Qin Yize looked steadily at Gu Qiaoqiao, and all his anger and resentment eventually turned into a helpless sigh. He held Gu Qiaoqiao tightly in his arms, buried his head in her hair, and said in a hoarse voice, "Qiaoqiao, promise me, donât do such dangerous things or run around recklessly again, okay?"
There was a trembling in his voice that made Gu Qiaoqiaoâs heart palpitate.
Without thinking, Gu Qiaoqiao replied in a muffled voice, "Okay, Ah Ze, I promise I wonât be so reckless in the future."
"You really promise me?"
"Yes, I really promise you."
Qin Yize said no more.
He knew in his heart that Gu Qiaoqiaoâs personality wasnât one that could sit patiently in one place.
Moreover, her identity destined her not to stay at home, confined indoors.
That was unrealistic.
But even so, the necessary warnings had to be given.
Seeing that Qin Yize didnât seem as angry now, Gu Qiaoqiao also let out a sigh of relief. Qin Yizeâs face had been quite dark just now, looking very intimidating.
But if she hadnât seen his trembling fingers, she wouldnât have admitted her mistake so quickly.
Moreover, considering her age and identity, going alone to the border to chase the vicious village chief was indeed very dangerous and unwise.
Just like how she underestimated the village chiefâs abilities.
She thought the top of this Mystic Sect world was just Elder Nieâs grandson, Dongfang Yu, herself, and Xiao Wen.
But actually, it wasnât.
This was an unknown realm, so unknown things often happened.
Like the venomous snake just now, if there really was the kind of snake Qin Yize mentioned, and if that snake happened to see her, she thought, in her panic, she really couldnât guarantee what would happen in the end.
Because even if Gu Qiaoqiao had great skills, facing such a terrifying thing, no amount of skill would be useful.
Itâs like people say, at that moment, the mind goes blank, and one is too scared to react.
And thatâs exactly how she felt then, unable even to move.
If the snake had attacked her then, she thought she would have been too weak-kneed to run away.
So this was a real wake-up call for Gu Qiaoqiao; although skill brings courage, one still shouldnât be reckless.
One must consider the consequences when doing things.
Especially for her, if something really happened, she couldnât imagine how her family and Qin Yize would feel.
She knew best the pain of losing a loved one,
So now, Qin Yizeâs fear, concern, and reproach, she accepted them all.
And naturally became very obedient.
After a while, Qin Yize let go, but even though he had already checked Gu Qiaoqiao, he still scrutinized her from top to bottom again, and then his brow finally relaxed.
At this moment, Gu Qiaoqiao really didnât look good at all.
No wonder Qin Yize was worried; Gu Qiaoqiao now looked like a little wild thing...
Her hair was a mess, her trousers were muddy, and her clothes had green smudges from who knows where.
Maybe it was the color from wild grass or bushes.
Fortunately, the clothes Gu Qiaoqiao wore were suitable for the wilderness. If the quality were any worse, they would have been torn to shreds by now.
Her face was smudged in several spots, and a few blades of grass were caught in her hair.
This appearance of Gu Qiaoqiao made Qin Yize feel both exasperated and pained.
He knew Qiaoqiao loved cleanliness, so she must not have seen herself yet; Qin Yize calmly said, "Qiaoqiao, you look like a little madcap right now."
Huh, a little madcap?
Gu Qiaoqiao was startled, what does that mean?
Just like every girl who loves beauty, they all care deeply about othersâ opinions of them.
Gu Qiaoqiao hurriedly opened her backpack, took out the small mirror inside, and let out a yelp, grabbing Qin Yizeâs hand and urgently saying, "Ah Ze, how far is it from here to that Da Jiang? Take me there to wash up..."
Not seeing was one thing, but now that she knew, how could she be indifferent?
Especially for a girl like Gu Qiaoqiao who loved to be beautiful.
Even in the mountains, image is very important.
Qin Yizeâs starry eyes fixed tightly on Gu Qiaoqiao. After a few moments, he slowly said, "Where is Da Jiang? I donât know it."
Gu Qiaoqiao jumped with impatience, pointing outside the mountain forest, "I just saw from the cliff that beyond this bush is Da Jiang, I even heard the sound."
Qin Yize shook his head, "Qiaoqiao, this river is different from the northern river with its flat banks. Here, to get close to Da Jiang, you have to jump in."
Gu Qiaoqiao raised her head suspiciously, looking at Qin Yize, and asked in a low voice, "Really?"
She didnât quite believe it.
Qin Yize spread his hands, innocently said, "Do I have a reason to lie to you?"
Gu Qiaoqiao pouted without speaking, and then rubbed her cheeks with her hands. Qin Yize, unable to watch any longer, grabbed her hand, took her handkerchief, and said softly, "Thereâs a small stream nearby, Iâll take you there to wash."
"Why didnât you tell me there was a stream, you rascal!"
Gu Qiaoqiao playfully punched Qin Yize, knowing in her heart that Qin Yize still had a bit of a grudge, so everything he did was not as straightforward as usual, but she didnât blame him. After all, it was her fault first.
Seeing Gu Qiaoqiaoâs appearance, the last bit of anger in Qin Yizeâs heart vanished.
This little troublemaker, now it would be best to have a big dressing mirror for her to see her own disheveled state from head to toe, to see if sheâd dare to be so reckless in the future.
But he just couldnât bear it.
He held Gu Qiaoqiaoâs hand and walked towards the stream formed by the tributary of Da Jiang.
The stream wasnât far away; it was reached by crossing a bush and a rocky clearing.
At this moment, Gu Qiaoqiao still had the Five Poisons Talisman on her, and naturally, Qin Yize did too.
Qin Yize wasnât afraid of those venomous snakes and insects, but he knew Gu Qiaoqiao was.
Though Gu Qiaoqiaoâs fear would make her seek protection in his arms, which made him feel very comfortable, he still didnât want to see Gu Qiaoqiaoâs little pale face.
So Qin Yize was very attentive to the surroundings, worried that something might suddenly pop out and scare Qiaoqiao. Fortunately, it was calm all the way to the creek, with nothing unusual.
After reaching the creek, Gu Qiaoqiao washed her face and wiped her hands clean, then reached into Qin Yizeâs pocket.
Qin Yize didnât know what Gu Qiaoqiao was trying to do, but he let her search him all over.
His training uniform had many pockets, and Gu Qiaoqiao hadnât seen where heâd put the whistle, so as she rifled through them, she asked, "Ah Ze, where did you put the stuff you took from that old man?"