Exclusive Memory novel Chapter 69

The water on the eaves of the house was dripping into a small puddle in front of the door, and it flowed quietly towards the door along with the other puddles in the yard.

After dinner and cleaning up, it was almost ten o'clock in the midnight. Although she got up very late in the morning, she was a little tired after going out for a long time. Wiping the water on her hands, she said, "it's very late. I'm going to have a rest."

"Give me your phone."

"Why do you want my cell phone?" Ashley asked as she handed the phone to him.

Jasper took over the phone, "I'll keep it for you temporarily. There are something you'd better not see."

This man was so overbearing that he made the decision for her without any consulting process. Although she knew it was for her good, he was actually too domineering.

"I'm afraid that if someone comes to me, it will be very inconvenient to put my phone in your place."

"I'll tell you if anyone wants to see you."

"But..."

"Isn't your phone locked in the screen? I won't peep at your privacy."

"Then you..."

"I don't think it's troublesome."

Ashley finally got speechless.

Satisfied with her obedient look, Jasper smiled and said, "go to bed now. It's getting late."

"Well Mr. Jasper, good night. "

"Good night."

After returning to her room, Ashley had nothing to do. She always wanted to play with her phone, but she couldn't do that at the moment because her phone was kept by Jasper.

The windows of both sides were open. The moist and cool breeze coming from outside was more comfortable than air conditioner in the city. Ashley lay on the bed with a mosquito wrapped bed, with a faint smell of mosquito-repellent incense at the tip of her nose. Water dripped outside. After thinking about it for a while, she tossed and turned over several times and finally fell asleep in this atmosphere.

She was awakened by the singing of a rooster in the morning. When she opened her eyes, the sky was getting bright. She looked sideways and found that the mosquito repellent tray only left a circle of grey and white ashes.

After waking up in the bandage, she got up, folded up the quilt, changed clean clothes, and tied up her hair. Then she opened the door and went out.

The middle-aged man was washing vegetables in the courtyard. When he saw her open the door, he turned around and smiled, "Miss Ashley, you woke up."

"Good morning! Do you know what time is it now?"

"After six o'clock,"

It was just past six o'clock. "Have Jasper gotten up?" she asked.

"Yes. Bruce led Jasper and Nelson outside for a walk in the mountain. Ashley, would you like to go out and have a look? It's raining now and the air in the mountain is fresh. You might meet them on the road."

"No, I'm afraid of losing my way. Let me help you with cooking."

"No, thanks. How can I let guest to help me."

After freshening up, she was still driven out by the middle-aged man enthusiastically, saying that the scenery outside must be good. In fact, she was not afraid of getting lost. She was just afraid of being pointed at by strangers. Since there was no one with her, she was always reluctant to see strangers.

It was already midnight when they arrived. The surroundings were so dark that she could not see anything clearly and she also had no idea about the surrounding scenery.

With her head down, she walked out of the door. It was not until she heard no sound from outside that she raised her head quietly. However, when she raised her head, she was shocked to see a vast expanse of green wilderness! A horse was strolling leisurely on the grass, and two dogs were chasing back and forth. Ashley was shocked and speechless. She turned back and saw that behind the house, many lush trees grew taller and taller. She finally realized that the house was built at the foot of the mountain.

The fog in the morning was as thick as a gauze, floating slowly in front of the house. There was no other people around, and it was like a paradise.

Bruce was really good at picking spots.

With this in mind, she strolled forward. It had just rained, and the grass was a bit muddy, with water drops on the leaves. Not long after she walked, her shoes were wet with mud, and her trouser legs were also wet by the water drops on the grass.

Far away, she heard the boy's giggle. It was Nelson. She walked over a grass hill, turned a tree, and finally saw the three. Actually, Nelson was playing Tai Chi with Bruce. The boy was not good at it, so he followed the signs while he was laughing.

With his hands behind his back, Jasper stood on the grass, looking at the mountain in the distance. No one knew what he was thinking.

Seeing her first, Nelson called her happily as he ran over. "Slow down. Mind you don't fall." Ashley walked quickly to hold him

Ashley held his hand and walked forward. Her little chubby little hand shook off her hand after a while, then he ran back and forth toward her. She was never tired of running.

"Good morning, grandpa Bruce." She and Jasper nodded at each other and then greeted Bruce.

Bruce was in his eighties. Although he was old with grey hair, he had long whiskers and a steel robe inside.

"Did you sleep well last night?"

"I had a good sleep. It was quiet in the mountain."

Bruce nodded, put his arms around his tail and said, "Do you know to play Tai Chi?"

Ashley had taken a Tai chi class in college, and she still remembered it well, so she answered, "yes, I do. I know a little bit. I'm sure you're better than me."

"It doesn't matter. Let's practice it together."

Anyway, Ashley was an actress, so she followed Bruce's pace and continued to practice. Bruce seemed to be in a good mood, so he even praised her, "in the young generation I know, you are the first one who can play Tai Chi. Come on, let's do some strokes together."

"Hey, I can't do this." Ashley waved her hand hurriedly.

"Ha ha, it's okay. I heard from Jasper that you are good at martial arts. You are capable of fighting with four men all by yourself. Don't underestimate an old man!"

Ashley didn't know what else Jasper had told her.

"I'm not good at Tai Chi, so I used some other methods to instead."

"All right. Give me the best." Bruce slightly bent his legs and put his hands on his chest, forming a gesture of vigilance.

"Okay, I'll make a fool of myself."

Ashley stepped on the Eight Diagrams pace, her hand in a claw shape to his throat. Bruce's legs went back in a wrong direction, and he gently grabbed her arm for the strength, and pushed the Ashley back with the other hand.

It was the first time for Ashley to play Tai Chi, but she was much weaker than before, as if a hammer had been thrown into the waves of water, soft and depressing. After feeding him a few more strokes, no matter how hard the force was, it always seemed to be controlled by hands and feet, which made her very uncomfortable.

After being pushed back again, she gave up. "Grandpa, I'm not your match, and I'm willing to accept the defeat."

"Haha, not bad, not bad." Bruce pinched his beard and laughed.

"Great grandpa, you are great!" Nelson flattered the old man.

Bruce laughed even more happily.

"It's almost seven o'clock. It's time to have breakfast," Jasper said, looking at her watch

"Well, let's go back. Ashley, please."

"Please, Grandpa. I'll follow you."

The group of people stepped on the wet grass and returned to the courtyard. The middle-aged man who took care of Bruce had moved the table into the courtyard. When he saw them come back, he brought breakfast from the kitchen nimbly.

"How long are you going to stay here?" Bruce asked while eating.

"I'll go back tomorrow morning."

"Every time you come and go in such a hurry." The old man said in a disappointed tone.

"I have a job there and I'm unable to leave for long time. You can live in town and I'll take care of you." Said Jasper.

"No, I'm not going. You are so busy."

After breakfast, the two people took their cameras, water and dry grain with them and started climbing. Nelson was too young so he stayed at the foot of the mountain and play with the children in the village. The mountain was covered in dense forest and there was no trace of development on the mountain. The road was stepped out by people, so the way up the mountain was crooked and crisscrossed.

It was rare for Ashley to walk on the mountain road like this, and she didn't expect that it was much easier than the steps. They began to get tired within a few minutes. They had walked for more than an hour on the mountain road, but they didn't even blush or get out of breath.

She stepped on the narrow winding trail. Above her was a lush tree, like a primitive jungle. "The road here is so messy. Can you remember?"

"Yes, you are right. I come here many times a year."

"You have a good relationship with your grandfather."

They sat on a big stone, drank some water and began to have a rest. "My grandparents brought me up when I was a child, so I have a deep relationship with them, but I am not close to my parents."

After a short break, they continued to walk up. They arrive at the top of the peak at about twelve o'clock. There was a stone tablet standing at the top of the peak, on which there were sign of the altitude of the mountain. Looking down from the top of the mountain, it was magnificent to see the boundless thick clouds.

The wind was strong at the top of the mountain. They found a quiet place and had a quick lunch before going down the mountain.

In the middle of the forest, the wind grew stronger. As Jasper looked at the sky above the tree, a grim expression appeared on his face. He took off his watch and turned off his cellphone. "Let's hurry up. It's going to rain," said Jasper.

"Is it very dangerous?"

"Yes, it is. Let's hurry up." Without caring whether he was a gentle person or not, Jasper held Ashley's hand and ran down the hill with him. But it was difficult for them to go down the mountain. Even if they ran faster, the speed was still restricted because the mountainside and the barrier, as well as the rain yesterday, and the thicker and thicker dark clouds covered the light.

After running for a while, a flash of lightning flashed in the sky and the rumbling of the thunder was heard, Ashley's face was frightened and her face turned pale.

A drop of rain fell down, followed by more rain. The thick trees could not hold back the rain, and the two were soon soaked through.

Ashley wiped the rain from her face. "Is there any cave nearby?"

"No. I've taken you the other way. I remember there is an abandoned house on the way. We hid there."

Lost in thought, they walked over a steep slope, holding each other's hand. Ashley slipped and fell, and Jasper was dragged by her and fell onto the ground!