He struck a match and lit a cigarette for himself. "They say a troublemaker lives a thousand years," he muttered. "That kid has been mischievous since he was little; he’s tough. He definitely wouldn’t just throw his life away like that."
Although his nephew was quite a handful and rebellious, he was a person with a strong sense of justice. When they were in Beijing, the old man used to send him to train with the military every year. While his skills might not have been exceptional, self-preservation was surely not an issue for him. However, thinking about Wei Zijia being with him, he couldn’t help but lose the confidence he’d just felt. He dared not imagine what would happen if the kid really lost his life in the mountains—how could his own father, his brother, and sister-in-law bear it? As his uncle, how could he ever face his family again? He prayed in his heart, hoping the Huo Family kid wouldn’t let him down.
Yunyi and her group arrived within less than a kilometer of the secret cave by dusk. Huo Jingrui had managed to hunt a few wild rabbits and pheasants on the way back, planning to provide everyone with an extra meal later. After all, for the past two days, they hadn’t lit any open fires to avoid revealing their location, so even when they encountered wildfowl, they hadn’t hunted them.
Knowing there was a water source ahead, he shouted to the group, "There’s water up ahead! We’ll rest there for the night!"
The news of a resting place quickened the steps of those enemy agents considerably.
Initially, these men were utterly uncooperative, and problems cropped up frequently. But Huo Jingrui didn’t indulge them; even if he wanted to extract information from them, he wouldn’t let them cause trouble. After a thorough round of disciplining, they became much more compliant.
Nevertheless, Huo Jingrui still harbored suspicions about their recent behavior. So, he gestured for one of his men to come over. "Pick a few with good skills. After we eat, have them hide quietly in the shadows."
The soldier asked softly, "Captain, did you discover something?"
Huo Jingrui shook his head. "Regardless, it’s better to be safe than sorry. I’m just worried they might have a backup plan."
After giving a few more instructions, he dismissed the man.
He was no longer concerned about revealing their position; in fact, to test his suspicions, he even had his men light several more bonfires.
He sent some men to the water source to clean the rabbits and pheasants. They skewered the game on sticks and began roasting it over the fires.
Before long, the aroma of cooking meat wafted through the air. They had found some seasoning in the enemy agents’ gear, and once sprinkled over the meat, the smell became utterly tantalizing.
As darkness completely enveloped them, the rabbits and pheasants were almost ready.
Yunyi was worried they might use their own daggers to carve the meat. She quickly found a secluded spot and retrieved a dagger she had brought from Beijing from her interspatial storage.
Then, she approached Huo Jingrui. "Use this dagger to cut the meat later."
Huo Jingrui didn’t need to ask; he understood her meaning.
When he reached for the dagger, their fingers inadvertently brushed. The soft touch of her fingertips sent a flutter through Huo Jingrui’s chest. His ears flushed red, and he subconsciously raised a hand to touch his nose. ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ novel·fire.net
Yunyi, being very perceptive, immediately noticed his reaction in the firelight. A faint smile played on her lips; she was in a very good mood.
She was even more certain now: the man before her was undoubtedly her Jingrui. It seemed that no matter how time and space shifted, some things were etched deep within one’s soul. She didn’t know why this Jingrui didn’t have his memories, but with her around, what did it truly matter? Her current body was still young, after all. There was plenty of time; they could take things slowly.
Huo Jingrui took two chicken legs and brought them to Yunyi. "Here, for you."
Seeing what he held, Yunyi’s smile deepened. Even though he doesn’t recognize me, my preferences seem to be etched into his very soul.
She accepted them without hesitation, then playfully asked, "How did you know I love chicken legs?"