129. Chapter 129: Mo Qi, How Dare You Run!

"Quick, move the equipment into the tents first!"

Everyone pitched in, and Mo Qi helped as well. Fortunately, the vital equipment was kept dry; it didn't matter if some daily necessities in plastic bags got a little wet. Once the work was done, the group stood scattered in front of the tents, taking shelter from the rain.

A crew member said, "Mo Qi, your clothes are soaked. You should go change." Working together had dissolved much of the initial sense of strangeness. Moreover, Mo Qi was easy to talk to and lacked the airs of a celebrity, quickly winning the favor of the staff.

"It's alright. When I was little, I used to run out and play in the water whenever it rained," Mo Qi said with a smile. The others laughed, and many chimed in, sharing similar childhood memories.

Xi Miaomiao knew Mo Qi had arrived empty-handed and likely hadn't brought a change of clothes. She quietly returned to her own tent, grabbed two sets, and slipped over to Mo Qi. "Sister Mo Qi, you really should change out of those wet clothes. The temperature drops sharply when it rains in the mountains; don't catch a cold." Although Xi Miaomiao seemed scatterbrained and unreliable at times, she was truly a kind person.

"Thank you," Mo Qi said gratefully as she accepted the clothes.

"Go on. My tent, which I share with three other girls from the crew, is just back there. Go inside to change, and I'll keep watch outside for you."

"We're out in the field; there's no need for such formalities. Don't worry about keeping watch, just come in and change out of your wet clothes too."

Wearing soggy clothes was indeed uncomfortable, so Xi Miaomiao happily followed Mo Qi inside to change.

This rainstorm had been brewing for a long time before it finally broke, and it certainly wasn't going to clear up easily. Mountain storms were different from those elsewhere; sometimes, after a heavy downpour, the rain would continue to drizzle for days.

The heavy rain turned into a light drizzle after an hour and continued well into the evening. Because of the weather, the bonfire party the crew had planned to celebrate the start of filming was canceled. The cook brought along by the production team prepared dinner, and everyone gathered to eat, using the time to get to know one another.

After sitting around and playing some games, everyone headed back to their tents to rest. The crew had brought a generator, so there was no need to worry about a lack of power.

Mo Qi clicked on the light hanging in her tent and collapsed onto her sleeping bag, exhausted. Shen Yijue must have been furious when he discovered she had run away. Right now, he was probably scouring every place she might have gone. He was likely so hateful that he wanted to drag her back, break her legs, and keep her chained up.

Mo Qi gave a bitter smile and pulled out the jade Buddha she wore around her neck; next to it hung a delicately crafted platinum ring. If she ever truly needed money, she could pawn the Buddha and the ring; they would at least provide an emergency lifeline.

Mo Qi thought this bitterly, tucked the items back into her shirt, leaned against her sleeping bag, and fell asleep before long.

She woke up again, purely because she needed to use the restroom. The crew had set up simple toilets for men and women about six or seven meters from the tents, but there were no lights at night, so one had to bring a flashlight. Mo Qi rummaged for a long time before finding the flashlight among the items Tang Bin’s assistant had prepared. It worked well, so she took it and headed out.

It was only about nine or ten in the evening, and the light rain had stopped at some point. After a busy day, everyone else was basically asleep.

Mo Qi walked toward the toilets, her feet sinking into the mud, guiding her way with the flashlight. The muddy path was extremely slippery, and one could easily fall.

After walking for quite a while, she finally reached the toilets. Just as she finished her business and stepped out, ready to head back and continue sleeping, she heard a sound from behind the structure.

There were wolves living in these mountains.

Mo Qi’s heart tightened. Gathering her courage, she shone the flashlight toward the noise. If it really was a wolf, she needed to alert the others.

The range of the flashlight was limited. Beyond the darkness ahead, she couldn't see anything but trees and wild grass. Had she heard wrong? Just as she was about to retract the light, a person suddenly appeared within the beam.

Mo Qi was startled. Without a second thought, she turned and ran. To avoid disturbing the crew, she deliberately chose a direction leading away from them, racing higher up the mountain.

"Mo Qi, you dare run!" Shen Yijue gritted his teeth.

Mo Qi didn't care about that; she shone her light and scrambled upward as hard as she could.

Shen Yijue was currently so furious he wanted to catch her and hang her up for a beating. He lengthened his stride and gave chase.

The mountain night was deathly silent, punctuated only by the occasional call of a wild animal, which was truly unnerving. The surrounding darkness made the tall trees look like ghouls and demons, as if a ghost might leap out at any second.

"Mo Qi, just try running again!" The mountain path was too slippery, and Shen Yijue’s long legs offered no advantage; it was only natural for him to slip, having never walked such a path in his life.

Mo Qi wasn't doing much better. She grabbed at weeds and tree trunks to pull herself up, scraping herself in the pitch black. But she would be a complete fool to stop now. It would be a miracle if Shen Yijue didn't tear her limb from limb!

Shen Yijue gritted his teeth, bowed his head, and took off his slippery leather shoes to walk in his socks; at least it was less slippery that way.

His long legs finally regained their advantage, and after running for a distance, he caught up to Mo Qi.

Shen Yijue grabbed Mo Qi by the shoulder. "You dare run!"

Mo Qi was both terrified and anxious. She lost her footing and tumbled forward. A large tree stood not far ahead, and if she hit it, she would surely end up with a face like a bruised pig.

Shen Yijue’s actions were faster than his thoughts. By the time he realized what was happening, he had already scooped Mo Qi into his arms and twisted his body to shield her.

"Ugh!" A muffled grunt escaped Shen Yijue as his back slammed into the uneven tree trunk, the sharp pain stabbing through him.

Mo Qi rested against his solid chest, completely unharmed.

Caught and protected, Mo Qi was too ashamed to look up at Shen Yijue. She simply buried her head in his arms, acting like a turtle retreating into its shell.

The flashlight had fallen nearby, its beam keeping the scene from being swallowed by total darkness.

Shen Yijue stared silently at the woman in his arms, who was once again feigning ignorance and playing the fool. He didn't know whether to beat her or ask if she had been hurt.

When she had suddenly fled, he had been so angry he wanted to break her legs. He had carefully considered Guan Min’s words, thinking that when he found Mo Qi, he would give her a lesson first, and then the two of them could talk things out properly.

But when he actually saw Mo Qi, his joy far outweighed his anger. And in that split second when she fell, the only thing on his mind was that she must not get hurt.

The corners of Shen Yijue’s mouth twitched into a bitter smile. He could tell Guan Min that he wanted to break Mo Qi’s legs, but he knew better now. Never mind breaking her legs—if she were even slightly injured, he would be the one to feel the pain.

"Are you hurt anywhere?"

His familiar, cold voice carried a note of compromise, heartache, and lingering frustration.

Mo Qi peeked up at Shen Yijue’s face. Seeing his expressionless gaze, her heart tightened, and she forced a sycophantic smile. "Hehe."

This girl deserved a beating!

Shen Yijue suddenly grabbed Mo Qi from his arms, pulled her over his lap, and raised his hand to strike her backside!