Golden Temptation – A Yuri Story - Chapter 97

ing Xuan remained silent, not daring to waste a moment. After confirming that Lan Qing was safe, she immediately checked the wiring of the bomb strapped to Qiao Fei’s chest. The timer showed there were still 3 minutes left.

“Xuan, there are some things I have to say now, or I might never get the chance,” Qiao Fei said urgently.

Jing Xuan quickly interrupted her, “Fei’er, we still have many chances ahead!”

“Xuan, please listen to me. I truly love you. I don’t want to break up with you! It’s just that my family pressured me too much before—you know my dad was so upset he ended up hospitalized. I didn’t want things to turn out like this.”

Jing Xuan gently covered Qiao Fei’s mouth with her hand. “Fei’er, don’t say any more. I understand everything. I’m not blaming you. Just don’t say anything else—you’re distracting me.”

“Xuan, I’ve come to terms with it now. If I’m lucky enough to survive this, I swear I won’t leave you again! If my parents still oppose us, then let them forgive my unfilial behavior.”

Tears choked Qiao Fei’s voice.

“No! No, Fei’er! Stay strong! Once we’re safe, we’ll go together to ask your parents for forgiveness.”

“Mm! Mm!” Qiao Fei nodded repeatedly, trying to control her emotions. Jing Xuan cupped her face, looking deeply into her eyes.

“Fei’er, trust me.”

There were still 2 minutes and 38 seconds left.

“Expert, I’ve checked. There are only these four wires—no copper wire,” Jing Xuan said, gripping the scissors tightly until her fingertips turned white.

“The bomb’s coil wiring is symmetrically arranged from the outside inward, and the connections are usually an odd number. So first, cut the two outermost wires. Then find something like a towel folded into a neat square to support the bottom of the bomb.

Losing the support from those two outer wires will cause the copper core inside the trigger wires to snap from the downward pull of gravity, which will trigger the explosion.”

“Got it.”

Jing Xuan glanced at the timer—2 and a half minutes left.

“Fei’er, I’m going to find something now. I’ll be back quickly. Don’t move or let your mind wander, okay?”

“Mm!” Qiao Fei nodded and watched Jing Xuan run off. This bomb didn’t seem as easy to handle as Lan Qing’s had been.

2 minutes left.

Jing Xuan searched around but couldn’t find a towel. She glanced sideways and spotted the tattered velvet curtain on the window. She grabbed it and started pulling it down. At first, it didn’t budge, but with a tug of momentum, dust billowed everywhere.

Inside the warehouse, the scene of Jing Xuan and Qiao Fei was being streamed via a micro-drone to the command vehicle outside the warehouse. Shi Jiawen watched Qiao Fei carefully while also keeping an eye on

Jing Xuan struggling with the curtain. He grabbed his headset. “Hurry, everyone check your vehicles for towels. If you have one, don’t report—send it straight to the warehouse!”

The officers didn’t dare delay and immediately began searching their patrol vehicles.

1 minute 48 seconds left.

“Jing Xuan, stop pulling! Our people found a towel and are sending it over now,” Shi Jiawen’s voice came through the headset. Jing Xuan still held half the curtain she had torn off.

“Thanks, Officer Shi.”

“Also, after expert examination, the bomb just now was fake.”

Jing Xuan’s heart sank, and she froze.

1 minute 39 seconds left.

Qiao Fei saw Jing Xuan suddenly stop moving and stand stiffly in the distance. A bad feeling swept through her. She looked down at the flashing timer, then met the drone’s electronic eye.

“Officer Shi, are you there?”

Since Qiao Fei had no headset, her voice came through clearly inside the command vehicle, but she heard no response from Shi Jiawen. Qiao Fei smiled brightly on the screen, but Shi Jiawen felt a chill run down his spine. He turned to his colleague and asked, “Did the towels get sent?”

“Should be, almost there!”

“What do you mean ‘should be’ and ‘almost’?” Shi Jiawen jumped up, startling his colleague. “Why hasn’t it arrived yet? This is a matter of life and death!”

“They have to wear bomb suits!” the colleague explained.

Shi Jiawen angrily slammed the headset onto the table. “At a time like this, is this how you normally handle missions? Your lives matter, but do other people’s lives not matter?”

As the deputy commander tried to calm him down, Qiao Fei’s voice rang out again.

“Officer Shi, if you can hear me, please tell Jing Xuan,” Qiao Fei looked deeply at Jing Xuan who was still struggling with the curtain, “I love her. This life, the next life, and all lifetimes to come—I will always love

her!”

A clear tear slid down Qiao Fei’s smiling cheek.

“Lan Qing,” she called softly.

Hearing her name, Lan Qing immediately stood up, eyes fixed on Qiao Fei’s image. “Fei’er! I’m here! Don’t do anything foolish!”

Qiao Fei’s voice remained gentle, “Xuan and I may not be fated to be together in this life. Please take care of my love for her. You all—be happy.”

She sniffed, sighed softly, “Dad, Mom… your daughter has been good and obedient, but this time… I just can’t do it. I’ve let you down.”

Qiao Fei’s mother collapsed into her father’s arms, sobbing uncontrollably. “Old Qiao, I want Fei’er! I want our Fei’er!”

Qiao Fei’s father, tears in his eyes, supported his wife who had collapsed. “If Fei’er gets out of this alive, I will never oppose them again.”

“Dad, Mom, friends, goodbye,” Qiao Fei looked at Jing Xuan with despair, silently bidding farewell. “Xuan, goodbye. What I owe you, I’ll repay in the next life.”

Then she picked up the scissors Jing Xuan had set down earlier.

1 minute left.

Jing Xuan gave one final pull and finally tore down the curtain. Ignoring the thick dust, she turned and ran back. The voice in her headset was choked with emotion.

“Xuan! Hurry! Fei’er is cutting the wires herself!”

Inside the command vehicle, Lan Qing snatched the headset from Shi Jiawen and rushed to the screen, desperately calling for Jing Xuan to stop her. Every person there was moved by the raw emotion—young girls who had dreamed of love shed tears. All eyes fixed on the screen, hoping for a miracle.

Jing Xuan dropped the torn fabric and sprinted toward Qiao Fei.

43 seconds left.

Qiao Fei took a deep breath, tears still on her cheeks, tilted her head back and closed her eyes. At the same time, she placed the scissors on the two wires of the bomb.

37 seconds left.

The sound of Jing Xuan’s rapid footsteps grew nearer.

35 seconds left.

Qiao Fei steeled herself.

34 seconds left.

With a “click,” she snipped the wires.

33 seconds left.

No explosion. The timer stopped at 33 seconds.

Qiao Fei opened her eyes, disbelief written on her face. Jing Xuan ran up to her, checked the situation, and suddenly hugged her. Before she could speak, tears flowed first.

“Fei’er, you silly girl!”

Qiao Fei remained stunned until Jing Xuan’s tears dripped onto her neck. Xuan was crying.

Qiao Fei tightly returned the embrace, a faint smile curling on her lips. Still alive—how wonderful!

The beautiful scene froze in time. Inside the command vehicle, cheers erupted as everyone instinctively congratulated the lovers. Shi Jiawen cleared his throat.

“Well, Jing Xuan, looks like this bomb was fake too. Come on out—we’ve all been waiting for you.”

Hearing this, Jing Xuan released Qiao Fei, smiled through her tears, and held her hand tightly.

“Wife, let’s go.”