Forced into a romantic relationship

Chapter 191 Missing
Han Zhou put away Mo Yixia's rabbit pajamas, then took off the sheets and duvet cover, folded them neatly, and put them into his backpack. He took out the two people's water cups from the bag, poured out the water that had cooled down, and poured in the hot water that had just been boiled in the kettle.

Just as the lid of the cup was tightened, there was a loud knocking on the door, and a voice shouted, "Is anyone awake? Get up and get ready, we're leaving soon!"

It was Brother Wang's voice.

His voice sounded rather hurried, giving the impression that he was in a rush, like a college student who had just gotten out of bed a minute before 8 a.m.

This analogy isn't quite right, since college students these days generally have a good mindset. They can remain calm even if they skip a whole morning of classes, let alone be late for 8 a.m.

"Could he have overslept...?" Han Zhou thought to himself, criticizing the guide's professionalism, and replied loudly, "I know, I'm coming right away!"

"Come out and assemble when you're ready!"

Brother Wang left in a hurry after leaving a message, probably to wake up the people in the other rooms.

He must have overslept... Han Zhou thought to himself.

……

About ten minutes later, everyone gathered under the only streetlight in the base camp.

The temperature is much lower now than during the day, making one want to crawl back into bed. Fortunately, it's stopped snowing, which is good news for the upcoming summit attempt.

Having only slept for a few hours, the young people were all exhausted and looked listless, yawning constantly with their necks hunched. However, after being exposed to the biting cold wind a few times, they were no longer sleepy.

The guides came out of the house one after another, probably having just finished washing up. Han Zhou had sharp eyes and even noticed that one of the guides had a face mask on. He thought to himself, "Middle-aged people these days really live a refined life."

Unlike the others who were shivering from the cold, the tall and strong Zhang Tao looked quite energetic, fiddling with his filming equipment, clearly intending to record the upcoming summit attempt. It was just unknown how much useful footage he could capture in the pitch black.

Although a full moon hung in the sky, it didn't provide much light.

Seeing Han Zhou standing alone in the corner, Zhang Tao walked over to greet him, looked around, and asked, "Junior Han Zhou, where is your girlfriend... your friend?"

He had subconsciously meant to say "girlfriend," but now that he knew Han Zhou and Mo Yixia were not in a relationship, he changed his mind.

But he always felt it was unnecessary, because he would have to change it back soon anyway.

"She went to the restroom." Han Zhou smiled. "Also, just call me Han Zhou, no need to add 'junior' after me, I'm not used to it."

He looked towards the toilet not far away, his brows furrowing slightly. Mo Yixia had been in the toilet for almost twenty minutes and hadn't returned yet. Could it be that she had diarrhea?

"Then just call me by my name, Brother Tao is fine too, a lot of people call me that."

Zhang Tao smiled and then said, "Speaking of which, Han Zhou, are you really not interested in joining my extreme sports club? I can tell you're someone who exercises regularly and has excellent physical fitness. You could totally challenge the limits of human physical ability with me."

He stared intently at Han Zhou.

You're really mistaken. If it weren't for the status bar, you'd only be able to see if my ashes were of good quality...

Han Zhou looked away and said with a wry smile, "I'm sorry, senior, I'm not interested in pushing my limits, and I'm also a bit timid, so I don't really dare to do overly dangerous sports..."

To avoid being invited to participate in boring activities like late-night ghost hunting, he emphasized that he was not a very brave person, believing that the other party could tell he was politely declining.

"Really? That's such a shame..."

Zhang Tao understood what he meant, but he didn't intend to force him. He shook his head with some regret and didn't say anything more.

These days, finding a like-minded person is not an easy thing. He originally thought that Han Zhou, who could firmly reject Mo Yixia's feelings, was the same kind of person as him, but now it seems that this is not the case.

As the two were talking, they heard footsteps nearby. Xiao Yuyan walked over with a displeased look on her face. Her gloomy expression startled them. Han Zhou asked in surprise, "Sister Yuyan, what's wrong with you?"

"What's wrong?"

"Your expression..."

"My expression?"

"How should I put it... it's terrifying," Zhang Tao frankly commented.

"Have it?"

Xiao Yuyan was taken aback and looked at Han Zhou in front of her as if seeking confirmation. The latter nodded in deep agreement, clearly holding the same view as Zhang Tao.

"It's all that scumbag Chen Xiang's fault!"

Xiao Yuyan rubbed her face hard, sighed and said, "I slept with Qianqian and Xiaoyou last night. Before going to bed, they talked about the sweet daily life of couples. If it were before, I would definitely be very interested in this topic, but now I feel so uncomfortable. I can't expose that guy right away, so the more I think about it, the angrier I get."

For most people, pointing out that a close friend has been betrayed in a relationship is a difficult thing to say. Sometimes, the closer the relationship, the more concerns there are. If possible, Xiao Yuyan really didn't want to turn her roommate's good mood into a gloom that would last for a long time.

Thinking back to how happy Qianqian looked when she talked about Chen Xiang last night, she couldn't even imagine how she would react when she found out her boyfriend was a complete scumbag.

But a short, sharp pain is worse than a long, drawn-out one. What needs to be faced will eventually have to be faced, so it's better to get through this difficult time early and embrace a new life.

Thinking of this, Xiao Yuyan lowered her voice and maliciously speculated, "I feel disgusted whenever I see Chen Xiang now. I just went out and saw him looking guilty. He must have done something wrong again, maybe he's flirting with other girls again!"

There's no internet or signal here, where is he supposed to pick up girls...?

Han Zhou gave a wry smile, understanding Xiao Yuyan's deep hatred for scumbags. He then thought of his own despicable main quest...

He couldn't laugh anymore.

Seeing that Han Zhou's expression was not very good, Xiao Yuyan felt a little embarrassed. She couldn't say these things to Xiao You and the others for the time being, so she could only vent her frustrations in front of Han Zhou and the others. She thought she had scared them.

Worried about affecting their mood, she changed the subject, saying, "By the way, where's Mo Yixia?"

She had a strong liking for that beautiful girl who was so persistent in pursuing love.

Persistence and devotion—that's what love should be like.

Of course, this is on the premise that both parties are in love; one-sided love does not count as love.

"Going to the toilet."

Han Zhou replied, but after thinking about it, he still felt a little worried and hesitated, "That guy has been gone for a while, and I'm not entirely at ease. Sister Yuyan, could you go check the women's restroom for me?"

Although the public restrooms at the base camp are not large, they are still divided into men's and women's restrooms.

"No problem, no problem!"

Xiao Yuyan nodded excitedly, like a chick pecking at rice. Although it was just a little longer than usual to go to the toilet, she didn't think it was making a fuss over nothing, but rather a testament to her love.

She shook off her previous gloom and ran excitedly toward the restroom. Her delighted appearance puzzled Han Zhou, who couldn't understand why she had suddenly become so happy.

All I can say is that the happiness of a CP leader is really simple.

Not long after, Xiao Yuyan returned with a strange expression. Her unusual expression made Han Zhou feel uneasy. The next second, what she said made his heart sink even more.

"Um... are you really sure Mo Yixia is in the bathroom?"

Clearly, there was no one in the restroom. To confirm whether Mo Yixia had mistakenly entered the men's restroom, Xiao Yuyan even had Lin Ming, who happened to be in the restroom, search the restroom. Although it was said to search the restroom, it was actually quite small and easy to see at a glance, but they still couldn't find Mo Yixia.

Han Zhou's expression was serious. Just because someone isn't in the restroom doesn't necessarily mean Mo Yixia is missing. He temporarily suppressed his panic and decided to check again.

Without saying a word, he rushed back into the house and checked each room one by one. He searched the base camp as quickly as possible, but he still couldn't find Mo Yixia or any useful traces.

The snow had just stopped, and the raging snow winds were enough to erase any trace of snow from the ground.

Mo Yixia has disappeared...

Han Zhou stood there, stunned, his fists clenched unconsciously; the worst seemed to have happened.

Although Mo Yixia is usually not very serious, she would never make a worrying joke like disappearing without a trace at a time like this, so it is very likely that something has happened.

Han Zhou's anxious search had naturally caught the attention of the others. As an experienced guide, Brother Wang's expression immediately turned extremely serious. Forgetting about his unfortunate son, he quickly walked over and asked, "What happened?"

My friend is missing.

Han Zhou had basically concluded that Mo Yixia was missing, and said in as calm a tone as possible, "I would like to trouble everyone to help me find her."

"Gone?"

The other guide beside Brother Wang's face immediately turned extremely ugly. He almost cursed out loud, shouting, "I told you not to wander around! Don't you know where you are? Are you deaf?!"

It's no wonder he was so angry. For guides, a tourist's disappearance is a huge deal, as it will seriously affect their reputation among tourists. And if something else happens to the tourist, they will not only lose their jobs, but they may also have to bear a lot of responsibility.

Han Zhou didn't argue; now was not the time to debate. The important thing was to find Mo Yixia as soon as possible. So he sincerely said again, "I'm sorry. I will apologize to everyone with my friend afterward. Now, please help me find her."

"Find it? You have no idea how big the Five-Colored Snow Mountain is. Where am I supposed to help you find it in the middle of the night!" The guide was so angry that veins were popping out of his head.

Brother Wang frowned: "Old Xu, stop complaining. We definitely need to find the person. Go and call the others over."

His tone remained relatively calm. Seeing the guide, Old Xu, leave cursing, he then turned to Han Zhou, "Don't rush, tell me specifically how your friend disappeared?"

"I'm not sure. She said she was going to the restroom and hasn't come back since. I just checked and there was no one in the restroom. I can't find her near the base either. But I believe she's not the type to wander around. Something must have happened to her."

Han Zhou was extremely anxious, but he tried his best to remain calm and think about Mo Yixia's possible whereabouts.

"I see."

Brother Wang thought about it and realized that the girl seemed quite sensible and shouldn't be wandering around in the middle of the night.

Before long, everyone was summoned by the guide surnamed Xu. After confirming that no one was missing, Old Xu's terrifying expression softened a bit, though it was still excessively gloomy.

Everyone roughly guessed what had happened, and their eyes were scrutinizing Han Zhou's face. Most of them were seeing Han Zhou's appearance for the first time, and their expressions varied.

Zhang Tao looked solemn, while Xiao Yuyan's eyes showed worry and her face was full of tension.

Brother Wang got straight to the point, saying with a serious expression, "I'm sorry everyone, but a tourist is suspected of going missing, so our summit attempt will have to be temporarily delayed. I hope you can help me find this tourist. Please forgive any inconvenience this may cause."

They really have disappeared...

Everyone looked at each other in bewilderment. Zhang Tao then called out loudly, "No problem, how do we find it?"

Although the trip was delayed, no one else had any objections. Getting lost in the snow-capped mountains is extremely dangerous and could be fatal. There is no signal in this area, so getting lost is equivalent to losing contact and there is no way to seek professional rescue unless you go down the mountain in the middle of the night to find a signal.

Even if it takes several hours to reach a place with a signal to call the police, it will be several hours before rescuers arrive. By the time they arrive and return, it will be dawn, and it will be difficult to guarantee that the missing person will still be safe and sound.

Moreover, it's so dark now, and going down the mountain to call the police would be extremely risky. So the best thing to do right now is for everyone to work together to find the person as soon as possible.

Seeing that no one had any objections, Brother Wang said in a deep voice, "Thank you for your cooperation. For now, let's rule out the possibility that the missing tourist went up or down the mountain alone. Everyone, please search in pairs along the east, northeast, west, northwest, and southwest directions. Be careful not to go too far. Regardless of whether you find the person or not, you should search for a maximum of about two kilometers before returning."

The snow-capped mountains are unpredictable; if they had gone any further, the missing person might not have been just a tourist.

He pointed to the directions he had just mentioned, then pointed out the relatively safe routes, emphasizing, "Everyone must be careful during the search. There might be snow pits in some places, so be realistic about your abilities, don't overexert yourself, and don't get lost!"

After he finished arranging the search, Han Zhou silently stepped forward and bowed sincerely to everyone: "I'm sorry to have troubled you all this time. Thank you very much for your help. I will repay you all afterward."

Mo Yixia's disappearance not only completely disrupted the team's original itinerary, but also required everyone to waste time and energy helping to find her, so it was appropriate to show a sincere attitude.

"It's okay, finding the person is the priority. Let's get moving." Zhang Tao had already packed up his live-streaming equipment. He walked over and patted him on the shoulder. "Don't worry, we'll definitely find the person."

"half an hour."

Brother Wang took out his phone and glanced at the time. "Remember to bring food and water. Whether we find them or not, everyone needs to be back within half an hour, understand?"

Half an hour is enough to search a large area. If he still can't find anyone by then, he should consider going down the mountain immediately to seek rescue.

Everyone understood.

The two couples in the group naturally teamed up, and Brother Wang didn't object. Actually, the safest way to pair them up would be one guide for each tourist, but these young female tourists probably didn't want to be alone with a strange man, which he could understand.

It's not a big problem. Just let these young people search in the safer directions. The probability of danger is very low.

Everyone sprang into action.

Seeing Xiao Yuyan come out of the house alone with her bag, Liao Xinyu, who had been waiting at the door, quickly stopped her and mustered his courage to say, "Xiaoyu, let's look together!"

He recalled what Chen Xiang had just told him: this was a rare opportunity to be alone, and he had to seize it no matter what.

"No need." Xiao Yuyan shook her head and was about to walk past him.

"Why?" Liao Xinyu was stunned for a moment. "Liang Qian and Xiao You can't be with you. Now it's just you and me. Don't worry, I'll protect you on the way..."

"It's not just you and me, but also Han Zhou and Zhang Tao. I've already made plans to go with Han Zhou, so I'm sorry."

Liao Xinyu was struck dumb, his breathing suddenly becoming rapid. After repeated invitations went unanswered, he said with a look of resentment, "You really trust a stranger like that!"

Xiao Yuyan frowned: "What stranger? I already said, Han Zhou is my friend."

"I'm your friend too, why won't you be with me?"

Liao Xinyu gave a dejected laugh and said self-deprecatingly, "Just because he's more handsome than me?"

"Neuropathy."

Xiao Yuyan didn't want to pay attention to him. She had only taken two steps when Liao Xinyu grabbed her hand tightly. Her brows furrowed deeper and deeper. She forcefully shook off his hand and quickly walked towards Han Zhou's direction.

This is a race against time, and she doesn't want to waste time here with this clueless guy.

Liao Xinyu, looking grim, was left behind.

Seeing him standing there all alone, the kind-hearted Zhang Tao approached him with his backpack. He had originally intended to offer to search in one direction with him, but seeing that he didn't move, he could only shrug helplessly and headed in another direction with a guide.

Updates resumed, one update per day.

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(End of this chapter)