Ten Rules to Bind Her Heart - Chapter 71
“Miss Xia? Miss Xia?”
Urgent knocking split through Xia Zhiyao’s nightmare like thunder.
Her eyes flew open. She gasped for air, her whole body slick with cold sweat. Above her was the familiar ceiling with its hard, severe lines.
…All right.
She had not escaped.
She was still in the wolves’ den.
“Miss Xia, are you awake?”
Auntie Mei’s warm but slightly anxious voice came through the door.
“It’s already eight thirty. Dr. Anya is waiting for you in the hall.”
Eight thirty?!
Xia Zhiyao shot upright in bed.
Oh no! She had overslept!
Shen Yu had said they were leaving at nine this morning!
If she was late, would that twisted tyrant use it as an excuse to cancel her outing, then collect that principal and interest he kept talking about?
“I’m awake! I’m awake, Auntie Mei! Give me a moment!”
Xia Zhiyao called out hoarsely and scrambled out of bed.
She moved so quickly that her knees buckled when her feet hit the floor, and she nearly fell to them.
“Ah…”
She gave a soft cry, but there was no time to care. Gritting her teeth, she limped into the bathroom as fast as she could.
Cold water splashed over her face, clearing some of the fog from her mind.
Xia Zhiyao stared at the pale, panicked face in the mirror and pinched herself hard.
Today was her only chance.
She was going to escape!
Wake up, Xia Zhiyao!
She brushed her teeth and washed her face at top speed, then flew back into the bedroom and lunged for the wardrobe.
Inside hung row upon row of clothes Shen Yu had ordered for her.
Silk, lace, clinging dresses—every garment was exquisite wrapping paper for a vase, utterly useless for fleeing.
Her fingers flew through the expensive fabrics until, in the farthest corner, she finally discovered a relatively simple ivory cotton-linen dress.
The hem fell just past her knees, and the skirt was full enough not to tangle around her legs when she ran.
Most important, the dress actually had two concealed pockets at the waist!
Xia Zhiyao changed into it in record time. With no time to arrange her hair properly, she dragged a comb through it several times and secured it in a simple bun with the agarwood hairpin.
Everything was ready.
She turned toward the head of the bed.
The Walther PPK lay quietly on the pillow.
Take it.
It was her only hope.
Xia Zhiyao drew a steadying breath and seized the handgun.
Where could she hide it?
She tried sliding it directly into a pocket, but the pockets had been cut too shallow. Once the weapon was inside, the grip stuck out in plain view. Anyone would notice it immediately.
How infuriating! Why were the pockets on women’s clothes always so shallow?
She turned two anxious circles in place, scanning the entire room. Finally, she steeled herself and yanked a thin silk scarf from the wardrobe.
She wound it tightly around the gun twice, forced the bundle into one of the dress’s side pockets, then tugged down the folds of the bodice to conceal it.
It was rather heavy.
It would knock against the side of her thigh with every step.
From the side, the pocket bulged a little, but… unless someone looked closely, surely they would not notice?
“Miss Xia?”
Auntie Mei called again, this time pushing open the door.
“Coming!”
Xia Zhiyao nearly jumped out of her skin. She instinctively pressed her right hand over the pocket and turned around with a show of composure.
Auntie Mei carried a tray holding a steaming bowl of seafood congee and several small side dishes.
“Miss Xia, why are you in such a rush? Eat something first.” Auntie Mei looked distressed by her flustered state.
“N-no, thank you, Auntie Mei.”
Breakfast was the furthest thing from Xia Zhiyao’s mind.
“That won’t do. Mr. Shen specifically said you’re too thin and must eat properly,” Auntie Mei insisted.
Eat?
Her stomach was tied in knots from nerves. How could she possibly swallow anything?
“I’m… I’m really not hungry. And Dr. Anya is waiting—it would be rude to keep her any longer. I’ll go now!”
“But…” Auntie Mei hesitated.
“I’ll eat when I come back! I promise! Goodbye, Auntie Mei!”
She darted around Auntie Mei and out the door like a startled rabbit.
Her right hand remained clamped over the pocket, terrified that the heavy lump of metal might fall out.
“Oh! Slow down, Miss Xia! Don’t fall!”
Auntie Mei watched her disappear, shook her head helplessly, and sighed.
“Silly child. So excited over one trip to the market…”
…
The first-floor hall.
Morning sunlight poured through the floor-to-ceiling bulletproof glass, polishing the marble floor to a gleam.
Anya sat on the sofa with a cup of black coffee in one hand, her long legs elegantly crossed as she leafed through the latest magazine.
She wore a sharp khaki utility jumpsuit and combat boots, with a broad leather belt cinched around her waist. The look was crisp and dashing, yet carried a touch of languid wildness.
At the sound of hurried footsteps in the corridor, Anya looked up at the figure jogging toward her.
The girl wore a simple cotton-linen dress. Her face was healthily flushed, probably from running too fast, and several damp strands of hair clung beside her ears. She looked like an innocent university student hurrying to an early class.
Fresh, clean, and vividly alive.
“Morning, little rabbit.”
Anya set down her coffee, a teasing smile lifting the corner of her mouth. “Why the hurry? Afraid I’d leave without you?”
Xia Zhiyao stopped before her, panting, and instinctively smoothed her skirt.
In truth, she was checking that the gun was still there.
“G-good morning, Dr. Anya.” She lowered her head in embarrassment. “I… I was afraid I’d be late.”
“You’re not. I only just arrived.”
Anya rose, her five-foot-nine frame tall and lean.
Her sharp eyes swept over Xia Zhiyao’s waist without betraying the movement.
There was an unnatural bulge at one side.
As a military doctor who had spent half her life around guns and corpses, Anya identified the outline almost instantly.
She had heard that Shen Yu had given the girl a PPK yesterday.
Had she actually brought it along?
Amusement deepened in Anya’s eyes, tinged with mischief.
Surely this innocent little rabbit was not planning to hold someone hostage with an unloaded gun?
Heh.
How interesting.
Anya did not expose her. Instead, she reached out gently and ruffled Xia Zhiyao’s hair with easy affection.
“Then let’s go. The car is waiting outside.”
“Mm!” Xia Zhiyao nodded hard, her heart pounding like thunder.
At last.
She was finally going out!
She followed Anya, suppressing the urge to scream as she crossed the threshold and stepped into the sunlight.
But then—
The instant she raised her head and saw the scene outside, every trace of anticipation and delight froze on her face.
Her feet might have been nailed to the ground. She could not take another step.
Her buoyant mood was drenched from head to toe by a bucket of ice water, leaving her chilled through.
This…
This was… a shopping trip?
Were they sure… they were not… going to war?
A convoy stood in perfect formation on the open ground before the white building.
At its head waited a fully modified black Hummer.
Behind it were two armored Land Rover Defenders.
Then came Anya’s military-green Jeep Wrangler.
And behind that…
Two full ranks—eight identical black armored off-road vehicles in all—waited with overwhelming menace.
At the very rear of the convoy were two trucks covered with camouflage tarpaulins!
Dozens of guards stood in formation beside the vehicles.
They wore tactical vests emblazoned with the Black Wolf totem, along with sunglasses and earpieces.
Every face was grim, every body radiating an aura that warned strangers away.
In the most conspicuous position, Ken stood respectfully beside the Wrangler’s door in an immaculate black suit and white gloves.
When he saw Xia Zhiyao and Anya emerge, Ken bowed slightly.
The next moment, more than twenty bodyguards and guards turned as one, snapped to attention, and fixed their eyes on Xia Zhiyao.
“Miss Xia, are you ready to depart?” Ken asked respectfully.
