Chapter 137: Terrifying Skiing

During this period, the two of them lingered in Changchun night after night. Once their intimate interludes were over, they would move on to what they called work and leisure.

They were likely staying here for an extended period to assist the Wang family in advancing the project.

The female secretary next door had recovered sufficiently from her leg injury and could now walk normally without pain. There were only about three days left until their return to the capital.

Assistant Li had been specially authorized to stay behind to look after the women as they laughed and played. Today, he had arranged for them to visit an artificial ski resort, which, as the story went, had been constructed following the launch of a winter sports project funded by the Fu Group years ago.

Although it was not yet winter, one could still ski, have snowball fights, eat ice cream, sample local Changchun snacks, and buy handmade dolls. Moreover, there were relatively few tourists this time of year, making the environment serene, secluded, and pleasant.

Zhong Huayan, Lin Hongshu, and the secretary, Zhang Anxin, packed their skiing gear and set off for the resort in high spirits.

Upon arriving, they found the place quite deserted, with barely a soul in sight, save for a few apprentices and instructors teaching students in the distance. The resort featured numerous shops and stalls selling dolls, all of which were open for business.

Zhong Huayan unpacked her snowboard and bindings, donned her goggles and knee pads, and once all safety measures were in place, she charged down from a height of fifteen meters. The snow kicked up on all sides, obscuring the view behind her. After soaring off a jump, her fragile body felt a momentary sensation of weightlessness, but she regained control and landed steadily against the snow. She circled the edge of the field before slowly walking back up. As she looked up toward the high, snow-covered slopes, she spotted two figures trembling unsteadily.

Because Hongshu could not ski, the assistant had hired two people to teach her in a separate, safe zone. Secretary Anxin had learned to ski before but seemed far from proficient; she nearly lost her footing, only stopping just in time to avoid a fall.

"I used to ski with the boss, but it's been so long that I’m a bit rusty."

Just as Zhong Huayan was about to speak, someone appeared out of nowhere, charging down the slope on a snowboard!

He soared at least two meters into the air, executing a 360-degree rotation before landing with the fluidity of a man and board merged into one. He then kicked up a cloud of snow, performing a 360-degree flat-ground spin—a move that looked like a fall but was actually a flourish. His speed was such that one could only hear the sound of the board grinding against the ground; even the snow couldn't keep up with him.

With a series of freestyle tricks, he utilized his waist and leg strength to an extreme degree, his form blending perfectly into the white snow and bright sun.

The man in the gray-green suit and goggles seemed to be playing, but in reality, he was performing high-difficulty maneuvers with reckless abandon, regardless of the wind or snow, risking broken bones or even death against hidden rocks and trees. Yet, he completed each movement with an effortless, fluid grace.

Everyone nearby was drawn to the spectacle. A few apprentices stood with mouths agape, questioning their instructor.

"He's so cool! Teacher, how long would it take for us to reach that level?"

"You've got a long way to go; it’ll be an achievement just to stop falling. That man is nearly one meter eighty-nine, yet he moves with such agility and grace—it's truly incredible! Even I couldn't reach that level! The height of his jump was twice that of anyone else, which speaks to his unmatched leg strength and control. He even pulls off high-difficulty poses with such seamless integration—he must be from the national team..."

Even Zhong Huayan was stunned. It was simply too impressive; he possessed a rare talent for both speed and power. The fact that his technique was entirely invisible was the mark of a true genius. At such a height, he discarded all pretense of technique, achieving such smooth, stunning tricks with total self-oblivion. He was like a gust of wind or a fish in water, performing complex maneuvers with natural, effortless ease.

The mysterious figure skated over to the two women. He pulled off his goggles, revealing a pair of deep blue eyes filled with dark, cunning mischief.

"What a coincidence. Changchun is so big, and yet I run into you here?"

Zhong Huayan clearly sensed Secretary Anxin shrinking away in fear. Guan Yujing gave a cold laugh and spoke softly.

"What are you afraid of? A guilty conscience? You didn't even hand in a resignation letter; did I ever agree to let you quit? Little traitor."

The words, though flirtatious in tone, were delivered by this man with a chilling, eerie menace.

Guan Yujing’s physical resilience was far beyond that of an ordinary person. A few snowflakes drifted onto his face, clinging to his messy hair and highlighting his clean, mixed-race features. If not for the cruel, dark intensity in his eyes, his face, when calm, would have looked like a handsome statue. He was the pinnacle of rational beauty, possessing a rare physique—a pet of the heavens, meticulously crafted. It was a pity that such a genius had taken the wrong path, leading to a destructive end. He insisted on walking the edge, but by choosing to torment others, he was undoubtedly killing himself, hating himself.

"Move aside. I’m going to ski; you're blocking the way."

"Miss Li, you really are quite interesting."

Guan Yujing put on an absurd, innocent smile, then pulled on Zhong Huayan’s hand and charged wildly downward.

Zhong Huayan was terrified. She shouted into the spray of snow, "This isn't a ski trail! There are rocks everywhere—we could die! Let go! Let go!"

"Is that so? I had no idea."

He continued to feign innocence, deliberately shifting his center of gravity to accelerate. Because he was so strong and Zhong Huayan was relatively light, the two of them hurtled down the non-skiing terrain.

Snow flew everywhere. The man in front calmly and naturally dodged trees and rocks, charging straight down. The slope grew steeper, and their speed increased accordingly.

Zhong Huayan was at a total loss. No matter how she beat on him, the madman showed no intention of letting go. Looking at the terrifying rocks, she could only cling to his hand for dear life.

For someone who skied year-round, this scene was commonplace. But while Zhong Huayan knew how to ski, she wasn't into extreme sports; she treated it as a casual hobby. Guan Yujing, however, treated it as an extreme sport. Not only was he dodging obstacles, but he also complained, "This artificial resort isn't as fun as the real thing. It’s not thrilling enough. The snow isn't thick enough, the mountain rocks aren't high enough, the trees aren't big enough, and the slopes aren't steep enough."

Seeing that the woman behind him was silent, he turned his head to glance at her.

Zhong Huayan was so frightened by his action that her lips trembled. "This isn't steep enough?! This slope is at least seventy or eighty degrees! Don't look back! Watch the rocks and trees, you idiot! You really don't give a damn about anyone else's life!"

Zhong Huayan had once been fearless, but now she was afraid. She still had scores to settle, family to repay, a love story yet to be fulfilled, millions of fans who needed her, countless artifacts waiting to return to their homeland, and the seeds of culture and art she had yet to leave to the world!

She really didn't want to die!

"Don't worry, I guarantee you won't die. But I can't say if you'll end up disabled."

"Is that human language? What's the difference between being crippled and being dead to me?!"

The two of them surged through the snow down the slope until a massive rock appeared directly ahead, flanked by towering trees. It was effectively a dead end, and they would certainly crash if they didn't stop.

Zhong Huayan tapped the man’s arm frantically. Guan Yujing realized it too. He remained calm, as if he had stripped away all fear, objectively viewing the rock and the trees blocking their path. The gap was clearly only wide enough for a slender woman to pass through.

Guan Yujing stopped abruptly. He gathered her into his arms, swerved toward an open patch of snow, and the two of them rolled into the thick, soft drifts.

Zhong Huayan felt herself hit the ground hard, her thighs bruised from the impact, followed by her elbow. Fortunately, his arm had shielded her back.

She looked up at the sky through her goggles and let out a sigh of relief. This was the best possible outcome; she hadn't died with this madman after all—a stroke of luck in a bad situation. Trembling, she patted her chest, then tried to disentangle herself from him and stand up.

But the man caught her hand.

"Did Fu Yanyan marry you?" Guan Yujing’s low voice came from above, uncharacteristically serious.

"No."

"Then what right does he have to control you?"

Guan Yujing sneered with disdain, then stood up. He scanned the woman's body, and seeing that she could walk without clear discomfort, he began brushing the snow off his own clothes.

The sun emerged through the interwoven branches of the trees.

Amidst the snow-covered landscape, it took the two of them a monumental effort to slowly climb back up. Unexpectedly, Guan Yujing said nothing more; he was quiet, which felt unnatural. Halfway back, Zhong Huayan felt a chilling sensation behind her, fearing the madman would turn and bite her again. She turned around, her voice gentler and colder than the snowflakes in the quiet environment.

"You walk in front."

"Why?"

"No reason. Just walk in front."

"You can hold onto me. Just in case you slip on a slope later."

Guan Yujing’s tone sounded genuinely concerned, but to her ears, it was full of ill intent.

"I’m better off not holding onto you. If you drag me down again, I might end up with weak legs and have to get steel plates inserted tomorrow."

"Getting steel plates is normal when you play with these things."

"I only do this for fun. I’m good at racing, and I have confidence in that. But skiing? Forget it. I don't want to end up paralyzed."

Guan Yujing watched with interest as she kept her head down, preferring to touch the rocks and snow on the ground to steady herself rather than take his hand. The image of her crying like a rain-drenched flower last time surfaced in his mind. Was she crying inside her ski suit and goggles now?

He actually felt a strange pity for her. With her small frame, she could only handle racing or doing some cultural work... If she actually tried boxing or extreme sports, she’d lose half her life before she even started.

"I suspect that if you keep walking at this snail's pace, you’ll never make it back."

She continued to grumble to herself, angry and muttering.

"Who on earth built this artificial ski resort? With so few people and such a long path and such thick snow—what is wrong with them? They have no idea how to run a business! It's infuriating!"