The evening wind rushed through Lin Mo’s open collar, carrying a biting chill.
She didn’t dare look back.
Grass clippings clung to her tangled hair, strands sticking to her tear-streaked face and partially blocking her vision. Her eyes were blurred with tears, and her entire body trembled uncontrollably.
She was reaching her limit.
Her legs felt as though they could give out at any moment.
Just when she thought she couldn’t run another step, a familiar sound suddenly echoed through the fading twilight.
Hoofbeats.
Rapid.
Powerful.
Coming from ahead.
Lin Mo lifted her head in panic.
Through her blurred vision, she saw a horse charging toward her.
And atop it sat Danzeng.
Riding Dorje at full speed.
As he drew closer, his figure became clearer against the darkening sky.
Like a knight galloping out of a legend.
For a moment, Lin Mo couldn’t believe what she was seeing.
She thought it was a hallucination born from fear and exhaustion.
So she kept running.
Desperately.
Blindly.
Until strong arms suddenly wrapped around her waist from behind and lifted her off the ground.
The abrupt contact terrified her.
A sharp scream tore from her throat.
She struggled violently, shaking like a frightened bird caught in a trap.
Danzeng tightened his hold.
Only then did he get a proper look at her.
Her face was deathly pale.
Her clothes were disheveled.
Her hair was filled with grass, leaves, and dirt.
There was even a trace of blood.
“Lin Mo! It’s me!”
His voice exploded through the air.
The roar was so fierce it sounded as though he might crush his teeth from clenching them.
Lin Mo froze.
For a brief moment, confusion clouded her expression.
Her hollow gaze looked through the curtain of hair covering her face.
Slowly.
Gradually.
The blurred image before her came into focus.
Danzeng.
It was really him.
Not a hallucination.
Not a dream.
The moment she recognized him, the terror gripping her heart finally collapsed.
The tension that had been holding her together snapped.
The fear.
The panic.
The oxygen deprivation from running at high altitude.
Everything crashed down on her at once.
Her body went limp.
Darkness swallowed her vision.
And she collapsed.
At that instant, something inside Danzeng shattered.
A sharp pain pierced his chest.
His pupils contracted violently.
A terrifying aura of fury enveloped him.
His face turned cold as he looked toward the mountain behind them.
The darkness in his eyes was almost frightening.
His fists clenched so tightly that the veins stood out across the backs of his hands.
Every instinct screamed for revenge.
But he knew this wasn’t the time.
Right now, only one thing mattered.
Lin Mo.
Without hesitation, he lifted her onto the horse.
Then he turned and raced back toward the guesthouse.
…
The moment they arrived, Danzeng carried Lin Mo straight to her room.
He immediately turned on the oxygen machine and checked her blood oxygen levels.
Based on his assessment, she had likely fainted from a combination of severe fright and oxygen deprivation.
For now, observation was sufficient.
If her condition worsened, he would take her to the hospital immediately.
Only after her breathing gradually steadied did he finally relax.
Then his gaze fell upon her injuries.
The bruises on her wrist.
The blood smeared across her palm.
His eyes darkened instantly.
After giving Cizhen a few instructions, he turned and left without another word.
That night, nobody knew where Danzeng went.
Nobody knew how he found the culprit.
All anyone knew was that the next morning, Awang was discovered outside his family’s tent.
His face was swollen beyond recognition.
Covered in bruises.
Howling in pain.
Not long afterward, he was taken away by the police.
As for Danzeng…
On his way back, he had even made a special trip to the Zeba Hidden Paradise.
Worried that the morning dew would ruin Lin Mo’s artwork, he carefully gathered the sketchbook, painting supplies, and backpack she had left behind.
Of course, Lin Mo didn’t learn any of this until the following day.
Cizhen told her everything.
And she told it with such excitement that she practically acted out the entire scene.
“Lin Mo, you have no idea how handsome Brother Danzeng was!”
She waved her arms dramatically.
“When he carried you back, it was incredible!”
Her eyes sparkled.
“It’s the first time I’ve ever seen Brother Danzeng play the hero and save a beautiful girl!”
Then she leaned closer with a mischievous grin.
“So…”
Her eyebrows bounced up and down.
“What exactly is going on between you two?”
Lin Mo ignored the teasing.
Only one sentence remained in her mind.
He went back to get your sketchbook.
At a time when he had been furious.
Terrified.
Worried sick about her.
He had still remembered the thing she treasured most.
He had even thought about the morning dew damaging the paper.
That level of thoughtfulness struck her deeply.
A new concern suddenly surfaced.
“Danzeng beat someone up.”
She looked worried.
“Will he get into trouble?”
“Trouble?”
Cizhen slapped her chest proudly.
“What are you afraid of?”
“We grassland people have spirit.”
“If it’s for someone we love, we’d fight with our lives.”
Lin Mo stared blankly.
“He actually got into a fight…”
She murmured.
“I always thought he was a gentle person.”
“Gentle?”
Cizhen looked as though she’d just heard the most absurd joke in the world.
“My brother?”
She burst out laughing.
“He’s been arrogant since he was little.”
“Cold to everyone.”
“Doesn’t talk much.”
“Always acting cool.”
“As for being gentle…”
She laughed even harder.
“Maybe you’re the only person who thinks that.”
But Lin Mo disagreed.
She had seen Danzeng’s gentle side.
Many times.
Not just toward her.
Toward Qumu from the ranch.
Toward the children.
Even toward his horses.
A light knock suddenly came from the doorway.
The room hadn’t been closed.
Danzeng pushed the door open and walked in.
In his hand was a glass of warm milk.
Cizhen immediately caught the atmosphere.
She winked at Lin Mo and slipped out of the room.
The door clicked shut behind her.
Danzeng placed the milk on the bedside table.
Looking at Lin Mo’s still-pale complexion, pain flashed through his eyes.
Yet his voice carried a trace of sternness.
“Don’t go sketching alone anymore.”
His expression was serious.
“It was already getting dark.”
“The mountains are dangerous.”
Lin Mo lowered her head.
Her fingers lightly rubbed the blanket.
A hint of grievance colored her voice.
“I thought this place was safe.”
She paused.
“Are there bad people here too?”
Seeing her pitiful expression, Danzeng couldn’t help himself.
He reached out and gently patted her head.
His movements were incredibly soft.
“Silly girl.”
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
“What place doesn’t have bad people?”
His voice grew quieter.
“Never romanticize a place too much.”
Then he added,
“Besides…”
“There are wolves here.”
His deep voice carried a strange sense of reassurance.
Even when he was trying to scare her.
Lin Mo looked up.
Her eyes met his.
For a moment, she forgot how to breathe.
“Thank you.”
Her voice softened.
“You’ve saved me again.”
She smiled helplessly.
“At this rate, I’ll never be able to repay you.”
“No rush.”
A suspicious smile appeared on Danzeng’s face.
“There will be plenty of opportunities for you to repay me later.”
The look in his eyes immediately put Lin Mo on guard.
Then Danzeng pointed toward her right hand.
“How does your hand feel?”
Only then did she notice the injury.
Yesterday, she had gripped the utility knife so tightly that the blade had cut into her palm.
Now the wound throbbed painfully.
Danzeng handed her several tubes of ointment.
Patiently, he explained each one.
Which reduced bruising.
Which helped wounds heal.
Which prevented scarring.
His instructions were detailed and meticulous.
Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he spoke again.
“Oh, right.”
A teasing smile appeared.
“I heard Awang say you told him I was your boyfriend.”
Lin Mo’s smile froze.
Her face instantly turned bright red.
“That was just to scare him!”
She glared at him in embarrassment.
“I didn’t expect your name to be that effective.”
“I’d be happy to.”
Danzeng looked directly into her eyes.
The meaning behind those four words was unmistakable.
Before Lin Mo could react, he stood up.
“Get some rest today.”
Then he left.
Just like that.
Leaving her completely stunned.
Lin Mo’s brain immediately stopped functioning.
What did he mean by that?
Wasn’t he supposed to be getting engaged to Medo?
Then why was he saying things like that?
And why did he leave without explaining himself?
Was he doing it on purpose?
The answer was yes.
Danzeng absolutely did it on purpose.
He felt that Lin Mo was far too slow when it came to relationships.
Sometimes, a catalyst was necessary.
And right now?
Things were progressing perfectly.
…
That same day, both Gyatso and Medo seemed to realize something.
And neither of them was happy about it.
Medo had gone through great effort to come here.
Only to discover that the man she loved already had someone else in his heart.
As for Gyatso…
He regretted being one step too late.
Too late to meet her.
Too late to find her.
Too late in every possible way.
That evening, everyone gathered for dinner.
The table was lively.
Yet the atmosphere felt strangely tense.
Only Cizhen remained blissfully unaware.
She looked around and complained loudly,
“Why is nobody talking?”
“If I’m the only one talking, it’s boring!”
Lin Mo and Danzeng were both naturally quiet people.
Medo sat with a cold expression and barely spoke at all.
Finally, Gyatso broke the silence.
As always, his smile was warm and gentle.
He raised his glass toward everyone.
“I’m leaving tomorrow.”
“I need to check on the guesthouse in Jiagenba.”
He smiled.
“We’ll meet again someday.”
He was the kind of person who genuinely wished happiness for others.
In fact, he was grateful that he hadn’t revealed his feelings too openly.
At least not yet.
Because deep down, he knew something.
He had to leave.
Immediately.
Before things changed even more.
Before his heart became even harder to pull away.