Reconciled as before

As dusk gradually settled, they had only just reached the foot of the mountain. Luo Chen set Qiao Wei down and took a bag of blood from his backpack. Qiao Wei, feeling a bit hungry herself, pulled out a small loaf of bread from her own bag. After Luo Chen finished the blood, he began to set up the tent. Qiao Wei was of no help and could only stand by awkwardly.

Seeing Qiao Wei standing there in a daze, Luo Chen said with a hint of exasperation, “Don’t just stand there—go get the lighter and start a fire.”

Qiao Wei responded with an “okay,” gathered some twigs, and lit a small campfire.

The forest at night was unspeakably eerie. Sitting beside the fire, Qiao Wei found herself musing: here she was, in the woods, with a flock of owls perched in the trees, and a vampire companion by her side. She couldn’t help but laugh aloud.

“What are you laughing at?” Luo Chen, having just finished pitching the tent, walked over and gave her a gentle tap on the head.

“It’s nothing, really,” Qiao Wei replied, grinning at the flames.

“You must be ill. Go to sleep.” Luo Chen rolled his eyes dramatically and was turning toward his own tent when suddenly Qiao Wei let out a piercing scream. He spun around to find a green snake coiled around her calf, its long fangs glistening with venom. Qiao Wei’s face had turned deathly pale with terror.

Luo Chen swiftly flung the snake away and checked her over carefully. Finding her unscathed, he breathed a sigh of relief. But his tone was gruff as he said, “Afraid of a snake? Honestly, you’re useless. And you want to go searching for the Secret Casket with me? You’ll probably die halfway there.”

Qiao Wei, suddenly stung, looked at him and said, “It’s all my fault for holding you back. I’m sorry, okay?”

With that, she turned sharply and disappeared into her tent.

Luo Chen realized he had truly upset her this time, but stubbornly refused to apologize. He could only retreat into his own tent in silence.

With the coming of dawn, Qiao Wei emerged to find Luo Chen already up. She accepted the bottle of water he handed her and washed up quickly. Not a word passed between them. After packing their things, they resumed their ascent. Qiao Wei struggled to keep up, nearly stumbling several times. Luo Chen glanced back, hitched his backpack higher, and, expressionless, picked her up and continued climbing.

As Qiao Wei looked at Luo Chen’s face—so beautiful it could enchant the world—she felt a twinge of guilt. Softly, she said, “Luo Chen, I’m sorry about yesterday. I shouldn’t have lost my temper. Are you still angry…”

“I don’t remember,” Luo Chen interrupted, feigning indifference.

Qiao Wei looked at his awkward expression and her smile bloomed bright as sunlight. The two continued toward the summit in silence. Gentle rays of sun fell softly on them, and the air was no longer chilled by distance, but warmed by something quietly new.

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Hello, dear readers! Yu Ning has returned once more~~~ I’ve seen so many comments lately, and it brings me great joy to know you’re all supporting me! Honestly, my updates are even slower than a snail’s pace, as I’m still a student and must balance writing with my studies. But I’ll do my best to manage my time and update more frequently. Right now, I have a new goal—to catch up with the snail!