Chapter 125: Injury

The events that unfolded at Jinghai City’s Central Mall sent shockwaves throughout the entire city in a remarkably short amount of time.

Once the hostages were safely rescued, television stations and media outlets finally received permission to enter the mall. Armed with cameras and microphones, they quickly encircled Li Zhengdao, who had been overseeing the operation on-site, bombarding him with questions.

“Chief Li, Jinghai City has always enjoyed a reputation for good public safety. How do you explain the occurrence of such a horrific event, the most sensational robbery case in decades?”

“Chief Li, we’ve heard that six armed robbers invaded the mall, taking over fifty people hostage. Can you confirm this? And if so, what actions did the police take to ensure the hostages’ safety?”

“Chief Li, do the authorities have any leads on the true identities of these six robbers?”

“…”

Faced with relentless questions from reporters, Li Zhengdao was visibly frazzled but did his best to respond to their inquiries.

Luckily, Lin Xiao had the foresight to leave the mall with Huang Xinyu and her daughter before the media frenzy began.

At the mall’s entrance was parked a low-key luxury car, as understated as a Ferrari could be. It belonged to Huang Xinyu. Since she had injured her foot and couldn’t drive, Lin Xiao had no choice but to drive them home.

“Mom, you promised to go clothes shopping with me, and we didn’t even buy anything,” Huang Caixing remarked, her enthusiasm dampened as she glanced at the now-sealed-off mall in the distance.

“Considering what we’ve just been through, your concern for clothes shopping is astonishing,” Huang Xinyu retorted, clearly irked by her daughter’s priorities.

“You promised me ages ago, and it was hard enough until you were free today to finally take me,” Huang Caixing pouted in response.

“Fine, fine, we’ll go shopping tomorrow.”

“Yay!” Huang Caixing’s face lit up at the news, her cheeks dimpling deeply in delight.

From her reaction, one would never guess that she had just lived through a harrowing hostage situation.

In truth, thanks to Lin Xiao’s presence, Huang Caixing remained completely unharmed throughout the ordeal, to the point where she didn’t even know what the robbers looked like.

As a result, her perception of the hostage situation was rather hazy. She felt somewhat detached from the event, certainly not experiencing the acute terror and anxiety that other involved hostages felt.

Lin Xiao was focused on driving when his phone began to vibrate in his pocket. Holding the steering wheel with one hand, he pulled out the phone with the other. “Hello?”

“Lin Xiao, are you all right?” Ning Xi’s sultry and captivating voice echoed from the other end.

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

“That’s good to hear,” Ning Xi seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, her voice taking on a lighter tone. “You’re so competent, I had a feeling you’d be okay.”

Just then, Wan Caixuan chimed in. “Don’t pretend. Weren’t you just pacing around the office, anxious as an ant on a hot plate? You didn’t even complete the work I assigned you.”

“Look who’s talking! You were so nervous that you even signed documents in the wrong place,” Ning Xi shot back.

Listening to the playful banter between Wan Caixuan and Ning Xi, Lin Xiao felt his heart warm up. Though neither explicitly stated it, Lin Xiao sensed that both were concerned for his well-being.

“Lin Xiao, take the day to rest up. When you’re back in the office tomorrow, fill us in on what happened,” Ning Xi said before hanging up the call.

Around thirty minutes later, Lin Xiao and his passengers arrived at the residential area where Huang Caixing lived.

Carefully, Lin Xiao opened the car door and helped Huang Xinyu out. However, the moment her foot touched the ground, she let out a soft groan and collapsed into Lin Xiao’s arms. That’s when he noticed that her forehead was covered in a sheen of cold sweat and her complexion was visibly pale. Clear signs that she was in discomfort.

Huang Caixing, who just exited the car, witnessed this and felt her heart jump. She rushed over to her mother’s side, steadying Huang Xinyu.

“Mom, what happened? You’re scaring me!”

Huang Xinyu managed a strained smile, “It’s not a big deal, just a sudden ache in my foot.”

“Caixing, hold onto Auntie Xinyu. I want to examine her foot,” Lin Xiao interjected.

At his words, Huang Caixing immediately steadied Huang Xinyu. Lin Xiao crouched down and cautiously lifted her injured foot, his brow gradually knitting together in concern.

As Lin Xiao took hold of her foot–a foot that had never before been touched by a man–Huang Xinyu’s cheeks flushed, and she instinctively pulled back.

“Stay still,” Lin Xiao directed, looking up.

Taking the cue, Huang Xinyu ceased her movements, allowing Lin Xiao to continue examining her foot. Her skin was delicate, fair with just a hint of blush, and almost poreless. It looked as smooth and luminous as the finest jade.

However, her ankle was alarmingly swollen, taking on a purplish-red hue.

Surprised by the severity of the injury, Lin Xiao gently probed the area. Huang Xinyu instantly tensed, inhaling sharply as she broke into a cold sweat from the intense pain.

“Caixing, you should head home. I’ll take Auntie Xin to the hospital,” Lin Xiao said as he rose to his feet. “Her ankle seems seriously injured, it’s not just a simple sprain. The treatment could take a while.”

Huang Caixing nodded obediently, tears welling up in her eyes as she looked at Huang Xinyu, clearly worried.

Though her ankle was throbbing, Huang Xinyu chuckled at Huang Caixing’s expression.

“What’s with that look? I’ve only sprained my ankle, it’s not like it’s broken.”

Wiping away her tears, Huang Caixing grumbled, “I’m worried, okay? It’s none of your concern.”

Huang Xinyu was about to respond when Lin Xiao gently lifted her by the waist and placed her in the front passenger seat.

Giving Huang Caixing a quick wave, Lin Xiao revved up the Ferrari, executed a U-turn, and exited the residential complex. Huang Caixing stood there, eyes filled with concern, watching the car gradually disappear into the distance.

However, Huang Caixing realized that fretting now wouldn’t solve anything. She turned back toward the residential complex, her mind already planning a surprise for her mother as she headed home.

Meanwhile, Lin Xiao was en route to the nearest hospital.

“To make sure you don’t jostle your injured ankle, you should raise your leg,” Lin Xiao suggested while keeping his eyes on the road and gently patting his thigh.

A flicker of surprise crossed Huang Xinyu’s eyes, but she chose not to object. Following his suggestion, she quietly shifted her legs onto his lap, changing her sitting position to a more reclined posture.

She was wearing form-fitting clothes that already highlighted her figure. As she reclined, her body seemed even more alluring, displaying the voluptuous curves that often come with maturity, filled with an enticing charm. Another man might have lost his self-control at the sight, but Lin Xiao remained unflinchingly focused on driving.

About ten minutes later, they arrived at the hospital.

Lin Xiao parked the car at the entrance and carefully lowered Huang Xinyu’s legs back to the floorboard.

“Auntie Xinyu, do you think you can walk?”

Grimacing slightly, Huang Xinyu shook her head. “I’m not sure.”

“Would it be alright if I carried you inside, then?”

Her cheeks flushed a subtle shade of pink as she gave an almost imperceptible nod.

With her consent, Lin Xiao scooped her up effortlessly, holding her securely around her waist as he briskly walked into the hospital.