TIPS – Chapter 93

“It’s just two people. No need for our boss to make a move,” the little thug said as he stood up, brushing off grass from his pants. With a blade of grass dangling from his mouth, he added lazily, “Let’s go. I’ll take two guys and handle it.”

The inn server wasn’t too sure. “Can you manage it?” He didn’t want this big business opportunity to go to waste. If it failed, he’d be losing out on a good cut.

“I got this. Don’t worry. Same place as always?”

“Same place.”

After riding the carriage to the foot of the mountain, they had to go the rest of the way on foot. Song Jingwei instructed the driver to wait at the base, then had Shen Junxi carry the bags as the two followed behind A Ji, slowly heading up the mountain.

A Ji looked simple and honest, but he was actually quite talkative. Along the way, he introduced Shiku Mountain and spoke of local customs and traditions. The time passed quickly. However, gradually, A Ji grew quieter and eventually fell completely silent.

“There aren’t many tea trees up here?” Song Jingwei asked, noticing that there were only a few sparse trees around—nothing like he’d imagined.

“Once we cross this ridge, there’ll be a large area of them. All cultivated,” A Ji explained. “Our tea is called ‘rock tea’ because it grows at the foot of rocky mountains.”

Song Jingwei nodded and didn’t ask further. Honestly, after walking for so long, he was getting a bit tired.

The young man beside him looked over and made a concerned gesture: “Want to take a break?”

Song Jingwei thought about it. A rest sounded good, so he nodded. “Alright, I’ll let the guide know.” They both looked ahead, ready to call out to A Ji—only to realize he had vanished.

Just a moment ago he was there, and now there was no trace of him in front or around them. That was impossible unless A Ji was hiding on purpose.

“Be careful,” Song Jingwei said with a chill creeping into his voice. He grabbed Shen Junxi’s hand and immediately decided, “Run!”

Seeing the nervous expression on his wife’s face, Shen Junxi realized something was wrong too. Without a word, he took off running with him. He heard Song Jingwei say, “We can’t go back. Go forward.” If this was premeditated since morning, then someone was definitely waiting behind them. Going back was not an option.

Now, not only did they have to avoid whoever was behind, but also keep away from A Ji…

Song Jingwei steadied himself and led Shen Junxi toward a path with more forks—better to get lost than to wait in place and be ambushed.

Not long after they left, the little thug and two of his cronies arrived at the usual meeting spot. But there was no one there. They waited a bit, checked around, still no sign. Frustrated, the thug cursed, “That damn A Ji, screwing things up again!”

One of the cronies said, “Maybe he got the place wrong?” A Ji never looked like the sharpest tool in the shed, and he didn’t understand why the boss had trusted him with the guiding job.

“This ain’t his first rodeo. No way he got it wrong,” the thug said angrily. “I bet he took a bribe and is keeping it all for himself.”

“No way, with a scrawny body like his…”

“Enough crap! Go look for them!” the little thug shouted, kicking at the weeds by the roadside before leading the others into the mountains to search.

Meanwhile, Song Jingwei and Shen Junxi were still running, stopping, and running again—worried a group might jump out at any moment, giving them no room to escape. But the climb earlier had already taken a toll. Now they had no strength left to keep running.

When they reached a large boulder, they had no choice but to stop and catch their breath.

“My foot cramped…” Song Jingwei said, slightly out of breath.

Shen Junxi looked down at his foot, then crouched to rub it gently, brows tightly furrowed. A cramp meant his wife couldn’t keep walking. Forcing it would only make it worse. He gestured, “I’ll carry you.”

“No need,” Song Jingwei waved him off. “Just let me rest a bit…”

Shen Junxi pursed his lips and continued massaging him, visibly upset with himself. He blamed his own carelessness. This was their first trip far from home, and he was totally clueless—he couldn’t help at all. Thinking back, it felt like Song Jingwei had made all the decisions while he was nothing more than extra baggage.

“I didn’t expect this either,” Song Jingwei said as he sat on the boulder. Noticing the look on the young man’s face—like he wished he could be remade from scratch—he added, “When you’re away from home, there are always risks. No one can guarantee they’ll see through everything every time. This was my mistake. I assumed the inn server was trustworthy.” After all, inns and restaurants are the most information-rich places—any traveler would instinctively ask the staff questions.

Besides, from what Song Jingwei had observed, Shiku Town seemed like a simple, honest place. Who would’ve thought? The world is unpredictable. Even in the most innocent places, there can be a few rats.

“…” Shen Junxi looked up at his wife, earnestly gesturing, “You’ve done great. I can’t compare to you.” In his heart, he admired Song Jingwei deeply—he felt like his wife could handle anything. But he kept that admiration buried, like a cherished secret.

“Pfft, who wants to compare with you,” Song Jingwei chuckled. He always looked ahead—there was no point comparing himself to a small-town boy like Shen Junxi. But that didn’t mean Shen Junxi was bad. If it were someone more cunning and worldly-wise, Song Jingwei probably wouldn’t even give them a second glance.

“…” Seeing Song Jingwei smile, Shen Junxi also curved his lips into a small smile, feeling the taut string in his heart loosen quite a bit.

“Massage a little more, use more strength. Later, we’ll find a place to hide.” Song Jingwei patted his own leg and said.

“Mm.” Shen Junxi lowered his head earnestly, pressing his leg one stroke after another.

Suddenly, they heard voices nearby…

Song Jingwei held his breath and listened closely—it was really close. “Run!” he said. The two were like startled birds, scrambling to their feet and hurrying forward.

His leg still hadn’t recovered. After running for a while, the discomfort flared up again. Even with Shen Junxi supporting him, Song Jingwei was clearly struggling, and the people behind were about to catch up.

Sweat trickled down the youth’s forehead in anxious beads as he tried his best to bear more of his wife’s weight. But the mountain path was rugged…

“There they are! I see them!” A coarse voice shouted, and soon a few figures appeared behind them, giving chase.

“Quick! Block them off!” the little thug growled through clenched teeth. They had almost let the fat sheep escape this time.

Song Jingwei could feel he wouldn’t be able to keep running. Gasping for breath, he told the youth, “I can’t go on. Take the bag and run…”

Shen Junxi shook his head fiercely. No way. How could he abandon his wife and run alone? They were so close to reaching the bottom of the mountain. The terrain here was gradually becoming flatter with more soil and weeds. If they could just hold on a bit longer and reach an inhabited place, there might still be hope…

Just as this thought flashed through his mind, the path ahead suddenly opened wide. The ground beneath their feet gave way, and both of them fell straight down.

“Where’d they go?” The three thugs arrived at the spot and suddenly couldn’t see their targets. They looked around, puzzled.

“Boss, this is the Stele Forest…” one of the thugs muttered nervously. Only then did they realize this eerie place was the infamous ghost site in town.

“Stele Forest?” The little thug’s face changed, and he no longer dared to advance. They had lost the two fat sheep, and he spat in frustration. “Damn it! Guess they got lucky!” They weren’t going in there. That place was said to swallow people whole—many had supposedly died inside.

“So what do we do now?” one thug asked.

“What else? Go back. No way they’re coming out alive anyway.” The little thug turned around grimly. He didn’t take another step forward.

On the way back, one of the thugs mumbled, “Actually, the Stele Forest isn’t really that scary. All that man-eating stuff is just rumor…”

He was strapped for cash and hated to let this good opportunity slip away.

“If you’re so brave, why don’t you go in yourself?” The little thug shot him a side glance. If the guy wanted to go in, no one would stop him.

“Heh… me, alone? I wouldn’t dare. But if you all went too, I’d totally go.” The thug scratched his head and laughed sheepishly.

“Hmph! No guts to go alone? Then shut up!” the little thug snorted coldly. He’d already made up his mind—not going in, no matter what.

Meanwhile, when Song Jingwei and Shen Junxi slipped and fell, they tumbled all the way down a slope. Luckily, Shen Junxi landed mostly in clusters of weeds, so he was still conscious. But they’d been separated in the fall, and once he got up, he had no idea where Song Jingwei had gone.

Song Jingwei wasn’t so lucky. He hit his head against a small mound and was knocked out on the spot.

Unable to speak, Shen Junxi couldn’t even call his name. He could only search place by place. The longer he searched, the more panic gripped his heart… The sky darkened, and he was on the brink of despair. They had clearly fallen together. They’d been side by side, yet now they were separated and couldn’t find each other.

This was a kind of fear he had never felt before. Since their marriage, they’d always been together. Even when apart, he always knew where Song Jingwei was—at home or waiting somewhere.

But now, he couldn’t find him no matter what.

A full moon hung in the sky. Exhausted and hungry, Shen Junxi could go no further. He lay face down on the grass in frustration. Never before had he hated himself more. If only he could speak—then he could call out, at least let Song Jingwei know he was here.

But now they were separated, and neither could find the other…

While the youth was searching frantically, Song Jingwei was completely unaware. He had just opened his eyes and immediately felt a dull ache in his head. Thinking back, he remembered the fall—and that he’d hit his head.

“Shen Junxi…” The room was dark, and he called out hoarsely.

Strangely, after waiting a while, the youth didn’t appear.

“Shen Junxi?” Song Jingwei called again and rubbed his eyes to take in his surroundings. It was a small wooden hut, with a charcoal fire burning in the center. A pot sat over the fire, water bubbling to a boil.

Creak…

The wooden door opened—but it wasn’t the youth he was expecting.

Instead, a bearded stranger walked in. He was around 1.8 meters tall, big and burly, with a face full of muscle and a wild, menacing aura between his brows.

Song Jingwei instantly became alert. He sat up and stared closely at the man, asking, “Who are you?”

The bearded man was a hunter from the mountains named A-Hu. Looking at the handsome man he had picked up, he replied in a dialect-laced accent, “My name’s A-Hu. I was the one who picked you up. You hit your head.” He pointed to his own head.

“…” Song Jingwei touched the bump on the back of his head and silently thought, You’re the one who hit your head. But now wasn’t the time to argue about that. He asked, “Where exactly did you find me? Was there anyone else with me at the time?”

“No one else,” A-Hu replied. He slowly sat down next to the fire, poured some hot water into a cup, and handed it to Song Jingwei. “Drink this.”

The cup was made from a segment of bamboo and looked used. Song Jingwei didn’t really want to drink from it, but he was exhausted, hungry, and thirsty—it wasn’t the time to be picky. After a moment’s hesitation, he took the cup and said, “Thank you. Thank you for saving me.”

No matter what, it was still an act of kindness.

“Hmph…” A-Hu glanced at the handsome man sitting on the bed and said, “I only saved you because you’re good-looking.”

“…” Song Jingwei’s hand froze mid-sip.

“Now that you’re in the Stele Forest, don’t even think about leaving. Stay here and be my wife. I, A-Hu, will take care of you,” A-Hu continued casually while stoking the fire to prepare dinner.

“…” Song Jingwei wanted to say something, but when he saw A-Hu get up to fetch food to cook, he closed his mouth again. Of course, there was no way he was going to stay and be this man’s wife. But now wasn’t the time to argue—he needed to at least fill his stomach first if he wanted the strength to negotiate.

A-Hu cooked a pot of porridge, adding in some dried meat. As the aroma gradually filled the hut, he stirred the porridge and tried to make small talk. “So, where are you from, little young master?”

Song Jingwei didn’t want to answer at all. But it turned out A-Hu didn’t care for an answer either. “Never mind, don’t tell me. You’re not getting out of here anyway. Just stay and be my wife.”

Song Jingwei opened his mouth and finally couldn’t hold back anymore. “I’m already married.”

“Even better.” A-Hu looked even happier and said with a laugh, “I like men who’ve been married—less likely to throw tantrums or do something stupid!” Then, as if remembering something unpleasant, he scowled. “The last one was old and ugly, and still had the nerve to look down on me. Tried to escape—so I killed him.”

“…” Song Jingwei looked up at him, unable to tell whether he was joking or serious. If the man was telling the truth, it might not be so easy to get away this time. He decided it was best to say as little as possible and observe more.

“Don’t worry. I don’t like killing people. As long as you behave, I’ll treat you well,” A-Hu said, grinning at his newly acquired “wife.” Then he took a bamboo bowl, scooped some porridge into it, and handed it to Song Jingwei. “Eat. You’ll need your strength.”

Song Jingwei nearly fumbled the bowl while taking it.

“Heh heh…” A-Hu gave him a deep look, then returned to the fire and began eating straight from the pot.

Though he told Song Jingwei to eat up, A-Hu had no intention of letting him eat too much. A full stomach gave people too much energy—and too many thoughts of escape.

That unsettling gaze made Song Jingwei uncomfortable, but he had no choice. He turned away and silently finished his porridge, thinking rapidly about how to deal with this clearly unhinged man.

Frustratingly, even after eating, he still couldn’t come up with any effective solution.

Left with no other option, Song Jingwei tentatively started a conversation. “Have you lived here long? Is it just you here?”

A-Hu, who apparently enjoyed chatting, happily replied, “Heh, I’ve lived here since I was a kid. There used to be others, but they all died.”

Song Jingwei paused for a moment, then patiently asked, “Were they people who had always lived here, or did they come in later?”

“My father was from here. The others came later.” A-Hu looked at him with a greedy glint in his eye and gave a strange laugh. “The men who come later are always no good. None of them want to stay.”

Song Jingwei didn’t ask what happened to those people. He instinctively avoided that question.

Suddenly, A-Hu walked over to him and asked, “What about you? Are you willing to stay?”

Was this new man going to be like all the others—unwilling to stay with him?

Of course, Song Jingwei wasn’t willing. But in front of this madman, he didn’t say no. Instead, he asked, “Well then, why do you think they didn’t want to stay?”

Every man A-Hu had ever dragged back had reacted the same way—panicked, resistant, often fighting tooth and nail. This was the first time he’d met someone who neither struggled nor argued, but instead calmly chatted with him. A-Hu found that he kind of liked it. He sat down with interest and pondered aloud, “Why? I don’t know. What’s wrong with the Stele Forest? They just didn’t want to stay.”

From his point of view, this place had food, water, and no rules. Life here was freer than anywhere else.

“I think there are a few reasons,” Song Jingwei said, seeing that A-Hu had been drawn into the conversation. He spoke calmly and unhurriedly.

“What reasons?” A-Hu asked curiously, just as expected.

“First of all, the outside world is far more exciting. Have you ever been out there?” Song Jingwei looked at him as he asked.

“The outside world?” A-Hu showed a faint hint of yearning at first, but quickly wiped the expression off his face and shook his head. “I don’t like the outside world. I only like the Stele Forest.”

“Oh,” Song Jingwei responded lightly. “That’s understandable. You grew up in the Stele Forest, so you want to stay here. People who were born and raised outside naturally prefer to stay outside. It’s just that simple.”

“You’re from outside too. Do you want to stay outside?” A-Hu stared intently at him as he asked.

“Would you let me leave if I said I wanted to?” Song Jingwei asked in an indifferent tone.

“No.” A-Hu immediately rejected him with a cold laugh, as if he had just seen through some kind of trick. “You still don’t want to stay. You’re just trying to get something out of me.” He didn’t seem as stupid as he looked—he shut his mouth right after and left him with one final line: “Don’t think about leaving. You can’t get out.”

Then he sat down in the room, occasionally casting beast-like glances at Song Jingwei. Not long after, he stood up, draped himself in animal fur, and went out the door to do something unknown.

Song Jingwei heard the sound of the door being locked and knew A-Hu had locked him in. Honestly, even if A-Hu hadn’t locked the door, he wouldn’t have dared to escape in his current condition. If he got caught, the consequences would be even worse. What he needed was a one-shot chance—if an opportunity came, he had to make it count and escape smoothly.

Alone in the room and physically unwell, he sat for a while before lying down to rest.

Roughly an hour later, the sound of the door opening woke him up. He heard rustling for a while as the man moved around the room, then he walked over to the bed.

Song Jingwei instantly opened his eyes and sat up. “What are you doing?”

A-Hu stood at the bedside, his expression unclear in the dim light. “What do you think? I’m going to sleep.” He muttered, “There’s only one bed here. If I don’t sleep on the bed, where else would I sleep?”

“Then you sleep on the bed,” Song Jingwei said immediately. He wrapped himself in his cloak and moved off the bed. But as soon as he stood, dizziness washed over him—probably a concussion, he thought grimly.

“You…” A-Hu widened his eyes, seeming both a little angry and a little helpless. “Forget it, forget it. You sleep on the bed. I’ll make a pallet on the floor.” He turned around and dug out a piece of animal hide from somewhere and laid it out on the open floor.

Only then did Song Jingwei return to sit on the bed. Internally, he let out a sigh of relief. He had thought A-Hu would force himself on him, but it turned out the man wasn’t completely unreasonable. At least one thing was certain now—A-Hu probably hadn’t killed anyone.

“What are you still sitting there for? I already said I’m not sleeping on the bed,” A-Hu grumbled after lying down and seeing Song Jingwei still sitting upright. “Don’t worry, your body’s way too weak. Once you’ve recovered, then I’ll sleep with you!”

“…” Song Jingwei lowered his eyes in silence, deciding to wait until A-Hu fell asleep before lying down himself.

“Hmph…” A-Hu, seeing he was being ignored, turned over. A short while later, the room filled with the sound of snoring.

Song Jingwei furrowed his brows tightly. Clearly, he wasn’t going to get any sleep tonight. He had trouble falling asleep even in silence, let alone in this environment. He couldn’t help but feel a growing disgust toward the man on the floor—not only was he mentally unstable, he was filthy and rough too.

He couldn’t help thinking of Shen Junxi. Living with Shen Junxi for so long, he realized now how good it had been. At least that young man liked cleanliness, didn’t snore in his sleep, kept a clean-shaven face, and didn’t stink like some wild beast.

Thinking about all this, Song Jingwei merely leaned against the headboard and rested for a while, and soon, dawn broke.

When A-Hu got up and saw him already awake, he assumed Song Jingwei was just an early riser and grunted a few times. After going out for a bit, he returned to find the man on the bed fast asleep.

In truth, Song Jingwei had simply been too exhausted. Once the room quieted down, he couldn’t hold out any longer and dozed off. When he woke again, the smell of food filled his nose.

“Hey! You trying to starve yourself? Get up and eat!” A-Hu shouted as he walked over, holding a bowl full of food—grains and meat, piled high. He had thought it through the night before: this man was too skinny and too frail. He wouldn’t last even two nights if he didn’t eat well. If he died, where was he supposed to find another pretty wife?

“…” Song Jingwei silently took the bowl and said in a hoarse voice, “I want some water.”

Upon hearing this, A-Hu immediately poured him a cup of warm water. Watching the handsome man drink, he suddenly realized—Why am I the one waiting on this guy? The way this man issued requests, it was like he was used to being served. No doubt—he really was a young master.

After drinking, Song Jingwei silently swallowed the food—both the meat and rice. It wasn’t delicious, but it filled his stomach. Right now, there was nothing more important than regaining his strength.

_{Why is it that wherever he goes, something is happening with him?}