Chapter 22: The Young Man Desperately Wants to Stay by Her Side at the Exploded Mountain Altar…

Li Ruantang seemed to have been severely frightened, as she was now as stiff as a wooden board in his embrace. Meng Jun sighed inwardly, slightly lifting the hand around her neck and patting her back gently.

Outside, thunder roared and lightning flashed, but the shoulders he clung to gradually relaxed.

A faint blush appeared on Li Ruantang’s face. She hesitated for a moment before finally reaching out to hug the still slightly trembling young man back.

“Wife-master.” The originally clear voice sounded soft near her ear as the young man tilted his face slightly, nestling against her sideburns, “I don’t think this rain will stop anytime soon. If you go into the mountains with Hu Sanniang, what if you encounter thunder again?”

He glanced worriedly at the weather outside the window, “Why don’t I just stay by your side, wife-master?”

This way, if they encountered thunder again, with him to hold her, Li Ruantang wouldn’t be afraid. Besides, he could also help ease her pain.

The more Meng Jun thought about it, the heavier he felt the burden on his shoulders. Anxious, he quickly burrowed further into her embrace. As he turned his face, it brushed lightly against her cheek.

In an instant, the faint blush flared up like kindling in a stove, spreading hot and vibrant.

Li Ruantang immediately froze in place. She dared not move, and in her peripheral vision, her foolish young husband, unaware, still lay by her ear whispering, “Wife-master is a woman, it wouldn’t be good for Hu Sanniang to know about this. With me by your side, you can say it’s me who’s afraid. Even if—”

Those beautiful phoenix eyes lowered slightly, and he pressed his lips together before continuing in an even lower voice, “Even if wife-master hugs me, others won’t know the truth.”

The young man was desperate to stay by her side.

Li Ruantang felt a sweetness in her heart, but still firmly shook her head, “Sanniang is very discreet.”

“Wife-master!” Meng Jun secretly pouted, about to speak again.

The arms around his waist tightened slightly. Li Ruantang’s lips curled up, “Besides, I already have Chiu Chiu accompanying me.”

She looked towards the hem of the clothes set aside, “If I get scared then, I’ll just crouch down and stroke the little gray rabbit.”

“Eh?” The young man was stunned, several scenarios immediately flooding his mind.

In the dense forest of Long Mountain Gully, Li Ruantang squatting pitifully on the ground in the pouring rain, clutching the little gray rabbit he had embroidered.

“Wife-master.” Meng Jun couldn’t bear to see this scenario happen. Just thinking about it made him want to rush over and hug her. Since Li Ruantang refused to let him go along no matter what, “Let me embroider another little gray rabbit for you.”

With that, the young man quickly sat up from her embrace, put on his shoes and went to fetch the embroidery basket from the table. He then leaned back into Li Ruantang’s arms, picked up her sleeve to measure, and said very carefully, “Wife-master, I need to do embroidery now, so I can’t hug you. If you’re scared, hugging me is just the same.”

Actually, if there was fabric, it would be better to make her a small pouch to hang at her waist. Guaranteed no one would notice, but there was nothing available at the moment.

The young man bit his lip, focusing all his attention on the needle and thread in his hands.

While he was serious, her mind wandered.

Li Ruantang’s nose was filled with the faint sweet scent from Chiu Chiu’s hair, extremely refreshing. Like a feather tickling the bottom of her heart, again and again, making her heart flutter.

“Silly little one.”

She smiled silently, lowering her chin slightly to brush over the top of his head.

In the courtyard, there was a faint sound of movement.

Hearing the noise, Li Ruantang frowned slightly. It seemed Hu Sanniang was ready.

But…

She glanced down at the sleeve Chiu Chiu was holding, the little rabbit was still round and plump, only missing half an ear.

“Wife-master!” The young man had clearly also heard the voices outside. He hurriedly looked up, “I’m almost done embroidering, wait for me.”

In his haste, the needle and thread in his hand became tangled. It pierced straight into the young man’s index finger, but Meng Jun didn’t make a sound, gritting his teeth to finish the last few stitches.

The fingers are connected to the heart, and he had been pampered since childhood. Now tears were glistening in the corners of his eyes, but he still didn’t forget to remind Li Ruantang, “Wife-master, you’re still injured. Don’t push yourself too hard when you enter Long Mountain Gully. Since it’s just an investigation, come back quickly once you’ve seen clearly.”

He hid his hand behind his back, watching Li Ruantang fasten her belt and turn around. He hurriedly chased after her, “I, I and Youning will wait for you at the entrance of Long Mountain Gully.”

The young man followed closely behind Li Ruantang, full of worry. Unexpectedly, she paused and suddenly turned back.

Those apricot eyes were filled with solemnity.

Meng Jun’s heart tightened, and he stood rooted to the spot, immediately stuttering, “Wi-wife-master?”

He hoped she hadn’t regained all her memories at this crucial moment.

The young man was anxious, unknowingly clenching the fingers hidden behind his back. Li Ruantang sighed slightly and pulled out his left hand.

A faint smell of blood spread.

Li Ruantang’s heart sank a bit. She took out her handkerchief from her bosom, standing calmly with lowered brows, her hand busy carefully cleaning and bandaging. Finally, she very patiently blew on it.

Meng Jun stole a few glances at Li Ruantang, little bubbles rising in his heart.

“Wife-master, I, I’m not in pain.” A faint blush spread across the young man’s face as he hurriedly withdrew his hand, but her scent still lingered on his palm, warm and hot, burning those beautiful phoenix eyes into confusion, not knowing where to look.

So silly.

Li Ruantang pressed her lips together, revealing a faint smile, just as she turned around.

“Wife-master…” The wide sleeve was tightly grasped, the young man’s eyes reddening again, “Are you really not taking Chiu Chiu with you?”

“Silly Chiu Chiu, I’m just going to take a look.” Li Ruantang hurriedly wiped his tears, “Didn’t we just agree that you would stay with Young Master Hu at the entrance of Long Mountain Gully?”

“But—” The young man felt uneasy in his heart. He couldn’t explain what this feeling was, only that pulling on her could alleviate the stuffiness surging in his heart.

“Chiu Chiu.”

In the courtyard, Hu Sanniang had already put on her raincoat. Li Ruantang turned and gently touched her sleeve, saying softly to Chiu Chiu who had followed her out, “Don’t worry, I have this little gray rabbit. I won’t be afraid no matter what I encounter.”

But her young husband was clearly not reassured. Those beautiful phoenix eyes filled with tears as he held an umbrella and followed her to the courtyard gate.

Li Ruantang was also reluctant to part with Chiu Chiu, but she had already laid out bait through Wang Wuniang earlier.

Such heavy rain could wash away all traces in the mountains.

She knew this, and Fu Lanxian must surely know as well.

Li Ruantang steeled her heart, reached out to ruffle Chiu Chiu’s hair, then turned and followed Hu Sanniang into the curtain of rain.

When Hu Youning reached the courtyard gate, half of the young man’s clothes were already soaked by the wind and rain.

“Chiu Chiu.” He reached out and patted Meng Jun’s shoulder, “There’s hot porridge in the kitchen. Eat a little, we should be setting out soon too.”

“Oh.” The young man nodded slowly, glancing again and again in the direction Li Ruantang had gone, before following Hu Youning into the kitchen.

The fire in the stove was burning brightly.

“Youning, is there any of the wild astragalus we dug up yesterday left?” Meng Jun asked after drinking a few mouthfuls of porridge and putting down his bowl.

“Yes.” Hu Youning understood his meaning, “Do you want to bring astragalus water for Lady Li to drink?”

“Mm.” Actually, it could wait until she returned, to slowly nourish her. But he had been restless all day. Meng Jun nodded, “The weather is bad, I’m afraid wife-master won’t be able to keep up her strength.”

“We’ll be guarding at the entrance of Long Mountain Gully anyway.” The young man’s eyes brightened a little, “And I’ll keep holding it, so it won’t be too cold when she drinks it.”

Hu Youning had been worried about Li Ruantang, but hearing the young man bring it up on his own, he felt relieved. The two young men quickly agreed, filled two pots with boiled astragalus water, put on raincoats and hurried towards Long Mountain Gully.

At this moment, the sky was still gray and gloomy, indistinguishable day from night.

Li Ruantang followed behind Hu Sanniang, the two walking with one foot deep and one foot shallow. Long Mountain Gully was narrow and long, with towering mountain bodies on both sides. Cold wind came rushing from the valley, nearly blowing off their bamboo hats.

“Lady Li, how are you doing?” Hu Sanniang had been hunting for years and was already accustomed to this piercing cold.

Li Ruantang glanced at the altar that was approaching, and said through gritted teeth, “Don’t worry about me, Third Niang. I can still hold on.”

The beads of sweat that had just formed on the tip of her nose were swept away by the cold wind, instantly causing her whole body to shiver.

“Why didn’t the lady wait until returning to the capital to send someone to investigate?” Hu Sanniang slowed down a bit, deliberately blocking in front of Li Ruantang, asking casually.

The mountain rocks underfoot were slippery. Li Ruantang pressed her lips together, her voice scattered further by the wind, “Third Niang, this case has wide-ranging implications. If it spreads, I’m afraid Hu Family Village will no longer be peaceful.”

Hu Sanniang was stunned to hear this. Although she had never traveled far, she understood the hidden meaning behind Li Ruantang’s low murmur.

She immediately hated Fu Lanxian even more in her heart. If the mountain explosion and river diversion from a few years ago was really just a front, then once this matter came to light, how could Hu Family Village merely be no longer peaceful!

The two of them fell silent for a moment, only quickening their pace.

The closer they got to the altar where the river had been exploded, the more desolate the surroundings became. Not to mention trees, even vegetation was nowhere to be seen.

As soon as she stepped foot, the softness of the ground made Li Ruantang’s heart tighten.

She grabbed Hu Sanniang, who was about to go forward to check, “This place is surrounded by mountains on two sides, and the soil is too soft. With the current prolonged rain, I’m afraid there will be a landslide soon.”

“Be careful.”

During the earlier mountain explosion, Long Mountain Gully had experienced several ground collapses. Now this altar was already in a half-tilted state. Li Ruantang gestured to her the pattern they were looking for, and the two carefully searched around the perimeter of the altar.

The rain grew heavier and heavier.

Li Ruantang lowered her brows, silently committing the surrounding terrain to memory. She turned around to look, and immediately saw several silver daggers flashing a dazzling cold light under the lightning in the sky, rushing towards them.

Hu Sanniang recognized the leader at a glance and immediately blocked in front of Li Ruantang, shouting angrily, “Fu Lanxian!”

“Tsk.”

The woman who was suddenly called by her full name raised her hand, stopping the others from advancing. She curled her lips, “In just a few days, Lady Li has raised such a loyal dog. No wonder she’s a capable person from the capital.”

“It’s a pity that you were born in the capital, but today you’ll be buried in this small gully.”

She deliberately sighed a few times, looking somewhat smugly at Hu Sanniang, “If I were you, I wouldn’t keep helping this outsider, putting the entire village in danger.”