Catching snakes? It was too terrifying!
For Ye Ling, who grew up in the city, just thinking about catching the snake made her scalp tingle.
However, after exchanging a few words with Min Nan, Ye Ling's stress response gradually weakened. In a moment of clarity, she suddenly realized that she was hugging Min Nan!
Ye Ling felt her hands around Min Nan's waist go numb, and her cheeks, pressed against Min Nan's chest, turned as red as apples.
Ye Ling almost completely forgot about the scary snake. Her mind was now filled with embarrassment and shame. She quickly pretended to be composed, distancing herself from Min Nan and swiftly pulling her hands back.
"I'm sorry, Big Brother Min Nan. I acted inappropriately just now," Ye Ling said, apologizing once again.
"It's alright," Min Nan naturally didn't mind at all. In fact, he felt a tinge of pleasure and contentment.
As Ye Ling's soft body moved away from him, he couldn't help but feel a shameful attachment and reluctance deep inside.
Ye Ling didn't dare to linger in that place any longer. She immediately stood up, cautiously scanning her surroundings for the appearance of the snake, and said, "Big Brother Min Nan, let's go."
The two of them descended the hill and soon arrived at the foot of the large mountain on the west side of Willow Village.
"I left the basket over there," Ye Ling pointed to a nearby location and explained.
Min Nan nodded in understanding but had a hint of confusion. "What are you doing here? There are quite a few snakes and insects around, and deeper into the mountains, there might even be wild animals..."
As soon as Min Nan finished speaking, he saw Ye Ling's face visibly turn pale.
He immediately regretted his words and quickly clarified, "However, there won't be any highly aggressive wild animals, and besides, the nearby villagers often go hunting in the mountains. The wild animals are usually scared of humans, so there shouldn't be any danger."
However, even with Min Nan's explanation, Ye Ling's fear didn't diminish much. She was now too afraid to even retrieve the basket, as she had a lingering feeling that there might be a snake hiding behind the bushes.
Min Nan noticed Ye Ling's gaze fixed on the spot where the basket was hidden, yet she didn't make a move. He immediately realized that she must be frightened. Feeling guilty, he took the initiative and said, "Let me get the basket for you."
Min Nan walked over and quickly retrieved the basket. He had initially expected it to contain something, but to his surprise, it was empty.
Ye Ling took the basket, though her complexion still looked unpleasant, she had regained some composure. "Thank you."
Min Nan pursed her lips, feeling somewhat regretful for scaring Ye Ling.
As the two walked back, Min Nan tried to find topics to talk about, attempting to divert Ye Ling's attention and make her forget the silly thing he had just said.
"What were you doing on the mountain?"
Ye Ling felt it was fine to tell Min Nan about her herb picking, so she replied, "I wanted to find some herbs and try to make ointments."
Min Nan nodded. "What kind of herbs do you need? I can help you find them."
"I'm interested in various kinds of herbs, but..." Ye Ling hesitated and glanced at the large mountain to the west. In her past life, she had never encountered wild snakes, so being scared this time made her uncertain if she would dare to go up the mountain again.
Observing Ye Ling's lingering fear and anxiety, Min Nan felt sorry and blamed himself. He quickly said, "How about this? If you ever need to go up the mountain, find me, and I'll accompany you."
Ye Ling didn't expect Min Nan to be so considerate.
She mustered a smile and said, "Alright, let's discuss it later." However, she thought that she could not trouble Min Nan anymore. They were just ordinary friends. She could not let Min Nan do so many things for her.
When they arrived at Ye Ling's residence, the two of them parted ways.
That night, as Ye Ling slept, she had a nightmare. In her dream, she was being chased by a terrifying snake and was crying in fear. Suddenly, a man dressed in knight's attire appeared on a white horse, holding a sharp sword. He thrust the sword fiercely at the snake, which struggled briefly before dying.
The man in the knight's attire rode his white horse to Ye Ling's side and extended his hand, saying, "Don't be afraid, I'm here."
Ye Ling, with teary eyes, looked up and saw the extraordinarily handsome face of the man, whose features were identical to Min Nan's!
In the morning, Ye Ling woke up. She still remembered the details of her dream clearly. She found it somewhat amusing and perplexing.
When she was young, her mother told her the story of Prince Charming. Now, the plot of Prince Charming saving the princess had appeared in her dream, and the main characters had become her and Min Nan.
Ye Ling knew that dreams were not real, but when she thought of how she had hugged Min Nan tightly on the hillside, her cheeks still felt a little hot.