Saving the Heartthrob Frenemy-Chapter 427: Butted heads

Qie Xieling’s mind swam in a sea of darkness, his consciousness submerged within the abyss. The sound of his own laboured breaths echoed in his ears, muffled and distant. A high-pitched ringing pierced through the fog, intensifying his disorientation. His body felt heavy as if weighed down by invisible shackles.

Struggling against the heaviness of his body he fought to pry his eyes open. He struggled to open his eyes. They were resisting to open as if they were glued shut. When he finally succeeded, the world around him swam into view, a dizzying spectacle of blurred figures. Doubles and triples overlapped, merging together in a disorienting dance making his stomach churn.

Blinking furiously, he tried to focus his unfocused pupils, desperate to make sense of his surroundings. It was clear that he was no longer in the dimly lit room of the palace. After scanning around and seeing the familiar surroundings, he found that he was within Leong Jinn’s lair. When he lowered his head he found tubes and plasters clinging to his arms.

He knitted his brow, his mind struggling to grasp the gravity of the situation. He attempted to raise his hand, to reach out to the panel beside him but his weakened state caused his movements to falter. Instead, his hand collided with the glass of the gaming pod, a hollow thud that drew the attention of someone nearby.

As the figure turned towards him, Qie Xieling’s heart skipped a beat but his response was sluggish.

It was his father, his face etched with worry and fear. With a voice barely above a whisper, he called out, "Father." The word carried a weight of longing and uncertainty, a plea for help and reassurance.

Before any response could be uttered, darkness once again descended upon his consciousness, swallowing him whole. The world faded away, leaving only the echo of his whispered plea hanging in the air.

***

The dense forest was shrouded in darkness, its towering trees casting eerie shadows. But amidst the obscurity, bright lights pierced through, illuminating the path as six off-road vehicles ploughed through the rugged terrain. The engines roared, breaking the silence of the night, while their wheels kicked up clouds of dust that hung in the air.

Suddenly, the vehicles came to a halt, their brakes screeching and their tires skidding, causing the dust to billow around them. The occupants, dressed in sleek black gear, emerged from the cars, their faces serious like they meant business and their eyes sharp with focus. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

Luo Shih got out of the car and swiftly retrieved a bulletproof vest from the back of her vehicle. Behind her, Hei Xiwen followed after her pleading with her to stay behind. His voice laced with concern he grasped her arm. "Please, Ah-Shih, don’t go. It’s too dangerous," he implored but it fell on deaf ears.

Luo Shih’s gaze locked with his, determination etched on her face. "That’s my son out there," she stated firmly, her voice tinged with a mixture of resolve and mama bear vibes.

"And it’s not like I haven’t gone to war before. I’ve fought for far less important things. This is for my son."

Hei Xiwen knew she could handle herself even better than he could but he was just so scared to see her hurt.

"I just...," he said but his voice immediately died down. He reluctantly followed her towards the waiting van, his heart heavy with worry. As the pair neared the vehicle, Hei Xiwen swung open the door, only to find Wen Qinxi and Qie Ranzhe engrossed in a tender kiss.

"Oh, sorry," he said but it was as though they were air. He turned to look at Luo Shih probably hoping to get a kiss as well. He couldn’t even remember the last time they slept together. He was so worried that she had found a new partner to vent with but after following her around she spent most of her time at the office or home. He kept her company as much as possible but she seemed quite distant from him. "What?" she asked while fixing her gun holster. Hei Xiwen pursed his lips as he couldn’t say it out loud.

Wen Qinxi’s trembling fingers adjusted Qie Ranzhe’s bulletproof vest feeling quite anxious. "Be more careful this time," his voice quivered with concern, "and bring our son back safely."

Qie Ranzhe placed his hand over Wen Qinxi’s trying to comfort him. "I will," he vowed, his voice filled with determination. "I’ll bring him back safely." He pinched Wen Qinxi’s chin and kissed him passionately before letting him go.

Hei Xiwen having been forcibly fed dog food by these two couldn’t help but shoot his shot. He gently pinched Luo Shih’s chin but in return his hand was slapped away while she asked, "What are you doing?"

Hei Xiwen, "..."

’Damn, what could he do to finally get this woman?’ he thought to himself as he watched her grab a semi-automatic rifle from the gun rack.

"Hurry up ladies. The longer we wait the higher the risk of that rat scurrying away in the dirt," she said before she turned to leave the van.

Qie Ranzhe kissed Wen Qinxi again before turning to leave but Wen Qinxi grasped his arm and asked, "Does she know now... that they are dating... in the game I mean."

Qie Ranzhe nodded his head before saying, "She knows." Wen Qinxi had no idea how to react. He didn’t even know how to behave in front of his new in-law.

Qie Ranzhe wasn’t telling him everything. The truth was that he didn’t tell Luo Shih like he said he would. He kept it from Luo Shih and when Luo Shih found out about it she expected it but wasn’t that happy about it. She confronted Qie Ranzhe for not saying anything to her and the two butted heads because Qie Ranzhe hadn’t come to terms with the fact that his precious baby boy had been kidnapped by a wolf. This explained the tension between them. This however wasn’t the time to harsh things out.