Chapter Thirty-Five: Coolness Waiting for Her

Cheng Jiu, afraid she might be embarrassed, quickly put away his teasing manner.

Having been played by him again, Xin Gan felt a rush of anger and turned to leave at once.

Behind her came Cheng Jiu’s voice, saying, “Don’t go too far, come back soon.”

She gave no reply, clearly still holding a grudge over his earlier jest.

The boundless night stretched out around her. Xin Gan carefully shone her flashlight on the ground as she walked, finally finding a slope whose curve perfectly blocked Cheng Jiu’s view from the car. It was her first time relieving herself outdoors, and she was so embarrassed that she hesitated for quite a while, unable to unbutton her jeans.

The wolves’ howls had faded for a while, but now they rose up again.

Xin Gan’s back turned cold, and she watched the darkness around her with vigilance, but the night was too deep for her to see anything.

She finally undid her jeans, bent down, and squatted, all the while nervously scanning her surroundings and facing the direction she’d come from. The height of the slope shielded her body completely. Cheng Jiu stood by the car, smoking, his back to her, never once looking in her direction.

Even if he had, he would have seen nothing.

At last, Xin Gan finished and pulled up her pants, but just as she stood up, she suddenly felt something dart swiftly over her feet. With a startled cry, she jumped back, taking several hurried steps away.

From a distance, Cheng Jiu heard her call out and immediately turned, striding quickly over. Xin Gan, panic-stricken, shone her flashlight over the ground, but apart from scattered stones, there was nothing there.

Oh, and a small puddle.

Cheng Jiu walked up to her, and she was so startled that cold sweat drenched her back.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

Xin Gan swallowed hard, her voice still trembling. “Something just ran over my foot. I thought it was a snake…”

Cheng Jiu took her flashlight and swept it over the ground. Xin Gan’s ears flushed a deep red right then and there. There was nothing but stones and a patch of dark stains—certainly no snake.

Cheng Jiu spoke calmly, “It must have run away. Did it bite you?”

She shook her head. “N-no, it didn’t.”

“Then it’s fine. Let’s head back.” Cheng Jiu stepped aside, but she stammered suddenly, “You go first. I’ll be there in a bit…”

“Hm? What is it?”

Xin Gan was too embarrassed to say, “I’m not done yet…”

Cheng Jiu seemed to understand from her tone, and silently turned around, walking a few steps away and shining the flashlight into the distance. “Go ahead.”

He was waiting for her.

Xin Gan no longer hesitated, fumbling to fasten her jeans. The night wind was chilly, making her feel cold to the bone—her hands, her feet, even her hips were cold.

“All done.” She finally finished dressing.

Cheng Jiu lowered his head and looked at her, reaching out his hand. “We’d better hurry back to the car. The howling is getting closer; there might be wolves coming this way.”

He handed the flashlight back to her.

Xin Gan took it and walked a few steps. When he didn’t follow, she asked, “Aren’t you coming?”

Didn’t he just say there might be wolves nearby?

Cheng Jiu chuckled, “Even if wolves come, I still have to answer nature’s call.”

Xin Gan’s face grew even hotter, flustered, and she quickly turned away, hurrying toward the car parked by the roadside, no longer caring about Cheng Jiu.

Xiao Shi woke up, rubbing his eyes as Xin Gan got in the car. He called out, “Miss Xin, where are we now?”

“I have no idea.”

“Where’s Brother Jiu?”

“He went to the bathroom.”

Xiao Shi unbuckled his seatbelt. “I’ll go too.”

Xin Gan finally breathed a sigh of relief, her cheeks burning. Luckily, the dim light in the car hid her embarrassment, and Xiao Shi didn’t seem to notice anything.

Far off on the straight stretch of road, car headlights appeared, drawing nearer until the hum of an engine could be heard.

Cheng Jiu and Xiao Shi noticed it too, and hurriedly returned to the car.