Chapter 680: 231 go up the mountain_3
"It seems," he said, "that you’ve even brought enough to live on the mountain for over a month."
"No wonder you were so generous with the provisions."
He found it somewhat unbelievable, and then humorous, "You really are well-prepared. Were you planning to stay on the mountain for a while?"
Lu Tong: "Did you think I came to the mountain to die? Even if I get lost in the mountains, I wouldn’t just drop dead immediately."
"I can tell," Pei Yunmeng replied lazily, "you’re very familiar with this place."
Lu Tong was very familiar with the mountain paths.
Her physical strength was far better than he had imagined; she showed no signs of tiredness after a long trek, and despite the rugged and steep terrain, she moved as if she were accustomed to it. The last time they were at Mangming Township Tea Garden, she also walked quickly, like someone who traversed mountain paths regularly, nimble as a graceful little deer.
He casually picked up a twig and drew aimlessly in the snow as if to start a casual conversation, "Have you been here before?"
Cai Fang and Li Wenhu had described Luomei Peak as a desolate mountain, where Chaos Burial Mound often had decaying corpses, and even the flourishing Red Plum seemed somewhat bloody and eerie. Su Nan had not seen heavy snowfall for years; the snow covered many traces, making it easy for someone to get lost, but Lu Tong had a clear purpose, obviously not her first visit.
Lu Tong looked towards the distance. The snowy landscape covered by a black cloth wasn’t very clear, vaguely different from what she remembered. She fell silent for a moment, then said, "I used to live here."
He was startled and turned to her, "By yourself?"
"With my master."
Pei Yunmeng was somewhat surprised.
After pondering for a while, he asked, "So, the first time we met six years ago, were you already living on Luomei Peak?"
"Yes."
Pei Yunmeng looked at her, "Then why didn’t you invite me to your place back then? We were so close to your home."
Lu Tong: "..."
She said, "I was afraid you would lose your life."
"How so?" The man raised his eyebrows, "Is your home a den of thieves, where anyone who enters gets discarded in the wilderness?"
Lu Tong: "Yes, you should be thankful to me."
"You’re speaking much more normally to me now," Pei Yunmeng snorted, "I thought you were really intending to cut all ties with me, the way you’ve been avoiding me lately."
Lu Tong paused for a moment, instinctively glancing up at him. They could only see each other vaguely through the black cloth, unable to clearly make out expressions, only able to hear voices. But perhaps it was the inability to see the other’s gaze that offered a sense of security that they wouldn’t be exposed.
Holding the dry food tightly, Lu Tong changed the subject: "Why were you at the Medical Officer’s residence today?"
"Didn’t I tell you? I suddenly felt unwell last night."
"You’re lying."
Pei Yunmeng studied the marks the twig had made in the snow and smiled faintly.
Lu Tong was very upset the night Ding Yong died.
She rarely shed tears, and the few times she did, it was always related to her family. Ever since the Qi Family had fallen, she seemed to float through life, adrift. But the tears she shed on his shoulder that night brought Pei Yunmeng abruptly into contact with a piece of her true heart.
It was like a tightly wrapped object showing a crack, maybe a good thing, yet exceedingly dangerous.
When a heart shows a crack, it becomes fragile.
So he had Qingfeng pay extra attention to Lu Tong.
Yesterday evening, Lu Tong had asked for a shovel and also got some dry food from Duan Xiaoyan. She didn’t usually eat much, and she had also refused food sent by Duan Xiaoyan previously, which was unusual behavior. Later, Qingfeng saw her seemingly packing a bundle outside the window and reported it to him.
So he personally came to keep watch.
Lu Tong was always silent when doing big things, like the time she went to Shengjing alone for revenge, quietly. He always felt the need to keep a close eye on her, fearing she might do something unexpectedly startling again.
As it turned out, he wasn’t wrong.
Pei Yunmeng picked up a water flask and asked, "What are you doing up in the mountains?"
"Collecting herbs."
"Collecting herbs?"
"In the new prescription for treating the plague, there’s an ingredient called ’Houbian’. The poison of Houbian is not easy to neutralize, but I remember, somewhere on Luomei Peak, not far from the summit, there’s a stream, and on the cliff north of the stream, grows the Chimu vine. The toxicity of the Chimu vine is fierce, similar to Houbian’s, so it might be worth a try."
After Ji Xun told her about the Chimu vine, Lu Tong had been thinking that it might offer a glimmer of hope.
But the shipment had taken too long to arrive from Pingzhou, and Cuicui didn’t have time.
She might not have time either.
She remembered there was a place on Luomei Peak where the Chimu vine grew, but that was a long time ago, and now she could only hope against hope, attempting a desperate search.
After listening, Pei Yunmeng nodded, "I see." He thought for a moment, then added, "So, you are familiar with this place because you often collect herbs in the mountains?"