Fell in Love with the Crazy Young Lady - Chapter 33

Hua Man’s expression became indescribably complicated—a rare occurrence for her. She couldn’t help but remind, “I was just helping you get rid of the bug on your neck.”

 

 

“Thanks,” Yang Zhao replied without hesitation. “I appreciate it, so I’ll give you a bonus when we get back. But for now, please stay away from me.”

 

 

Talk about biting the hand that feeds you.

 

 

Hua Man said flatly, “But that bug had been sitting on your neck for a long time.”

 

 

Seeing Yang Zhao’s face twist in disgust finally gave Hua Man some satisfaction.

 

 

But teasing aside, she still got up to inspect their surroundings.

 

 

The rain had diluted their insect repellent, and the light from their spot kept attracting bugs.

 

 

Mosquitoes were one thing, but if snakes or leeches showed up, it would be a real headache.

 

 

Luckily, only ordinary insects were around. Noticing some creepy-crawlies inching toward them from the rocks, Hua Man quickly pulled Yang Zhao up.

 

 

“Bugs.”

 

 

Yang Zhao followed her gaze and immediately grimaced at the sight of the disgusting, squishy creatures.

 

 

To avoid attracting more, Hua Man swiftly turned off the light, but that brief glimpse was enough to sear the image into Yang Zhao’s mind.

 

 

Unpleasant memories surged from the depths of her consciousness.

 

 

In the darkness, Yang Zhao’s voice remained steady. “Can’t we keep the light on?”

 

 

“Too many bugs.”

 

 

The mountain was already bug-infested, and the heavy rain had brought out swarms of flood mosquitoes that swarmed toward any light source.

 

 

After a few seconds of silence, Yang Zhao finally lost her composure. “I want to go down the mountain.”

 

 

Hua Man quickly grasped her hand. Under the dim moonlight, her eyes shone unusually bright.

 

 

“Do you trust me?” Hua Man asked.

 

 

Yang Zhao blinked. Under that gaze, it was impossible to say no.

 

 

“I do.”

 

 

After a pause, she nodded.

 

 

Hua Man declared firmly, “Then we’ll wait a bit longer before heading down.”

 

 

Yang Zhao’s smile froze.

 

 

“But there are bugs here.”

 

 

“I’ll deal with them.” Hua Man stretched out her palm, feeling the raindrops patter against her skin. “The rain just stopped, and water flows downhill. It’s too dangerous to go now.”

 

 

She paused before adding, “You said it yourself—rushing down could lead to accidents.”

 

 

Yang Zhao hesitated.

 

 

Yu Shan would definitely send a helicopter for her—it wasn’t like they’d have to hike all the way down.

 

 

But Hua Man already had her own plan. “We’ll wait here for now. We still have some repellent left. I’ll clear the bugs from the rocks, and we’ll take shelter there in case of more lightning.”

 

 

“Once the weather clears completely, we’ll decide whether to go down.”

 

 

“Okay?”

 

 

Under the moonlight, the pleading look in Hua Man’s eyes as she asked “Okay?” was almost pitiful—like a mix of begging and coaxing.

 

 

Hua Man was usually decisive, but right then, Yang Zhao felt she might have the makings of a ruler led astray by beauty.

 

 

A pretty face was truly dangerous.

 

 

But then again, Hua Man knew exactly how to tempt her.

 

 

She had always seemed either displeased or overly compliant before. Now, suddenly switching to this beseeching demeanor was… intriguing.

 

 

Charming to watch. And she wanted to see more.

 

 

 

Even those negative emotions were suppressed. As for whether they could safely descend the mountain—what did it matter?

 

 

Life always needs more turbulence to make it more interesting.

 

 

The unknown naturally excited her.

 

 

Besides, being stranded on the mountain had already allowed her to see a completely different side of Hua Man: fearful, composed, and even… lowering her pride to coax her.

 

 

“Alright,” she said softly.

 

 

The strong should fear nothing, facing any unknown danger with ease.

 

 

Tonight, she had shown weakness, regardless of the reason.

 

 

She had to salvage some dignity.

 

 

“To prevent danger, we need to keep the light on. It might attract bugs, so you’ll have to bear with it.”

 

 

“Whatever you say.” Yang Zhao nodded. “Tonight, I’ll be your little follower—I’ll listen to you.”

 

 

Her little follower?

 

 

Hua Man found it hard to believe. Yang Zhao didn’t seem like the type to play second fiddle to anyone.

 

 

The light was turned on, its glow spreading wide. Hua Man placed it to one side, ensuring they could see their surroundings without drawing all the bugs toward them.

 

 

The rocks were already crawling with insects. Though disgusted, Hua Man quickly brushed them away and sprayed extra repellent on Yang Zhao’s pants and shoes.

 

 

Yang Zhao seemed particularly repulsed by the bugs, her expression souring.

 

 

After some effort, the area was finally cleaner.

 

 

The two crouched beneath the rock again.

 

 

Hua Man glanced at Yang Zhao. Even in such a wretched state, she showed no trace of fear—utterly fearless.

 

 

Only disgust for the bugs, but no sign of terror.

 

 

“Aren’t you scared?” Hua Man couldn’t help asking.

 

 

“Of what?” Yang Zhao raised an eyebrow. “Death or ghosts?”

 

 

Her expression shifted slightly, as if realizing something. “Are you scared?”

 

 

With that, she wrapped an arm around Hua Man, her voice teasing. “Don’t be afraid.”

 

 

Hua Man pushed her away. “I’m not.”

 

 

Yang Zhao humored her. “Alright, you’re not.”

 

 

Hua Man: “…”

 

 

Seeing her speechless, Yang Zhao burst out laughing and pinched her cheek. “Just teasing. Don’t look so serious—cheer up.”

 

 

Under these circumstances, Hua Man found it hard to muster any cheer.

 

 

“So quiet.” Yang Zhao couldn’t stand the silence between them—it reminded her too much of childhood. She turned. “Kiss me.”

 

 

“Now?” Hua Man frowned.

 

 

Was Yang Zhao really so lust-driven that she could think of such things at a time like this?

 

 

“Do kisses need to be scheduled?” Yang Zhao sounded genuinely puzzled. “Do I need to book an appointment?”

 

 

“That’s not what I meant.” Hua Man sighed as Yang Zhao twisted her words again. “How can you be in the mood for this when we’re in such a state?”

 

 

“The worse the situation, the more we need kisses.” Yang Zhao’s patience was wearing thin, her tone growing insistent. “Kiss me.”

 

 

Bad emotions should be replaced with good ones.

 

 

Hua Man turned to look at her.

 

 

Under the light, Yang Zhao’s gaze was dark and intense, like a stubborn child who wouldn’t relent until she got her candy.

 

 

As the one being demanded from, Hua Man’s thoughts raced: Perhaps she should push further. It was good that Yang Zhao wanted something from her—it was leverage.

 

 

 

“You can kiss me,” she finally spoke, watching as Yang Zhao’s expression softened before leisurely adding, “But you can’t bite my lips until they bleed.”

 

 

“You’re setting conditions for me?” Yang Zhao raised an eyebrow, not displeased but rather intrigued.

 

 

“Yes,” Hua Man admitted openly.

 

 

“What if I insist on kissing you anyway?”

 

 

Yang Zhao’s gaze lingered on Hua Man’s lips, where the marks from her previous bites had scabbed over, standing out starkly against her skin.

 

 

“Not just kiss, but bite you too,” she deliberately provoked.

 

 

Hua Man met her eyes calmly. “You can try.”

 

 

Her stance was guarded—ready to attack or defend at any moment. Yang Zhao had seen this posture before in her own menagerie.

 

 

Amused, she unexpectedly took a step back. “Fine,” she said, disappointment in her tone but a deeper smile on her face.

 

 

Hua Man couldn’t read her, but she felt a wave of relief. Though it seemed like she was at a disadvantage, she had actually made significant progress.

 

 

At an inopportune time and place, she pressed her lips to Yang Zhao’s. In the quiet surroundings, every sound seemed amplified tenfold.

 

 

Neither closed their eyes—just like many times before—each seeing the other in their most vulnerable state.

 

 

Hua Man quickly pulled away.

 

 

Yang Zhao pursed her lips, savoring the lingering warmth. “How stingy,” she sighed.

 

 

When Hua Man remained silent, Yang Zhao changed the subject. “I never told you who kidnapped me last time. Still curious?”

 

 

Hua Man was wary. “I won’t kiss you again.”

 

 

“What kind of person do you take me for?” Yang Zhao chuckled. “I promised to tell you, and I keep my word. Otherwise, I’d lose all credibility with you.”

 

 

She locked eyes with Hua Man. “It was Zhao Ming.”

 

 

Hua Man thought she misheard. “Who?”

 

 

“Zhao Ming. My dear father,” Yang Zhao said, laughing. “Isn’t that hilarious?”

 

 

Hua Man was speechless. She found nothing amusing about it—just another tangled mess in their privileged world. A father arranging his own daughter’s kidnapping?

 

 

But Yang Zhao offered no further explanation.

 

 

She stretched out her hand. “The rain’s stopped.”

 

 

The heavy downpour had finally ceased. Following Yang Zhao’s gaze, Hua Man looked toward the flashlight, now surrounded by swarming insects.

 

 

Though her mind reeled with questions, she knew some things were better left unasked. Suppressing her confusion, she said, “Wait a bit longer. I’ll check the path down the mountain first.”

 

 

“You?” Yang Zhao was surprised. “Alone?”

 

 

“Yes,” Hua Man nodded.

 

 

“Hua Man,” Yang Zhao stood and stretched before turning to face her. “Do you know who dies first in horror movies?”

 

 

Hua Man didn’t need her to answer—it was always the one who went off alone.

 

 

“Life isn’t a movie, let alone a horror film,” Hua Man felt compelled to remind her.

 

 

“But you’d leave your employer alone in the wilderness?” Yang Zhao gestured toward the light. “You’d take that with you, right? So you expect me to sit here in the dark?”

 

 

Hua Man hesitated. It was a valid point.

 

 

But then…

 

 

“Are you afraid of the dark?”

 

 

 

“Afraid? Of course.” Yang Zhao nodded without hesitation. “Manman, if you left me alone in pitch darkness, I’d probably cry from fear.”

 

 

Her credibility… wasn’t exactly high.

 

 

Forget whether Yang Zhao was actually scared—the idea of her crying from fear was simply impossible.

 

 

“I’ve only ever seen you make others cry from fear,” Hua Man mercilessly exposed her.

 

 

“Ah,” Yang Zhao sighed dramatically, “the prejudices in people’s hearts…”

 

 

Her dejected expression looked utterly convincing.

 

 

Hua Man naturally wasn’t fooled. Just as she was about to speak, she saw Yang Zhao take out her phone.

 

 

“There’s no signal on the mountain,” Hua Man pointed out.

 

 

“I’m checking the time.” Yang Zhao’s lips curved into a smile. “It’s about time.”

 

 

Hua Man frowned. “About time for what?”

 

 

“People.”

 

 

Yang Zhao kept it brief.

 

 

Her words were puzzling, but before Hua Man could ask, a strange noise suddenly came from the distance.

 

 

Hua Man instinctively looked up. The sound grew louder—a helicopter was approaching them from the sky.

 

 

Her breath caught.

 

 

She immediately turned to Yang Zhao. “Are they here to rescue us?”