The butler's face turned ashen.
Mr. He swallowed, quickly calming himself. Even though they stopped looking at each other in time, a subtle sound escaped, drawing the wolf's attention.
It slowly turned its head, its pair of cold, sharp eyes terrifying and sinister.
Mr. He clutched the beast-repelling pill in his palm and hesitantly took a step forward. The butler beside him stared wide-eyed and quickly grabbed him.
"Sir, are you crazy?!"
The butler, worried that speaking too loudly would provoke the wolf, deliberately lowered his voice.
Mr. He brushed his hand away. "I know what I'm doing."
Holding the beast-repelling pill, he slowly took another step forward.
The wolf stared at his palm for a few moments, seeming agitated, but it only shifted its position without attacking.
It worked!
Mr. He secretly breathed a sigh of relief. However, even though the beast-repelling pill was effective, he didn't dare to take too much risk and attempted to bypass it from the side.
The wolf kept its eyes fixed on him.
Under the gaze of such a mature beast, even Mr. He, who was naturally calm and courageous, broke out in a cold sweat.
If this were any other time, he might have stood a chance.
But now...
He glanced at his swollen ankle and slowly approached Xixi with a steady pace. Xixi glared at him. "Don't come any closer!"
As soon as he spoke, the wolf's attention shifted to Xixi. Towards the little one, it didn't exhibit the same restlessness and anxiety. Its thick paws moved incessantly, as if pure.
Mr. He gritted his teeth and said, "Don't make a sound! I will get you out."
Xixi stubbornly replied, "I don't need you to."
As they spoke, Mr. He had already gotten close to him. The wolf grew more agitated as it saw him approach, its gaze flickering between his palm and Xixi.
Xixi sniffed the air, detecting a familiar scent. "Did Mommy come too?"
"How did you know?"
"Beast-repelling pill. Only Mommy has it." Xixi didn't say that he was the one who made the pill, to protect his mother. Although he wouldn't encounter many wild beasts in the big city, one could never be sure if his mother might go to dangerous places.
Unexpectedly, in the end, he was the one who ended up using it.
Mr. He shielded Xixi behind him and placed the pill in his small palm. "Take this. You leave first, get out of here. The butler will lead you out. Your mother is waiting for you outside."
Xixi was stunned. "Are you crazy?"
He was risking his life for Xixi's safety.
Mr. He looked down and smiled at him. "Only when you are safe can I focus on dealing with these beasts. You mustn't stay and be a burden to me."
"How are you going to deal with them? With your injured leg?" Xixi was furious. If he had good arms and legs, he might stand a chance, but like this, he was still trying to play the hero.
"Be good." Mr. He wasn't angered by Xixi's sharp words, but the concern hidden within them was evident.
He gently pushed Xixi.
But unexpectedly, as the little one moved, the wolf also changed direction. Xixi stopped, and the wolf bared its teeth at him.
The wolf had set its sights on Xixi!
Mr. He gritted his teeth, picked up Xixi, and tentatively moved towards the exit. But the wolf stared at them intently and suddenly let out a long howl.
Mr. He's face changed.
"Not good!"
Wolves usually traveled in packs. Its howl could summon dozens of wolves.
At the same time, Shen Qingqing also heard the wolf's howl. Her expression changed, and she hurried in that direction.
Halfway there, she saw the butler running down, looking flustered and disheveled. He panted, "Quick, call an ambulance and the police! Sir, Sir and the young master have fallen down the slope!"
Shen Qingqing didn't have time to ask more questions. She gritted her teeth and said, "You handle this. I'm going to rescue them!"
"Don't go, there are wolves!"
She turned and ran. The butler could only shout behind her, but Shen Qingqing didn't look back, her voice drifting in the wind.
"I have a way to deal with them."
On the slope, the pack of wolves had indeed not left. They were unwilling to give up their prey and were circling the hillside.
Upon seeing Shen Qingqing, their eyes gleamed with greed.
Shen Qingqing snorted coldly, "A bunch of animals."
She took a bottle from her pocket, unscrewed it, sprinkled the powder inside into her palm, and then clapped her hands forcefully in the air.
The fragrance of the powder instantly diffused, and the wolves recoiled upon smelling it, as if they had seen something terrifying.
Then they turned and fled!
In the blink of an eye, the wolf pack had vanished completely.
Shen Qingqing took off her backpack. Before entering, she had asked the search and rescue team for a climbing rope, which now came in handy.
She used the rope to slide down the slope. After searching for about half an hour, she found Mr. He, who had fainted, and a disheveled child with red eyes, covered in dirt, in a cave.
Shen Qingqing rushed over and hugged him tightly.
Xixi hugged her back, sobbing, "Mommy, you're finally here."
Shen Qingqing responded, her voice also hoarse, "It's good that you're okay, it's good that you're okay."
Mother and son held each other tightly, experiencing the feeling of being reunited after a loss. Only then did Shen Qingqing have time to check on Mr. He.
He had a bleeding head, torn clothes, a pale complexion, and was unconscious.
Xixi whispered, "He rolled down the slope with me to protect me. And he protected me the whole time. I wasn't hurt."
But he was covered in injuries.
Shen Qingqing performed a simple examination on Mr. He. Seeing her son's guilty and remorseful expression, she comforted him, "Don't worry, I'm here. He'll be fine."
Xixi nodded heavily.
Before long, the butler arrived with the search and rescue team. Thanks to the beast-repelling pills they had, they encountered some wild animals on the way, but none dared to approach them.
By the time they reached the hospital, an hour had passed.
Mr. He was rushed to the emergency room.
The rest of the group waited outside. Shen Qingqing and Xixi did not leave. Although mother and son were filthy and longed for a bath at home, their savior's fate was still unknown.
Mother and son sat on chairs, embracing each other. Xixi's gaze remained fixed on the emergency room light.
After a long wait, Mr. He emerged from the emergency room and was moved to a ward. The doctor and the butler briefed them on the patient's condition.
"The patient is out of danger."
The butler's heart, which had been in his throat, finally settled. "Thank you, thank you, doctor, thank you so much!"
Then they went to the ward to visit.
Mr. He was not yet awake. Shen Qingqing took the child to peek through the doorway of the ward before bidding farewell to the butler.
"Safe journey. I won't see you out. Little one, you need to rest well at home too."
The butler, preoccupied with Mr. He, gave a few simple instructions and let them leave.
Shen Qingqing took Xixi back home. The old madam and Fu Tingsheng showered Xixi with concerned inquiries and affectionate cooing.