Chapter 13: The Search

Translator: Henyee Translations  Editor: Henyee Translations

“I have something on.” Zhan Yihan bypassed Song Yiren and walked forward.

A trace of indignation flashed across Song Yiren’s eyes. She caught up to him and said, “Big Brother Zhan, are you going to look for Jinyue? In that case, I’ll go with you. It’s already so late but she’s not back yet. I’m very worried!” She did not even need to think, to know that Big Brother Zhan must be going to look for Jinyue. What’s so good about Jinyue? Why must he be so worried about her?

Zhan Yihan’s eyebrows furrowed slightly, as he said, “I’ll go alone.” He did not want to bring a burden along.

“I know where Jinyue gathers medicinal herbs. It’ll be faster for me to take you there,” Song Yiren said. She believed that as long as Big Brother Zhan spent more time with her, he would definitely see her good qualities.

Zhan Yihan considered it for a moment and said, “Let’s go.” The sky was going to turn dark soon. The earlier he found Jinyue, the earlier he could rest at ease.

“Okay!” A happy grin spread across Song Yiren’s face and she quickly followed Zhan Yihan. That’s great! I can finally spend time with Big Brother Zhan alone.

Su Jinyue woke up in a daze. Scanning her surroundings, she realised that she was hanging on a tree that was growing out from the cliff wall. Underneath her was a dark, bottomless pit at the bottom of the cliff. Instantly, she broke out in cold sweat from fear. “Tree, please don’t break. My entire life is hanging on your body.” Why am I so unlucky? First, it was getting chased by a wild boar. Next, my life is hanging by a thread.

She composed herself. Then, she raised her head and looked up. At this hour, the sky was completely dark and only the faint light from the moon helped her to vaguely make out the cliff above her. This tree was not far from the cliff. It was about a distance of four or five meters away.

However, with her height, she couldn’t scale it at all. Furthermore, she did not dare to make any movements at all right now because she was afraid that the tree trunk under her might break the moment she moved.

This time, it’s not like the small hill like that she fell off. If she fell this time, she would be dead. She did not think that she would be so lucky to be able to be reborn again.

Zhan Yihan sped ahead. The steep mountain road was like flat ground to him. Seeing that the sky was already dark, he grew more and more worried. The previous time, Jinyue had also gotten injured when she was gathering herbs. Now, he could only pray that Jinyue had only lost her way and not because something had happened to her.

“Big Brother Zhan, wait for me.” Song Yiren panted as she trotted behind Zhan Yihan. Big Brother Zhan’s legs were at least one and a half times longer than hers. How could she keep up with him? She was a lady after all, why didn’t he know to take care of her?

Zhan Yihan stopped in his tracks and glanced at Song Yiren coldly. “Which way is it?” She’s truly a burden.

Song Yiren ran to Zhan Yihan’s side and was catching her breath for a long time. Then, she glanced in front of her to her left, then her right, before pointing to her right and saying, “This way.” You’re anxious, aren’t you? I shall make sure you can’t find her. 

Song Yiren often came to the mountains with Su Jinyue to gather herbs, so she naturally knew which path Su Jinyue would take.

“Wait here. You can also go back first,” Zhan Yihan said in a deep voice. Then, he took the path at his right. If he brought her along, he definitely would not be able to speed up. Besides, this was still on the periphery of the forest, so there would not be any danger.

A trace of anger flashed across Song Yiren’s eyes. Gritting her teeth, she quickly caught up to Zhan Yihan. “Big Brother Zhan, wait for me. I’m too scared to stay alone. I want to go with you.” Su Jinyue is a treasure, but I’m worthless?

Seeing that Zhan Yihan had no intention of waiting for her at all, Song Yiren deliberately twisted her ankle and fell to the ground. “Ah!”

Zhan Yihan frowned and stopped. With a frosty expression, he looked at Song Yiren and asked, “What’s wrong?” How troublesome. If it were not for Jinyue and Dr. Xu, he would not want to pay her any attention.

“I seem to have sprained my ankle, it hurts!” Song Yiren winced with an agonised expression. As long as Brother Zhan gave her a piggyback, her reputation would be ruined by him and he would have to marry her, even if he was unwilling to.

“In that case, sit here and wait,” Zhan Yihan said expressionlessly and continued going ahead.

As she watched Zhan Yihan disappear into the mountain forest, Song Yiren trembled in fury and said, “Zhan Yihan, you b*stard!” He just dumped me here. Isn’t he afraid that I’ll be in danger?

The more she thought about it, the more aggrieved she felt and tears couldn’t help but roll down her cheeks. “Zhan Yihan, so what if you’re fast? You won’t be able to find Su Jinyue at all.” She had pointed him in the opposite direction. Even if Zhan Yihan searched till daybreak tomorrow, he would still not be able to find Su Jinyue.

Zhan Yihan observed his surroundings as he walked. At first, there were still traces of people having walked there. As he went deeper into the forest, aside from the towering trees, dense bushes, and some animal footprints, there was no sign of anybody previously passing by here. This should not be the direction that Jinyue went in.

After making a judgement in his mind, Zhan Yihan immediately turned around and sprinted in the opposite direction.

After sprinting for more than ten minutes, Zhan Yihan’s eyes suddenly lit up and a joyous expression appeared on his face, as he spotted a marking on a tree up ahead. The moment he saw this mark, he was certain that it was left by Jinyue.

This mark was a smiley face. He still remembered that the night before he left, when he bid Jinyue farewell, Jinyue had drawn a smiley face on the palm of his hand. She said that people should live happily. Since life goes on no matter whether you are happy or not, you might as well live happily.

Su Jinyue looked at the smiley face that she had drawn on Zhan Yihan’s palm and smiled slyly. “Big Brother Yihan, you have to smile a lot in the future. If you keep having a deadpan expression on your face like an old man, be careful… you won’t be able to get a wife.”

Zhan Yihan looked at the smiley face drawn on the palm of his hand. His lips turned up in a faint smile and he said, “If I can’t find a wife, I’ll marry you.”

“The hell you will.” Su Jinyue laughed and punched Zhan Yihan’s shoulder.

While recalling this memory, Zhan Yihan picked up his pace and ran forward. Jinyue, wait for me. I’ll find you soon. You must be brave and don’t be afraid.

Lying on the tree trunk, Su Jinyue looked at the dark bottomless pit beneath her. Right now, she was cold, hungry, and helpless.

“Little Elf, what do you think I should do?” She had already checked that the trunk which she was lying on, on her stomach, was thick enough to bear her weight. It was just that it was nighttime now. Even if she had the strength to climb up, she would not dare to do so. In the event that missed her step, she would really be dead.

“You can only wait till dawn.” Little Elf’s tone had a hint of helplessness in it. If Master’s eyes could be upgraded to Heart Eye right now, even if the surroundings were pitch black, Master would be able to see everything as clear as day.

“I’m starving right now!” Su Jinyue laughed wryly, while listening to her rumbling stomach. Too bad that the cape gooseberries that I picked have plummeted to the bottom of the cliff.

“Master, why don’t you close your eyes and cultivate,” Little Elf suggested. Apart from helping Master in her cultivation, it did not have any other ideas.

Su Jinyue rolled her eyes speechlessly. “I’m not in that frame of mind.” She was currently not that calm and collected. Right now, she only felt safe if her eyes were open.

A gust of mountain wind blew. Su Jinyue shuddered from the cold. After this incident, she really felt that she was too weak. If she wanted to seek revenge and make her enemies’ lives difficult, she could not be so weak. She had to become stronger. She must find the herbs that contain spiritual energy. No matter how difficult it was, she had to find them.