Chapter 92

Chapter 48: Xue Xue

The sky gradually darkened, and the mountain breeze blowing down from the western hills brought a slight chill to the early autumn night.

"Shall we head back to the city?" Li Yi asked.

"Sure." Xue Xue responded absentmindedly, her mind heavy with thoughts.

Li Yi had originally planned to visit his grandmother's house, but hearing Xue Xue's response, he gave up the idea. Without saying much, he started the car and drove towards the county town.

On the way, both of them were lost in their own thoughts and did not speak.

Suddenly, the car lurched forward a couple of times and then stalled, the engine dying out.

The headlights went out abruptly, plunging the world into complete darkness.

In the darkness, Xue Xue's voice asked, "Director Li, what's going on?"

"Probably out of gas!" Li Yi said with a bitter smile, opening the car door and looking around.

His eyes gradually adjusted to the darkness, and with the faint light of the sky, he could see that they were on a mountain road. On one side was a dark, dense forest, and on the other side were rice fields. The sounds of frogs and insects filled the air.

In the distance, a few scattered lights flickered, probably from the homes of villagers who were enjoying their dinner at this moment.

Li Yi took out his mobile phone, but to his dismay, there was no signal!

"Li Yi, get back in the car quickly!" Xue Xue called out, sounding a bit nervous.

"What's wrong?" Li Yi leaned in, smiling. "I'll see if I can flag down a car. We can't just stay here all night, right?"

"It's so late and in such a remote place, where would a car come from? Get back in! I'm a bit... scared!" Xue Xue's voice trembled slightly.

Li Yi nodded and looked down both ends of the road again, but there was no sign of any vehicles. He opened the car door and got back in, leaving the windows open for ventilation.

In the darkness, Xue Xue's eyes glowed as she looked at Li Yi. "I'm really afraid of the dark. I always leave a small light on when I sleep."

Li Yi thought to himself that despite her confident and authoritative demeanor during the day, she was still a woman at heart. He smiled and said, "There's nothing to be afraid of. There are no wild beasts or large animals around. At most, there might be some snakes..."

As if to confirm Li Yi's words, a rustling sound came from outside, similar to the sound of a snake slithering through the grass.

Xue Xue's breathing quickened, and she said nervously, "I'm afraid of snakes!"

A cold object slowly approached, tentatively touching Li Yi's hand before suddenly grabbing it.

Li Yi froze, his expression more shocked than if he had been bitten by a snake!

Although it was cold, it was also soft—it was Xue Xue's hand.

The sound outside disappeared.

The hand tried to pull back.

Li Yi held it tightly, remaining still and silent.

The hand struggled a bit but then settled quietly in Li Yi's large hand.

In the quiet night, it seemed they could hear each other's heartbeats.

Li Yi turned his head to look at Xue Xue, who was looking back at him.

The night was pitch black, and her face was only a vague gray outline.

But they could feel each other's presence.

"The phone has no signal. I'm afraid we'll have to spend the night here," Li Yi said, licking his dry lips. Although the water bottle was nearby, he didn't want to move, fearing that any movement would disrupt the current atmosphere.

"Okay!" Xue Xue responded softly, confirming her presence, then disappeared back into the darkness. Only her breath and the warmth of her hand let Li Yi know she was there.

"Maybe you should try to sleep. I'll keep watch," Li Yi said, his white teeth faintly visible in the darkness.

Xue Xue slowly closed her eyes, thinking she would just rest for a moment.

Li Yi looked at the few distant lights, imagining the cured meats and meat soups on the dinner tables of the villagers, and felt a pang of hunger.

They hadn't had dinner yet!

Beside him, Xue Xue's breathing gradually became steady, indicating she had fallen asleep!

Li Yi, however, dared not sleep. First, they were in a remote area, and he was worried about safety. Second, he didn't dare close the windows completely; in such hot weather, a closed car could suffocate them.

In the lonely night, the quiet mountain forest, the hungry man, and the sleeping beauty.

It's often said that when one is well-fed and warm, thoughts turn to desire. But Li Yi, in his hunger, found his male hormones and adrenaline surging even more. And with a defenseless beauty by his side?

Li Yi leaned closer to Xue Xue and gently kissed her cheek, which felt cool like solidified cheese.

Li Yi rolled up her side of the window and left a small gap on his side for ventilation.

The hand, which had been cold and lifeless, began to warm up, trembling slightly.

"She's not asleep!" This realization made Li Yi both panicked and excited, with a faint hope that something extraordinary might happen on this ordinary night.

Xue Xue's breathing became rapid and heavy, and the hand Li Yi held tried to pull away but was held even tighter.

The two of them engaged in a silent struggle through their hands.

There was no sound, but every movement, every pull or grip, conveyed different emotions.

Li Yi leaned in again, using his lips to feel the warmth of her face.

It was no longer cold but hot, like a water bottle freshly filled with boiling water, making it easy to guess the temperature of the water inside.

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(End of Chapter 48)