After nearly an hour on the road, the bustling city had given way to rolling mountains and waterways on the outskirts.
Waterwheel Mountain was such a little-known spot that even the road up it was not marked in detail on the map.
Chen Shi'an and Li Wanyin got out of the car. Following the location on the map, they felt their way along a country road and spotted the little mountain tucked into the folds of the countryside from afar.
"Which way do we go up...?"
"Just ask. A local will know."
Chen Shi'an picked an old farmer carrying a hoe on his back and asked, "Sir, how do we get up Waterwheel Mountain?"
"Going mushroom picking? There's not much worth picking now. If you want to go up, head in that way, past that crooked tree, then follow the stony path along the stream for about a kilometer. When you see the half-rotten old waterwheel in the hollow, you'll be at the foot of the mountain."
"Got it. Thank you, sir."
With directions, finding their way became much easier.
The mountains she had climbed with her roommates back in school had all been developed into tourist attractions. Those were much more convenient to climb, but lacked some of the wilderness fun. Li Wanyin had grown up in the countryside, and although she was now a grown woman, she still had that childhood spirit of adventure.
Had Chen Shi'an been anyone else, she would never have dared to wander into such a remote wilderness. Yet with him, she was not afraid.
Walking with him gave her an inexplicable sense of security. Wait, this is backward! I'm supposed to be protecting him!
"Shi'an, this way!"
Watching Li Wanyin suddenly quicken her pace and walk half a step ahead of him