Xia Yourong's pupils slightly narrowed, and a dismissive smile floated across her face.
On the verge of death yet still pretending?
Many around closed their eyes, not daring to watch, but she—reveling in the misfortune—stared intently at the screen, reluctant even to blink.
Just waiting for that delightful 'bang!' that would rid the world of the calamity forever.
One minute left in the critical moment, the mechanical arm cut the yellow wire according to Xia Ye's wishes.
In the control room, everyone held their breath, waiting for the outcome.
One second, two seconds…
There was no 'bang,' no fireworks, no explosion.
The timer was perfectly disarmed.
The yellow wire was correct.
Xia Ye—was saved!
Everyone heaved a sigh of relief, exclaiming how merciful the heavens were to have the little girl guess correctly.
Xu He stared incredulously at the display, her daughter unharmed, tears of excitement spilling from her eyes.
Whereas Xia Yourong beside her was so infuriated she clenched her teeth to the point of shattering!
Chief Fu gestured to his team, and the bomb squad followed him to the warehouse where Xia Ye was bound. Even though the timer had been disarmed, the bomb still needed to be handled by the police.
"Little girl, you're really lucky," Chief Fu couldn't help but remark as he watched Xia Ye being untied from the chair.
Xia Ye looked at his expression and curled her lips into a profound smile.
Fortunately, she still had a trace of spiritual energy left.
Otherwise, she would have truly ascended to heaven on the spot.
After all, compared to yellow, she actually preferred green.
That kind of green from the Lush Green Grassland, it was her favorite.
She even once asked Heavenly Dao if he'd considered changing to such a hair color, but later…
Ah, let's not talk about that dog, it's bad luck.
The ropes were cut, and the policewoman noticed deep wounds on Xia Ye's wrists and ankles.
They were caused by being bound over many years.
The girl was already frail, and she looked pitiable.
The policewoman slid one arm under Xia Ye's knees and the other behind her back, her face full of righteousness: "Little miss, your foot is injured, I'll carry you out."
Xia Ye raised an eyebrow: "Thank you, but you can't carry me; I can walk on my own."
Upon hearing this, the policewoman couldn't help but laugh. The young lady before her seemed tall and slender, weighing barely 90 pounds, how could she not carry her?
With that thought, she exerted force with both hands simultaneously.
Half a minute went by…
The policewoman remained squatted down in a horse stance, her arms trying to lift up.
Xia Ye hadn't budged an inch, but the policewoman was drenched in sweat.
She was beginning to feel embarrassed.
She couldn't lift a 90-pound girl?
Had she been neglecting her exercise routine lately?
Xia Ye gave her a polite smile, dusted herself off, and rose gracefully.
The old matriarch might appear fragile and delicate, like a willow swaying in a gentle breeze, eliciting sympathy; but in reality…
It was all a deceptive illusion.
Her physical functions were extraordinary, and not just any man, let alone a woman, could easily lift her.
The most exceptional hunters often appear in the guise of their prey…
"Little Tiangao! Mommy has finally—"
The voice of Xu He at the doorway had just emerged when it was abruptly replaced by another noisy sound.
"Mom! What's wrong with you?"
"Mrs. Xia?"
"Someone come quick! Mrs. Xia has fainted!"
Chief Fu's team arrived in a rush and didn't bring a medical officer; seeing this, they quickly dispersed the crowd and called an ambulance.
Xia Ye's gaze circled Xu He's face a few times, and just as she was about to approach, Xia Yourong stepped in to block her.
"It's all because of you that my mom had to sit in a car for over five hours to get to this dump, and then she had to follow you and be scared out of her wits. If anything had happened to my mom, you, you wild girl, wouldn't have enough lives to pay for it!"
Each utterance of 'my mom' and 'wild girl' carried a tone of utter contempt.
Xia Ye gave her a sidelong glance, unflustered, and said something that made Xia Yourong feel like spitting blood.
"Seems like the one without direct blood relation... would be the 'wild' girl, no?"
It took several seconds for Xia Yourong's face to suddenly change dramatically.
She had intended to intimidate Xia Ye, but this wild girl actually dared to mock her!
As she was trying to think of something to say to regain the upper hand, Xia Ye simply pushed her aside, knelt on one knee, and briskly rolled up Xu He's silk sleeve. Her thumb traced along the radius bone, pressing from the Shaojian Acupoint to the Shaohai Acupoint.
The speed was so fast it made everyone blink.
The girl's hand was forceful, stunningly accurate.
Xu He's skin was delicate, and in just a moment, a bruise appeared on her arm, more noticeable than if she had been scraped with a coin.
"What are you doing?" Xia Yourong cried out in terror, her voice high-pitched and shrill.
The calm, amused look in Xia Ye's eyes held no warmth, colored only by an unruly and mischievous challenge, "I'm saving a life."
"Mad, she's mad!" Xia Yourong could hardly believe the absurdity of what she'd heard, turning to Officer Fu and his team, "Officer Fu! She's going to attack my mom! Arrest her now!"
Officer Fu gave the policewoman a complicated look and gestured with his eyes.
Being locked up for 14 years and intermittently losing her mind was not unusual.
Pitiful, really.
The policewoman was about to step forward when suddenly a voice came from the ground.
Xu He, with an expression of agony on her face, suddenly opened her mouth, took a deep breath, and then began to cough violently.
Everyone's eyes widened in shock.
Awake?!
She was truly awake?!
Xia Yourong's face held a complicated expression as she looked towards Xia Ye.
But she quickly figured it out.
It must be coincidence.
Her mother had a weak constitution and easily fainted with excitement, but she could always wake up at any moment.
Thinking this, she felt much more at ease.
The moment Xu He awoke, the first thing she saw was Xia Ye, and before she could process what had happened, she pulled Xia Ye into her arms.
She hugged her tightly, repeatedly whispering, "Mom's little Tiangao, you have finally come back..."
Hot tears from Xu He fell onto Xia Ye's shoulders.
Ticklish.
Having lived for five thousand years, Xia Ye had long forgotten where she came from, and the sudden care from a relative made her feel somewhat uneasy.
A few seconds later, she lifted her hand slightly and gently patted Xu He's back in a comforting manner.
She considered that Xu He's current frailty must be directly related to her own abduction at the age of three.
Behind her, Xia Yourong, watching the deeply affectionate scene between mother and daughter, dug her nails into the flesh of her palm.
Xu He scrutinized her daughter's face with delight.
She raised her hand to help Xia Ye tuck her hair behind her ear and said gently and firmly, "It was Mom who lost you back then, but now that you're back, I'll never let anyone bully you again!"
Xia Ye nodded, not saying much.
But in fact, she didn't believe that she was abducted due to Xu He's negligence all those years ago.
Things weren't that simple.
Xu He's gaze shifted to Xia Yourong on the side. "Xiaorong, did you tell Dad that Little Tiangao has been found?"
Xia Yourong quickly hid her malicious expression and forced out a semblance of a sweet, obedient smile, tilting her head and sticking out her tongue slightly, "Sorry, Mom, I forgot."
Xu He playfully scolded her with a smile, "Look at you. Never mind, I'll tell them myself."
Xu He sat down beside Xia Ye, holding her hand tightly, rummaged through her bag to find her phone, switched to the front camera, and made sure to call Xia Yourong over for a photo. With one arm around Xia Yourong and the other around Xia Ye, she happily snapped a family selfie and sent it to the family group chat.
She also attached a voice message.
'Look who's back?'
Xia Yourong's smile was very stiff because in just a few seconds, the family group exploded.
Their father, Xia Yuzheng, canceled all his work for the next few days, the eldest brother, Xia Tiao, abandoned his secretarial duties abroad to come back, the second brother, Xia Xing, was so excited that he pulled out his personal phone to reply during an esport showcase watched by thousands, and even the third brother Xia Xian, whom Xia Yourong seldom saw, left a multi-million military deal at the border and hopped into an off-road vehicle with his 'fair-weather friends,' heading straight for the hangar overnight.
Their precious little Tiangao had finally come back!