Huo Yunxiao held Shen Mu's hand as they walked down the mountain. Shen Mu accidentally stepped on a protruding stone and almost fell.
"Ouch!" She instinctively exclaimed.
Huo Yunxiao let go of her hand and bent down to pick her up.
Shen Mu was momentarily suspended in the air and asked, "What are you doing?"
Huo Yunxiao replied, "Carrying you down."
Shen Mu swallowed and said, "Huo Yunxiao, this road is very long."
Huo Yunxiao looked down at her. The little girl in his arms looked surprised and had a rare and innocent cuteness about her.
He chuckled softly, "Hmm, we'll take our time on this long road."
It was noon, the sun was shining brightly, and the road down the mountain seemed much clearer than when they had climbed up.
Huo Yunxiao held her steadily and walked down step by step. His chest was solid, and the steady sound of his heartbeat passed through Shen Mu's chest and into the ear pressed against him, a reassuring rhythm.
