Zhao Lie thought that once he called out, the person would stop running. Instead, upon hearing his voice, they ran even faster. “Ah, what a mess!!!”
Xu Ruyi: Is it possible that if you hadn’t shouted, I wouldn’t have been so scared??!
Zhao Lie watched helplessly as the figure grew farther and farther away, his heart burning with anxiety. He wanted to chase after her but feared being too abrupt.
Hesitating, he saw that she was almost out of sight, stomped his feet in frustration, and then decisively sprinted after her.
Meanwhile, Xu Ruyi was like a frightened rabbit, focused solely on running for her life, completely unaware of the road conditions underfoot.
Suddenly, caught off guard, she tripped over a protruding stone by the roadside, stumbling forward and nearly crashing heavily to the ground.
This sudden mishap terrified Xu Ruyi. Her heart pounded wildly, as if it were about to leap out of her throat.
She quickly steadied herself to avoid falling face-first.
The ground was covered in small stones—if her face hit the ground, it would be ruined.
Though her looks weren’t exceptionally beautiful, she was still a pretty girl!
Just then, Zhao Lie had swiftly caught up to Xu Ruyi from behind and deftly grabbed her arm, helping her regain her balance and stand steady. “Miss, please don’t run anymore! I’m definitely not a bad person, and I would never harm you.”
Xu Ruyi didn’t believe him at all. Even though he had helped her, she remained wary, panting heavily from the intense exertion.
“You… then what do you want?” Xu Ruyi asked after catching her breath a few times.
Noticing the warmth in his palm, Zhao Lie released her arm.
Scratching his head, he said somewhat sheepishly, “Well, I saw you heading toward Daliu Village. I’ve never seen you in the village before, and I noticed you were going the wrong way, so I called out to you. I didn’t expect my shout to scare you. I’m sorry!”
Hearing that he was from Daliu Village, Xu Ruyi finally relaxed. “You could’ve just said so—you scared me half to death. I’m from Daliu Village too. My grandfather is Xu Mancang, my uncle is Xu Dagen, and my father is Xu Dashu.”
Upon hearing that she was the daughter of Uncle Xu’s family, Zhao Lie thought of his childhood playmate who had sold herself to save her father and immediately beamed with joy. “You’re Xu Ruyi??”
Xu Ruyi was taken aback, surprised that this guy actually knew her.
But she didn’t recognize him at all. Considering that when away from home, one’s identity is self-proclaimed, she feared he might be a bad person and nodded cautiously. “Yes, I’m Xu Ruyi. And you are??”
Thrilled to discover that the woman he had fallen for at first sight was his childhood playmate, Zhao Lie grinned widely, revealing his white teeth, and exclaimed excitedly, “I’m Zhao Lie! My father is Zhao Dadan, the hunter in the village. Don’t you remember? We used to play house together when we were kids! You were the mother, and I was the father.”
Xu Ruyi rummaged through the original body’s memories for a while and recalled a little chubby boy from those memories who would always drag her into playing house.
She looked at the nearly six-foot-tall figure before her, with a physique exuding explosive strength. His features weren’t exactly handsome, but he had a rugged, tough-guy aura. The only thing that felt out of place was his long hair!
Though tied up, it still differed somewhat from the modern tough-guy image.
Knowing he was an acquaintance, Xu Ruyi relaxed considerably.
Comparing the little chubby boy from her memories to the person in front of her, Xu Ruyi felt a sense of disconnect. “Ah! I remember now—you’re Xiao Xiaopang!”
Zhao Lie’s face flushed at the nickname, though his darker complexion made it less noticeable. Scratching his head sheepishly, he said, “You’re still calling me that childhood nickname? I was chubby back then, but I’ve long since outgrown it.” As he spoke, he straightened his chest to display his sturdy physique.
Seeing him like this, Xu Ruyi couldn’t help but laugh. The round, chubby Zhao Lie from their childhood bore no resemblance to the tall and robust man before her. Indeed, the nickname no longer suited him. “Alright, I won’t call you Xiao Xiaopang anymore. You just said I seemed to be going the wrong way—what did you mean by that?”
Zhao Lie scratched his head again. “This path looks like it leads to Daliu Village, but a section up ahead was washed out by the rain. It’s treacherous to cross, and a young woman like you could easily get into trouble. Come with me—I’ll take you on a detour.”
Hearing this, Xu Ruyi felt a warmth in her heart. She hadn’t expected this childhood friend of her original self to be so considerate. “Then I’ll trouble you, Xiao… Zhao Lie.”
Zhao Lie grinned broadly. “No trouble at all. Let’s go together.” With that, he took her back basket and slung it over his own shoulder, then grabbed the bundle from her hand to carry as well. He strode ahead to lead the way.
Xu Ruyi thought about saying something, but decided—if he’s willing to carry them, so be it!