Scarred Hearts — A Girls' Love Tale - Chapter 65

“Honestly, I don’t think we need to wear so much or carry so much stuff in this kind of weather,” Doctor frowned, reluctantly letting Ying Sha help her put on a bulletproof vest.

“Be grateful it’s even this good,” Ying Sha shot Doctor a reproachful glance. “This is the best gear we could get. If you get shot in the jungle, who am I supposed to spend the rest of my life with?” She paused, then added, “Besides, it’s not like you’re carrying any of it. What are you complaining about?”

Doctor just pouted and said nothing. She packed up her backpack and then, bracing herself, climbed into the dirty truck’s cargo bed with Ying Sha. Everyone inside was ready. Luo Qinghan had a thin sweat on her forehead, and Yan Shuangfei was fanning her like a devoted servant, ignoring the low-key smirks from the others around them.

“You! You! You!” Yan Shuangfei pointed seriously at the few people who had been quietly laughing, then clasped her hands behind her back, stern-faced. “Shape up! What’s so funny?”

The others quickly wiped the smiles off their faces, turning serious as they discussed the plan.

The truck reached the edge of the jungle. To go deeper, they had to continue on foot. Everyone jumped down. The people waiting at the meeting point were already prepared. Yan Shuangfei scanned the surroundings, shading her eyes from the glaring sun with her hand, sweat streaming down her cheeks.

“This is our guide,” Ying Sha introduced a local man to Yan Shuangfei. They spoke in a language Yan Shuangfei didn’t understand.

Yan Shuangfei instinctively sized the man up. The man grinned, showing bright white teeth that contrasted sharply with his skin.

“Kofi,” Ying Sha told Yan Shuangfei. “His name’s Kofi. There are often small-scale skirmishes in this jungle. I paid a lot to hire him. I’ve worked with him before, so he’s trustworthy.”

Yan Shuangfei nodded and stepped aside, letting Ying Sha and Kofi lead the way. Kofi carried a long machete. The group followed him into the dense forest.

The trees crowded closely together, and there were nettles everywhere. Kofi hacked away branches blocking the path to make it easier for those behind to follow. Still, some branches slipped past. Yan Shuangfei accidentally got scratched by one, leaving a thin cut on her cheek. They had only been walking a little while, but everyone’s outer clothes were already covered in scratches. The ground was thick with moss, making walking very difficult.

“Hey!” Kofi called out. Ying Sha stepped forward and relayed, “Found it!”

In a patch of bushes, they finally found an animal trail covered with footprints. At last, they didn’t have to struggle so much. Yan Shuangfei asked Doctor for a bandage and stuck it on her cheek, then tore off a small piece of gauze to wipe her sweating face.

Following Kofi, the walk was fairly normal. Although it was very hot, Doctor was still in good spirits, pulling Luo Qinghan along at the back of the group to enjoy the scenery.

“That’s an antelope,” Doctor said excitedly, tugging Luo Qinghan and pointing into the distance. “I’ve only ever seen one on TV before.”

Luo Qinghan didn’t have Doctor’s energy. The blazing sun left her listless. Doctor noticed Luo Qinghan’s pale face, frowned, and said, “You might be a bit sunstroke. I have some medicine for that. Take it now.”

Luo Qinghan nodded. Yan Shuangfei moved from the front to the back of the group and saw Luo Qinghan’s poor condition. Just as she was about to suggest stopping, Luo Qinghan stopped her: “Don’t stop. Don’t delay your mission because of me.”

Yan Shuangfei squinted; sweat stung her eyes. She grinned, tossed her pack to a nearby subordinate, then crouched down in front of Luo Qinghan and motioned for her to climb on. Luo Qinghan froze, then quickly realized what was happening. Her already flushed face went even redder. She awkwardly wiped the sweat from her forehead. Everyone around stopped and watched the scene, smiling.

“Luo Qinghan!” Doctor urged cheerfully, “Get on!”

“I don’t think this is a good idea,” Luo Qinghan hesitated.

“What’s wrong with it?” Yan Shuangfei said without hesitation, then picked Luo Qinghan up on her back. “I’m your wife! Carrying you is only right!”

Everyone else was speechless.

“Xier…” Doctor nudged Ying Sha, making a teasing face. “Learn something from Yan Shuangfei. She’s so thoughtful.”

Ying Sha was silent for a while, then said softly, “Are you sure you want me to carry you…”

Doctor thought for a moment, then firmly shook her head and said disdainfully, “How embarrassing!”

Luo Qinghan and Yan Shuangfei were speechless.

Yan Shuangfei walked steadily, Luo Qinghan’s breathing close by, making her a bit distracted. She turned her head slightly and said softly, “You should lose some weight…”

Luo Qinghan’s brows furrowed, her face darkened. Luckily, Yan Shuangfei didn’t notice. She hit Yan Shuangfei hard and said angrily, “I haven’t even complained about your bony frame yet. Carrying you hurts!”

Yan Shuangfei cleared her throat. “Alright, well, I don’t mind if you had a little more flesh here and there.” Then she felt it wasn’t enough and repeated seriously and sincerely, “I really don’t mind at all!” She almost turned to show Luo Qinghan her earnest expression.

Luo Qinghan: “Yan Shuangfei, if you say one more word, I swear I’ll beat you so bad you won’t get out of bed for a month once we get home.”

Yan Shuangfei gave a resentful “Mm.” Then shyly whispered, “Actually, a little playful hitting between lovers can be quite fun.”

It truly is a kind of charm — a love hobby belonging to a subculture.

Luo Qinghan fell silent, resting her chin on Yan Shuangfei’s bent back, sighing quietly.

She was truly beaten!

The group walked slowly when suddenly Ying Sha raised her left hand, signaling silence. Everyone quieted down and soon heard, besides birdsong, insects, and the rustling of leaves, a strange noise coming from the bushes — it sounded like someone running wildly, panicked and desperate.

In an instant, the sound came closer. Ying Sha was the first to react. She drew her gun and fired a shot towards the source of the noise, then shouted loudly, “That’s a human! Don’t worry. Just strike first!”

At that moment, a figure burst out of the bushes and crashed heavily to the ground. Immediately, many guns were raised, all aimed at the person on the ground.

Ying Sha didn’t glance at the person again. Instead, she continued shouting in English towards the bushes, “You all come out now.”

Yan Shuangfei understood some English. Hearing this, she frowned. Luo Qinghan tugged at Yan Shuangfei’s sleeve. Yan Shuangfei obediently crouched down, letting Luo Qinghan gently lower herself to the ground.