No Longer Escaping (ABO) - Chapter 1
It was a bright day, with clear skies, very pleasant. In the tranquil forest, the river, however, was unusually turbulent, as if carrying something.
A person was washed ashore by the rushing river, lying face up on the weedy bank. Her ears were ringing, and her lower body was still submerged in the icy water. She thought she was near death, but fate had other plans.
Suddenly, a wave of discomfort hit her. She propped herself up, coughing violently, expelling the water she’d inhaled through her mouth and nose. Her blurry consciousness gradually cleared… realizing she was still alive, she wasn’t particularly happy; she just lay back down, unwilling even to pull herself out of the water.
She opened her dark eyes and gazed at the bright sky above, cloudless and azure; doing so was one of the few things that brought her peace.
During her student days, whenever it was PE class, she would always lie down on the grassy field like this, staring at the sky with open eyes, emptying her mind. Why did she like it? Perhaps it was because all her classmates had people to talk and play with, while she was always alone.
Her name was Yang Lulong. She had slipped and fallen into the river, which brought her to this strange place.
Being introverted, she had few friends and no romantic experiences. Her parents divorced when she was very young, and custody was granted to her father. But after her father found a new wife, she became superfluous in this new family. After going to university, it was natural that she gradually lost contact with the family. The only time they connected was when her half-brother got married and invited her to attend, but she didn’t go, not even offering a polite congratulation.
She remembered that when her younger brother was born, she was quite happy and wanted to play with him. But this brother didn’t seem to like her; every time she got close to him, he would cry loudly and resist her. This made her, at a young age, feel disliked for the first time. This feeling even extended to her father and stepmother, while her impression of her biological mother had already blurred. Over time, her once lively personality became quiet at home, and she even became reluctant to speak much with others.
She was currently considered missing, but she couldn’t think of anyone who would report her absence to the police. Even her harsh superior, who wouldn’t be able to reach her after such a long absence, would probably just send her a dismissal letter.
She had seen her life flash before her eyes, reviewing her past, but death still hadn’t arrived.
She began to feel cold. She could hear the sound of the wind blowing through the grass very clearly.
Suddenly, the rustling of grass sounded. In this remote wilderness, it was likely an wild animal. What if it was a wolf? She could easily become its lunch. Yang Lulong thought, fear creeping into her heart, but her body remained still. In an instant, she felt relieved. It wouldn’t matter if she died this way, as long as it wasn’t too painful… she thought, closing her eyes.
She expected sharp teeth to be the next thing she felt, but instead, it was a warm hand. The hand caressed her neck, likely checking her pulse. Yang Lulong didn’t dare open her eyes; she was afraid her dishevelled appearance would be exposed to others.
Suddenly, she felt warm breath on her face, and a jasmine scent wafted around her; this scent actually calmed her tense mind.
After a while, she heard footsteps receding. Yang Lulong then dared to open her eyes slightly and looked in the direction the person had left. Amidst the green foliage, a white figure gradually disappeared.
The jasmine scent from that person still lingered there.
Yang Lulong wanted to leave quickly before that person returned, but her lower body was numb. After being in the cold water for so long, she couldn’t stand up at all. She struggled to prop herself up with her hands, trying to drag her lower body out of the water. Unfortunately, her movements were too slow. Before she could move, she heard some noisy human voices not far away; it seemed that person had called a few people for help.
Yang Lulong had no choice but to lie back down and continue feigning unconsciousness.
The voices of men gradually approached, interspersed with female voices.
“This is a Qianyuan. Wan Niang, are you really taking her home?”
“It’s fine, it’ll be convenient for me to take care of her,” the speaker said in a gentle tone.
“But you’re not yet married, and you’re a Kunze… this… if people start gossiping…”
“What’s with all this nonsense? Just get her over there; a life is at stake,” another female voice interrupted him.
Yang Lulong listened to these people discussing something but didn’t quite understand what they meant by “Qianyuan” and “Kunze.” She only felt her body being lifted and then carried on someone’s back.
Along the way, the conversation among these people never stopped. Yang Lulong, feigning unconsciousness, heard everything clearly but didn’t quite understand what they were saying.
She was a little curious, so she quietly opened her eyes just a crack. She saw a white figure, the person who had found her, walking beside the one carrying her. Fearing discovery, Yang Lulong quickly closed her eyes tightly again.
“The clothes this person is wearing don’t look like they belong to ordinary folk.”
“It’s probably from a wealthy family in that town, and a Qianyuan…”
“If that’s the case, wouldn’t that mean… we’d be handsomely rewarded…” the man said, his joy evident.
“What are you thinking? If they’re going to thank anyone, they’ll thank our Wan Niang first. If it weren’t for Wan Niang finding her…”
“Female Qianyuan are quite rare. The ones I know are all from the capital, children of nobles or generals, either rich or powerful.”
“However, Wan Niang… you’re taking her home to care for her, but you still need to be careful. After all, she’s a Qianyuan and you’re a Kunze, there’s a difference…”
“I know…” Wan Niang smiled helplessly; she looked at Yang Lulong, who was being carried. She had come out to gather herbs today and saw this person lying on the bank. Fortunately, she checked and found she was still alive, so she called the villagers for help. She was the only one in the entire village who understood medicine, so she had no choice but to take her home to care for her.
Along the way, Yang Lulong just listened to them chat. It turned out the person who first discovered her was the woman named “Wan Niang.” Coincidentally, she might be a doctor or something, and they were discussing taking her to her home, perhaps some kind of small clinic. That’s what Yang Lulong thought, because besides these few points she understood, she had no idea what else they were talking about. They kept revolving around “Qianyuan” and “Kunze.” It seemed the place she was brought to was truly remote, without even a hospital. She hoped there was a bank where she could withdraw some money; she also needed to find a way to explain to her superior so he wouldn’t fire her; and she had to think about how to thank these people, perhaps by ordering commemorative banners or something.
She had thought she could just leave, but in the end, she still had to return to reality and continue her previous life. Thinking of this, Yang Lulong couldn’t help but feel sad.