Chapter 20 – Fury
Perhaps it was an illusion, but faintly, Fu Jingyou seemed to hear the startled cry of that girl. His heartstrings tightened, and he suddenly sprinted toward the direction of the sound.
“Lu—”
Standing under the blazing sun on the irrigation channel, Fu Jingyou was panting heavily. The scene before his eyes stunned him. Lu Miao’s name was half-called, but the rest never came out.
There were no mountain villagers. No one had kidnapped Lu Miao to be someone’s bride…
The stream reflected the sunlight like countless scattered stars.
That girl stood in the water with her trouser legs rolled up, as if she had found some treasure. Her smooth white calves splashed water in excitement, her bright features lit up as she looked his way, and with her free hand she waved energetically.
Her pale white wrist flashed so brightly it hurt the eyes.
“Fu Xiaoliu, come! Quickly, come over here!”
Her crisp voice jolted Fu Jingyou’s thoughts back. The worry and tension from before vanished, replaced by a surge of inexplicable anger.
He strode down the slope in great steps, wading into the water. Without a word, he gripped Lu Miao’s wrist tightly and pulled her toward the bank.
“Do you have any idea what you’re doing?”
Lu Miao staggered, losing hold of her trouser legs, letting them fall into the water.
Dragged toward the shore, she stumbled without watching her footing, stepping on slippery wet mud and falling heavily to the ground.
Her knees went numb with pain, her palms scraped raw by coarse gravel, stinging sharply. Tears welled in Lu Miao’s eyes instantly.
The joy she’d felt a moment ago vanished. In its place, anger flared. She shoved Fu Jingyou hard.
“What are you doing!”
Fu Jingyou yanked her back to her feet in one motion, his voice cold and stern:
“Who told you to leave my sight without warning?!”
“What does it have to do with you!”
Lu Miao was furious. Her right hand couldn’t break free, so she balled her left fist and pounded against him.
“Let me go! I don’t need you controlling me!”
Though Fu Jingyou looked lean, his body was hardened by years of labor, muscles strong and firm. Whether her punches hurt him, Lu Miao didn’t know—but her own hand throbbed painfully.
That morning she had worked hard, been bitten by ants, just fallen, and now this—Lu Miao was about to explode with rage.
She held back tears, breathing heavily, but the next moment she couldn’t hold it in. Her eyes turned red, her hands dropped weakly, and she stood there sobbing.
Fu Jingyou froze. His hand on her wrist jerked back as though burned.
“Don’t—don’t cry!”
He was utterly at a loss. He reflected on his earlier rashness, but Lu Miao crying like this—he truly didn’t know how to handle it.
Opening his lips, silent, he bent to pick up her shoes and socks lying to the side.
He hadn’t told her the truth earlier, fearing to frighten her.
But now, perhaps only honesty could calm her anger and hurt…
Placing the shoes and socks neatly before her, Fu Jingyou spoke in a low, hoarse voice:
“If you really ran into mountain villagers… In these mountains, with dangerous paths, you wouldn’t make it out.”
Lu Miao’s stubborn little face froze. Tears clung to her lashes, ready to fall. She stared at him, tongue tied, stammering:
“You—you mean, mountain… villagers…!”
Even though Fu Jingyou’s words were brief, she grasped the meaning.
In later times, despite strict crackdowns, news of missing children and women still appeared often, surfacing from every corner.
Where had those children and women gone?
One possibility—organ trafficking, disappearing forever.
The other possibility… hidden deep in these treacherous mountains.
If such things couldn’t be entirely prevented even in modern times, what if it happened in this era? The consequences would be unthinkable!
A chill ran through Lu Miao. Suddenly, she understood why Fu Jingyou had lost his temper just now.
Resistance turned into reliance. Uneasy, Lu Miao tugged at his shirt hem. Just now she had not only hit him with her fists, but scratched his face too.
Seeing the three bright red marks on his cheek, guilt mixed with her grievance.
“I—I didn’t know before. You should’ve told me earlier.”
“Put your shoes on.”
Fu Jingyou squatted down and patted her leg, his tone softening.
“Finish your work, then I’ll take you somewhere cool to eat.”
Lu Miao bit her lip, curling her toes in embarrassment.
Her fair hand rested on his shoulder as she wobbled, lifting one delicate foot onto his knee.
“…”
Fu Jingyou froze, not moving.
Swaying unsteadily, Lu Miao gripped his shirt to avoid falling.
“Weren’t you going to put my shoes on for me?”
“…”
Another silence. Then, with a long exhale, Fu Jingyou brushed away the grit under her foot and asked,
“Do you want the socks too?”
“Of course!”
Lu Miao puffed her cheeks. She’d tried wearing cloth shoes without socks before—after sweating, it felt slippery and awful. She didn’t like it.
Obeying, Fu Jingyou slid on her socks, then her shoes.
As he put on the second shoe, Lu Miao looked down at the crown of his head and suddenly called:
“Fu Jingyou.”
“Mm.”
By now, he understood her somewhat.
She usually called him “Fu Xiaoliu.” Only when serious, or when seeking an answer, did she call him by his full name.
He couldn’t help wondering—what would the spoiled young lady emphasize this time? Or what question needed answering?
Just then, her soft, clear voice sounded, serious and earnest:
“Will you protect me?”
Fu Jingyou answered without hesitation:
“Of course.”
Then he added:
“If I brought you out safely, I’ll bring you back safely too.”
Lu Miao pouted, dissatisfied.
“So if it wasn’t you who brought me out, and I ran into mountain villagers or danger, then you wouldn’t help me?”
“Don’t say such unlucky things.”
Lu Miao swung her foot, refusing to cooperate with him putting on her shoe.
“No way, answer me first!”
Fu Jingyou tapped lightly on the top of her foot, forcing on the shoe and sock, then stood up to leave.
Lu Miao stamped her foot where she stood, willful and petulant.
“Fu Jingyou!”
Fu Jingyou exhaled helplessly and turned back.
“If I saw it, I wouldn’t ignore you.”
Lu Miao’s fair little face curved into a pleased smile.
“Really?”
Perhaps realizing his words weren’t perfect, Fu Jingyou turned away and added awkwardly:
“In such a situation, anyone who saw wouldn’t stand idly by.”
Lu Miao thought: Not necessarily.
(End of Chapter)
