150 Anchor Points: Love, Commitment, Friendship

“Ah??”

Xiang Yuanyuan’s hand was grabbed, and her other hand held onto the car door, as if Du Ruo had struck a pressure point, leaving her frozen in place.

“Yuanyuan, I’m 32 years old. I used to drift aimlessly without any ambition or clear goals, like a lone ship adrift on the sea. It’s only recently that I’ve found a harbor at home.

I drink occasionally and sometimes smoke. I have some savings in my bank account. Right now, my only source of income is running a guesthouse, and I don’t plan to expand my business further.

My goal going forward is to live well in the present, take good care of my family, and strive to reach the limits of martial arts.

Martial arts is like an ocean that could overturn my lone ship at any moment. So… would you be willing to become the anchor that holds my ship in place?

An anchor that will keep me grounded no matter how far I drift in the sea of martial arts.”

Du Ruo grasped Xiang Yuanyuan’s palm, feeling the rapid beat of her pulse.

The atmosphere grew heavy. Outside the car window, only a few streetlights faintly illuminated the surroundings. The small square was deserted, and even the tavern had emptied. Only the light over the driver’s seat shone upon them inside the car.

“Hmm!!”

After a long silence, Xiang Yuanyuan finally nodded gently. Though her voice was soft, it carried firm resolve. She released her grip on the car door, turned to face Du Ruo.

“I love drinking, and besides that, I love hiking. I don’t know if I can hold onto your ship, but I’ll do my best. If… if you don’t like me drinking, then please take me hiking more often.”

Xiang Yuanyuan looked at Du Ruo. She was no longer flustered as before; her eyes sparkled with determination.

Both had feelings for each other but harbored their own reservations. After spending time together, they had grown familiar. Now that they spoke openly, that lingering hesitation vanished.

“Okay, then. Will you accompany me hiking tomorrow morning?”

Du Ruo’s gaze softened as he looked at Xiang Yuanyuan. After a moment’s thought, he decided to take her to the mountains the next day, hoping she would understand him better.

“Should I book the tickets now?”

Xiang Yuanyuan avoided looking at Du Ruo, her restless hands rummaging through her bag for her phone.

“No need. We’ll take a different route up the mountain and I’ll introduce you to some friends.”

Du Ruo leaned over from the passenger seat and grasped Xiang Yuanyuan’s other hand, the one left without a resting place.

“Okay, okay.”

Her heart, which had just calmed, began pounding fiercely again as both her hands were held. She closed her eyes, unwilling to meet Du Ruo’s gaze, whispering softly, “Okay.”

With his face close enough to touch, feeling the heat of her breath, Du Ruo slowly leaned in.

“Woof~ woof woof~~”

Just as Du Ruo’s lips neared hers, a soft barking sounded outside the car, accompanied by scratching at the door. Curious why they hadn’t gotten out yet despite being home, Mao Mao was restless. Today, because Du Ruo had to pick up his parents, he left Mao Mao at home and ate there, unable to attend to the dog, who hadn’t eaten yet.

“I… I’ll go upstairs first. See you tomorrow morning.”

Xiang Yuanyuan snapped back to reality, withdrawing her hand, opening the door, clutching her bag as she hurried toward the tavern’s second floor.

“Good night~”

Du Ruo watched the light come on upstairs, looked up, and smiled as he called out.

“Good night~ rest well.”

Xiang Yuanyuan poked her head out the window, waving at Du Ruo.

“Mao Mao, come on, let’s go eat.”

Du Ruo petted Mao Mao’s head and carried him inside, holding a plastic bag of leftovers. He wasn’t so rude as to be angry at Mao Mao.

“Mom, I’m in love.”

---

Seeing Du Ruo enter the courtyard, Xiang Yuanyuan, regardless of the hour, took out her phone and called her mother. Upon connection, she blurted out the words abruptly.

“???”

Xiang Yuanyuan’s mother, wearing a face mask and pajamas, sitting at her bedside watching an online drama, looked utterly bewildered, wondering what her daughter meant.

“Wait… I told you to stay safe this morning, and now you’re telling me you’re in love?”

It took her a moment to comprehend.

---

Early the next morning, Du Ruo woke punctually, instructed Mao Mao to stay at home alone, and then left.

“Do you want me to come with you to catch fish first?”

Du Ruo saw Xiang Yuanyuan just downstairs, took her hand, and asked.

“No need. We’ll go after we get back. I’m looking forward to meeting your friends now.”

Xiang Yuanyuan wasn’t wearing makeup; her hair was tied up. She wore sporty casual clothes—short sleeves, long pants, and sneakers. Hand in hand with Du Ruo, her eyes shone with curiosity.

“Let’s go buy some beef first.”

After buying several pounds of fresh beef, they headed toward Yang Chenguang’s tea garden.

Along the way, many villagers smiled and greeted the couple holding hands, their tone free of teasing but full of blessings and, of course, envy.

“Did you use to climb the mountain from here?”

Xiang Yuanyuan looked around curiously. Though she had been in the village for quite some time, she had never ventured to the vegetable fields or tea garden. She never thought to climb the mountain through these places. This was a novel experience for her.

“Yes. Watch your step; there’s dew in the morning, so be careful not to slip.”

Du Ruo walked ahead, clearing thorny branches to make way.

“How far do we have to go?”

Xiang Yuanyuan looked up the winding path. Being an experienced hiker, the trail posed no difficulty.

“That’s a problem. How about I carry you? That way you can experience how I climb.”

Du Ruo glanced at Xiang Yuanyuan. Though she walked quickly, it would still take at least an hour to reach the giant rock if they went on foot.

“Sure.”

Xiang Yuanyuan smiled and spread her arms, waiting for him to lift her.

“Hold on tight. Let’s go.”

Du Ruo hoisted her onto his back, patted her rounded hips, and after she wrapped her arms around his neck, he pushed off briskly.

“Wow~~”

The rushing wind whipped past their ears, lifting Xiang Yuanyuan’s tied-up hair. Whenever thorns or branches reached out, Du Ruo would brush them aside with a hand. Watching the greenery blur past, Xiang Yuanyuan couldn’t help but exclaim with delight.

Du Ruo’s pace quickened. Within minutes, they reached the big tree on the hillside, the first time Xiang Yuanyuan saw the monkey’s tree.

“Chirp chirp chirp~~”

As they arrived beneath the pine tree, a chorus of chirps came from above.

“Wow, monkeys!”

Xiang Yuanyuan, still on Du Ruo’s back, pointed excitedly, tapping his shoulder.

“These are Huangshan short-tailed macaques. I saw them once before, but it’s been a long time.”

Du Ruo explained.

“Chirp chirp!!”

The macaques recognized Du Ruo, tilting their heads and chattering twice. One covered its head with a paw, then extended the other, holding a bright red peach. Its expression seemed to say, “Here, take this and don’t hit me.”

“That one’s for you. Take it.”

Du Ruo said to Xiang Yuanyuan as she reached out to accept the peach, her abdomen tightening and throat moving in anticipation, ready to defend against any sudden scratches.

“Thank you, little monkey. Du Ruo, I didn’t bring anything for it.”

Xiang Yuanyuan took the peach with a look of surprise, more out of curiosity than hunger.

“No worries. We’ll bring some fruit next time. You can eat the peach without worry; they only pick the ripest, best ones.”

Du Ruo smiled, tightened his hold, and set off again.

“Mm, sweet.”

Carrying Xiang Yuanyuan didn’t hinder Du Ruo’s movement. She bit into the peach, smiling, occasionally offering it to him to taste. The peach disappeared quickly.

Whether on rocky ground or leaping between mountain streams, Du Ruo moved effortlessly, and Xiang Yuanyuan felt no bumps.

“Du Ruo, I really love it here. Please bring me more often.”

Xiang Yuanyuan leaned close to his ear and spoke loudly.

“Okay. There are more surprises ahead. You’re going to love this place even more.”

Du Ruo’s face beamed with joy. If Xiang Yuanyuan loved this place, he was naturally happy. It was doubly satisfying when something dear to him was cherished by someone he loved.

“Hold on tight. We’re almost there.”

Ahead was the giant rock. Du Ruo felt Xiang Yuanyuan tighten her grip around his neck. He braced himself and crouched slightly, not just relying on strength but channeling his internal “qi” into his legs.

“Boom!”

His feet struck the ground with a muffled thud, and he sprang upward like a rocket. Carrying over a hundred pounds of Xiang Yuanyuan, he landed lightly atop the nearly three-meter-high rock.

To avoid disturbing the clouded leopards rumored to roam there, Du Ruo stepped only on the very edge, descending with weightlessness that belied their combined over four hundred pounds.

“Meow~~”

Xiang Yuanyuan’s vision blurred, and suddenly she was atop the giant rock. Before she could exclaim, a low growl sounded nearby. A clouded leopard stood beside them, eyeing Du Ruo cautiously but hesitating at the sight of Xiang Yuanyuan.

“Du Ruo, leop… leopard!”

Xiang Yuanyuan pointed in shock at the sleek clouded leopard about two meters away.

“Yes, that’s the friend I mentioned. This is the leopard mother, and those two cubs beside her are her children. There’s also a red falcon on the cliff above—though a bit clumsy, it’s quite cute.”

Du Ruo set Xiang Yuanyuan down and introduced the animals, holding her hand as they approached the leopards.

“!!!”

Xiang Yuanyuan’s face was filled with astonishment. She glanced between the leopard and Du Ruo, occasionally looking back at the view from below the giant rock.

Du Ruo had brought her so many surprises today—the animals, his running speed, even his jumping strength—shattering her previous notions. She had always known he was impressive but never imagined he was this extraordinary. It felt as if Du Ruo had opened a door to a dreamlike world for her.

I spent quite a long time pondering this chapter’s dialogue, not wanting it to seem vulgar or careless. If it feels awkward, please forgive me—after all, we’re all inexperienced in matters of romance.