Departure! Pika Pika!

Departure! Pika Pika!

Early the next morning.

Jiang Xiaopi returned home dripping with sweat, carrying soy milk, fried dough sticks, and two plates of side dishes.

After two hours of morning training, Jiang Xiao felt completely refreshed.

Once he got into the rhythm, working out really could become addictive.

Who would have thought that the moment he stepped through the door, Han Jiangxue would greet him with an irritated glare?

She really was beautiful, especially those lovely eyes of hers. So when annoyance showed in her pitch-black eyes, Jiang Xiao genuinely felt as though he had committed some grave sin.

"Didn't I say morning training was canceled today?" Han Jiangxue said coldly.

Jiang Xiao was somewhat baffled. He gestured at the breakfast in his hands and said, "Good morning to you too? And... you're welcome?"

Han Jiangxue opened her mouth, but did not say anything for a long while. With a toss of her head, she turned and walked toward the living room, looking thoroughly sulky and leaving Jiang Xiao even more confused.

"Making your sister mad again!" A graceful voice came from beside him. In the kitchen, a girl emerged with a glass full of milk in hand, drinking as she walked.

Jiang Xiao turned in surprise and saw a girl who was no less stunning than Han Jiangxue.

Well, birds of a feather really did flock together.

This girl had exceptional looks. She was about the same height as Han Jiangxue, around 178 centimeters.

She had pretty short hair dyed chestnut color, its slightly curled strands giving her a lazy yet charming air.

Beneath her bold, sword-like brows were a pair of somewhat sharp eyes. But because she had just taken a sip of milk, a ring of white milk residue around her cherry lips added a touch of cuteness to her valiant face.

She was a typical North River girl: fair-skinned, beautiful, long-legged, heroic, and imposing.

As the short-haired girl spoke, she walked up to Jiang Xiao, raised a hand, curled one finger, and lightly tapped him on the head. "Making your sister mad again."

As she spoke, she knocked his head several more times.

Jiang Xiao looked utterly confused. What was going on? The short-haired girl said, "What kind of expression is that? You don't recognize me? Did I not beat you enough when we were kids?"

After thinking for a long while, Jiang Xiao finally found information about this girl in his sealed-away memories.

Xia Yan!

Han Jiangxue's best friend. Their families had been close since their parents' generation, so the younger generations of the Han Family and Xia Family had naturally spent a great deal of time together. Han Jiangxue had a colder personality and usually looked as if strangers should stay away. As far as he knew, this was her only close friend.

And this friend was not merely a "friend." They were truly inseparable best friends, the real deal—not some flimsy plastic sisterhood.

Jiang Xiao looked at Xia Yan, then at Han Jiangxue.

Just look at how well her body had developed. This hot-tempered girl had stood out vividly in Jiang Xiao's buried memories. Especially in elementary school, Xia Yan had been the unquestioned big sister of the school. Where was even a trace of a girl's gentleness or sweetness in her?

After entering middle school, Xia Yan had finally developed some awareness of being a girl. Though she never grew her hair long, her fiery temper had mellowed somewhat.

This infamous violent big sister underwent a transformation after entering high school. As she grew older and her body matured, she became increasingly feminine, changing from a tomboy into the "goddess" people talked about.

However, Jiang Xiaopi had only spent much time with Xia Yan in elementary school. After middle school, they had rarely met again.

He truly had not expected to see Xia Yan again under such circumstances. Girls really did change beyond recognition as they grew up.

"Kid, you and your sister were teasing me on Weibo a couple of days ago. I haven't forgotten that grudge." Xia Yan pressed one hand on Jiang Xiao's head, then suddenly brought her face close to his ear and gently blew into it.

Whoa, sis, you were only eighteen this year too. Was it really okay to flirt like that?

Jiang Xiao tilted his head and took a step back.

This woman was Hong Yan from Weibo? Her possessiveness toward Han Jiangxue was that strong?

Good grief. That was something else.

"Perfect, I was looking for something to eat." Xia Yan snatched the breakfast from Jiang Xiao's hand and headed for the kitchen without another word.

"Han Jiangxue, what is she doing here?" Jiang Xiao asked in confusion.

"Nothing. The two of us will leave in a while," Han Jiangxue replied coldly.

"Huh?" Xia Yan poked her head out from the kitchen and asked in surprise, "Weren't you going to take Xiaopi with us on our adventure?"

Jiang Xiao said, "An adventure?"

Xia Yan said, "Yeah, we're just going to have some fun in the Snowfield."

Jiang Xiao immediately grew excited. "The Snowfield!?"

Han Jiangxue said coldly, "We're not taking him. He's exhausted now and doesn't have the stamina."

Jiang Xiao hurriedly said, "I'm full of energy right now."

Han Jiangxue gave a cold snort. "Hmph."

Yet to Jiang Xiao, it sounded more like a little tsundere saying one thing while meaning another.

Half an hour later, the three of them got into Xia Yan's Black Jeep.

To Han Jiangxue, it was just a black jeep, but to Jiang Xiao, this big fellow was called a Land Rover Finder 4.

Driving something like this around at just eighteen—her wild nature really had not changed at all.

Along the way, Jiang Xiao recalled everything he knew about Xia Yan. Through those not-too-blurry memories, he knew that Xia Yan's father was a businessman.

The black Finder 4 sped all the way south, out of Jiangbin City's South Suburbs. After traveling more than seventy kilometers, it plunged straight into a Village.

Yet at the entrance to the Village, several Soldiers stopped them.

"What Village is this? It's under martial law?" Jiang Xiao tried his best to recall everything, only to find his mind completely blank.

"Quiet." Han Jiangxue turned from the passenger seat and shot Jiang Xiao a cold glance.

Xia Yan also turned around, looking at Jiang Xiao with sympathy. "Poor Pipi."

"You shut up too." Han Jiangxue glared angrily at Xia Yan beside her.

Xia Yan shrank her neck in fright. At the same time, a Soldier's voice came from outside the window.

"Ms. Xia." A Soldier stepped forward and looked into the car. Then he turned to his companion behind him and said, "Let them through."

Xia Yan instantly changed demeanor. With an elegant smile at the corner of her lips, she placed two slender fingers against her temple and lifted them slightly in greeting to the Soldiers. The gesture was incredibly dashing. She clearly knew these people well.

As the vehicle entered the Village, Jiang Xiao saw that every household had its doors locked and windows shut.

He often saw orderly formations of Soldiers patrolling.

There was truly a sentry every few steps and a checkpoint every few more. The closer they got to the center of the Village, the tighter the security became.

Xia Yan flashed her face all the way through, and the vehicle finally slowed to a stop outside the Village Government.

"Get out. Head inside." Xia Yan called to the two of them before getting out first.

Led by several Soldiers, the trio entered the Town Government. On the east side of the first floor, six fully equipped Soldiers were already standing there.

"They're coming with us?" Han Jiangxue asked with a frown.

"Didn't you say you were bringing Xiaopi along? I thought we should find a few more helpers so they could take care of him too." Xia Yan replied teasingly. "Those guys each drank a whole case of beer last night. No idea what condition they'll be in today."

Han Jiangxue's tone gradually rose. "You went out drinking again?"

Xia Yan immediately shut her mouth and quickened her pace.

"Poor Xia Yan," Jiang Xiao muttered sincerely.

The timing was so perfect that Xia Yan could not help turning back to look at Jiang Xiao. Their eyes held the same emotion, as though they were fellow sufferers who had found a kindred spirit. "Let's make it a four-person squad, standard configuration. We'll be enough to protect him. This time, we're only letting him familiarize himself with the Snowfield in advance. We won't go too far," Han Jiangxue said with slight resignation, ignoring the little exchange between the two of them.

"Mm, I'll listen to you." Xia Yan's voice turned soft and alluring. She pointed through the air with one finger before finally indicating a broad-shouldered, burly Soldier with a stern face. "It's decided. You're the one, Pikachu!"

The tall Soldier stepped forward, frowned, and said with slight displeasure, "My name is Pi Keqiu."

Jiang Xiao said, "..."