Chapter 213: Desperate Measures in Crisis

Liu Guanglu was in high spirits. Being able to get close to a superstar like Lin Qingxia and even witness the filming firsthand was truly a delightful assignment. What puzzled him, however, was why Xiao Ran thought someone might try to abduct Lin Qingxia.

It happened yesterday, on the premiere day. When Guan Xin brought the news that Mo Huaien had gone missing, Xiao Ran’s first instinct was that Mo Huaien was about to take desperate measures. Whether that was true or not, he was determined not to take such a risk. So, he immediately requested police protection for Lin Qingxia, who was filming on set. At 9 p.m., he also received word from the underworld that someone had purchased guns and bullets half an hour earlier.

Liu Guanglu and a female colleague were also assigned to protect Lin Qingxia, which they saw as a wonderful task. In the afternoon, after finishing her scenes for the day, Lin Qingxia went to the parking lot to leave. A car slowly approached. Liu Guanglu grew nervous at first, but relaxed when the car passed by. Suddenly, the car reversed, and several gunshots were fired, injuring Liu Guanglu and his colleague. At the same time, the car doors opened, and the panicked Lin Qingxia was dragged inside. Less than ten seconds after the car drove away, another car sped after it. Liu Guanglu vaguely recognized them as Xiao Ran’s two bodyguards.

“She’s been kidnapped…” Xiao Ran felt the world spin around him. His hand went weak, and the phone fell to the ground. He slumped back in his chair, filled with regret. He knew Mo Huaien would resort to extreme measures, yet he still allowed his wife to be kidnapped. If only he had left it to Yang Guang and Monkey to handle protection instead of not notifying the police. If there were an antidote for regret, Xiao Ran would give everything he had for it. But that was just a fantasy. The good news was that Yang Guang and Monkey were following closely, so they would likely track them down soon.

“What happened?” Wei Dongling’s face turned as pale as it had during the near-bankruptcy of the stock market when he saw Xiao Ran answer the phone. He sensed something wrong and said sternly, “No matter what happens, stay calm. Only by staying calm can you solve this!”

“Qingxia has been kidnapped—it must be Mo Huaien!” Xiao Ran’s heart tightened. Hearing Wei Dongling’s words, he gradually calmed down. Standing up coldly, he said, “I’m going there now. With Yang Guang and Monkey around, she’ll be fine!”

Lin Qingxia’s eyes were covered. At first, she was terrified, but thinking of Xiao Ran, she gradually calmed down. She was convinced that Xiao Ran would never allow her to be hurt.

The car stopped in front of a villa. Lin Qingxia felt herself being pushed out and led through some paths before entering a house. Then, someone removed the cloth from her eyes. Standing before her was Mo Huaien, whose face was shockingly pale!

Mo Huaien didn’t untie the ropes binding Lin Qingxia’s hands; instead, he pulled her to sit on the sofa. Only then did he take a deep breath and say, “Qingxia, there’s no time left. Come with me! Xiao Ran isn’t right for you.”
This man must be crazy! That was the only thought in Lin Qingxia’s mind. She stared at Mo Huaien coldly, without fear, filled only with unwavering courage: “Mo Huaien, I warn you once again—you don’t deserve to call me that! Also, my husband’s surname is Xiao and his name is Ran. If you release me, there’s still a chance for you to live. Otherwise…”
“Otherwise what?” Mo Huaien stood up abruptly, screaming like a madman, “Otherwise he’ll kill me? Or what? I’m already bankrupt; I don’t care about life or death. I just want to be with you, Qingxia. Come with me! I really love you!”
“You don’t deserve it!” Lin Qingxia straightened her back, remaining motionless, staring at Mo Huaien coldly as if she were the one in control. “What you love is money and profit—never me. You don’t deserve it. With everything you’ve done, you don’t deserve to call my name or speak to me.”
Lin Qingxia’s words exploded like bombs in Mo Huaien’s mind, shattering his thoughts. His eyes reddened as he pointed at her and shouted, “I don’t deserve it? Everything I’ve done was for you, to defeat Xiao Ran and get you—this is how I ended up like this…”
“I hope you realize who you really are. You did it for money, not for me!” At these words, Lin Qingxia paused, her beautiful eyes flashing a coldness that left Mo Huaien in despair. “Don’t forget—you almost drove Mingxuan into bankruptcy. Don’t tell me you don’t know who Mingxuan’s boss was at that time! If you hadn’t colluded with the Koreans and used underhanded tactics, Xiao Ran would never have fought back. This is all your fault. I only hope that after kidnapping me, when you’re dead, you won’t think you’re without fault in hell!”
“And also, I want to tell you…” The stern anger on Lin Qingxia’s face gradually gave way to a hint of tenderness. “I like Xiao Ran, and he likes me too. That’s all there is to it.”
Utter chaos reigned in Mo Huaien’s mind. Under Lin Qingxia’s compassionate gaze, he fumbled helplessly. Everything he had imagined in his mind collapsed—defeating the dragon Xiao Ran and rescuing Princess Lin Qingxia to live happily ever after, just like in a fairy tale.
Now everything had changed. It was only in that moment that he realized he had been living in a fantasy all along. Now that the fantasy was shattered, he realized he wasn’t a knight, nor a hero. Business failure, coupled with emotional failure—countless setbacks overwhelmed him, pushing him to the brink of madness.
He stared at Lin Qingxia like a beast, then suddenly laughed, a joyous laugh. “Since you’re in my hands, what do I fear from Xiao Ran? This time, I’ll make him die! Wait and see—I’ll let you watch him die with your own eyes. Like him? Go love a ghost then! Hahaha!”

Lin Qingxia’s gaze remained fixed on Mo Huaien, who had transformed from a gentle man into a beast. Her expression gradually shifted from indifference to sympathy and pity. It was only now that she realized how fragile those who seemed strong on the surface could be—so fragile that they couldn’t withstand trauma, and Mo Huaien was clearly such a person.

Just then, sirens were heard outside. Mo Huaien jumped up like a startled beast, grabbed Lin Qingxia and hid her behind him, then drew his gun and pointed it at her head while shouting outside, “No one is allowed in! Otherwise, I’ll shoot them!”

“Damn these bastard cops!” Xiao Ran rarely used vulgar language, but now he couldn’t help cursing. He had just arrived at Mo Huaien’s house when he received a call from Hou Zi, saying they had taken care of Mo Huaien’s men and were about to enter to rescue the people inside.

But now these cops had appeared out of nowhere. With the sirens, Mo Huaien, who wasn’t on guard, would surely be awakened, making it infinitely harder to rescue the people. Xiao Ran was already being very patient not to rush in and beat the officer in charge.

At that moment, Mo Huaien’s voice came from inside the house, shouting even louder, “Go call Xiao Ran here! If he doesn’t show up in half an hour, I’ll kill his wife!”

Xiao Ran didn’t hesitate and headed inside. Before he could take two steps, he was pulled back by Wei Dongling and the cops. Fuming, he slammed his palm on the roof of the car, causing a loud crack. “What the hell is this so-called danger? My wife is inside with a gun pointed at her— isn’t she in danger?”

Seeing Xiao Ran’s pale face and deep concern in his eyes, Wei Dongling sighed. He knew that under these circumstances, Xiao Ran would definitely go in— even if it meant breaking his legs, he would still crawl in.

The lead foreign senior police officer was about to step forward again to stop Xiao Ran when Xiao Ran suddenly turned around, his eyes filled with fury, his stern expression making it impossible for anyone to speak. Still, the cops desperately held back the enraged and struggling Xiao Ran.

Just then, the phone rang—it was Hou Zi. He told Xiao Ran that he and Yang Guang were already in position, and Xiao Ran would be fine even if he went in. Guan Xin also hurriedly got out of the car. Worried, he saw the cops holding Xiao Ran back and quickly stepped forward, pushing them aside. He leaned in close to Xiao Ran’s ear and asked, “Where are Yang Guang and Hou Zi?”

“They’re inside, already in position!” Seeing Guan Xin arrive, Xiao Ran’s anger and panic finally subsided a bit.

Guan Xin thought for a moment, considering whether Xiao Ran would be in danger if he went in under these circumstances. After a quick thought, he concluded that nothing would happen. So, he nodded firmly at Xiao Ran and said softly, “Distract Mo Huaien’s attention!”

With Guan Xin’s support, Xiao Ran calmed down. He nodded at Wei Dongling, whose face showed concern, then took off his jacket. He then headed inside, while Guan Xin stood behind him, blocking the cops. With just a few moves, he knocked several cops to the ground, shocking them all.

Just as Guan Xin saw that the police could no longer stop Xiao Ran, he finally stopped and signaled Wei Dongling to help hold back the police. Wei Dongling nodded in understanding and blocked the police, allowing Guan Xin to take advantage of the situation and leap into the courtyard with incredible agility—unbelievable for someone in his forties.

Regardless of what Guan Xin and the others were doing, Xiao Ran walked to the door, trying hard to suppress his anger and anxiety as he shouted, “Mo Huaien, didn’t you want to see me? I’m here!”

He slowly pushed open the door and immediately saw Lin Qingxia with her hands tied, desperately signaling to him to leave quickly. Seeing that his wife was unharmed, Xiao Ran’s mood finally calmed down, replaced by a wave of warmth. He never expected Lin Qingxia to still care about his safety under such circumstances.

Mo Huaien poked his head out, still pointing the gun at Lin Qingxia, and ordered harshly, “Close the door. Come here and sit on the sofa!”

Xiao Ran obeyed, sitting down on the sofa and striving to stay calm. “Mo Huaien, it’s me you want. Release Qingxia—I’ll be your hostage. If you let her go, I’m willing to pay any price!”

“You’re wrong. I want not just you, but her too! But instead of killing you, I want to get her!” Mo Huaien then burst into frenzied laughter, filling the room with his unhinged cackling. “What price can you offer? Your life is in my hands now—you don’t deserve to negotiate!”

“Aran, you…” Lin Qingxia choked up. She hadn’t shown any fear when the gun was pointed at her earlier, but now, facing Xiao Ran who was willing to give everything for her, she couldn’t hold back her emotions, tears streaming down her face.

Xiao Ran smiled at her, stood up, and stepped closer to the panicked Mo Huaien, shouting firmly, “Release her, and I might spare your life. Otherwise, you’ll never get out of here!”

“Is that so? But it seems Mr. Xiao, you’ve forgotten—now it’s me who holds the power here!” Seeing that Xiao Ran showed no sign of panic and even stepped closer, Mo Huaien suddenly became anxious.

Xiao Ran narrowed his eyes slightly and subtly signaled to Lin Qingxia’s left. She nodded in understanding—with Xiao Ran by her side, she was fearless. Xiao Ran’s heart was pounding violently, though it couldn’t be seen on the surface.

He was afraid of death, afraid of losing everything, but more afraid of losing Lin Qingxia. Sometimes, people live not just for themselves. Xiao Ran knew that the moment he fell in love with Lin Qingxia, he could no longer leave her—his life would be intertwined with hers until old age.

He stared intently into Mo Huaien’s eyes, seeing the madness and panic after the world collapsed. He believed Mo Huaien would shoot. But to save Lin Qingxia, he had to take the risk and said slowly, word by word, “With me here, you’ll never have the right to decide. It’s what I say that counts!”

Xiao Ran was betting that Sunshine and the monkey could pull it off, betting that Mo Huaien, who had been defeated by him before, would, spurred by this, turn the gun away from Lin Qingxia’s head and point it at him! He suddenly took another big step forward, causing Mo Huaien to panic even more. For some reason, he was afraid of Xiao Ran getting closer, so he started screaming and turned the gun toward Xiao Ran.
With a gunshot! Mo Huaien felt a searing pain; his wrist instantly lost its strength, and the pistol fell to the ground. At the same time, Xiao Ran mustered his courage, stepped forward again, and embraced Lin Qingxia as she rushed at him. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Mo Huaien with a fierce expression pulling out a gun with his left hand, its dark barrel mercilessly pointed at Lin Qingxia…