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Chapter  27 Is it an Enemy or a Friend?  (Part 1)
As time passed, Lou Chen decided to ride in front of the convoy leaving Jin Yan Hen and Xing Mu behind. The two men can’t think of anything else to say or do and decided to just follow along the way.
After traveling for quite some time, the group of travelers finally reached the forest mentioned by Xing Mu. It was late autumn and the leaves of the trees were scattered on the ground leaving only bare trunks and stems. The sight was gloomy all around.
The forest was indeed flat and spacious. Although, she did not see the stream that he mentioned, the place was wide open and look safe. It was indeed a good place to camp and rest overnight.
Xing Mu went to Lou Chen and whispered, “This is the forest, Miss Lou, we will stay here tonight to rest.”
“Yeah,” Lou Chen had nothing to comment. It was also getting dark and in just half an hour, the road will be totally dark. She had been riding the horse all day, she also felt tired.
Jin Yan Hen gave the ground  one quick glance and commented, “ In this place, we are not the only ones passing by here.”
Xing Mu looked at the place Jin Yan Hen was staring and saw many horseshoe marks and explained, “ This place is next to the official road and also suitable for camping and resting.  Any travelers that pass through the road will, of course, choose this place to rest. As long as we stay in our place and we will bother  anyone.”
Jin Yan Hen just shrugged his shoulder and did not speak again, he pulled his horse’s reigns and looked around.  He was investigating cases all year round and he already developed a habit that wherever he goes, he would unconsciously observe the surroundings. This forest, although it was autumn and there was plenty of wind gusts and should have plenty of dead branches on the ground, however after a quick glance, there were only a few dead branches scattered around that could only mean that there were people around that were collecting these firewoods. Normally, people will pick up dead branches near their campsite, but he does not see any campers around or the other possibility was that these travelers were a huge group that they needed so many dead branches for firewood.
If the caravan was a small one, he will not worry but looking at the ground, there were no footprints and a telltale that the martial art skills of these people were not weak…
Xing Mu looked at the people with him, most have no martial arts skills, one was poisoned and the one who was good at it was a woman. In these group of travelers, the only one with martial arts skills and in good health, and naturally, he should be the one who should take the responsibility of protecting them. Xing Mu tied his horse and said loudly and heartily, “ The dry food is not easy to swallow on its own, let me go and try  if  I can hunt some meat.”
In Yan Hen pointed at him, smiled and said, “ Xing Mu, be careful. In case there is a ferocious beast nearby, it is not good if you get hurt.”
In such an empty forest, there was no way that a beast would appear here. Xing Mu suspected that  Jin Yan Hen was just trying to make fun of him, “ Do not worry, Xing Mu is not that weak. “ and the last word was given a special emphasis.  After saying that, regardless of Jin Yan Hen ’s reaction, he turned and walked towards the forest.
“Weak”  The word emphasized, Jin Yan Hen did not take it to heart but Lou Chen upon hearing it did not feel happy.  “Tomorrow, we will leave early, though your body’s condition is not that bad, we have to reach that town on the hill quickly.”
Jin Yan Hen casually replied,” Okay, I will listen to what you say.”
Old Li, who was driving the coach sighed heavily and thought in this case, they are going to rush desperately on this journey tomorrow.  Even if he wanted to complain but facing this beautiful and indifferent woman with very few words, he could not explain the effect on him that he couldn’t open his mouth. He just hopes that tomorrow his body will be kept in one piece and not break any bones.
Old Li got up, patted the dust from the corner of his clothes, said: “I will go and pick up some firewood and make  a good fire.”
Jin Yan Hen who was checking the horses if they were tied well, laughed and said, “ You are working hard, Uncle Li.”
“Not hard.”  Old Li waved his hand and walk to the side.
Jin Yan Hen thought, it would be good to follow along with him and  pick up some firewood, but heard that light voice suddenly shouted, ‘”Jin Yan Hen.”
Jin Yan Hen turned around to see a strange look in Lou Chen’s eyes as if she was hesitant to say something and stopped midway.
After Lou Chen thought about it, she finally still asked, “ You are not really afraid to lose you internal force and become a wasted man. “
Jin Yan Hen smiled at her and said, “You said you will cure and me.  I naturally believe you, ah.”
That very confident and casual attitude gave Lou Chen feeling of helplessness and defeat. She turned her head and look towards forest not far away. She did not have the courage to stop him anymore.
Looking at the person that rarely displays any expression, as Uncle Li quickly disappeared towards the forest as if, Jin Yan Hen acted like did not find Lou Chen’s sudden silence awkward. He was happily smiling said this,” When I was a child, the fortuneteller said that Heavens blessed me a good life. When I am in danger, someone will be sent to help me. You see, I got poisoned but I met you. If you did not come to Loushi town, I might be dead already in the hands of Fang Rui Hui. So you see, I am confident nothing will happen. That fortune teller is actually very famous in Loushi town.”
Lou Chen has long known this man’s power of nonsense, let him talk about himself and not be bothered about it, and she did not even give him a glance not even a small look from the corner of her eyes. Her brows, however, wrinkled a little unconsciously but loosened it right after.
Lou Chen was in a good mood but the other person, the mood was bad. What does he mean that Lou Chen will be cured by her and he will be dead by his hand if she did not show up? Fang Ru Hui who was always calm and gentle was grinding his teeth and couldn’t bear these words of Jin Yan Hen.  This fool had not even considered the pressure that he will give to Lou Chen even he made it sound like a joke. What this guy had done right now, he wasn’t sure if Lou Chen will still have a liking for him?
Fang Rui Hui looked at Lou Chen. The woods in this autumn night was gloomy and he casually stood in the twilight, with her back towards him, this scenery in his mind was the beginning of unlimited magnificence of beauty and grace. Fang Ru Hui sighed secretly, to like this girl, he doesn’t know if it was Jin Yan Hen’s good or bad luck.
“I’m back.”  After half an hour, Xing Mu came back with a smile, holding his spoil, a rabbit.
The rabbit was dealt with accordingly, fur had been removed and guts were also pulled out. Jin Yan Hen at the moment was in a very good mood and gave generous praise: “Xing Mu indeed is a son of a nobleman, really amazing ah, because of the rabbit that you caught, we have a good dinner tonight.”
Xing Mu nodded to acknowledge him but did not comment.
Uncle Li also was hugging some dry wood when he came back, although not much roasting a rabbit with it, they did not need more.
Although the Xing Mu was Sword Mountain Villa’s young master, in the end, it was still under pugilistic world, he often goes out to hunt and roast some game, for him, was not difficult. As the night falls completely, the smell of barbecued rabbit also permeated in the woods. Not to mention, this young master was very skilled. The roasted rabbit was golden crisp and just by looking at it, people will drool of hunger.
After the Xing Mu finished roasting the rabbit, he tore one whole leg and gave it to Lou Chen.
Lou Chen had no special preference for meat does not have a special preference. At home, Su-Su often roasts chicken and grilled fish, she occasionally eats a tiny piece but not a lot. Lou Chen just cut a small piece of the rabbit meat and gave the rest of the leg to Jin Yan Hen. She then casually eat some dry foods, got afterward and said.”
Lou Chen and casually ate some dry food, then got up and said: “Tonight I sleep in the carriage, you find a place to rest.” ”
Not that she hadn’t experienced living in a rough in the wilderness at night before, but now that there was a carriage, she would never have wronged herself if she makes use of it.
The grown-up men naturally did not protest, Lou Chen is a woman and sleeping in the carriage was simply natural.
Lou Chen did not care about how the men she left outside with finding themselves a place to rest, she went inside the carriage, lied down and rest. Fang Rui Hui place a quilt on the carriage couch making it very comfortable for her. She quickly fell asleep but turning was not very convenient, making her half awake all the time. After a nap, Lou Chen woke up in the middle of the night.
She slowly sat up and she could not find herself to go back to sleep. She picked up the water bag beside the couch to relieve her parched throat only to find the bag empty.
Dry throat made her very uncomfortable and without saying a word, Lou Chen simply took the water bag, got out of the carriage and started walking.
The fire on the ground was getting smaller, Uncle Li was lying near the fire, sleeping soundly.  Fang Ru Hui was not far away with his back on a trunk sleeping, Jin Yan Hen and Xing Mu were also close by sleeping near the carriage, one on the left and on the right like guards putting the carriage in the middle.
Lou Chen’s steps were extremely light and did not wake up the sleeping men around her.
She looked around but she could not find the stream. She carefully listened and she faintly hears the sound of running water. Using her qinggong, she went towards the source of the sound.
After moving east for a while, it did not take for  Lou Chen to find the stream mentioned by Xing Mu. The stream was wider than she imagined. It was seven to eight feet wide and the water was very soothing.
Lou Chen went to the stream and filled her water bag, drank some water to relieve her uncomfortable throat. Mow, she has the mood to carefully look at and admire the stream.
The water on this steam was flowing down from the high plane but it was flowing away from the official road and from the upstream, there were about seven to eight feet drop forming a small waterfall.  The water that was falling was following a shape of a bend towards the south.  Under the moonlight, the stream was like a glittering jewel winding down as the sound of the ripples of water were being carried by the wind like a whisper, bringing a soothing sound of the fresh water making that who hear to be relaxed and happy.
Lou Chen extended her hand to caressed the water and played the water with her fingertips.  The water felt cool and refreshing, after travelling all day with all the dust, she decided to also wash her face. She crouch down held some water on her palms and gently patted her face. The cold water scent refreshed her energy.
When she was about to wipe the water droplets on her face, she suddenly remembered that “poignant romantic” love story. How can this Jin Yan Hen come up with such a story? Lou Chen felt funny inside and her lips raised a little. A smile that rarely appears on such a cold face.
She rarely laughs, but when he does it was so warm, it was like a spring melting winter snow, that even a dead wood would sprout a bud. The beauty is not from appearance but in the magnificent look. At this moment, someone had suddenly lost his rhythm of breathing. That slight changed doesn’t escape the notice of Lou Chen.
The eyes of Lou Chen suddenly turned cold, knowing that someone was also present near the stream.
Originally, she thought it was Jin Yan Hen or  Xing Mu who came to look her. The smile was gone from the of the corner of her lips and turned into a slight frown. But she discerned right after that the burning look came from the other side of the bank, Lou Chen’s face turned colder and with a chilly voice like a frost.
“Have you look enough? ”