Chapter 40 Wounded: "Found you."
The last vestiges of the setting sun's warmth were drawn away, and darkness quickly sank beneath the dark green mountain ridgeline.
The mountains were filled with a smell that was a mixture of rotting leaves, heavy soil and some kind of mold. It was pitch black all around, and weeds and branches grew wildly, like menacing monsters.
Somewhere deep in the mountains, a faint sound could be heard, seemingly the whimpering of a child.
The sound echoed through the mountains, lingering for a long time.
A gentle voice suddenly rang out, drowning out the crying.
"Okay, Ali, don't cry."
Yu Li collapsed to the ground, her eyes red-rimmed, and choked out, "Teacher Mu, I'm sorry..."
Before him lay a deep pit, its walls steep and covered with slippery moss and jagged tree roots. At the very bottom of the pit, Mu Tingyu lay covered in mud and dust, his white T-shirt stained and torn at the waist, revealing glimpses of his wounded skin.
He wiped away his tears, not caring that his hands were covered in dirt, and said, "Teacher Mu, wait for me here. I... I'll go find a rope to pull you up..."
"I'm fine, don't cry." Mu Tingyu moved with difficulty, leaning against a large protruding rock on the pit wall. "You're not strong enough, you might not be able to pull me."
She asked, "Do you know the way? Go back and find Brother Xingze, okay?"
Yu Li nodded, her voice trembling with tears in her eyes, "I know him... I'll go find him..."
Mu Tingyu slowly reached out and wiped the cold sweat from her forehead, revealing a smile and a gentle voice: "Okay, it's dark now, be careful when you go down the mountain, okay?"
Yu Li nodded, trembling, and staggered to his feet.
"Teacher Mu, wait for me, I'll be right back!"
Mu Tingyu took a breath, wanting to shout, but she really didn't have the strength, and her voice came out very weakly: "Be careful, don't run too fast!"
The only response she received was the soft rustling of Yu Li's footsteps as they faded into the distance.
The surroundings quickly fell silent. Darkness, like a living thing, gradually surged into the pit from all directions, stealing away the last ray of light.
Mu Tingyu tried to move her foot, but after only a slight movement, a sharp, piercing pain shot through her ankle. She gasped, held her breath, and slowly exhaled only after the pain subsided.
She tried her best to keep her lower body still and laboriously pulled her phone out of her pants pocket.
The phone screen was cracked, probably from hitting a stone. She tried pressing it a few times, but there was no response.
We're doomed.
She thought.
Xing Ze must be worried sick when he sees that she hasn't gone home and he can't get through to her on the phone. He might even be searching for her everywhere.
But apart from Yu Li, no one knew she was here. What if Yu Li went to his house looking for him, and they just happened to miss each other...?
She sighed helplessly, finally calmed down, and lay quietly for a while.
Once she regained some strength, she began to try to prop herself up with her arms.
My arm was probably injured too; I felt a slight stinging pain and also felt very weak.
After struggling for a while, Mu Tingyu finally managed to get into a prone position. Even that simple movement caused the pain in her ankle to break out in a cold sweat.
The pit was pitch black, and she crawled back to where she had fallen, guided by her sense of direction. The pit was uneven, and she tried to keep her feet on the ground, but she quickly ran out of strength.
Luckily, I had exercised before, otherwise I would really be just a weak little lamb lying flat.
She was slightly out of breath, trying to console herself with a bittersweet feeling.
Although she must look very disheveled right now.
When she rolled down from above, she instinctively covered her head, so her head wasn't broken, but she was scraped by sharp and rough things like rocks and branches for a long time, and her body must have been covered in mud and abrasions.
She could even smell a faint scent of blood, but she didn't know where it was coming from.
She lay on the ground and reached out to wipe her sweaty forehead.
After resting for a while, it began to crawl slowly again.
With each breath, her side muscles ached terribly. Her arms gripped the ground, digging into countless pebbles.
I don't know how much time passed, but I finally touched the pit wall.
She gritted her teeth, strained her arms several times, and finally managed to prop herself up and sit up.
My right foot seems to be more seriously injured; I can't even put weight on it. My left foot is a little better. I'll try to stand up.
The pit was completely silent, save for the occasional soft gasps of pain and the rustling sounds of movement.
By the time she finally stood up and held onto the pit wall, her clothes were completely soaked with cold sweat.
Her left foot, which was propped on the ground, was trembling slightly, but she dared not give up and kept touching the structure of the pit wall without stopping.
The pit was pitch black, and she could only rely on the feel of her hands to determine what was inside.
After confirming that there were scattered rocks and tree roots of varying sizes on the pit wall, she gritted her teeth, grabbed a relatively sturdy rock with her hand, and then, with a burst of strength, lifted her left foot off the ground in an attempt to step on a lower rock.
But suddenly his arm lost its strength, and before his left foot could even step on the ground, he landed again, momentarily losing his balance and swaying, causing his raised right toe to slam into the ground.
She gasped in shock.
That almost sent her away, and she stood there for a long time to recover.
She had relied entirely on her hands to crawl, and now her arms were sore and weak that she had no extra strength to support herself as she climbed further. Moreover, her two legs were already in a semi-crippled state.
"......."
She gripped the stone tightly with her five fingers, gritting her teeth in resentment.
No way! I absolutely have to practice rock climbing properly when I get back!
It's all my fault for being too playful. I went on a trip halfway through my rock climbing class and never remembered to go back. I'm just a beginner with no real skills.
If she diligently finishes her lessons and practices from time to time, how could this little pit possibly stump her?
She picked at the dirt on the stone with her fingers and looked up at the sky.
The pit wasn't small, just a bit high and steep, with a wide top.
However, the sky above was completely blocked by the dense canopy of trees, and the faint light that peeked through the gaps in the leaves could not reach the pit at all.
I wonder when Yu Li will run into Xing Ze...
Is she going to stay here all night?
Her left leg was sore and numb from standing for so long, but she still couldn't bear to sit down.
No, that's not right. She suddenly remembered.
This mountain looks very pristine. I wonder if there are any snakes... It's so dark in this pit. What if a snake suddenly jumps out and bites her? Wouldn't that be terrible for her?
Besides, in her current half-dead state, she can barely stand, let alone fight a snake one-on-one.
She leaned against the pit wall with a sense of helplessness, struggled with the decision for a while, and finally decided to sit down and recover her strength.
Just as she was dragging her disabled leg, preparing to slowly sit down on the stone, a series of hurried footsteps suddenly came from the top of the pit, accompanied by a constantly flickering light approaching her.
Then came Yu Li's panting voice: "Brother Aze... slow, slow down, it's over here!"
Wow, that's pretty fast.
She tilted her head back to look.
The footsteps grew closer and closer, then suddenly stopped just before reaching the edge of the pit.
After a few slightly suppressed breaths, the flashlight beam shone into the pit.
Faced with the sudden bright light, Mu Tingyu subconsciously squinted and raised her hand to shield her eyes.
The light flickered, lingered on her for a few seconds, then suddenly moved away, landing on the open ground beside her.
Yu Li's voice rang out from the edge of the pit: "Teacher Mu, are you alright? I've called Brother Aze over!"
Mu Tingyu lowered her hand and immediately spotted Xing Ze's figure.
He stood at the edge of the pit, holding a flashlight. Because of the backlight, his face was somewhat blurry.
She strained to open her eyes, but still couldn't see the expression on his face.
Then his voice rang out: "Are you alright?"
His voice sounded deeper than usual, slightly dry, but still calm and steady, making people unconsciously feel a sense of dependence.
"It's alright." Mu Tingyu tilted her head back, her tone relaxed. "You arrived faster than I expected. I thought I'd have to spend the night here."
Xing Ze didn't say anything, but handed the flashlight to Yu Li, who was standing to the side, and whispered something to him.
Yu Li nodded and shone the light on Mu Tingyu's feet.
Next, a long, thick hemp rope was lowered down, with a loop tied to it.
"Put this ring around your neck, with the knot facing me."
After giving his instructions, Xing Ze turned and disappeared for a while before quickly returning.
Mu Tingyu had already put on the rope loops, and was holding the front of the knot with both hands, looking up at him.
"Hurry up, we're pulling you up now."
She replied, "Okay."
She has a large frame and must be quite heavy, but Xing Ze always seems to lift her up with great ease, as if he has immense strength.
She was pulled up evenly and steadily, her back a little sore from the rope's tightness.
She pursed her lips and remained silent, lowering her head to observe the position of her right foot, carefully letting it dangle in mid-air to avoid bumping or hitting it.
As they approached the edge of the pit, she stretched out her hands and grabbed the edge. Xing Ze held the rope with one hand and pulled her up by grabbing the clothes on her back with the other.
He reached out and held her tightly, then collapsed to the ground in his arms.
Yu Li held up a flashlight and tried to come closer, but Xing Ze stopped him.
His voice rang out anxiously: "Teacher Mu, you've been injured so many times!"
Mu Tingyu struggled to support herself and smiled to comfort him, "It's nothing, just minor injuries, don't worry."
With the help of the flashlight, she finally saw Xing Ze's face clearly.
He looked travel-worn and his face was almost haggard.
His gaze was fixed on her, his lips were taut, his eyes were dark and deep, and there were even some bloodshot veins in them.
Mu Tingyu had never seen him like this before.
For some reason, she found herself unable to meet his gaze. She blinked to herself and joked, "Why aren't you saying anything? Thank you for saving me. I can't repay your kindness enough... I'll..."
Before he finished speaking, Xing Ze raised his hand and touched her cheek.
She froze on the spot, the rest of her words stuck in her throat.
His hands were trembling slightly.
It was a very slight, soothing tremor.
His palm was pressed tightly against her cheek, hot and rough, his fingers gently stroking her face.
It seemed to be comforting her, or perhaps it was comforting some unknown yet incredibly intense emotion revealed through her trembling.
Then he exhaled a long, slow breath, with a sense of preciousness at having regained what he had lost, and gently pressed his forehead against hers.
His voice was extremely hoarse.
"I've found you."
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Author's Note: Be brave and listen to your child, don't be afraid of difficulties!
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