"Wow, what a cute little bug! Mom, mom, come look! Oh, are you leaving? No, you can't go yet, mom hasn't seen you! Mom, mom..."
"Ivy, let go!"—a panicked scream tore through the sky.
"Ah—" A jolt startled the girl in bed, making her shoot upright like a spring-loaded toy.
Ring ring ring—the phone started ringing right at that moment.
"Hello?" The woman's voice drawled lazily, oozing pure don't-wanna-get-up energy.
"Ivy, are you up yet? It's almost eight, if you don't hurry you'll be late!" The voice on the phone was sweet and urgent.
"Ugh, I told you I'm not going! Finally got a day off and they want us to go hiking?" She flopped back down on the bed after sitting up, thinking how spring weekends were perfect for sleeping. But of course, the company just had to organize an outing—so annoying.
"But the general manager is leading the team today! If you don't go, you'll definitely get chewed out on Monday. Even if you hate it, just play along, okay? I'm already downstairs at your place, hurry up!" Before Ivy could reply, the call was abruptly hung up.
One hour later—
At the edge of the city.
"Everyone, look! This is the original Mucheng Grand Forest. They say the youngest of these trees is at least a hundred years old. Oh, and Comrade Dawn also told us there's a thousand-year-old tree here—a thousand years! That's real history, right, Comrade Dawn?" The bespectacled general manager looked at the young, beautiful tour guide with a fawning smile.
"Wow, I can't believe you remembered after just one mention! You really do have a good memory." The woman gave a shy, charming smile—for any man who could boost her performance numbers, she was never stingy with her 'gentle smile.'
"Ugh, disgusting. This whole outing is just an excuse—he's really here to flirt with her, isn't he?" Ivy looked at the general manager's sleazy face and felt uncomfortable all over.
"Shh, keep your voice down!" Sunny, her friend, quickly reminded her, looking nervous.
"Alright everyone, it's free time now! Meet back here at 11 o'clock for lunch," the general manager announced impatiently. He clearly couldn't wait to spend time with the pretty tour guide.
At his words, everyone lazily stretched and wandered off into the forest.
"Ivy, look how nice the spring sunshine is!" Sunny smiled, taking in the fresh spring air all around.
"Well..." Ivy shrugged and didn't say more. Honestly, if it weren't for that nightmare this morning, she'd have said she preferred the smell of her own bed. Sigh, that nightmare has haunted her for almost twenty years—when will it finally end?
"Ah! Snake!" Out of nowhere, Sunny let out a surprised yell.
"What snake?" Hearing this, Ivy instantly appeared ten meters away.
Sunny shot Ivy an awkward look—her reaction was so over-the-top—then turned back to the pitiful, wobbly snake on the ground.
"Sunny, get over here! Don't let it bite you!" Ivy yelled from ten meters away.
"Ivy, look, this snake seems hurt!" Kind-hearted Sunny looked at the weak, dying snake on the ground, wanting to squat down and check, but before she could bend her waist, her arm was pulled aside.
"What are you doing?" Ivy shouted, then glanced warily at the snake on the ground.
"This snake looks hurt. Let's help it!" Sunny's kindness overflowed.
"Help? Haven't you heard the story of the farmer and the snake? What if it's poisonous?"
"But look at it, it's so weak—it can't possibly be poisonous." Sunny gazed at the snake with endless pity.
Seeing this, Ivy smiled slightly and said, "I'm not saying you can't help it, but how about this: I'll wait here, you go get Xiao De from the tech department. Isn't he the one who raises lizards and snakes? If he says it's not poisonous, then we'll help it, okay?" For animal-loving Sunny, she'd probably rescue a crocodile if she saw one.
"Uh..."
"Alright, enough with the uh-ing! I'll wait here, you hurry up and go." With that, Ivy shooed Sunny away. As Sunny left, the smile on Ivy's lips gradually turned cold. Help? Hmph, she'll make sure to 'help' it properly!