Chapter Twenty: Call Me Uncle, and I'll Give You Candy

No one paid attention to why Chen Ding’an’s expression remained so calm and composed, as if what he had just done was the most ordinary thing in the world. It was as simple as getting up in the morning, eating, or going to bed, and his reaction was so swift, his movements so precise.

Even those closest to Gu Hu—the security personnel and Gu Mengyan’s mother—had not yet realized what was happening, but Chen Ding’an had already appeared at the critical moment and saved Gu Hu.

By the time Gu Mengyan’s mother, Du Xinyue, understood what had taken place, Chen Ding’an had already pulled Gu Hu back from the edge of the cliff. In the face of this hair-raising incident, everyone except those at the very front of the group—who were unaware of what had transpired behind them—broke out in a cold sweat.

Fortunately, the most dangerous and disastrous outcome did not occur, all thanks to Chen Ding’an’s timely intervention, which prevented what could have been the first tragedy of this expedition.

Why do I say “the first tragedy”? Because after this incident, many other unexpected accidents would follow, and Chen Ding’an was not always able to appear in time to resolve them—but that is a story for later.

After Chen Ding’an rescued Gu Hu, everyone was still shaken, their faces pale with lingering fear. While it was a blessing that Gu Hu was saved, everyone now realized that this mission was indeed fraught with risks. If it hadn’t been for Chen Ding’an’s presence and the coincidence that he happened to be walking just behind the Gu family, Gu Hu might have already plunged off the cliff. In fact, after he was pulled up, the very tree that had been his lifeline broke loose from its roots and tumbled down into the abyss.

Everyone put themselves in Gu Hu’s shoes, wondering if, had it been them, they would have managed to grab hold of the tree in time to save themselves. And, if not, would anyone have been able to rescue them the way Chen Ding’an had?

The group’s advance was brought to a halt by the incident. Friends of the Gu couple hurried to their side, comforting the still-frightened Gu Hu and Du Xinyue and temporarily taking over the task of looking after Gu Mengyan.

The team leader, who had been at the front and unaware of what was happening, rushed over after hearing the commotion. He ordered the group to rest where they were, and repeatedly instructed everyone to be careful and keep away from the edge.

Upon learning that Gu Hu was unharmed, the team leader couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief. To be honest, this mission was of critical importance to the company. The engineers present were among the company’s most valuable assets, each accomplished in their respective fields.

This mission required every one of them. If something had happened before the task had even begun—in the journey to the destination—it would have been a grave dereliction of duty. Originally, the company had intended to use helicopters for transport, but the final destination was inaccessible even to helicopters, with no place to land, nor any path for off-road vehicles. There was no choice but to proceed on foot.

Now, because they were forced to travel on foot, an engineer had narrowly escaped disaster. The thought was terrifying. Even if it wasn’t his decision to go on foot, he was still the leader; should anything happen, he would bear responsibility.

As for his earlier statement that anyone unable to continue could leave on their own—that had been said merely to scare them. If someone actually left the group mid-journey, he would be the one to suffer for it.

After confirming that Gu Hu was unharmed, the team leader immediately called together all the security personnel. He needed to quickly revise the travel arrangements. The incident made him realize that his preparations had been insufficient and that he had underestimated the likelihood of danger.

In fact, this wasn’t the team leader’s first time in this area. He had been here before, but with a much smaller group comprised mainly of professional security personnel with wilderness experience. Most of them were retired special forces soldiers or had been trained in military-style discipline from a young age.

So, while the first trip had been even more arduous than this one, there had been no danger of anyone slipping off a cliff. This time, however, he was leading a group of engineers who had almost no experience outdoors. They were unprepared for potential dangers and lacked any defensive mechanisms.

He acknowledged his own oversight and immediately reorganized the group, assigning two security personnel to every few engineers so help would be close at hand if needed.

The new assignments were quickly implemented, and the security staff took up positions, providing tight protection for everyone.

His anxiety was understandable: Gu Hu’s near-fall was just one of many possible dangers. There were other threats, not least among them the wild animals in the forest. If a beast attack occurred and the team failed to react in time, the casualties could be far more serious.

While the team leader was busy reorganizing, Gu Hu gradually recovered from his shock. He took the hot water offered by Chen Ding’an and gulped it down. His wife, Du Xinyue, stood beside him, gently patting his back to help him catch his breath.

Once he regained his composure, Gu Hu lifted his head and looked at Chen Ding’an, his eyes full of gratitude and sincerity. “I really don’t know how to thank you. My name is Gu Hu, this is my wife, Du Xinyue, and our daughter is over there. If it weren’t for your timely rescue, our first family outing might have ended in tragedy.

“Forgive my boldness, but may I ask your name? It would be unacceptable not to know the name of the man who saved our lives.”

Though Gu Hu was a modern computer engineer, his speech carried a faint air of classical formality—not overly pronounced, but enough for Chen Ding’an to detect it at once. This piqued his curiosity.

Chen Ding’an did not hesitate to answer. “Mr. Gu, Mrs. Gu, it’s a pleasure. Saving you was no more than a matter of lending a hand. I believe anyone capable would have done the same without hesitation under such circumstances.

“I was simply able to reach you first because of some special skills. There’s no need to be so formal. My name is Chen Ding’an. If you don’t mind, just call me Ding’an. I prefer it that way.”

Gu Hu nodded and, with his wife’s support, stood up and bowed deeply to Chen Ding’an. “Such a great debt can’t be repaid with mere words. Judging from your attire and your companions, I assume you are a person of some status and influence.

“Perhaps you do not care for it, but my wife and I will never forget your kindness. Should you ever need anything, just say the word and I will do all in my power.”

Chen Ding’an waved his hands hastily. “Please, there’s no need for this… Ah, I’m really not used to your formal way of speaking! I told you, just call me Ding’an. As for helping me—well, it’s not that I look down on you, but honestly, there’s not much I need help with.

“But…”

“Ding’an, if you ever need anything, just say the word,” Gu Hu quickly interjected, amending his address while still sounding as though he’d stepped out of an old tale.

“If you really want to help, then why not keep me company during your mission?” Chen Ding’an said with a cheerful grin.

“Hmm?” Gu Hu and Du Xinyue both blinked in surprise. They understood his words but were still a little puzzled.

Seeing their confusion, Chen Ding’an explained, “You’ve probably noticed—I have a bit of status and money, but that means I rarely meet ordinary friends in daily life. Other than my family and these people protecting me, most of my acquaintances are colleagues, and most only care about my position or power. I have few genuine friends.

“The ones traveling with me now are all bodyguards—stiff as boards, every one of them. Even if I wanted to befriend them, none would dare. So honestly, I’ve been quite bored along the way.

“What happened just now has given us the chance to get acquainted. Gu Hu, you don’t strike me as someone who would curry favor with the powerful. You don’t need to worry about my status; we could be friends. That way, I’ll have some company on the road, and if you stay close to me, you shouldn’t run into any more danger. And when we reach our destination, the accommodations will be much better—not just for you, but for your daughter as well. Surely you don’t want her sleeping in a damp tent and muddy rainwater?”

Without waiting for Gu Hu’s reply, Chen Ding’an turned to Gu Mengyan, took a bag of candy from his pocket, and teased her, “Little girl! Do you want some? If you do, call me uncle and I’ll give you a treat…”