The Beautiful Wife I Picked Up Is A Little Mute - Chapter 43

Chapter 43: Are You Willing?

His entire body was weak and limp; even lifting his eyelids felt like an impossible feat. Xie Mo could only passively sink into someone’s embrace, swaying slightly with the rhythm of a fast-paced stride.

Pressed against a firm chest, he heard a steady heartbeat that was inexplicably reassuring. His foggy brain seemed to receive a signal—a faint, familiar scent of pheromones lingered in the air. It urged him to open his eyes and see exactly who was holding him.

Before he could think further, a casual, drawling voice sounded from above: “Xie Mo, you’d better thank me once we’re out of here. Otherwise, you’d have died in there without anyone ever finding out.”

Xie Mo suppressed the urge to open his eyes. He had almost forgotten—so far, the only person by his side was Nie Xi. He struggled to raise a hand to express his gratitude, but a warm, large palm pressed it down.

Nie Xi said, “Just sleep. You’ll be there when you wake up.”

…

Perhaps truly exhausted, Xie Mo stopped struggling and buried himself obediently against the person’s chest. His long lashes fluttered shut as his breathing gradually became long and even.

In the shadows shielded by the dense forest, two figures traversed rapidly. One of them, despite carrying a person, maintained a steady and powerful gait.

“You owe me a favor. Don’t forget to pay it back once we’re out,” Nie Xi said, crossing his arms as drowsiness began to creep up on him too. He let out a yawn and shot a sideways glance at the cold-faced Ji Hanyue walking beside him.

The Xie Mo in Ji Hanyue’s arms was fast asleep, his guard completely dropped. His dirty little face had been carefully cleaned, revealing his clear features once more. Knowing that Xie Mo could sleep so soundly only because he had heard Nie Xi’s voice made Ji Hanyue feel a stifling tightness in his chest. He suspected he would eventually be driven to death by Xie Mo’s behavior.

Upon exiting the woods, a black sedan was waiting by the roadside. Nie Xi’s legs were aching with fatigue; he hurriedly pulled open the back door before circling to the driver’s seat.

“Walking is lethal; driving is the only way to live,” Nie Xi exhaled sharply, adjusting his seat and glancing at the back.

Ji Hanyue had laid Xie Mo flat on the seat, resting the boy’s head on his own lap. His irritable mood softened slightly as he took in Xie Mo’s peaceful sleeping face.

“Tsk tsk, who would have thought our Hanyue would fall for a little mute? And one who already has a—” Nie Xi cut himself off before finishing the sentence, but the implication was clear to everyone.

The engine roared to life as Nie Xi stepped on the gas. They were finally leaving this den of chaos behind.

“I know what I’m doing,” Ji Hanyue countered coldly, his brow furrowed.

Nie Xi laughed but didn’t press the issue. He remembered something else. “By the way, seeing how he protected Xie Mo earlier, I’m curious—what did you say to him to make him agree?”

Ji Hanyue touched Xie Mo’s cool cheek, feeling a sudden impulse to wake him up. But he decided the current state was better. He looked at Nie Xi in the rearview mirror and said flatly, “To deal with an Alpha like that, you just need to offer the right benefits.”

Not just benefits, but appropriate threats as well.

After Tang Yingrui had been lured over, Nie Xi’s acting skills had exploded. Playing the victim, he had opened the car door and rolled out nimbly. Almost simultaneously, Ren Wen in the front seat floored the accelerator and sped away, leaving the confused Tang Yingrui—who had been pulled into the car without context—face-to-face with Ji Hanyue watching him coldly from the shadows.

The two had a silent standoff. No matter how fast Tang Yingrui’s reflexes were, he was a step too late. Tang Yingrui quickly became alert, staring at Ji Hanyue. “What’s the meaning of this?” He was surprised by Ji Hanyue’s return. “I thought you left.”

Ji Hanyue didn’t waste time with pleasantries. He stared directly at him and got straight to the point: “Give Xie Mo to me, and I will arrange a gland repair surgery for you.”

This condition caused Tang Yingrui’s pupils to shrink violently. His gland had been damaged for years. Complete repair required a new gland transplant, and the surgical costs were astronomical—something he could never afford on his own.

Seeing Tang Yingrui wavering, Ji Hanyue increased the stakes: “Kou Xingyu likes you so much, yet he never thought about repairing your gland. He’s just afraid that once you’re recovered, you’ll leave him.”

“As long as you agree, I’ll give you an extra sum of money after the surgery. Provided you don’t gamble anymore, it will be enough for you to live comfortably for the rest of your life.”

The car moved slowly, giving him ample time to think on this deserted road. Behind this sedan, dozens of cars had appeared at some point, not even bothering to hide in the shadows. Ji Hanyue waited quietly for an answer.

Tang Yingrui’s nails dug into his palms. He snarled, “Are you threatening me?” He thought, people like you and Kou Xingyu are all the same—using power to pressure others.

“Are you not tempted?” Ji Hanyue retorted lightly.

“…Let me out,” Tang Yingrui said after several seconds of silence.

“Tang Yingrui,” Ji Hanyue’s gaze was sharp as a blade. “From the moment you stepped into this car, you lost the right to say ‘No’.”

“I said, I don’t agree! Let me out of the car!” Tang Yingrui shouted back firmly, meeting Ji Hanyue’s gaze without fear.

Ji Hanyue lost his patience. The image of Xie Mo choosing Tang Yingrui kept flashing in his mind like a revolving lantern. He was furious. “Xie Mo is a hundred times better off with me than with you! And are you willing to be a low-grade Alpha for the rest of your life?”

“Xie Mo is mine! No one is taking him!” Tang Yingrui clenched his fists, his voice dropping low. He felt a surge of panic; Xie Mo was the only thing that belonged to him completely, and now that thing was being coveted by another.

Ji Hanyue took a deep breath, forcing himself to remain calm. “Are you sure?”

“Let me out.” Tang Yingrui stuck to his answer.

“Fine,” Ji Hanyue curled his lip and shouted to the front seat, “Ren Wen, head straight to the Z City Casino. Boss Xie mentioned the other day that he hasn’t seen Mr. Tang in a long time. This is a perfect chance to do him a favor.”

“What? You know Xie He?!!”

Tang Yingrui was shocked. How could he forget Xie He? He was the boss of the underground casino; the actions of the debt collectors were all based on his orders. The memories of being beaten and the despair of having his gland sliced open flooded back.

Ji Hanyue remained composed, slowly adjusting his cuffs as if discussing the weather. He leaned in close to Tang Yingrui, his voice low and freezing:

“I’ll ask you one last time. Are you willing?”