Finest Servant

Chapter 470 The Rescue

"Qingxuan!" Lin Wanrong was overjoyed, hurriedly wiping away his tears and shouting, "Qingxuan, I'm here, I'm here!"

Darkness pervaded the rubble around him. Xiao Qingxuan's voice echoed for a moment and then vanished. The last traces of warmth were slowly leaving Guo Junyi's body cradled in his arms; her delicate form was growing rigid.

Memories of laughing and joking with the Madam flooded his mind. He had never imagined that one day she would die right before his eyes. Lin Wanrong felt a lump forming in his throat; an unbearable pain surged through him. Gathering his last bit of strength, he let out a scream, "We are here—"

Suffering from extreme lack of oxygen, his voice was weak and hoarse, almost powerless. His breathing became increasingly rapid. Faintly, he could hear the sound of air churning in his lungs, and his consciousness began to waver.

‘Am I going to die?’ His mind was drifting, memories rushing back—the sweetness of leaning on each other with Eldest Miss and Qingxuan in Dangtu Mountain, the warmth of boating in Weishan Lake with An Biru and Xian'er, the steadfast commitment of facing life and death with Fairy Ning.

His nose tingled; he wanted to cry and laugh at the same time. Holding Guo Junyi's stiffening body tightly against him, he felt her gradually fading warmth and a strange sense of peace washed over him. ‘Is this it? Am I going back to where I came from? Qingxuan, Xian'er, goodbye forever! Fairy Ning, Sister An, I miss you!’

"My Dear, My Dear—" Xiao Qingxuan's soft, weeping voice echoed in his ears, almost inaudible but incredibly clear, "Can you hear me? Respond to me, respond to me!"

His eyelids felt as if they weighed a ton; his consciousness was fading. Hearing that familiar voice, he mustered all his strength, took a breath, and slowly opened his eyes. A sliver of light was projected from the rubble above, illuminating the pale cheeks of Madam Xiao. Her delicate eyebrows were slightly furrowed, her expression peaceful, as if she were a sleeping fairy.

It was a narrow iron tube, hollow in the center, forcefully inserted through the debris above. The light came through the hollow middle. Lin Wanrong was ecstatic. He squeezed his way to the tube; a barely perceptible breeze brushed his cheeks. Though feeble, it was precious to him.

"Madam, wake up, wake up," tears flowed down his cheeks as he forcefully slapped Guo Junyi's pale and delicate face, "We're saved, we're still alive, wake up. Wake up!"

Guo Junyi lay limply in his arms, her body cold and rigid, lifeless. The grief in Lin Wanrong's heart surged like a torrential river, impossible to contain. "Ah—" he screamed frantically, shaking Madam Xiao's tender body, tears rolling down his face. "Wake up, Guo Junyi, wake up! If you don't wake up, I will take advantage of you; I mean what I say—"

No matter how much he shouted and called, Madam Xiao's body remained limp, as if she were asleep; her breathing had long since ceased.

Tears streamed down his face, his sobbing unrestrained. Bending down, he pinched Guo Junyi's delicate nose and pressed his lips forcefully onto her luscious red lips. Her lips were soft and fragrant, carrying a faint sweet scent, but her mouth and teeth were icy cold; he couldn't find a trace of breath.

Lin Wanrong took several sharp breaths, lifting his head to exhale the stale air from his lungs before taking another breath. This cycle repeated, each inhalation pulling in the pitifully limited air available through the iron pipe. Without a moment's hesitation, he passed his own breath into Guo Junyi's mouth.

In that moment, he felt like an innocent child, nursing from his mother, his mind devoid of any other thought but one heart-wrenching realization: he must save her. There was no time to take a full breath for himself, fearing that any lapse on his part would extinguish Guo Junyi's last hope for survival.

Madam Xiao, however, seemed almost hypnotized; her breathing was growing fainter and her cold body showed no response.

"You can't die; you must not die!" Lin Wanrong muttered feverishly as he assisted her breathing. His cheeks had gone numb from the effort, and each breath caused a tearing pain in his lungs. His mind grew increasingly cloudy; his vision darkened. He no longer knew what he was doing, mechanically repeating the breathing action in a daze.

Beneath the extreme physical and emotional strain, he felt as if his soul had detached from his body. It was only his unwavering conviction that enabled him to continue the repetitive motion, again and again.

In his semi-conscious state, Lin Wanrong had reached the limits of his strength and awareness. He was like a puppet on strings, utterly manipulated. The soft body in his arms shifted slightly, but he noticed nothing.

"My Dear, My Dear, speak to me!" Xiao Qingxuan's anxious voice came through the iron pipe, followed by a slow trickle of water that splashed onto their faces.

Madam Xiao's eyelashes quivered, and her lips parted slightly as she struggled to open her eyes.

The cool water on Lin Wanrong's face snapped him back to his senses. Seeing Guo Junyi's trembling eyelashes, he was stunned for a moment before shouting ecstatically, "Madam, you're awake, you're awake! Cough, cough—"

A searing pain erupted in his lungs, but he had no time to care. Holding Guo Junyi tightly, he broke into uncontrollable sobs, feeling as if they had been reborn through fire.

The thin air coming through the iron pipe gradually normalized Madam Xiao's breathing. Slowly, she opened her eyes. Under the faint light, she saw Lin San's face. His hair and cheeks were covered in dust and grime, yet the streaks left by his tears were clearly visible.

"Lin, Lin San," Guo Junyi gasped, tears gushing forth, "Did we die?"

"No, we didn't die," Lin Wanrong grinned, half his face black and half white from the mingling of dust and tears, looking for all the world like a mischievous monkey. "We're saved, we're saved."

His eyes were clear as crystal, filled with an innocence she had never seen in Lin San before. Guo Junyi could only stare in amazement.

It was as if she sensed the fervent joy in his heart, a feeling that transcended mere desire. Madam Xiao's eyes brimmed with tears, a warmth spreading through her. She gently smoothed her sleeve to wipe away the tears on his face and smiled, "You're a man. How can you cry so easily? What would others think if they saw you?" ȑ𝘈Ɲօ𐌱Ë𝓢

Her demeanor was both gentle and natural, like a sister, yet also like a mother. Lin Wanrong grunted in agreement, wiping away his tears and laughing, "These are not tears; they're dewdrops from the sky. You know, I'm a capable and intelligent person; nobody can bully me. How could I cry?"

Guo Junyi softly hummed, grasping his hand, tears trickling down her cheeks.

Seeing her pale face and dazed expression, Lin Wanrong hastily slapped a shining metal pipe and exclaimed, "Madam, look, what is this?"

Hearing him call her 'Madam' had once felt so natural, but now it made Guo Junyi slightly uncomfortable. She stared blankly for a moment before finally saying, "It looks like a piece of metal pipe. Where did it come from? I didn’t see it earlier."

Lin Wanrong sighed with emotion, "Madam, without this thing, we both would have lost our lives here. The air you breathed earlier came from this."

"What breathed air? I don't understand!" In the dim light, a light flush crept up Guo Junyi's pretty face. She turned her head away, her voice trembling.

"Never mind. What I mean is, this pipe allows us to talk so freely now," Lin Wanrong chuckled, glossing over the subject. In the case of a chaste widow like Madam Xiao, who valued her reputation more than life itself, it was better to keep some matters hidden, buried under the debris.

Guo Junyi lowered her head and softly hummed, her eyes moistening.

Lin Wanrong took a deep breath from the pipe, and a cool breeze wafted in. He felt immediately refreshed, though his head was still a bit muddled; he was nonetheless far better than before.

"Does it still hurt?" Seeing him greedily breathe in the air, Guo Junyi sighed softly. Her delicate hand gingerly touched his injured thigh, which was pressed tightly against her body. Blood stains had seeped onto her clothes, making them rough and coarse, yet incredibly real.

Lin Wanrong's forehead broke into a cold sweat as he gritted his teeth, "A little, yes."

Madam Xiao suddenly cried out, "Don't ever be so foolish again. Your life is as precious as gold and gems. How can you risk it to save others? If Yushuang and Yuruo found out, they would hate me!"

"I am but a worthless life, I've already died countless times. I am not as precious as gold and gems," Lin Wanrong said, comforting her. "Not just you, if even a cat or dog were in trouble, I would save them too."

"You might as well belittle me," Madam Xiao sighed deeply, murmuring, "I would rather you save that cat or dog than save me." Her words became increasingly incomprehensible, even to him. Lin Wanrong shook his head and laughed, choosing not to engage her any further. He had been stirring up trouble for quite some time and was already extremely exhausted. As he was yawning, he suddenly felt a small hand groping around on his body. Startled, Lin Wanrong exclaimed, "Madam, what are you doing? Men and women should not touch so freely!"

"What nonsense are you talking about?!" Guo Junyi said with a laugh. With a ripping sound, she tore a piece of cloth from his tattered clothes. Crouching down with all her might, she finally reached his thigh and carefully bandaged his injured leg.

Lin Wanrong grumbled, "Madam, I have clothes on, and you have clothes on too. Why did you have to tear mine?"

Guo Junyi glared at him, her face flushed. "I am a woman. How could I tear my own clothes?"

The ruin they were in had been dark, making it difficult to see. Now, with the faint light available, Lin Wanrong took a quick look. He saw that Guo Junyi's clothes were already in tatters, like strips of cloth wrapped around her body. As she crouched, glimpses of her full bosom and slender jade-like legs became visible, her skin luminous. Lin Wanrong immediately understood; her clothes really couldn't be torn any further.

"What are you staring at?" Guo Junyi quickly looked away, speaking feebly. The space was so cramped that the two of them were pressed tightly together. Even if he wanted to do something more out of line, it would be all too easy.

Lin Wanrong chuckled and said nothing. Seeing his silence, Guo Junyi stole a glance at him. His eyes were tightly closed, looking as if he had fallen asleep. Recalling the vows he had made earlier, she felt uneasy and said apologetically, "I was just joking with you; don't take it to heart."

"It's fine," Lin Wanrong replied nonchalantly, "I'm used to being treated as a villain."

Petty! Seeing his childlike, pouty lips, Guo Junyi couldn't help but shake her head and smile, a warm maternal glow spreading across her face.

"My Dear, where are you? Answer me, answer me!"

This must have been the umpteenth time Xiao Qingxuan had called out. Lin Wanrong had been so preoccupied with rescuing Madam Xiao that he had forgotten about it. He hurriedly moved to the pipe and shouted, "Qingxuan, I'm here! Respond if you hear me!"

Hearing his voice, Xiao Qingxuan burst into tears of joy, "My Dear, I heard you, I heard you! Wait for me, I'm coming to rescue you."

How embarrassing. Lately, it seemed like he was always being rescued by his wife. He sighed but felt a hint of pride. ‘My wife is capable, always rescuing me. But I am even more capable, for I found such a capable wife!’

As he was lost in his triumphant thoughts, he realized that the pit had fallen silent, devoid of Guo Junyi's voice. Looking down, he saw her head lowered in silence, lost in thought.

"Madam, don't worry. We will be able to leave here soon," he immediately comforted, assuming she was worried about their fate.

"Is that so?" Guo Junyi glanced at him lightly. "Are you happy?"

‘What kind of question is this? I'll be seeing daylight soon and will be reunited with Qingxuan; how could I not be happy?’ Seeing his puzzled look, Guo Junyi smiled charmingly, "I was just teasing you; I'm quite happy too!"

It was a peculiar turn of events; in the past, he was the one making light of her. Now, the tables had turned, and she was teasing him. Lin Wanrong turned serious, "Madam, I haven't told Qingxuan about my relationship with Fairy Sister yet. Please keep it a secret for now. When I return from the North, I'll tell her everything."

"You're just a coward who has the guts to act but not to speak!" Guo Junyi berated.

From above came the sound of loosening tiles and rubble, followed by a wave of voices. Seeing Lin San's expression light up, Guo Junyi sighed, "Lin San, do you remember my name?"

"I do, Guo Junyi! Madam, why do you ask?" Lin Wanrong, hearing the sweet call of Yushuang from above, was already restless and eager to return.

"Nothing," noticing his distracted demeanor, Guo Junyi smiled, "Just testing your memory!"

With a clatter, the bricks and rubble above were moved aside. "Bad guy, Mother—" The Second Miss cried softly and leaped straight into their arms.

Hi, if you like the story, please rate and review this novel on novelupdates. Thanks!

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!