Chapter: Chapter 296
Three days later.
Amidst a vast expanse of white, two small figures could be seen walking together.
In the past few days, the snowfall had gradually lessened, showing faint signs of receding.
For the vast majority of people, this was undoubtedly good news.
They had finally weathered the harsh winter and were entering a new spring.
In the snow, Chen An tightened his clothes, stopped, and oriented himself using the rising sun.
They didn’t have a compass, of course, but Chen An happened to know some practical outdoor skills.
Precision wasn’t the goal; knowing the general direction was enough.
“Let’s go.”
He adjusted his backpack and casually called out to the girl beside him.
Mu Sanniang didn’t respond and followed his steps.
A full three days had passed since the two departed from Liucheng.
For ordinary people walking quickly, covering sixty to seventy li a day was not uncommon.
However, with the roads now blocked by heavy snow, they had become rugged and difficult, naturally slowing their pace.
Chen An estimated they had covered less than a hundred li in the past three days.
Looking at the silver frost covering the sides of the road, Chen An reached into his backpack as he walked and pulled out a small piece of flatbread, casually feeding it to the girl beside him.
The backpack was not light; it was a full bag of food.
Their appetites were much smaller than those of adults, and this was enough for them to ration for ten days or more.
As for water, thanks to the snow everywhere, there was no shortage.
Even if it wasn’t very clean, who would care about that when survival was at stake?
If pushed to the extreme, drinking each other’s urine wouldn’t be out of the question.
Mu Sanniang chewed expressionlessly for a moment, then suddenly tugged at the boy’s sleeve.
Chen An was startled, “What’s wrong?”
Mu Sanniang didn’t speak, only extended her finger and pointed ahead on the road.
Chen An squinted his eyes and quickened their pace.
He saw several messy footprints at the spot Mu Sanniang had pointed to.
Seeing these tracks, Chen An’s spirits lifted.
He turned to the girl, his voice filled with joy, “Sanniang, we’re on the right path!”
Mu Sanniang merely gave a faint hum, but her eyes also brightened slightly.
Everything seemed to be developing in a positive direction.
She recalled the scene of pulling the boy out of the snow pile a few days prior, and her light blue eyes became fixed on the boy’s profile without blinking.
The girl suddenly took a step forward and, with lightning speed, gave Chen An a light peck on the cheek.
Seeing his confused gaze, Mu Sanniang quietly averted her eyes and walked ahead.
Chen An casually wiped his face, not thinking too much of it.
After all, it was just a kiss on the cheek, not on the lips.
As Mu Sanniang had said, for people with a close relationship, occasional kisses on the cheek were not a big deal.
He thought of how, in foreign countries on Blue Star, there was even the custom of kissing cheeks as a greeting.
He quickened his pace and followed her.
The two continued walking side-by-side. Chen An thought for a moment and began, “Sanniang…”
He was interrupted before he could finish.
Mu Sanniang turned her head, her short hair swaying in the air.
She said, “You should call me Sister.”
Chen An was taken aback, then smiled.
He took the girl’s hand, which hung by her side, and changed his address, “Sister, how about I teach you to read?”
Mu Sanniang didn’t stop walking and shook her head.
“No.”
Her reply did not surprise Chen An.
He squeezed her palm; it was no longer bone-chillingly cold but felt slightly warm.
Perhaps the weather had improved, and they had also started eating better food recently.
“But Sister, there are many benefits to being literate.”
Mu Sanniang didn’t turn her head.
“Oh, don’t you know how to read?”
“What if I’m not here one day?”
Chen An answered instinctively.
As soon as the words left his mouth, he felt something was amiss.
As expected, the girl’s steps abruptly halted, and she looked at him.
Beneath her wispy bangs, her expression was as stoic as ever; she just kept staring at him.
“Do you want to leave me?”
Mu Sanniang said, word by word.
An inexplicable chill ran down Chen An’s spine, and he quickly shook his head.
Mu Sanniang quietly looked at him for a moment, her gaze sweeping over his face.
She examined him meticulously, not missing a single detail.
After a short while, the girl turned and continued walking.
Chen An followed, hearing her soft words.
“You were the one I picked up from the snow.”
Chen An hummed in response.
Immediately after, the petite figure turned around and hugged him tightly.
Their skin touched, and Chen An felt the girl’s body tremble slightly.
Her head buried in Chen An’s shoulder, her voice was weak.
“You also ate my flatbread.”
“I only had that one piece of flatbread. I didn’t eat it; I gave it to you.”
“Now that the flatbread is gone, I only have you left.”
She spoke slowly, as if trying to prove her complete devotion to the boy.
At this moment, she finally seemed like a true young girl.
Her face showed confusion, helplessness, and uncertainty.
Chen An saw it, and his heart seemed to ache fiercely with hers.
He embraced the girl, placing his hand on her short hair and gently stroking it.
He softly said, “It’s okay, Sister. We have flatbread now, and we will have more in the future.”
Mu Sanniang’s response came slowly, faint yet firm.
“Sanniang doesn’t need those.”
She looked up into Chen An’s eyes.
“Sanniang wants you.”
…
…
Dozens of li away.
Beside the road, which was ravaged by the snowstorm, stood an old temple.
The old temple had an ancient appearance, with its main gate tightly shut.
A tall, thick courtyard wall surrounded it, adorned with lifelike murals.
The murals, arranged from left to right, depicted figures one after another, striking alluring poses. They were clad in light veils, with exquisite faces and slender waists that moved like snakes.
Their postures were varied; some lifted the corners of their skirts, while others had their chests exposed as their clothes slipped down, revealing half of their full forms. None were fully naked, all were tantalizingly semi-concealed.
It was precisely this “veiled beauty” that made the figures even more captivating.
These murals clashed sharply with the solemn and ancient aura of the old temple itself, causing a sense of incongruity the moment one looked at it.
Furthermore, it was not located in a deep mountain forest but on the side of a flat, open road.
Anyone seeing it would surely become vigilant.
However, the snow was currently blowing across the road, and there were no pedestrians in sight, so no one could admire the masterpieces on the courtyard wall.
Shortly after, a golden figure sliced through the sky, heading directly towards the old temple.
As it approached, it was revealed to be a monk with a shaved head and a kasaya.
He was tall and imposing, wielding a censer staff with double wheels and twelve rings. His eyes were wide, like copper bells.
Upon seeing the familiar style of his old temple and then the erotic murals on the wall, the monk was instantly enraged.
He roared, “You damn vixen from the demonic cult, I’ll kill you today!”
(End of Chapter)
