He pulled her back, leaning her against him. “Shh, sleep. We’ll rest soon after a bit more travel.”
He silently picked up speed until they entered the forest ahead. Zou Bin found a spot that looked relatively safe to stop and prepare for the night.
“En En, wake up, we’re resting now,” he gently patted her, not daring to wake her abruptly from her sweet dreams.
“Mmm…” she was weak all over, barely able to get up before softly lying back down. “I can’t get up.”
“Then you lie on the ox’s back first, I’ll go down and then carry you down,” Zou Bin arranged her on the ox’s back, then climbed down himself. “En En, come, give me your hand.” He reached out to her.
Xu Xuen, with her head spinning, reluctantly sat up and extended her hand. She felt herself fall into a familiar and secure embrace, slowly leaving the ox’s back where she had sat all day, weakly leaning against Zou Bin on the ground.
“My head is so dizzy…” She pressed her hands to her head, her face pale.
Zou Bin bent down and scooped her up.
“Every time I have to carry you, this is the first time you’ve hugged me…” She nestled against his chest, her face flushed, her eyes closed, her small, sweet lips curved in a tempting smile.
“You say that, but every night after you fall asleep, you come over and press against me,” Zou Bin couldn’t help but admire how this little girl could manage to overpower him, a tall man.
“I did not!” She must have been teasing him. In his arms, she felt incredibly safe, and she was about to fall asleep…
“Really? When I ask you if you want to come closer when you’re awake, you act like it’s life or death. But once you’re asleep, you climb over without me even asking.” Zou Bin teased her, setting her down under a tree along with her blanket.
Barely two seconds after leaving his warm embrace, Xu Xuen wrinkled her face. “It’s so cold…”
Hearing her complain about the cold, he quickly wrapped her up in the blanket. “How’s this? Still cold?”
She shook her head, looking like a little dog abandoned by the roadside.
