Clearly, this place wasn't that large, so the area it occupied wasn't extensive either.
As they walked up, they could see some scattered residential ruins on both sides, with scattered stones that didn't reveal their original purpose.
"I heard that this used to be a battlefield," Henry said beside them. "Back then, there were constant battles between territories."
"Back then, there weren't many people in each territory, so there were even fewer troops available," someone remarked.
Henry nodded. "Maybe just a few hundred."
Upon hearing this, someone couldn't help but chuckle. "Back then, with only hundreds of people fighting together with melee weapons like shields and swords, it must have been like a street brawl."
Everyone imagined the scene and indeed found it amusing, unable to help laughing.
A substantial part of the castle ruins remained, still evoking a majestic feeling.
Though mostly reduced to rubble, traces of the original rooms inside the castle were still discernible.
Separated by some broken walls, it was clear these had once been individual rooms.
After agreeing on a departure time, everyone dispersed to explore on their own.
Gu Nian walked up to a wall, its half-height stones reaching her chest.
Gu Nian stared at the wall for a while. Just as Chu Zhaoyang was curious about what she was thinking, she said, "Could you lift me up there?"
Chu Zhaoyang frowned. "It's too dangerous. What if you fall?"
"The wall isn't that high. Even if I fall, you'll catch me. I just can't climb up myself," Gu Nian replied.
At this moment, she seemed to revert to her somewhat childish self from before she became Little Millet Cake.
In front of Little Millet Cake, she had to maintain a motherly demeanor.
Therefore, the childishness deep inside her was always suppressed.
Now that it was just the two of them, Gu Nian naturally didn't have to be so restrained.
Her true self could be expressed without any reservation.
She rarely felt so unrestrained. Looking up at him, her eyes were full of trust.
Chu Zhaoyang suddenly felt proud. Being fully trusted by his woman, he didn't want to refuse her again.
Saying "okay," he held Gu Nian by the waist and lifted her up.
Gu Nian didn't exert any effort and sat on the broken wall.
Although the wall wasn't high, when she sat on it, her feet still only reached halfway up, dangling.
Located on top of the hill, it naturally had an advantage in height. Looking down the hill, they could see winding roads, lush pastures, and rural homes that seemed like paintings.
The view was so beautiful it made people forget all their troubles in an instant.
Gu Nian patted the spot next to her. "Why don't you come up too? The view is amazing and very beautiful."
Chu Zhaoyang smiled and placed his hands on the broken wall. With a push, he effortlessly leaped onto the wall beside Gu Nian, showing no signs of effort.
Looking into the distance, it was indeed as beautiful and expansive as Gu Nian had described.
Full of greenery and rural tranquility, it made one forget all stress in that moment.
He turned to look at Gu Nian, and suddenly, the beautiful scenery became the backdrop.
At this moment, he only saw Gu Nian in his eyes, as if the scenery had blurred in the photos.
Only Gu Nian's smiling profile, so serene and beautiful.
Chu Zhaoyang felt that looking at Gu Nian was more relaxing than admiring the scenery.
"Isn't it beautiful?" Gu Nian noticed Chu Zhaoyang's gaze and turned to ask.
As a result, she saw Chu Zhaoyang looking straight at her.
Gu Nian blushed slightly under his gaze and waved her hand in front of Chu Zhaoyang. "Haven't you seen enough yet?"
They had been together for quite a while. Hadn't he gotten tired of her face?
They should have exceeded the freshness date already.
"Never enough," Chu Zhaoyang said with a faint smile. "I could look at it for a lifetime."
Gu Nian couldn't help but laugh.
It was great that her man's freshness date was so long.
The companions had long since gone off to play somewhere. In this vast and open space, there weren't many people stuck among these piles of stones.
Gu Nian lazily rested her head on Chu Zhaoyang's shoulder, smelling the minty fragrance on him. Looking into the distance, she felt everything was so carefree and beautiful.
"It's cool on the hill. Don't sit for too long," Chu Zhaoyang said.
Gu Nian also felt a bit chilly and nodded.
Chu Zhaoyang jumped down first, ready to help Gu Nian down.
But to his surprise, after turning around, Gu Nian's figure was nowhere to be seen.
She had been right in front of him just a second ago. How could she disappear into thin air like this?
Fear gripped Chu Zhaoyang's heart. "Nian Nian, don't joke with me!"
He supported himself against the broken wall with both hands and jumped directly into the wall.
Outside the broken wall, there was no sign of Gu Nian, so he had to search from inside.
But even after jumping in, there was still no trace of Gu Nian.
Panic filled Chu Zhaoyang's voice as he shouted, "Nian Nian, Gu Nian! This isn't funny. Come out quickly!"
His voice betrayed his deep anxiety.
If Gu Nian had heard him, she wouldn't want to see him so nervous and frightened and would have come out long ago.
But she didn't!
Chu Zhaoyang searched everywhere for Gu Nian's figure. The broken walls inside the castle ruins were particularly obstructive, preventing him from seeing everything at a glance.
"Nian Nian!" Chu Zhaoyang called out. "Gu Nian!"
Calling out as he chose a path to search.
Beyond the two broken walls, a figure suddenly flashed by, as if carrying someone on their shoulders.
Chu Zhaoyang immediately rushed over.
But the walls blocked his view, obscuring where the other person was hiding.