Chapter 14

After using the restroom at the service station, Si Xiaotie recovered pretty quickly.

By the time they reached the hotel, she was already bouncing around energetically again.

They checked in, went out for dinner first, and by the time they returned, the little girl had become sleepy once more.

She fell asleep before even taking a bath.

The next morning after breakfast, they followed the original plan and headed to the grasslands to ride horses.

Si Xiaotie had been told about it before leaving the hotel, so she remained excited the entire way there.

When she finally saw the endless grasslands through the car window, she became so thrilled she practically glued herself to the glass.

The moment they arrived, she jumped out of the car impatiently.

After running one huge circle around the area, she rushed back to Lin Ke.

“Mommy, where are the ponies?! I want to ride!”

At only three years old, there was obviously no way she could ride alone.

Lin Ke originally thought Si Yuming had arranged a coach.

Unexpectedly, he simply said,

“Daddy will ride with you later.”

The moment Lin Ke heard this, she frowned and quietly asked,

“Is that okay?”

This was the grasslands, not some carefully managed riding club.

Could the horses here really have the same temperament as those specially raised for wealthy young masters to play with?

“It’s fine.”

Si Yuming lifted their daughter into his arms and strode forward.

Lin Ke still worried.

But seeing the little girl smiling happily in her father’s embrace, she said nothing more.

Si Xiaotie didn’t understand danger.

But he was an adult.

Surely he wouldn’t ignore their daughter’s safety.

Today, Si Yuming had booked the entire area privately.

The massive grassland held only their family of three.

After entering a Mongolian yurt, staff warmly welcomed them and had already prepared riding gear for all three.

Lin Ke helped the excited little bean change into riding clothes, put on her shoes, and finally applied sunscreen.

Early October brought crisp autumn weather and bright sunshine.

She absolutely couldn’t let fair-skinned little Si Xiaotie get tanned.

Sitting on the changing room bench, the little girl swung her legs happily.

“Mommy, have you ridden a horse before?”

“No.”

“Then let’s ride together~”

“You ride with Daddy. No matter what happens later, hold onto Daddy tightly and listen to him, okay?”

“Mhm. What about Mommy?”

Lin Ke looked toward the riding outfit prepared beside her and hesitated.

She had never ridden a horse in her life.

In fact, this was practically her first time seeing a real horse up close.

And honestly—

She really was timid.

Afraid of falling.

Afraid of pain.

Back when she was eight or nine, she often played alone after school.

Once, while using old exercise equipment in the neighborhood playground, the rusted chain suddenly snapped.

She fell face-first onto the cement ground.

Her elbows and knees were scraped raw instantly, blood seeping out immediately.

It hurt terribly.

And she’d cried from fright too.

Some children worried about her and went to find adults.

But after waiting and waiting, nobody came back.

By the time the sky darkened, the cold early-winter wind blew across her wounds.

That pain—

She could remember it for a lifetime.

After that, she became afraid of getting hurt.

Si Yuming walked in.

Perhaps noticing her hesitation, he said gently,

“You can try. It’s not hard.”

That wasn’t really the issue…

She didn’t answer.

The little girl jumped off the bench and cupped her mother’s face with both hands.

“Mommy, don’t be scared. Daddy will protect us.”

“Mm…”

Si Xiaotie wrinkled her tiny face seriously.

“Mommy, be brave!”

Lin Ke was amused by her solemn expression and finally relaxed a little.

“Okay. Mommy will be brave.”

After changing clothes, they headed outside.

But there was only one horse waiting near the entrance.

“Where’s mine?” Lin Ke asked in confusion.

“I’ll take you after I come back.”

Lin Ke didn’t really want that.

More importantly—

She didn’t completely trust him.

She wasn’t Si Xiaotie.

So she turned toward the staff.

“Is there a coach?”

“Yes.”

“Please arrange one for me.”

“No problem.”

Today’s guests were important clients, so the riding ranch had prepared thoroughly in advance.

The coaches were all the strongest, tallest Mongolian men available locally.

Looking at the nearly 190-centimeter-tall, heavily built coach, Si Yuming frowned deeply.

Lin Ke also got startled.

But the coach’s traditional Mongolian attire and confident appearance screamed experience.

She immediately felt like at least half her life had been saved.

The coach took her to pick another horse.

By now, Mommy had disappeared around the corner of the yurt.

But Daddy still hadn’t moved.

Si Xiaotie tugged his pants.

“Daddy! Horse riding!”

Si Yuming looked down and finally picked her up.

Back when he was a teenager, he’d ridden horses in China.

Later, overseas riding clubs became frequent social venues for the wealthy elite.

His riding skills were fairly good.

At this moment, he carefully checked the equipment twice before steadily lifting Si Xiaotie onto the horse.

Then he swung up behind her and secured the safety straps between them.

“Xiaotie, hold onto the front handle tightly.”

“Mhm!”

The wild grassland wind lifted the little girl’s hair and excitement together.

“Daddy, hurry! I want to ride!”

Before setting off, Si Yuming looked back once more.

The woman and coach had emerged from behind the yurt after selecting a horse.

The coach explained riding precautions while Lin Ke listened seriously.

Soon, the coach steadied the horse for her to mount, then held the reins and slowly guided both horse and rider forward.

Lin Ke gripped the reins tightly, too nervous to move.

He watched intently.

But the little girl sitting before him became unhappy.

“Daddyyy~~”

Si Yuming lowered his head to coax her.

“Wait for Mommy.”

Daddy’s broad body blocked most of her view, so Si Xiaotie poked her head out beneath his arm.

Sure enough, she saw Mommy riding alone.

But Mommy looked a little scared.

And kind of clumsy too.

After waiting awhile, Lin Ke and her

“little donkey”

finally approached.

Si Xiaotie immediately grinned brightly.

“Mommy, you can do it!”

Lin Ke didn’t even dare look at her.

Eyes fixed straight ahead, she answered,

“Okay, baby.”

The coach followed behind on horseback.

Meanwhile, Si Yuming stayed only three or four meters away.

Following the coach’s instructions, Lin Ke gradually increased speed.

First slowly.

Then faster.

Then faster still.

The wind brushed past her ears.

Little by little, her nervousness faded.

Si Yuming and Si Xiaotie soon caught up beside her.

The little girl’s bangs were flying wildly in the wind too, her face bursting with excitement.

“Mommy, faster!”

Lin Ke finally seemed to grasp the rhythm.

She increased speed again.

The endless grasslands merged into blue skies and white clouds.

The air smelled faintly of fresh grass.

The little girl shouted joyfully into the open world,

“Ahhhhh Mommy! I’m flying!”

Lin Ke also relaxed and yelled back,

“I’m flying too!”

“HAHAHAHA!”

But while running, something suddenly went wrong.

The horse beneath Lin Ke abruptly lost control and bolted forward.

Thrown backward by inertia, she nearly fell.

Terrified, she instinctively screamed,

“Si Yuming! Ah!”

Si Yuming whipped around.

Then he immediately halted his horse, handed Si Xiaotie to the coach, and snatched the coach’s horse before charging forward.

The startled horse was frighteningly fast.

The woman’s screams rang out continuously.

After two or three minutes, he finally caught up.

Calculating the distance precisely, he reached out and grabbed her.

In that instant—

Lin Ke felt the world spin violently.

The maneuver itself was incredibly dangerous.

With one arm holding her and the other controlling the reins to slow the horse, Si Yuming still couldn’t stabilize properly.

Before they hit the ground, he tightly protected her head.

But after rolling twice across the grass, her head remained unharmed—

While her arm exploded with sharp, piercing pain.

Something was probably fractured.

Enduring the pain, she still managed to sound calm.

“I think… something’s broken.”

Si Yuming had no idea where she was injured.

Carefully helping her sit up, he asked anxiously,

“Does it hurt?”

Lin Ke looked up.

And saw something unfamiliar in his eyes.

Something resembling worry.

Or heartache.

She wasn’t sure.

Seeing her stay silent, he asked softly again,

“Your hand or your leg? I need to carry you—I’m afraid of touching the injury.”

His tone sounded almost ordinary.

Yet inexplicably, her eyes reddened.

Lin Ke lifted her right hand slightly.

The instant she moved it, pain shot through her again.

“Hiss…”

Si Yuming rolled back her sleeve and removed the wrist guard.

The area was already red, though there was no obvious wound.

“Anywhere else hurt?”

“Si Yuming…”

The words squeezed out between clenched teeth, blurred with childish nasal sobs.

“I never want to ride horses again… it hurts so much… it’s all your fault…”

“Okay, okay. My fault.”

While coaxing her gently, he lifted her into his arms bridal-style and hurried toward the exit.

……

A minor fracture in her right wrist.

When they left the nearby clinic after getting her arm casted, Lin Ke’s mood had become utterly terrible.

The little girl’s eyes were red too.

But Lin Ke couldn’t even hug her now.

“Mommy’s okay. Baby, don’t be scared.”

Si Yuming opened the car door, waited until Lin Ke sat down, then closed it before securing Si Xiaotie into the child seat.

The little girl asked sadly,

“Mommy, does it hurt?”

It hurt.

It hurt terribly.

The last time she’d felt pain like this was during childbirth.

But how could she say that to a three-year-old child?

Lin Ke smiled softly.

“Mommy’s fine. Just a little accident. Xiaotie doesn’t need to worry.”

Si Xiaotie pouted miserably again.

“I never want to ride horses anymore. I hate horse riding.”

Thinking back on it now, Lin Ke still felt lingering fear.

If things had gone even slightly worse, she might’ve lost her life.

Sometimes being timid wasn’t such a bad thing after all.

If you stayed away from danger, danger wouldn’t come near you.

Today’s itinerary ended completely because of the accident.

After returning to the hotel, Si Yuming carried both bags and their daughter while Lin Ke followed behind empty-handed.

Dinner was delivered directly to their room.

Before eating, Si Xiaotie suddenly complained she smelled sweaty and wanted a bath.

Lin Ke accompanied her into the bathroom.

But today, removing and putting on clothes had to be done by the little girl herself.

Once she finished dressing, Lin Ke called toward the outside,

“Daddy, dry her hair.”

Si Yuming naturally entered and took over.

After blow-drying for three or four minutes, Lin Ke pointed toward the cream beside them.

“Apply moisturizer. Her neck too.”

Si Xiaotie obediently lifted her chin and closed her eyes.

“Put on the nice-smelling cream.”

After their daughter got older, Si Yuming rarely helped with baths anymore.

Nor had he applied moisturizer for her before.

But he’d watched Lin Ke do it.

Now he unscrewed the lid, scooped a little onto his palm, and carefully spread it across the child’s freshly bathed rosy cheeks.

Once done, Si Xiaotie immediately sprinted out.

“Food time~”

Lin Ke glanced toward the messy bathroom.

“I’ll leave this to you?”

“Mhm.”

“Don’t use the hotel washing machine. All her clothes need handwashing. Socks separately. And hang the towel dry too.”

“Okay.”

Lin Ke left the bathroom.

But after a few steps, she turned back.

The man was crouched there handwashing their daughter’s clothes one by one.

She watched several moments longer.

Then the corners of her lips curved upward slightly.

The mother and daughter finished dinner simply.

Using her left arm, Lin Ke hugged the little girl against the sofa.

Si Xiaotie watched cartoons on the tablet while Lin Ke scrolled through her phone.

Though today hadn’t ended perfectly, everything before the accident—the scenery and emotions—had still been beautiful.

She selected two photos of the grasslands beneath blue skies and white clouds and uploaded them to Moments.

After posting, she looked up.

The man had already hung up the laundry and now sat at the dining table finishing their leftovers.

After thinking briefly, she said,

“Remember to throw out the trash. Otherwise the room will smell.”

Half a minute later:

“Check tomorrow’s supplies too. See if anything’s missing.”

“Oh right, we’re switching hotels tomorrow. The luggage needs repacking too.”

“And Xiaotie will need warm milk later. Ask the hotel to heat some.”

“My charger’s beside the bed. Help me get it.”

The man finally looked over.

Lin Ke immediately frowned and lowered her head dramatically.

“Owww it hurts.”

The little girl instantly put down her tablet.

“Mommy, where does it hurt?”

Lin Ke raised her casted right hand in front of her daughter and said pitifully,

“It hurts here.”

Si Xiaotie gently held her hand with both tiny palms and puffed her lips to blow softly on it.

“Xiaotie blow-blow!”

Lin Ke rubbed her daughter’s head happily.

“Thank you, baby.”

The woman’s smile was dazzling, childish delight visible in her eyes.

Completely different from her usual calm composure.

Including the little tantrum she’d thrown after getting hurt.

This was a rarely seen Lin Ke.

Vivid.

Lively.

Beautifully alive.

Si Yuming turned and entered the bedroom.

Not long later, he returned with her charger and stood beside the sofa looking down at her, eyes slightly curved.

“Anything else to do? Need help showering too?”

“……”

Bathing truly had become a major problem.

Lin Ke originally believed she could manage independently.

But she’d clearly overestimated herself.

With only one functioning hand, even taking off clothes proved difficult.

Let alone showering and dressing afterward.

Still—

After rolling around on grassland full of horse droppings all day, she absolutely couldn’t convince herself to skip bathing.

After mentally preparing inside the bathroom for ten whole minutes, she finally called weakly toward the outside.

“Si Yuming…”

He entered quickly, expression still surprisingly calm.

Lin Ke stared at the floor while speaking softly.

“…help me.”

Even though they’d done everything imaginable in bed before, bathing together happened very rarely.

And now under such bright lighting—

Her entire face turned scarlet like a boiled shrimp.

Truly red beyond belief.

Like the brightest rouge spreading layer by layer across white rice paper.

The blush flooded instantly from her ears across her entire face.

She unconsciously bit and released her lips repeatedly, leaving faint marks that only made them appear redder.

The man remained silent for a long time.

Lin Ke became increasingly embarrassed.

Finally muttering:

“Forget it, I’ll wash myself.”

Just as she took two steps inward, her wrist was suddenly grabbed.

Si Yuming pulled closer and kissed her.

She froze completely.

His breathing was deep and urgent.

The kiss pressed and deepened relentlessly.

Within moments he was invading completely, showing every sign of wanting more.

Lin Ke only had one left hand available to resist.

How could she possibly push him away?

Finally, while he parted his lips briefly, she bit down lightly.

But he was too eager.

She accidentally bit harder than intended.

The taste of blood spread instantly.

Only then did he release her.

Lin Ke looked up.

The moment she saw the dark expression in his eyes, she startled slightly.

A few seconds later, she shot him a glare.

“What are you rushing for? Serves you right.”

Then she scolded softly,

“You’ve been busy all day. Aren’t you tired?”

“Not tired.”

Lin Ke stared in disbelief, eyes wide.

“Si Yuming, I have a fracture. Are you even human?!”

He wasn’t beastly enough to actually do anything to her right now.

But seeing her reaction amused him greatly.

“You won’t need your hand.”

“……”

The woman’s eyes darted around thoughtfully.

She genuinely seemed to consider it for a moment.

Then finally looked up.

“No. There could be hidden cameras here. It’s unsafe.”

Si Yuming clearly hadn’t expected that answer.

He laughed again.

“Then why was it safe before?”

“……That was different!”

About half a year ago, they’d done something similar in another hotel.

She’d gone on a business trip to Shanghai and planned to return the same day, too lazy to visit his place.

So he’d gone directly to the hotel where she rested during lunch break.

Thinking about it now made her cheeks burn.

At the time she hadn’t expected him to appear.

She was an adult woman in her late twenties.

And he was her legal husband.

The moment they met, it’d been like dry wood meeting raging fire.

Who still had the brainpower to think about hidden cameras?

Red-faced, she shoved him out and glared.

“Don’t want you anymore. I’ll wash myself. Hmph.”

……

The next morning during breakfast, Si Xiaotie stared curiously at the cut on Daddy’s lip.

“Huh? Daddy, did a bug bite you?”

Si Yuming smiled casually.

“No. Mommy bit me.”

“……”

Lin Ke nearly exploded in shock.

Dear god.

What was he saying?!

Meanwhile, Si Xiaotie found nothing strange at all.

Nor was she embarrassed.

“Then did you put medicine on it?”

“It’s fine. Doesn’t need any.”

“Okay then.”

They set off again.

This time, Lin Ke officially became a hands-off manager.

No luggage to carry.

No bags to hold.

No child to pick up.

No need to worry about Si Xiaotie.

No need to worry about itinerary or meals either.

All she needed to do was hold her phone and take photos.

It felt wonderful.

That afternoon, they arrived at the region’s famous autumn valley park known for its golden leaves.

The camping and picnic setup had all been prepared beforehand.

As soon as they arrived, Lin Ke took the little girl off to play while Si Yuming handled the tent, tables, chairs, and food.

Many people had come for autumn outings.

Families.

Couples.

Groups of friends.

Across the mountains, forests blazed with intertwined reds and golds.

Sunlight filtered lazily through branches.

The little valley looked like a painting crafted from gold and jade.

Si Xiaotie had become so happy she practically lost her mind.

She ran wildly beneath the forest, stomping across thick layers of golden leaves with her tiny boots.

Crunch crunch crunch.

She laughed crunch crunch crunch too.

With her right hand injured, Lin Ke could only use her left hand to take photos.

But Si Xiaotie hated staying still for pictures.

After two shots she already couldn’t sit still anymore.

Lin Ke didn’t force her and simply let her play freely.

“Mommy, can I lie down?”

“Yes.”

The little girl immediately flopped onto the leaves and rolled twice.

Her yellow windbreaker became covered in leaves.

“Mommy, I turned into a leaf too! So pretty!”

Tilting her head, she giggled brightly.

“Mommy, you lie down too!”

There were lots of people nearby.

Lin Ke glanced around hesitantly.

“Mommy!”

“Coming.”

Protecting her casted arm carefully, Lin Ke finally lay beside her daughter.

And in that instant—

She suddenly understood what Si Xiaotie meant by

“pretty.”

Pure blue stretched infinitely above them.

Branches glowed with golden outlines where sunlight touched their edges.

Whenever the wind blew, leaves detached from branches and spiraled softly downward.

Lin Ke closed her eyes.

Feeling this brief yet complete freedom built from blue skies and golden trees.

Nearby, Si Yuming had already finished setting up the tent and was preparing the picnic blanket.

A man beside him approached to borrow something.

“Hey handsome, mind lending me a hammer? Need to secure my tent stakes.”

“Sure.”

The man took the hammer from the table, then followed Si Yuming’s gaze toward the mother and daughter lying beneath the trees.

“Family trip?”

Not far away, the mother and daughter laughed freely together.

After lying down for only a short while, Si Xiaotie had already sat up collecting leaves.

Lin Ke helped her gather them.

Neither knew what the other was saying, but both were smiling brilliantly.

Slowly, Si Yuming withdrew his gaze.

His eyes lowered slightly.

When he spoke, it was impossible to tell whether the feeling in his voice was happiness—

Or something else entirely.

“Mhm. My wife and my daughter.”