Chapter 19: I Will Hold Your Horse for You

Six horses, each meticulously chosen. As Old Feng put it, every detail had been carefully considered.

Qiao Ruyi was assigned a white horse. When she took the reins from Xing Lin, she noticed several fresh mud streaks on his sturdy forearm, like badges earned from taming a wild steed.

One horse, named Zhaoye, was pure white all over, without a single blemish, except for its four black hooves.

Xing Lin told her that Zhaoye had a relatively gentle temperament. Qiao Ruyi pondered the phrase "relatively gentle," feeling uncertain.

Old Feng caught her hesitation and smiled. "Boss Xing's stable is full of fiery horses; their temperaments aren’t ordinary at all."

That explained the qualifier—"relatively."

Zhaoye was tall, not quite matching the gentle name. Its saddle was beautifully fitted, embroidered with flying celestial motifs. Old Feng quietly told Qiao Ruyi, "Zhaoye's saddle is newly made."

At first, Qiao Ruyi didn’t catch the meaning.

Old Feng chuckled, "Boss Xing said the young lady who rides this horse likes pretty things."

Qiao Ruyi was slightly taken aback, but the realization stirred a soft warmth inside her.

Though Shen Que had been thrashed into a sorry state by Qiao Ruyi, he could ride—and quite well. If Xing Lin on horseback resembled an ancient general, then Shen Que was the strategist on the battlefield, swift and purposeful, assisting the general to victory.

Zhou Bie also rode with flair. Though he only learned to ride after arriving in Gua County, when he galloped a test lap around the course, every movement radiated youthful vigor and confidence—the very essence of a dashing youth.

Qiao Ruyi’s own riding skills clearly lagged behind.

Tao Jiang, accustomed to luxury sports cars and rugged SUVs, was a headstrong girl with no tolerance for anyone. Yet she was inexperienced at horseback riding. She told Qiao Ruyi, "If I’d known we’d be riding, I should’ve learned equestrian skills as a child."

Her words were overheard by Shen Que on horseback, who scoffed, "Oh, even you have things you can’t do? I thought you were capable."

Tao Jiang looked up and rebuked, "As if I don’t want to hit you."

Shen Que wasn’t afraid but didn’t argue further. After a moment, he said condescendingly, "It’s not difficult. You don’t need to gallop wildly. Get on, I’ll take you for a couple of laps to get the feel."

Tao Jiang hadn’t expected that and whispered to Qiao Ruyi, "I bet he’s up to no good."

Qiao Ruyi chuckled softly, "They’re all in the same line of work. He’s not daring to do much now. Besides, are you really scared of him?"

Indeed, Tao Jiang readily followed Shen Que to try the horse.

Yu Renyou, with no riding experience, pouted, "Is there no shorter horse? Or maybe a pony?"

Xing Lin approached and said, "Horses that are too small or short can’t handle the roads of Guyang City."

Zhou Bie stepped forward, grabbed Yu Renyou’s collar, and clicked his tongue twice. "You’ve got plenty of meat on you. What’s there to fear? I’ll take you for a couple of laps."

Perhaps Yu Renyou was too proud to lose face in front of Qiao Ruyi and reluctantly nodded. Qiao Ruyi thought to herself that Yu Renyou was no stranger to hardship and had many followers, yet his courage was surprisingly small.

Xing Lin’s steed was a fierce black horse named Wuzhui, sharing a name with a renowned horse of old. Its coat was like the finest black silk, glossy and sleek, with hooves as white as snow.

The exact opposite of Qiao Ruyi’s Zhaoye.

Old Feng said, "Wuzhui and Zhaoye are a pair."

The remark caught Qiao Ruyi off guard, making her blush and her heart race momentarily.

Xing Lin dismounted and said to Qiao Ruyi, "It’s okay if you’re not skilled at riding. We won’t move too fast. Just stay steady on the horse."

Qiao Ruyi didn’t expect him to remember what she had said earlier.

Seeing her silence, Xing Lin misunderstood and pulled the reins, holding the horse firmly with one hand. "Get on."

She complied.

Though she could ride, her skills were far from polished, especially since she grew up inland where riding was not a common mode of travel.

Mounting was awkward—certainly not as smooth as Xing Lin’s fluid movements.

She thought Zhaoye was very tall; she grasped the saddle tightly and swung her leg over, nearly missing the stirrup.

That “nearly” made Xing Lin react instinctively.

His large hand securely caught her… backside. His strong forearm gently but firmly lifted her onto the saddle.

Qiao Ruyi felt a sudden warmth there, like a flame spreading through her body, her chest aflame with the unexpected heat.

Xing Lin looked at her as if nothing had happened. He lifted his head and asked, "Are you steady now?"

Qiao Ruyi pushed away the sudden flush, answered with a hum, and thought her awkwardness was unnecessary. He had only helped her casually—there was no hidden meaning.

Seeing he hadn’t let go of the reins, she was surprised. "You’re leading the horse?"

Xing Lin glanced back, patted Zhaoye’s neck with his free hand, and said, "Yes, I’ll lead the horse and take you for a couple of laps."

She nodded, wanting to get accustomed to the feel of the saddle.

The morning light was bright, dust like a thin veil. Xing Lin led the horse, its noble stride obedient to his pace, hooves thudding softly.

His broad shoulders and forearm contours were bathed in a warm coppery glow by the sunlight. On the horse’s back, Qiao Ruyi held the saddle, her body swaying gently. The light caressed her features, her hair shimmering like golden sand.

Suddenly, Xing Lin stopped and looked back at her.

Puzzled, Qiao Ruyi looked down.

Their eyes met. The morning light traced his brow, carving his features into depth and gentleness. His eyes gleamed, smiling like clear waters.

"When Old Feng said Wuzhui and Zhaoye were a pair, why did you blush?" His tone was teasing, yet inquisitive.

She knew she had blushed but denied lightly, "Really? Must have been the sunlight. The weather looks quite nice today."

Xing Lin smiled, tongue against his teeth, nodded slightly, then tightened the reins and moved forward.

Qiao Ruyi watched his broad back, her heart fluttering as if grass was growing within it, swaying and shaking.

"Seeing Miss Qiao shy—that’s rare," Xing Lin joked.

She caught his teasing and remained silent—some things are better left unsaid.

Minutes passed slowly as the man led the horse and the woman rode, separated by a step yet seeming as if they had crossed vast mountains and rivers to meet here.

Old Feng watched from afar, sighing, "What a beautiful scene."

---

From choosing horses to getting accustomed, the six spent the entire day at the stables.

Xing Lin, Zhou Bie, and Shen Que acted as if nothing was amiss, chatting and laughing. Qiao Ruyi fared well; Zhaoye hadn’t run wildly, so she still had energy.

Tao Jiang kept complaining her legs were about to give out, saying her feet had gone numb. Qiao Ruyi warned, "You can still back out and leave with Yu Renyou."

At that, Tao Jiang instantly perked up.

Yu Renyou was less motivated, legs trembling as he bent them, grimacing with every step. Tao Jiang frowned, "Pull yourself together. Don’t make a fool of yourself."

“Others” meant Xing Lin and the rest.

Yu Renyou straightened his neck and stood firm.

Shen Que was reliable with supplies. When they returned from the stables, the vehicles and equipment for entering Guyang City were already lined up neatly outside the café.

As dusk approached, Qiao Ruyi slumped by the window, her body weak and limp. Outside, Xing Lin counted supplies, aided by Shen Que.

The number of vehicles had doubled from two to four: tough four-wheel-drive off-road vehicles, each modified to the extreme with reinforced undercarriages, winches, all-terrain tires—like four mighty beasts, inspiring confidence.

Xing Lin checked auxiliary fuel tanks and examined spare tires, sand shields, air pumps, tow ropes, and repair toolkits on each vehicle.

Tao Jiang, lying across from Qiao Ruyi, whispered, "He’s really gone all out. Only a pro could plan so thoroughly."

Qiao Ruyi thought, Xing Lin was far beyond a mere enthusiast.

Besides survival supplies in each vehicle, Xing Lin had a dedicated supply vehicle. Zhou Bie loaded boxes of water onto it; Qiao Ruyi noticed both water and fuel were stored in excess. There were also easily preserved foods, compressed biscuits, energy bars, and various canned goods.

Camping gear was upgraded to military-grade wind and sandproof tents, sleeping bags, first aid kits, oxygen tanks, and more.

When Xing Lin handed out satellite phones inside, the legal permits for entering the uninhabited zone arrived simultaneously. Qiao Ruyi glanced over documents: border pass, protected area entry permits, and a stack of formalities.

She knew that even without harsh weather, entering the reserve was complicated. But this time, Xing Lin’s entry was backed by the police due to Uncle Ge’s case, speeding up the process.

All preparations were complete; they would depart early the next morning.

---

After confirming the satellite phones and GPS worked, Xing Lin spread a map on the table. Before setting off, he needed to lay things out clearly.

"We’ll travel north along the Yanzhi mountain range, then leave the mountains toward the northern edge of the Hexi Corridor, deep into the largest and most desolate uninhabited zone of the northwest. Along the way, we’ll cross deserts, yardangs, gobi, and canyons. The straight-line distance is over 1,200 kilometers—roughly the entire geographic length of the Hexi Corridor."

His slender finger traced north along the map, pausing at each terrain type, tapping to emphasize, "That’s just the straight-line distance. Our actual route won’t be direct, so travel time will be longer."

His expression was grave, and no one interrupted, listening attentively.

"Here," he pointed to a spot on the map, "is the only oasis in the desert. It’s where we’ll change horses and continue. The convoy will wait at the prearranged rendezvous point. After switching vehicles, we’ll enter even more barren lands with harsher terrain than the prior uninhabited zone. This is the true sea of death."

His finger pointed at a blank area on the map.

"Satellite phones might not work. GPS will fail, and..." He paused.

Yu Renyou, sitting opposite, wiped sweat from his brow nervously.

Qiao Ruyi stared at the spot and naturally finished his sentence, "And we’ll encounter black sandstorms?"

Everyone’s faces grew solemn.

Xing Lin nodded. "We will, but it will be extremely severe there."

Though Tao Jiang had never seen a black sandstorm, she gasped at the thought.

"I have some questions," Qiao Ruyi spoke up.

Xing Lin looked at her, signaling her to ask.

"How will the horse team meet us? If we ride horses, what about the vehicles?"

Xing Lin explained, "Old Feng handles that. He hired local herders to take a horse trail that cars can’t pass. They’ll leave early tonight. The horses can’t traverse the roads vehicles take, and vice versa. The two groups will meet, then after switching, we’ll enter the harsher zone. The lead horse will guide us, and the herders will return the horses to the stable afterward."

"Why can’t the vehicles take the detour? Why only the horses?" Tao Jiang asked.

"I and Shen Que can," Xing Lin replied, "but you can’t."

"Why not? Zhou Bie is injured," she pressed.

"Because that detour has extremely high surface temperatures and severe altitude sickness. Even the fittest people suffer greatly. You’ve never been there. Even if you survive, I won’t risk it. We must conserve energy for Guyang City, not waste it on the road."

Qiao Ruyi understood. She recalled Zhou Bie’s previous remark—Xing Lin hadn’t risked the horses but chose to drive the detour, nearly risking his life.

"One more thing," Xing Lin said solemnly, "as leader, I will do my best to keep everyone safe, but you must trust me unconditionally. No unauthorized actions."

"And we’re not a tour group—there’s no logistical support," he added, his sharp gaze sweeping the group before resting on Qiao Ruyi. "The rescue plans you prepared in Gua County won’t be usable."

Yu Renyou frowned. "How could they not be? They can follow our route..."

"If something happens, it will most likely be here," Xing Lin shattered Yu Renyou’s hope, pointing again at the empty spot on the map.

He raised his eyelids and asked Yu Renyou, "How will your men get in?"

Yu Renyou was speechless.

Qiao Ruyi nodded, "Understood."

In other words, if disaster strikes, rescue is impossible—they’d be trapped in the desert forever.

Xing Lin looked at Qiao Ruyi, hoping to see hesitation, even a trace—but found none. Her eyes were resolute, her expression calm as still water.

"So, have you really thought this through?" he asked, addressing the group but effectively questioning Qiao Ruyi.

Without hesitation, she nodded, "We have."

Tao Jiang and Yu Renyou, of course, would not back down and also nodded.

Xing Lin stared at Qiao Ruyi without blinking, a strange irritation and displeasure stirring in his heart. He thought of her mention of Jiang Cheng’an and her solemn vows.

Very well—to risk everything for someone missing, whose fate was unknown.

Very well.