The Wealthy Heiress Wants to Date Me - Chapter 9

Chapter 9: A Fright

While lost in thought, Xie Changran gradually moved closer to Cui Fu. Her head eventually tilted onto Cui Fu’s shoulder, her mouth chewing the last bit of plantain heart. As soon as she finished, she fell fast asleep.

Her awkward posture, aching legs, and throbbing head all signaled her extreme exhaustion. Xie Changran’s hand instinctively and quietly gripped a fold of Cui Fu’s clothing.

Cui Fu noticed but did not pull away. Giving the girl a sense of security would help her rest better. Cui Fu’s eyes remained calm as she watched the jungle. Occasionally, she would close her eyes for a brief nap, but the moment the sound of rain lessened, she would snap awake.

This drizzling downpour lasted for four full hours.

As soon as the rain stopped, the sound of night owls returned—a hoo-hoo, hoo-hoo echoing through the rainforest.

Cui Fu opened her eyes and surveyed the surroundings. She pulled back the sleeve covering her watch; it was only two in the morning.

It was a long night.

Cui Fu turned to look at Xie Changran, who was sleeping soundly against her shoulder, and gave her a nudge. “Wake up.”

Xie Changran opened her eyes groggily. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s time to move.” Cui Fu took out a white pill and handed it to Xie Changran.

Xie Changran took the pill and the mineral water Cui Fu offered. As she swallowed it, she asked, “What is this?”

“Painkillers and anti-inflammatories. It also helps prevent a cold.” Cui Fu looked at Xie Changran’s weary, pale face. To prevent her from developing a fever due to overexertion, it was better to take medicine early.

Because moving forward, they would have no time for rest.

Xie Changran understood. She was likely to fall ill if she continued like this, so prevention was necessary. There were no hospitals here to treat her and no time for a recovery break. The pursuers behind them would likely set out the moment the rain stopped.

They had to seize this window right after the rain; it was the best time to widen the gap and escape.

“They didn’t have hunting dogs before, but they’ll likely wait for them to arrive to track us. The time they spend waiting is our chance to change directions,” Cui Fu explained.

“Okay,” Xie Changran nodded trustingly. “I’ll do whatever you say.”

“Then keep close to me,” Cui Fu said, looking into her eyes.

Xie Changran nodded obediently. She tucked the leftover water into the pocket of her windbreaker and carefully zipped it shut. Clean water was a hard-won luxury now. While there was water in the jungle, they were running for their lives and had no time to search for it, so every drop had to be rationed.

Cui Fu took a headlamp out of her backpack and placed it on Xie Changran’s head. “This will make it easier for us to move.”

Xie Changran lowered her head, imitating Cui Fu’s movements to adjust it. When she clicked the switch, the light illuminated the surroundings. For a fleeting second, it felt like being back in the city, and Xie Changran couldn’t stop the tears from dripping again.

As the rain stopped, the enclosed rainforest began to heat up again.

“Let’s go.” Cui Fu handed the wooden stick to Xie Changran, took her hand, and continued moving in their chosen direction.

The map on her watch showed a winding path toward the nearest rescue point. Once they reached it, Ming Xin could bring people to extract them. They had to speed up and get far away from this section of the jungle before the mercenaries caught up.

Cui Fu walked in front with her machete, pushing aside oval-shaped leaves and slender trees. Xie Changran followed closely, her white light illuminating the path. Occasionally, small spiders and various ants scurried across the trail.

The more Xie Changran saw, the tighter her expression became. Every now and then, she spotted dry leeches crawling on the ground. Seeing them made her want to touch the bite on her face—it really hurt. If it weren’t for the snake spray, which was somewhat effective against them, a leech might have truly burrowed into her face.

Cui Fu didn’t use the spray indiscriminately; their current pace was enough to drive away any snakes.

The wait for Roque’s squad ended as the rain stopped and the reinforcements arrived. They brought over a dozen hunting dogs with them. Someone spotted the body bags on the ground, and their eyes narrowed with murderous intent.

“You engaged them.” Mars’ voice was heavy. He opened a bag and inspected the body—a single, fatal strike, clean and efficient.

The newcomer was no amateur. Jungle warfare didn’t seem to hinder them at all; it was definitely a veteran. Mars’ mind raced, trying to figure out who it could be. He scanned the waterlogged slope. This rain had washed away almost all of the scent. With hands on his hips, he studied the map of the area in his mind, deducing where they would lead the target.

Then, a clear path emerged in his brain. “Roque, take five dogs and pursue from below.”

“The other two squads, follow to Roque’s left and right. They are at most five kilometers away from us,” Mars said methodically.

Jungle paths were difficult to navigate under normal circumstances; after heavy rain, they were even worse. The targets would have certainly stopped a few kilometers away to seek shelter.

“Woof!”

“Woof, woof, woof!”

A pack of dogs barked loudly, following their handlers as they charged into the jungle to sniff out the human scent. The rainwater on the leaves splashed everywhere as the dogs bounded past.

Cui Fu held Xie Changran’s hand, walking steadily. She used her machete to push aside the Maranta leaves blocking their way—green leaves larger than a palm with raindrops still rolling on them. Cui Fu hacked through a dense patch of them; these plants grew in large clusters similar to Canna leaves and were easily cleared, quickly opening a path.

Wearing her night-vision goggles and infrared scanner, Cui Fu could clearly observe if any animals were nearby. Stepping on the decaying leaves created a crisp sound. Xie Changran used her stick to beat the surrounding bushes, driving away snakes and small animals.

Suddenly, a cackling, laughter-like sound rang out in the dark night. Xie Changran instinctively gripped Cui Fu’s hand tight, looking around in terror, fearing some unknown creature had appeared.

“Don’t be afraid, it’s a bird.” Cui Fu patted Xie Changran’s tensed body, signaling her to relax.

“That bird has a really ugly call,” Xie Changran said with a forced, stiff smile. She looked like she was on the verge of tears.

“How did you spend those first few days?” Cui Fu asked, changing the subject to distract her.

“I just hid in the bushes. My bodyguard tucked me behind a tree that happened to hide me perfectly. Oh, by the way… do you know what happened to the staff and guards who came with me?” Xie Changran asked nervously.

“Your family paid. They’ve all been ransomed back,” Cui Fu replied while swinging her arm to cut down the wild grass ahead.

Xie Changran breathed a sigh of relief. She didn’t want anyone to be hurt because of her.

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