He Chen looked at the several red marks on her exposed calves while she rolled up her pants, lamenting that his wife's skin was so tender and feeling heartbroken.
But no matter what, he couldn't resist the charm of her unintentional advances.
Her fair cheeks, with eyelids fluttering over her sparkling eyes, reflected the mountain's backdrop; his wife looked like an elf in the woods, strikingly beautiful.
After a moment of hesitation, He Chen carefully squatted down. This time he deliberately chose a lower spot so that she could climb onto his back easily.
"I'll carry you across. Place your legs in front of my waist, try not to get scratched again."
Ye Manman was instantly delighted and quickly climbed onto his back.
"You're really sweet～"
Thinking about the juicy peaches she'd soon savor, Ye Manman, who hadn't tasted fruit for days, was overjoyed, poking at He Chen's back along the way.
What she didn't know was that in places she couldn't see, He Chen's jaw was clenched tight, and his muscles were tense, nearly stepping in the wrong places multiple times.
He was incredibly anxious, his remaining thoughts entirely focused on Ye Manman's touch; each poke igniting nerves, making his body cheer for her delicate fingertips.
The path was indeed difficult to traverse as it looked impossible for anyone to walk through.
Not only did it twist and turn endlessly, but there were no signs of a trail, relying entirely on He Chen's strong memory. He pushed through various bushes, leaping over bizarre terrains until they finally saw the light.
When Ye Manman was set down, she was stunned. If she guessed correctly, this should be the deepest part of the mountain, unknown because none dared venture here.
Unexpectedly, this deep mountain held such a place. The peach trees were not large, but the fruits were appealingly plump, rosy from the inside out, with no wormholes.
He Chen easily reached out his long arms, picked several large peaches, worried she might find them dirty, he headed to a nearby small cave to wash them with flowing water.
While he washed the peaches, Ye Manman eagerly followed, curious about the evidently man-made cave.
"Did you make this cave yourself?"
"Yes, I'm the only one who knows. I used to come here when I wanted to be alone, eventually decided to dig it out, so it's a place to hide from the rain."
He Chen spoke with a faint hint of melancholy, but remembering that it allowed him to bring Ye Manman to enjoy the peaches, he dismissed the thought.
Soon, he turned and handed the clean peaches to Ye Manman.
Her cherry-like lips joyfully took a bite of the plump peach, its juicy flesh splashing onto her face.
Ye Manman contentedly wrapped her face, squinted her eyes, turning her pretty eyes into crescents, while she nibbled the large peach in small bites.
He Chen bent down, rubbed his fingers, merely watching the peach juice stains near her cheeks, too afraid to wipe them away.
His fingers were too coarse, calloused; her leg skin so tender it tore when brushed by grass. Her cheeks looked even more delicate, just a light touch could hurt.
He knew he wasn't worthy of her.
"Is this spring water? It looks so clear, is it originally here? Is it drinkable?"
Ye Manman suddenly went to the rock wall, curiously looking at the stream cascading from above.
He Chen watched her fluffy back of the head, his heart once again softened.
"Yes, I checked the source, it's the mountain spring water. Originally this water didn't pass here, I made a channel, now you can drink it and stay without worry."
"Wow, you're amazing."
Ye Manman didn't hide the admiration in her eyes, making He Chen's ears redden.
No one had ever praised him so directly.
People in the village only remarked on his brute strength, working hard.
"I find this place perfect for a barbecue, with mountains and water, only missing a wild chicken."
Under He Chen's cautious protection, Ye Manman circled the small area and sat on a stump to continue eating peaches.
Just as she finished speaking, a rustling sound emerged from the nearby tangled forest.
The last time she heard something like this was encountering a wild boar.
Ye Manman was startled, quickly rushing to He Chen's side, her slender fingers pointing at the area nervously.
"There… there's something there! Could it be another wild boar?"
He Chen said no one else knew this place, so what appeared must be something else. Remembering the wild boar charging at her last time, Ye Manman felt her lips go pale.
He Chen protected her, letting her hide behind him, his rugged voice carrying an undeniable sense of security.
"Don't worry, I'll check it out."
Quickly grabbing an axe stored in the cave, he cautiously moved towards the source of the sound with concentrated focus, sharp eyes like a hunting leopard.
As the sound from the shrubs grew nearer, Ye Manman held her breath anxiously.
Suddenly, a large and beautiful wild chicken with a long feathered tail burst out from the bushes, and before Ye Manman could glimpse its shape clearly, He Chen swiftly ended its life with an axe strike.
The chicken didn't even have a chance to cry out before He Chen picked up its severed neck.
"Ah… Is this a wild chicken? It's quite large..."
Ye Manman wasn't very afraid of such scenes, especially since He Chen was the one behind it, making her feel extra safe.
She curiously moved closer, but He Chen shyly turned away, rushing to wash his face at the rock wall.
"What's wrong? Are you hurt?"
Ye Manman followed, a bit worried and He Chen quickly washed his face.
Turning around, he casually wiped his damp face, smiling bashfully.
"No, there was a bit of blood splash, I was worried it might scare you."
He Chen's features were rugged, with double-eyelid eyes. His smile was somewhat goofy, yet now his face, hair, eyebrows, and lashes were all damp, water droplets hung on his lips.
When he turned towards her, the remaining water trickled down his jaw, over his Adam's apple, and finally onto his exposed abs.
Now Ye Manman noticed his shirt was open, his wheat-toned, nearly bronze skin gleamed with water droplets, an indescribable aesthetic.
Having seen countless modern handsome men, Ye Manman considered him the top rugged handsome guy.
Seeing Ye Manman unharmed, He Chen safely went to prepare the chicken, soon cleaning and seasoning it before placing it over the fire.
"Didn't expect us to be so lucky. We barely mentioned a barbecue and this chicken jumped out."
While He Chen was busy, Ye Manman felt idle, contemplating the end of the chicken today and no meat for later. Suddenly, there was another commotion in the shrubs.
Standing close, Ye Manman was startled, but before she could scream, a grayish creature darted out, slammed onto a stump near her, tilted its head, and fell.
He Chen rushed over instantly, seeing the scene, hurriedly asked if she was okay, then fell silent.
Looking at the wild rabbit, then at He Chen's confused face, Ye Manman licked her red lips.
"He Chen, do you know how to make spicy rabbit meat?"