Yue Jiaojiao’s lips curved into a smile, and she took the opportunity to state her request. “Bring me up the mountain, then.”
Zhao Zhan hesitated.
Seeing that he stood still, Yue Jiaojiao asked softly, “were you afraid that animals would run over and hurt me, so you set up a trap near the cave? That tiger sneaked into our cave. it’s impossible that it didn’t encounter the trap you set up, right?”
As she spoke, she reached out and gently stroked Zhao Zhan’s brow bone, then gently rubbed his face with her finger.
“You’re a powerful hunter. The trap that you set up will definitely injure the tiger badly.
“When I saw Kuazi’s expression just now, I think she saw the tiger’s dying appearance and was greedy to end its life. In the end, she got hurt by the tiger, so she was scared out of her wits and ran down the mountain.”
“Jiaojiao, I can’t hide anything from you.” Zhao Zhan’s eyes sparkled as he looked at his lover before continuing on.
“I was planning to go up the mountain at night to take a look. I can’t just wait for the tiger to come down the mountain.
“There are so many people in the village. I can’t guarantee that I can protect everyone from getting hurt if it goes on a rampage.
“Why don’t you wait for me at the foot of the mountain, and I’ll go up and take a look?”
“No, Zhao Zhan, have you forgotten about my ability?” Yue Jiaojiao smiled slyly. “My intuition tells me that there won’t be any danger if we go up the mountain.”
Zhao Zhan had never been able to refuse any request from his love.
His hunting tools were all in the mountains. Zhao Zhan had no choice but to return to the thatched cottage to get a weapon. After searching for a long time, he stuffed a sharp knife into Yue Jiaojiao’s hands. “Keep this well. Use it for self-defense if you encounter any danger.”
Yue Jiaojiao wanted to say that there was no need, but when she saw Zhao Zhan’s nervous expression, she silently took it.
They carefully avoided the other people in the thatched house, and then Zhao Zhan carried Yue Jiaojiao up the mountain.
“Let’s not go to the cave yet.” Zhao Zhan’s steps were steady, but his movements were light. His voice was very low in the serene mountain. “Let’s go and see if there are any traces of animals touching the traps I set nearby.”
Yue Jiaojiao didn’t refuse. After all, he was only worried about them potentially getting injured.
“We’ll check two places,” Zhao Zhan said after scouting the area. “Jiaojiao, if we encounter any danger later, don’t worry about me and just run. Do you remember the way down the mountain?”
Yue Jiaojiao snorted and didn’t respond to his words. She patted his shoulder and urged him in a delicate voice, “Let’s go to the cave and take a look first, alright?”
Zhao Zhan clenched the hoe in his hand, a layer of warm sweat forming on his palm.
When the two of them were less than two meters away from the cave, the tiger — which had been lying in front of the cave — paced around anxiously. Its pair of big golden eyes, which were like copper bells, fixed in the direction of the two.
Zhao Zhan and Jiaojiao hid behind a tree.
A gust of foul wind blew and he took two steps back with Yue Jiaojiao on his back.
The two humans and the tiger confronted each other silently.
It was Yue Jiaojiao’s first time seeing a real, wild tiger. She patted Zhao Zhan and said, “Put me down.”
Zhao Zhan’s arms, which were holding her, tightened.
“It’s okay, let me down.”
Zhao Zhan turned his head to look at Yue Jiaojiao, his forehead covered in sweat. His eyes were filled with anxiety and worry.
Yue Jiaojiao’s heart softened at the sight of him. She quickly kissed his face and said gently, “Trust me, it’s really okay.”
Only then did Zhao Zhan hesitantly put his lover to the ground, but he was constantly on guard.