VBNWDW - Chapter 35

Chapter 35

Dense branches obscured the sky, allowing only a sliver of gloom to be seen through the narrowest of gaps.

Luo Yueqing’s ragged breathing slowed slightly. She swallowed against the dryness in her throat and suddenly remembered her phone. She slapped her hand against her thigh, but felt only flat fabric.

She recalled that she had specifically carried a bag today. The phone was in the bag, which she had casually set aside when she got into the car. After the crash, it was nowhere to be seen.

She had to count herself lucky; anticipating the mountain hike this morning, she had worn sneakers. Otherwise, walking this mountain path alone would have been difficult, let alone running while carrying Xi Zhoulu.

Luo Yueqing didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She turned her head to look at Xi Zhoulu beside her and gave a bitter smile. "President Xi, did you bring your phone?"

Xi Zhoulu’s reaction was somewhat sluggish. After a long pause, she forced out a single word: "No."

She looked extremely wretched at this moment. The left side of her cheek was covered in blood stains, and her shirt was dyed with large patches of red. Two buttons had been torn off during the friction, and her open collar revealed bruised marks on her collarbone.

She paused for a moment, then explained, "I saw it. I left it there on purpose."

Luo Yueqing thought of signal locators and the like. Her expression softened, but she couldn't help shaking her head and sighing deflatedly. "Then how will your people find us?"

Xi Zhoulu didn't elaborate on the matter. She simply shook her head and said in a hoarse voice, "Someone will come."

Since the other party was so certain, Luo Yueqing didn't pry further. Her gaze lingered on Xi Zhoulu’s forehead, inevitably revealing worry. She scooted closer to Xi Zhoulu and frowned. "Your forehead..."

Xi Zhoulu had recovered some of her strength and answered quickly, "It's fine. The bleeding stopped."

“Wash it with some water?” Luo Yueqing looked at the mineral water bottle that had been thrown on the ground, the one she had gripped tightly the whole way.

“No need, don’t waste the water.” Xi Zhoulu’s lips were pale and parched, with a scab of blood congealed on them. Every time she opened her mouth, it seemed exceptionally difficult.

She asked in return, "How is your hand?"

Although Luo Yueqing hadn't mentioned it voluntarily, Xi Zhoulu could feel that the other woman's left arm was much weaker than her right, almost dropping her several times.

Luo Yueqing suddenly laughed. Her peach-blossom eyes filled with teasing as she said, "It hurts a bit. I might not be able to move it tonight, however..."

“My right hand is still fine.”

That was just how she was. Even when she should be serious, she insisted on messing around. Xi Zhoulu didn't know whether to call her improper or attribute it to the inherent nature of an Alpha—thinking about such things even at a time like this.

Xi Zhoulu rolled her eyes at the other woman, completely disregarding her image. Yet, she relaxed slightly because of it. She leaned back against the rough tree bark; her back ached terribly, but she made no move to get up.

Beside her, Luo Yueqing found the sight amusing. Just a few days ago, they were fishing on a private yacht, staying in the presidential suite of a five-star hotel, and chatting at a gathering with a group of people destined to inherit family fortunes and become the wealthiest sliver of the world’s population.

And now? They were fugitives in a suburban forest, unsure if the enemy or Xi Zhoulu’s backup would find them first.

“What are you laughing at?” Xi Zhoulu had intended to close her eyes and rest, but was drawn by the laughter beside her. She could only lift her eyelids and look at the other woman with helpless eyes.

Why was this person never afraid? It was the same when she threatened her before, and it was the same now.

Luo Yueqing didn't answer. Instead, she asked, "Xi Zhoulu, do you plan to tell me first who this mastermind is? The one who forced us to fight a field battle in these deep mountains and old forests?"

Xi Zhoulu’s eyelid twitched. She couldn't help glaring at her again, suspecting that Luo Yueqing had some sort of strange fetish where she liked to mess around the more tense the situation became. Thinking about it carefully, there did seem to be a pattern...

The mineral water bottle on the ground was picked up. Luo Yueqing awkwardly unscrewed the cap and held it to Xi Zhoulu’s lips. "This doesn't count as waste, right?"

“President Xi, moisten your throat, then tell me the details.”

Those pale gray-blue pupils reflected her figure. It was still that smiling, frivolous appearance, with sweat still lingering on her forehead, yet she acted as if the situation had already turned in their favor.

Although she felt the other woman was being inappropriate, Xi Zhoulu was influenced by her and stopped keeping her nerves so taut.

She lowered her head and took a shallow sip, stopping after consuming less than a capful. She thought that Luo Yueqing would have to know sooner or later. Telling her now might distract her.

So, after resting for a moment, she spoke. "Actually, I’m not entirely sure either..."

Luo Yueqing wasn't in a hurry. She knew Xi Zhoulu had an extremely cautious nature and would never easily jump to conclusions without one hundred percent certainty. Being able to say it now meant she probably had some evidence.

She took back the mineral water and, like Xi Zhoulu, took a shallow taste before stopping. She tightened the cap and held it in her hand. From a distance, it looked as if it hadn't been drunk at all; it was still a full bottle.

Xi Zhoulu paused. Her brows knitted together tightly, her lowered gaze suppressing complex emotions. Finally, she spoke: "I think it has to do with the person who kidnapped me before and caused me to lose the ability to stand."

Luo Yueqing was stunned. She hadn't expected it to go back that far. She couldn't help saying, "Didn't you guys deal with that cleanly back then?"

It shouldn't be. After all, this was the illustrious Xi family. Letting the next heir be kidnapped was already a huge embarrassment; how could they not have found the culprit?

“We caught him, but I feel it didn't end there.”

Xi Zhoulu took a deep breath and whispered, "The person caught back then was Grandfather's second brother."

Memories discarded in a corner were turned over. During the turmoil in the Xi family back then, Old Master Xi’s eldest uncle and second brother were the ones most likely to seize power. Unexpectedly, Old Master Xi had fought his way out in the end.

Luo Yueqing suddenly became interested and asked, "They are actually still around?"

“Grandfather's eldest uncle failed to seize power back then. He remained depressed and passed away within two years. But the other one...”

“Considering that his second brother took care of him when they were young, the Old Master not only didn't kick him out of the company but also arranged a position for him there.”

Xi Zhoulu caught her breath and continued, "I saw him often when I was young. He seemed like a kind and gentle old man. I never expected that he had never been able to let it go."

Luo Yueqing was surprised. "So he kidnapped you? That's not right. Every debt has its debtor. If he wanted revenge on Old Master Xi, he should have kidnapped him! Why kidnap you? If nothing else, kidnapping Xi Yunting would have worked too."

Xi Zhoulu shook her head and explained, "According to his confession, the security around Grandfather was too tight, and Xi Yunting was obviously not favored by Grandfather. So, he decided to destroy the heir the Old Master valued most, to make him taste regret and pain every single day."

Luo Yueqing blinked, shocked into silence by this logic.

She sat down next to Xi Zhoulu and reached out to hook the hand hanging at the other woman's side. The excessively pale, slender fingers were clasped, and she warmed them slowly from tip to base.

Xi Zhoulu pulled at the corner of her lips and smiled at her. The smile didn't reach her eyes, but she looked much better than her gloomy appearance just a moment ago.

Xi Zhoulu continued, "But I feel he didn't tell the truth, or perhaps... he hid something."

“Like what?”

“Like the fact that the person who planned the kidnapping wasn't just him alone.”

Xi Zhoulu’s gaze drifted for a moment as that blurred memory surged up again.

It wasn't that she had deliberately forgotten. In the days when she couldn't stand, she had replayed it with hatred, torturing herself over and over in an attempt to find a single clue.

But the human body has a special defense mechanism that deliberately blurs or even erases extremely painful experiences. The younger one is, the easier it is to forget, and Xi Zhoulu had just turned twelve that year.

It was also the anniversary of her mother's death. She hadn't even gone up the mountain. She had planned to finish the morning classes and take the afternoon off to pay her respects. But the moment she stepped out of the school gate and into the car, she was drugged.

When she woke up again, she was in a pitch-black room. Unable to judge the time, she could only feel that the surrounding environment was particularly damp. Even the ground she touched was piercingly cold. The air carried a faint scent of sandalwood and the smell of burning paper.

Xi Zhoulu had no way to verify anything. Her hands and feet were bound, and she was forced to kneel in place, unable to move.

At that time, Xi Zhoulu was not as composed as she was now. She subconsciously wanted to scream for help, but someone splashed a bucket of ice water on her from directly in front.

Her vision blurred as the water got into her eyes. Even though she tried her best to open them and discern her surroundings, she could only see a blurry human shape before another bucket of ice water was thrown.

Then Xi Zhoulu understood. As long as she knelt obediently with her head down, she wouldn't be splashed. But the moment she made a move, she would be punished.

Her soaked clothes dripped with water, and the cold drilled into her bones, making her shiver. Several times, Xi Zhoulu felt she had fainted, but she was splashed awake again.

When there was no basis for judging time, it became excruciatingly unbearable. Yet the person opposite her showed no sign of leaving, as if watching a long-awaited, magnificent scene. They didn't feel bored at all and just kept watching Xi Zhoulu.

After kneeling for a long time, her legs went from itching and numb to painful, until she completely lost sensation. Perhaps because she had caught a cold from the water, Xi Zhoulu developed a high fever. Surprisingly, she didn't feel very cold anymore; her consciousness merely grew heavy as she was numbly tortured.

In the end, when Xi Zhoulu woke up in a hospital bed, it was already the fourth day after the kidnapping. Just a day prior, they had finally caught Old Master Xi’s second brother, forcing him to reveal where Xi Zhoulu was being held, and rescued her in the early morning.

But by then, she was completely comatose. Even after receiving top-tier medical resuscitation, they were unable to make her stand again, and she was left with a frail constitution.

The evening wind blew through the treetops. The low-hanging clouds turned as black as ink, obscuring the entire sky as night fell.

Luo Yueqing pressed tightly against Xi Zhoulu. The fingertips she had just warmed were now ice-cold and turning purple again. She simply hugged the other woman's hand to her chest, trying to transfer her not-so-warm body heat to her.

Her eyelashes fluttered. The lifeless eyes finally held a trace of emotion. Xi Zhoulu tried to pull her hand out but was held even tighter. She could only whisper, "It's okay, I'm not cold."

How could she not be cold? It was late autumn. Even though both of them were wearing thin jackets, they couldn't withstand the dropping temperature in the deep mountains.

Luo Yueqing remembered cases she had read before. People lost in the mountains would, as their body temperature dropped, uncontrollably feel very hot, even stripping off all their clothes, before freezing to death.

She couldn't help shivering. She turned to look at Xi Zhoulu and said seriously, "If I do anything strange later, you must stop me."

Warm breath curled around her ear. Xi Zhoulu’s tensed jaw relaxed slightly.

“I am a conservative and traditional Alpha. How can I let anyone other than my own Omega see my body?”

Who was the traditional and conservative person who suggested trying it out before marriage so as not to have regrets?

Xi Zhoulu’s eyelid twitched. She couldn't help turning her head to look at the other woman, only to be caught by the hunter who had long set the trap, biting her thin lips.

This wasn't actually a particularly comfortable sensation, especially compared to previous times.

The dry lips were rough and icy, carrying the hard-to-swallow taste of rust. It felt like kissing a piece of not-quite-hard rusty iron. The only advantage was that it allowed Xi Zhoulu to break free from those terrible memories.

Luo Yueqing stopped at the right point and wanted to retreat.

Xi Zhoulu tilted her chin up and bit back on the other woman's lip, drawing out rare but sufficiently sweet rose nectar.

The hand that had been held broke free from its confinement, taking Luo Yueqing’s hand and interlacing their fingers tightly.

“Don't be afraid...”

“I've grown up. He can't catch me again.”

Lips pressed against lips, a hoarse voice squeezing out from the gap. Xi Zhoulu didn't know if she was comforting Luo Yueqing or comforting her young self.

“I've already made arrangements. We will be fine. Don't be afraid.”

After an unknown amount of time, the pitch-black night climbed up their pant legs. A hazy mist rose around them, making the surroundings increasingly unclear. The mineral water bottle on the ground was only half full, frozen to the point of emitting white vapor.

Xi Zhoulu was held in Luo Yueqing’s arms. Warm, cool hands wrapped around hers, rubbing them together in an attempt to squeeze out a trace of heat.

“Don't sleep, Xi Zhoulu,” the woman lowered her head, pressing her cheek against hers.

Perhaps because her own consciousness was gradually fading, or because Luo Yueqing could no longer speak clearly, the voice became very blurred.

Luo Yueqing hugged her tightly. It was a force that would normally make one frown from the constriction, but now it felt comfortable, like a drowning person clutching a plank of wood, barely able to keep their head above water to maintain weak breathing.

Xi Zhoulu forced herself to perk up and blurted out, "I'm sorry, Luo Yueqing."

She tried to make her words sound less weak. "I... although I guessed they would make a move today, I wasn't certain. Otherwise, I definitely wouldn't have let you get involved."

Luo Yueqing pulled at her lips to smile. Her hoarse voice had lost its usual allure but still carried a hint of frivolity. "Xi Zhoulu, are you sure you want to waste your energy apologizing to me? With that spare time, you might as well kiss me again."

She lowered her eyes to look at the person in her arms. Her peach-blossom eyes were frozen devoid of their former spirit. "Let me die beneath a peony flower; I’ll be romantic even as a ghost."

Xi Zhoulu could do nothing with her and had no strength to hit her. In the end, she only scolded, "Cheeky."

“Isn't that just how I am?” Luo Yueqing didn't consider it shameful. She pulled her arms back, hugging the other woman even tighter.

Xi Zhoulu shook her head. Her eyelids drooped, wanting to fall, but she was shouted awake by Luo Yueqing.

“Xi Zhoulu, you haven't finished explaining yet.”

Luo Yueqing tried hard to steer the topic. "Why today?"

Xi Zhoulu’s answer was very slow, like struggling to stay awake and forcing herself to think. "Because today is different."

Her consciousness was no longer very clear. The answer she gave was ambiguous, making it impossible to make heads or tails of it.

But Luo Yueqing didn't care. As long as Xi Zhoulu was awake and could speak, it was fine.

She continued to ask, "Why?"

“Because he cares about this date.”

“The person who wasn't caught?”

Xi Zhoulu nodded vigorously. "Yes."

“Then why didn't he act before? Why insist on this year?”

“Because...” Xi Zhoulu’s eyelids drooped, but she quickly propped them up and spoke rapidly, "Because he wants to drag everyone in the Xi family down with him."

Luo Yueqing seemingly understood but didn't really care about the answer anymore. If they couldn't get out of here alive, getting the result would be useless. She could only force herself to stay awake and keep Xi Zhoulu going in circles with endless conversation.

The person in her arms became increasingly stiff. Her constitution had been extremely poor since that time. Usually, it wasn't apparent because they spent a fortune hiring people to nurse her health. Even in the height of summer, she rarely turned on the air conditioning. She always wore long sleeves and trousers, adding a jacket at night, not to mention her diet. After nursing her like this for many years, she had slowly become like a normal person.

But now, wrapped in the cold air and injured, those well-hidden hidden ailments surfaced once again.

“Xi Zhoulu!” Luo Yueqing raised her voice but couldn't wake the other party.

She panicked a little and tried hard to shake Xi Zhoulu, but she could only watch as the other woman's eyes grew more and more lifeless.

Until suddenly, a gleam of light appeared in the distance. It seemed someone was running over quickly.

Luo Yueqing squinted to look. It was a completely unfamiliar face. She couldn't help being vigilant, but her remaining strength wouldn't allow her to resist. She could only watch the person getting closer and closer.

The person shouted in a panicked tone, "President Xi!"

The taut string in her brain snapped, and Luo Yueqing followed suit, fainting away.

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