“Xingxing, I’ll have someone take you home first. Your mom is probably very worried about you,” Sheng Zexi said to Xingxing.
Although Xingxing really wanted to go with his dad and Leiting to search for the bombs, he knew that, as a child, he would only be a burden to them. Besides, his dad was right—Mom would definitely be worried. He needed to go back quickly so she wouldn’t fret.
“Okay, Dad. Xingxing will go home.”
Sheng Zexi patted Xingxing’s head and arranged for someone to take him back to the military compound immediately.
Watching Xingxing get into the car, Sheng Zexi then joined Leiting and the others to begin the search.
Without a doubt, both Amber and the four little ones had incredibly sharp senses- perhaps the children’s were even sharper than their mother’s, thanks to the system-rewarded pills they’d been taking since birth.
Soon, under the lead of Shandian, Leiting, Hongying, and Lijian, the bomb search began in five separate teams—and quickly yielded results.
When Chen Han saw the first bomb unearthed under Lijian’s guidance, his heart sank at the sight of the timer.
Originally, he had clung to a sliver of hope, wondering if the so-called timed bombs might not exist at all. But now, seeing the first one, all his wishful thinking vanished.
Especially when he noticed the bomb was surrounded by densely packed apartment buildings—the thought of the casualties it could cause sent a cold sweat down his spine.
“Hurry, let’s move on to the next bomb!” With time ticking away, Chen Han didn’t dare waste a single second. Now, they were racing against the clock.
Huansha Island wasn’t particularly large, but it wasn’t small either. Who knew where those people had planted the bombs—or how many there were? The fear of missing even one was unbearable.
……
Military Family Compound.
The lights in the house were on as Gu Jianing paced back and forth in the yard. Yueyue trailed behind her mother, both of them glancing repeatedly toward the gate, waiting for something—or someone.
Unable to bear it any longer, Gu Jianing walked to the entrance of the yard and peered out.
By now, the sky was completely dark. The lighting in the compound was dim, making it hard to see anything in the distance. But Gu Jianing kept staring, hoping.
Then, in the gloom ahead, she seemed to spot a small figure moving toward her. Her heart leaped.
“Xingxing?” she called out involuntarily.
At that moment, the figure emerged from the shadows—revealing none other than Xingxing himself.
“Mom~”
Xingxing hadn’t expected his mother to be waiting at the gate for him. He immediately ran toward her.
But mindful of her pregnant belly, he came to a stop just before reaching her.
The next second, Gu Jianing pulled him into a tight embrace.
He could feel her arms trembling slightly around him—could sense the depth of her worry.
“Mom, I’m back. I’m sorry for making you worry,” Xingxing whispered, gently patting her back to comfort her.
Holding her son at last, Gu Jianing finally felt the weight in her chest ease.
It was precisely because she had been so worried that her trembling hands still couldn’t be controlled—they continued to shake slightly.
“Xingxing, are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere…” Gu Jianing hurriedly checked him over, even lifting his clothes to inspect for injuries.
“Mom, I’m fine.”
“But…” Xingxing stretched out his hand. “The protective charm broke.”
She already knew about the charm shattering—and it was precisely because she knew that she had been so frantic. At that moment, Xingxing must have been in grave danger.
“It’s okay. As long as you’re safe, that’s all that matters. I’ll make you another protective charm later.”
“By the way, did you see your dad?” Gu Jianing asked.
Xingxing nodded. “Dad had someone bring me back. He’s still busy…”
As he spoke, he held his mother and Yueyue’s hands, leading them back into the house. Seeing his pregnant mother standing at the gate, anxiously waiting for him so late at night, Xingxing felt utterly remorseful.
He shouldn’t have made her worry like this.
The courtyard gate closed behind them as they stepped into the living room.
Xingxing then briefly recounted everything that had happened after Yueyue left.
When Gu Jianing heard that he had thrown himself in front of Leiting to block the knife, her heart pounded violently.
She thought—if not for the protective charm, what would have become of Xingxing?
She didn’t dare imagine it.
“System, thank you… truly, thank you.”
Thank you for coming into my life. Thank you for rewarding me with those items so I could protect my child.
As for Xingxing’s actions, Gu Jianing couldn’t bring herself to scold him.
Should she say he shouldn’t have shielded Leiting?
But in both Xingxing’s heart and hers, Amber and her four pups were like family.
Leiting had risked his life to protect Xingxing—how could she say something so ungrateful?
Though Leiting and Hongying were dogs, they were also living beings.
They had feelings too.
And in that situation, Leiting had been protecting Xingxing the entire time.
If Leiting had been alone, he could have easily escaped.
But Xingxing had a protective charm—Leiting did not.
If that knife had struck Leiting, it could have been fatal.
For Xingxing, the charm had taken the lethal blow in his place.
Perhaps this was the best possible outcome.
So Gu Jianing couldn’t bring herself to criticize him.
“Mom, I’m sorry for making you worry.”
“Yueyue and I shouldn’t have gone out on our own.”
“Mom, Yueyue wants to apologize too.”
The siblings both bowed their heads, their small faces filled with guilt.
Their mother was pregnant, yet they had made her so anxious. If anything had happened to her because of them, they would never have forgiven themselves.
Gu Jianing pulled both children into her arms. “Mom knows you just wanted to buy me a birthday gift.”
“But Xingxing, Yueyue—to me, your safety and health are the most important things in the world.”
“From now on, you must think carefully before you act, understand?”
She couldn’t bring herself to scold them—after all, their actions came from love.
How could she reprimand them for wanting to give her a gift?
All she could do was remind them to be more cautious in the future.
Leave a Reply