Chapter 96

Words : 890 Updated : Oct 1st, 2025

Until he heard a voice in the pitch-black darkness. A very young voice, continuously saying something to him. At first, Lu Jinghuai couldn’t hear it clearly; the voice was intermittent. But as a warm, slightly sweet liquid flowed into his mouth, he gradually began to make out the words. The person was calling him "little sister," perhaps mistaking him for a girl. Being mistaken for the opposite gender—something he would normally despise—didn’t bother him now. Instinctively, he sucked on the warm liquid, and as he listened to the voice, a long-lost will to survive surged within him. Who...? Struggling to regain control of his body, he desperately opened his eyes, wanting to see the person. To see the one who had been speaking to him all this time. When his gray eyes finally opened, in the dim surroundings, he saw a pair of strikingly vivid, emerald-green eyes—more beautiful than any gemstone. Before losing consciousness again, his last thought was— Blood. So, she had been feeding him her own blood. ... Ji Nian’s wound was skillfully made—it looked terrifying but wasn’t deep. Saving someone was a good deed, but it had to be done while protecting oneself. After estimating her limits, Ji Nian wrapped the wound with a handkerchief. The underground air was stagnant and damp, and the body temperature of the person in her arms kept dropping. Ji Nian hugged the "little sister," who was taller than her, trying to warm her with her own body heat. She didn’t know if it worked, but eventually, she fell asleep while trying to keep her warm. She was eventually awakened by voices. "Is anyone there? Is there anyone inside!?" At first, the voice was faint, but as the rumbling grew louder, Ji Nian became fully alert and woke up with a start. She immediately checked the breathing of the person in her arms. Relieved to find that he was still alive, she called out, "We’re saved, little sister. We’ll be out soon." After quickly saying this, she shouted, "Yes, we’re here!!" Her voice seemed to energize the people outside, and the rumbling intensified. "Is that Ji Nian!?" Ji Nian recognized the voice—it was her left-hand man, Wei Yang. "Wei Yang!" She shouted with all her might. Outside, Wei Yang, covered in dust, became even more motivated upon hearing her voice and started digging faster than the machines. "Ji Nian, don’t be afraid! Wei Yang is here to save you!" Nearby, Zhiliao also felt reassured upon hearing Ji Nian’s voice. The child sounded lively, so she was probably fine. A blond man with blue eyes asked anxiously, "Kid! Is it just you in there?" "Why did you cut yourself?" He unwrapped the handkerchief and frowned at the wound, which had stopped bleeding. Zhiliao and Wei Yang approached at this moment. "Ji Nian! What happened to your arm!? Who did this?" Zhiliao, who had been scanning the child, suddenly paled when she saw the nasty wound on Ji Nian’s pale arm. Ji Nian explained everything to them. As she spoke, she observed the two of them. Both looked equally disheveled and covered in dust. They had all come for her. The thought made her heart ache, as if something had squeezed it tightly. "What’s wrong? Are you in pain?" "Zhiliao, go get the doctor." Ji Tingzhou was the first to notice her emotional shift, thinking she was in pain. Ji Nian shook her head. "Dad, you should let the doctor check your hands first, and Zhiliao’s arm, and Wei Yang’s foot..." She looked up at her family, her emerald-green eyes filled with concern. Wei Yang scratched his head and chuckled. "You even noticed that." He had indeed twisted his foot, but it wasn’t serious. He was surprised Ji Nian had noticed. Zhiliao was even more startled—she hadn’t realized her arm was injured. It must have been cut by debris during the explosion. As for Ji Tingzhou’s hand, he glanced down. Ah, yes. When he heard the news from the school, he had accidentally torn his cuticle while trimming it. It would’ve healed on its own soon. Ji Nian’s eyes grew hot, so she buried her face in Ji Tingzhou’s chest, wrapping her thin arms tightly around him to hide her expression. "Dad, I’m back." Ji Tingzhou gently patted her head. The man, who had been so stern earlier, now looked at the child in his arms with soft eyes, all his earlier anger dissipated. "Mm." Then, in a dark tone, he added, "Don’t think you can get off easy just by acting cute." "For the next month, no shrimp crackers for you." Ji Nian clutched her chest, looking up in disbelief. "...Dad, you’re too cruel." Her father stared at her expressionlessly. "Then how about this instead?" He pulled out a chain from his pocket, which he had brought specifically for this purpose, and dangled it in front of her. "How about a spanking?" Ji Nian immediately straightened up and said seriously, "Actually, shrimp crackers aren’t that great. Dad, I accept your punishment." Meanwhile, not far away. It was already late at night, and the summer breeze carried a stifling heat. Sweat dripped down Chen Mo’s forehead, but even though he couldn’t see clearly, his gaze remained fixed on the faint outline in the distance. His pale lips were nearly bitten until they bled.

Chapter 96

Comments (0)