Chapter 31 I Thought You Were Dead

in, are you"Across the table, Lu Qinian had finished his meal and wiped his lips with a napkin. He glanced at her, noticing something off about her expression. His tone was sharp as he spoke to her.Q...As dusk gradually fell, Qiao Baier's face paled, as if she had been frightened, she kept running forward.

The mountain road was rugged and uneven. She tripped on one foot, dropping a shoe. But she didn't have time to spare. As if being chased by someone, she panted all the way west.

She remembered, there was a village here, she had to find someone, to call for help...

The surroundings were desolate, the thick clouds in the sky churning violently. Soon, a light rain began to fall, soaking her through.

Suddenly, her eyes lit up. There was a simple thatched hut ahead of her, and she excitedly ran towards it.

"Is anyone there" she shouted, while glancing nervously over her shoulder.

As she reached out to knock on the door, she realized it wasn't closed. She pushed it open and peered inside. The sky was darkening, clouds gathering overhead, making it difficult to see what was happening in the house.

"Hello, I was kidnapped and brought here by bandits, please help me..." She said in a panicked voice, taking a step forward and cautiously walking inside.

She was abducted from the hospital by several men and brought to this remote suburb against her will.

Just now, she took the opportunity to grind the thick rope in her hand against the rusty hoe in the corner, then immediately untied the rope from her feet and fled in panic.

Now, her wrist was scratched by the hoe many times, blood dripping drop by drop. She didn't care about her injuries, she could only keep running, afraid of being caught back.

At this moment, rain drenched her, touching the wound and causing her to wince in pain, her face contorting.

However, as soon as she stepped into the silent tiled room, Qiao Baier froze.

No one.

There's no sign of life, nothing but silence.

Qiao Baoer's face was pale, she looked around in a daze, staring at the dilapidated and dirty thatched house. The surrounding objects were in disarray.

At that moment, a terrifying bolt of lightning split the sky, followed by a deafening clap of thunder that made her shiver with fright.

The heavy rain outside was torrential, pouring down as if the sky were collapsing. The downpour was accompanied by thunder and lightning.

She shrank back constantly, her eyes wide with fear as she looked around nervously.

Her right hand rested on her stomach, a discomfort washing over her. She lowered her head, and her face instantly paled.

She recalled Junzhi Mu's harsh words toward her before, his voice cold and merciless.

There are plenty of women who can give me children, but you, Qiao Bao'er, you don't have the right... to get rid of the child in her womb!

You heard it too, Young Master Jun told us to get rid of your child. You better cooperate or don't blame us for being rude!

Her mind was a whirlwind of those cold, sharp voices, clashing against each other.

Her eyes were bloodshot, her right hand clutching tightly at her still flat stomach. Her heart was filled with grievance and pain.

She was kidnapped to this place, threatened and intimidated by those vicious bandits. She fled in panic, now alone in this stormy night, so helpless. It's all your fault, Jun Zhi Mu!

That man is too cruel, too heartless!

Looking out the door, heavy rain lashed down, and torrents of water rushed down the mountainside, washing away even the yellow soil.

"Come out! Come out quickly! The house is about to collapse!" A figure rushed out the door in a hurry, and someone screamed in alarm.

Jo Baoer stood right in the middle of the house, and she suddenly turned around.

Her body trembled violently, shaking uncontrollably. She saw a massive landslide outside, with huge boulders crashing down from the mountains, and the house began to sway precariously...

Qiao Bao'er was like someone struck by lightning, her heart pounding with anxiety. She desperately wanted to move her feet but couldn't control her body; they felt as heavy as a thousand pounds, leaving her paralyzed with fear, her eyes empty and hopeless...

With a deafening roar, the sound echoed through the heavens.

"What is that sound"

Junzhi's shepherd suddenly stopped his steps, his face grim as he looked around.

At that moment, thunder roared alongside flashes of lightning, and the torrential rain drowned out many sounds. Someone speculated, "Perhaps a landslide swept the house away."

Lu Qinian frowned, watching the worsening weather with swirling clouds. He felt a pang of anxiety. "Be careful and avoid the houses near the foot of the mountain. Stay safe, or you might be buried easily."

"Master Jun, we have already dispatched people to search separately. It's very dangerous here, you should return first. If there is any news, we will inform you as soon as possible..."

A corpulent man standing beside the Lord Shepherd gave him an umbrella, speaking respectfully.

"The Shepherd, it's so big here, we don't even know where to start looking for people. Let's just scatter and leave first. It's really dangerous staying here!" Lu Qinan also shouted back at him.

Now the thunder is rolling, and with this downpour, the rain has washed away Qiao Bao'er's footprints. Where can they possibly find her now!

Junzhi's shepherd kept his lips tightly pursed, ignoring them. His taut nerves seemed to be suppressing something, his sharp gaze scanning the surroundings. His suppressed heartbeat had never thrummed so wildly.

Suddenly, his face paled, and he broke into a run, dashing toward the left through the rain.

The person behind saw Junzhimu getting drenched in the rain and immediately chased after him nervously. They found Junzhimu already soaked to the bone, squatting in the dirt. In the muck was a woman's shoe.

Junzhi Mu stared fiercely at the shoes in the dirt. These were Qiao Bao'er's shoes...

His heart pounded with an indescribable frenzy. He raised his head, following the direction of the shoes, ignoring the person behind him, and ran forward abruptly.

But the shepherd didn't run far. He suddenly stopped again.

His expression was completely stunned. Looking at the dilapidated house buried by mud in front of him, it had already become a ruin.

"This, this tile-roofed house is where we just heard the collapse. We don't know if anyone is inside..." was buried.

Lu Qinan and they rushed over, looking at this ruin, their expressions were surprised, "No matter what, we should leave here as soon as possible..." Someone immediately proposed.

"Jo Bao'er—"

The lord's shepherd, as if touched by something, suddenly rushed forward to the ruins without hesitation. He lifted the dilapidated door with all his might and shouted out loud.

His impatient voice, mingling with the thunder, sent shivers down my spine.

The people behind immediately reacted and joined in helping to dig the person out.

Is Qiao Baoer in this house

Lu Qinan's expression of surprise, looking at the desolate and deserted surroundings, he discovered her shoes in front of him. If she really came here, then with such heavy rain just now, she would definitely run into a house for shelter, so...

She was buried underneath...

Lu Qinan also disregarded his usual pampered image of a rich young master, his face etched with anxiety. He immediately helped move some large items as well. Everyone braved the heavy rain, shouting Qiao Baier's name, each one looking panicked and worried.

Suddenly, Junzhi Mu knelt down, suppressing too many emotions. His fists pounded fiercely into the rubble and dirt.

Punches rained down, his eyes reflecting an unbearable anxiety. They all knew that under these circumstances, rescuers couldn't arrive in time, and those buried beneath...

His heart, it was filled with regret and helplessness. He hated himself for this, for he rarely failed at anything. He couldn't let this happen, he wouldn't—

Lu Qinan looked at him like that, completely shocked.

He didn't know, it turned out that the always cold and aloof Jun Zhi Mu would actually care so much about a woman.

The rain continued to pour down, and the thunder never ceased. But suddenly, Lu Qinian faintly heard some sounds coming from behind him...

Because Lord Jun's panicked expression scared the servants who followed him, they all hesitated and rushed to dig him out, but only Lu Qinan turned back to look at them.

Suddenly, Lu Qinan's expression seemed as if he had seen a ghost.

The next second, he immediately sprinted forward and grabbed Junzhi牧's shoulder, excitedly stammering, "Zhimu, look, look behind you..."

Jun Zhimu ignored him until Lu Qinian shouted anxiously, " Qiao Bao'er is not dead, she's behind us!"

Junzhi's shepherd shuddered, raising his head in astonishment to look at Lu Qinan above him. In that instant, the most surprised was Lu Qinan, because he actually saw Junzhi's eyes red.

Lu Qinan didn't have time to recover, Jun Zhimu had already scrambled to his feet and ran toward the back.

The lord, covered in a coat of yellow mud, was a disheveled mess. Under the pouring rain, his steps were clumsy and unfamiliar. His eyes held a mixture of astonishment, complexity, and a hint of hidden surprise, shifting like the tides, leaving one unable to decipher their true meaning.

He stood before her, his fingertip tracing lightly across her cheek. The Qiao Bao'er opposite him seemed startled by his sudden approach, frozen in place for a moment.

Then, when Qiao Baoer wanted to speak, Jun Zhimu stepped forward and fiercely hugged her.

This body is warm, he keeps tightening his grip, holding her tightly.

Qiao Baoer was extremely uncomfortable being held by him. The two of them were so close together under the heavy rain that she instinctively wanted to push him away, but...

She was surprised to find Jun Zhi Mu holding her tightly. His body was trembling, as if suppressing intense emotions, or perhaps fear.

Afraid A man like Junzhimu, how could he possibly understand the word 'fear'.

< Qiao Baoer found it very amusing, especially when she recalled his previous cold and ruthless words. >

"Let me go! Don't touch me—" She recoiled with disgust, her eyes filled with repulsion for him.

Lu Qinan and the others followed with umbrellas, "It's good that you're okay, Qiao Bao'er. We all thought you were buried under this tile house..."

When Lu Qinan and their voices reached him, Jun Zhimu was as if suddenly startled back to reality.

He immediately let go of the woman in front of him. A trace of awkwardness flashed across his usually cold face as he realized his earlier lapse in composure.

Qiao Bao'er took a step back from him, her face cold as she no longer looked at him.

This heavy rain and thunder, in front of the desolate ruins, the atmosphere was somehow strange.

An umbrella shielded Qiao Bao'er's head. Someone eased the tension, smiling and saying, "Since we've found the young mistress, let's leave here..."

"You can't leave here!" a sudden unfamiliar, pure voice rang out.

Jo Ba'er heard the voice and immediately turned her head, "Mo Ge." She had indeed been in this thatched hut just now, luckily this villager named Mo Ge had saved her, she was very grateful.

Joe Bao'er took the initiative to walk closer, and her tone of voice was also gentle and soft. Compared to her cold face towards Jun Zimo, this difference in treatment was very obvious.aster pace of experimentation, but I'm really worried."We have retrieved all the fruits, leaves, and vines Qiao Bao mentioned before, categorized them, and had patients conduct group experiments to ob...