out and the temperature in the cave had dropped a lot.
He subconsciously wanted to move, to add some firewood or check the situation. This movement was a bit too big and immediately involved the person in his arms.
Chu Yi's handsome eyebrows were slightly frowned, and his thick eyelashes trembled a few times, as if his sweet dream was disturbed. He uttered a vague sleepy mumble and opened his eyes reluctantly and slowly.
The vision was hazy at first, then gradually focused.
The first thing that caught his eye was Zhou Ai's well-defined jaw, then the protruding Adam's apple, and then looking up, he met a pair of nervous eyes that were staring at him closely.
Their eyes met.
Chu Yi's brain was still in the chaotic state of just waking up, but soon, the body's perception awakened before consciousness.
He clearly felt that he was being tightly embraced by a pair of strong arms, his back and legs were covered with warm clothes, and his cheek was closely pressed against a warm and broad chest. He could even feel the strong heartbeat rhythm underneath through the thin clothes.
Zhou Ai...
I... was completely nestled in Zhou Ai's arms? !
The air seemed to freeze.
So... that wasn't a dream?
That warm embrace that he had thought was a dream, where he had even muttered, "Why did I dream of you again?", was actually the real Zhou Ai?!
Chu Yi subconsciously wanted to break free from Zhou Ai's arms and sit up, but because he moved too hastily, he accidentally touched his injured ankle, and the pain made him groan.
Seeing this, Zhou Ai no longer cared about her own embarrassment and the secret jealousy. She quickly loosened her arms and held him nervously: "Don't move! Watch your feet!"
Chu Yi used Zhou Ai's strength to steady his body, but did not dare to look up at him. He glanced at the extinguished fire beside him in panic, his heart beating like a drum and his mind in a mess.
So… not only did he sleep in someone's arms all night, but he also… talked in his sleep like that? Did Zhou Ai hear it?
Zhou Ai looked at Chu Yi's red cheeks and evasive eyes, and his heart was also in turmoil.
He carefully released his hand and stood up as naturally as possible. He stretched his body, which had become numb and stiff from holding the same position for so long, and said in a hoarse voice, "The fire is out. I... I'll go see if I can start it again. You... you should rest for a while."
The two of them reluctantly ate a few compressed biscuits with cold water to replenish their energy.
After finishing his biscuits, Zhou Ai began to neatly pack his two backpacks. He stuffed most of the food, drinking water, and important rescue supplies, including the remaining box of medicine oil, into his large backpack. He weighed it and found it heavy.
However, when picking up Chu Yi's relatively smaller backpack, Zhou Ai only stuffed the two of them's wet clothes and the thin down jacket lining into it, zipped it up, and the whole bag still looked deflated and almost weightless.
"It's daybreak and the rain has stopped. We must find a way out and find the way up." Zhou Ai said as he handed the light backpack to Chu Yi and motioned him to put it on his back.
Chu Yi took the backpack and was stunned by its weight. He subconsciously weighed it, and it felt soft and fluffy, clearly empty of anything heavy. He immediately understood Zhou Ai's intention—to take on all the weight himself.
Chu Yi glanced at his ankle, which was still red and swollen and painful when he exerted force, and then looked at the bulging bag behind Zhou Ai, which was obviously very heavy. Then he thought of the unknown mountain road outside, which would definitely be extremely difficult to walk on.
A heavy feeling of powerlessness and the unwillingness to drag others down instantly gripped him.
Chu Yi clutched his backpack and remained silent for a few seconds. He raised his head and looked at Zhou Ai, who was tying his shoelaces. His voice was calm, but with a subtle hint of difficulty: "Zhou Ai, please put me here."
Zhou Ai suddenly stopped tying her shoelaces, and tightened her shoelaces with her fingers, but did not look up.
Chu Yi continued to analyze calmly, trying to make his proposal sound the most reasonable. "My legs are like this, so I can't walk far. Following you would only be a burden, greatly slowing down your speed and sapping your energy. If you go alone and travel light, your chances of finding your way back to find someone will be greater. I'll wait for you here. Be frugal with the food in your bag; it'll last a few days. It's relatively safe here, and there's water..."
Before he could finish his words, he was interrupted by Zhou Ai's action.
Zhou Ai stood up suddenly, and with a "swish" sound, he pulled the zipper to the top, almost getting stuck on his chin.
He nimbly shouldered the heavy backpack, the straps digging into his broad shoulders. Then, turning around without a word, he walked directly in front of Chu Yi, facing away from him, and neatly half-knelt down.
Zhou Ai's back was tense, revealing suppressed anger and unquestionable determination.
Chu Yi stared at the solid "wall" in front of him that was ready to carry him, and was stunned: "Zhou Ai, I..."
"Come up." Zhou Ai's voice was low, directly interrupting Chu Yi's unfinished words, "You'd better not even think about it - let me leave you here alone."
He paused, turned his head, and glanced at Chu Yi's stunned face. His tone became even colder and harder, and even carried a hint of imperceptible fear and... grievance?
"Either I carry you on my back right now. Or," he lowered his voice even lower, with a kind of reckless determination, "I'll throw away all the food and stay here with you, waiting together. Until someone finds us, or... starve to death together."
"You choose."
These words were unwavering, even a childish threat, but they struck Chu Yi like a hammer. Looking at Zhou Ai's tense profile and his stubborn, "I'll do what I say" attitude, all his rational, weighing-the-pros-and-cons analysis instantly choked in his throat, and he couldn't utter a single word.
Chu Yi suddenly realized that for Zhou Ai, the option of leaving him alone never existed.
No matter how difficult or dangerous it is, Zhou Ai will take him with her.
A sour and hot emotion suddenly surged into Chu Yi's heart, breaking down all barriers of calm.
After a moment's silence, Chu Yi slowly and carefully leaned over Zhou Ai's broad and solid back, stretched out his arms and wrapped them around his neck.
"Let's go." Chu Yi's voice was very soft and fell into Zhou Ai's ears.
Zhou Ai felt the strength of Chu Yi's arms around his neck, and the warmth of his chest against his back, instantly warming his heart.
Putting aside his thoughts, Zhou Ai firmly supported Chu Yi's thighs with both hands, stood up, adjusted the backpack strap, took a deep breath, and walked out step by step.
The slope after the landslide was extremely steep, and the soil was loose. From time to time, gravel rolled down with their footsteps, making a heart-pounding sound.
Chu Yi lay on Zhou Ai's back. Because he was in a high position, his vision was wider than Zhou Ai's, and he could see the steepness under his feet more clearly - on one side was a steep slope that was slippery and difficult to walk on, and on the other side was a bottomless ravine or pile of rocks washed by rain.
Looking at the road conditions on both sides, Chu Yi's heart beat uncontrollably fast, his breathing was unconsciously held, his body was stiff, and all the muscles were tense.
Zhou Ai took every step with extreme caution and stability. He carefully assessed the firmness of each patch of soil beneath his feet, choosing areas with grass or shrub roots as much as possible to plant his feet.
The hands behind his back firmly supported Chu Yi's thighs, and his arm muscles bulged, both to provide stable support for the person on his back and to be able to react immediately in case of slipping.
Even though he was also on edge, his shirt soaked with sweat, Zhou Ai could still keenly sense the tension of the person on his back. Chu Yi's arm around his neck was so tight that he could barely breathe.
"Don't be nervous, it's okay." Zhou Ai's voice was a little breathless, but he tried to keep his tone steady, trying to comfort the people behind him.
Chu Yi was stunned for a moment, and subconsciously said stubbornly: "How do you know I'm nervous?"
"You're almost strangling me to death. How come I didn't know?" Zhou Ai chuckled helplessly, with a hint of sarcasm.
Chu Yi suddenly realized how much strength he had used in his arms, and subconsciously tried to loosen them a little.
"Don't let go!" Zhou Ai immediately stopped him, his voice becoming more serious. "Hold on tight! Be careful not to fall! That's it, it's okay."
Upon hearing this, Chu Yi quickly wrapped his arms around Zhou Ai, which had just loosened a little, even tighter, and pressed his cheek against the back of Zhou Ai's neck and shoulders again, trying to lower his center of gravity and reduce the burden on Zhou Ai.
The moment they pressed closer, Chu Yi could actually clearly smell the scent of sweat, dirt and a faint medicinal oil mixed on Zhou Ai's neck. An indescribable sense of security strangely enveloped his tense nerves.
Feeling the person on his back getting closer to him and seeming to rely more on him, Zhou Ai couldn't help but curl the corners of his mouth in satisfaction while concentrating on the road under his feet.
After walking silently for a relatively flat road, Zhou Ai looked at the mountain road ahead that was still destroyed beyond recognition and had no end in sight. He suddenly spoke with a nonchalant tone.
"Chu Yi, tell me—if we were both really unlucky and couldn't make it out, and ended up dying here together, would that be considered... a pair of star-crossed lovers?"
"Who the hell is your mandarin duck?!"
Hearing Zhou Ai's words, Chu Yi was like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. His fur instantly stood up, and his ears turned red. Without thinking, he blurted out a retort, his voice rising an octave, "And—don't talk nonsense! What's with life and death?! It's bad luck!"
If Zhou Ai accompanied him out and died here, he probably would never be able to escape in his next life.
Although Chu Yi cursed harshly, Zhou Ai guessed from his slightly trembling voice that he was actually afraid in his heart.
"Heh—" Zhou Ai laughed softly, his chest vibrating slightly. This vibration was clearly transmitted to Chu Yi through his chest and back, bringing a tingling and inexplicable throbbing sensation.
Chu Yi then realized that he had overreacted and felt even more embarrassed. He buried his hot cheeks deeper into Zhou Ai's shoulders, refusing to look up or respond.
Zhou Ai felt the warmth coming from behind and the man hiding like an ostrich. The smile on his face deepened. Although the future was uncertain, he felt inexplicably relieved at the moment.
He weighed the person on his back and adjusted his posture. "Then let's continue climbing. Hold on tight."
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