Chapter 158 Hard to Choose

After sobbing for a while, Zhang Can finally raised his head and said with a choked voice to Su Xue, "Su Xue, I can't stay here for even another day. I want to get out. I must get out!"

"Don't worry. If we can get out, we will eventually find a way. If we can't, then no matter what, we simply won't be able to leave. Isn't there a saying that heaven always leaves a way out? As long as we take some time, perhaps we can find an exit!"

Su Xue's ability to survive in desperate situations was much stronger than Zhang Can's. Therefore, while she was comforting him with her words, deep down she knew that trying to escape from here was truly as difficult as ascending to the heavens.

After a moment of thought, Su Xue asked, "Zhang Can, I've had some questions bottled up inside me for a long time, and I've been pondering them repeatedly lately. When you retrieved those three boxes from the sea last time... did you not wear any diving suit at all, and instead dive to the ocean floor bare-handed?"

In the past, she had never entertained such a thought because Su Xue had deemed it impossible. No human being could dive more than a hundred meters below the sea surface bare-handed without the aid of any equipment. However, after experiencing that underground torrent, Su Xue suddenly recalled that the pool at the bottom of the cliff where she and Zhang Can had fallen must have been well over a hundred meters deep. After that, they had traversed an even deeper subterranean river for such a long time and yet managed to survive. All she remembered—her only distinct impression—was that Zhang Can had transferred air into her mouth using his own lips, and after that airflow was drawn into her abdomen, her entire body had felt wonderfully comfortable, completely devoid of cold and suffocation. In such freezing temperatures, any ordinary person would find it utterly impossible to resist the cold, nor would there be any possibility of remaining submerged in water for so long without breathing. Furthermore, Zhang Can had somehow kept her alive using his own breath!

This was what Su Xue found even harder to comprehend. She understood that whether human or animal, the air inhaled into the body is oxygen-rich, but what is exhaled is carbon dioxide—a poisonous gas. If what Zhang Can had passed to her was carbon dioxide, she would have died long ago. How could she have spent nearly an hour safely at the bottom of the water?

Zhang Can was stunned. Because of the emergency at the time, he hadn't thought about this question. Later, after he fell off the cliff, Su Xue chose to come and save him regardless of her own life, and eventually they both plunged down the precipice together. At that moment, Zhang Can certainly wouldn't have considered the consequences; even if there were consequences, he still would have chosen to save Su Xue.

But now that Su Xue was asking about it with such sensitivity, Zhang Can was struck dumb, not knowing how to reply.

After a moment of deliberation, Zhang Can chose not to tell Su Xue the truth. Even trapped in this inescapable sheer-walled abyss where he might spend the remainder of his life with her, he had no intention of revealing this secret.

"I liked diving very much when I was a child, and my diving ability was much better than that of the other kids. Later on, I learned breathing and meditation techniques from a Taoist practitioner in my hometown."

Zhang Can looked at Su Xue, knowing that she was a martial arts expert herself, and quickly added, "It wasn't martial arts training, though—just breathing and Qi cultivation. The result of this Qi cultivation is that it allows me to hold my breath underwater for more than half an hour. Later on, I even managed to train myself so that the breath I exhale directly transforms into breathable oxygen. As for why I was able to train to this extent, I have no idea myself!"

With this explanation, Zhang Can attributed the vast majority of his abilities to the Taoist he had learned from in his childhood. If Su Xue pressed further, he would simply claim that the old Taoist had passed away or had left their hometown many years ago and was never seen again, making it impossible for Su Xue to investigate even if she wanted to. Besides, he reckoned Su Xue wouldn't ask that many questions, would she?

On second thought, Zhang Can suddenly realized: weren't he and Su Xue trapped in a desperate situation right now? How could they possibly go out and investigate this matter anyway? It was purely worrying over nothing! Zhang Can had never truly placed himself in the mindset of someone trapped in a hopeless plight.

Su Xue nodded and said, "Oh, so that's how it is. Actually, having an ability like this is already extremely rare and formidable. If the relevant departments and units found out about it, they could recruit you directly!"

That was precisely what Zhang Can feared. Those departments—they were probably just like what was described in the movies. Very few people would genuinely look out for your well-being; all they would want was the ability someone like him possessed. Once they discovered any sign of rebellion or a desire to quit, they would strike mercilessly. They would never allow someone with supernatural abilities to fall into the hands of others.

***

Su Xue fell into deep thought. Only after Zhang Can explained his formidable abilities did she realize that many of the things that had happened previously could now be easily resolved and explained!

Yet Zhang Can felt that this explanation still sounded somewhat far-fetched, though for the moment he couldn't think of any other excuses.

"Go to sleep. You're too exhausted. Get some proper rest, and you'll feel better after sleeping. You're just too tense," Su Xue comforted Zhang Can. She then helped him over to the wooden-board bed inside the thatched cottage and had him lie down, with the two fur coats still serving as a mattress underneath.

Zhang Can felt a heavy tightness in his chest. After lying down on the furs, Su Xue sat beside him and placed his head on her lap, gently stroking his hair to massage him and relieve his stress. Zhang Can felt very comfortable. Although his mind was still in a mess, he closed his eyes to enjoy the sensation, unwilling to move anymore, and gradually drifted into a deep sleep.

When he woke up, Zhang Can felt that the surface his face was resting against was soft. He realized it was Su Xue's chest, and she had also fallen asleep, still holding his head in her arms.

Zhang Can dared not move, afraid of waking Su Xue up. He truly never expected that Su Xue, normally such a fiercely proud young woman, could have such a gentle and feminine side. Especially that moment on the cliff when she had thrown herself off the precipice without a second thought to save him—that split second had touched Zhang Can beyond words!

On further reflection, Su Xue was, after all, an exceptionally beautiful girl. If it had been anyone else, what would it feel like to be stranded in a place like this with her?

Back when he was a teenager and secretly infatuated with Liu Xiaoli, because she looked down on him and he felt inferior to his rivals, he had often felt utterly inadequate. At that time, he had even fantasized about how wonderful it would be if he and Liu Xiaoli were stranded on a deserted island together, never wanting to escape, just wishing to stay alone on the island with her for the rest of his life and treat her wonderfully forever.

Yet now, when actually confronted with such a scenario, Zhang Can felt somewhat unaccustomed to it. To be honest, Su Xue was vastly superior to Liu Xiaoli in every way imaginable, but for some reason, a wrenching, twisting pain kept gripping Zhang Can's heart!

In his childhood, Zhang Can had believed he was bound to be a devoted person; as long as he could win Liu Xiaoli's heart, he could treat her with unwavering devotion for a lifetime. But now, he wasn't so sure anymore. Only when feeling like there was no way out did he start to wonder: whom did he actually like? Was it Liu Xiaoqin? Zhou Nan? Or perhaps Su Xue right now? Or even Liu Xiaoli?

That day when he and Liu Xiaoli had almost crossed the line made Zhang Can realize that he wasn't completely devoid of feelings for her after all. Thinking back on that close encounter still stirred a sense of excitement and thrill within him, and part of him really wished he could have stolen that forbidden fruit. If he truly harbored no yearning for her, how could he possibly have such thoughts?

Under the present circumstances, even though he had several women on his mind and couldn't pinpoint which one he truly loved, the hard reality was right before him: he could only be with Su Xue now. Would Su Xue even want to live with him?

To be honest, Zhang Can had never considered this question. Because he had always kept a respectful distance from Su Xue, he had never harbored any crooked thoughts toward her, nor did he dare to have any ulterior motives. He simply didn't dare to entertain notions about this girl—she was someone who would resort to savage methods at the slightest provocation, beating you until your face was bruised and swollen, or perhaps leaving you covered in blood; you couldn't beat her in a fight, and she wouldn't even listen to reason. How could anyone dare to get close to her?

Yet the heavens stubbornly enjoyed playing such cruel tricks, throwing him into this desperate wasteland. And as for assigning him a companion, instead of pairing him with Liu Xiaoqin or Zhou Nan, fate had deliberately made him and Su Xue fall into this place together!

As Zhang Can shifted slightly without any particular intention, Su Xue woke up. Opening her eyes to find Zhang Can's face pressed tightly against her chest, she finally blushed and gave him a shy push, creating a little distance between them before asking, "You're awake?"

Zhang Can nodded. After all, being a man, yesterday's tearful and shameful display was something to happen once, never twice. He gave Su Xue a wry, helpless smile and said, "Su Xue, if we really can't get out of here, what do you think we should do? Should we make this wooden cabin bigger, or..."

Su Xue smiled, pointing to the wider patch of green grass on the other side of the cabin, and said, "We should build two more small huts over here, and then plant some flowers on the grass. It's a pity we don't have vegetable seeds; otherwise, we could grow some vegetables to eat."

Zhang Can was taken aback, asking in surprise, "Planting flowers and vegetables is one thing, but why build two more huts? There's just the two of us; we couldn't possibly live in that many rooms, and building them that big is useless, right?"

A blush crept onto Su Xue's face. Tugging at the hem of her clothes, she lowered her head and spoke in a soft voice, "Aren't you... going to prepare a house for the children?"

"Children? Where would children come from?" Zhang Can was stunned, his mind failing to catch up. Weren't there only the two of them at the bottom of this valley? Where on earth would children come from?

Yet looking at Su Xue's shy, blushing face, Zhang Can suddenly understood what she meant by the children in her words!

After pausing for a moment, Su Xue said with a wistful sigh, "Zhang Can, I know you don't really like me, but I've come to like you. In a place like this, if—and I say if—if it turns out we can never get out, I think the two of us will eventually form a family, have a whole bunch of children, and live happily here. Life is only a few decades long anyway; as long as we live happily, isn't that enough?"

Zhang Can sighed. Though he felt somewhat unaccustomed to Su Xue suddenly confessing her feelings to him like this, he could accept it. When she had thrown herself off the cliff after him regardless of her own life, he had already surrendered. To be honest, even if Su Xue hadn't stated it so explicitly right now, perhaps given enough time, he and Su Xue would have still become husband and wife, a family. In a place like this, in such an environment, what other choice could he possibly have?

Yet after a sigh, Zhang Can muttered heavily, "Have you ever thought about this? If we really do have a whole bunch of children—you and I might live happily like immortals until we grow old and content, but what about our children? What will happen to them? Are you going to let them spend their entire lives in loneliness?"

Zhang Can's words instantly left Su Xue stunned. That was true indeed. She and Su Xue could live as an immortal couple, but what about their children? Were they destined to endure a lonely life? Were they supposed to grow old and die in this isolated world cut off from humanity?

Su Xue's eyes instantly turned red, her lips parted slightly, but no words came out. Zhang Can—deep down, he was still thinking only of escaping! Otherwise, how could he possibly have considered all of this?