SU MANHUA woke up shivering from the cold, disoriented and confused.

　　The first thing she saw was the flickering flames of a campfire. Her wet clothes clung uncomfortably to her body, and she felt weak, her arms aching, and her jaw sore.

　　Summoning her strength, Su Manhua struggled to sit up, the rustling sound of leaves beneath her catching her attention. She looked down to find herself lying on a makeshift bed of branches and leaves, if it could even be called a bed.

　　“Are you okay?” asked Ding Yi. He’s deep voice came from nearby.

　　It took a few seconds for Su Manhua to remember what had happened before she passed out.

　　“Are we still alive?” she asked, incredulous. She pinched her thigh to make sure she wasn’t dreaming, and the pain confirmed her reality.

　　Ding Yi looked at her with a mix of exasperation and relief.

　　“If you had been conscious, it might have been easier,” he said. Even though they were tied together, escaping with someone who could cooperate versus someone unconscious was vastly different.

　　Just before they plunged over the waterfall, Ding Yi had thrown the rope towards a nearby tree trunk. The axe, tied to the rope, lodged securely between several closely grown trunks, leaving them dangling on the edge of the waterfall. Using his extraordinary strength and endurance, Ding Yi had managed to haul them both to safety.

　　“Thank you for not abandoning me,” Su Manhua said, her voice breaking as tears filled her eyes. She wasn’t usually emotional, but she couldn’t help it this time.

　　“I would never abandon a comrade,” Ding Yi replied, the firelight casting a soft glow on his typically stern features, making him seem less aloof.

　　They were surrounded by dense trees, and a chill wind blew through the canyon. Su Manhua shivered, but her heart felt warm.

　　The rustling leaves seemed to stir something within her, like ripples on a calm lake. She swallowed her emotions and wiped away her tears.

　　“Someone like me doesn’t deserve to be called your comrade. I’ve only been a burden,” she said, with shame on her face.

　　“A comrade who shares hardship,” he added, and his tone softening. Ding Yi, who had only ever had one girlfriend but had known many women through work and life, felt that any other woman in Su Manhua’s position might have broken down. Yet, despite her moments of vulnerability and fear, she had held on.

　　“I will never forget your kindness,” Su Manhua smiled and said sincerely.

　　“Consider it repaid. After all, this trouble was caused by me,” Ding Yi comforted.

　　He was thankful that Sia Chingching wasn’t with them, and he doubted if he could saved two people at once.

　　“This was an accident, not your fault. To be honest, at first, I cursed you in my mind. But after thinking it over, I realized you weren’t to blame,” said Su Manhua. Believing in karma, she had accepted the situation.

　　Ding Yi found her bluntness both amusing and puzzling. He couldn’t imagine how someone so forthright navigated the corporate world.

　　After a short rest, Ding Yi stood up and took a dry jacket from the fire, handing it to her.

　　“Your clothes are still wet. Change into this and dry your clothes. I’ll gather more firewood,” said Ding Yi.

　　“It doesn’t matter. I’ll just sit by the fire,” Su Manhua said and quickly shook her head.

　　“Okay. Suit yourself,” he said and left the jacket with her, then tied a rope between some trees and hung branches on it, creating a privacy screen for her.

　　Listening to his footsteps fade, Su Manhua hesitated but eventually changed out of her wet clothes. Ding Yi’s jacket was large on her, fitting like an oversized dress. She hung her clothes by the fire to dry.

　　Fortunately, she knew in the morning that only Ding Yi would be traveling with her today, so Su Manhua deliberately wore a set of casual pants and sneakers. If she had worn a skirt according to her usual dressing preferences, she really couldn’t imagine how embarrassed she would be at this moment.

　　Sitting by the fire, she occasionally adding dry twigs to keep it going. The crackling of the fire, the sound of the river, and the moonlight filtering through the trees created a strangely serene atmosphere, making her almost feel like she was camping.

　　Summer clothes weren’t thick, so they dried quickly. Hearing unfamiliar sounds from the forest, she quickly dressed, even if her clothes were still damp.

　　“Mr. Ding, I’m done,” she called out, trying to keep her voice steady.

　　Ding Yi soon returned with more firewood.

　　“That was fast,” he said, looking at her suspiciously.

　　“The wind helped,” she replied hastily, moving away from him.

　　Ding Yi didn’t press the issue but gathered more branches to make himself a bed.

　　“I checked the terrain. This forest isn’t large, and it’s surrounded by cliffs. There’s no way up.”

　　“What should we do?”

　　“We can only figure it out in the morning.”

　　It was late at night, but Su Manhua unable to sleep. Then she tried to chat with Ding Yi.

　　“I can’t sleep. Could we talk?”

　　“Not used to this, right? Don’t worry, you’ll adapt.”

　　“Actually, It’s not too bad. I often go hiking and camping with friends.”

　　Su Manhua turned to face Ding Yi, and found that he hadn’t laid down yet. He was still tending the fire.

　　“You have good physical fitness.”

　　“Thanks. I don’t have many hobbies, but I love hiking and doing yoga.”

　　“No wonder,” he said and smiled genuinely, for the first time she’d seen. It’s nether a perfunctory smile nor a polite smile.

　　“Do you think we’ll make it back safely?”

　　“Don’t think too much, take a good rest and restore your strength. Look at the terrain, we will undoubtedly go through a lot of challenges and difficulties tomorrow.”

　　“Alright,” she said, finally closed her eyes and tried to sleep.

　　At dawn, they followed the river downstream, searching for a way out of the canyon. After about two kilometers, the river split. The main river was flanked by cliffs and was too fast to traverse, so they followed the tributary.

　　The tributary was a gentle stream, with clear water revealing fish swimming leisurely below. They walked from sunrise until noon, but the scenery remained unchanged—trees and cliffs.

　　“Let’s take a rest,” said Ding Yi. The rocky riverbanks were difficult to walk on, yet Su Manhua hadn’t complained, earning Ding Yi’s respect.

　　As they rested, Ding Yi noticed a bruise on Su Manhua’s chin.

　　“You have a bruise here.”

　　“It’s from the airbag. But it doesn’t hurt anymore. Is it obvious?”

　　“A little bit.”

　　“Leave it alone. Being alive is what matters.”

　　She tied her long hair into a bun to stay cool, revealing her slender neck.

　　Ding Yi looked away, his expression unreadable. He gathered dry grass and twigs and used a lighter to start a fire.

　　“How is your lighter still working after being soaked?” Su Manhua asked curiously.

　　“I don’t know, but we should be grateful for it,” he replied. Without it, they would have suffered from the cold last night. He believed that his brother-in-law was blessing him in heaven.

　　“You’re right. But what are you doing with the fire now?”

　　“We haven’t eaten anything since last night. Aren’t you hungry?”

　　“Yes, but there’s nothing to eat.”

　　“Just wait a sec.”

　　Ding Yi fashioned a spear from a tree branch and caught fish from the stream. When people are hungry, whatever they eat is delicious. Su Manhua found the simple grilled fish delicious despite the lack of seasoning.

　　As she ate, she glanced at Ding Yi, wondering about the man who seemed so different from the typical bank executive. He was pragmatic, resourceful, and calm in crises.

　　Stop! She forced herself to stop thinking about him.

　　After a simple meal, they continued downstream. The river narrowed, the trees thinned, and the water deepened. They had to wade through parts of it, the cold water making Su Manhua shiver.

　　Ding Yi knew the canyon was over thirty kilometers long. Considering the distance they had floated the previous night and their current progress, they should reach the end by nightfall unless something obstructed their path.

　　Unfortunately, they soon faced a blockage. The river was filled with debris, creating an impassable barrier.

　　“It’s blocked here, what should we do?” Su Manhua asked, fear creeping in.

　　“Water is flowing through, so there must be an exit. I’ll dive to check,” Ding Yi replied, disappearing beneath the surface.

　　Su Manhua looked up at the sky, but could only see a small patch of blue sky. The weather was good, but the sun could not reach the bottom of the valley.

　　She waited anxiously, shivering in the cold water. He was gone a long time, and she started to worry. How long was Ding Yi gone? One minute? Three minutes? Why did it take so long? Will he drown? Just as she was about to dive in after him, he resurfaced, gasping for air.

　　“Are you okay?” she asked anxiously.

　　He nodded, pointing at the debris. “It’s about thirty meters. There’s light on the other side. We need to swim through. Can you do it?”

　　Su Manhua assessed the situation and nodded, moving to the center of the river. She could usually swim a standard pool length without trouble, so thirty meters seemed doable.

　　“There are turns. First left, then right, right, and left. Got it?”

　　“You want me to go first?”

　　“You go first so I can watch you. Some places are narrow, so climbing will save you effort,” he explained. “Relax and don’t be nervous. You will easily suffer from oxygen deprivation if you do this.”

　　Relaxing herself, she took a deep breath and dived. The underwater tunnel was clearer than she expected, and she soon found the passage beneath the debris.

　　Remembering Ding Yi’s instructions, she swam through the narrow passage, using her hands and feet to pull herself along. The tight spaces made it difficult, but she kept moving.

　　However, she underestimated the difficulty of holding her breath. Near the final turn, she started to panic, her lungs burning for air. The passage seemed endless, and she feared she wouldn’t make it. She began to get nervous, and her heart and lungs were getting worse due to lack of oxygen.

　　Before she reached the exit, her eyes began to sting, her vision became blurry, and her burning chest made her more and more panicked.

　　No, she couldn’t stop here! The passage here could only accommodate one person. If she did, Ding Yi would be trapped behind her.

　　Su Manhua paddled her hands and feet desperately, and her chest felt as if it was about to burst! She pushed on, despite the pain, hoping desperately to reach the end before her strength gave out.

　　She thought with dismay—is she really unable to escape from this canyon?