Chapter 18: Chapter Su Yueqing’s body froze the moment she saw him clearly.
Xi Wenzhe.
The firelight flickered across his sharp features as he moved through the burning kitchen without hesitation, stepping over collapsing wood and glowing embers as though the danger around him meant nothing, while his expression remained dark and controlled, yet his eyes carried something far more intense than the flames themselves.
Inside Su Yueqing’s mind, everything paused.
[...Why is he here?]
Xi Wenzhe’s gaze locked onto her immediately.
Even through the smoke, he found her in an instant.
And that alone made something in his expression tighten.
Su Yueqing blinked slowly, still not fully believing what she was seeing.
Inside her mind again—
[Wait...]
[Is he really here personally?]
[The future villain of this whole story... inside a burning kitchen?]
[Shouldn’t he be outside commanding guards or something?]
Xi Wenzhe’s jaw clenched slightly as he closed the distance between them, his voice cutting sharply through the chaos.
"What are you still doing here?"
The question was so direct, so cold, that Su Yueqing almost forgot she was literally surrounded by fire.
She stared at him blankly for a second.
Inside her mind—
[Being trapped.]
[What does it look like I’m doing?]
[Having a picnic?]
Xi Wenzhe exhaled sharply through his nose, as though he was genuinely questioning his life for the first time.
Another beam above them groaned loudly, the sound deep and dangerous, before suddenly shifting with a cracking noise that made the entire structure tremble.
Xi Wenzhe’s eyes sharpened instantly.
Without warning, he grabbed Su Yueqing’s arm and pulled her up from the ground in one smooth motion.
"Stand up."
Su Yueqing staggered slightly as her legs barely cooperated.
Inside her mind—
[Oh good.]
[We are doing forced evacuation now.]
[Love that for me.]
Xi Wenzhe tightened his grip.
"Move."
She looked around dazedly, her eyes scanning the burning room filled with collapsing beams, spreading fire, and choking smoke.
Inside her mind again—
[Move where exactly?]
[Everything is literally on fire.]
[Should I ask the flames for directions?]
Xi Wenzhe felt something between frustration and disbelief press against his chest.
Even in a situation like this, her thoughts refused to slow down.
Another loud crash echoed behind them as a burning beam suddenly snapped free and fell directly toward their position.
Xi Wenzhe reacted instantly.
He pulled her into him without hesitation.
The beam crashed down exactly where she had been standing a second earlier, sending sparks and ash exploding across the floor with a heavy impact that shook the entire kitchen.
Boom!
For a brief moment, everything blurred in heat and smoke.
Su Yueqing’s eyes widened slightly as she realized how close it had been.
Inside her mind—
[...That was close.]