Chapter 17: Just Fooling Around

“Hey!”

Hua Ning was thoroughly confused by the man’s reaction. She gave his shoulder a gentle push, but seeing no response, she clicked her tongue in wonder, her small hand already tracing the contours of his face.

“Ah, such a remarkable man, it’s such a shame for him to die like this!”

As she spoke, Hua Ning’s hand slid down from his chin to his Adam’s apple. This was the first time she had dared to touch a man so closely, a bold act for her. Her hand hesitated at his throat and then withdrew.

Yet beneath his clothes, the man’s well-defined chest, lean and sturdy waist, and long, powerful legs—all matched the type she liked. Still, Hua Ning was all talk and no action when it came to taking the initiative.

Besides, she was quite certain this man was truly unconscious.

Unable to touch, only to look—Hua Ning reluctantly withdrew her gaze and checked the bug mission details in her mind.

[Bug 5: Please restore the target’s stamina and vitality to over 50%. Mission complete will grant a five-level upgrade to the game account and unlock the game store.]

After reading the mission, Hua Ning let out a dry laugh. Restoring stamina was one thing, but how was she supposed to restore vitality? This wasn’t a game where a little red potion could instantly refill health.

Red potion?!

Her eyes lit up. Within a second, a bottle filled with red liquid appeared in her hand as if by magic.

“Let’s see how lucky you are!”

She said this and pinched the man’s mouth open, pouring the potion into it. Thankfully, though unconscious, he still swallowed.

After one bottle, his previously pale face regained a faint flush. Hua Ning watched his face intently, noting the effects, then fed him a second bottle.

After three bottles in total, she stopped and glanced at the bug mission progress in her mind. Seeing his vitality value surpass fifty percent, she breathed a silent sigh of relief.

Luckily, the red potion worked. Otherwise... she would have had to give up the mission.

“Crackling, crackling!”

The sound of branches breaking was especially clear in the silent, dark mountain forest.

Xia Juncheng opened his eyes. As his consciousness returned, he saw a young girl sitting across from him by the fire. Her youthful face was serious, and she held a stick with a wild rabbit roasting over the flames.

The flickering firelight cast shifting shadows on her face, highlighting her clear, bright eyes that held an innocent purity as deep as the night itself.

If he hadn’t witnessed Hua Ning’s sly indifference before losing consciousness, he might have mistaken this girl for a harmless child.

“Who exactly are you?”

The same question rang out again.

Hua Ning looked up at Xia Juncheng’s stern face nearby and smiled innocently. “The one who saved you.”

She then picked up the stick from the fire, held the roasted rabbit leg to her nose, and sniffed.

“Smells delicious! Should be cooked through!”

Her clear, lively voice was charming enough to bring a smile to anyone’s face.

She walked over and sat beside Xia Juncheng, tearing off a rabbit leg and handing it to him.

“Here, be careful! It’s hot!”

“I don’t—”

Xia Juncheng wanted to refuse, but his stomach growled loudly in response.

Hua Ning giggled, her almond-shaped eyes curving like crescent moons. “Alright, just eat!”

In the end, Hua Ning only ate one leg of the rabbit; the rest went into Xia Juncheng’s stomach.

Sneaking a glance at the bug mission progress in her mind, she confirmed the mission was complete and quietly stood, patting her skirt.

“Since you’re awake, I’ll head home now.”

Without giving Xia Juncheng a chance to speak, she vanished from his sight in an instant.

After running a short distance and ensuring she was out of his line of sight, Hua Ning finally relaxed and casually strolled down the mountain.

Tonight’s troublesome mission was finally over. She could go home and have a good sleep.

Yet the image of Xia Juncheng’s handsome, stern face lingered in her mind, and she sighed inwardly with regret.

She was only fifteen, and the man was at least twenty-three or twenty-four, maybe even older.

By the time she was grown and ready to find a partner, he would likely be married.

It was so rare to meet a man who matched her ideals in every way, but alas, the timing was all wrong.

Meanwhile, back in the depths of the mountain, Xia Juncheng was also thinking about Hua Ning.

He wondered how such a fearless little girl, who still looked like a child, dared to venture into the deep mountains alone at night.

Moreover, he had no idea what had happened after he lost consciousness, but he was certain the girl had done something.

Earlier, during a pursuit of an enemy spy, he never expected to be betrayed by his own teammate, resulting in several knife wounds on his back.

By the time he met the girl, he had already lost a lot of blood and was on the verge of fainting.

If he hadn’t fought to stay alive long enough to send out a message, he probably wouldn’t have survived until she came to save him.

Thinking of this, Xia Juncheng’s dark eyes flickered with a new resolve.

Perhaps he should investigate this little girl’s background once he returned.

Hua Ning, who went home and collapsed into bed, was unaware of Xia Juncheng’s plans.

Even if she knew, she wouldn’t care.

After all, since becoming Hua Ning, her identity could withstand any scrutiny.

She slept soundly through the night.

Woken by Su Qiuxin, Hua Ning lazily rolled over on her kang, then pulled up her game account page and opened the game store.

Her anticipation before clicking was met with deep disappointment.

She had known the system wasn’t going to be so generous!

Only the first row of four items were available for purchase in the game store.

Thirty-level health and mana potions, stewed pork that restored stamina, and milk popsicles!

Hua Ning stared incredulously several times before confirming she wasn’t mistaken.

The game store was actually selling popsicles?!

Was this some kind of joke?

“Ningning? Are you up?”

Outside the window, Su Qiuxin’s voice brought Hua Ning back to reality.

She lay sprawled on the bed, utterly unmotivated.

After all her hard work trekking into the mountains last night, this was the result?

Just this?

“Ningning, it’s almost time to start work. If you can’t get up, I can go for you today?”

Su Qiuxin stood by the window, worried.

“No need, I’m getting up now.”

Hua Ning sighed heavily, her voice faint as she replied.

Su Qiuxin sensed something was wrong but said nothing. Her daughter was usually so resolute; it was best not to argue.

At the dining table, Hua Hao sneaked several glances at Hua Ning, noticing her bad mood and instinctively shrinking back.

He had wanted to ask if he could skip cutting pig grass today because the blisters on his palms were hurting too much.

But seeing Hua Ning’s scowl, he dared not voice any complaints.

Hua Ning noticed Hua Hao’s furtive looks but ignored him completely.

When the older sister was in a bad mood, no one dared to disturb her!