Rapid Collapse (GL) - Chapter 63

That message caught Shen Xi’s eye, and instantly, her eyes welled up with tears. Her nose tingled, and the screen blurred before her. She tried her best to control her emotions and hold back her tears, refusing to let a single drop fall. She blinked hard, forcing the tears back. Once she regained her composure, she acted as if nothing had happened and continued with her tasks.

Han Ning arrived as planned. She got out of the car and stood not far from Nie Lan’s villa, then sent Shen Xi another message: “I’m here.”

After receiving the message, Shen Xi went to the living room and asked Nie Lan, “Do you want some cupcakes? There’s a shop near the film studio that makes really good ones. I want to buy some. Can I borrow your car keys?”

As Shen Xi expected, Nie Lan looked up at her with a wary expression. Her eyes filled with suspicion as she asked, “It’s so late… can’t it wait until tomorrow?”

“My period is coming, and I’m craving something sweet. I wanted us to go together, but I know you’re stressed right now, so I thought I’d go alone…” Shen Xi blinked innocently and smiled. “It’s dark out. Are you afraid I’ll run away or something?”

Shen Xi’s playful tone exposed Nie Lan’s concerns. Nie Lan quickly masked her emotions with a smile. “Of course not. I know you won’t leave me. I just worry about your safety at night.” She thought for a moment and said, “How about this? I’ll go buy them for you. You stay home and wait. It’ll be good for me to get some air too.”

Shen Xi was pleased—her plan was working. As long as Nie Lan left, she could take the chance to go home with Han Ning. But on the surface, she still pretended to be concerned.

She grabbed Nie Lan’s arm and asked, “A-Lan… are you okay?”

“I’m fine. Just wait for me to come back.” Nie Lan shook her head, picked up her car keys, and left.

As soon as she was gone, Shen Xi sent Han Ning a message: “Nie Lan just left. Find a place to hide so she doesn’t see you.”

Upon receiving the message, Han Ning rode her motorcycle to a discreet spot where she wouldn’t be noticed. The area was dark, making it easier to stay hidden.

Just a few minutes later, Nie Lan walked out of the house, got into her car, and drove away. Han Ning watched as the car disappeared down the road, then excitedly rode her motorcycle to the front of the villa.

“She’s gone.” Han Ning quickly typed out the message and sent it.

When Shen Xi saw the message, a wave of relief washed over her. She didn’t even bother changing out of her pajamas and slippers—grabbing only her laptop and phone, she rushed to escape.

But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t unlock the door. Nie Lan had anticipated this!

“Damn it! So cunning!” Shen Xi cursed under her breath and called Han Ning. As soon as the call connected, she sighed in frustration. “This woman is way too suspicious. I should’ve expected this. The door is locked. I can’t open it.”

Han Ning felt a chill run down her spine as she scanned the house, looking for another way out. Finally, she spotted a window without security bars. “Xi Xi, don’t panic. I see a window without bars. Go to that room and jump down. I’ll catch you.”

Shen Xi thought for a moment. “Oh, that’s Nie Lan’s walk-in closet. But she usually locks it too. I’ll hang up and break the lock with a hammer.”

She ended the call and found a hammer. She struck the lock multiple times, her hands stinging from the impact. She blew on her sore palms, clenched her teeth, and swung the hammer again with all her strength. After several more hits, the lock finally loosened.

Her eyes lit up, and with one final, forceful strike, the lock fell to the ground.

She tossed the hammer aside, squeezed into the walk-in closet, and opened the window.

Looking down, she hesitated—it was over two meters high. Fear crept in.

“Don’t be scared! Just jump! I’ll catch you!” Han Ning encouraged her from below. “Close your eyes and jump. Hurry!”

Shen Xi glanced to the side and saw Nie Lan’s car approaching from the curve in the road—she was coming back!

Even though she was terrified, she had no time to think. She clenched her jaw, gathered her courage, and leaped as if jumping to her doom. Han Ning caught her firmly.

Nie Lan’s car was getting closer. They had no time to escape, so they hid in the thick grass nearby. As Nie Lan drove into the underground garage, the two of them seized the moment—Han Ning jumped onto her motorcycle, and Shen Xi quickly climbed on behind her, wrapping her arms around Han Ning’s waist.

“We’re going home! Hold on tight, Xi Xi!” Han Ning shouted, revving the engine. The motorcycle sped down the straight road.

Shen Xi finally breathed a sigh of relief. She rested her head against Han Ning’s back.

Soon, silent tears soaked Han Ning’s shirt. “I missed you so much, Ning Ning…” she murmured.

The wind was loud, and Han Ning couldn’t hear her clearly. She only caught her name. “What did you say?” she called back.

Shen Xi laughed, tightened her hold around Han Ning’s waist, and shouted, “I said! I missed you so much! I never want to be apart from you again!”

“We’ll never be apart again! Never!” Han Ning shouted into the rushing wind.

Just minutes after their escape, Nie Lan returned home. She saw the mess at the entrance of the walk-in closet—the wide-open window letting in cold air. She was furious. She threw the bag of desserts to the ground and immediately restarted her car.

She drove at high speed and soon caught up to Han Ning’s motorcycle. She honked repeatedly.

Shen Xi turned her head and gasped. “Nie Lan caught up so fast! What do we do?”

Han Ning remained calm. Up ahead, the road split into two paths. Without hesitation, she turned onto the smaller road. “We’re not taking the main road. We’ll take a shortcut.”

The narrow road was bumpy and in poor condition. Even on the motorcycle, they felt the rough ride.

“Her sports car has such a low chassis. She can barely get over a speed bump, let alone a road like this.” Han Ning said casually.

“That’s true~” Shen Xi finally relaxed.

Just as Han Ning predicted, Nie Lan followed them only for a short distance before realizing her car couldn’t handle the road. Frustrated, she had no choice but to turn back.

Seeing no car behind them, Shen Xi asked, “How did you know about this road?”

“This is the way I came. It’s a long story—I’ll tell you when we get home.” Han Ning slowed down, and the two of them rode leisurely back to the city, passing through the outskirts along the dam. The scattered city lights made Shen Xi feel safe and nostalgic.

“Alright, Xi Xi, we’re going home now. Just think of this as an unforgettable adventure.

You can use it as inspiration for your writing, right?”

Shen Xi didn’t answer. She just hugged Han Ning’s waist and smiled happily.