Chapter 038 Ayao, There Are No Monsters

"Cheng... Yan... Chi!" Ye Yiyi enunciated each syllable, glaring at Cheng Yanchi.

Cheng Yanchi lifted his hand, inspecting it midair. How could an e-sports champion possibly fail to set up a tent?

"I'll go try again."

Jiang Yao grabbed his arm, pulling him back. "Isn't it possible we could just book a room in one of the guesthouses over there?"

"And isn't it possible that all the rooms are already fully booked?"

The three of them fell silent at once. Only the sound of the howling wind and pouring rain remained between heaven and earth.

"Stay in my tent," came a man's voice from behind them.

They all turned to look and saw He Yunqing standing quietly in the rain, a large black umbrella in hand, pointing toward his tent not far away.

The tent was certainly large enough, big enough to sleep four people.

Cheng Yanchi kept his face taut, gazing at He Yunqing in silence, the emotion in his eyes impossible to discern.

"Are you coming or not?" He Yunqing frowned, repeating the question with a trace of impatience.

And so, there were three more sleeping bags in He Yunqing's tent.

He Yunqing slept on the far left, next to him was Cheng Yanchi, then Jiang Yao, and finally Ye Yiyi on the far right.

Perhaps it was the exhaustion from a day of turmoil, but Jiang Yao and Ye Yiyi fell asleep quickly.

Cheng Yanchi lay awake for a long time, turning over to see He Yunqing lying flat, eyes closed in quiet repose, seemingly already deep in slumber.

Though the man's profile was strikingly handsome, Cheng Yanchi felt restless inside. Turning again, he glanced at the peacefully sleeping Jiang Yao beside him, and his face relaxed into a smile.

"Hey," he whispered, testing the waters with He Yunqing. "Hey, He."

He Yunqing's eyes barely opened, his brow faintly furrowed, but he did not respond.

"I know you're not asleep." The youthful face of Cheng Yanchi took on a rare gravity. "A-Yao is different from the women around you."

"Which women around me?" He Yunqing replied quietly.

Cheng Yanchi frowned, folding his arms and choosing not to answer. "She has suffered a lot, more than any of us know. If you don't intend to bring her happiness, don't get involved with her."

He Yunqing kept his eyes closed, saying nothing.

"If you insist on courting her recklessly," Cheng Yanchi's voice grew steady, the tone ambiguous between concern and regret, "if you ever make her sad, I won't forgive you."

"And from what position do you say these words to me?" He Yunqing spoke in a low voice.

Cheng Yanchi stared at Jiang Yao's sleeping face for a long moment, exhaled slowly, and mumbled, "Go to sleep."

Late at night, the rain ceased and everyone drifted into dreams.

He Yunqing's phone rang.

He woke, glanced at the screen, and saw the name Sister Cai.

"Yunqing, there's a last-minute work arrangement..."

He Yunqing glanced at the others sleeping soundly, got up, and stepped outside to answer.

"There's a modern drama needing some reshoots. You'll need to go tomorrow. I've already bought your plane ticket."

He Yunqing agreed, hung up, and returned to the tent, only to see Jiang Yao fast asleep, pressed closely against Cheng Yanchi.

Her little face was almost touching Cheng Yanchi's shoulder, lips pursed, one hand casually draped across his body.

He Yunqing's brow furrowed imperceptibly. He bent down and gently moved Jiang Yao's arm back, then guided her head toward Ye Yiyi's side.

About to return to his place, he hesitated, then grabbed a piece of clothing and laid it between Jiang Yao and Cheng Yanchi.

Finally, he extended his slender fingers, tapping the air above Jiang Yao as if to remind her to mind her sleeping posture.

After everything was settled, his tense brow relaxed, and he lay back down and closed his eyes.

Outside, thunder rumbled faintly.

Before long, the heavy rain began again.

He Yunqing woke once more, turning restlessly, sensing something was amiss.

He sat up, only to find the spot where Jiang Yao had slept was empty.

There was no trace of Jiang Yao.

He Yunqing immediately got up and rushed outside.

Jiang Yao felt her mind was muddled, unsure what was happening to her, but in her haze, she seemed to see Teacher Chen’s spirited face.

He was holding a bowl of noodles, smiling, "Why are you dazed? Come and eat."

Jiang Yao seemed to smell the familiar warm aroma of noodles and found herself drawn toward Teacher Chen.

But every time she got close, Teacher Chen moved a bit further away.

She felt she had walked forever, yet could never reach Teacher Chen or the bowl of noodles.

Despairing, she crouched on the ground, sobbing, tears streaming down her face...

He Yunqing looked up at the intensifying rain, his expression dark and shadowed.

He turned on his phone's flashlight, searching for traces Jiang Yao had left, trying to follow her footprints.

He followed the prints further and further, until he reached the mountain.

The heavy rain gradually washed Jiang Yao's footprints away.

A pitch-black night, a desolate forest, and the relentless downpour.

He Yunqing's face grew ever more grim. He stood in the rain, calling Jiang Yao's name, "Jiang Yao! Jiang Yao!"

There was no reply in the empty mountains.

"A-Yao! A-Yao!" He tried calling her as a friend would.

Still, nothing but silence.

He had no idea how long he searched—long enough that he was drenched through and about to return to mobilize everyone—when suddenly, a small hand took hold of his.

That little hand, timid and gentle, tugged at him.

He Yunqing paused, looked down at the hand, then followed it to its owner...

Jiang Yao had been hiding alone in a thicket of low trees, her clothes soaked and stained with mud, hair tangled and hanging over her face, hugging her knees in terror.

Her bare feet, unshod and coated in thick mud, were bloodied—whether from the long mountain trek or from being cut by stones.

She looked like a wounded kitten, quiet but trembling in fear.

He Yunqing felt as if his heart had curled up with hers.

He slowly squatted down, gazing at her sorry state, and for the first time his steady composure gave way to a mix of anger and urgency. "Why aren't you sleeping? What are you doing out here?"

Jiang Yao was clearly terrified, shrinking back and wiping her dirty face with muddy hands. "There... there are wolves, and tigers, and monsters with three heads... they'll eat people..."

He Yunqing, seeing her trembling, felt as if something had struck his heart. His voice grew gentle and soothing, "A-Yao, there are no monsters."

Jiang Yao slowly lifted her head, dazed, and what she saw before her...

Was a giant rainbow lollipop.