The Fortunate Lady and Her Mountain Man

Chapter 111: Chapter 111: Sudden Footsteps

She didn’t know how long they had been tumbling, but when they finally stopped, the world was spinning.

Once the dizziness faded, Ji Huan shook her head. Her first thought was of Dabao.

’Dabao... where is Dabao?’

It took her a few dazed seconds to realize she was already clutching him tightly in her arms.

She scrambled to sit up, let go of Dabao, and checked him over from every angle, repeatedly asking, "Are you hurt? Are you hurt?"

Thankfully, the snow was thick, so neither of them was injured.

Ji Huan let out a sigh of relief, but a new worry immediately took its place.

The slope wasn’t terribly steep, but it would be nearly impossible for the two of them to climb back up.

She stood up and got on her tiptoes, trying to see if anyone was passing by above, but was met with disappointment.

People who lived in the mountains were always extra careful on the trails, and even more so in the rain or snow. Sticking to the center of the path was common sense, and everyone knew to stay far away from the edge of any slope. Only an idiot would walk so close to the side.

’And wasn’t she just such an idiot?’ But she’d never admit it. She chalked it up to her lack of experience in the mountains.

Regardless, it was too late for regrets. Figuring out how to get out of this mess was what mattered now.

She took a deep breath, cupped her hands around her mouth, and shouted with all her might, "Hello! Is anyone there? Is anyone up there?"

The loose, porous snow absorbed the sound, acting as a natural muffler. She yelled for a long time but heard no reply.

Ji Huan didn’t dare waste any more energy. She also made sure not to show any anxiety, afraid her mood would affect Dabao.

She bent down, brushed the snow from Dabao’s clothes, and asked in a cheerful tone, "Dabao, was that a fun slide we just took?"

Dabao was still dazed from the fall, so he looked at her with confusion. Still, under her expectant gaze, he managed a reluctant "mhm."

"We’re going to go a different way from Brother Liangzi for a bit. Don’t be scared. We’re just playing hide-and-seek with them."

Ji Huan rarely had to coax Dabao like this, but he’d already had two episodes today. She was worried their current predicament would trigger his anxiety and agitation, so she had no choice but to try and soothe him.

After getting another nod from Dabao, Ji Huan smiled and surveyed her surroundings.

There wasn’t much to see. It was just a long, narrow ravine. Slopes rose on all sides, making it impossible to walk out. Climbing was the only way.

Her energy completely spent, Ji Huan could only sigh in despair as she looked at the slopes. ’I should find a place to rest first,’ she thought. ’I’ll figure out what to do after I’ve recovered my strength.’

When they fell, Ji Huan had been in such a hurry to grab Dabao that she’d tossed aside their bedroll. To her surprise, the discarded bedroll had also tumbled down the slope and now lay not far from them.

Ji Huan went over, picked it up, and slung it onto her back before taking Dabao’s hand and heading deeper into the ravine.

The snow inside the ravine was even deeper, coming up to Dabao’s waist. He couldn’t move his legs and started to get anxious, beginning to punch at the snow with his hands.

Ji Huan stopped him. Gritting her teeth, she hoisted him onto her back again and began dragging the bedroll along the ground.

Their pace could only be described as a crawl. It felt like they had been walking for a long time, but when she looked back, they had only covered a few meters.

Ji Huan didn’t dare to give up. She forged ahead, head down, praying she could find a place to shelter from the wind and snow.

If they stayed out in the open, even if she could endure it, Dabao wouldn’t be able to.

The snow was also showing signs of getting heavier. If they couldn’t find shelter by nightfall, they would be in real danger.

Fortunately, her luck hadn’t completely run out.

At the far end of the ravine, the entire cliff face was blanketed in snow, but at the very bottom, a small patch of black was visible.

Ji Huan guessed it must be a cave of some sort. Her spirits lifted instantly, and new strength flowed into her nearly numb legs.

She hitched Dabao up higher on her back and tried to quicken her pace.

It still took a considerable amount of time to finally reach it.

It really was a cave! ’Now we don’t have to worry about freezing to death tonight.’

Ji Huan set Dabao down and used both hands to dig away the snow blocking the entrance.

After watching for a moment, Dabao went to the other side, squatted down, and started mimicking her actions, scraping away at the snow bit by bit.

Once the entrance was clear, Ji Huan didn’t go in right away. She worried that some dangerous beast might be hibernating inside.

She yelled into the cave a few times, then felt a little foolish.

’If there really is something in there, it’s too late to run now anyway. Besides, any animal with half a brain probably wouldn’t choose a dead end like this for its den.’

Ji Huan summoned her courage, took Dabao’s hand, and led him inside.

The cave was barely tall enough for one person. She had to lower her head and stoop slightly to get in, but Dabao could walk through without any trouble.

The difference was immediate. The swirling snow and bone-chilling wind were shut out, leaving a small, dry, and warm world inside.

"Warm" was perhaps an exaggeration, but for someone who had trekked through a frozen, snowy landscape all day, it didn’t feel like one.

The cave was about ten meters deep. When they reached the back, she threw the bedroll on the ground, hastily spread it out, and collapsed on top of it.

The tension she had been holding in finally released, and the soreness and exhaustion in her limbs crashed over her. She didn’t want to move a single finger.

She patted the empty space beside her and asked Dabao, "Are you tired?"

Dabao lay down on his side, nestled against her. He shook his head, but his eyes were fixed on her neck.

Ji Huan knew what he was looking at. She reached out and ruffled his fluffy little head.

"It doesn’t hurt. But Dabao, you can’t bite people anymore, you hear me? Or else I’ll have to give you a spanking."

Dabao lowered his eyes, striking the posture he always took when he knew he’d done something wrong.

A moment later, he looked up and nodded firmly.

Ji Huan opened her arms and pulled him into her embrace. The two siblings huddled together, neither speaking for a long time.

Dabao hadn’t started talking yet, and Ji Huan was simply too exhausted.

After resting for a while, Ji Huan began to take stock of their supplies.

Besides the bedroll, the bundle Widow Xie had prepared for her was also safe. Inside were plenty of steamed buns and flatbreads.

However, Dabao’s bundle and bedroll were with Hu Dacheng.

This meant that if they couldn’t get out and no one found them, they would have to survive on just these supplies for the next few days.

’But how many days could they last?’

’The dry rations were one thing, but how would they survive the freezing temperatures at night...’

Ji Huan sighed. She really felt like banging her head against the wall.

’They say worry clouds your judgment. Caught up in the village’s tense atmosphere, she had let panic get the better of her and failed to consider so many factors.’

’General Nie was General Nie, and General Kou was General Kou. Just because the former was so ruthless he’d even conscript a five-year-old like Little Douding didn’t mean the latter would do the same. She had actually trusted that Kou Changqing before.’

’Taking a step back, even if they were going to conscript him, Hu Liang had said you could pay with Silver to avoid service in the past. Times were different now, and with the army desperate for soldiers, that trick might not work for a grown man. But Dabao was just a child. He’d be useless to them, so there would surely have been room for negotiation.’

’And taking another step back, even if Silver was no good this time, they didn’t necessarily have to flee into the mountains. They could have adapted and found other ways to hide. Her own home backed onto Guai Mountain, which would have been much better for hiding out than this unfamiliar Chicken Crown Mountain.’

’She hadn’t even stopped to think. The mountain terrain was already complex, but with the snow, it was like a death trap. What if they got lost? What about wild animals?’

’And what about that whole crowd of men and boys who came into the mountains with them? If it really came down to it, when supplies ran out, could she, a lone woman, even protect her own food?’

’What if someone stole their food? What if she ran into someone with no morals...’

’And now look at her. The conscription officers hadn’t even shown up, and she’d already managed to nearly get herself killed.’

Afraid of being found, yet desperately hoping to be found—Ji Huan’s feelings were a tangled mess.

Just as her heart was pounding with anxiety, the sound of footsteps suddenly echoed from the mouth of the cave.

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