A Near-Fatal Slip and an Unexpected Request

The three of them fought from the forest to the road, then from the road to the river.

Lin Yi was constantly chased and beaten by the two women, leaving him questioning his very existence.

Remarkably, no matter how brutally he was beaten, Lin Yi persisted in resisting them, showing no intention of backing down. In fact, the more they fought, the more invigorated he became.

Seeing his unyielding spirit, Lin Yiting felt a pang of sympathy. She knew she couldn’t stand by idly while he was battered to such an extent.

Just as Lin Yiting prepared to stop and return to camp, a sharp crack echoed across the ice.

Massive fissures spread beneath their feet, threatening to split the smooth ice at any moment. All three were instantly terrified.

This river was a formidable five meters deep, with its deepest points plunging over ten meters. Anyone who fell in without knowing how to swim would surely be lost.

Lin Yiting and Gu Yuetong were relatively safe, close to the bank and only seconds away from solid ground. However, Lin Yi had ventured to the center of the river, making escape impossible.

As the cracks widened on the ice, expressions of panic and worry began to cloud their faces.

“Quick, lie down!”

Lin Yiting cried out in a panicked voice. At this moment, she had no other recourse than to tell Lin Yi how to delay the ice from breaking.

Lin Yi, too, understood what was happening. After a moment of initial confusion, he followed Lin Yiting’s urgent command and quickly lay flat on the ice.

Doing so would distribute his body weight over a larger area, making the ice less likely to crack. Of course, this method would be useless if the ice was too thin.

The cracking sound of the ice ceased, and Lin Yi slowly began to crawl towards the bank. Though it looked comical, Lin Yi cared little for appearances when his life was at stake. Any method that could save his life and get him back to shore was a good method.

After what felt like an eternity, Lin Yi was almost at the riverbank, his heart pounding with increasing urgency. It was a natural reaction; anyone in his situation would desperately want to reach solid ground.

Unable to bear lying on the ice any longer, Lin Yi abruptly stood up and sprinted towards the bank with nearly all his might.

However, he had barely taken two steps when his foot found only empty air. Lin Yi felt his heart seize for a second. The next moment, his entire body plunged into the frigid river.

“Lin Yi!”

Lin Yiting’s eyes widened on the bank. Seeing Lin Yi fall into the river, her heart violently constricted. Her eyes welled up involuntarily, and despite still being on shore, she rushed towards the river without hesitation.

Even from afar, Lin Yi could see the tears welling in her eyes. He wanted to express his gratitude to Lin Yiting, but the words caught in his throat.

‘That’s my sister,’ he thought. ‘Thanking her would only create distance between us.’

Although Lin Yi was a transmigrator, he had always regarded Lin Yiting as his true sister, regardless of the reality.

By this point, the icy river water had begun to creep upward. Lin Yi felt his feet gradually growing numb, and he knew they would soon lose all sensation.

Bracing his hands against the ice, Lin Yi struggled to pull his legs free. However, the ice around him began to sink. If he rashly pulled his legs out, he might completely fall into the freezing river.

“Lin Yi, just hold on a little longer!”

Lin Yiting shouted as she ran, her figure gradually blurring in his vision. Lin Yi stiffly shook his head. He did not want to see Lin Yiting get hurt, or even die, for his sake.

Yet, Lin Yiting did not give up. Her steps grew faster and faster. Just as Lin Yi’s consciousness began to fade, a soft, warm hand seized his sinking form.

“Lin Yi, hurry and move!”

The ice beneath their feet began to crack, and Lin Yiting knew she had to quickly bring Lin Yi back, or she too might plunge into the frigid water.

Supporting the stiff-bodied Lin Yi, Lin Yiting’s speed barely faltered. Indeed, she practically dragged him back to shore.

Safely back on the bank, Lin Yiting gasped for breath, her chest heaving. Her heart continued to pound violently, showing no signs of calming down. She had truly been terrified. If Lin Yi had fallen, she would have carried that guilt for a lifetime.

“Xiao Yi, if you ever run onto the river again, I won’t save you.”

Wiping away her tears, Lin Yiting scolded Lin Yi. Still somewhat weak, he nodded in earnest agreement. He truly owed Lin Yiting a great deal this time; otherwise, something terrible might have happened.

Seeing his contrite expression, Lin Yiting couldn’t bring herself to say anything more. She helped the weakened Lin Yi back to the camp.

“What happened to you all?”

Noticing their unusual expressions, Gu Yulong asked with a puzzled look. Lin Yiting and Lin Yi said nothing, merely glancing at him before retreating into their tent.

Gu Yuetong quietly leaned in and whispered to Gu Yulong, explaining what had just occurred. Gu Yulong found himself at a loss for words, able only to sigh helplessly.

‘Of all things to do in the dead of winter, why go for a stroll on the river?’ he thought. ‘Do you want to go winter swimming or something?’

As dusk deepened, a faint glow emanated from the army-green tent, like a tiny firefly in the dark night.

Inside the tent, Lin Yi was naked, wrapped in a thick cotton quilt. His clothes were soaked, and wearing them would surely lead to a severe cold.

“Lin Yi, eat some roasted meat to warm yourself. I’ll go back and get you a change of clothes later.”

Lin Yiting lifted the tent flap, holding a white porcelain bowl that was still steaming. The meat appeared to have just been roasted.

Lin Yi took the bowl and nodded. He still felt a lingering fear recalling the incident. If Lin Yiting hadn’t pulled him out at the last moment, he would have been fish food. Only by experiencing such profound despair could one truly appreciate the beauty of life. Lin Yi thought he might never go near the river again; perhaps he truly had a conflict with water.

The faint aroma of roasted meat wafted to his nostrils, dispelling the fear in Lin Yi’s heart. He gazed at the steaming roasted meat in the white porcelain bowl, swallowing involuntarily.

There was no sign of charring on the roasted meat; in fact, there was a subtle sheen of oil, and if one listened closely, a faint sizzling could still be heard.

The surface of the roasted meat was seasoned with a light sauce and cumin, essential elements for barbecue. It looked incredibly appetizing, though he wondered who had prepared it.

Lin Yi picked up a piece and placed it in his mouth. The subtle aroma of the meat, mixed with the unique fragrance of the sauce and cumin, exploded in his oral cavity. Even before biting down, Lin Yi was captivated by the flavor.

Unconsciously, the roasted meat in the bowl was gone. Lin Yi licked the lingering sauce from his lips, feeling somewhat unsatisfied.

He wanted to go out and get more roasted meat, but he had no clothes to wear. He couldn’t possibly go out wrapped in a large cotton quilt.

As Lin Yi pondered this dilemma, the tent flap was lifted once more, but this time it was Gu Yuetong. The purple-haired girl poked her head inside, her eyes immediately falling upon Lin Yi, who was wrapped in a large cotton quilt. For some reason, his handsome face, combined with this disheveled appearance, struck her as quite amusing.

“Hey, are you done eating?”

Lin Yi frowned. Gu Yuetong’s tone was rather unfriendly, which annoyed him. But what could he do? He had almost seen ‘that part’ of her earlier, and a sense of guilt still lingered in his heart.

“I’m done. Could you get me some more, please? Thank you.”

Politely, Lin Yi thanked her and handed over the porcelain bowl, watching expectantly as Gu Yuetong turned to leave. Not long after, Gu Yuetong returned with another bowl of roasted meat.

She handed the bowl back to Lin Yi but showed no intention of leaving. This puzzled Lin Yi. ‘Could this braided heroine be up to something mischievous?’ he wondered. ‘But with her simple mind, she probably doesn’t harbor any ill intentions.’

Thinking this, Lin Yi furrowed his brows.

“Is something the matter?”

Gu Yuetong’s small face flushed, as if she were contemplating something. Seeing her expression, Lin Yi couldn’t help but become vigilant. Although he couldn’t beat her in a fight, he had his wits; he could surely outmaneuver her.

“Uh…”

Gu Yuetong opened her small mouth, her blush deepening. She stammered for a long moment before finally uttering the next sentence.

“I want to see if you have abs.”

“Eh?”