"I know you're anxious to find your aunt, and I'm not stopping you. I'm just worried you can't handle such a long journey," Qin Si Ye said gently, trying to persuade her.
Today, he was supposed to take her to the hospital to check her vaccine antibody levels, but this unexpected incident had occurred.
Allowing her to come here was already a significant concession on his part.
Unexpectedly, Shen Xi looked around and asked a question that caught him off guard: "Are there poisonous snakes or fierce beasts on this mountain?"
Qin Si Ye couldn't help but curve the corner of his lips. "I can't say for sure. There should be poisonous snakes. However, there shouldn't be any fierce beasts in the tourist area. But the mountain my uncle and the others entered has already gone beyond the scenic area."
He thought this would scare Shen Xi away, but she stubbornly kept looking at him.
"Then I must go even more. Don't forget, I'm a doctor. I have a way with people, let alone animals. Don't worry, I won't be a burden to you. My aunt and the others have been out of contact since last night, and they might be injured or trapped somewhere. It's perfect for me to go in and help them."
Qin Si Ye couldn't refuse her, and he also felt that what she said made some sense, so he agreed.
The two of them slung their backpacks on and walked inward along the dense forest.
The further they went, the dimmer the light became. Strange calls echoed in their ears from time to time, sounding like bird songs, but not entirely so.
Shen Xi felt that the scene before her was eerily familiar, very much like the situations in her dreams.
Her steps faltered slightly, and her body trembled.
Qin Si Ye looked back at her, his lips curving. "I told you not to follow, but you insisted. Now you're scared."
"I'm not scared," Shen Xi denied. To prove her bravery, she strode past him and walked ahead.
She scanned her surroundings and shouted loudly, "Auntie, where are you?"
She felt that searching like this covered too small an area, and her voice could help them expand the search range.
Seeing this, Qin Si Ye's smile widened. He followed her pace and also called out, "Uncle."
"Ah!" At this moment, Shen Xi suddenly screamed and ran towards him like lightning, hugging his waist, her eyes closed, hiding behind him.
Qin Si Ye's body stiffened slightly. He reached out to shield her and asked, "What's wrong?"
"Snake! Snake! Ahead… ahead there's a snake," Shen Xi slowly opened her eyes and replied with a trembling voice.
Her hands, resting on Qin Si Ye's waist, tightened again.
"Such a small thing scares you this much?" Qin Si Ye steadied her and whispered, "Stay here and don't move. I'll go take a look."
Only then did Shen Xi realize she had been hugging his waist. Flustered, she quickly let go.
She tiptoed over. Qin Si Ye searched the grass for a long time but couldn't find any trace of a snake.
"There's nothing. Did you mistake it?" Qin Si Ye looked back at her, a faint smile on his face.
"Impossible," Shen Xi slowly walked towards him, her brow furrowed. She pointed to a spot, "I really saw it just now. A very big one, coiled right there."
"Maybe your scream scared it away," Qin Si Ye said, looking at her with curiosity. "Are you afraid of snakes?"
"Yes. I've always been most afraid of those soft-bodied creatures since I was little," Shen Xi replied timidly, looking down at the ground.
Qin Si Ye's lips curved slightly. He recalled the scene at Dragon City Park and thought to himself, "That can't be right. There should be dinosaurs too."
"Come. Hold my hand, and we'll walk together." Qin Si Ye, fearing she would be embarrassed, didn't point out his thoughts but extended a hand to her.
"Ah?" Shen Xi hesitated slightly. The image of the snake suddenly reappeared in her mind. Fearing she might encounter it again, she firmly grasped his large hand.
The two of them continued to walk forward, their voices not idle.
"Auntie."
"Uncle."
They reached a hillside. Qin Si Ye tightened his grip on Shen Xi's hand and bent down, climbing upward with effort.
Shen Xi suddenly struggled and stopped.
"What's wrong?" Qin Si Ye paused slightly and turned to look at her.
Shen Xi didn't speak but stared intently ahead.
Following her gaze, Qin Si Ye saw not far away a wolf ferociously watching them, its eyes emitting a blue glow, blocking their path.
"Stay put and don't move. I'll deal with it." Qin Si Ye exchanged a few seconds of intense gaze with the ferocious wolf, then released Shen Xi's hand and said, supporting her shoulder.