In the surging river, two figures emerged and disappeared occasionally, as if they might be swallowed by the water anytime.

s.h.i.+ Qingxue and Mo Junhao were floating along the river for a long time, but they grabbed each other's hand all the time, so they didn't get separated by the flowing water.

“It's not good. We need to get on sh.o.r.e instantly.”

Mo Junhao was good at swimming and tried several times to swim to the bank grabbing Qingxue's hand, but soon he was dashed back, so they had to go with the stream.

When the two tried another time, Mo Junhao suddenly found that there was a big rock standing in the water downstream less than two meters away from them.

“Be careful!”

Mo Junhao shouted in a sharp voice, but they couldn't get any leverage. When s.h.i.+ Qingxue flowing with the water was about to b.u.mp into the rock, he abruptly applied much strength to pull her into his arms.

s.h.i.+ Qingxue felt that she circled in the water. Before she realized what had happened, she heard a m.u.f.fled voice. They stopped swimming and the surge swept them to somewhere farther.

The tight grip on her waist loosened, and she subconsciously grabbed Mo Junhao's hand. Not until then did she find that he was in a coma.

“Hey, are you okay?” Seeing that Mo Junhao was about to sink, she dragged him in a hurry, but there was no answer.

Mo Junhao sank and floated in the surge. If it went on like this, they would be done sooner or later.

s.h.i.+ Qingxue looked around in haste to seek for something to rely on. Soon she found a branch in front extending to the river from the bank.

She raised her right hand and shot an arrow-shaped ironware from her wrist to circle around the branch on the bank rapidly. With the support of the branch, she managed to steady herself and stopped flowing with the stream.

But she managed with difficulty.

She had made a choice earlier anxiously and didn't find it was just a little thicker than a grown-up man's arm. It shakily bore the weight of the two and seemed unable to stand it any longer.

As long as this branch broke, even if s.h.i.+ Qingxue could find the second stronger one, she had no ability to shoot for twice.

How about letting him go?

The idea flashed on her mind and kept haunting.

Mo Junhao was in a coma. Even if she loosened her grip, it didn't matter as n.o.body would know it and she might save herself.

A voice in her brain incited her. “Let him go. It's better if he dies secretly, and you don't need to stain your hands.”

Another clear voice started to refute it. “No! Mo Junhao saved you. You can't return kindness with ingrat.i.tude.”

The first voice snapped, “If you don't loosen your hand now, you might be unable to take revenge forever and would be buried with him. Are you willing to?”

The second voice weakened. “But…”

Suddenly, an old but gentle voice flashed on her mind. “Little Qingxue, remember your grandpa's words. Don't bully the weak and the kind-hearted.”

s.h.i.+ Qingxue shook her head and gritted her teeth. Then she tightly grabbed Mo Junhao with one hand and made the silk continually circle around the other arm in order to get close to the bank.

The force of the surging water was too powerful. For a few times, she was forced back, but fortunately, she clenched her teeth and got through it.

Finally, when the branch was broken, half of her body was in the gra.s.s on the bank.

She didn't have time to take a break. With the friction force of the gra.s.s, she cheered up and pulled Mo Junhao to the bank.

It seemed that all her strength was lost. She didn't even have the energy to open her eyes to look around and check the surroundings but just gasped continually with her eyes closed.

“I thought you would have let me go.”

A man's voice appeared beside her ear all of a sudden, and it scared s.h.i.+ Qingxue.

She opened her eyes quickly and saw that Mo Junhao had sat up and looked at her leisurely.

Of course he was leisure. It was not him who had put forth all the strength.

s.h.i.+ Qingxue was resentful and even doubted that Mo Junhao didn't fall into a coma. He faked everything in order to make fun of her.

Perhaps her angry face was too obvious, so Mo Junhao felt guilty and said, “Don't goggle at me like this. I was indeed in a coma for a while after being knocked just now and then I felt powerless all over.”

He explained in an indirect way why he didn't speak until now.

s.h.i.+ Qingxue was less angry but still looked unhappy. “Let's enter the forest to make a fire. Do you have a firelighter?”

Mo Junhao didn't want to irritate her again and nodded. “I will pick up some wood.”

s.h.i.+ Qingxue remained silent. After watching Mo Junhao go away, she found a big tree nearby to lean against and had a seat.

In the beginning, she just wanted to have a short break, but she was too tired and closed her eyes automatically.

When Mo Junhao came back holding a bunch of wood, he found that s.h.i.+ Qingxue was asleep leaning against the trunk. She was wet all over. The thin brocade clothes clung to her body. She looked thin, but had a nice hour-gla.s.s figure. It was just a men's suit, but she was shockingly tempting and attractive.

Mo Junhao couldn't help but swallow his saliva. Then he realized that he was too stupid. Smiling with self-mockery, he piled up the sticks and made a fire.

Although he didn't have much experience surviving in the wild, he quickly dried his clothes. s.h.i.+ Qingxue hadn't woken up, and he hesitated for a while but then called in a low voice, “Qingxue, wake up and dry your clothes, or you will get a cold.”

s.h.i.+ Qingxue woke up suddenly, and Mo Junhao's face enlarged before her eyes, which scared her to move backward.

Mo Junhao swiftly grabbed her so that she wouldn't fall on the ground. At the same time, he frowned. “Am I so terrifying? I frightened you to this level?”

s.h.i.+ Qingxue thought, “You are more than terrifying. You are a nightmare!”

But she still giggled. “How come? I just woke up and can't think.”

After speaking, she didn't look at Mo Junhao but went to the fire to warm herself.

Mo Junhao came over and sat next to her.

He was close to her, and s.h.i.+ Qingxue tried her best not to avoid him. She had to pretend that she didn't mind and asked casually, “Do you know where we are?”

Mo Junhao felt it laughable. “We finally escaped from death. You just talk about this?”

s.h.i.+ Qingxue was confused and seemed to say, “Do we have something to talk about except this?”

“Aren't you hungry?” Mo Junhao took a deep breath and restrained his anger.

Qingxue frowned. “No, I am not. Are you?”

No matter when it was, food or clothing was the best topic to start a conversation, but s.h.i.+ Qingxue didn't want to cooperate, which depressed Mo Junhao.

If he replied that he was not hungry, they couldn't continue to talk anymore.

If he answered that he was hungry, as neither of them had brought any food, it was useless to say so and would show that he was like a child.

Mo Junhao was furious and couldn't reply. s.h.i.+ Qingxue was puzzled and thought this man was hard to deal with as always, but she stood up and walked to the deep of the forest.

She said, “Stay here and wait for me. I will come back later.”

“What are you going to do?” Mo Junhao instantly followed her. Although it was almost dawn, it was dangerous for s.h.i.+ Qingxue to be alone.

s.h.i.+ Qingxue glanced at him. “Didn't you say that you are hungry? There are pheasant in the forest.”

“Ah?”

The fourth prince was born in the lap of luxury, and he didn't know that the pheasant could be eaten.

Then he asked, “It's said that the pheasant can fly, right? Can you catch it?”

Even Mo Junhao who was good at flying skills couldn't make sure to catch a bird, so he didn't believe that s.h.i.+ Qingxue could make it.

s.h.i.+ Qingxue didn't answer but picked up several stones and a small fork branch from the ground. Then she took out the silk from her wrist to make a simple catapult. She found the right position and shot a stone.

“Creak!”

Before Mo Junhao saw everything clearly, a scream came from a tree, and something fell from it.

s.h.i.+ Qingxue walked to that tree and picked up her prey before walking back. Noticing that Mo Junhao was petrified, she frowned. “Are you okay?”

“You are awesome!” Mo Junhao's eyes were glittering, full of admiration.

No matter how much s.h.i.+ Qingxue disliked him, she couldn't help but show a complacent smile. Then she forced to conceal it and pouted. “It's no big deal. My grandpa was more awesome. I learnt it from him.”

She added in her heart, “If I didn't listen to my grandpa, I wouldn't have saved your life.”

Mo Junhao laughed. “I had the honor to get Elder Duke s.h.i.+'s instructions when I was young.”

At the mention of s.h.i.+ Lei, s.h.i.+ Qingxue improved her att.i.tude toward Mo Junhao. Although she didn't take him seriously, she looked at him excitedly and asked anxiously, “What did my grandpa tell you?”

“The military tactics. They were almost the same as what the imperial teacher said, but somehow, I prefer the stories Elder Duke s.h.i.+ told, especially about when he followed my grandpa to conquer the world. I can still remember them now.”

While speaking, Mo Junhao peeped at s.h.i.+ Qingxue all the time. As expected, she looked proud. “Of course, my grandpa was the most capable general and could find a solution even under the situation doomed to lose.”

Mo Junhao nodded repeatedly and received the prey from s.h.i.+ Qingxue in a natural way. He smiled gently. “Although I don't have your ability to hunt, I can deal with the food. It's better not to stain your beautiful hands with blood.”

s.h.i.+ Qingxue was not a spoilt child, but if possible, she would try to stay away from blood. Now that somebody was willing to take her job, she was happy to do nothing.

Watching Mo Junhao dealing with the prey carefully, she didn't hate him that much. She walked aside, selected two pointed and thin branches and then washed them in the river.

When the man gave her the clean pheasant, she inserted the branches to it and roasted it on the fire.

Even when Mo Junhao sat next to her again, she didn't feel uncomfortable as before.

When the pheasant was roasted, the oil dripped on the fire and buzzed. The good smell spread.

As Mo Junhao was hungry, he praised when smelling it, “It smells so good!”

“Here you are.”

Since it was almost done, s.h.i.+ Qingxue gave a half to Mo Junhao, who took a bite as soon as he got it.

He wasn't stingy to give his high praise. “It's so delicious. Even the chefs in the imperial palace can't make something so tasty.”

s.h.i.+ Qingxue was c.o.c.ky, beaming with joy but still said modestly, “I just roasted it randomly. It can't be as yummy as the delicacy in the palace. You are hungry now, so you think it is delicious.”

Mo Junhao retorted, “Of course not. This is among the best delicacy I have ever tasted. Unfortunately, there is only one half of pheasant. I can't bear to eat it.”

“Ha!” Even if s.h.i.+ Qingxue knew that Mo Junhao was exaggerated, she felt over the moon because of his commendation and offered, “Just eat it. If it's not enough, we can catch a hare.

My grandpa said the hare reproduces fast in spring. I have never caught one. Maybe we can have a try.”

“Elder Duke s.h.i.+ knew a lot. Roasting is a skill. Did he teach you?” It was rare for Mo Junhao to see s.h.i.+ Qingxue with a pleasant smile in front of him.

Since the atmosphere was relaxing, and they were closer, he tried every means to please her.

But next second, s.h.i.+ Qingxue's expression changed.