Zhou Jiren’s gaze was intensely aggressive; sensitive as Beisitian, how could she not feel it? She felt a bit embarrassed and annoyed in her heart; this man was becoming increasingly brazen. "Does Mr. Zhou need something?" Beisitian, feeling uncomfortable under his gaze, lifted her head to return his stare. Zhou Jiren was suddenly amused when he was glared at by those beautiful eyes filled with anger; at this moment, Beisitian was like an angry little kitten. "Nothing." Given Zhou Jiren’s current identity, he couldn’t reveal anything. Not only couldn’t he, but he also had to exert every effort to control his behavior. It’s just that sometimes he couldn’t help himself. This inability to help himself had unknowingly begun at some point; by the time he realized it, it had fermented beyond recognition. But fortunately, she was his wife! With this thought, warmth spread through Zhou Jiren’s heart. Seeing Zhou Jiren lower his head, seemingly a bit melancholic, Beisitian’s prepared sharp retort was suddenly set aside. "Miss Bei..." Zhou Jiren lowered his head and called out softly. Beisitian paused slightly; Zhou Jiren’s voice seemed somewhat hoarse. She tilted her head slightly, wanting to see what expression he had at this moment. "Is Miss Bei’s family doing better?" Zhou Jiren raised his head, smiling, a stark contrast to the deep tone in which he had just called her. In a state of daze, Beisitian felt that Zhou Jiren seemed to be suppressing something and was doing so with great difficulty. "Much better," Beisitian replied. "What does Mr. Zhou want to say?" Zhou Jiren glanced at her, his eyes regaining clarity, "Nothing, I was just curious, Miss Bei is twenty, right?" Beisitian nodded, indicating she was twenty by Chinese counting, aware of what Zhou Jiren wanted to ask. After thinking it over, she decided it was best to make things clear now; his gaze was inappropriate. "Yes, my family is already planning to arrange a marriage for me." Beisitian smiled slightly, only to see Zhou Jiren’s smile freeze. "What did you say?" Zhou Jiren seemed a bit incredulous. Is it really that hard to believe? Beisitian felt puzzled; she was already twenty, long past the age to discuss marriage. "Why is Mr. Zhou so surprised?" Beisitian raised an eyebrow and asked in return. Zhou Jiren looked at her silently, had he heard wrong? His parents were planning to find a partner for his wife? It seemed he had ’died’ for too long! "What do you think about it, Miss Bei?" Zhou Jiren stared at Beisitian and asked. "It’s the parent’s command and the matchmaker’s words; I have no objections," Beisitian said. After she spoke, she felt as if the temperature in the cave had dropped by a few degrees. So she glanced at the fire; it was still burning strong, so why did it feel a bit cold! She saw Zhou Jiren lowering his head, his face shrouded in shadow, presumably understanding her meaning. All things considered, it was a pity. Such a chatty friend might be difficult to keep. Beisitian also fell silent, thinking that cutting off this inappropriate spark now was better than making things difficult for each other in the future. The atmosphere in the cave felt a bit chilly; neither spoke. Beisitian thought that perhaps saying nothing at all was for the best now. "We have a long journey tomorrow; let’s rest early," Zhou Jiren said calmly, glancing at Beisitian. Seeing Zhou Jiren lying down with his clothes on, Beisitian also lay down on the other side of the fire. The last look Zhou Jiren gave was complex and profound; Beisitian pursed her lips and closed her eyes. The next morning, Beisitian got up, turned back to take a look, and the fire had already gone out. She was covered with a jacket, which was Zhou Jiren’s, but Zhou Jiren was nowhere to be seen. This cave was relatively enclosed, so the temperature didn’t easily dissipate. Even without pitching a tent, it didn’t feel cold. Beisitian walked to the cave entrance and looked outside. The morning sunlight bathed the valley, and the scenery was beautiful and heartwarming, making one unconsciously smile. From a high vantage point, Beisitian admired the valley’s scenery; then noticed the current situation. There was only a half-step space at the entrance, beyond which was a somewhat steep slope. Although the distance didn’t look very high, falling would easily cost half one’s life. Looking up, the distance was impossible for Beisitian to climb. Zhou Jiren’s gear was all here; what was he up to? Soon, a rustling sound came from overhead, and some dirt fell down. Beisitian slightly tilted her head back and saw a rope being lowered; she quickly retreated into the cave. Soon, a pair of slender long legs appeared at the cave entrance, followed by the figure of Zhou Jiren. What made Beisitian widen her eyes was that Zhou Jiren was wearing only a thin shirt, and it was very close-fitting, perfectly contouring the muscles on his upper body; the lines exuded strength and beauty, making it hard to look away. Beisitian quickly turned around, her cheeks slightly flushed, her heart racing. It was March, the weather still quite cold, especially in the mornings and evenings. Beisitian was wrapped in thick clothes, yet Zhou Jiren was sweating on his forehead. Read full story at 𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹•𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖•𝗇𝗲𝘁 "Mr. Zhou, aren’t you cold?" Beisitian said as she lowered her head, handing over his jacket. Thinking of herself covered with his jacket for an unknown amount of time, her face grew even warmer. Due to the constraints of her past life’s mindset, having had ’skin contact’ with Zhou Jiren made her feel somewhat inappropriate during future interactions. Beisitian sighed quietly, feeling a bit troubled. If she hadn’t yet collected enough herbs, she would have wanted to return by now. Though Zhou Jiren wasn’t handsome, his abilities, character, and other qualities were outstanding. Being with such a man, especially alone in a deep mountain and forest, it’s no wonder she felt a bit uneasy. Zhou Jiren took the jacket but didn’t put it on. "I caught a rabbit; we can roast it and eat it later." The grey-haired wild rabbit in his hand was quite large, which surprised Beisitian. It was just past winter, yet there was such a plump wild rabbit. Zhou Jiren restarted a fire at the cave entrance and quickly prepared the rabbit to roast it over the flames. Soon, the aroma wafted over. Watching him do all this smoothly, it seemed as if he had done it many times before. "Is Miss Bei going further into the mountains today?" Zhou Jiren asked without turning his head. "I want to stroll around the valley," Beisitian said. Though unsure why Zhou Jiren was following her, having him around seemed quite convenient, as many tasks no longer required her effort. After the two feasted, they prepared to leave the cave and continue their journey. Beisitian was once again carried out by Zhou Jiren, even though it was the second time, she wasn’t completely indifferent. Reaching the mountain top, Beisitian’s face was a crimson blush. Seeing Zhou Jiren look her way, she had to say it was because of the warmth from the hot food they had just eaten. In the future, she shouldn’t find a cave halfway up the mountain; experiencing this once more, Beisitian felt she couldn’t remain indifferent.