Chapter Five I was right

  The wooden raft drifted for a whole day, and the river valley was now very open, with the river also becoming wider and shallower. The traces of human activity on the shore were getting more and more obvious, and it should not be far from the human world. Looking at the sky turning dark, Kang Fan moored the wooden raft to the shore, tied it firmly to a tree by the river, shouldered his backpack, pulled Mei Xiang, and walked towards a nearby forest.

  Mei Xiang's hand was soft and moist, and it felt comfortable to hold in his hand. Kang Fan only then realized that his action was a bit too proactive, earlier it was just an unconscious movement, he didn't think about anything. He let go of Mei Xiang's hand. But Mei Xiang again put her own hand back into his hand.

  Found a suitable willow tree, Kang Fan first climbed up to the high branch of the big tree, cut off the branches with a knife, and built a platform that could hold two people resting. Since there was only one sleeping bag, it must be given to Mei Xiang, it seemed that he had to compromise himself, so he spread many soft twigs on the platform again, so that he could make himself as comfortable as possible. Mei Xiang waited under the tree, listening to the roar of wild beasts in the wind, her face turned pale. She was afraid and kept looking around.

  Kang Fan, hurry up! You're the one who's slow... Her voice was trembling.

  Kang Fan quickly jumped down from the tree, squatted down and let Mei Xiang ride on his shoulders. He slowly stood up against the trunk of the tree, allowing Mei Xiang to climb onto a newly built platform over two meters high. Mei Xiang clumsily climbed, with one foot kicking empty air and landing squarely on Kang Fan's face. Fortunately, she was wearing soft-soled shoes, but even so, Kang Fan couldn't help but let out a loud cry of pain. Mei Xiang took off her shoes and started climbing again, kicking Kang Fan several more times before finally succeeding. Kang Fan sat down at the base of the tree, rubbing his sore face while panting heavily.

  Kang Fan, I didn't do it on purpose... Girls climbing trees can't be as agile as you boys, right? Mei Xiang said with her head poking out from the platform, her voice still trembling, her eyes shining brightly.

  Cried? Kang Fan raised his head and asked.

  Mei Xiang wiped her eyes and didn't say a word.

  Kang Fan stretched out his body and lazily leaned against the tree trunk. You don't want to come but you insist on coming.

  I'm coming anyway, and I've arrived. What are you going to do about it? Mei Xiang suddenly raised her voice.

  Kang Fan said: This is not a good thing to go shopping, watch movies, or clubbing. It's very dangerous to explore the road, do you understand? In this unfamiliar wilderness, who can predict what kind of encounter will happen? If something dangerous happens, I'll be fine. How about you?

  "What's wrong with me? What did I do worse than those boys?" Mei Xiang retorted.

  Kang Fan nodded, not bad, you are better than them. Now, where is the heroic woman who pointed her gun at the wolf pack? Looking at your current appearance, how can I feel at ease bringing you along?

  Mei Xiang immediately choked with sobs, excitedly shouting: I was forced to! The wolf's mouth was about to touch my clothes, and none of the boys stood up for me, they were all scared stupid! Even Zhong Gege was frantic! If I didn't stand up, who would?! It's really unlucky, why did I follow you to such a ghostly place... My mom must be worried sick too! And then running into you slowly chopping these branches, these broken branches, broken branches! In the end, Mei Xiang used her hand to fiercely whip the branches beside her, venting her emotions. Who could protect me if not you?!

  Kang Fan jumped onto the platform with a thud, holding her hand tightly. Mei Xiang struggled for a while but couldn't break free, so she used her other hand to punch and kick Kang Fan, wailing loudly. Kang Fan took out some Yunnan Baiyao from his first-aid kit and poured it onto the wound on her hand that was scratched by the branch, then wrapped it with gauze. Mei Xiang looked at him as he bandaged her wound, her tearful eyes red and puffy, a sight that was very pitiful. A pang of pain shot through Kang Fan's heart, and he couldn't help but take a deep breath.

  Mei Xiang stopped crying and asked in surprise: What's wrong?

  Kang Fan shook his head and rubbed his chest with his hand.

  Kang Fan understood her actions: these students who had just left the campus, had never left their parents and teachers' care, and their privileged lives and noble environment determined that they would be at a loss and panicked in the face of such a situation. Mei Xiang was absolutely an outstanding example among them, and even she had a weak side, let alone other students? After the initial shock and turmoil, the beautiful expectations for future days would be the only support for their survival, and now he himself was their expectation and dependence. If he didn't do well, their future lives would be unbearable. He had been thinking about how to survive these days, neglecting the students' psychological feelings, and a person's mental quality would determine whether his attitude towards life was healthy or not - it was his own mistake. Thinking of this, he began to worry about Zhong Hanqiang - he had to take care of so many students' lives!

  Alright, stop messing around, I'm protecting you right now. Go to sleep. Kang Fan unzipped his sleeping bag.

  Mei Xiang calmed down, listening to the words that drilled in, stretching out her hand to pull Kang Fan in as well. Kang Fan didn't move, leaning against the sleeping bag, wrapping his windbreaker tightly around him, gripping his gun and closing his eyes.

  In the middle of the night, dark clouds covered the moon, and all around was pitch black. Is it going to rain? Kang Fan mounted a tactical light on the rail seat of his 92 pistol holster, turned it on, and observed the surroundings. He unfolded his raincoat and draped it over the top of the tree. Mei Xiang woke up, gazing at him with blurry eyes.

  It seems like it's going to rain, Kang Fan said.

  Plum fragrance drowsily agreed, touched one of his arms, and hugged him in her arms, then fell asleep again.

  Kang Fan's arm clearly felt the soft and warm touch of Mei Xiang's chest rising and falling with her breath, afraid of startling her, he made an effort to maintain this fixed posture without moving. Under the tree, there was an unknown wild beast passing by, its bright eyes flashing, making Kang Fan's heart skip a beat, even forgetting to smoke.

  The rain never came, and in the clear morning, the warm sunshine shone on his body, the fresh air was exhilarating. Kang Fan's mood improved a lot, hesitating whether to continue downstream or expand the search range on the shore. Mei Xiang woke up at some point, hugged him from behind, her head buried in his back. Kang Fan grasped her hand that reached out to his chest, suppressing his wildly beating heart.

  I dreamed of my mom... She told me to go home. Mei Xiang said.

  Kang Fan didn't know how to answer her. This was the most pressing issue in front of them right now: How could they get back home? When would they be able to go back home?

  Mei Xiang silently wept, her body trembling.

  Kang Fan didn't dare turn around, he couldn't face that pretty face. His heart started to ache again, and he pressed Mei Xiang's hand against his chest with force.

  What's wrong? Mei Xiang sensed something was off.

  Kang Fan shook his head and said: It's time to go.

  Plum fragrance moved in front of Kang Fan, looked at him, and suddenly smiled. A crystal tear hung on the long eyelashes, shaking.

  Kang Fan got down from the tree first. Mei Xiang climbed onto his back, wrapping her arms around his neck and refusing to get down.

  Big Brother Da Bing, can you carry me for a while? Mei Xiang is being coy.

  Kang Fan neither agreed nor disagreed, with one hand carrying his backpack and the other holding onto Mei Xiang's back, he walked to the riverbank, boarded the wooden raft, and continued downstream.

  They traveled in silence until noon, when they reached the shore and rested in a grove of trees. Kang Fan caught a few fish from the river, made a fire to cook fish soup, and ate it with Mei Xiang along with some dry bread. Then he boiled water using an aluminum lunch box and filled up their canteen. As the temperature was very high, Mei Xiang went to wash up in a small stream at the edge of the grove. Kang Fan used his raincoat and sleeping bag to set up a simple screen for her by the stream so she could take a bath, while he walked away and found a suitable place to have a good wash himself.

  Kang Fan had just finished washing and changed into a clean set of clothes, washed the dirty ones and hung them on tree branches to dry. He lay down on the grassy forest floor with his backpack as a pillow, waiting for Mei Xiang. As he felt drowsy, he fell asleep without realizing it. He didn't know how long he had slept, but when he woke up, he met Mei Xiang's gaze. Mei Xiang placed his head on her lap and leaned forward to block the dazzling sunlight from his eyes. Kang Fan knew why he had slept so comfortably. He didn't want to get up and continued lying there. Mei Xiang, who had just taken a bath, emitted a fresh fragrance all over her body, like a water lotus flower, stunningly beautiful!

  Two bird guns suddenly appeared in sight. Kang Fan was shocked and did not take immediate action, he put his hand on the gun holster, looked around, and as soon as he saw it, his whole body turned icy cold!

  The owners of the two bird guns were two young men dressed in Qing dynasty attire, with shiny bald heads, long braids, and wearing gray cloth clothes and black cloth shoes, with leg wraps, and carrying gunpowder gourds and cowhide sandbags at their waists. One of them was holding two wild chickens and a wild rabbit, while the other had a fox on his shoulder, both staring at him in surprise, their four eyes wide open.

  Kang Fan felt Mei Xiang's tension and his shoulder muscles were pinched by her until they ached.

  The four of them stared at each other in silence for a long time.

  Although Kang Fan had already guessed that they must have crossed time and space this time, he was unable to confirm it blindly due to lack of direct evidence. The two hunters who suddenly appeared in front of him finally proved his guesses for those days: They were people from the Qing Dynasty! They came to the Qing Dynasty!

  Kang Fan first asked: "May I ask you two gentlemen, what place is this?"

  The bearded hunter on the left replied: This is the territory of Ningwu Prefecture. The local accent of Shanxi Province.

  "Is this river the Fen River?" Kang Fan asked.

  The mustachioed hunter looked at him suspiciously and said: That's right.

  Kang Fan now thoroughly understood the geographical location, sat up, turned his head to Mei Xiang and said: The Fen River is the first largest river in Shanxi Province, running through the southern and northern provinces, and our camp is located in the Fen River valley. That is to say, we have not deviated from the original position, only the era has changed.

  Mèi Xiāng yǎnrán de Zhāng dà le zuǐ, shénme? Shídài gǎibiàn le?!

  Translation: Mei Xiang's mouth was agape, what? The times have changed?!

  Kang Fan asked again: Excuse me, sir, what year is it now?

  The two hunters looked at each other and smiled. Today is the sixteenth day of the third month in the twentieth year of Guangxu. The hunter with a beard replied to Kang Fan like this.

  Kang Fan held Mei Xiang's face, solemnly and slowly saying: Mei Xiang, listen carefully: The incident we experienced was a time-space traversal, that is to say, we returned from the 21st century to the late 19th century, in 1895.

  Mei Xiang covered her face with both hands on Kang Fan's hands, staring into his eyes. Are you saying that we have arrived in the era of the Wuxu Reform? Is it true that we are living in the same era as Emperor Guangxu, Empress Dowager Cixi, the Boxers, Kang Youwei, Liang Qichao, Tan Sitong and others?! As she spoke, her tears burst forth from her eyes, her delicate lips trembling, wanting to say something more but unable to get it out.

  Not very accurate, but roughly. Kang Fan was thinking about how Meixiang would react to the intense stimulation she had just received, and he waited anxiously.

  It's been a while, and Mei Xiang finally regained consciousness. That's good... let's not think about going home for now. She murmured, "Kang Fan, you can't escape, you have to take care of me, right?" She asked pitifully, looking helpless.

  Kang Fan wants to cry.