Leaving the Holy Witch Land, the path ahead was rough and mountainous. Although Qin Lin had woken up, Qin Xuan still had to carry her.
Late at night, Qin Xuan walked out of the Hundred Thousand Mountains with Qin Lin on his back.
Qin Lin, wrapped around Qin Xuan’s neck, heard the occasional howl of wolves and roars of bears around them, making her hold on tighter in fear.
“Stinky brother, what kind of place have you brought me to?” Qin Lin chided Qin Xuan with a hint of worry.
Qin Xuan was unconcerned. Such wild beasts posed no real threat to him, and Qin Lin’s worries were entirely unnecessary.
“This is a great place; I’m almost reluctant to leave,” Qin Xuan joked.
The spiritual energy here was abundant. If not for the troubles he had, Qin Xuan might have genuinely stayed in the Hundred Thousand Mountains for a few years, and perhaps his dragon scales would have fully grown by then.
“Tsk, brother, you’re not crushing on that beautiful older sister we just saw, are you?” Qin Lin rolled her eyes and teased.
Qin Xuan’s forehead creased. This little girl really dared to say anything now.
*Slap!*
Qin Xuan smacked Qin Lin’s pert little buttocks and said fiercely,
“Say one more word and I’ll leave you in the mountains to keep the wild beasts company!
Qin Lin wasn’t scared. She stuck out her tongue.
“Nyah nyah nyah… you wouldn’t dare.”
“Don’t think I don’t know anything. You brought me here to cure my illness. If you don’t take me back, just wait for sister-in-law to skin you alive.”
Qin Xuan was taken aback by her words.
“How did you know?”
“I know my own body, silly brother,” Qin Lin giggled.
“But I still want to thank you, brother. You’ve worked too hard for me all these years. When I’m better, you won’t have to be so tired anymore, and it will be my turn to take care of you.”
For the past few years, Qin Lin’s poor health had meant Qin Xuan was constantly looking after her.
The money Qin Xuan had earned, after what his mother-in-law had taken, had mostly gone towards Qin Lin’s medical expenses.
This time, he had even traveled this far to remove the curse from Qin Lin.
Although Qin Lin had been unconscious, she had felt some of it.
Hearing her words, Qin Xuan’s heart warmed. No matter what, Qin Lin would always be his warm, comforting little fruit.
Suddenly, Qin Lin lowered her head and kissed Qin Xuan’s cheek, leaving him frozen on the spot.
Seeing Qin Xuan frozen and not moving, Qin Lin quickly explained,
“Stinky brother, don’t get the wrong idea. We’re siblings, even if we’re not blood-related. But I’m still young. You can’t lay a hand on me. At least wait until I’m an adult. And if sister-in-law found out… yuck… wouldn’t that make me your little lover? No, no…”
Qin Xuan’s forehead was covered in black lines. He felt like he was meeting Qin Lin for the first time. Where was the obedient girl from before? This was clearly a little demoness!
*Slap!*
Qin Xuan smacked Qin Lin’s small, shapely leg again and scolded her irritably,
“You mischievous girl, what nonsense are you spouting? You’re so young and you don’t learn anything good. What kind of things are filling your head?”
Qin Lin blinked her bright eyes and murmured,
“I’m not that young anymore, you know. I’ll be eighteen soon, an adult!”
“Why do I feel like there’s more to what you’re saying?”
“You guess.”
“You guess if I’ll guess?”
“……”
Qin Xuan and Qin Lin walked for a full day and night. By sunrise the next day, they finally exited the Hundred Thousand Mountains.
Because of the strange and wonderful plants in the Hundred Thousand Mountains, a single flower was half a person’s height, and a wild apple was as large as a pomelo. Qin Lin had so much fun playing.
Qin Xuan had only said it in jest, but it had genuinely turned into a sightseeing trip.
Just as they left the Hundred Thousand Mountains, the sunrise in the east was as magnificent as a fiery cloud.
Qin Lin skipped and hopped ahead, while Qin Xuan walked behind, a large basket of various wild fruits on his back, all picked by Qin Lin. As a girl, she naturally couldn’t carry them, so the task fell to Qin Xuan.
If they were ordinary fruits, Qin Xuan wouldn’t bother carrying them; they could buy a truckload in the city. But these fruits had been nourished by spiritual energy, which accounted for their large size.
Moreover, they were rich in minerals, far exceeding other fruits, and were immensely beneficial for health. That’s why Qin Xuan allowed her to pick them everywhere.
If it weren’t for the limited carrying capacity, Qin Lin probably would have tried to move the entire Hundred Thousand Mountains.