MAPF Chapter 24

Chapter 24: Princess Carry, Heartbeat Deafening

Damn it!

In the distant display area, a little girl of about five or six years old was squatting under the steel-framed exhibition board, completely untying the drawstrings that secured the board to the ground supports!

At this moment, the huge three-square-meter exhibition board had detached from its fixed supports, swaying slightly back and forth, threatening to topple over and crush the little girl at any moment!

Xie Shiwei was shocked and shouted, “That’s dangerous!” Without another word, he dashed out from the crowd, running towards the girl’s location.

Subsequently, He Qin also saw the girl. His expression changed drastically, and he immediately sprinted in the same direction.

While running, Xie Shiwei shouted, “Little friend, the exhibition board is about to fall! Run away quickly!”

But the girl seemed not to hear him, still squatting on the ground fiddling with the drawstrings, completely oblivious to the swaying board behind her.

The confused people finally realized what was happening. Zhang Yingjun yelled, “Little Weiwei, I’m coming to save you!” and ran towards them. Xie Tian’an was also startled, and his assistant quickly dispatched the nearest security guards to help. Everyone rushed towards the scene of the danger.

Gasping for breath, Xie Shiwei ran up the steps to the exhibition board. With a leap, he reached the girl, braked sharply, bent down to pick her up, and immediately ran towards the safe zone.

However, just as he was about to run out of the danger zone, the exhibition board suddenly and ruthlessly crashed down, threatening to crush Xie Shiwei’s head in a matter of seconds!

Only then did the girl see the sudden danger, and she burst into tears in Xie Shiwei’s arms.

In a split second, Xie Shiwei made a decisive decision. Protecting the little girl, he leaned forward, his right side taking the brunt of the impact, enduring the sharp pain in his right shoulder as he pushed the girl to safety.

The girl was still crying. The exhibition board fell rapidly, and the sound of the frame and the plastic edges of the board scraping against Xie Shiwei’s head was terrifying.

With darkness closing in, Xie Shiwei resigned himself and closed his eyes, gathering his strength to roll away one last time.

I probably won’t die, right? Even if I do, it’ll be a death with a little bit of value, I guess.

But the pain Xie Shiwei expected didn’t come.

At the critical moment, He Qin grabbed two spare short steel pipes. Just as the exhibition board was about to engulf Xie Shiwei, he steadily and accurately wedged the pipes into the less than thirty-centimeter gap between one corner of the board and the ground.

Holding onto the board with one hand, he reached down towards Xie Shiwei with the other: “Xie Shiwei! Give me your hand!”

Xie Shiwei’s tightly closed eyes snapped open. Instantly understanding what was happening, he grabbed the large hand in the gap without hesitation.

He Qin pulled hard, and Xie Shiwei was yanked out from under the exhibition board, stumbling into He Qin’s arms, which carried a faint scent of cologne.

Xie Shiwei gasped for air, his legs too weak to support him, nearly collapsing from He Qin’s embrace, but he was immediately held tightly.

He Qin’s arm was firmly around Xie Shiwei’s waist as he gently said to the person in his arms, “Don’t be afraid, Xie Shiwei. It’s okay now.”

Dizzy and lightheaded, his breathing still rapid, Xie Shiwei leaned on He Qin’s shoulder and gave a weak hum with his eyes closed.

He Qin gently patted Xie Shiwei’s back, a tenderness in his eyes that he wasn’t even aware of.

Xie Tian’an and Zhang Yingjun arrived belatedly, crowding around Xie Shiwei and He Qin, asking all at once if Xie Shiwei was okay and needed to go to the hospital, praising him for his courageous and righteous act, and marveling at his dashing figure.

The chaotic noise made Xie Shiwei frown slightly. He turned his head, nestling into He Qin’s neck, giving everyone the back of his head.

Noticing Xie Shiwei’s discomfort, He Qin made a “shush” gesture to signal everyone to be quiet, and the crowd finally quieted down.

Xie Tian’an, seeing his son looking so pitiful, was anxious and frustrated, but he couldn’t very well pull his son out of He Qin’s arms. He could only ask Chen Ning to quickly contact Doctor Huang.

The security guards arrived in force, efficiently re-installing the exhibition board and setting up a cordon around it.

.

Xie Shiwei was dizzy and lightheaded, half of his body aching. He nestled in He Qin’s arms for a good while. When he heard someone ask Xie Tian’an if they were still taking the group photo, he reluctantly left the exceptionally comfortable and reliable embrace. He had barely taken a step when a sharp pain shot through his right foot.

He had fallen too decisively; he must have twisted it.

He Qin asked, “Does it hurt?”

Xie Shiwei nodded, his eyes welling up with tears.

Then he felt his knees buckle and his back tilting. He was being carried horizontally by He Qin.

The world spun. Xie Shiwei clung to He Qin, his heartbeat deafening.

The surrounding people erupted in exclamations of “Holy crap, He Qin is giving him a princess carry!” Zhang Yingjun also exclaimed “Damn!” and quickly pulled out his phone, snapping photos of them from every angle until his father smacked him on the head.

Zhang Yingjun’s father said, “You’re not a reporter, what are you taking pictures of this for?”

Zhang Yingjun protested, “Dad, you don’t understand romance at all! What’s wrong with me recording my best friend’s love story?”

Xie Tian’an and Chen Ning acted as peacemakers. Xie Tian’an, with a teasing and loving smile on his face, told the onlookers to go ahead and get back into formation.

Xie Shiwei was held securely by He Qin, his gaze level with his prominent Adam’s apple and sharp jawline. His entire body swayed gently with He Qin’s steps, as if he were becoming lighter and lighter, ready to fly into the sky at any moment.

So this is what it feels like to be carried like a princess.

The scene he had once imagined had come true.

By the time they returned to the flower wall for the group photo and He Qin gently set him down, Xie Shiwei’s face was already flushed, making him look like a sweet potato in the photo.

The photographer joked that it was the power of love, and Xie Shiwei wished he could disappear into the ground.

After the group photo was taken, the elders wanted to move to another location to continue taking pictures. Before leaving, Chen Ning instructed He Qin to quickly take Xie Shiwei to see Doctor Huang for a check-up and to get treatment as soon as possible if there were any problems.

The others dispersed, their gossipy eyes shifting between Xie Shiwei and He Qin.

Xie Shiwei felt inexplicably guilty, avoiding He Qin’s gaze and slowly walking towards the lounge in the corner of the venue on his own.

He Qin was behind him, asking, “Can you walk by yourself?”

Xie Shiwei nodded resolutely, forcing himself to speed up. From He Qin’s perspective, he looked like a disabled person determined to be self-reliant and strong.

Xie Shiwei hobbled slowly into the lounge, choosing to ignore the ever-present Mr. He behind him.

Suddenly, the corner of his clothes was tugged by a small hand.

Xie Shiwei turned around and saw the girl he had just saved.

The little girl looked up with a fair face, wearing a yellow cake dress, with traces of tears still on her face.

Seeing that Xie Shiwei had noticed her, the little girl let go of Xie Shiwei’s clothes and repeated several gestures with her hands, anxiously opening her mouth, but no sound came out.

Xie Shiwei couldn’t understand. He was about to ask the little girl what she was saying when He Qin stepped forward, took the girl’s little hand, and said, “She’s saying thank you, big brother, and she’s sorry. She won’t be naughty again.”

Xie Shiwei’s beautiful eyes were filled with questions.

He Qin picked up the girl: “Her name is Xiao Yue. Her parents died in an accident and she became an orphan. She was taken in by the Black Mountain Orphanage where I used to be. Three years ago, she suffered severe hearing loss in an accident. Her language skills deteriorated, and now she can only use sign language. Just now, the assistant wasn’t watching her, and she couldn’t hear, so she didn’t notice the danger.”

Xie Shiwei understood and felt a pang of sympathy.

He had also lost his parents at a young age and was no different from an orphan.

But at least he was healthy. The child in front of him could no longer hear.

“Don’t be pessimistic. I brought her here this time to get a cochlear implant. The doctor said that after wearing the implant, her hearing will improve significantly. Although it won’t be as good as before, it will be enough to meet her daily needs.”

“That’s great,” Xie Shiwei smiled. “At least she won’t be unaware of danger like she was just now.”

He Qin returned the smile: “Yes, it will be much safer for her to go out alone.”

Xie Shiwei looked at the crown of the girl’s head for a while, and asked, “He Qin, do you know sign language?”

“Yes,” He Qin said. “I learned it to communicate with Xiao Yue.”

“Then can you tell her for me that I’m okay, but she must be careful when she’s alone in the future, because there won’t always be someone to save her.”

He Qin patiently signed to Xiao Yue.

Xiao Yue blinked her big grape-like eyes, smiled at Xie Shiwei, and gently hugged his leg.

Xie Shiwei felt a warmth in his heart and touched Xiao Yue’s head: “It’s a pity that I’m in pain all over, otherwise I could hug her too.”

He Qin pulled Xiao Yue over and continued to sign to her, meaning: Big brother was injured saving you and now has to see a doctor. Say goodbye to him.

Xiao Yue bowed to Xie Shiwei, waved her little hand reluctantly, and was then taken away by He Qin’s assistant.

Once again, only the two of them were left in the room.

“You don’t dislike kids anymore?” He Qin asked.

“Not really,” Xie Shiwei told the truth, “I dislike naughty kids.”

Like those who bullied him when he was young.

He Qin’s gaze was deep: “Thank you again. That exhibition board was too heavy for a child. If you hadn’t noticed and intervened in time, Xiao Yue might have been in the emergency room right now.”

“You’re welcome. I’m someone who has experienced accidents too. Seeing accidents always makes me scared, and I want to stop them at all costs.”

This was also true.

He had once witnessed his parents’ car accident, blood and flesh flying everywhere. It had taken him ten years to be able to cross the road without having a panic attack.

He Qin looked at the bruise on Xie Shiwei’s ankle: “Did you fall hard?”

“Mm.”

“You’re in pain and still have the mood to blush?”

Xie Shiwei didn’t expect He Qin to be so blunt, and he bristled: “I’m just naturally sensitive to physical contact. I’m blushing because too many people saw it, definitely not because I like you! Especially since I don’t like you that much anymore!”

“How much is ‘not that much’?” He Qin asked.

Xie Shiwei thought rationally for a moment and gave a very cautious answer: “At most, only thirty-five percent of what it used to be!”

Thirty-five percent would show that he had been working hard not to love He Qin during this time, without being too fake, and would still allow him to smoothly transition to a friendship.

He Qin raised an eyebrow: “That’s pretty precise.”

“Of course. I keep my word and follow through with my actions. I will definitely not pester you anymore. After all, there are so many other men in the world besides you.”

Xie Shiwei didn’t know that upon hearing these words, the air pressure around He Qin inexplicably dropped.

Not even He Qin himself knew why.