When something unusual happens, there must be something sinister behind it!

The pit bull’s barking grew louder and more thunderous, echoing through the dense woods. Clearly, whatever unknown danger lurked ahead was drawing ever closer. The creature approaching them seemed utterly fearless of the pit bull; otherwise, it would not have pressed forward after hearing the dog’s warning cries.

Crack! The sound of a thick branch, as wide as a thumb, snapping reverberated through the eerily silent forest, disturbing the stillness like a stone cast upon calm water, sending ripples outward in all directions.

Woof, woof, woof! The pit bull barked furiously, retreating step by step. Its four sturdy legs trembled with fear. The enemy before it was as formidable as Chen Anquan himself.

Chen Juanjuan’s reaction was swift and sharp; she too sensed the unknown creature drawing near, and her steps became hurried and anxious. Thankfully, she wore athletic shoes, which allowed her to move smoothly through the wild terrain. In no time, she slipped into the woods where Chen Anquan had disappeared.

Just as she entered, sprinting five or six meters, a figure suddenly emerged ahead, blocking her path.

“Ah!” she cried out instinctively.

“Idiot, it’s me!” Chen Anquan almost rolled his eyes, utterly speechless at Juanjuan’s terrified expression.

Startled, Juanjuan resembled a frightened young girl. When she realized it was Chen Anquan, her heart, which had nearly leapt out of her throat, finally settled back into her chest. The fright subsided, and she threw herself at him.

Chen Anquan felt as if a famished tiger were pouncing toward him, but he made no attempt to dodge. This was Chen Juanjuan—a woman terrified to her core, a woman made of water. He opened his arms to embrace her.

Driven by instinct, Juanjuan leapt into his arms, clutching him tightly.

The pit bull, meanwhile, stood off to the side, serving as an unwitting, thousand-watt third wheel.

After a while, Juanjuan’s terror gradually faded. She slowly relaxed her aching arms, looking at Chen Anquan with embarrassment. “Hey, are you still going to hold me?”

Only then did Chen Anquan release her, smiling at her. “See? I told you, it’s dangerous here. There really are wild boars!”

The tofu Juanjuan had brought was gone, its flavor pleasantly lingering.

“Hmph!” Juanjuan’s eyes were tinged with red, evidence of the tears she’d shed. “Then why did you dare leave me?”

She didn’t dwell on their embrace, but was furious that Chen Anquan had left her, plunging her and her dog into unknown danger.

“I was right here watching you. Don’t worry, if you’re ever in danger, I’ll be the first to save you.”

“Then why didn’t you come when I heard something ahead?”

“That was just a wild boar—nothing to fear. Usually, unless you attack it, it won’t bother you. You’re safe.”

“Oh.” Juanjuan’s worries eased. Her eyes widened like pearls, fists clenched. “Chen Anquan! You must’ve done it on purpose, taking advantage of me!”

Chen Anquan looked at her, speechless. He squatted down, picked up his small hoe, and resumed digging for medicinal herbs. “Nonsense. You’re always the one jumping into my arms.”

Juanjuan was at a loss for words, her face flushing red and her cheeks puffed out. Chen Anquan spoke nothing but the truth.

Yesterday, Chen Anquan had saved her life and honor, so it was understandable that she clung to him. Today, frightened by a wild boar, she still found herself in his arms. Was it becoming a habit?

She dared not think further, retreating a step to watch him dig for herbs.

The pit bull relaxed, its vigilance fading. Clearly, the “wild boar” had moved on.

Soon, Chen Anquan unearthed a large, hefty medicinal root. He tossed it into the basket, then hoisted the nearly full load onto his back.

“Let me help you,” Juanjuan said, eager to diffuse the awkwardness. She grabbed an empty basket, surprised by its weight. “It’s so heavy!”

“This basket is about twenty pounds—big baskets are always heavier.”

Juanjuan eyed the basket, which reached her waist, and couldn’t help but marvel at Chen Anquan’s hardship. “Anquan, you work so hard gathering herbs in the mountains.”

Hmm? Chen Anquan was curious—Juanjuan was showing concern for him!

“It’s fine for me. Gathering herbs is good exercise and helps support the family.”

“Yes, you’re skilled.” Juanjuan recalled last night, when Chen Anquan had rushed to her car, even rolling up his sleeves to help... Her car?

“Last night you snuck up to my Little Red. What exactly were you planning?”

Damn! Chen Anquan realized she must have caught him on surveillance. He’d heard that some cars have monitoring features that allow owners to watch remotely on their phones.

“Why so quiet? Don’t tell me you were planning to lift my car!”

“I did consider it,” Chen Anquan admitted.

“Ha! As if you could lift Little Red!” She taunted.

Chen Anquan didn’t bother to respond, turning instead to continue digging herbs.

He glanced toward the mountaintop, realizing they were still far from the halfway point. At their current pace, with all the chatting, they’d never reach the summit today.

The secret of the mountain-top rehmannia could be kept safe!

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to share it with Juanjuan, but he feared she might tell Chen Long and the others. With Chen Long’s domineering ways, he might strip the mountain bare.

Juanjuan was left aside, but she didn’t mind, trailing happily behind him.

To make things easier, she removed her red hiking pack, placing it atop the basket she now carried.

Through the dense forest, a girl in a black-and-red tracksuit, her hair tied in a ponytail, trudged with a giant basket on her back—quite a sight.

Chen Anquan, clad in shabby old clothes, blended seamlessly into the landscape.

He had fully embraced village life, becoming a true “Zhuge peasant.”

Being a farmer seemed not so bad: a bit of cultivation, earning a living with his own hands.

“Juanjuan, this is achyranthes,” Chen Anquan suddenly stopped, pointing to a patch of green grass.

“That’s just a weed!” Juanjuan clearly doubted him.

“Why would I lie? Its root is achyranthes; it strengthens the liver and kidneys, fortifies the bones. If your father eats it, your mother won’t be able to keep up...” Chen Anquan was about to say that Chen Long and Wang Lixia would be happier if they took it, but before he finished, Juanjuan laughed and looked at him. “Really? Then dig up more. I’ll give some to my father—he always complains about back pain.”

“No problem!”

“Give me the hoe. I want to dig it myself!” Juanjuan reached out. “Hand it over!”

“Alright.” He handed her the small hoe, secretly hoping she’d become his herbal-gathering assistant—no need to pay wages then.

Juanjuan gripped the hoe and struck down at the achyranthes, severing the plant completely. She looked at him, proud. “See how efficient I am!”

“You idiot! That’s not how you dig herbs; you’re destroying them!” Chen Anquan was exasperated at her clumsy attempts. “Are you sure you grew up in the countryside? You don’t even know how to dig?”

Juanjuan took his scolding in stride, continuing to dig diligently. “Watch me.”

After nearly ten minutes, she finally extracted the achyranthes root—yellow and ginseng-like, but broken into five or six pieces, clearly battered by the hoe.

Chen Anquan rubbed his forehead, watching Juanjuan’s destruction. “Give me the hoe. You handle packing the herbs, OK?”

“No problem.”

And so, the two continued their climb toward the mountaintop.

Chen Anquan had promised to take Juanjuan hiking, and was determined to satisfy her curiosity. Yet the mountain was rich in medicinal plants—he couldn’t let the valuable ones go to waste, so he dug as he walked. The cheap herbs weren’t worth the effort.

“Wow! What beautiful flowers!” Juanjuan suddenly spotted a knee-high plant ahead, blooming with eight blood-red blossoms, each the size of a fist.

Their beauty was striking—delicate and alluring, graceful and vibrant. These words scarcely captured their magnificence.

Luxurious as peonies, as beguiling as roses, as pure as lotus rising from the mud, as dazzling as a crane among chickens.

Juanjuan’s eyes widened—this was the most beautiful flower she’d ever seen.

“This flower is prettier than peonies, carnations, roses—anything!” Women born to love beauty are drawn to such flowers.

She dropped her basket and hurried over, reaching out with pale fingers to touch the crimson petals.

“I’ve never seen such a stunning flower here, even after so many trips gathering herbs!” Chen Anquan frowned, puzzled.

Just then, he saw Juanjuan, entranced, reaching for the red blossom.

He sprang forward and grabbed her wrist. “Careful! If it’s poisonous, it’ll be trouble!”

“What are you doing?” Juanjuan protested. “You think this is TV? Flowers aren’t poisonous! You think it’s a datura?”

Once, a meteor shower had fallen here. Chen Anquan had searched for traces of meteorites but found nothing, eventually giving up. Still, he didn’t rule out the possibility of strange happenings—like the blood-red flower before him.

Scanning the area, only this lone plant bloomed with crimson flowers.

Anything out of the ordinary must be watched carefully.