The Du family wife was stunned. After a brief moment of astonishment, Yun Shi repeatedly shook her head, "The snow is falling so heavily outside, Mother, Mother cannot let you go on an adventure."
Sympathy aside, how could she let her own daughter risk danger? If they found him, fine, but if they didn't...
Yun Shi dared not even think about it.
Qi Zhenzhen felt sorry for the Du family wife. Life was already difficult for two widows; no one wanted to get close to them, avoiding them like harbingers of doom. The only reason the two women could persevere through such days was because of Du Xiang. It was imaginable that without Du Xiang, the two would lose the courage to even live.
Besides that, Qi Zhenzhen had a good impression of Du Xiang. He was diligent in his studies, yet not a mere bookworm, and his demeanor in dealing with people was very pleasant.
It was too much of a pity for someone like him to die in the mountains.
"Mother, don't worry, I know what I'm doing. Whether I find him or not, I will be back before dark," Qi Zhenzhen said with a calm expression but a firm tone.
Yun Shi knew her daughter was stubborn, and also knew she wasn't impulsive. She could only nod with difficulty, "Then you absolutely cannot abandon me and your younger brother."
Qi Zhenzhen pursed her lips and smiled, "How could I?"
She changed into newly made thick cotton clothes and trousers, and put on a fur vest, fully armed.
"Zhenzhen, you be careful, and if you can't find him, come back quickly," the Du family wife said, her lips trembling. "Xiang-ge'er, Xiang-ge'er, this is fate!"
Qi Zhenzhen nodded gently, went out, and headed towards Tiger Tooth Mountain.
The Du family wife did not stay at the Qi family either. She still had a sick mother-in-law at home and had to go back to look after her.
When she reached the foot of the mountain, the snowflakes had almost stopped, with only an occasional flake drifting down. Qi Zhenzhen breathed a sigh of relief. If it had continued snowing, visibility would have been greatly reduced, making the search even more difficult.
It seemed Heaven was still somewhat merciful, knowing she was looking for someone and giving her some convenience.
If Du Xiang was on the outskirts of the mountain, he definitely wouldn't have been trapped. This boy must have unknowingly walked deeper into the mountains.
It was basically impossible to find someone in this forest with her own strength. Qi Zhenzhen did not delay and walked directly towards the forest lake.
After walking for about fifteen minutes, the forest lake appeared in Qi Zhenzhen's sight. This forest lake was very strange. At this temperature, it should have frozen over long ago, yet the forest lake was still rippling with water. Qi Zhenzhen initially thought it was a hot spring and got excited, but when she reached out her hand, it almost froze off. Before winter, the water in the forest lake was bone-chillingly cold, making it truly inexplicable.
"Awoooo—"
Qi Zhenzhen gathered her breath and let out a loud roar.
She was confident she could find Du Xiang, solely relying on Ye Bai.
The last time with Gu Sinian and Qian Yuanbao, Ye Bai and Mao Qiu had let them off the hook. Later, when entering the mountains, Qi Zhenzhen had encountered Ye Bai again. Because she understood animal languages, Ye Bai was very friendly towards her. In Ye Bai's words, the wolf clan's traditions recorded that humans who could communicate with wolves would become the guardians of the wolf clan. Ye Bai didn't quite believe it but didn't consider Qi Zhenzhen an enemy.
Before long, Ye Bai's figure emerged from the forest.
Moving with elegant steps, he was followed by two large wolves, one black and one gray.
"Awooo, why are you entering the mountains at this time of year?" Ye Bai's tone was filled with confusion.
Qi Zhenzhen's face fell, "Do you think I *want* to enter the mountains? It's freezing to death. I'm in the mountains looking for someone, and I don't want that person to freeze to death in the mountains. But as you know, wandering around in the mountains at this time is practically courting death, so I've come to you shamelessly. Your wolf clan has many members, can you help me look?"
Ye Bai let out a low growl, "Troublesome."
"Please, please, if you ever need help in the future, just ask, and I will definitely not refuse," Qi Zhenzhen managed a smile. "Please instruct them, tell your clansmen not to bite the person."
Ye Bai turned and growled a few times at the black and gray wolves, and the two wolves darted away.
"I can't guarantee whether they can find him."
Qi Zhenzhen shrugged, "If they can't find him, then it's his destiny to meet his end here."
It didn't take long for the black and gray wolves to return. The person was found. He had fallen into a snowdrift, and they couldn't get him out.
The two wolves led the way, with Qi Zhenzhen following behind.
After walking for a short while, they found him. It was a snowdrift about ten feet deep, and Du Xiang lay within it.
Calling out to him elicited no response. Qi Zhenzhen didn't delay, took out a rope from her backpack, and turned to Ye Bai, "Can this rope be tied to them?"
Ye Bai was very smart and knew Qi Zhenzhen intended to have them pull the person out.
He nodded. The black and gray wolves stepped forward. Qi Zhenzhen made a slipknot with the rope and put it on each wolf, fearing that one wolf alone couldn't pull Du Xiang out.
Once it was done, she threw the other end of the rope into the snowdrift. Qi Zhenzhen took out another rope, tied one end to a tree, and the other end to her waist. She coiled the excess in her hand and, like rock climbing, used her feet to push off and descend to the bottom of the snowdrift.
Du Xiang's lips were already purple. Shouting and patting him had no effect.
If not for the slight warmth at the back of his neck and the slow beat of his pulse, he would have been indistinguishable from a corpse.
They couldn't delay any longer; if they did, he might truly die.
After securing the rope, Qi Zhenzhen signaled Ye Bai, and the two wolves above began to pull.
Although Du Xiang wasn't fat, pulling him up was still not an easy task. Qi Zhenzhen helped by rubbing the edge of the snowdrift. Those above pulled with all their might, and even Ye Bai helped from behind. Only then was the person dragged out. Da Feng Novel Network
Qi Zhenzhen did not delay, rubbed her hands, and while coiling the rope in her hands, she used her feet to push off the snowdrift wall and climb up.
Her movements were agile, and it didn't take much effort.
However, once she got up, Qi Zhenzhen became troubled. Du Xiang, though not fat, was a fifteen or sixteen-year-old youth. Although she was strong, her build was small. She could carry him, but she would have to drag him, and by the time they got out of the mountains, Du Xiang's remaining breath might be gone from the dragging.
"Ye Bai, help me all the way..." Qi Zhenzhen pleaded.
"Awooo, we are wolves, not oxen or horses. We cannot carry people."
"You don't need to carry him, just drag him."
Ye Bai watched as Qi Zhenzhen took a cleaver and, in a few quick strokes, cut a pile of wooden sticks. She then used hemp rope to wrap them together, creating a simple sled.
The rope was tied to the black and gray wolves, and they dragged the person outwards.
Huskies were good at pulling sleds, and these wolves were not bad at pulling either.
When they reached the outskirts of the forest, Ye Bai and the black and gray wolves stopped. Qi Zhenzhen untied the rope, thanked them sincerely, and continued to drag Du Xiang outwards herself.
A few steps after leaving the mountains, Qi Zhenzhen saw the sturdy figure of Zhang Erniu. "Brother Zhang Er, quickly lend a hand."