Translator: Atlas Studios
Editor: Atlas Studios
Unlike in a bustling city, where noise pollution and mixtures of all sorts of scents flooded the streets which were enclosed within cement and steel, being in a remote, mountainous area enhanced Xiang Kun’s ability to capture and discern sounds and smell.
With a broader field of view, even his eyes were sharper.
It was not hard to imagine that the senses would be even sharper at night.
Could it be…
Could it be that he was more accustomed to the outdoors?
“You don’t really come to the outdoors, do you? I know it’s refreshing, but let’s get going. It will be even better when we get higher!” Baona said, smiling at Xiang Kun, who had closed his eyes and seemed to be enjoying the fresh air.
They were at the foot of the mountain, and there was still a long way before it would get steep.
And according to their plan, they wouldn’t be hiking through explored paths. They would be going for the more challenging small routes, which would take them even longer to complete.
But they didn’t intend to hit a particular mileage. It was meant to be a relaxing hike. They would stop if anyone was tired and needed rest, or if the scenery was worth a few shots.
On the way, Baona and Zhen Er also heard that the MMA trainer had said that Xiang Kun was stronger than him.
So the two approached Xiang Kun, walking side by side with him.
Baona suddenly said, “Chang Wei! You don’t know Kung Fu?” [1.It’s a meme originating from a 1994 comedy “Hail the Judge”]
Walking along on the other side, Zhen Er urged, “You better tell me, are you a Shaolin monk?”
Before Xiang Kun replied, the two of them couldn’t help laughing at their own joke.
Xiang Kun was speechless. He ignored them and walked faster. Of course, the ladies wouldn’t just let him go like this. They quickly followed him.
They had begun hiking upwards on a narrow, bumpy, muddy route. It wasn’t easy. They had been hiking for two hours, and the blazing sun was right above them. Baona and Zhen Er had used a lot of energy and were both perspiring profusely. Xiang Kun didn’t seem to be walking very fast, but they simply couldn’t catch up with him.
Zhen Er lowered her voice and asked her bestie, “Hey! Would you say that he has practiced Internal Kung Fu? It’s so hot, but he’s not sweating!”
Baona rolled her eyes. “You’re getting too imaginative. You really think he’s a secluded warrior monk?” But after Zhen Er had pointed it out, she also realized it. It seemed very unreal. Even if he was very fit, it was almost impossible for him to not sweat after hiking for hours on such a route.
As she wondered on, she suddenly lost her footing. She screamed and fell on her side.
Of course, it wasn’t a cliff, it was just a small dent of 20cm. Nevertheless, she still sprained her ankle.
Xiang Kun turned around immediately. But he was a bit too far ahead and it was too late to grab her.
Everyone gathered over. The yoga trainer took off Baona’s footwear. Her ankle was visibly swollen. She was asked to move her ankle, but even with a small twist, she couldn’t help yelping in pain.
“Nana, is it too painful for you to stand up?” Zhen Er was worried.
Baona just hugged her ankle and kept shaking her head. She couldn’t even say a word.
“No, she can’t.” The yoga teacher frowned. She then looked up at the guys and asked, “We need to head back. Who can carry her?” There was no way for a vehicle to reach where they were. They had to return by foot.
If it was before, these guys would all fight over this chance to demonstrate themselves. However, this time, all of them just turned to look at Xiang Kun.
Xiang Kun knew that he couldn’t say no. Her sprain indeed looked very serious to him. So he walked over and squatted down. The yoga teacher and Zhen Er helped Baona get onto his back.
After this, Baona could finally speak. She suggested that everyone else continue with their plan. She just needed Zhen Er and Xiang Kun to accompany her back.
But no one agreed. Also, they thought that there was no way Xiang Kun could carry her all the way back the two-hour route.
Coach Shen came over and said, “We will take turns carrying you.”
Xiang Kun didn’t say anything else and began heading back. Everyone realized that even though he had someone on his back, it was still difficult to keep up with him.
They took two hours to head out. Astonishingly, the time for their return journey halved despite Xiang Kun having someone on his back. Of course, they didn’t stop to rest or take photos on the way back, but he was definitely faster than before.
Coach Shen and the others who had trouble keeping up with Xiang Kun naturally would not offer to help him. It seemed that Xiang Kun was even less exhausted than they were.
The pain on Baona’s ankle had alleviated. At first, she was also concerned that Xiang Kun couldn’t last the whole way. She wanted to ask him to take a rest.
But she soon discovered that even though she was 45kg, Xiang Kun still walked steadily with her on his back. There were no signs of weariness.
His breathing was also calm. She couldn’t feel him sweating either.
Even stranger was that Xiang Kun’s body felt very cool despite the physical demands throughout the journey. Lying on his back was like resting on a cooling pack. It was extremely comfortable.
Out of curiosity, Baona whispered into his ear, “Why are you so cold? Did you really practice Internal Kung Fu?”
Xiang Kun could sense a wave of fragrance beside his ear. He subconsciously lifted his shoulders.
It was his closest contact with a girl in years. Moreover, his senses were much sharper now.
Not only could he hear her breath and heartbeat, he could also smell her perfume, the fragrance left by detergent on her clothes, and hormones from her sweat.
He honestly felt that her natural bodily fragrance smelled better than the perfume.
“My body is pretty weird. It cannot take the cold but is very tolerant to heat. I don’t really sweat during summer. Maybe without hair, I also lose heat faster.” Xiang Kun made up a random explanation.
But what she had said had caught his attention. Could his body temperature be lower than a normal person’s?
After he reached where the car was parked, he carefully moved Baona on to the seat and said goodbye to everyone who had just caught up and were panting.
Zhen Er pulled out some tissues from the tissue box in her car and wiped her sweat while cranking up the cold air from the air-conditioner. She then quickly drove back.
They brought Baona to the hospital where her ankle was X-rayed and treated. Fortunately, it was only a sprain. Her bones were unharmed. Afterwards, Xiang Kun and Zhen Er sent her home.
Zhen Er invited Xiang Kun to stay for dinner, but he politely rejected and went to buy a digital thermometer on his way back home.
The first thing he did when he reached home was take his temperature. It was just as he had expected:
28°C.