Chapter 11: Chunjiu Town

Ye Rui struggled for a moment to fasten her seatbelt, her brow beaded with a light sheen of nervous sweat. Hearing her brother-in-law offer his help, she let out a soft breath and nodded reflexively.

Huo Fang lowered his gaze to the woman’s fingertips, which were clutching the end of the strap. Her fingers were slender and fair, her nails glowing with a pale, rosy luster, yet because she had been straining against the mechanism, they were now trembling slightly.

Huo Fang reached out to take the strap, his sturdy frame leaning in close as he bowed his head to fasten the seatbelt for his "sister-in-law." As the distance between them closed, Ye Rui caught sight of the man’s wheat-toned neck and the sharp, protruding line of his Adam’s apple. For no reason, her heart began to race.

She felt an understated sense of pressure radiating from him, like a wolf stalking through the woods, step by step, even though he was merely doing her a kindness. Thinking of this, Ye Rui’s long lashes fluttered, and her fingers went limp. In that momentary lapse of focus, a crisp "click" sounded—the seatbelt was buckled. She let out an involuntary sigh of relief.

Huo Fang looked away, settled back into the driver’s seat, and started the engine. Amidst the roar of the off-road vehicle, Ye Rui kept her head bowed, curiously watching the black strap as it crossed her chest, tracing the outline of her pale yellow shirt. It was her first time wearing a seatbelt, and she found the restriction somewhat uncomfortable. She shifted her body, her chest rising and falling with a soft, labored breath. Then, turning her head toward the man’s profile, she whispered politely, "Thank you, Brother."

Huo Fang stepped on the gas, catching a glimpse of her snowy, delicate cheek in his peripheral vision. His large, knuckled hand rested on the steering wheel, his fingertips rubbing against the rim as he gave a low, affirmative hum.

The black SUV pulled away from Chunjiu Town, moving steadily and swiftly along the mountain road toward the county seat. In the back, seeing that Ye Rui was occupied and paying no attention to the rear, Xu Xiaoni rolled her eyes and leaned sideways, making no effort to hide her intention to press against Zhou Qingyuan.

Zhou Qingyuan’s expression changed drastically. Terrified that his fiancée might turn around and catch the sight, he hissed a warning under his breath, "Xu Xiaoni, what are you doing?"

Xu Xiaoni ignored him, instead calling out to Ye Rui in the passenger seat, "Sister Rui, I’m feeling even more lightheaded in the car. Could Brother Qingyuan take a look at me?"

Having been on the road for nearly twenty minutes, Ye Rui was leaning her head against the seat. She looked out at the winding green mountain paths and the vast blue sky, feeling dizzy and unwell. Hearing Xu Xiaoni’s question, she didn't turn around, simply responding in a listless, soft voice, "Of course."

The Zhou family ran a medical clinic, so healing the sick was their duty. Besides, Xu Xiaoni had mentioned wanting Zhou Qingyuan to check on her before they even got in the car. Ye Rui found it slightly strange that she would ask her permission again—it felt intentional, somehow odd. But because she was prone to motion sickness and her head was spinning, she didn't dwell on it. She simply leaned her head back and closed her eyes, brow furrowed.

Huo Fang, hands on the steering wheel, glanced over and asked in a low voice, "Motion sick? Feeling unwell?"

Hearing the inquiry from her "brother-in-law," Ye Rui was momentarily startled, surprised that he had noticed. She lowered her long lashes and nodded, her voice soft and weak, "A little dizzy."

As the vehicle continued along the mountain road, Ye Rui tilted her head toward the window. Her thick, dark hair fell over her slender shoulders, some strands clinging to her fair collarbone, but she was too uncomfortable to notice.

Huo Fang frowned almost imperceptibly. "Open the storage compartment in front of you. There are peppermint candies inside. See if they help."

Ye Rui pursed her lips and replied, "Okay." She reached out to fumble for the latch. Her fair fingertips brushed against the matte black surface of the dashboard until, with a click, the compartment popped open. She retrieved a hard candy tin. Curious, she pried the lid off, and a sharp, refreshing scent of peppermint filled the air.

It was the first time Ye Rui had ever seen peppermint candy. She blinked her watery, bright eyes, carefully tipped one into her palm, and popped it into her mouth. The cool, icy sensation flooded her senses, and she felt significantly better. Her eyes lit up with delight. She held up the tin toward Huo Fang and said, "Brother, the peppermint candy works! I don't feel so bad anymore."

Her eyes were curved into crescents, sparkling with a smile, and the sweet little dimples on her cheeks appeared as her brow finally smoothed.

Huo Fang replied, "It's still a long way to the county. If you feel sick again, just eat some more to settle it."

Ye Rui held the tin in her slender fingers. Hearing this, she nodded shyly and asked in a small voice, "Brother, would you like a couple, too?"

Although it was her first time having peppermint, she knew that mint was excellent for clearing the head and sharpening the senses. Since her brother-in-law had them in his car, they were surely there to keep him alert while driving. She would feel terrible if she ate them all.

Huo Fang kept his eyes on the road, looking at her for a moment. He paused, as if understanding her thoughts. A second later, he gave a calm, "Mm."

He kept one hand on the wheel and reached the other toward Ye Rui. "Give me some."

As the man reached out, Ye Rui didn't react in time, only glancing down at his hand. It was large and lean, with prominent joints, calloused palms, and what looked like a scar across the web between his thumb and forefinger. His hand looked incredibly powerful—completely different from the hand of her fiancé, which she had held before.

At the Zhou family clinic, one couldn't help but get minor nicks while handling medicinal herbs, but Ye Rui knew her fiancé rarely did that work; his parents did it all. His hands were always soft and fair, free of callouses or scars.

As this thought flickered through her mind, Ye Rui’s lashes trembled. When she snapped back to reality, she hurriedly tilted the tin into his palm. But the mountain road was bumpy and uneven, and the car jolted. Caught off guard, her hand brushed against his palm.

When her fingertips touched his skin, it felt remarkably dry and warm.