Following the source of the sound, Li Yi crossed over a high mountain and stood on the verdant peak, looking down, he immediately saw a muddy path at the foot of the mountain.
On the path, there was a very beautiful off-road vehicle parked, with two women standing beside it.
Standing atop the mountain, he was able to clearly hear the discussion between the two down below.
"Yuxuan, don't get too excited yet. The car is stuck in the mud and can't move. We should figure out how to get back now," said Long Yuhan, her face filled with deep anxiety.
"Ah, how could I forget about this? Sister, what do we do now? Call someone quickly!" exclaimed Long Yuxuan, her eyes filled with worry.
This place was a desolate wilderness, hardly visited by anyone. For two delicate women stranded here, it would be a lie to say they were not scared.
Long Yuhan put down her phone, looking somewhat disheartened. "I just called the company. They're sending a tow truck and a chauffeured vehicle. It's probably going to take about six hours."
"Six hours? Isn't it dark by then?"
Upon hearing this, Long Yuxuan became even more frightened, and couldn't help but complain, "It's all grandpa's fault, saying that we couldn't bring bodyguards to this rural village. What's even more infuriating is that man, not knowing to pick us up and allowing us to drive ourselves."
She didn't stop to think—if her fiancé received them and saw how gorgeous his soon-to-be wife was, there was no way he would consider running away from the wedding!
"It looks like they're having trouble."
Atop the hill, Li Yi had heard the sister's conversation, murmuring to himself.
Since there were people in need of help, why not lend a hand? He, Li Yi, was a good Samaritan in the village and was always happy to help others.
And so, he ran down from the mountain top to a not-so-far-off hillside, calling out to the two sisters, "What's the matter with you two?"
"Who's that?"
A stranger's voice suddenly appeared out of nowhere, startling Long Yuxuan, who apprehensively clung to her sister's clothes.
In that moment, her mind was filled with various news reports she had seen; horrific stories of abductions and unspeakable atrocities.
Thinking about all of these caused her to shiver in fear.
As an older sister, and moreover being eight years older, Long Yuhan appeared to be considerably calmer, albeit her face was somewhat pale.
Her sister and she were both stunningly beautiful young women alone in the wilderness. They would certainly turn heads even in bustling streets, let alone in a desolate forest. The idea of a man's instincts taking over in such isolation scared her to an extent she couldn't even articulate.
Suppressing her fear, Long Yuhan turned her gaze towards the sound.
A lean young man with a handsome face appeared in front of her. He was wearing an unknown brand of white t-shirt, faded jeans and carrying a big hemp sack, looking like a construction worker.
"Damn, they're gorgeous!"
Upon approaching them, when the sisters turned to look at him, Li Yi's mind went blank. He stood there stunned as the women were a hundred times more beautiful than the girl he knew.
His fiancé, Ruhua?
No comparison, she'd be an embarrassment.
Long Yuxuan was wearing a short light green skirt along with sheer flesh-colored stockings and a pair of blue sports shoes. She looked youthful and spirited, giving off an aura of innocent radiance.
An absolutely stunning face without a hint of flaw, a petite nose, rosy lips, coupled with a pair of straight, fair-skinned long legs. She simply looked like a little fairy.
On the other hand, her elder sister, Long Yuhan, appeared more mature due to her older age. She was outfitted in a white western shirt, below which was a white midi skirt.
She possessed an alluring voluptuous figure and a firm, prominent bust, which along with the distinct aura of efficiency she developed from working for years, incited a desire to conquer among men.
"What do you want?"
Long Yuhan inhaled deeply, feigning calmness. She noted the man's astonishment at their beauty and started to feel worried.
Swallowing his saliva secretly, Li Yi came to his senses, "What's the issue? Do you need help?"
While speaking, Li Yi mused to himself, "Uncle Tiezhu said there were numerous beauties in the outside world. That seems to be true. I haven't even left this mountain, and I've already encountered two incredibly beautiful women. Won't there be even more in the city?"
With this thought, he inwardly cursed, "That old man never let me go out. If I had gone to the outer world a few years earlier, I might have brought home a beautiful wife by now. Would I need to marry that ugly Ruhua?"
"Ah yes, could you get someone to help us get our car out? Our vehicle's wheel is stuck in the mud. Don't worry, we will definitely compensate you for your help."
Seeing the clear look in the man's eyes before her, Long Yuhan felt somewhat relieved despite his earlier surprise at their beauty - he did not show any lecherous intent. She then voiced out her predicament.
"No need for others, I can handle it myself!" Having glanced at the wheel lodged in the mud, Li Yi replied without hesitation.
Need to call for others? What a joke!
Presently, that old man must have mobilized the whole village to capture him. Going back to the village to ask for help isn't like a mosquito going to a spider, right- walking right into the net?
Given that the nearest village here is their village, Li Yi wouldn't go back even under pain of death.
Moreover, trivial matters like towing a car, if asked the villagers for help, wouldn't Da Niu and Er Hu just laugh themselves to death?
"Are you alone? This wheel is stuck so deep in the mud pit, not to mention one person, even three or four people might not be able to get it out."
Thinking that this man was showing off to avoid sharing the reward, Long Yuhan comforted him, "Don't worry, I will give you plenty as a reward. If you can help me get the car out, you'll get 500 alone, and every person you get to help will get 100 each."
"What? 500?" The moment Li Yi heard this much money, his eyes sparkled with golden light, his face full of excitement.
You should know, Uncle Tie Zhu, Uncle Ku Gen, and others would work for the majority of the year and only manage to bring home 20,000 to 30,000. Just for towing a car, he would get 500!
"Wow, it's so easy to make money in the outside world!" This made Li Yi long for the outside world even more.
"Exactly, you should hurry up and get some people to help. We'll wait for you here." Long Yuhan felt relieved seeing that the man was not as bad as she had imagined - not a robber or a rapist.
But she was also eager to leave this godforsaken place, so she hurried him.
"Ah, you city folks, why don't you trust people? I said I can do it alone, but you still didn't believe me." Li Yi, as if greatly stimulated, tossed his large bag casually onto the ground, rolled up his sleeves and went to the front of the car.
He squatted down, took a deep stance, spit on his hands, and then grabbed the iron bar next to the wheel.
"Sister, what is he trying to do?"
"What else could he be doing? Showing off, trying to lift the car front on his own."
"This SUV must weigh hundreds of kilograms at the front, does he think his head is made of iron trying to lift it himself..."
"Who knows? Even if he does lift it, what can he do? The car would still be above the pit. Does he plan on dragging this 2.5-tonne vehicle forward a couple steps?"
...
"Ah…sister!" Long Yuxuan suddenly shouted, pointing ahead with wide-open, surprised eyes.
“What's wrong, Yu…” Long Yuhan was just about to ask when she was taken aback by the scene in front of her.
Is…is he even human?
All they could see was Li Yi lifting the front of the car by himself, pulling a 2.5 ton SUV forward.
Was he the reincarnation of Xiang Yu? Exhibiting tremendous strength!
"Dear ladies, the car is out.”
Li Yi put down the car nonchalantly as if it was nothing extraordinary, dusted his hands, and approached them with a smile on his face.
Wow, he thought, making money this way is a breeze. Daniu and Erhu would just die of envy if they knew.
"Thank you! Here is $500." Emerging from her shock, Long Yuhan took out the money from her wallet and handed it over.
"Wasn't it $1000?" Li Yi asked, puzzled.
"What $1000? Wasn't it agreed upon that it's $500? How are you going back on your word now!" Long Yuxuan was disgruntled. Despite the fact that he had just performed an enormous favor, his sudden demand for a higher pay irked her.
"Hold on, miss, don't get mad just yet. You both had said $500 each for anyone I could get to help. If I called five people, it would be $1000; if I called ten, it would be $1500. By that logic, you've saved $500."
Li Yi analysed the situation with a logical air while thinking to himself triumphantly, "Haha, my math skills aren't bad, but I seem to have underquoted. Why didn't I just say $1500?"
Upon this realization, he couldn't help but regret a little.