The Blessed Beauty Returns with a Dimension

Song Moting specifically borrowed a tractor from the team.

He wanted to haul the luggage to the county town.

The luggage filled quite a few boxes.

Jiang Xiaoxiao, wrapped in a military coat, huddled in the back of the tractor while Song Moting leaned against her.

They waved to everyone and left amidst the swirling snowflakes.

Jia Shu waved with tears in her eyes.

Gradually, the figures disappeared.

Jiang Xiaoxiao sat in the back, leaning into Song Moting's embrace, as the cold wind mixed with snowflakes grew stronger.

This was the first snowfall of the year in their region.

It seemed like it was going to be a big snowstorm.

Jiang Xiaoxiao was a bit worried.

The mountain road was treacherous, and the tractor moved with jolts and bumps.

The tractor driver cursed continuously.

If it weren't for the captain's arrangement, he could have been warm at home, but now he had to brave the wind and snow to give them a ride.

He estimated it would take at least five hours to get them to the county, and he probably wouldn't return tonight.

He feared he might need to refuel in the county.

Fortunately, the captain gave him a note.

...

Jiang Xiaoxiao blew warm air on her hands from her mouth out of cold.

She regretted not having prepared something warm to eat yesterday to have in her space.

The space had a preservation function; whatever went in came out exactly the same.

Thinking of nothing else, the warmth of a bun would be comforting.

Song Moting tucked her hands under his armpits, instantly warming Jiang Xiaoxiao's heart.

His body warmth thawed her cold hands, even without direct skin contact, as he wore both a fleece and a sweater.

"We'll arrive soon, just hold on. Or I could give you my coat."

Song Moting looked at Jiang Xiaoxiao's face with concern, today's weather wasn't favorable.

The strong wind and heavy snow they had to endure.

Jiang Xiaoxiao shook her head, "No need, I'm not cold!"

Joking aside, in this weather, if she wore Song Moting's coat, he would freeze to death.

A bit of cold wasn't something to fear.

"Where are we now?" she changed the subject, also diverting her own attention.

"Still on the mountainside!"

Song Moting glanced around, the tractor moved slowly, the mountain road still steep, and for safety, they couldn't go much faster than a snail.

She looked around and saw a vast mountain in front of her, as if wearing a white cap.

Her heart throbbed, and she gasped, the mountain road was steep, she hadn't expected the weather to worsen so severely, coming so suddenly.

In these conditions, one wrong move and they could slip off the steep mountain road.

Settling back into her seat, she watched the mountains.

There remained a distance between them, but their sheer size made them appear to loom over her, like giant prehistoric beasts, waiting to pounce as she approached.

Anxiety gripped her.

She didn't know why, but she felt apprehensive.

Song Moting comforted her with a pat on the shoulder.

He turned to ask the tractor driver.

"Master, if necessary, could we turn back in time?"

The driver shook his head.

"We're already halfway up the mountain, it's no different going back as going down, the journey is about the same, turning around isn't easy, we better keep going and hope the snow stops soon."

"Damn it, you bastard!"

The tractor driver cursed through gritted teeth, quickly adjusting the handles to regain stability. They were too close to the edge; if the tractor tumbled down, they'd end up at the bottom of the cliff.

The tractor was clearly out of control.

Below lay a stark contrast in scenery.

The cliff's large stones and dense forest were now blanketed in white snow, the stark whiteness in the peripheral view was blinding, and the shadows were ominously dark.

The mountain peaks were jagged, descending steeply into almost vertical cliffs.

There wasn't a single spot that was even slightly flat.

If they fell off, it was almost impossible anyone would notice.

Jiang Xiaoxiao was paralyzed, unable to breathe.

Profound fear and helplessness numbed her voice.

She couldn't help or change the situation.

She couldn't even scream, only waiting helplessly for death.

They were going to die.

She saw no chance of escape.

In a few minutes, or maybe seconds, they would be smashed to pieces against the snow-covered cliff rocks.

Or enveloped by the forest.

At that moment, time seemed to freeze; they seemed to float in the air, as if the tractor defied the law of gravity.

Or perhaps the cliffs were playing a cat-and-mouse game with them, allowing them a brief hope before snatching it away.

"Xiao Xiao, hold on to me."

In her disoriented state, she heard Song Moting's voice, was pulled into an embrace, and silently cursed as they fought against the inevitable fate.

The tractor suddenly descended the mountain at an unusual angle, causing her heart to leap into her throat. She shut her eyes tightly, not seeing the hard mountain wall rush toward them.

Song Moting held Jiang Xiaoxiao tightly, grabbing onto anything to steady himself.

The tractor rolled to the right, the motion disorienting and nausea-inducing, as Jiang Xiaoxiao swallowed convulsively.

Fear consumed her, eclipsing other sensations, her nerves on the verge of collapse.

Minutes later, the tractor returned to a semblance of normality but continued to rock rapidly left and right as it plunged downward.

Her eyes flew open, struggling to focus for a moment.

Her field of vision narrowed, everything blurred, and her chest ached as she realized she was holding her breath. She struggled to exhale and inhale, repeating the process.

Now she could see more clearly, observing Song Moting's chest.

He was all she could see, as if his image was magnified while everything else faded into mist.

She saw his square jaw, the tension of his muscles gripping tightly, beads of sweat glistening, even the curve of his eyelashes and stubble.

A painful thought flashed through her mind.

Would he be the last person she ever saw?

She took another deep breath.

She would die with him, this man who loved her most, her husband.

At least she wouldn't die alone, but was that fortunate or unfortunate?

She felt a deep sadness for them both.

Her thoughts scattered, drifting, drawn back to him.

What was he doing... doing... doing?

So vivid, so clear, Song Moting was single-handedly controlling the tractor. The driver was now gone, likely thrown off during the tumble.

The tractor was now unmanned.

Song Moting, with relentless determination and possibly every bit of his knowledge, was trying to stabilize the tractor, keeping it from changing direction.

"Hang on," he commanded sternly.

"I'm trying to avoid a collision with the mountain wall. It's better to slip into the woods than crash into the mountain, but we may not make it."

Jiang Xiaoxiao felt her brain was muddled, almost incapable of thought.

What did it matter?

But she banished the dangerous fog clouding her mind, grasping the tractor's steel tightly, pressing her head back against the tractor's bed, eyes tightly shut, unwilling to witness the imminent death, yet she could feel the tractor tilting one way then the other.

Jiang Xiaoxiao helplessly thought, if the result was the same, why was Song Moting bothering?

Was there a difference between crashing into the mountain and the woods?

Diesel would ignite all the same, and they'd die just the same.

Resigned to fate, she waited for the fatal impact, the moment of fortune's verdict.

She wished for an easy death.

She hoped their bodies would be quickly found, sparing family and friends a lengthy search.

She hoped... she hoped for many things, none of which could happen now.