TFRLTOP Chapter 85 Part 2

Her toes brushed the ground. Guan Yi let go.

When she opened her eyes, she gasped.

They stood in a hidden valley, surrounded by an endless sea of pink blossoms. A waterfall cascaded from the cliffs to the south, its steady rush the only sound besides her heartbeat.

Ming Ming was stunned.

Compared to the dead cities, the ruins, the bloodstained streets—it was another world entirely. Untouched. Alive.

“Found it by accident on a mission,” Guan Yi said behind her. “Thought you’d like it. Figured today was a good day to bring you here—to show you there’s still a little paradise left in this broken world.”

“Do you like it?”

She didn’t answer, but her bright eyes and wide smile said enough.

She ran forward, the wind stirring a storm of petals that swirled around her like snow. It was like standing inside a dream.

“If only we had a camera,” she said softly. “It’s too beautiful not to remember.”

“Humans rely too much on technology,” Guan Yi replied, stepping closer. “The best memories are the ones carved into your mind. Photos are dead things. They can’t capture how this moment feels.”

He paused, then bowed slightly with a teasing smile. “Miss Bai He, may I have the honor of making a memory with you?”

Ming Ming immediately smacked his hand away. “No way!”

She spun around and ran off.

He laughed and called after her, “I just meant a bath by the waterfall!”

Ming Ming stopped mid-step, turned, and began walking backward, watching him carefully.

He followed her pace, keeping just enough distance between them.

Then she crooked her finger at him.

Guan Yi’s grin widened. He strode forward and swept her effortlessly into his arms.

She cupped his cheek, frowning playfully. “You’re all hard muscle—no softness at all.”

He chuckled.

Ming Ming glanced at the waterfall. “You sure it’s safe? Didn’t you say water’s the most dangerous place?”

“No mutants here,” he said. “We checked last time. I’ll even catch you a fish later.”

She pouted. “I want an octopus.”

He blinked, then laughed. “Sweetheart, are you hinting at something?”

She scowled. “You’re the one with the dirty mind!”

His laughter echoed through the valley as they waded into the water together, the cool spray misting around them.

The scene faded into the sound of rushing water and soft laughter—
a fleeting pocket of peace in a shattered world.

The water was icy.

“It’s too cold,” Ming Ming gasped, shivering.

“It’ll warm up soon,” Guan Yi murmured against her skin, his voice low and teasing.

The two of them clung together in the water, half-laughing, half-bickering. Every time they tried to pull apart, the chill of the stream crept back between them, forcing them close again.

“Stop messing around,” she complained through a laugh. “You’re impossible.”

He chuckled softly. “But you’re smiling.”

Before long, the cold began to win. Ming Ming’s teeth chattered, and Guan Yi finally relented, wrapping his arm around her waist. “All right, let’s get out before you freeze.”

He carried her to the shore, draped a thin blanket around her shoulders, and started a small fire. The flames flickered against the darkened valley, painting their faces in shades of gold.

“We look like a pair of wild hermits hiding from the world,” Ming Ming muttered, holding the blanket tighter.

“That doesn’t sound so bad,” Guan Yi said with a grin, brushing a damp strand of hair from her cheek.

He wandered off for a moment and returned with some branches and flowers. Ming Ming’s eyes lit up for an instant—until he began weaving the branches around her like a makeshift skirt.

“There,” he said proudly. “Now you look like a forest spirit.”

“Forest spirit, my foot!” she shot back, lunging at him.

Their playful scuffle ended with Ming Ming pinning him to the ground, both of them laughing so hard neither could breathe. For a long moment, they just stared at each other—the world silent except for the crackle of fire and the distant rush of the waterfall.

Guan Yi’s teasing smile softened. “You know,” he said quietly, “I really do love seeing you like this—free, laughing, alive.”

Ming Ming turned her head to hide the sudden warmth in her chest. “You’re such a smooth talker.”

“Only when it’s true.”

She rolled her eyes but didn’t move away. The night deepened around them, the fire burning low. Guan Yi reached for her hand, their fingers tangling together.

“Come on,” he whispered. “Let’s call it a night.”

She hesitated for a breath, then nodded.

The rest of their words were lost beneath the hush of the waterfall and the crackle of the dying fire.