CHAPTER 76: CHAPTER 75: HEAVEN-SENT OPPORTUNITY

Gao Huifang actually seldom goes up the mountain, especially never by herself.

Usually, she just accompanies another female educated youth to pick some dead grass and twigs at the foot of the mountain for boiling water.

The mountain in Qingshui Village is quite large, with dense weeds at the foot, and many trees have lost most of their leaves, making the whole mountain look like a terrifying monster.

But when He Chen went up the mountain with a machete, he didn’t hesitate at all. It didn’t seem as dangerous as everyone said up there. Wild boars and pheasants or whatever, He Chen would just kill them anyway if they appeared.

Gao Huifang encouraged herself internally, fearing that if she hesitated any longer, she wouldn’t see He Chen’s figure. She didn’t want to miss this rare opportunity, so she gritted her teeth and bravely followed.

However, He Chen had his own familiar route on the mountain road. He had depended on this mountain since childhood, so he naturally didn’t take the path everyone else trod flat.

Gao Huifang followed behind, barely able to see He Chen’s tall figure, and the distance was getting greater, almost out of sight.

The path was really not like a road, the bushes and weeds scratched her hands and feet, causing pain and itchiness. If it weren’t for the thick winter clothes she was wearing, she would have given up and gone home.

There was no proper footing on the ground, and Gao Huifang couldn’t understand how He Chen could pass so easily and still walk so fast.

A horizontal dead branch with thorns blocked her way. Gao Huifang was so anxious she almost cried, almost yelling for He Chen to wait for her.

But they hadn’t even reached the mountain yet. If she asked He Chen for help now, wouldn’t her plan be ruined?

He might even tell her to go back and not let her climb the mountain.

That wouldn’t do.

Thinking of this, Gao Huifang gritted her teeth and endured, painstakingly avoiding that dreadful dead branch. It took a long time to get past it.

But when she looked up again, where was any sign of He Chen?

The cold winter wind howled past, cutting across her skin like a knife. Gao Huifang shivered, looking around, noticing her height wasn’t even above some of the oddly shaped bushes.

If she squatted a bit, she would be invisible from the other side.

There was no sound at all except her increasingly rapid breathing and the howling wind. Gao Huifang was so scared that cold sweat drenched her back, and she no longer walked cautiously. She tried to remember the direction He Chen went and lifted her legs to stride forward.

Finally, after crossing a section that looked untraversable, Gao Huifang’s small jacket was torn with many holes, some large and some small, and much of the meager stuffing inside had fallen out.

Her hair was a mess, and her hands and feet had additional red marks, making her look quite disheveled.

But Gao Huifang felt satisfied.

Looking so pitiful, He Chen would surely not leave her on the mountain like this. He might even take off his coat and give it to her.

By then, regardless of whether he does anything for her or not, having his clothes gives her a reason to be in contact, maybe even visit his place.

With the plan settled and the path ahead free of thorns, Gao Huifang walked with fewer scruples, even starting to jog.

She wanted to find He Chen quickly.

But things didn’t go as she wished. When she just saw He Chen in a bamboo grove, she got so excited that she wanted to run over and didn’t notice the path underfoot. Before she could even make a sound, she fell into a pit.

This pit was particularly large, covered with many branches and dead grass and leaves, blending in with the surrounding path. Obviously, it was a trap set intentionally.

Her jacket was completely torn, one arm exposed, as the cold air and the scent of moist earth made her shiver uncontrollably.

Most terrifyingly, her jacket was torn by the upturned, pointed bamboo inside the pit. Now, most of one sleeve was gone, with fabric scraps hanging from bamboo tips. It was a close call; it could have been her arm hanging there!

Surrounded by mud and fearsome pointed bamboo, with only a small glimpse of sky overhead, Gao Huifang broke into tears.

"Help! Help! Somebody save me!"

She realized she narrowly avoided being pierced by bamboo just by luck, or she would have been impaled.

This must be a trap dug by villagers to catch wild boars!

Panicked, she shouted loudly, fearing He Chen in the distance wouldn’t hear her.

He Chen was puzzled upon hearing the cries for help.

After all, this bamboo forest was quite remote, seldom visited by people, and the voice sounded like a woman. Why would a woman be in such a place?

Mysteriously, He Chen suddenly thought of ghost stories, feeling a chill down his spine.

Could it be some kind of mountain ghost?

He gathered the cut bamboo to bind them, planning to leave quickly. However, the closer he got, the more distinct the voice became, seemingly coming from the direction of a trap.

Several large pits were dug here by the village men. Ever since He Chen caught a wild boar on this mountain, the men were convinced there were more, thus digging several large traps.

He knew their locations and always avoided them when climbing the mountain.

But how did a woman fall in here?

That was truly absurd.

Women of Qingshui Village weren’t bold enough to come solo to such a remote place.

Concerned for her safety, He Chen set the bamboo aside to take a look.

"He Chen? He Chen! Help me! I accidentally fell in, it hurts so badly!"

Gao Huifang’s eyes lit up when she saw He Chen peek over from above.

She tried to climb up, but the muddy ground was slippery and hard to grip, making it impossible.

He Chen was puzzled hearing her accurately call his name.

But he didn’t seem to recognize who this was.

However, puzzled as he was, he selected a freshly cut thick bamboo to lower into the pit, pressing firmly to secure it, and said,

"Comrade, climb up on the bamboo. The pit is only a bit over a meter deep; it’s easy to climb out. Once you’re close, I can pull you up."

He Chen actually wanted to return quickly to work on a bamboo basket, as the process was somewhat complex and he needed to slice the bamboo.

But he couldn’t just leave a female comrade in the pit; it wouldn’t be good if something happened.

Yet, after he lowered the bamboo, Gao Huifang didn’t move at all.

She had thought this out in the pit, seeing it as a godsend. With her clothes already torn, climbing out by herself would be unsightly, possibly like a monkey climbing a tree, something she feared He Chen wouldn’t like.

He likely preferred delicate girls who couldn’t climb bamboo.

So, with teary eyes and looking terribly troubled, Gao Huifang glanced at the bamboo, pitifully raising her head, saying to him.

"He Chen, I can’t climb bamboo..."

"Could you come down... and carry me up?"