Chapter 160: A Man's True Heart
"Lost contact?" Ye Tianlin's deep black eyes darkened further as his clenched fists trembled slightly.
Just half an hour ago, everything was fine. Now, suddenly, all contact was lost?
A chilling aura radiated from Tianlin as his body exuded a suffocating intensity, the kind of presence that warned of impending danger.
"What happened?" he growled, grabbing Zuo Lun by his collar. His voice was as cold as a blade.
"Miss Xiaoyue called. She said they were being followed. Then the call was abruptly cut off," Zuo Lun explained hurriedly. The last he had heard was the sound of screeching tires and Xiaoyue's frantic voice. He immediately dispatched a team to investigate but feared the worst.
Tianlin shoved Zuo Lun aside and quickly began analyzing the situation. His mind was a whirl of calculations and suspicions. He glanced sharply at Hua Lin, whose face remained calm and innocent, betraying no emotion. Her serenity only deepened his unease.
"Find out where Gu Lingzi is right now," he commanded.
Despite keeping Xiaoluo's location highly confidential, Tianlin had a nagging feeling that someone might have discovered it. The secrecy of today's wedding switch had been meticulously planned, with only a few individuals informed mere hours prior.
"Understood," Zuo Lun replied and swiftly left to carry out the order.
Tianlin prepared to leave immediately to ensure Xiaoluo's safety himself. His fists clenched as he silently prayed, Xiaoluo, please be safe. You must be safe.
"Son, what's going on?" Ye Lao's concerned voice broke through Tianlin's frantic thoughts.
Tianlin turned, forcing a faint smile. "Grandfather, Xiaoluo's car broke down. I'm going to check on her."
"Is she alright?" Ye Lao asked, his brows furrowed with worry.
"She'll be fine. I'll bring your future granddaughter-in-law back soon." Tianlin's tone was warm, almost playful, as he reassured his grandfather. But his heart was far from at ease.
With those words, he strode out, his determined figure disappearing into the distance. Behind him, Ye Lao's concern deepened, while Hua Lin's lips curled into a faint, victorious smile.
Tianlin's car raced along the highway. He pushed the vehicle to its limits, the engine roaring as he sped toward the secluded location where Xiaoluo was last seen.
Our happiness is within reach, he thought desperately. Xiaoluo, just hold on a little longer.
Far ahead, he spotted a plume of thick black smoke rising into the sky. His pulse quickened as he drew closer, only to see a car engulfed in flames, its frame barely recognizable under the intense blaze.
Tianlin's pupils contracted. His chest tightened painfully, and his breathing grew ragged. His lips trembled as he whispered, "Xiaoluo... Xiaoluo..."
The burning car seemed to mock him, as if declaring that all hope was gone.
"Ring, ring!"
His phone vibrated insistently in his pocket. In the suffocating stillness, the sound was jarring. Tianlin hesitated but answered, the voice on the other end speaking rapidly.
"What? Are you certain? Xiaoluo is safe?" Tianlin's voice broke slightly, a rare crack in his otherwise unyielding demeanor. Relief washed over him, followed immediately by renewed determination.
But as he processed the news, he felt a sudden lurch. His car veered off the road, heading straight for a guardrail. Tianlin gripped the wheel tightly, his knuckles white, as he attempted to regain control.
With a sharp twist, he managed to pull the car into a 360-degree spin, but not before the back end crashed violently into the barrier. The impact jarred him violently, his body slamming against the seatbelt before being flung forward against the steering wheel.
Blood trickled down his forehead as his strength began to ebb. His vision blurred, and he slumped forward, resting his head on the steering wheel.
Through the haze of pain and smoke, a faint thought pierced through: That car wasn't hers. It wasn't hers. Why didn't I notice sooner?
As the smoke thickened, sparks ignited near his car's damaged fuel tank. Tianlin recognized the imminent danger, but his body refused to respond. His limbs felt like lead, and his efforts to free himself from the seatbelt were futile.
Was this how it would end? He had fought so hard to protect Xiaoluo, to secure their future, only to lose it all in a fiery blaze?
Just as his consciousness began to fade, a distant voice reached him, cutting through the fog like a lifeline.
"Tianlin! Don't you dare give up! Stay with me!"
He struggled to open his eyes, catching a glimpse of a figure desperately kicking at the car door. Before he could identify the rescuer, darkness swallowed him whole.
When he awoke, Tianlin was sprawled on the ground, a heavy weight pressing against his back. A deafening explosion shook the earth, and he instinctively turned to shield himself. His rescuer's body shielded him from the blast as his car erupted in a ball of fire, its remnants reduced to smoldering debris.
It was Shiluo who had pulled him from the wreckage just in time. Gasping for breath, Shiluo checked Tianlin's pulse, relief washing over him when he found it steady.
"You're still alive, you stubborn fool," Shiluo muttered. He glanced at the inferno behind them, his expression grim. The timing had been dangerously close.
Seconds later, Zuo Lun arrived, his car screeching to a halt nearby. He rushed to Tianlin's side, his face pale with worry.
"Young Master!" Zuo Lun called out, kneeling beside Tianlin. He quickly assessed the situation, his gaze shifting to Shiluo. "Thank you for saving him."
Shiluo's lips quirked into a sardonic smile. "Don't thank me yet. Just get him to a hospital before it's too late."
Zuo Lun nodded, hauling Tianlin into the car. As they sped off toward the hospital, Shiluo remained behind, his gaze lingering on the destruction.
"I should've left for England today," Shiluo murmured to himself. "But somehow, this felt more important."
"Prince, are you sure about this?" asked his loyal companion, Ryan, who had appeared silently at his side.
Shiluo's eyes darkened with resolve. "She made me believe there's beauty in the world. I won't let that belief be extinguished."
In the distance, Ye Tianlin's car disappeared, leaving behind the burning wreckage of a narrowly avoided tragedy. Whether fate had spared him for redemption or punishment, only time would tell.
For now, there was only one certainty: the battle for love—and life—was far from over.