Chapter 120: Danger at the Riverbank

He Jinglan nodded, sizing up Gu Xixi with a meaningful expression.

Gu Xixi's mouth twitched as if her teeth were sore.

After a moment, she said uncertainly, "You wouldn't be suggesting…… that he just asked for vegetables to eat as a way of being coquettish, would you?"

Who acts coquettish by treating others like a maid!

He Jinglan nodded vigorously, "Exactly!"

"Although my brother always says he's shameless, he always maintains the bearing of a strong person, rarely showing weakness in front of others."

"Being coquettish is even less likely; he never behaves that way toward elders, only you……"

He Jinglan stopped mid-sentence.

She gazed at the sky, took a deep breath, and murmured softly, "Anyway, I don't absolutely need him."

Gu Xixi couldn't hear He Jinglan's muttering clearly and asked, "What did you say?"

"I was saying……" He Jinglan turned to look at Xixi, smiling brightly, "I'm being clever!"

"Since you're good at farming, tell me—doesn't a melon forced to grow turn out not sweet?"

Gu Xixi nodded, "In theory, that's right—isn't there a saying, 'the melon falls when ripe'?"

While she was still pondering how to elaborate on that question, He Jinglan already put an arm around her shoulders.

"Come on, let's go back."

Gu Xixi: "You haven't used the toilet yet?"

He Jinglan chuckled, "No, it's awfully cold out here; I'll go after we return to the village."

At sunset, the scent of mutton-filled pastries drifted through the small courtyard.

He Jinglan washed her hands, glancing sideways, "General Meng, aren't you going back to the camp?"

Meng Chengping grinned, "With such delicious mutton pastries, of course I'll stay to mooch a meal."

He Jinglan shook her head and sighed, "General Meng really doesn't treat himself as an outsider."

Meng Chengping pretended not to understand the sarcasm.

"Don't worry, Miss He; we're all close friends, I won't stand on ceremony."

The mutton we're eating tonight was bought by He Jinglan with her own money.

On her way here, she herself purchased plenty of provisions, so the food in this small courtyard is absolutely the best around.

After discovering this fact, Meng Chengping, using the pretext of entertaining Gu Xixi and Mu Nan Zhao, has been happily mooching meals here for the past two days.

While He Jinglan and Meng Chengping were bantering, Mu Nan Zhao glanced at the room where Gu Xixi was staying.

The lights were off, and there was not a sound.

A woman who was cooking came out to dump dirty water, and Mu Nan Zhao asked, "After the boss Gu returned, has she been staying inside?"

The woman smiled, "Sir, are you asking about Miss Gu Xixi?"

"She came back, rested a bit, asked me a few questions, then rushed out again."

Mu Nan Zhao froze; He Jinglan and Meng Chengping also stopped talking and turned to look.

Seeing everyone's attention, the woman volunteered, "We were just saying the riverbank outside the village won't thaw for another month; hearing that, Miss Gu Xixi asked which way to the riverbank."

"I reckon she must have gone there."

"I'll go check." Mu Nan Zhao said, already stepping toward the door.

Meng Chengping urged, "Hey, do you know the way? Let me go with you!"

"No need." Mu Nan Zhao left only those two words.

He Jinglan grabbed Meng Chengping, "I told you not to come along—didn't you hear?"

Meng Chengping still worried, "But it's dark; I'm afraid it's unsafe outside the village with no one around."

He Jinglan rolled her eyes in exasperation.

"Exactly because it's dark and empty—why do you need to go lighting things up like a big candle!"

Meng Chengping scratched his head in confusion, then his eyes suddenly lit up.

"You mean…… them…… the two of them?!"

He Jinglan said, "At least you've got a bit of sense."

Meng Chengping stared at He Jinglan in disbelief, "So what are you going to do?"

He Jinglan retorted irritably, "What do you mean, what am I going to do?"

Still unaware of the danger, Meng Chengping blithely continued, "You came all this way to chase after my brother Mu, and now you're just going to hand him over so easily?"

He Jinglan stepped hard on Meng Chengping's instep, crushing it, her cherry lips curling into a blossoming smile.

"This young lady is properly touring the northwest."

"You say who's chasing whom over a long distance?"

Meng Chengping grimaced in pain, not daring to rescue his foot, "No, no one."

"I didn't say anything just now!"

Having vented her anger, He Jinglan finally let Meng Chengping go, satisfied.

She glanced at the sky and said, "However, the safety concern you raised is indeed not to be taken lightly."

"Let's now follow slowly and go meet them."

"Oh, all right." Meng Chengping agreed obediently.

He Jinglan glanced sideways, "Take your weapon and protect this young lady."

For some reason, whenever Meng Chengping sees He Jinglan glaring at him, he feels sweet inside.

"Hey!" He obediently picked up his spear, gave a foolish grin, and fell in step.

This small village exists by relying on the Northwest Army's camp.

The village has only thirty-something households.

Walking north from the courtyard where Gu Xixi and the others live, you can leave the village in less than the time it takes to eat a meal.

To the north there is a strip-like extending Shitou beach.

In spring, the snowmelt from the mountain thaws and flows downstream, forming a river.

At this moment the river beach has no flowing water, exposing uneven stones embedded in the frozen ice and snow.

Gu Xixi heard Lao Langzhong say that the habitat of the firefly bone flower is similar to that of the snow lotus.

The only difference is that the firefly bone flower prefers dampness, easily growing in river valleys, shallow beaches, and frozen ground.

So when Gu Xixi heard someone say there was such a place nearby, she rushed over without regard for the darkening sky.

Gu Xixi walked upstream along the river beach.

As far as the eye can see, it is desolate, with no sign of any lively life.

She just kept walking and walking.

Until the sky grew dim and her vision blurred, Gu Xixi stopped, turned back, and only then realized she had unknowingly walked too far, and could no longer see the village she had come from.

In Xi Bei's winter, after dark there are too many dangers.

Moreover, without any lighting, even if you tried to search, you couldn't see anything.

Gu Xixi had no choice but to give up.

She sighed, turned around, and prepared to head back.

Suddenly, a long wolf howl came from the darkness to the east.

Then one after another came in continuous succession, like a chorus of voices, everywhere.

Gu Xixi abruptly stopped; there were wolves, and not just one.

She followed the sound and looked toward the east, her heart pounding wildly.

One pair, two pairs, three pairs...

Faint green points of light, like will-o'-the-wisps, were neither close nor far.

The points of light did not quickly approach; they seemed to be observing and testing.

Gu Xixi stiffened aunt, her mind racing, summoning her accumulated experience from previous wild gathering.

What can one do when encountering a fierce beast?

Running, you definitely can't outrun them.

Human stamina, speed, and night vision cannot compare with a wolf pack.

Acting rashly will only provoke the wolf pack to surround and hunt.

Then light a fire, use the firelight to deter wild beasts; this is the best method.

But...

When Gu Xixi came out, she had intended to return before dark, so she didn't bring a fire striker.

Her heart turned cold halfway, but she didn't intend to just wait for death.

Just as she lowered her head to feel for the small cloth bag she carried, a large hand suddenly reached out and grabbed her wrist!