138. I’ll be with you from now on.

"Yangtze alligator? Do we have those in Anhui Province?"

Xiang Yuanyuan was a bit bewildered. Du Ruo’s train of thought was moving so fast she couldn't keep up. Besides, she only knew that Yangtze alligators were first-class protected national treasures, but she had never paid much attention to them. Who would actually go out of their way to see one?

"Yes, our Anhui Province is home to the Yangtze alligator reserve, and it’s actually the largest breeding sanctuary."

Seeing Xiang Yuanyuan’s blank expression, Du Ruo offered a brief explanation. In truth, he had only recently learned this himself. He had watched videos of them before without ever checking the location, not realizing they were so close to home until recently.

"Then let's go! Do I need to pack anything?" Xiang Yuanyuan thought for a moment; if she stayed home, she would just be editing videos anyway.

"No need. Just bring a bottle of water. I'll drive. We’ll leave now, hang out for a bit, and come back tonight." Du Ruo jingled his keys as he spoke, looking as if this hadn't been a last-minute decision at all.

"Then let's go!" Xiang Yuanyuan raised her hand and shouted with a playful, dramatic flair.

...

In the car, Du Ruo drove while Xiang Yuanyuan sat in the passenger seat, texting Li Qiyao and promising to take plenty of photos for her later.

The journey of over two hundred kilometers took about two hours. By the time they arrived, the weather had cooled down, making it the perfect time for a stroll.

"We're here already?" Xiang Yuanyuan stepped out and looked around. The area was quite secluded, surrounded by hills with lush vegetation. The scenery was nice, but most importantly, it wasn't crowded. Occasionally, she spotted parents with their children; it was a lovely place for a family getaway during the summer break.

"Yes, this is Crocodile Lake. It’s said that nearly ten thousand Yangtze alligators live here," Du Ruo said, leading her inside. "Let's look around here first, then head to the nearby town for dinner before we head back."

"Okay, let's go! Let's hurry." Xiang Yuanyuan had just watched several videos on the internet and was filled with anticipation. She trotted ahead, eager to buy tickets.

The tickets were quite cheap, and more importantly, there was no line. They entered the park in no time.

Unlike Du Ruo, who had a clear agenda to observe the alligators, Xiang Yuanyuan was there for the fun. Once inside, she was delighted by everything, even insisting on visiting the dinosaur exhibit. She acted just like the children there, asking Du Ruo to take photos of her with the models and fossils. She even listened intently in the Yangtze alligator education center. When she saw other children climbing onto a giant alligator statue for photos, she couldn't resist doing the same.

Du Ruo didn’t mind at all. He had brought her along to have a good time, so he was happy to accommodate her mood, though her enthusiasm was a bit more than he had expected, causing him to keep a closer eye on her.

"Wow, there are so many! Are these all Yangtze alligators?" As they walked, they finally reached the lake. Xiang Yuanyuan looked down at the bank, where dense clusters of alligators were basking in the sun. She leaned over the railing, craning her neck to get a better look.

"They should be... right?" Even Du Ruo felt a flicker of doubt. In all the videos he had seen, Yangtze alligators were portrayed as small, timid, and cute creatures. The sight of the alligators in the lake left him silent.

"They are... so big! They don't look cute or silly at all." Xiang Yuanyuan stretched her arms out in an exaggerated gesture to emphasize their size, her brow furrowing in disappointment.

Du Ruo couldn't argue. Because they were standing at a distance, they couldn't see them up close. The dozens of adult alligators—ranging from one and a half to nearly two meters long—lying on the ground with their bloated bellies didn't look "cute" by any stretch of the imagination. In online videos, they usually appeared individually and were much smaller, lacking the hulking, sturdy presence of these creatures.

"Wow, we can feed them? I want to feed them too!"

Her attention was quickly diverted. Even if the alligators didn't match her imagined "cute and silly" image, she had never seen them in person before. Seeing children nearby buying food to feed them, she rushed over.

Du Ruo followed. As Xiang Yuanyuan happily threw food to the alligators, they began to stir. Du Ruo took the opportunity to observe.

*They’re all on the shore,* he thought. *The Tu (alligator) is a creature of the water, a variant of the dragon. The Xingyi 'alligator form' represents the true essence of the water. Just looking at them like this, I can't quite grasp their spirit.*

He frowned for a moment before relaxing. *Life isn't just about martial arts. There are other things to enjoy, and the true essence of water doesn't have to be found solely in a Yangtze alligator.*

With that, he joined Xiang Yuanyuan in feeding them. They bought small buns and fish—the standard food sold for the animals. Although Du Ruo tossed some small fish into the water to make the alligators swim, the fish were processed and not alive. The alligators ate them effortlessly, failing to show their natural predatory state or power.

They spent the day wandering, taking plenty of photos. Xiang Yuanyuan eventually spotted some smaller alligators, which sent her into a fit of excited squeals, though she was disappointed she couldn't get close enough to interact with them.

Du Ruo wasn't without his own gains. He observed the way the alligators moved in the water, finding confirmation for the theories he had studied. The Xingyi alligator form was the only move in Xingyi Quan that could rival the "Hua Jin" (neutralizing power) of Taiji. It served as a strong defensive technique, meant to dissolve and deflect force. But it wasn't just for defense; it was for offense and defense combined. It primarily used the waist to drive the arms; when applied, it wasn't just about pushing away, but using the force to drive the elbows and arms into an attack. This was highly consistent with the movements of a swimming alligator.

Since he had already mastered the application of this force, watching them merely served as a final validation; it didn't provide any major breakthroughs.

"We're done. I'm a bit hungry. Should we head back now?" They hadn't spent much time there—barely two hours—before walking out. They were adults, after all, and had satisfied their curiosity.

"There's a town nearby with some good food. Let's go explore that before we head back," Du Ruo suggested, checking the time.

"Sounds great!" Xiang Yuanyuan smiled. Her life used to revolve around fine wines, but now that she couldn't drink, she had become interested in local delicacies. She was hungry, and the prospect of a good meal made her happy.

"You seem especially happy today." As they drove, Du Ruo set the navigation and started chatting. He had been to many places with her, but the last time he saw her this joyful was when they were riding horses on the grasslands.

"Because I've never done these things before. I grew up at home surrounded by wine, herbs, brewing, soaking, identifying medicinal ingredients, and memorizing prescriptions. My friends were just my cousins or classmates. My parents never took me to amusement parks, children's playgrounds, or parks." She spoke continuously, a radiant smile on her face.

"Then I’ll go with you from now on," Du Ruo said. He had grown up similarly in the countryside, playing by climbing trees to catch birds, fishing in the river, or stealing fruit from neighbors' gardens. As he got older, he had his own reservations—he didn't want to go alone, and going with adults felt childish. Now, having someone with similar interests to experience the things he missed in his childhood seemed like a good idea.

"That's a deal! Children's parks, water parks..." Xiang Yuanyuan was even happier, counting off destinations from the passenger seat.

"Help! Someone fell into the water! Help!!!"

As they chatted happily, the car passed a small river near a village. An elderly woman stood by the bank, shouting and gesturing wildly, looking for something to help the person in the water.

"What's that lady doing? She looks so anxious." The windows were closed and the car was moving, so Xiang Yuanyuan couldn't hear the shouting, but she saw the woman’s frantic movements.

"Yuanyuan, someone must have fallen in. We're going over. I'll go into the water to save them; you comfort that woman." Du Ruo had heard the cries. He pulled the car over and jumped out.

"Ma'am! What happened? How many people? How long have they been in?" Du Ruo sprinted toward the riverbank, shouting as he ran.

"Two! A big one and a small one were swimming. They were playing fine, then suddenly there was no sound. I saw them struggling a few minutes ago, now they’re gone!" The woman looked relieved when she saw Du Ruo and pointed toward the middle of the river. She was incoherent with panic. A small stool sat by the bank with a basin of clothes—it was clear she had been washing there.

"Got it. Yuanyuan, hold my things!"

Du Ruo focused his 'Qi' to sharpen his vision, scanning the river surface while stripping off his clothes and handing them to her.

"Found them! Over there!"