Qiao Wangbei and Yan Wangchuan were sitting opposite each other. In front of them was a carving knife, and the atmosphere was cold and serious.
***
On the other side, at the ski resort overseas, Song Fengwan was skiing near the entrance of the hotel for a while. The moment she entered the hotel, she saw a group of seven men and women talking together in Chinese, so she couldn’t help but take a few more glances at them.
“Big Sister.” Huai Sheng ran over and helped her take her ski poles.
Perhaps because they felt a sense of closeness when hearing someone speak in their native language, the group of people also glanced at Song Fengwan.
When she was skiing outside just now, a few of the guys in the group had been staring at her. She had learned her movements from Fu Chen, so they were naturally accurate and elegant. She wasn’t very skilled at skiing, but her movements had a unique beauty to them.
And now, they saw her take off her goggles and reveal a pretty little face. Her exhaled breath was white, and when she smiled, her phoenix eyes narrowed, looking curved and beautiful.
“Chinese?” One of the boys went forward to strike up a conversation with her.
“Yes.” Song Fengwan nodded and pulled down the zipper of her winter windbreaker. Although it was cold outside, she had been skiing for a long time, so she had sweat a lot.
“You came with your family?” Song Fengwan was about 1.67 meters tall and had yet to step out into society, so it was inevitable that she looked a little childish.
“Yeah.” Song Fengwan turned her head and looked outside.
At a glance, the vast expanse of whiteness seemed to embrace the sky and the sun, and a few clouds were floating in the endlessly blue sky. The view looked boundless and desolate.
Fu Chen and Duan Linbai had gone out to ski. It had already been a few hours, and they were still not back.
“Are you still going out later? Do you want to join us?” someone in the group suggested.
“I’m not going out for the time being,” Song Fengwan refused politely.
Perhaps it was rare for them to meet Chinese people, so they all gathered around her to talk to her. One of the girls was being overly familiar with her, making her a little overwhelmed.
Huai Sheng was standing at the side. A few girls already had their eyes on him just now but didn’t dare to go over. Now that they were already near him, they took the opportunity to pat his bald head.
“Are you really a monk?”
“You are so cute. What’s your name?”
“Tell Big Sister your name. I’ll give you candy.”
It was the first time Huai Sheng was surrounded by girls, so he was at a loss, and his face was slightly red. The senior brothers are indeed right. Women are the source of trouble, and they are not to be provoked.
“Why is your face so red? So cute.” One of the girls actually…
… gave him a big peck on his little face.
Huai Sheng’s face instantly turned completely red. “Benefactress, you have to respect yourself. Master said that we monks shouldn’t get close to females.”
“Haha…” The group of people all laughed out loud.
Huai Sheng gritted his teeth and was so anxious that he was about to cry. Master, what should I do? I’ve been kissed by a woman. Does this count as breaking my sexual precept?
Song Fengwan furrowed her brows. “Sorry, we have to leave.”
Just as she was about to leave with Huai Sheng, the girl who was overly familiar with her reached out her hand and held Song Fengwan’s arm.
“Why are you in such a hurry? Let’s play together…”
Song Fengwan saw that Huai Sheng was about to cry and was anxious to bring him away. Just as she was about to reject her, a hand wearing a black leather glove reached out from behind her and pushed the girl’s hand away…
There was still a bit of snow on the glove, so it was cold and wet. The girl hurriedly avoided it.
When Song Fengwan turned around, Fu Chen and Duan Linbai had already unknowingly returned.
Fu Chen casually took off his hat and goggles, pulled his gloves off, and directly threw them to Duan Linbai.
He had sweat a bit, and he was wearing a dark red ski jacket that seemed to have fluorescent components emitting dark light, making his face look not as gentle and ascetic as usual.
Instead, he looked even more evil and demonic.
Despite such a look, he still exuded unparalleled dignity and glamor.
The two extremes blended perfectly on him.
When he looked up at the group of men and women, his expressionless eyes had a terrifying sharpness.
Fu Chen lifted his hand and pulled the zipper of Song Fengwan’s windbreaker up two inches. “Don’t catch a cold.”
“Oh.” Song Fengwan looked at his face in a daze. How can this man be so good-looking and always be different? His expression is usually as calm as water, but now, it’s as thick as ink and can be as strong as the wind…
“I’ll take you out to ski later.” Fu Chen held her hand and walked toward their rooms.
He glanced at the boys who had talked to her just now from the corner of his eye, and his eyes darkened.
They were young men in their early twenties, and their combined aura was incomparable to Fu Chen’s. They stood still on the spot, not daring to move.
It was until the four of them left did a few girls gather together in an uproar. But all they were talking about was how handsome Fu Chen was and wanting to hit on him. They even wanted to go to the front desk to ask for his name and room number, but they were naturally rejected.
In this hotel, Fu Chen and Song Fengwan had separate rooms, while Duan Linbai and Huai Sheng stayed together in one room.
When Duan Linbai returned to his room, he took off his hat and goggles. He was drenched in sweat. He didn’t plan on going skiing later, so he was about to take off his clothes and take a shower when he saw Huai Sheng taking out a wooden fish from his luggage…
The corners of his mouth twitched. “Huai Sheng, you still have to recite scriptures at this time?”
“I was molested by the benefactress just now, and my sexual precept was broken. I need to confess my sin to Buddha.”
Duan Linbai was only wearing a sweater at this moment, and he placed both of his hands on his waist. “It’s a good thing to be kissed by someone!”
“I’m a proper monk, and I’m different from you.” Huai Sheng’s tone was firm. “I’m someone who wants to be the abbot!”
Duan Linbai scratched his head.
Wait, what does he mean by that?
He’s a proper monk?
Am I not proper?
Just as he was about to flare up, the sound of knocking on the wooden fish was already echoing in the room.
“Buddha, your follower has sinned…”
You little monk, just you wait. I’ll throw away your stupid wooden fish later.
***
While Huai Sheng was reciting scriptures, Duan Linbai knocked on Fu Chen’s door, wanting to seek refuge.
Fu Chen just happened to be going skiing with Song Fengwan, so he asked him to stay behind and reminded him to keep an eye on Huai Sheng.
“This area is all made of natural snow. You have to pay attention when you bring Little Sister Song out. Don’t step on the wrong spots and get into an accident. The weather is getting warmer these days…”
Slap. Before Duan Linbai could finish speaking, Fu Chen tightened his grip on the gloves in his hands and slapped them on Duan Linbai’s face. “Shut your mouth.”
Duan Linbai shrugged. I’m just kindly reminding you.
I’m afraid you’re bringing Little Sister-in-Law out too carelessly.
Song Fengwan had only been skiing near the entrance of the hotel earlier. The length of the piste was limited, and she didn’t dare to go too far alone. As the skis glided over the snow, the thrill of passing over the snow with the wind blowing against you was heart palpitating.
At this moment, she was naturally extremely excited to be able to go to another piste with him.
The two of them boarded a cable car and headed to another piste.
Looking down from the cable car, the snow-capped mountains stretched far and wide. Occasionally, the cold wind blew past, and the trees shook, creating a white-colored windstorm. The vast sky was a boundless blue with few clouds.
The cable car passed through the snow-capped mountains. Outside the cable car was a breathtaking pure white and flawless view.
The snow-capped mountains were covered with pine trees and snow, and the branches of the pine trees also had snow on them. As a breeze fleeted by, the branches rustled, and the white snow drifted down from them.
When the two of them got off the cable car, the piste was so clean that it seemed as if no one had ever been here before.
“Get ready first. I’ll go down there to take a look.” Fu Chen put his goggles on and used his ski poles to prop himself up. Then he sped a hundred meters down the piste. When he passed through the few curves along the way, he bent down his body and dashed through them rapidly. The snow at his feet splattered everywhere…
Along the way, flying snow surrounded him.
Wearing his dark red jacket, he looked handsome and elegant.
Song Fengwan’s breathing was a little quick, and she was eager to give it a try.
Fu Chen quickly returned to her side. “Follow me. Don’t wander around.”
“Okay.” Song Fengwan was a novice after all, so naturally, she couldn’t do what Fu Chen did. She could only follow beside him and follow his every step…
Fu Chen had been here before, but that was in the past.
In some places, the snow was too loose. Caught off guard, she fell a few times.
Fu Chen turned his head to look at her and chuckled softly.
Song Fengwan was so angry that she hit him with her ski pole. Why is he smiling instead of helping me up? This is too much!
The thing about skiing was that it was like an addiction. Once you became addicted to the feeling of traveling through the wind and snow, it was hard to quit.
Song Fengwan had learned some tricks to skiing and was having a lot of fun.
Fu Chen skied for a while before he stood on high ground and looked at her. Although the day was longer here, the sky was gradually getting darker. It was about time to go back.
Song Fengwan skied alone for a while and wanted to ask Fu Chen to ski with her.
She turned her head around to call for Fu Chen. But from the corner of her eye, she saw that a layer of the snow mountain not far behind him seemed to be breaking off, appearing to peel away from the mountain…
Her pupils dilated.
“Third Brother! Third Brother!” Song Fengwan lowered her scarf and kept waving at him.
The two of them were too far apart from each other right now, and the snowfield was vast and empty, so her voice was swallowed up by the cold wind. Fu Chen couldn’t hear her at all and could only see her constantly waving.
“Third Brother!” Song Fengwan shouted at the top of her lungs. The cold wind blew into her throat and cut her throat painfully.
Her voice went hoarse from the shouting.
Fu Chen furrowed his brows.
Song Fengwan reached out and pointed at him. “Third Brother, run! Run quick—”
The massive irregularly-shaped block of snow was just about to peel away from the mountain…
When Fu Chen turned his head, the breaking layer of the mountain seemed to be unable to hold on any longer and collapsed thunderously. The snow mountain was still hundreds of meters away from him. But as the snow collapsed, the cold wind swept it down along with the surrounding frost and snow. It was going straight at him…
The avalanche was extremely fast and resembled a giant wave engulfing the surrounding pine forest up. It was wild and fierce, seemingly having the power to swallow mountains and rivers.
“Third Brother!” Song Fengwan was utterly shocked. The white snow waves and wind blew against her face. In front of nature, humans were so puny and insignificant.
Fu Chen moved quickly as he drove his ski poles into the snow and pushed forward, trying to get out of the way. But the avalanche was too fast…
Song Fengwan only saw the red figure being swallowed up by the white and disappearing from her sight without a trace.
She gasped, and her mind went blank.
The entire process of the avalanche lasted for dozens of seconds. The scale was small. When everything stopped, the world fell silent.
…
“Third Brother! Third Brother!” Song Fengwan took off the skis beneath her feet, ran over with her ski poles, and dug at the snow.
“Where are you?! Don’t scare me!” Song Fengwan was so anxious that tears kept streaming down her cheeks. It was bone-chillingly cold. The cold wind blew like a blade cutting her face.
She thought about it carefully. When they went out earlier, Fu Chen had told her what to do if a part of the snowfield collapsed or an avalanche occurred. But right now, her brain was numb, and she couldn’t think at all…
She only remembered one sentence that Fu Chen had said.
“Don’t be afraid if something happens. I’m here. I’ll protect you.”
“Fu Chen, you liar! Where are you!” Song Fengwan was anxious. She threw away her ski poles and started directly digging in the snow.
“Where are you?! You can’t leave me here alone…” She cried, her voice dry and hoarse.
“Third Brother!” she yelled.
The only response she received was the sound of the pine tree branches rustling.
She knelt on the snow. Her voice was hoarse, her eyes were red and swollen, her hands were trembling from digging the snow, and her entire body’s strength seemed to be drained away…
“Liar, you’re all liars. You even said that you would protect me…”
She sobbed softly as her hands moved non-stop.
“Fu Chen, you are a bastard!”
…
Just as she was on the verge of breaking down, she heard the rustling sound of snow from not far away. Before she looked up, she heard a familiar, deep voice…
“Song Fengwan, you have some guts. You’re actually scolding me?”
Song Fengwan looked at him in a daze. He still had some snow on him. Under the setting sun, his entire body was wrapped in a faint golden light, and his dark red jacket was also glowing with luminous dark light.
Song Fengwan’s body went limp as she knelt on the ground, covering her face and crying.
Fu Chen frowned and walked toward her. The avalanche had just passed, so the snow on the ground was very soft. When he stepped on it, half of his calf submerged into the snow, making it hard for him to walk.
He walked to her side, reached out his hands, and pulled her into his arms. “Why are you crying? Am I not fine?”
“No more skiing. Not for the rest of your life,” she wailed hoarsely.
Fu Chen’s heart tightened as he held her in his arms. “Okay, I won’t ski again.”
***
Duan Linbai had already put on his ski clothes and left the hotel. When the avalanche occurred, they could even feel it at the hotel. His intuition told him that something might have happened on Fu Chen’s side. His heart was pounding. His heart was in his throat. His heart was beating so fast that it was about to burst out of his chest. He could only pray that Fu Chen and Song Fengwan weren’t in that area.
When he ran to the cable car, there were no cable cars that could operate at the moment. He was very anxious.
He had left the hotel just now in such a hurry that he didn’t even wear his goggles.
Without any eye protection, the white snow was shining blindingly. His eyes hurt from the reflection of light off the snow, and tears kept falling. The cold wind blew against him like a sharp knife, making his skin itchy and painful.
He breathed in a breath of cold air and felt cold all over.