The day arrived quickly. It just happened to be Saturday, so Su Wan did not need to go to school and got up early in the morning.
Seeing Su Wan wake up so early for once, Su Lei found it strange. He had never seen her get up this early on a day without school. Confused, he asked, “It’s just a trip up the mountain. Why are you so enthusiastic?”
Su Wan calmly replied, “I went to bed early yesterday, so I couldn’t sleep this morning.”
Although Su Lei did not believe her, he did not ask further.
After breakfast, Su Lei carried a basket on his back. Su Wan symbolically carried a small basket and found a long stick in the yard to bring with her.
Seeing her holding the stick, Su Lei asked in confusion, “Why are you carrying a stick? As a walking cane? It’s way too long to be useful. Besides, do you really need a cane just to climb a mountain?”
“It’s not for a cane. I was thinking, what if we run into pheasants or rabbits?” Su Wan casually made up an excuse.
Su Lei laughed helplessly and could only say, “Alright, alright, bring it then.” As he spoke, he took the stick from her. Such a long stick was better carried by him anyway.
The two of them set off.
Halfway there, they ran into Liu Rongrong. She was walking together with Zhou Fangfang, while Zhao Qiuyue and Shen Aihong followed a short distance behind them. Around them were villagers who kept glancing excitedly at Liu Rongrong and whispering among themselves, wondering what Educated Youth Liu would discover today.
Su Wan quickened her pace and walked over to Zhao Qiuyue’s side. Smiling friendly, she asked, “Can I walk with you?”
Zhao Qiuyue was obviously surprised, but she still nodded in agreement.
Su Lei watched helplessly as Su Wan ran over to the female educated youths, completely confused. Didn’t she insist on dragging me here? Why did she suddenly run off ahead?
Though helpless, Su Lei could not follow her. As a grown man, how could he walk together with the female educated youths? He could only trail behind.
Once they reached the mountain, everyone spread out. The adults gathered firewood while the children ran around wildly playing.
Su Wan glanced at Liu Rongrong, who was not far ahead, then pointed in the opposite direction and said to Zhao Qiuyue, “There are more fallen branches over there. Let’s collect firewood there.”
Zhao Qiuyue and Shen Aihong looked in the direction Su Wan pointed. There really were plenty there, so the three of them headed over.
Su Wan looked up and around. This place was quite far from Liu Rongrong now, and there were not many people nearby either, so she finally relaxed.
Su Lei was bent over collecting firewood when he looked up again and realized Su Wan was gone. Looking around, he finally spotted her not far away. Seeing that her basket was already almost full, he frowned and walked over.
He said to Su Wan, “Xiao Wan, is your basket heavy? Pour your firewood into mine.”
Hearing this, Su Wan naturally agreed. The basket really was quite heavy.
The firewood was messy, with lots of branches snagging on the basket, making it difficult to pour out. So, Su Wan patiently took each piece out one by one.
Su Lei stood nearby waiting for her to finish. While idly looking around, he suddenly noticed that Educated Youth Liu was collecting firewood while gradually walking this way. She was already very close.
Su Lei did not have a good impression of this educated youth and was just about to look away when, in the instant he turned his head, he saw a snake rapidly slithering straight toward her.
Although Su Lei disliked her, he was not the kind of person who would stand by and watch someone die. He immediately opened his mouth to warn her.
“Liu—”
Before he could even finish saying “Educated Youth Liu,” he witnessed an unbelievable scene.
When the snake reached her, it suddenly seemed as if it were being controlled by someone. It stiffly changed direction, bypassed Educated Youth Liu, and charged toward another person standing in front of her.
Su Wan had been facing away while struggling with the firewood. The moment she heard her brother’s abrupt shout, she turned around and saw the scene before her.
Before she could react, Su Lei had already rushed forward and yanked Zhao Qiuyue aside.
Still not understanding what was happening, Zhao Qiuyue was pulled directly into Su Lei’s chest. Wrapping an arm around her, Su Lei dragged her farther away.
Then he ran back to Su Wan’s side and said, “Stay here and don’t come over.” He grabbed the long stick and prepared to beat the snake.
The snake had missed its bite. Flicking its tongue, it seemed hesitant, as though it did not know who to bite.
At that moment, Su Lei charged over menacingly with the stick in hand.
The snake turned around and headed straight toward Liu Rongrong.
With a scream of “Ah—!” the snake bit Liu Rongrong once before quickly darting into the forest and disappearing.
Looking at the wound on her foot, Liu Rongrong collapsed onto the ground, her pretty face drained of color. She wanted to touch the wound but did not dare. Finally, her eyes rolled back, and she fainted.
Everyone else had been frightened senseless and stood there frozen in place.
Seeing Liu Rongrong faint, Su Wan touched the black jade hidden in her pocket, her heart pounding with excitement.
It’s here. The opportunity has arrived!
Su Wan immediately rushed over to Liu Rongrong and shouted to the people nearby, “Someone help! Carry her to the clinic!”
It was the same aunties as last time. One grabbed her shoulders, one lifted her legs, and another supported her waist as they hurried down the mountain.
Seeing Liu Rongrong faint just like that, Su Wan anxiously followed after them.
Su Lei shouted loudly, “Su Wan, it’s not venomous! I saw it—that snake wasn’t poisonous!”
Su Lei himself was puzzled. If it was not venomous, then why had she fainted?
Su Wan ignored him completely and hurried down the mountain.
“Do you think I’m this anxious because of Liu Rongrong? Of course not. Isn’t this just such a perfect opportunity?” Su Wan muttered while panting heavily.
Seeing Su Wan ignore him and run down the mountain, Su Lei could only carry his own basket, hold Su Wan’s basket in his left hand, and carry the stick in his right as he prepared to head down as well.
What kind of mess is this? he thought helplessly.
Zhao Qiuyue, still shaken, stared blankly at Su Lei. When she saw him preparing to leave, she finally snapped back to her senses.
She hurried after him and said with a smile, “You’re Su Wan’s brother, Su Lei, right? Thank you so much for just now!”
Su Lei stopped and turned to look at her. “It’s nothing. I just did what I should.”
Zhao Qiuyue smiled brightly and said, “What do you mean ‘what you should’? You saved me, so of course I should thank you.”
Her eyes shifted, and seeing that Su Lei was carrying too many things, she said, “Let me help you carry something.” As she spoke, she reached for the basket in Su Lei’s hand.
Su Lei awkwardly moved the basket behind him and said, “No need. I can carry it myself.”
“It’s fine. You saved me. What’s wrong with me helping you carry something?” Zhao Qiuyue said stubbornly.
Su Lei had no choice. In broad daylight, he could not very well pull back and forth with her in public, so he could only let go and hand her the basket.
On the way down the mountain, Zhao Qiuyue subtly and not-so-subtly asked about Su Lei.
Before this, she had only known that the brigade leader had a son and a daughter, and the son’s name was Su Lei.
Moreover, by the time Zhao Qiuyue had come to the countryside, Su Lei was already working in the county town, so she had never really met him before.
She had not expected Su Lei to be tall and steady, and the way he saved her just now had been swift and decisive.
Now Zhao Qiuyue thought everything about Su Lei looked good. Her eyes practically sparkled with stars.
Under Zhao Qiuyue’s gaze, a faint blush appeared on Su Lei’s wheat-colored face, though it was hard to notice unless one looked carefully.
When they reached the foot of the mountain, Su Lei coughed lightly and said, “Educated Youth Zhao, thank you for helping me carry the basket. We’re down the mountain now, so I’ll take it back.”
Su Lei took the basket and turned to leave, though a trace of red still lingered on his ears.
Zhao Qiuyue watched his figure disappear before finally turning around and leaving happily herself.