“Uh…”
The four people who arrived right behind them stood at the top of the slope, staring wide-eyed as the two rolled downhill in a tangled heap.
Qin Zhihang was dumbfounded.
“Even if the situation was special, aren’t they holding each other a little too tightly?”
As the only young unmarried woman present, Su Qiuyun was already married, but she still had a thin skin and remained silent.
Yang Chunjiang noticed his wife was embarrassed and wisely didn’t comment.
Ding Shuhui glanced at Qin Zhihang.
“Back when I married Old Song, we didn’t even hold hands once before the wedding.”
As for the fact that even on their wedding night they hadn’t held each other this tightly…
She certainly wasn’t going to say that in front of these young people.
“So what do we do now?” Qin Zhihang asked slowly.
The scene had impacted him so much that his brain seemed to have stopped functioning properly.
Though Ding Shuhui wasn’t entirely sure herself, she was decisive when it mattered.
“Everyone go back to what you were doing.”
“Just pretend you didn’t see what happened.”
“And don’t mention it to anyone.”
Thus, the four of them tactfully and thoughtfully turned around and left.
Those gathering firewood continued gathering firewood.
Those hunting wild chickens continued hunting wild chickens.
Those picking mushrooms continued picking mushrooms.
As for the two rolling around at the bottom of the slope…
Everyone knew Ji Yanchuan’s capabilities.
You could throw him alone into the deep mountains for several years and he’d still survive.
Nothing serious would happen.
Besides, compared to being stared at by a crowd, it was better to let them handle things themselves.
As they rolled downhill, Shen Yueliang simply gave up struggling.
Whatever happened, happened.
Fortunately, the entire slope was covered in grass.
She didn’t feel much pain anywhere.
Just dizzy.
The world spun around her.
She didn’t know how long they rolled before finally stopping.
Shen Yueliang shook her dizzy head and tried to crawl up using both hands and feet.
She failed.
When she lifted her head, she belatedly realized she was completely sheltered against someone’s chest.
One of Ji Yanchuan’s arms was wrapped around her waist.
His other hand protected the back of her head.
Their four legs were tangled together.
Shen Yueliang: …
Thankfully she was on top.
If she had been underneath, the position would have looked even worse.
“Comrade, loosen your grip.”
When it was time to be thick-skinned, Shen Yueliang could be very thick-skinned indeed.
What was done was done.
This wasn’t some idol drama where they needed to linger awkwardly and exchange soulful gazes for half a day.
Ji Yanchuan had taken most of the impact.
But his physical condition was excellent.
After confirming they were safe, he released her immediately.
The moment she felt the restraint loosen, Shen Yueliang wasted no time getting to her feet.
Her balance was normally good, though the dizziness made her stumble slightly after standing.
“Are you alright?” Ji Yanchuan reached out to steady her.
Shen Yueliang avoided his hand and pressed her forehead.
“I’m fine.”
His hand remained raised uneasily until she stood firmly.
Only then did he slowly lower it.
His long fingers hung naturally by his side, unconsciously rubbing together.
Then his gaze quietly shifted toward her.
After rolling dozens of meters downhill, Shen Yueliang’s hair was a mess.
There was a small scrape on one side of her face.
Against her fair skin, the bead of blood looked especially striking.
His brows furrowed unconsciously.
Shen Yueliang had already noticed the pain.
But it wasn’t severe.
She guessed it was just a minor scrape.
She wasn’t some pampered young lady.
A little wound like that would heal on its own.
Still…
She looked up at Ji Yanchuan.
For a moment, she didn’t know what to say.
The situation was truly absurd.
But some things needed to be said.
Keeping them bottled up would only make her feel worse.
She could stop going to the family compound.
But why should she?
Refuse to make money?
“Captain Ji, I know I lied to you before.”
“I understand why you don’t have a good impression of me.”
“No matter what, you saved me today, and I’m grateful.”
“I’ll pretend I never heard those harsh things you said.”
“As for the future…”
“You see, I’m not one of your soldiers.”
“So save your energy and stop lecturing me.”
“I’m a woman, after all.”
“I’d like to keep a little dignity, don’t you think?”
Shen Yueliang felt she was being very sincere.
As for the officer standing before her…
He said nothing.
She certainly couldn’t pry his mouth open and force him to talk.
His deep gaze remained fixed on her.
She had no idea what he was thinking.
Shen Yueliang looked at the sky.
Then at the ground.
Nearby, the grass was lush and green.
Beyond it lay another patch of forest filled with towering trees.
Looking carefully, she thought she spotted a touch of red.
Hm?
She looked once.
Then again.
Ji Yanchuan was still trying to sort through the turmoil in his own emotions when Shen Yueliang suddenly ran off.
She sprinted toward the forest on the right.
Moving quickly and lightly.
When she reached her destination, she immediately squatted down.
Her slender figure became a small bundle in the grass.
At first, Shen Yueliang thought she might have seen wrong.
She blinked and looked again.
There, before her, stood an exceptionally beautiful plant.
At its top was a cluster of bright red berries.
Of course, the berries weren’t the important part.
The important part was…
It was a genuine wild ginseng plant.
It had flowers and fruit.
At minimum, it was five or six years old.
And if luck was really on her side, there might even be a decades-old root hidden underground.
Shen Yueliang focused entirely on the plant.
Carefully pushing aside dirt and dead leaves around it.
She had brought a small hoe and a basket when she came to the mountain.
Unfortunately, after rolling downhill, she had no idea where they had gone.
Without a proper tool, damaging such a valuable ginseng root would greatly reduce its worth.
A small hoe suddenly appeared in her field of vision.
The fingers gripping the wooden handle were long and attractive.
Shen Yueliang pursed her lips.
“Do you know how to dig it up?”
“Need help?”
A deep voice sounded above her head.
Suddenly she wasn’t quite as happy anymore.
She understood the principle of splitting a find with someone who had witnessed it.
Since he had seen it too, keeping everything for herself would be shameless.
She had no idea how much the ginseng was worth.
But losing half of it the moment she found it was definitely not something that made her happy.
“You know how?” she asked.
She had never dug up ginseng before.
Ji Yanchuan stood taller, giving him a better view.
He noticed her slightly pouting lips.
Without speaking, he crouched beside her.
Holding the hoe in one hand and carefully protecting the plant with the other, he began digging at a safe distance.
The two sat close together.
Logically, after the things they’d just said, she should have moved farther away.
But she couldn’t bear to leave such a valuable ginseng plant.
In the end, she stopped thinking about it.
Getting the ginseng out safely was what mattered.
As more soil was removed, the buried root gradually revealed itself.
It was as thick as three fingers.
Its fine rootlets extended even deeper into the earth, making it impossible to tell how long they were.
“Be careful,” she said, staring without blinking.
Ji Yanchuan glanced at her.
“I know.”
His hands were remarkably steady.
When the ginseng was finally extracted from the soil, every rootlet remained intact.
Not a single one had broken.
He carefully held it in his palm and extended it toward Shen Yueliang.
Her eyes curved into crescents.
As though afraid the ginseng might run away, she poked it lightly with one finger.
Then immediately withdrew her hand and stared at it eagerly.
Her eyes shone brightly.
“Why aren’t you taking it?” Ji Yanchuan could clearly see how much she wanted it.
Shen Yueliang sighed.
“Finders split it equally.”
“We should divide this ginseng between us too.”
She truly wanted to keep it all.
But with him standing right there watching, monopolizing it would be impossible to justify.
Ji Yanchuan seemed to look at her for a long moment.
She suddenly wondered whether this greedy man intended to take the entire thing.
Now that would be going too far.
Then she heard him say:
“Hold out your hand.”