From time to time, gunshots rang out in the quiet mountains, disturbing the originally peaceful forest.
Icicles that had clung to the trees for two months now tumbled to the ground. From above, the dense white frost-covered forest revealed fleeting glimpses of black-clad figures weaving through the trees.
Two cars stopped in the middle of the main road.
Jiang Yunhao listened to the noises nearby, lifting his lighter slightly.
Mo Xiao’s not nearly as shallow as his playboy looks suggest.
Even a simple meeting was planned with such care—and she actually managed to catch a few rats.
“Boss Jiang, want me to go check it out?” The man in the passenger seat turned, his face cold and serious.
Jiang Yunhao picked up a cigar box, lit one, and rolled down the window. The glowing tip dropped outside.
Go check—find out who came in
Jiang Yunhao blew out a stream of smoke. “I hear a lot of people have been coming from the Imperial Capital to North City lately. If they’re tied to the Capital, no need to report—just pass them to Mo Xiao.”
Everything went through the Mo family’s hands—so even if others wanted to pin it on him, they couldn’t.
After the car door opened and closed, Xiao Yan, holding a gun, walked into the forest.
After confirming there were people in the forest, Mo Xiao’s men mobilized heavily to track them down. Every handgun was fitted with a silencer
Still, the sounds of bullets tearing through trees and something bursting in midair echoed now and then.
The heavy stench of blood filled the air, and the mood turned grim. Footsteps echoed from every direction, hemming the two in.
“No signal. What now?” Li Li held her phone higher, but the bars were still dead.
“Over here!”
A shout came from behind. Li Li turned around and saw three black-clad men appear.
“Bang!”
The crack of bullets tearing through flesh echoed, and the thick stench of blood filled the air.
Yun Xiao stepped in front, shielding them. His shots were clean, dropping the three attackers with deadly precision.
The person lying on the ground convulsed, then closed their eyes. Warm blood seeped out, spreading across the ground.
Yun Xiao grabbed a gun from the fallen men, turned, and pressed it into Li Li’s hand.
“I’ll distract them. You take the mountain trail down and get help.” Yun Xiao yanked Li Li into cover behind a tree.
Li Li shook her head, gripping the gun. “No—I can’t leave you.”
Be good—bringing help to take them out is the priority. If not, we’ll both die here and no one will know. Head down this trail.
Li Li didn’t move, her eyes fixed on Yun Xiao, concern written all over her face. Yun Xiao reached out and brushed her cheek. “Trust me. They’re not taking me down that easily. I swear I’ll be alive when you come back with help.”
“Wait for me.” Li Li turned away, her fingers tight around the gun.
Yun Xiao turned, a cold gleam in his eyes, and bolted from behind the tree. The sudden, obvious motion instantly drew the attention of those closing in.
A barrage of collisions rang out, and dirt and branches exploded into the air.
Yun Xiao swiftly took down two men from behind, tucked the dagger into his chest, crouched down, and raised his gun after unloading all their bullets.
“Bang! Bang! Bang!”
The gunshots rang through the area, alerting everyone to his location. Within moments, footsteps closed in from every side.
Yun Xiao turned and stood his ground, waiting for them to come.
Every mountain road was blocked. To evade the trackers, Li Li had no choice but to slip through winding footpaths.
Branches and pine needles lashed her face, leaving every inch of her skin stinging.
There were occasional noises behind her. Li Li glanced back, drenched in sweat and gasping for breath, but she kept moving.
From her vantage point, she could already see the villa down the mountain. A smile appeared on Li Li’s face as she was about to rush forward.
Someone yanked her back from behind.
Li Li’s face went pale with shock. She spun around, tried to kick, but was quickly subdued.
“Quiet.”
The man snapped at her, voice sharp. Li Li’s eyes widened as she took in the stranger who’d appeared out of nowhere.
“You came to catch me?”
Didn’t he leave with Jiang Yunhao already? Showing up now, of all times—he’s clearly here to take someone in for Jiang Yunhao.
Xiao Yan glanced ahead, grabbed the other person, bent low, and turned. “Move—now!”
“Let me go!” Li Li fought to pull herself loose.
But the hand gripping her wrist was like an iron clamp—completely unmoving.
“If you go down that way, you’ll be shot the moment you show your head.” He said, watching the girl still struggling.
“What do you mean?” Li Li stared at him.
“Every way down the mountain is blocked—main roads, side paths, even the tiniest trails. You really think they wouldn’t guess you’re trying to get help?”
His words stopped Li Li in her tracks.
“Then what do I do now? I have to go down the mountain.”
If no one comes to help Yun Xiao, he’s bound to be captured.
“Go around from the back of the mountain.”
Xiao Yan spoke as he tugged her along, retreating.
Li Li kept pace with the man, both moving quickly. The sharp, metallic stench of blood still hung in the air as they went.
The back gate of the villa was already in sight, but she had no choice but to turn around and retreat.
“Do you have any communication device on you? Yours must be able to get a call through.” Li Li held onto his hand tightly.
Xiao Yan kept pulling her along, walking briskly without even looking at her once.
“The signal over the entire mountain has been jammed. You can’t get a single call out.”
This is definitely Mo Xiao’s doing. He’s frighteningly thorough—even this was part of his plan.
There must be others in the mountain besides Li Li—otherwise, Mo Xiao wouldn’t be making such a big deal out of it.
“Over there!!”
The searchers, by pure chance, stumbled right into the pair.
As the guns lifted, Xiao Yan spun around, wrapped her in his arms, and rolled them down the side of the hill.
“Bang bang bang!!!”
“Bang bang bang!!!”
All the bullets hit the ground nearby, thudding dully as they struck the thick snow.
All she could hear was the wind roaring past and the soft rustle of fabric scraping against branches.
Li Li shut her eyes, pain flaring in her back as they hit the ground. Xiao Yan clutched her close, and together they rolled down the steep hillside.
“Should we go after them?”
After the gunfire missed, the man in black came over and glanced around. In this vast snowy field, they had fallen from the mountain into the forest behind
It’s still nighttime now, which makes searching even harder.
The leader took out his walkie-talkie and ordered, “A man and a woman—they’ve fallen into the woods at the western foot of the mountain.”
A swift “copy that” came through the radio, and then came the thunder of feet—dozens surging forward at once.
They tumbled all the way down, momentum nearly carrying them past the point of stopping. Just beyond the trees lay a waterfall.
Fall from there, and it’s basically being smashed to pieces—reborn as someone else in the next life.
Li Li held onto him with all her strength, eyes squeezed shut, her breath coming in shallow bursts.
As they reached the nearest tree, Xiao Yan drove his dagger into the trunk, anchoring them firmly against it
That was the only thing that kept them from being flung forward by sheer momentum.
He gripped the girl’s hand hard, bracing his back against a tree to finally halt their momentum.
“Cough, cough…” Li Li collapsed onto the ground, gasping for breath.
Snow clung to her clothes, face, and hair. She breathed in the icy air in great gulps, and it instantly triggered a fit of coughing.
Xiao Yan brushed the snow from his body, got to his feet, and held out a hand to her.
“Let’s go. There’s still a long way to go.”
To get around and out of here, it’ll take at least another half hour of walking.
Li Li wasted no time—she pushed herself up and hurried after him.
Xiao Yan grabbed a branch from nearby and swept away their tracks. Judging by the sky, it didn’t seem like there’d be more snow later tonight.
The trail of footprints stood out starkly against the snow—far too eye-catching.
Xiao Yan dragged Li Li forward on foot, painstakingly making their way through the forest. As long as they circled past the creek to the west, they could reach the ski resort directly.
“Why are you helping me? I thought you worked for Jiang Yunhao.” Li Li kept pace with him, her voice tinged with doubt.
Xiao Yan stayed silent as he swept away their footprints, but Li Li’s talkative streak showed no signs of slowing.
“You spotted me from the start—that’s why you told me not to move. But in this world, everything happens for a reason. You couldn’t have helped me for no reason.”
Li Li could tell that when he said “don’t move,” he truly meant to save her.
But this was Jiang Yunhao and Mo Xiao’s arrangement. If he helped her escape, she’d surely tell her grandmother and expose both families.
When the time comes, he’ll be in trouble too. This is a direct betrayal of his boss.
“Aren’t you afraid I’ll report this to the Fu family? If your boss finds out you saved me, he’ll definitely kill you.
Xiao Yan flung the branch far off, then lifted a hand to silence the person walking beside him.
He scanned the surroundings with caution, then crouched low, ear pressed to the earth.
Li Li saw what he was doing and instinctively stopped breathing.
Xiao Yan sprang to his feet, grabbed her hand, and took off. Together, they raced along the frozen stream.
Behind them, the sound of hurried footsteps and shouting rang out.
.........
At midnight, the person lying in bed opened their eyes.
Wen Li looked at the time. She had only been asleep for half an hour and woke up not long after.
She got up, slipped on her slippers, and pulled open the curtains. From this angle, she could see the trees growing on the back hill.
Wen Li poured a cup of hot water from the kettle. The moment she stepped onto the balcony, cup in hand, the cold hit her—sharp and biting.
She wrapped her cotton coat closer, a flicker of tension in her eyes—had that been shouting in the distance?
The person frowned, thinking she'd misheard. Their villa was the closest to the mountain—naturally, they’d be the first to notice any disturbance.
Wen Li had sharp eyes—she spotted someone walking along the distant mountain path at a glance.
At this hour, why are there still so many people guarding the mountain road?
Knock knock…
A knock came from behind. Wen Li turned around, set down her cup, and went to open the door.
Xia Chen stood at the door, his face full of smiles as he looked at Wen Li.
He held a laptop in his hands, gesturing to the dotted pattern on the screen as he began to speak.
“Boss, the signal source just detected Jiang Yunhao appearing nearby.”
Wen Li took the laptop from his hands and glanced at it. Since she had learned about the power behind Mizuì back then, it was only natural to prepare countermeasures.
So Jiang Yunhao must be within the surveillance range.
“What do you think—Jiang Yunhao came all the way here. Is he after the Mo family or the Li family?”
Between the two families in North City, at least one has kept close contact with Purgatory. Without that connection, they wouldn’t have the backing they do.
That woman couldn’t possibly have stayed in the north for so many years and remained unharmed.
“Of course, it’s the Mo family.”
The door to the room next door opened, and a man in black silk pajamas stepped out, leaning halfway against the doorframe as he spoke.
Xia Chen politely greeted him, “Mr. Fu.”
“Jiang Yunhao has a partnership with the Mo family?” Wen Li asked the man, looking at him.
His black sleepwear hung open, loose and casual, exposing sculpted abs and elegant collarbones. The messy hair made him look all the more alluring.
The man walked over, pinched her chin between his fingers, and smiled
“Little one, this is the time for sleep—not for discussing things like this.”
His fingers were icy. Wen Li raised her hand and grabbed his wrist, which was just as cold, then glanced at the damp hair atop his head.
“You’re taking a shower in the middle of the night?”
And he even took a cold shower—this man must have no regard for his life.
Seeing the faint anger in her eyes, Fu Yuxiu chuckled softly, lowered his head, leaned in close, and spoke gently by the girl’s ear.
“With just a wall between us, if I didn’t take a shower, how could I resist coming over to devour you?”
The sharp scent of mint enveloped Wen Li, and his ambiguous words fell into the girl’s ear at the same time.
Wen Li let go of the hand she was holding and gently patted the back of his hand.
Seeing her small gesture, the smile in the man’s eyes deepened.
“Little one, it’s time to rest. These things can wait until tomorrow.”
As Fu Yuxiu spoke, he raised his hand and pushed her into the room.
“Boss?”
Xia Chen stood frozen in place, wanting to say something, but was scared off by a single glance the man threw over his shoulder.
That was a threat—a blatant, undisguised threat.
Since when did he need Mr. Fu’s permission just to see the boss? What kind of logic is that?
Hugging his laptop, Xia Chen sighed. The boss could really hold back.
Though he came over, he didn’t sleep in the same room as Mr. Fu. He figured the boss wasn’t sharing a room with Mr. Fu either.
He had just come upstairs carrying his laptop.
He slowly made his way downstairs. In the hall below, Fei Ran and Lu Min, who were making tea, turned to glance at him.
“Did you hit a wall?”
He should’ve been told not to go up in the first place.
Even though the young master and Miss Wen Li aren’t sharing a room, how could he allow anyone to disturb her sleep in the middle of the night?
Anyone could’ve guessed it—he’s lucky he didn’t get tossed downstairs.
“But I was going to talk business with the boss!” Xia Chen said, disgruntled.
Besides, that’s their boss—the highest-ranking commander in Evans.
How did he end up being bound by them?
“Care for a cup? It’s premium Maojian, brewed with real snow water.” Fei Ran offered the teacup.
Xia Chen took the cup and drank it down in one go. “Doesn’t taste like much,” he said.
Fei Ran rubbed his forehead, only then remembering—this guy wasn’t from Country G, didn’t grow up drinking tea, so of course he couldn’t get used to the taste.
“I don’t think it’s that great,” Xia Chen muttered, eyeing Fei Ran’s look of pure enjoyment.
“You don’t get it. This tea is like life—once you truly understand it, your journey is nearly complete.”
That’s… incredibly profound.
“Forget it, I’ll head upstairs and rest. I’ve still got a bunch of things to investigate.”
The boss couldn’t be controlled, but Jiang Yunhao’s movements had to be monitored.
This time, the boss came specifically to catch that woman. If she slipped away because of Jiang Yunhao’s appearance…
Wouldn’t that be a loss outweighing the gain?
“Do you want to try some too?” Fei Ran looked at Lu Min across from him.
The young man waved his hand. “No thanks. I can’t taste your long, winding life in a cup of tea.”
Watching the two of them head upstairs, Fei Ran couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
He really is still a young kid—free-spirited, can’t settle down. Of course he can’t taste anything from the tea.
But this is also for the best.
It’s been so long since I properly brewed a cup of tea. Enjoying this moment of peace matters more than anything.
..........
Amid the vast whiteness, corpses in black lay scattered. Blood from gunshot wounds seeped out, staining the thick snow beneath them. The warm red melted the snow, and once its heat faded, it froze into ice.
Li Li helped Xiao Yan up from the ground, and her fingers brushed against something warm and sticky.
She froze, lowered her head to look at the red staining her fingertips, then at his torn sleeve.
“You’re hurt?”
The wound was on his arm—he must’ve been shot during the standoff with those people just now.
“Forget it. We need to move, now.”
Xiao Yan tore a tie from one of the bodies on the ground and tightly wrapped it around the bleeding wound on his arm.
They can’t remove the bullet right now—just need to do some basic treatment and stop the bleeding.
Li Li took a step back and stood still. “You don’t need to worry about me. Go. I’ll find my own way out.”
He was never part of this—an outsider from the start. No one knew why he came back to save her.
But now, he’s already gotten himself into danger to save her—and he’s even been injured.
If this keeps up, someone’s going to die.
She couldn’t be so selfish—letting someone unrelated die for her.
“Quit talking. Move!”
Xiao Yan urged her coldly.
Li Li picked up a gun from one of the bodies and turned in the opposite direction. “Go back. Don’t worry about me.”
He closed the distance in two quick strides and grabbed the girl, pulling her back before she could leave.
“Is this really the time to be stubborn? Weren’t you the one who said you had to save them?”
Li Li snapped, “I’m not being stubborn!”
Silence hung in the air. The man didn’t speak—just stood there, waiting for her to continue.
“You have nothing to do with me. There’s no need to die for my sake. If you die here just to get me out, I won’t live in peace for the rest of my life.”
“I know. The Mo family has already decided to betray us—they’ll do everything they can to eliminate anyone who knows about it. Even as the eldest daughter of the Li family, I won’t be spared.”
They even dared to strike at the young master—what could they possibly be afraid of now?
If she was already doomed to die, then she had to find a way to get the message out. As for the young master—she didn’t care much.
But Wen Li is with Fu Yuxiu. When those people make their move, Wen Li will definitely be in danger too.
“You’re Jiang Yunhao’s man. If you leave me behind, you can get out of here unharmed. But if you keep following me, you’ll definitely die."
In this frozen terrain, hiding their tracks was impossible. No backup was coming, and more enemies were closing in by the minute.
If they couldn’t get out, they’d freeze to death here.
Li Li took the phone from her pocket and handed it over. “If you’re willing… could you take this back to my sister?”
As long as Li Ruobing unlocks it, she’ll see the message left behind and know what happened. That’s enough.
Xiao Yan looked at the phone and said nothing.
Li Li gave a small smile and said one last thing: “Besides, I don’t completely trust you.”
They’d only met once, and yet this man was willing to give up his life to save her.
Though she’d been protected by Li Langhua all these years and hadn’t seen much of the world’s cruelty, she wasn’t a fool.
No one would risk their life for you without a reason—especially someone who just met you.
“Heh…” Xiao Yan suddenly let out a laugh.
Maybe it was because of the injury—his lips had lost all color, but the look he gave Li Li remained cold.
“Just being the Li family’s young lady—is that enough?”
Li Li looked at him. The man’s eyes were dark, his expression as cold and solemn as ever.
When someone like him speaks, it’s hard to tell what’s true and what’s not.
“Everyone wants to rise. You’re the Li family head’s favorite granddaughter—and the rumored successor. If I can get you to owe me a favor, I’ll have everything I could ever want.”
Power and influence—sometimes, they really are incredibly tempting.
“Just because I’m the Li family’s young lady?” Li Li looked at him, clearly not believing a word he said.
“Then what else could it be?” Xiao Yan sneered. “You’re the Li family’s eldest daughter—that alone is enough to make people flock to you. The name ‘Li family’ stands for immense power and wealth. Isn’t that reason enough for me to risk my life for you?”
Everything can be solved with one word: money.
Li Li stared at him for a long time before finally speaking.
“Did Jiang Yunhao bully you?”
They say the underground world is full of shadows. He’s just a bodyguard—who knows if his boss beats him regularly.
“You can think of it that way. But Miss Li, don’t forget—once you walk out of here, you owe me a favor.”
If everything could be solved through an exchange of interests, things would be much simpler.
When people with their own agendas gather, that’s often when things are most pure.
Li Li looked at him for a long moment. Right now, she needed this man to deliver a message and save Yun Xiao’s life.
If all he wants is money, then it’s naturally easier to handle.
“I promise you—once we’re out, I’ll give you the richest reward. As long as it’s something within the Li family’s power, I won’t say no.”
This means the cooperation is settled.
Xiao Yan picked up the weapons from the ground and casually stripped coats off them to hand over.
“Put it on. It’ll get colder in the second half of the night.”
Li Li obediently took off the soaked coat she’d been wearing and wrapped the overcoat around herself. Her nearly frozen body finally felt some relief.
She glanced ahead—it was still a vast stretch of white. She sniffled and kept walking behind Xiao Yan.
As long as they got around this stream, they’d be out.
But the moment they were back on the road, there’d be no avoiding another battle.
At least there’s one silver lining: the ones in that villa aren’t just regular folks.
With all the commotion from the Mo family, there’s no way the people inside haven’t noticed by now.
Once someone breaks through from the outside, they’ll be able to get out.
Li Li felt a bit of regret. If she hadn’t come out to paint, none of this would’ve happened. Staying in the villa, watching TV with Grandma—that would’ve been so much better.
Even at her age, Grandma never stops pushing her to go on matchmaking dates and settle down.
But that was never as life-threatening as this.
🐇♡🐇♡🐇♡🐇
Li Li: So once we get past the stream, we’re free?
Xiao Yan: Technically. Assuming no one’s waiting with guns, knives and dogs.
Li Li: You’re very comforting.
Xiao Yan: I try. I also labeled the terrain. That patch of ice is “regret.” The ditch is “betrayal.” The stream is “mild optimism.”
Li Li: You labeled the terrain?
Xiao Yan: Emotionally. It helps me cope.
Li Li: (sniffles) I should’ve stayed in the villa. Watched TV with Grandma. Even if she kept trying to marry me off. There was once this guy who collects antique spoons.
Xiao Yan: Spoons don’t stab you. Usually.
Li Li: You’re not helping.
Xiao Yan: I gave you a coat. That’s peak emotional support already.
Li Li: You stole it off a man who tried to shoot you.
Xiao Yan: Exactly. Generosity and self-defense. A rare combo. Besides its stylish.
Li Li: (stares ahead at the endless white) If we get past this, we’re out.
Xiao Yan: If not, we either freeze, get shot or get stabbed. But with style.
Li Li: You’re the worst teammate I’ve ever had. I am not paying you if we die.
Xiao Yan: That is logically true.
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