Chapter 33: Why don't we just stay tonight?

  After Zhou Hao returned, the huge stone that had been pressing on Zhao Yuqin's heart was gone, and she became cheerful. She immediately told Yan Tong and the school about the safe return of Zhou Hao and Li Ruolan.

  When Zhou Hao first went missing, Zhao Yuqin still planned to keep it from Yan Tong, but as the days of Zhou Hao's disappearance grew longer, the truth eventually came out. When Yan Tong learned about this, she immediately fainted, fortunately with Zhao Yuqin by her side to take care of her. After waking up, Yan Tong stayed in Qiuning Mountain with Zhao Yuqin, waiting anxiously for news of Zhou Hao. It was only two days ago that a physically and mentally exhausted Yan Tong was persuaded by Zhao Yuqin to return home, promising to notify her immediately if there were any news about Zhou Hao.

  When Yan Tong heard Zhou Hao's voice on the phone, she had already cried uncontrollably, and Zhou Hao on this side was also in tears. Yan Tong immediately wanted to rush over to Qiuning Mountain to see Zhou Hao, but at this time it was approaching dusk, and Zhou Hao didn't want his mother, who was already exhausted from worrying about him, to run around, so he told Yan Tong that he would stay here for one night and return early tomorrow morning.

  As for Li Ruolan, she is not a local of Xiangcheng. After her parents learned that she was in danger, they rushed over from afar. Similarly, they waited at the foot of Autumn Peace Mountain for more than a week before being persuaded to return and temporarily stayed in Li Ruolan's dormitory. Now that they have received news of Li Ruolan's safe return, the two elders are also overjoyed to tears. However, Li Ruolan will be staying overnight here like Zhou Hao, and will only return with the soldiers from the Fifth Battalion early tomorrow morning.

  That night, Zhao Yuqin invited more than 90 soldiers from the fifth company to have a good meal at this small inn. On the one hand, it was to thank them for their hard work in rescuing them for more than half a month. On the other hand, it was to celebrate Zhou Hao and Li Ruolan's safe return.

  The fifth company's soldiers were very enthusiastic, constantly toasting the two survivors with high-proof rice wine. Li Ruolan was a weak woman and couldn't handle it, her face turned bright red after just one cup. Not wanting to make things difficult for Li Ruolan, Zhou Hao took over her share, but his body had been modified by the dragon's saliva fruit and he had also cultivated "Nourishing Qi Record", so ten or twenty cups of white wine didn't even make him blush, only making him go to the bathroom a few more times.

  Finally, everyone returned to their rooms with a happy heart.

  In his own room, Zhou Hao took a bath and lay half-reclined on the bed, flipping through "Shennong Bencaojing". Previously in the cave, Gong Sun had taught him some of its contents. According to "Shennong Bencaojing", various herbs have different effects on treating various diseases. However, it also says that medicine is three parts poison, and the effect of medicine is only an external force, the ultimate goal is to stimulate the body's own disease-fighting ability, and in the end, it still relies on the person themselves. According to "Shennong Bencaojing", the best "medicine" for fighting diseases is actually the yuanqi in the human body. When the yuanqi is abundant and strong, all diseases are kept at bay; when the yuanqi is weak and declining, evil spirits enter the body.

  Zhou Hao thought that the yuanqi mentioned here was probably the true qi he possessed now.

  As he flipped through "Shennong Bencao", Zhou Hao suddenly thought of Gong Sun Daifu and wondered how he was doing now.

  "Why not take some wine to drink with him and make a farewell? " Zhou Hao muttered to himself. He picked up two bottles of white wine and ran out of the hotel towards Autumn Ning Mountain, now he was walking briskly, like a ghost on the mountain.

  He soon found the tree hole, but discovered that the entrance had been sealed by mud and gravel.

  Looking at the sealed entrance, Zhou Hao felt a sense of sadness and desolation. Since there were no earthquakes in Qiuning Mountain, these rocks and sand must have been placed by human hands. And that person could only be Gong Sun Da Fu. He might have already left Qiuning Mountain, or he might still be inside the cave. Either way, it meant he didn't want to see Zhou Hao.

  Since that's the case, Zhou Hao didn't insist anymore. He looked at the sealed cave entrance and softly said, "Farewell, old man."

  Back at the hotel, Zhou Hao found Zhao Yuqin waiting for him in his room.

  "Xiao Hao, where have you been?" As soon as Zhao Yuqin saw Zhou Hao return, she immediately walked up to him and grabbed his hand, anxiously saying: "Sister is afraid that you'll disappear again." Having just experienced a life-and-death separation, she was really afraid of losing Zhou Hao again.

  "I went up to Autumn Peace Mountain." Zhou Hao said.

  "What are you doing going up Autumn Peace Mountain so late?" Zhao Yuqin pulled Zhou Hao to the bedside.

  "Zhou sister, do you know how I managed to survive this time?" Zhou Hao suddenly asked her.

  Zhao Yaqin shook her head, "I was waiting for you to tell me, Hao Lianchang only said that you were trapped in a mountain cave."

  "I was actually deceiving him." Zhou Hao then told Zhao Yuqin about how he had encountered Meng Tingguang harassing Li Ruolan that day, and later experienced the earthquake and landslide, and even passed out. He also told her about what happened when he met Gongsun Dafu in the cave. His experiences in the cave couldn't be shared with outsiders, but Zhao Yuqin didn't count as an outsider, and Zhou Hao had always been very open with her.

  The only thing Zhou Hao didn't dare tell her was that he had raped Li Ruolan in the cave.

  Zhou Hao said: "I just wanted to go see the old man earlier, but he didn't want to see me, so I came back."

  "That means you're now just like those top martial artists, Little Hao?" Zhao Yuqin said, "No wonder your body has undergone such a huge change. I didn't expect that there's still something as miraculous as the Dragon's Saliva Fruit in this world. I'm afraid even Auntie won't recognize you anymore."

  Zhou Hao smiled and said, "As the saying goes, 'a mother's heart is connected to her child', my mom will definitely recognize me. Unlike Zhao Jie, you're standing right in front of me and still can't tell who I am."

  "You're still angry with your sister, huh." Zhao Yuke affectionately pinched Zhou Hao's nose and then sighed, "You have no idea how much worry your sister has had for you these past few days."

  Upon hearing this, Zhou Hao couldn't help but wrap his arms around Zhao Yuqin's fragrant shoulders. "Sorry sister, I made you worry."

  Zhao Yuqin also leaned into his arms, "Nothing, as long as you return safely, whatever sister does is worth it."

  At this time, Zhao Yuqin was only wearing a thin shirt and a pair of shorts, while Zhou Hao's clothes were not many either. The two hugged each other, and it was inevitable that they would have some skin contact. Holding Zhao Yuqin's plump and mature body, his nose was filled with the enticing fragrance from her body, making Zhou Hao feel dizzy and infatuated. He couldn't help but kiss Zhao Yuqin's fragrant hair once.

  Zhao Yuqin trembled slightly, her body becoming even softer and more tightly nestled in Zhou Hao's arms.

  Both of them were enjoying the tranquility of the moment, Zhou Hao felt that his relationship with Zhao Yuqin was a bit like close siblings, but there was something more between them, and the ambiguous atmosphere between each other, neither of them wanted to break it.

  "By the way, Xiao Hao, your stocks have increased in value several times over," Zhao Yuqin finally broke the silence.

  "Hmm." Zhou Hao continued to gently stroke her back, without much reaction, because this was within his expectations.

  "The money you invested has also multiplied several times." Zhao Yuqin said: "Originally, I wanted to help you get rid of it, but I believed you would come back, so I endured and didn't get rid of it. Now that you're back, I knew you would come back."

  "Thank you, Zhao Jie, thank you for believing in me." Zhou Hao expressed his heartfelt gratitude.

  "By the way, there's one more thing." Zhao Yuqin lifted her head from his arms, "Do you remember buying a lottery ticket?"

  "Lottery?" As soon as Zhao Yuqin said that, Zhou Hao remembered that he had bought a welfare lottery ticket that day to test his intuition. He looked at Zhao Yuqin and asked, "Right, I did buy a welfare lottery ticket. What, did I win?"

  Zhao Yuqin nodded happily, "Really won, it's a special prize, with 5 million! After deducting taxes, there are still over 4 million left. I went back to Xiangcheng a few days ago and also visited your home, where I saw the lottery ticket on your desk in your room. At that time, I didn't pay much attention to it, but the radio was just announcing the winning numbers, so I took a look and found out that your lottery ticket had won the special prize, and immediately cashed in the prize money."

  Zhou Hao couldn't help but feel a thrill in his heart after hearing this, and he couldn't resist giving Zhao Yuqin two pecks on the forehead.

  Zhao Yaqin's face turned bright red, and she said: "This time it's really true that great difficulties will be followed by good fortune. Originally, I thought that if you really had a three-long-and-two-short (i.e., a child), this money would be enough for Auntie to live on, and even if there was no such money, I would still help take care of Auntie."

  Zhou Hao was deeply moved by her words. "Sister Zhao, why are you so good to me? Is it just because I saved you that one time?"

  "I don't know, I just want to be good to you." Zhao Yuqin wrapped her arms around Zhou Hao's waist and stroked his strong and handsome face. "Little Hao, after eating that Longyan fruit, you've become even more handsome, and sister can't help but have a racing heart when she sees you."

  "Really?" Zhou Hao burst out laughing, "Then I'm even more suitable to be your little white face, Zhao Jie!"

  As for this unexpected wealth, Zhou Hao plans to use it to buy a few pieces of land in the wasteland where an auto parts production base will be built. The place is still desolate and worthless now, but Zhou Hao is familiar with Si Tu Li and has saved the mayor's daughter before, so with their help, buying a few pieces of land shouldn't be a problem.

  "But anyway... " Zhao Yuqin suddenly pinched Zhou Hao's cheeks, "Nothing happened between you and that Teacher Li in the cave, did it?"

  Zhou Hao was suddenly startled and thought: Could it be that Zhao Yuqin had seen something?

  "Just now when we were celebrating, I saw her looking at you with a somewhat resentful gaze." Zhao Yuqin said.

  "How could that be? She's my teacher, how dare I do anything to her? Besides, there was also Gong Sun Daifu in the cave at that time."

  Zhao Yuqin looked at him deeply for a moment, "Sister will believe you this once."

  Zhou Hao felt relieved, and seeing that it was already dark outside the window, he said to Zhao Yuqin: "Sister Zhao, it's getting very late, and you still have to rush back to the city tomorrow morning. You should get some rest early."

  But then Zhao Yuqin's face suddenly turned red, and she said in a low voice: "Sister, why don't you stay tonight?"