The cab driver drove for an hour, but he couldn’t find the mountain. He had been driving a cab in the capital for ten years, but he had never heard of a mountain nearby.

  He began to suspect that this little girl was lying.

  “Little girl, is there really a mountain here? I have been driving for so long, but I haven’t seen it. Are you mistaken?” The driver asked as he drove.

  “Just follow the route I told you. The fare will be doubled.” Qin Shu looked out of the window. She had been there once and remembered the route clearly.

  He was only willing to drive her because of the high fare in the beginning. Now that he heard that the fare was doubled, it was already more than the income of his cab for a month. Although he was worried, he couldn’t resist the temptation of the high fare in the end and continued to drive her.

  Along the way, the driver was a little worried and afraid that he would be cheated.

  There had been an incident where a cab driver was killed.

  The cab drove for more than two hours to the foot of the mountain. It was already two in the morning, and the foot of the mountain was pitch dark.

  The cab driver heaved a sigh of relief upon seeing the shadows of the mountain.

  Qin Shu paid the expensive fare, and carried Boss out of the car. She opened the trunk, took out her things, and closed the lid.

  Only then did the taxi driver drive away.

  Qin Shu took a look at the mountain. She didn’t expect to come here again.

  She couldn’t see anything because it was too dark. As such, she would need to rest at the foot of the mountain for a night before entering the mountain tomorrow morning.

  “Boss, you play by yourself for a while.” She put Boss on the ground, turned around, and took out a tent from her bag. There was also a lamp that had a reserve of electricity.

  She fixed the lamp in one place, and started pitching the tent.

  It was dark, so Boss couldn’t be bothered to run. He just stayed where he was and watched Qin Shu busy herself with the tent.

  It was already an hour later when she completed pitching the tent.

  “Let’s rest first.” She looked at Boss and found that he had just been sitting there, not moving. She picked him up and brought him into the tent.

  After entering the tent, Qin Shu put Boss to the side and lay down. She patted Boss’ furry head and said, “Go to sleep first. You still have to wake up early tomorrow.”


  “Meow” Boss meowed softly. His wasn’t loud, as if he knew that it was already midnight.

  “Good boy.” Qin Shu smiled at Boss before closing her eyes to sleep.

  Boss saw this and shrunk his body. He coiled his tail and rested his head on his paws to sleep.

  Qin Shu woke and started packing the next day, just as the rays appear above the horizon.

  Boss woke up with Qin Shu. He obediently stayed at the side and waited for Qin Shu to finish her work.

  Qin Shu spent some time to pack up the tent.

  Before she left, she took out the fish jerky as well as some bread and milk that she had prepared beforehand.

  The fish jerky was for Boss. After opening it, she poured it into the plate in front of him. She also poured some milk and placed it next to the fish jerky.

  Boss’ dark green eyes lit up when he smelled the fish jerky. He had not had it for the past few days.

  Qin Shu saw how greedy Boss was. She held back her laughter and said, “Eat it. We have work to do after this.”


  Boss did not wait for Qin Shu to speak. He lowered his head and began to enjoy his fish jerky and milk.

  Qin Shu ate her bread with milk and looked at the mountain in front of her. The sun had not risen yet and the surroundings were foggy. She could only see the rough outline of the mountain. Even so, she could see how big the mountain was.

  Gu Yan had disappeared. It would be a huge feat to locate him in this mountain.

  Should she look for Fu Tingyu first or Gu Yan first?

  Qin Shu finished the milk and bread. She patted the crumbs from her hands and stood up. She lifted the bag from the ground and looked at Boss. He had finished eating and was licking his paws. “Let’s go Boss. We’ll look for your Master first.”


  Boss mea hint of dissatisfaction.

  Qin Shu shook her head helplessly. “Okay, let’s go. You lead the way.”


  Because Boss’ nose was very sensitive, he could smell scents that people could not detect. He was familiar with Gu Yan and Fu Tingyu, so he could clearly distinguish and identify them.

  “Meow.” Boss shook off his langour and took the lead.

  Qin Shu also quickened her pace and followed.

  She was familiar with the road used as it was the same one that she took when she visited previously. There were also memories of her and Han Xiao on the mountain.

  She and Boss walked on the mountain for a whole day. They ate in the afternoon and didn’t find Fu Tingyu even till evening.

  They could only set up a tent in the mountain rest for a night and continue searching next day.

  The next morning, after breakfast, she and Boss continued their search.

  When they were halfway up the mountain, Qin Shu saw a figure wrapped in a cotton jacket with white speckled hair behind a tree. It was an old navy blue jacket. He looked familiar from the side.

  She walked over curiously. The closer she got, the more he looked like the old grandpa she met last time. Just as she was about to speak, she saw the old Grandpa put up a hand to silence her. She opened her mouth, but no sound came out.

  She stood there and watched the old man pounce forward suddenly. His whole body was hidden in the grass as if he was catching a rabbit. However, he definitely wouldn’t be able to catch one like this.

  “Finally found a mountain ginseng. It can be sold for a lot of money.” The old man stood up with a smile. He held the ginseng in his hand. It was quite big and had fresh soil on its roots.

  His eyes were smiling and had a twinkle to them. He walked to Qin Shu with the ginseng and asked her, “You also entered the mountain?”


  “Yes, it’s such a coincidence to meet you.” Qin Shu replied.

  “I’ve been here for a few days. Didn’t you come in last time?” The old man asked as he put the ginseng into the cloth bag on his back.

  “I came in this time to look for someone.” said Qin Shu as she glanced at the cloth bag. There were a lot of things in it. It should be all medicine that he picked from the mountain this time round.

  “What a coincidence! I met a group of people yesterday. They were also looking for people.” The old man still had a smile on his face.

  There was some surprise on Qin Shu’s nervous face. “You saw them? Do you know how many people there are?”


  “The four of them were headed south. If you want to find them, you won’t be able to catch up to them today,” the old man said.

  Qin Shu also knew that it would be difficult to catch up to them. She was two days late afterall.

  “It’s okay. I’ll take two more days.”


  The old man looked at the pitch-black cat beside Qin Shu, especially its dark green eyes. They were the color of emeralds, so deep that one couldn’t see the bottom. “Your cat is quite special.”


  “It’s just a pet cat.” Qin Shu looked down at Boss. She didn’t want others to know that Boss was different from ordinary cats.

  The old man stared at Boss for a long time before he retracted his gaze and looked at Qin Shu with a smile. “I have a medicinal herb here. Do you want it? If you want it, I’ll sell it to you.”


  “What kind of medicinal herb?” Qin Shu looked at the old man doubtfully. She felt that he’s habouring ill intentions.