After an exhilarating hunt for mutant beasts and a scramble for points, the sky had already grown dark.
During this time, Jiang You had been watching them fight from a safe distance, bored out of her mind.
She only walked over after seeing them finish another hunt.
They needed to find a safe place to set up camp.
“Captain, I found a cave,” Lin Zhi said, returning just then. “Let’s go quickly, before anyone else finds it.”
Lin Zhi had been sent out midway to find a place to rest.
Jiang You, naturally, had not been assigned any tasks.
Xie Heng really didn’t ask her to do anything, except to call on her when wounds needed treating.
He probably thought she was too delicate and was afraid that if he gave her a job, she would start acting up again.
“Let’s go,” Xie Heng responded.
After a full day of hunting mutant beasts, Xie Heng felt that strange impulse should have been vented.
But when he glanced over at Jiang You and the girl met his gaze with her pretty pink eyes, his breath still caught in his throat. For a moment, his composure wavered, and a familiar restlessness stirred again in the pit of his stomach.
Xie Heng’s brow lowered menacingly. His expression turned terrifyingly grim, his jaw clenched tight.
Jiang You was startled by his sudden dark expression.
But he didn’t look at her, instead striding forward.
The corner of Jiang You’s mouth twitched almost imperceptibly. ‘What’s that supposed to mean? Does he hate me that much?’
‘Alright, I’ve rested long enough. Time to start acting up again.’
“Xie Heng, what’s the meaning of this?!” Jiang You strode toward him and grabbed his hand. “Why are you giving me that dark look?!”
Xie Heng felt a jolt, as if an electric current had shot through his hand. His heart hammered, and his brow twitched violently. He overreacted, flinging her hand away and pulling back a good distance.
The fingers of the hand hanging by his side had gone numb and stiff.
The other three also looked at Xie Heng in surprise.
“You…” Jiang You paused, then spoke angrily, “Xie Heng, what are you doing?!”
Xie Heng’s brow furrowed again. He stared at Jiang You, then suddenly walked to her side, grabbed her hand, and started walking forward.
Jiang You froze again. Before she could have her outburst, he had suddenly grabbed her hand again.
Caught off guard like this, she couldn’t manage to throw her fit.
“Are you… insane?” Jiang You’s lips moved, and she spat out the words.
Xie Heng didn’t speak. The palm holding Jiang You’s hand was already slick with sweat.
He had flung her hand away, but when he saw she was about to have another outburst, he had no choice but to suppress his inner turmoil and take her hand again.
‘I should be able to hold it in…’
“Your hand is so hot. Let go.” This time, it was Jiang You who shook his hand off.
Xie Heng frowned again. He started to grab her hand once more, but stopped midway, then pulled back without another word.
‘She… doesn’t like me.’
‘No need to force it.’
But the effect of the scorpion poison seemed especially strong this time. The heat coiling inside him made his expression darken once more.
‘It seems I really need to trade some mutant beasts with another team to get this wound healed.’
‘Otherwise, I get flustered every time I see her. But I can’t *not* look at her; I have to keep an eye on her in case anything happens.’
Xie Heng’s expression soured again. Jiang You had no idea what he was thinking.
The wind swept past, and the trees swayed with a rustle, carrying a chill, damp mist.
“It’s about to rain. We need to hurry,” Lin Zhi reminded them.
The group quickened their pace.
But when they reached the cave, they found it was already occupied.
“You guys…” Lin Zhi’s gaze faltered.
The people inside the cave were none other than Ling Tingyue’s team.
Aside from Jiang You, who wasn’t surprised to see them, Xie Heng and the others were a little taken aback. They hadn’t expected to run into Ling Tingyue’s group again.
Ling Tingyue stood up when she saw them.
Before she could say anything…
Xu Yan was the first to speak, glaring at Jiang You’s group with hostility. “This cave is ours now. Go find somewhere else.”
Ling Tingyue frowned almost imperceptibly.
Just then, a heavy rain suddenly began to pour outside.
“Come in. The cave is large enough for two teams to rest,” Ling Tingyue said, stepping aside with a blank expression.
Xu Yan’s eyes widened. She bit her lip, her eyes filled with dissatisfaction as she looked at Ling Tingyue, wanting to say something but not daring to.
Ling Tingyue had warned her on the way here.
If she kept causing trouble, Ling Tingyue would really do something to her.
So, Xu Yan could only sit back down in her spot, sulking.
Xie Heng and his team walked right in.
While they were resting, Jiang You healed the members of Xie Heng’s team. She wore an impatient expression, but she still treated every single one of them.
“Thanks, Sister-in-law!” Li Xiang said, happily scooping up his black pig.
The black pig, which had been listless just a moment ago, was now full of life after the treatment.
He saw the bandage on Xie Heng’s arm, where blood had seeped through and stained it faintly red, and couldn’t help but ask, “Sister-in-law, why don’t you try treating the captain again?”
Xie Heng was leaning against the wall on the other side of Jiang You, his palm gently covering his bandaged arm. His eyes were downcast, his thoughts unreadable.
Hearing Li Xiang’s words, his dark eyes shifted toward Jiang You.
“I already said I can’t cure that poison,” Jiang You snapped, exasperated.
Seeing that Jiang You was angry, Li Xiang quickly apologized. “Sorry, sorry, Sister-in-law! I won’t say any more.”
He’d just seen his own soul beast become so lively and couldn’t resist saying something.
He hadn’t been thinking at all. Li Xiang slapped his own head. ‘I really am a blockhead.’
Jiang You noticed Xie Heng was staring at her.
“What are you looking at?! And you’re not allowed to go find someone else for treatment either!” Jiang You ordered Xie Heng domineeringly.
Xie Heng stared at her for a moment. The whites of his dark eyes seemed to be faintly bloodshot. As if restraining himself, he turned his head away and gave a stiff, “Okay.”
Some people were eating their rations, while others were laying out sleeping bags, preparing to rest.
‘Now that the female lead is here, I really have to act up and be the control group.’
Zhou Yan, of course, laid out her own sleeping bag independently.
A moment later, Jiang You was ordering Xie Heng to lay out her sleeping bag for her.
Without a word, Xie Heng walked over and did it.
“Xie Heng, this doesn’t taste good. Did you bring anything else to eat?” Jiang You began her act.
Xie Heng showed her his Space Ring.
“I want this self-heating meal box. Go get it ready for me.” Jiang You constantly ordered Xie Heng around.
Xie Heng went to prepare the self-heating meal for her.
A moment later, she demanded that Xie Heng feed her personally. Then, she wanted washed fruit. After that, she complained the fan was too loud and told him to fan her by hand…
She was being troublesome and spoiled.
But Xie Heng did it all.
As Jiang You was falling asleep, she thought about how Xie Heng, despite his dark expression the entire time, had done everything she said.
‘If he wasn’t destined to fall for the female lead, he’d actually be a great fiancé.’