As they rested in the tree, Ye Chen suddenly remembered something.
"Oh right… Mengxin, how did you end up getting kidnapped by those people?" he asked, glancing at her curiously.
Su Mengxin furrowed her brows, trying to recall. "I remember… I was attending a banquet," she began softly. "There were so many people crowding around me
it got suffocating. I stepped out to get some fresh air, but before I could even react, someone came up from behind and covered my face with a handkerchief… It must've had some kind of sleeping drug. When I woke up, I was already in the back of a container truck, surrounded by armed men…"
"I see…" Ye Chen muttered, his expression darkening. "Do you have any idea what they were after? Money? Power?"
"I'm not really sure…" Su Mengxin replied, her voice unsure. "Maybe ransom, or… something else. They didn't really explain."
"Forget it for now," Ye Chen said gently, noticing how pale she still looked. "You must be hungry. Here have some roast chicken." He handed her a freshly cooked piece of meat.
Su Mengxin hesitated, eyeing the meat cautiously. It was clearly roasted over an open fire, and though it looked edible, she wasn't quite sure.
Seeing her hesitation, Ye Chen tore a large bite from his own piece with exaggerated gusto and chewed loudly. "Mmm! See? Delicious!" he said, mouth still full.
"Puchi…" Su Mengxin let out a small laugh, amused by his performance. The tension in her face eased a little as she brought the roasted meat close to her nose. The aroma was surprisingly fragrant. She took a small bite.
Her eyes widened. "It's… actually really good," she mumbled.
Ye Chen smiled, watching her eat more gracefully now. Despite her elegance, she didn't seem overly concerned with her image in front of him anymore.
After they finished eating, they spent some time chatting. Ye Chen even cracked a few jokes, and to his surprise, Su Mengxin giggled more than once. The unexpected comfort between them made their bond feel warmer closer.
Ye Chen, of course, didn't let the opportunity slip. While they were talking, he discreetly absorbed a bit of Su Mengxin's Yin Qi, careful not to alert her.
After a while, Ye Chen stood up. "Let's get down from this tree. We need to find a way out of this forest."
Only then did Su Mengxin remember they were still perched in the branches of a massive tree. She stood beside Ye Chen and peeked downward. Her heart skipped a beat. The ground was at least fifteen meters below them.
She turned her gaze to Ye Chen, puzzled. "How did you even carry me up here while I was unconscious…?"
Before she could finish the thought, Ye Chen moved.
"Alright, hold on!" Without giving her a chance to resist, Ye Chen scooped her up in his arms like a princess.
Su Mengxin gasped, surprised by the sudden closeness. She was happy… but also nervous. "W-Wait—!"
"Here we go!"
And just like that, Ye Chen leapt from the tree.
"Aaaaahhh!" Su Mengxin shrieked, shutting her eyes tightly and burying her face in his chest. The wind roared in her ears as they descended.
A few seconds later, their feet touched the ground with a soft thud.
Su Mengxin opened her eyes slowly. They were safe.
"Ye Chen, you almost scared me to death!" she protested, lightly hitting his chest.
Ye Chen laughed. "But we're alive and well, aren't we?"
He started walking ahead, with Su Mengxin following close behind.
Ye Chen could've flown out of this forest with ease. But with Su Mengxin by his side, he didn't want to expose his strength just yet. For now, walking was the only option.
Su Mengxin's body was still wrapped in a cloth robe Ye Chen had given her earlier, covering her torn dress.
After walking for a while, they arrived at a clearing Ye Chen's earlier battlefield. Su Mengxin's eyes widened at the sight.
The area was littered with corpses.
"Ye Chen…" she whispered, "Did you do this?"
Ye Chen scratched his head awkwardly. "Well… I only beat them up and left them unconscious. When I came back, they were already dead. I'm guessing their own comrades finished them off."
He was surprised that Su Mengxin wasn't scared by the sight of so many dead bodies. She remained calm, simply nodding.
"I understand," she said softly. "They tried to kill you. If you hadn't defended yourself, you'd be the one lying here instead."
Ye Chen gave her a small smile. "Let's follow the trail. Maybe we'll find a way out."
The two continued walking together through the dense forest.
Suddenly—
"Ahh!" Su Mengxin stumbled and fell.
Ye Chen immediately turned around and rushed to her side. "What's wrong?"
"I think I sprained my ankle…" she winced. Her shoes, elegant but impractical, were clearly not meant for forest terrain.
"Let me take a look," Ye Chen said gently. He knelt down, lifted her foot carefully, and began massaging it with practiced hands.
Su Mengxin's cheeks turned slightly red as a soft sigh escaped her lips. "Mm…"
His touch was firm, yet gentle. She could feel the pain fading, replaced by a soothing warmth. She closed her eyes, briefly forgetting they were in the middle of the wilderness.
"Alright, that should do it," Ye Chen said, finishing. "Try standing up."
Su Mengxin nodded and tried to rise. But as she shifted her weight onto the injured foot, she stumbled again.
Ye Chen caught her by the waist just in time. "Careful!" he said, holding her steady.
"Still a bit weak…" she murmured, leaning against him.
"Then how about I carry you?" Ye Chen offered.
Su Mengxin blinked. "Won't that trouble you?"
"Not at all. If we stay here too long, night will fall. Come on," he said, crouching down with his back facing her.
After a brief pause, Su Mengxin finally smiled and climbed onto his back.
Ye Chen carried her without complaint, the two of them disappearing deeper into the forest in search of a way out unaware of what awaited them next.