Hearing ever so tender that voice calling out to him, Qie Ranzhe gradually became lucid, his vision blurred while looking in Lin Jingxie's direction with squinted eyes. He let go of the terrified girl as he staggered towards Lin Jingxie. Wen Qinxi saw the boy trudging through the bushes heading in his direction and couldn't help but worry. Qie Ranzhe dropped the bloodstained sword onto the ground while rubbing his eyes vigorously in a futile attempt to clear his vision. The scarlet blood on his hand smeared his face making him look even more pitiful.
With great effort, he called out, "Jin-ge," stretching out his hand reaching out to him. Wen Qinxi could tell Qie Ranzhe was returning to normal and so stood up rushing towards him arriving right on time to catch Qie Ranzhe's collapsing body in an embrace. Wen Qinxi's clothes were stained with blood from Qie Ranzhe's garments but he didn't care for such trivial matters more concerned with Qie Ranzhe's mental state.
Wen Qinxi couldn't help but feel like he had failed him as he placed Qie Ranzhe's heavy sluggish body on the ground. Qie Ranzhe had long passed out looking like an entirely different person with a tranquil countenance that is if you overlook the blood smeared all over his eyes. Wen Qinxi ripped his own garment intending to tie up Qie Ranzhe's wound caused by the hatchet earlier. While he was tying the last knot, he suddenly heard a tremulous yet sweet voice that was ever so familiar. "Jin-ge!" she said while crawling on the ground still quivering in fear.
Wen Qinxi furrowed his brow when he saw who it was. He couldn't help but wonder how two girls from prestigious families would be in a remote forest in the hands of bandits. Didn't they have guards or people who escorted them especially Zhao Huangzhi as her status was even higher? He ran towards her in a panic calling out, "Lee Jienjie! Are you okay?" and knelt before her.
She instantly threw herself into his arms sobbing and unable to restrain her torment. Apart from her swollen red eyes, Lee Jienjie was sickly pale as her body and bottom lip shuddered uncontrollably. Wen Qinxi gently stroked the back of her head in a coaxing manner attempting to comfort her only letting go when she seemed to have calmed down.
Wen Qinxi looked at her with a reassuring warm gaze saying, "I have to go get Zhao Huangzhi so stay here and l will be back before you know it," with his hands holding either side of her arms. Lee Jienjie seemed to have been struck by lightning quivering even more than before with her hands clutching his garment shaking her head refusing to let go.
"No Jin-ge don't go," she said glancing over to an unconscious Qie Ranzhe who had just strangled her a moment ago. Wen Qinxi followed her line of sight and could understand why she didn't want to be left alone with the man who had just assaulted her. Lee Jienjie looked back at Wen Qinxi shaking him with her hands now clutching his collar. "Don't go, they are both evil Jin-ge just leave them behind," she said with earnest yet fear-filled eyes.
Wen Qinxi could understand why she would be terrified of Qie Ranzhe, the boy had just attacked her for heaven sake but why was she putting Zhao Huangzhi in the same bracket as Qie Ranzhe. Seeing that she wasn't willing to let go of him, Wen Qinxi compromised and said, "Fine you can go with me. Can you walk?" while helping her up.
Lee Jienjie wanted to convince him some more but knew it would pointless especially while they were still in this predicament. She swallowed her words and leaned against Lin Jingxie's body as she shuffled alongside him while vigilantly looking at Qie Ranzhe as though prepared to run if he makes any slight movement.
Wen Qinxi carried Zhao Huangzhi and walked over to Qie Ranzhe with Lee Jienjie tagging behind him. He placed the two unconscious people next to each other and couldn't help but admit how well-matched they were. They were truly made for each other with great potential to become a power couple that could conquer the world.
"They look good together, don't they?" asked Wen Qinxi trying to lighten up the mood. Lee Jienjie was sitting a few feet away hugging her knees to her chest still shaken.
"Yes, they do. I hope they spend the rest of their lives together and do the world a favour. They fuckin deserve each other," she replied cursing in an unladylike manner. Wen Qinxi was stunned by her unrestrained words but took it as Lee Jienjie being in shock.
Wen Qinxi initially planned to wait for the pair to wake up as he could neither go look for help leaving behind unconscious people in the forest nor could he send Lee Jienjie alone as she was still rattled by the who situation and who knew if those bandits had friends. The safest option was to stay put, hopefully, the two prominent families would be looking for these young mistresses.
An hour passed just like this but the two showed no signs of waking up. He was beginning to get anxious when he heard hordes of people calling out both Zhao Huangzhi and Lee Jienjie's names. A wave of relief flooded his mind as he stood up yelling, "Here! They are here," with a joyous smile on his face as the rustling sounds got closer.