Sharing Dreams with My Bestie’s Cousin Chapter 274 - She fulfilled her promise (3)

Meng Fan gestured dismissively before dropping onto the roadside, declaring, “Let’s take a break, I’m completely spent. You can’t imagine, the second I shut my eyes in the vehicle, a barrage of jumbled visions invades my thoughts.”

Jumbled visions?

Wen Zhi briefly talked with the driver, arranging for him to stay put in the car, and he assured her it was no issue.

She then came over to Meng Fan, crouched beside her, and inquired, “What sort of visions?”

“Give me a moment to remember…” Meng Fan focused hard, yet the scenes stayed hazy: “Rong Huaishen appeared to be there, riding horses across the open plains with me…”

Across the expansive grasslands, a few horses raced forward, Meng Fan perched atop one while another person casually held the reins, guiding it along.

Abruptly, the horse broke into a sprint.

The reins-holder vaulted behind her, seized her hands along with the reins, and urged the mount into full gallop.

Meng Fan let out a sigh and shook her head as her recollection hit this spot: “Nothing more comes back.”

“Stop dwelling on it then.” Wen Zhi softly rubbed Meng Fan’s back and refrained from probing further.

After Meng Fan recovered sufficiently, Wen Zhi assisted her to stand. Suddenly, Meng Fan clutched Wen Zhi’s wrist, seeming on the verge of speaking.

This abrupt move startled Wen Zhi, prompting her to gaze at Meng Fan: “What?”

Meng Fan proposed, “How about we travel the rest by horse?”

The idea hit so unexpectedly and boldly that Wen Zhi stood stunned.

Though unfamiliar with riding herself, she knew horseback was commonplace in Licheng, serving as a primary transport method there.

“Sound fun, Zhizhi?” Meng Fan pressed.

Wen Zhi wagged her head vigorously: “No way, I don’t know how to ride.”

“You do know!” Meng Fan sounded utterly confident at first, but faltered later: “You’ve just forgotten for now.”

Wen Zhi: “…”

That hardly counted as knowing how!

Meng Fan’s condition suggested horse travel might perk her up, sparing her that zombie-like look upon returning to the car.

Terrified as she was, Wen Zhi figured mounting a horse could jog her memory, and above all, she hated seeing Meng Fan suffer more.

Meng Fan worried Wen Zhi’s pride might make her balk at admitting fear, so she double-checked with her multiple times.

Mutual concern won out, leading them to decide on horseback for the remaining journey.

Meng Fan then instructed the driver to fetch three horses from close by. He complied without complaint, swiftly returning with them—one for himself, and one apiece for Wen Zhi and Meng Fan.

He’d already pocketed a hefty payment from Meng Fan for the escort, so car or horse, his duty was delivering them safely.

…

They reached the destination before midday.

“At last, there it is up ahead.” Meng Fan indicated the imposing wooden villa about a hundred meters off.

Exhausted, Wen Zhi sprawled limp across her horse: “Glad we made it.”

Concern etched Meng Fan’s face: “Zhizhi, you alright?”

“I’m good, really.”

Wen Zhi pushed up from the horse’s back, gradually uncurling her spine. Staring long at the distant villa, she murmured suddenly, “This place seems familiar, like I’ve visited before.”

Meng Fan faced her and revealed, “You have come here before.”

“Together with you?” Wen Zhi queried.

“Exactly. No worries if it’s slipped your mind; reconnecting with the old days will bring it back gradually.”

Meng Fan slid off her horse, handing the reins to the driver: “Appreciate the effort, brother.”

The driver mimed a phone call: “Ring me anytime for a lift.”

Meng Fan flashed an OK sign: “I’ll manage walking this bit, but my friend’s wiped out. Let her stay mounted longer to rest—mind holding her reins?”

“No problem.”

Over that short hundred meters, Wen Zhi almost dozed off again atop the horse.

No one summoned her, yet hazily, Chen Jinhai’s voice reached her ears. Drained, she pried open her eyes, spotting a man and woman in the distance.

Moments later, the pair advanced toward her.

“Zhizhi.”

“Miss Wen.”

Too weak to rise, Wen Zhi lay there eyeing Meng Fan and Chen Jinhai’s approach. She managed a prone greeting to him: “Hey~ Chen Zhu, fancy meeting you again.”

Tension creased Chen Jinhai’s features: “Miss Wen, did you ride here too?”

Wen Zhi nodded faintly.

Chen Jinhai glanced at grinning Meng Fan, helplessness crossing his face: “Miss Meng, bringing Miss Wen horseback? Far too risky.”

Meng Fan dropped her toothy grin, expression turning serious: “Everything turned out fine, right?”

Chen Jinhai cautioned, “Mr. Shang remains unaware as yet.”

Meng Fan panicked: “Then keep it from uncle—say Zhizhi and I hitched a ride.”

Chen Jinhai opened his mouth to note hiding it from Mr. Shang was futile when he glimpsed an approaching figure from the corner of his eye. Heart racing, he warned Meng Fan, “Mr. Shang’s already arrived.”

Meng Fan: “…”

Wen Zhi spotted Shang Hexing too, panic surging inexplicably; she urged Meng Fan and Chen Jinhai, “Get me down quick.”

How could Chen Jinhai assist? Mr. Shang neared fast.

With Chen Jinhai unmoving, Meng Fan hesitated too, ducking silently behind him.

As Shang Hexing drew close, Meng Fan plastered on a smile and stepped forward: “Hi, uncle.”

Shang Hexing’s glare flicked over Meng Fan, his fury making her recoil.

He shifted his stare away and advanced on Wen Zhi.

With the gap narrowing, Wen Zhi struggled upright on the horse.

Their gazes locked; Wen Zhi flashed an awkward grin, mustering bravery: “I promised to come find you, and I did.”

Shang Hexing stayed silent, reached the horse, and extended his arms: “Come down.”