“Bonnie, do you see that? There’s a large patch of blue barberry up ahead. My goodness, we finally found it. If we had to walk any further, my legs would have given out,” Andreas exclaimed.
Bonnie laughed at his dramatic display. “Your stamina needs work. If people knew a girl outdid you, wouldn’t that be embarrassing?”
“Being outdone by you is nothing to be ashamed of. I wholeheartedly admit defeat,” Andreas replied cheerfully as he walked towards the blue barberry.
“Is this enough for you, or should we look for more elsewhere?” Andreas asked.
“This is plenty,” Bonnie said.
She then pulled out the tools she had prepared and began harvesting the plants. The blue barberry had a layer of mucus on its surface, which was slightly toxic and would make one’s hands extremely itchy if touched without gloves. Proper preparation was crucial to avoid severe itching.
This patch of blue barberry was in excellent condition, with a vibrant vitality that gave it a higher medicinal value than usual. Their journey had undoubtedly been worthwhile.
Leaning against a nearby tree, Andreas watched Bonnie intently as she carefully harvested the blue barberry. His heart began to beat uncontrollably.
“Thump, thump-” Each beat was louder than the last.
The sound pounded in his ears, making it impossible for him to think of anything other than the woman before him. From the moment he first saw Bonnie, she had deeply captivated him. Over the past few days, a feeling of infatuation had grown within him.
Andreas found himself staring at Bonnie, wholly entranced.
After finishing her task, Bonnie
looked up and was met with
veget
Andreas’s mesmerized gaze. Feeling a strange and inexplicable
sensation, she furrowed her brows slightly and called out to him.
“Andreas, what’s wrong? What are you thinking about?”
Startled out of his reverie, Andreas quickly looked away, worried she might see through his thoughts. He coughed lightly to cover his nervousness. “Ahem-nothing, nothing at all.” Bonnie gave him a long look before tying up the bag of blue barberry and standing up. “I’m done. Let’s head back.”
Andreas nodded. “Alright.”
“Who’s there?!”
As they walked side by side, Andreas suddenly sensed something and instinctively jumped in front of Bonnie, spreading his arms to shield her. He looked around warily.
Bonnie furrowed her brows, slung the bag over her shoulder, and scanned their surroundings cautiously. “Where are they?”
She had been so focused on
harvesting the blue barberry that she
hadn’t paid much attention to their surroundings. With Andreas’s earlier assurance about knowing the terrain, she had let her guard down.
elite
Now, it seemed they had attracted unwanted attention.
“I’m not sure, but my intuition tells me they’re nearby,” Andreas said, taking a deep breath before
باه
continuing. “And there’s a 90 percent chance they’re after me. I’m sorry, I should have let the bodyguards come with us. My overconfidence has put you in danger as well.”
