Chapter 169: She Has Liked Fang Zhou for 11 Years

The tissue handed to him was neatly folded, looking as orderly as Qin Yun herself.

Fang Zhou didn’t have time to ponder the deeper meaning behind her gaze.

“Thank you.”

He took the tissue from Qin Yun and roughly wiped his face before looking back at her.

As if silently asking, “Can we save her now?”

Qin Yun finally smiled slightly, opening the portable medical kit she carried and began treating the old woman’s wounds.

The injuries of the old man and woman were like a bell ringing on the mountain, reminding everyone of the danger here.

For a moment, the bus was silent, everyone waiting for Qin Yun’s diagnosis. The sight of the old woman’s blood was shocking.

About ten minutes later, Qin Yun finally removed her medical gloves, taking the bottled water Fang Zhou had found for her to wash her hands by the door.

“How is she?”

Fang Zhou followed her off the bus, and everyone’s eyes were on her, waiting for an answer.

“The wound is too large. Given the current conditions, I can only stop the bleeding temporarily. Further treatment will need to be done at a hospital.”

Qin Yun finished washing her hands and casually threw the trash into the plastic bag Fang Zhou had prepared.

Their actions were smooth and coordinated, as if they had rehearsed countless times. Someone on the bus watched with a tinge of jealousy.

“Thank you. Is she out of immediate danger?”

Fang Zhou couldn’t help but glance at the old man on the bus. He had just finished his bandaging and was eagerly checking on his wife.

Qin Yun looked up at the nearby rocky mountain, towering and majestic, with only a small part visible against the sky.

Even if the rescue team arrived, it would take days for the bus to get out of here.

If they wanted to save people, they would have to risk crossing the collapsed mountain and river or go out themselves.

Fang Zhou would likely choose to scout ahead.

Just thinking about it gave her a headache. How could she stop him?

Qin Yun’s eyes darkened, countless thoughts flashing through her mind before she decided to tell the truth.

“She’s stable for now, but without medication, it’s hard to say if we delay too long.”

Damn it, the previous incident had already made him so wary of her. If she lied again, he would surely want to escape even more.

Sometimes, Qin Yun hated her love for Fang Zhou. She loved him so much that even a well-meaning lie required careful consideration, ultimately leading to compromise.

If only she could, like in an anime, ignore all societal norms, even his aversion, and keep him by her side forever.

Fang Zhou had no idea what the curly-haired woman beside him was thinking. He only furrowed his brow, looking at the collapsed mountain ahead, contemplating his options.

About a minute later, he ran back to the bus and asked the director.

“When will the rescue team arrive?”

The director had called again during the rescue and received a more accurate time.

“About half an hour.”

Fang Zhou nodded, indicating he understood.

He then asked the driver, “How much longer on this route?”

If it was two or three kilometers earlier, there shouldn’t be much left now.

“About a kilometer. Once we pass this section, it’s a flat area with no high mountains on either side.”

The falling rocks continued to rain down, threatening the bus and everyone’s safety.

Staying put could mean being buried by the mountain.

Leaving meant crossing the collapsed rocks and river, and dealing with falling stones.

A tough choice.

The director, being conservative, suggested everyone stay and wait for rescue after Fang Zhou explained the situation.

No one wanted to take risks; they preferred to wait.

Fang Zhou didn’t force them. He couldn’t sit still on the bus and got off to observe the surrounding mountains. If there were changes, he could warn everyone to evacuate.

After all, he had a helmet; even if rocks fell, he should be safe.

On the bus, everyone had different expressions, lost in their thoughts.

Perhaps Chu Xinran’s worry was too evident, so even Zhang Zhiyin couldn’t help but comfort her. “Don’t worry too much. We’ll get out soon.”

Zhang Zhiyin, feeling a natural care for her youngest and most delicate sister, spoke softly.

Chu Xinran withdrew her gaze from Fang Zhou, smiling lightly. “Zhiyin Jie, was he like this in high school too?”

“Like this?”

Zhang Zhiyin didn’t understand her meaning, so she repeated.

“When something happened, did he also protect everyone like this?”

That short sentence made Zhang Zhiyin nostalgic, memories flooding back.

She nodded slightly, unable to resist talking about their high school days.

“In our first semester of high school, we were required to go on a thirty-mile hike.”

“At that time, we were all fifteen or sixteen, some with good stamina, others not so much.”

“I was always the last, while he was at the front of the class.”

Zhang Zhiyin’s gaze fell on Fang Zhou, bringing her back to the young boy from over a decade ago.

Back then, she lagged far behind due to exhaustion, almost out of sight of her classmates.

She could only see the endless road and the wild grass around her.

Fatigue and loneliness overwhelmed her, her calves ached, and her waist felt like it carried a mountain’s weight, almost making her want to give up.

But it was about the class’s honor, and the teacher’s words before they set off still echoed in her mind.

“It’s okay to fall behind, as long as we’re not dead last.”

She didn’t dare to stop and become the last, so she walked with tears streaming down her face.

The headteacher got worried and grabbed her, saying, “Zhiyin, why don’t you take the bus?”

“I don’t want to be last…”

At that moment, Fang Zhou appeared.

The boy, with a bright smile, took Zhang Zhiyin’s hand and led her forward.

“If you don’t want to be last, just follow me.”

He had stopped at some point, searching for her in the crowd, and upon hearing she was at the back, he ran to find her.

Seeing she couldn’t keep up, he carried her on his back, keeping pace with the group.

High schoolers loved to joke, saying Fang Zhou was like Pigsy carrying his wife.

Fang Zhou wasn’t angry; instead, he laughed and responded.

“If I could marry such a beautiful wife, turning into Pigsy would be worth it!”

He spoke carelessly, but she took it to heart.

From that moment, fifteen-year-old Fang Zhou moved into Zhang Zhiyin’s heart.

And he stayed there for eleven years.