Winter Returns

Chapter 92 Wilderness Battle
“I didn’t go there last night.”

Zhang Shutong was startled and horrified.

But he had been shocked too many times today, and only subconsciously asked:
"That statement...is also false?"

"real."

"You mean there are two of you?"

"The person you're seeing shouldn't be me."

"Who is that...?"

"I don't know either." Lu Qinglian's brows were still furrowed.

"sisters?"

"Are you sure you didn't see it wrong?" Lu Qinglian asked again.

“No, and she was also wearing a blue robe,” Zhang Shutong recalled more details, “from your temple?”

But then he realized that there were only a young girl and her grandmother in the temple.

“He’s not from the temple. Do you remember December 5th, this Wednesday? That night I went fishing with you guys, and I left for a while in the middle.” She spoke quickly, giving no one a chance to catch their breath. “You’ve been asking me what I was doing there, now I can tell you—”

"It's all to find him."

"You've seen yourself too?" Zhang Shutong's mind was completely in turmoil.

"No, I don't even know who he is."

"What do you mean? Then why did you go to see him?"

"Let me put it another way, Zhang Shutong." She sighed. "Your question to me can be divided into four categories for now: one is what I know, one is what I don't know, one is what I know but can't tell you, and the last one is what's better if you don't know."

"What about this?"

"Why look for him? That's the third reason. As for who he is, that's the second reason."

Zhang Shutong had so many questions to ask that he didn't even know where to begin. He grabbed a handful of snow from the ground and smeared it haphazardly on his face, which made him shiver. Once his mind calmed down, he asked his first question:
"You have no connection with Gu Qiumian's family affairs?"

"No."

"True?"

"Being suspicious is not a good thing. If you still doubt me, you can think back carefully. The things I am unwilling to tell you are always presented in a different way."

"'You can understand it this way for now'?"

“That’s right. It’s actually quite easy to tell, unlike you who can make up all sorts of lies, right?” she said calmly. “I can understand that your mind is in a mess. Since that’s the case, why don’t you listen to me first? Why did you suspect me just now? You seemed very certain that Gu Qiu Mian would die.”

of course……

Zhang Shutong hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

Tattoos, photos.

And then there's Gu Qiumian's bizarre cause of death.

But now all these clues have been reversed. He even wondered if the clues were correct, but he had mistaken the "person" he was looking for? Was the murderer who coldly killed Gu Qiulian really Lu Qinglian, but not the Lu Qinglian in front of him?
But how can we be sure who this Lu Qinglian is?
Do we really need to distinguish between the real and fake Lu Qinglian?

Zhang Shutong felt a chill run down his spine.

calm down.

First of all, since this Lu Qinglian remembers the arrest of poachers on Wednesday, it means that the Lu Qinglian I met after going back in time is the woman in front of me.

What about Lu Qinglian from her student days?

Only after this matter is confirmed can there be conditions for communication:

"Gloves?"

Zhang Shutong asked again.

Lu Qinglian was indeed able to quickly understand his meaning:
"I borrowed it because my hands were frostbitten and I got cuts; you lent it to me to shovel snow. Is there anything else you want to confirm?"

"It should be...gone."

Zhang Shutong also couldn't remember the details of her student days.

"Then you should answer my question," Lu Qinglian said again, her amber eyes indifferent and imposing. "Listen, I want the truth."

"It was probably just a dream."

"Your dream is quite realistic." As she said this, Lu Qinglian's tone turned cold.

Zhang Shutong knew this excuse was ridiculous, but he still didn't understand what the Green Snake Temple really represented. He figured out a pattern: Lu Qinglian was very tight-lipped about anything related to the temple.

Moreover, the fact that the other party is able to calm down and communicate now is based on the premise that he is an ordinary person;
If I were to tell her directly that I have the ability to go back in time, and that I obtained this ability from her temple, I have no idea what her reaction would be.

Being suspicious is a bad thing, but Zhang Shutong wasn't prepared to expose his true colors right away.

I guess I'll just have to leave it to my dreams.

He gained his ability at a festival during the summer vacation after the fourth year of junior high school.

So even if Lu Qinglian doesn't believe in the excuse of "dream," she would never know that she can go back in time.

"It really was a dream." He controlled his subtle facial expressions and looked at the other person solemnly.

"Yes, it was a dream." The girl nodded casually. "So?"

"Gu Qiu Mian died in my dream, right there in that wasteland."

"cause of death?"

“I don’t know.” He described the information about the Gu family villa: “dogs, fences, bodyguards and nannies, but she still died in that wasteland. I still can’t understand it.”

"So you suspect I killed her?"

“After all, you are special,” Zhang Shutong said again. “But now I suspect that the murderer is not you, but the figure I saw last night.”

He could now describe his feelings. Finally, there was further progress in the clues about the murderer, and the answer seemed to be within reach. On the one hand, it was naturally exciting, but on the other hand, even Lu Qinglian didn't know what it was... So what exactly was it?
Zhang Shutong felt a chill down his back.

"If you don't know who he is, why go looking for him?" Zhang Shutong asked patiently.

"The duties of a temple keeper."

"make it clear."

"How large do you think the area under the jurisdiction of this temple is?"

"The entire mountain?"

“The whole island. So when something happens on the island, I'll know.”

"Rely on those snakes?"

"If you know too much, you might not be able to get back today."

This is another tacit admission.

Zhang Shutong realized that sometimes she needed to think carefully about what she said.

"Can I understand that, in the eyes of you temple keeper, something has happened to that wasteland to the west?"

"can."

"What's going on?" Zhang Shutong asked, not holding out much hope.

"Grandma told me." To everyone's surprise, Lu Qinglian was very straightforward this time.

"Then should we just go and ask her?"

I don't recommend it.

What do you mean by "not recommending"?

"I'm not going to see her to protect you, that's all."

"Wait a minute." Zhang Shutong suddenly remembered something. "Your grandma doesn't know you came out to see me today?"

"do not know."

"So you're still going to take me to the temple?"

"It's like you dug a trap. I also have other preparations."

He suddenly remembered what the other person had said at the foot of the mountain:

"...So I won't give you another chance to hesitate. This isn't about you making a decision, it's about you having to, you have no choice..."

"What preparations?" Zhang Shutong asked again.

"Prepare for you to tell the truth."

What do you mean?
Zhang Shutong was stunned again.

Did the other side also set a trap?

Or perhaps he would imprison him once he arrived at the temple?

Torture?

Or was some kind of sleeping potion used?
But Lu Qinglian said calmly:

“I told you, being suspicious is a bad thing. I know you better than you think. I don’t need any tricks to get you to tell the truth. Also, I have no intention of harming anyone. If I did, you wouldn’t be in this situation now.”

If it weren't for the fact that her tone was completely flat, her words would have sounded slightly ambiguous.

"By the way, try not to appear in front of my grandmother. I'm not sure how long I can keep it a secret," Lu Qinglian added meaningfully.

"What are you hiding?"

"The matter between you and me." As she said this, Lu Qinglian's lips curled up slightly.

Zhang Shutong knew this statement couldn't be taken seriously. It was just something she said casually again.

He proactively paused the fast-paced conversation; there was too much information, and he needed to process it.

First of all, the Green Snake Temple is indeed no ordinary little temple.

Besides the time travel, there are many more secrets hidden within.

Secondly, the girl is not an ordinary girl.

Furthermore, the girl's grandmother was probably not the ordinary old woman he imagined.

Zhang Shutong was somewhat relieved; thankfully, he hadn't gone directly to the temple, bypassing Lu Qinglian, as he had planned with Qingyi. Finally, the murderer surfaced, and although more troublesome than expected, he seemed to have found an opportunity to fight alongside Lu Qinglian in the cold-blooded storyline—

“Let’s cooperate.” Zhang Shutong extended his hand and said earnestly, “I want to catch the murderer, and you, as the temple keeper, also need to find that person. At least in this respect, we are on the same side.”

“Okay.” As she said this, Lu Qinglian’s gaze remained fixed on his hand, her body motionless. “I’m not used to physical contact with others, so a verbal agreement is fine. Please understand.”

Zhang Shutong indifferently withdrew his hand:
"What other information can we exchange? The other side's whereabouts?"

"I've been looking for it these past few days. That's about it."

"Would those snakes be of any use?"

"Why are you still bringing up snakes?" Lu Qinglian frowned.

Zhang Shutong knew he had messed up.

"Since you've already let it slip, I'll keep it a secret for you. Can we talk about something else?"

“No,” she refused. “But I can tell you that those frozen snakes were unexpected.”

"You mean, because of this heavy snow?" Zhang Shutong suddenly realized that he had overlooked the snow, which was clearly the most unexpected thing. "Is it related to the temple?"

"It has nothing to do with it."

"Sure?"

"determine."

It seems she didn't know the origin of the heavy snow either; if the other party wanted to deceive her, she wouldn't have needed to say such a thing.

Zhang Shutong reviewed the conversation again, confirming that she had asked all the questions she needed to ask. The rest were either questions she didn't know the answers to, or they concerned the Green Snake Temple, which she was not prepared to answer.

But Zhang Shutong didn't have time to investigate what else was hidden in that temple. As mentioned earlier, Gu Qiumian's death was imminent, and the most urgent task was to reach a cooperation agreement and find the murderer together.

He clenched his fist tightly. Although today's experience was completely beyond his imagination, upon reflection, it was all positive gains.

Except for getting kicked.

But this matter... Zhang Shutong glanced again at her tiptoeing feet. An eye for an eye, it's actually quite normal.

So Zhang Shutong asked again:
"Then I need to go down the mountain to make some arrangements. What about you? Going back to the temple? How will we keep in touch?"

He wanted to say that they should keep in touch, but then he remembered that Lu Qinglian didn't even have a cell phone and couldn't send messages anytime. He couldn't possibly climb a mountain every time he wanted to contact her.

“No,” Lu Qinglian shook her head, “I’m going down the mountain too. Time is tight. Don’t think that thing is easy to find. I also advise you to give up the idea of ​​confronting him directly. Have you thought that since he was able to enter the villa, he might have some unexpected means?”

"Like those snakes?"

Lu Qinglian remained silent, but her eyes held a dangerous glint.

Zhang Shutong apologized. He didn't want to mention the snakes, but they were the only suitable examples or methods that could be considered outside of common sense.

"What about your grandma? Should we let her know?"

"She didn't know that classes were canceled today, so I could stay outside all day."

"You seem to have only a casual relationship with her?" Zhang Shutong interpreted this sentence with a different meaning.

“Zhang Shutong,” Lu Qinglian said indifferently, “I’ve reminded you for the third time. I don’t want it to happen again. Our relationship isn’t close enough for you to pry into my private affairs.”

Zhang Shutong promptly shut up.

……

However, the woman who had said just minutes before, "Our relationship isn't that good," was now clinging to his back.

Zhang Shutong carried Lu Qinglian on his back and carefully walked down the mountain path.

Her sprained ankle was more severe than she had imagined; she could only move slowly on flat ground. However, the surrounding area was covered with snow and ice, and there was no smooth path for her to walk on.

As for resting in place, that was impossible. It would be difficult to find a place to sit down, and even if you did, it would be too cold around you. Once you stopped moving, your body temperature would drop rapidly. This made him realize one thing: Lu Qinglian must really be a human.

Seeing that her skin was getting whiter and whiter from the cold—most people's skin would only turn red when they get cold, but Lu Qinglian was the opposite; her skin was like porcelain, radiating a flawless cold light, and her complexion was getting worse and worse, so Zhang Shutong offered to carry her down the mountain.

Now, this porcelain-like woman was on his back. Of course, he had no romantic thoughts. He was exhausted. Every time he took a deep breath, it aggravated the wound on his chest. And when the adrenaline subsided, he realized that not only his chest, but also his arms were in pain.

"Move your hand down a little," a cold warning voice came from behind. "Don't touch my thigh."

"Sorry." He lifted the girl up a bit and hooked her legs behind her back. "It's my first time carrying a girl, I have no experience."

“This is also the first time I’ve been carried on a man’s back.” Lu Qinglian certainly wouldn’t hook her arms around his neck, but instead gently placed her hands on his shoulders. “So you’d better be careful, Zhang Shutong.”

Both of them felt it was best not to discuss this topic.

Zhang Shutong felt a little embarrassed after calling her mother, as she had promised not to disturb her mother's beauty sleep.

But his mother still rushed over after receiving the call. As for where to go next, Zhang Shutong hadn't decided yet, but they would have to get down the mountain first.

"How much strength do you have left?" Zhang Shutong asked.

"Solving your problem is no problem."

"I mean, what if the killer is a good fighter and we're confident we can take him down?"

"uncertain."

He felt a ticklish sensation on the back of his neck, and he knew it was Lu Qinglian shaking her head, her hair swaying along with it.

Normally, this would make one's mind wander, but Zhang Shutong only felt regret.

It seems... I've just... weakened my hard-earned combat strength.

"Feel sorry."

"You should apologize." Although her expression was not visible, it was likely expressionless.

"But the things you said in the car are hard to ignore and make people think otherwise."

He had no choice but to explain:
"For example, snakes will become active again after the temperature rises, so be careful not to get bitten..."

"That was to warn you not to have any inappropriate curiosity about those snakes. What does that remind you of?"

Zhang Shutong paused for a moment, then asked:

"That kind of sarcastic, mocking laugh? It's actually quite scary."

"Did you see that bird?" Lu Qinglian suddenly asked. "Standing on the second tree."

As soon as Zhang Shutong turned his head, the bird fluttered away.

"A bird startled by the mere twang of a bow?"

"Pretty much. Do you remember the experiment in the first-year biology textbook?" As expected of the top student in the grade, she could give an example easily: "Investigating the effect of light on the life of woodlice."

"What do you mean?"

"When I first heard the name 'woodlice,' I thought observing them was quite interesting, and I probably even laughed a little. So, do you know how I feel now?"

"what?"

"Fortunately, woodlice don't dig holes."

"You're saying that wasn't a sneer, but the laughter of observing some kind of creature?" Zhang Shutong understood; this woman was indirectly insulting him.

"You can understand it this way for now," Lu Qinglian said calmly. "On the one hand, you are too suspicious, and on the other hand, there are indeed some things about you that can pique my interest and are worth studying. But don't misunderstand, the interest I'm talking about is probably very different from what you understand."

Zhang Shutong couldn't figure out what it was; it sounded like a lab rat, so he could only interpret it that way for now.

“When I was a child, I kept a cat at a temple. Your reaction to me was similar to that cat’s reaction to a snake,” Lu Qinglian added.

"Alright, stop." His face darkened. "Then why did you change your mind again? Shouldn't you be taking me to the temple?"

"That was the original plan, but you got too carried away by the pit and revealed a lot of information, which is enough for me. I don't need to tell you anything more."

"Can we stop and take a break?"

"Are you stalling for time again?" She seemed to be frowning.

"No, you're heavier than I thought..."

"Zhang Shutong, I haven't told your friends about you digging this hole to bury me yet. Are you sure you want them to know why you dug such a deep hole?"

Zhang Shutong recalled Ruoping and Du Kang's reactions and shut up again.

What a troublesome woman.

They soon reached the foot of the mountain, and Zhang Shutong was finally free. He went into a small shop, found a chair, and put Lu Qinglian down.

The auntie at the convenience store was giving the two of them a strange look.

Zhang Shutong bought two bottles of water and handed one to Lu Qinglian.

"Thank you." Lu Qinglian accepted it politely.

He went out and called his mother, who asked how the two of them had fun.
Zhang Shutong didn't know how to answer.

She'll probably be dumbfounded when she gets here:
The two children were fine when they left, but how come one twisted his ankle and the other got kicked when they came back?
What exactly did you do on the mountain?
Thinking about these problems gave Zhang Shutong a terrible headache. Fortunately, Lu Qinglian wasn't the type of girl to tattle.

Soon his family's black SUV arrived. He called out to Lu Qinglian, and the two got into the car. Because Lu Qinglian deliberately slowed down, her mother didn't notice the injury on her foot.

The first thing she noticed was the empty plastic bag in the girl's hand:

"You two actually ate the apple? Wasn't I very prescient?"

His mother looked at him with a smile again:
"Oh dear, who was being stubborn this morning, saying it wasn't a picnic and they didn't want to disturb my sleep?"

Zhang Shutong's eyes twitched upon hearing this.

That's true.

More than just a picnic, it's a wild...

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but glance at Lu Qinglian in the rearview mirror. The girl's expression was calm.

It's as if all the probing, chasing, ambushing, and counter-ambush in this snowy landscape, the endless white, the swirling snowflakes... are all illusions.

But the pain in his chest told him that it hadn't been that long since it happened.

So it wasn't just a picnic; it was a major battle that unfolded in the wild.

Zhang Shutong came up with a suitable description.

Yes, it is like that.

(End of this chapter)