Chapter 191 - 181: Descending the Mountain

Chapter 191: Chapter 181: Descending the Mountain

"Yeah, it is dumb."

Since Da Hua had asked, Tang Mo told her the truth.

Da Hua had overheard Tang Mo and Abu’s conversation that day. They both had an unspoken understanding about it, but neither of them ever brought it up.

And now, Tang Mo understood. Da Hua wanting to wander aimlessly on the mountain with Abu today was just her way of creating one last memory with him.

"The last time he came, I knew what he was here for."

Da Hua continued to gaze at the moon, her face hidden from Tang Mo’s view.

"I just didn’t care."

"I knew he came for that thing. The night he got caught, he was on the mountain looking for it, too. I knew everything. I just... I really didn’t care."

Huahua spoke, word by word. She didn’t need Tang Mo to say anything; she just wanted to finally voice the words she had kept locked in her heart. She had been holding them in for far too long.

"The last time my father summoned me, he talked about me starting a family. I refused. You know I like Abu. Even though I’m an ape and he’s a human, I can’t control my feelings. I can’t live a normal life with my own kind anymore."

"Later, after I heard Abu say those things..."

Remembering the words that had caused her so much pain, Da Hua paused.

"I decided to change my mind. I told my father that I was willing to start a family with the ape he chose for me, but on one condition: I wanted that treasure."

"Our Xing Clan has always known about that thing. It’s something we’ve been guarding since my father’s father."

"My father dotes on me; he’d give me anything I ask for. But he was afraid I’d do something foolish, so he promised he would give me the treasure only after I started a family and had a child."

"I know what my father was thinking. He thought that would make me settle down and live the same life as every other ape in the Xing Clan, that I would stop thinking about all that messy, unrealistic stuff."

"I agreed. I agreed to everything. I would have agreed to any condition my father set, as long as I could get that thing."

"I know Abu wants it."

"This is the last thing I can do for him."

Da Hua kept her head tilted back, but tears still streamed down her face, soaking the soft fur on her cheeks.

Da Hua had asked Abu to come back next year, saying she had something to give him. It was obvious what that "something" was.

"You’re always thinking about what Abu wants. Have you ever thought about what you want?"

It was as if, for the first time, Tang Mo was truly starting to understand Da Hua.

She wasn’t dumb. She had simply made the choice she wanted to make. That was all.

"I want Abu to be happy."

Tang Mo sighed.

She didn’t know what else to say. To her, every word Da Hua spoke was a bit ridiculous.

But it was a ridiculousness that was also heartbreaking.

For some reason, she could somewhat understand what Da Hua was thinking. She didn’t agree with it, but she understood.

’I’m in love, too. If Qin Ling were in danger, I would risk my life to save him, no matter the cost.’

’But this is different from Da Hua’s feelings.’

’That’s because Qin Ling treats me well, with a true and honest heart. That’s why he’s worth it.’

Tang Mo had been through too much. She no longer possessed Da Hua’s pure, selfless devotion that asked for nothing in return.

She would only be good to those who were genuinely good to her in return.

But she had no right—no one had the right—to mock someone who still had such a pure heart in this complicated world.

"What’s he like, the one your father picked for you?"

After thinking it over, it was the only thing Tang Mo could think to ask.

She didn’t want to see Da Hua so easily sacrifice her own happiness for Abu.

"We grew up together. He’s always liked me, and I’m sure he’ll treat me well in the future. He’s very strong, the top candidate for the next leader. My father loves me so much, he would definitely choose the best for me."

Da Hua smiled. This was the life she was supposed to live; she shouldn’t have any complaints.

Tang Mo nodded. Perhaps this really was the best possible outcome for Da Hua.

"Momo, I really envy you. If only I were human, then maybe I could be with the person I love."

"Momo, human emotions are so bitter... so bitter that I can’t even taste the fruit from the orchard anymore."

"Momo, Xiao Hua told me you came here looking for someone. It’s the person you love, isn’t it?"

"Momo, you’re so pretty, you’d definitely look good in a dress. You’ll definitely find happiness."

That night, Da Hua talked and talked, and Tang Mo listened.

The night sky was so gentle, gentle enough to embrace all the secrets of a young girl’s heart.

The next day, Tang Mo spent the day playing with Xiao Hua as usual. But when she took Xiao Hua back to her cave that evening, she took out several cases of milk from her Space and had her carry them home to drink at her leisure.

Xiao Hua seemed to sense something. When they said goodbye, she didn’t just wave carelessly and skip back to her cave.

Instead, she beckoned for Tang Mo to crouch down, then gave her a proper, heartfelt hug.

All living things have a spirit, whether human or animal.

Tang Mo and Abu left that night, as planned. Da Hua didn’t see them off, but simply waved goodbye to them from the entrance of her cave.

The few apes on guard duty, aside from their leader, had no idea what happened after they were knocked out. They just assumed they had gotten food poisoning from something they ate.

As for the one guard, he was probably too embarrassed about being defeated single-handedly by a human kid to report the incident to Da Mao.

This undoubtedly saved Abu a lot of trouble.

This time, Tang Mo took out the packet of knockout powder Abu had given her before and once again took care of the guards in the quickest, simplest way possible.

’This knockout powder really is good stuff.’

Such a tiny dose could take down such a massive creature. It was countless times better than any of the knockout drugs or anesthetics sold in the Alliance.

Tang Mo carefully stored the remaining knockout powder, made from rosemary, in her Space’s warehouse.

"You really have a way down such a steep cliff?"

Tang Mo had observed it earlier. The cliff was far too steep; climbing down empty-handed was absolutely impossible.

The drop from the summit was also too high. Even if Tang Mo tied all the ropes in her Space together, they wouldn’t be long enough.

"Of course. Did you forget how I got up here?"

Abu whistled confidently.

Soon, a bird Tang Mo didn’t recognize flew up, carrying one end of a thick vine in its beak.

The other end of the vine dangled down the side of the cliff.

Abu took the vine, found the sturdiest-looking boulder nearby, and tied the vine to it.

’Looks like the people in the tribe below the mountain are skilled at taming beasts,’ Tang Mo mentally added another note about the humans from the tribe below.