Xie Chi escaped.

She had no way to find Xie Ying. With her strength alone, trying to rescue her would be pure suicide. She was afraid of death and selfish—she could only save herself first before seeking help to rescue her sister.

As He Feng had said, this mountain was full of their people. Xie Chi had lived in seclusion in the mountains with her grandfather since childhood and possessed some wilderness skills, but she couldn’t even get over this mountaintop before being captured again.

Xie Chi was locked in the small dark room for an entire night without a drop of water.

The next day at noon, two elderly women took her to scrub her clean, changed her into fresh clothes, and sent her to a large room.

Xie Chi was bound hand and foot and thrown on the bed. The other end of the rope was tied to the bed frame with a dead knot to prevent her from struggling and rolling off the bed.

About an hour later, someone entered. From the footsteps, it should be a thin person. She moved closer to the bedside and turned her head to look.

The footsteps approached. Indeed, it was a thin man. However, two people had entered—the thin man was pushing a wheelchair with a pale-faced man sitting in it, wearing a dark blue robe with a blanket over his legs, looking sickly.

The thin man pushed the wheelchair to the bedside and said to the person in the wheelchair, “I’ll go out now. Call if you need anything.”

“Alright.”

The thin man glanced at Xie Chi on the bed and barked viciously, “Behave yourself.”

Xie Chi wasn’t afraid of him and stared straight at him. The thin man wiped his nose, snorted lightly, and swaggered out of the room.

“I’m sorry,” the person in the wheelchair spoke. “Our people here are all a bit rough.”

Xie Chi looked at him. This person spoke quite gently.

“I’ll help you untie the ropes.” He moved his wheelchair closer to the bed. “You need to come closer.”

Xie Chi shrank back into the bed, watching him warily.

“I’m disabled and can’t stand up.”

Xie Chi thought for a moment and extended her feet.

The man helped her untie the rope around her feet. “I just returned to the mountain stronghold and heard they captured two young ladies.”

As soon as the rope loosened, Xie Chi immediately pulled her legs back.

“You don’t need to be afraid. I don’t want to marry, and I won’t do anything to you.” He raised his hand, gesturing for Xie Chi to extend her hands. “Come.”

Xie Chi crawled toward the bedside and gave him her hands.

“But people who come up the mountain find it very difficult to go back down. They won’t easily let you go.” This man had slender hands and slowly helped her untie the ropes. “However, you can stay with me temporarily. At least it can guarantee your safety for the time being.”

Xie Chi remained silent.

“Perhaps you could tell me information about your family, and I’ll try to help pass along a message. As for whether it can be delivered, I can’t guarantee that.” The man smiled gently. “If you don’t trust me, that’s only natural.”

The rope was untied. Xie Chi flashed to the other side of the bed and rubbed her wrists that had been chafed raw by the hemp rope. Seeing this, the man called toward the door, “Li Shan.”

The person outside heard and entered.

“Li Shan, please fetch some wound medicine and gauze.”

Li Shan reluctantly agreed, “Oh, alright, wait then.”

What an attitude—so arrogant.

Li Shan left.

The man went to the table and poured a cup of water. “Would you like some water?”

Xie Chi shook her head.

“Afraid I’ve drugged it?” He smiled.

Xie Chi studied him carefully. This person had health problems, and combined with his gentle personality, judging by his subordinates’ attitude, they didn’t seem to hold him in high regard. Yesterday, the man who jumped into the river had said she was snatched as a wife for his big brother. The big brother he mentioned should be this person.

Looking at his room’s furnishings and clothing, his status shouldn’t be low. He appeared refined and cultured, not like a bandit at all.

Perhaps he was a relative of the bandits?

“What’s your name?”

Xie Chi didn’t answer.

“My name is He Zhan.”

He Zhan carried a cup of tea to the bedside. “Your lips are cracked. If you don’t drink water, they’ll start bleeding.”

Xie Chi hesitated for a moment, then reached out to take it and drank it all.

“Don’t rush, there’s more in the pot.”

Xie Chi put down her hand, glanced at him, turned over to get off the bed, picked up the teapot, and drank directly from the spout.

“Drink slowly.”

Xie Chi put down the teapot and leaned against the table. “Where is my sister?”

“I’m not sure about that, but I can have someone ask around.” He Zhan smiled as he looked at her. “I heard you tried to escape. You should know that the surrounding mountains are all our strongholds. This is Yun Village at the mountaintop. To go directly down the mountain, you must pass two major checkpoints—one is Qing Village at the mountainside, and the other is Lei Village at the mountain base. Taking side paths is full of traps and wild beasts. Some traps are difficult even for our own people to identify. You’d better not run around in the future.”

“Mm.”

“In recent years, my third brother issued an order forbidding the kidnapping of civilian women. I don’t know why they brought you up again. It might be the chief’s order—he always says he wants to find me a wife.” He Zhan sighed softly. “I’m sorry about this.”

Xie Chi remained silent. This person had some conscience.

“But you know what kind of place this is. You should be mentally prepared about whether your sister is alive or dead, and whether her chastity remains intact.”

Thinking of her ninth sister at such a young age, if something happened… Xie Chi felt upset. Though they had no deep affection, she was still a blood-related sister. There was also Xie Ti—she didn’t know how he was doing now.

Xie Chi hadn’t eaten for too long, and having just gulped down cold water, her stomach suddenly cramped severely.

She covered her stomach and crouched down, biting her hand from the pain.

“What’s wrong?”

He Zhan slid toward her. Just as he reached her, someone knocked on the door.

“Big brother.” The voice was cheerful and unrestrained.

“Come in.”

The visitor pushed open the door, swinging a small whip in his hand. Seeing the woman crouched by the table, he tilted his head and walked over to look at her. “Oh, you made the poor thing cry.”

“Xiao Feng, don’t talk nonsense.”

What a familiar voice, so annoying.

Xie Chi looked up, two rows of small teeth marks clearly visible on her wrist, gazing up at the man standing with his hands behind his back, talking and laughing.

It was indeed that troublemaker who had jumped into the water yesterday.

Seeing her resentful little expression, He Feng raised his eyebrows and said happily, “You really were caught again.” He bent slightly to tease Xie Chi. “I showed you a way out, and you still didn’t understand? Stupid.”

“…” Xie Chi was so angry her stomach stopped hurting.

He Zhan pulled him back. “Xiao Feng.”

“Big brother is angry.” He Feng straightened up, gave He Zhan a mischievous smile, then looked at Xie Chi. “Little brother misspoke. I’ll have to call you sister-in-law from now on.”

Li Shan entered carrying a medicine box, not bothering to knock and barging straight in. Upon seeing He Feng there, his attitude immediately changed dramatically. He bowed and scraped, respectfully offering the medicine box. “Third Master is here too. I came to bring medicine for the eldest young master.”

He Feng glanced at him. “Put it on the table.”

“Yes.” Li Shan gently set it down. “I’ll go out first then. You chat.”

“Mm.”

Xie Chi guessed that the third brother He Zhan mentioned should be him. The people here seemed to fear him greatly.

“Apply some medicine.” He Zhan opened the box, took out ointment and gauze, and handed them to Xie Chi.

Xie Chi accepted them, casually applied some medicine, wrapped her wrist twice, and simply tied a knot.

He Zhan covered his face and coughed lightly twice. “Xiao Feng, take her to get something to eat. She probably hasn’t eaten for a long time.”

“I’m not going.” He Feng gracefully raised his long leg and sat on the long bench, poured a cup of tea and drank it. “She’s not my wife.”

Xie Chi suddenly looked at He Feng. “I’m hungry.”

He Feng was drinking tea and nearly choked. “If you’re hungry, go eat. Why are you looking at me?”

“Take me there.”

“…” He Feng put down his teacup. “Me?”

“I can’t find the way, and I have no strength. I can’t walk.”

“What? You want me to carry you?”

He Zhan laughed. “Just take her.”

“Not going.”

Xie Zhaoting often told her that girls should be gentle and learn to act coquettishly—that way men would soften.

Xie Chi stood up, pinched the corner of He Feng’s clothes with her fingers, looked at him pitifully, and said pretentiously, “You’re good people.”

He Feng shook his hand, throwing her off, and dusted the spot she had touched. “Don’t stare at me with those eyes.” He stood up and strode toward the door. “Hurry up. I won’t wait for you.”

“…”

Though a bit fierce, grandfather hadn’t lied.

Xie Chi followed, not having eaten for two days. She was dizzy from hunger and had to jog to keep up with He Feng’s pace.

“Are you called He Feng?”

He Feng didn’t even give her a glance.

“Your brother is called He Zhan, and he calls you Xiao Feng.”

He Feng chuckled lightly. “Save your mouth for eating. Less nonsense.”

Xie Chi observed in all directions, noting the stronghold’s terrain. It was winding and truly huge!

If a young lady ran around blindly by herself, she probably wouldn’t have enough lives even if she had eight of them for these dog bandits to take.

He Feng first entered the kitchen. The cook and kitchen helpers who were busy inside all greeted him when they saw him—some called him “Third Master,” others “Third Young Master,” and still others “Young Chief.”

He Feng had one hand in his pocket and used the other to fiddle with vegetables on the cutting board. “Is there anything to eat?”

“What would you like to eat?”

Then Xie Chi ran in, making eye contact with everyone.

He Feng turned to glance at her. “Tell them what you want to eat.”

The head cook saw this unfamiliar girl brought personally by He Feng and was somewhat surprised. “Third Young Master’s woman?”

“Big brother’s.” He Feng casually grabbed some peanuts. “After she finishes eating, find someone to send her back to big brother’s room.”

“Alright, alright.”

“Leaving first.” He Feng ate while walking, passing by Xie Chi. “Little sister-in-law, eat more.”

After He Feng left, the head cook made one meat dish, one vegetable dish, and one soup for Xie Chi. Watching this little girl wolf down the food, she kept exclaiming, “How long have you not eaten? Slow down, don’t choke. If it’s not enough, there’s more—eat your fill.”

Xie Chi nodded.

The head cook examined her face. “You’re quite pretty, look at this delicate skin—so lovely. You’re not local, are you?”

Xie Chi didn’t answer, only focused on eating.

“When did you come up the mountain?”

“Yesterday morning.”

“There was a little girl who came with you, right?”

Upon hearing this, Xie Chi stopped eating. “Do you know news about her?”

“I heard she was sent to be the third wife of Lei Village’s second chief. I’m not very clear about it either.”

Xie Chi was stunned. Third wife?????

“You’re luckier, being with the eldest young master is quite good. He’s not young anymore but has never married. He won’t mistreat you. Though he has leg problems, he’s handsome with a good personality. He’s not like others who fight and kill all day—very refined.”

Listening to this made Xie Chi’s head spin, but she had to stay clear-headed and find a way to escape this hellish place. Though she had guessed some of it, she still needed to confirm. “Who was the one who brought me here just now?”

“Third Young Master.” Mentioning him, the head cook beamed. “Our Third Young Master is amazing. Don’t look at him being only seventeen—no one across four mountain peaks and nine strongholds dares provoke him. He’s all smiles with our own people, but outside he’s so domineering, tsk tsk tsk.”

“Is he married?”

“No. Don’t look at how handsome he is—he has quite a temper. If you accidentally anger him, he’ll shoot you dead.” The head cook pursed her lips and shook her head. “And he seems uninterested in women. All day he just plays with knives and guns, rides horses and wields staffs. Probably because he’s young and hasn’t awakened to that aspect yet.” The head cook suddenly paused. “Girl, you haven’t fallen for him, have you?”

“No.” Xie Chi calmly replied, picking up her chopsticks to continue eating.

“Ah, if Third Young Master had First Young Master’s personality, the stronghold gates would probably be broken from all the crowding.”

Hmph, no vision.

Praising this scoundrel bandit to the skies—those who haven’t seen him would think he was some great beauty. Little do they know there are mountains beyond mountains and people beyond people. How many superior-looking men there are.

Though she had to admit this He Feng was somewhat handsome.

…

Xie Chi stayed in He Zhan’s courtyard for five days, watching him drink tea, read books, practice calligraphy, and tend flowers daily. He Zhan was indeed a good person, treating her with courtesy—really not like someone who could be raised in this bandit den.

Though he was a good person, he was useless, not even having capable subordinates. In the end, it was through He Feng’s attendants that they found out about ninth sister’s situation.

Indeed, as the cook had said, Xie Ying was sent to be Lei Village’s second chief’s third wife. Xie Chi wanted to see her, but He Zhan said He Feng had gone down the mountain and he was powerless to help.

The chief wanted to select an auspicious day for He Zhan’s wedding. He Zhan reluctantly delayed it a few days, but he didn’t have the ability to keep delaying like this.

Xie Chi’s guess was correct—He Zhan was a powerless decoration, useless in the bandit den. Not only was he disabled, but he was also sickly, practically living in medicine jars every day. He might die any day. Mixing with him, forget about bringing ninth sister—even she herself would have no chance of escape.

On the contrary, there was that fierce little brat.

Yes, that little brat—He Feng.

Though he was wild, he was a young chief. And he seemed to go down the mountain on business every few days. If she could build a good relationship with him, would she still worry about not having a chance to escape?

…