The Eldest Lady always wants to have a double O Relationship with her old enemy - Chapter 31

The man glanced around, searching for something he could use. Finally, his gaze landed on the branches that had blocked the entrance and indirectly saved them.

Shen Jianxi, anxious and on edge, urged him:
“Hurry up.”

Not wasting another moment, the man snapped off the excess twigs and branches. But breaking them by hand left uneven edges, and the wood kept slipping from his grip.

Shen Jianxi looked on helplessly at the situation.

After all, in her past life, once the man was rescued she had fainted immediately after standing up, so she had no memory of what had happened afterwards.

Difficult as it was, they eventually managed to pull Tang Yanzhao out of the pit. Shen Jianxi rushed forward at once, her eyes instantly locking on the girl’s palm, which looked terrifying. The skin was torn open by the branches, layered like bloody mountain ridges. From the deep groove in the middle, beads of blood kept seeping out.

Shen Jianxi grasped her wrist, wanting to touch but not daring to, her hand trembling. With eyes brimming with tears, she choked out:
“Does it hurt?”

Seeing her cry made Tang Yanzhao’s chest tighten painfully, and the sting in her hand instantly dulled. She tried moving her fingers to wipe away Shen Jianxi’s tears, but the blood on her hand made her hesitate, frozen in place.

“I’m fine. Don’t cry,” Tang Yanzhao comforted in a steady voice.

Shen Jianxi sniffled, the cold air rushing into her nose until even her brain ached with the chill.

Suddenly, Tang Yanzhao sneezed. Shen Jianxi’s expression changed at once, staring at her as if facing a dire threat.
“Are you cold?”

She immediately began to take off her own down jacket, but Tang Yanzhao pressed her wrist back with the back of her hand and shook her head.
“I’m fine.”

“But you—”

Before Shen Jianxi could finish, the sound of rustling rose from below. Everyone turned toward it and saw the figures of the rescue team.

The family of three, who had been resting and recovering their strength, lit up with hope the instant they saw them, as if salvation had finally arrived.

A doctor rushed over with equipment and took the unconscious child from the mother’s arms for a preliminary check.

A beta doctor quickly approached Tang Yanzhao, frowning deeply.
“Any other injuries?”

Tang Yanzhao, calm and collected, replied:
“No.”

The doctor poured disinfectant onto her hand. The sting was so sharp that even Tang Yanzhao, usually so tolerant of pain, couldn’t help but shiver. The rinsed blood dyed the snow at her feet a deep red.

Watching this, Shen Jianxi instinctively held her breath, her eyes squeezed shut as though she herself felt the pain.

Sweat beaded on Tang Yanzhao’s back. She happened to glance sideways and, seeing Shen Jianxi’s expression, was amused into a small laugh.

“Keep your hand dry, avoid straining it, cut back on spicy or irritating food, change the dressing regularly. If you develop a fever later, check whether it’s an infection or just a cold.”

As the doctor explained the aftercare instructions, Shen Jianxi finally opened her eyes. Tang Yanzhao’s wounded palm was now wrapped in thick bandages, looking almost like two white radishes.

Shen Jianxi listened intently and nodded earnestly.
“Okay, I understand. Thank you, doctor.”

The rescue team continued their search in the area, while Shen Jianxi and Tang Yanzhao were led down the mountain with the others.

Looking at Tang Yanzhao’s hands, Shen Jianxi didn’t even dare hold them. But her own shoes kept slipping on the snow. Sensing her unease, Tang Yanzhao offered her left hand, the one tied with the red string.
“Hold me.”

Shen Jianxi quickly refused:
“No, you’re injured.”

“Then hold my wrist.”

Shen Jianxi hesitated for two seconds before softly replying,
“Okay.”

She held Tang Yanzhao’s wrist carefully, deliberately avoiding her injuries.

Even so, Shen Jianxi didn’t dare lean on her for support. She kept half a step behind, descending cautiously. Tang Yanzhao, patient, matched her pace without rushing.

Only then did Shen Jianxi notice several shoe prints on the back of Tang Yanzhao’s sweater.

It wasn’t hard to guess what she had done.

The pit wasn’t deep enough, so Tang Yanzhao had acted as a support.

She had jumped down without a word, not knowing what dangers might be waiting at the bottom. What if something unexpected had happened once she was down there?

She had meant to save others, but seeing those marks only filled Shen Jianxi with anger. Yet she couldn’t bring herself to scold Tang Yanzhao, so she simmered in silence instead.

Tang Yanzhao glanced back at her.
“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Shen Jianxi replied flatly.

“Oh.” Tang Yanzhao turned back without pressing further.

So she thought she really was fine.

At the mountain’s exit, a police line had been set up. Shen Jianxi immediately spotted Uncle Chen beyond it. His plump body bounced up and down so comically it was impossible to miss.

Shen Jianxi pulled Tang Yanzhao into the car. The warm air hit them as she asked:
“Uncle Chen, why are you here?”

Uncle Chen drove off quickly, the car still warm from the heater that had never been turned off.
“When President Shen heard about the avalanche, she sent us here right away. But since access was restricted, we could only wait outside in worry. Thankfully you’re safe, young miss. Otherwise, President Shen would’ve been beside herself. You should call her and let her know you’re alright. She probably hasn’t slept at all since yesterday.”

Shen Jianxi took out her phone and dialed her mother, but the call only returned the automated message: “Unable to connect.”

“The weather in Rongcheng’s been bad. Snow is rare, so lots of flights have been delayed. If she’s not answering, she’s probably already on her return flight,” Uncle Chen explained.

“Mm,” Shen Jianxi responded, then opened her WeChat chat with Shen Xiaoyin and typed a message:

[Mom, I’m safe. Don’t worry. Take your time on the way back and be careful.]
[Cat begging-for-cuddles.gif]

Just as she finished typing and was about to put her phone away, she felt a sudden weight on her shoulder. She turned in alarm toward Tang Yanzhao.
“Zhao Zhao, what’s wrong?”

Tang Yanzhao, half-conscious, shook her head weakly.
“I’m fine.”

But when Shen Jianxi cupped her face, her hand recoiled from the heat. Her brows knitted tightly as she pressed her own forehead to hers. The temperature was frighteningly high.

“You’ve got a fever.”

Tang Yanzhao’s burning breath fanned across her cheek as she whispered faintly:
“It’s nothing.”

She looked nothing like she was “fine.” Shen Jianxi immediately turned to Uncle Chen.
“Uncle Chen, can you go faster? Zhao Zhao has a fever.”

“Alright.”

But the icy winter roads were slippery. No matter how urgent, safety came first.

Shen Jianxi pressed her forehead against Tang Yanzhao’s again, her eyes brimming with pain.
“Does it hurt a lot?”

Tang Yanzhao’s whole body ached with weakness. Even her head sagged into Shen Jianxi’s hands. Yet somehow, as if by instinct, her chin tilted ever so slightly, leaning closer in a gesture so intimate it made Shen Jianxi’s heart ache with a strange mix of bitterness and joy.

The return journey was difficult, taking nearly forty minutes. By the time they reached the Shen family villa, Tang Yanzhao had completely lost consciousness in Shen Jianxi’s arms.

Aunt Zhou and the doctor had long been waiting. They carried Tang Yanzhao upstairs to Shen Jianxi’s room, checking her temperature and setting up an IV drip in one seamless motion.

Thankfully, it was only a cold and fever, not an infection from her wounds.

Shen Jianxi sat at her bedside, eyes fixed on her face. Suddenly, her phone buzzed in her pocket. Afraid the sound would disturb the “unconscious” Tang Yanzhao, she quickly picked it up, stepping to the window and lowering her voice.
“Aunt Tang.”

“Is Zhao Zhao with you?”

Tang Yanzhao was lying there injured and feverish, while her mother was calling to ask about her. For once, Shen Jianxi felt a rare pang of guilt, her fingers absentmindedly scratching at the window screen.
“Mm, she’s with me.”

Tang Xuan audibly sighed in relief.
“Good. I couldn’t reach her at all.”

“Her phone died,” Shen Jianxi explained.

“I see. Nothing else, really. I just heard there was trouble in the mountains and was worried. As long as she’s with you, that’s fine. President Shen couldn’t get away from work, so I thought of asking Zhao Zhao to accompany you. When I couldn’t reach her, I figured you two were probably together anyway, given your relationship.”

Shen Jianxi reassured her:
“We… Zhao Zhao’s fine.”

Maybe it was a well-meaning lie, or maybe just guilt, but Shen Jianxi instinctively chose to conceal the truth.

“Good.”

After hanging up, Shen Jianxi leaned against the window. The cold wind pressed against her back as her frantic thoughts gradually steadied. Her fingers clenched tightly around her phone, knuckles whitening. Her gaze, dark and heavy, fell on the girl lying quietly on the bed.

Aunt Tang had wanted Zhao Zhao to go with her for the prayer ritual.

So in the last life… was it the same?

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