Chapter 167 The Truth About the Encounter with the Wolf

Could it be that what Xia Wenwen said was true? Does Xia Qianqian really have a paradise, and even be able to command wild beasts? Otherwise, how could she have survived a wolf pack?

He subconsciously looked at Xia Qianqian, who seemed to notice his gaze and looked back at him, a half-smile playing on her lips.

Qin Yan felt a chill creep up his spine, and his legs began to tremble uncontrollably.

Xia Qianqian is still alive!

If she were to reveal the truth in public, saying that she conspired with Xia Wenwen to kidnap someone, and even kicked her companion away while being attacked by wolves...

The people of Xiangyang Village are determined to beat him to death!

Qin Yan's heart was pounding like a drum, and his mind was racing.

He had it all planned out: if Xia Qianqian dared to speak up later, he would blame everything on the "mad wolf pack" and the "chaotic scene." Who could criticize a person's reaction in a life-or-death situation? Besides, hadn't he "risked his life to run back for reinforcements"?

As for the Xia family, a calculating glint flashed in Qin Yan's eyes.

Mr. Xia had long wanted to curry favor with the Qin family and was eager to marry Xia Wenwen into their family as soon as possible. As long as he promised the Xia family benefits afterward, Mr. Xia would definitely weigh the pros and cons and would never offend the powerful Qin family for the sake of a "daughter who might already be dead"!

As long as Mr. Xia gives in, these villagers of Xiangyang Village are nothing but a mob. Who would want to mess with "Young Master Qin from the provincial capital" for a woman from another family?

Thinking of this, Qin Yan quietly straightened his back.

Just then, a faint but mournful groan suddenly came from the depths of the forest: "Help me...please help me..."

"That voice!" Mr. Xia's expression changed drastically, and he suddenly shouted in a hoarse voice, "It's Wenwen! Quick, save her!"

Before he finished speaking, he had already rushed towards the source of the sound. Upon hearing Xia Wenwen's voice, no one cared about Qin Yan and Xia Qianqian anymore. They all grabbed their tools and followed the production team leader into the dense forest.

Xia Qianqian stood there, watching their disappearing figures, a mocking smile playing on her lips—truly, evil lives on! Even in that state, they're still not quite dead.

Not long after, the production team leader's shout came from the front: "What are you all standing there for! Quickly fetch water and put out the fire!"

The fire inside the cave was still burning, with thick smoke billowing out. Everyone hurriedly fetched water to put out the fire, and once the fire subsided slightly, two young men wrapped in wet towels rushed into the cave.

A moment later, someone came running out carrying a dark figure on their back.

"My Wenwen!" Mr. Xia rushed over and took a look, his legs went weak on the spot.

Xia Wenwen's face was covered with dense blisters, half of her cheek was swollen like a fermented bun, and her once pretty features were now distorted beyond recognition. Even more horrifying was her left hand, which was charred and twisted below the wrist, with her finger bones bent at bizarre angles.

Mr. Xia looked at his daughter's hands, which were burned beyond recognition, and then at the surrounding forests where not even a wolf's hair could be seen. His face instantly darkened.

He stared at Qin Yan: "Didn't you say you encountered a pack of wolves? Where are the wolves? How did Wenwen get burned like this?!"

Qin Yan was taken aback by the question, his eyes flickering. He clearly saw the wolf king pounce on Xia Wenwen, so how could she have been burned? Could it be that the wolf failed to kill her and instead started a fire?

His mind was a complete mess, and he instinctively turned his gaze to Xia Qianqian: "Did you do this?!"

Xia Qianqian chuckled, stroking her round belly, her tone laced with a lazy mockery: "Young Master Qin is joking. I'm just a weak woman pregnant, powerless to even kill a chicken, how could I possibly burn someone like this?"

She sneered, "As for you, why don't you explain where this pack of wolves you're talking about is first?"

"Yes! Where's the wolf?"

"We ran after them for ages, but we didn't even see a wolf!"

The villagers were already full of complaints, and when they heard Xia Qianqian say this, they immediately erupted into a clamor.

Holding torches, everyone looked around. The forest was quiet, with only the rustling of leaves in the wind. There wasn't a trace of wolves. The way everyone looked at Qin Yan suddenly became scrutinizing and suspicious.

Just then, Xia Wenwen, who was being held in Mr. Xia's arms, suddenly burst into a heart-wrenching wail: "Ah—my hand! My hand!"

She hadn't dared to look at her own face yet, but the charred and twisted left hand burned her eyes like a branding iron. She struggled desperately, trying to touch her face, but Mr. Xia held her down firmly.

Looking at his daughter's charred hands and listening to her heart-wrenching cries, Mr. Xia's previous resentment towards his daughter vanished, leaving only excruciating pain.

He gripped Xia Wenwen's unburned right hand with trembling hands, his voice choked with emotion: "Wenwen, tell Dad, what happened? Who hurt you like this? Dad will stand up for you!"

He suddenly remembered Qin Yan's words, and his gaze sharpened as he looked at Qin Yan: "Was it him? He said he encountered wolves and came back specifically to tell us to rescue you! You silly child, if you encountered wolves, why didn't you run away with him?"

Xia Wenwen slowly raised her head, her eyes, blurred by the fever, fixed on Qin Yan.

Qin Yan felt uneasy under her gaze, his eyes darting around nervously, and he dared not meet her eyes at all.

He cursed inwardly: Damn it! How could this happen? He clearly saw the wolf king pounce on Xia Wenwen with his own eyes, and thought she was surely dead, so he fabricated the lie about encountering the wolf. As long as Xia Wenwen died, he could get away with escaping alone.

But now, Xia Wenwen is not only alive, but she's burned to this horrific state!

How can he justify this?

If people were to find out that in a moment of crisis he heartlessly kicked his fiancée into the jaws of wolves while he fled for his own life, his despicable act would be utterly ruined once word of it reached the provincial capital! Who would dare to employ him then? Who would dare to associate with the Qin family?

Thinking of this, Qin Yan's eyes involuntarily held a pleading look as he looked at Xia Wenwen.

As long as Xia Wenwen is willing to swallow her anger and not reveal the truth, he will agree to whatever compensation she wants!

"Wenwen! Why aren't you saying anything? Is your throat hurt from the smoke?" Mr. Xia became even more anxious when he saw that she didn't speak for a long time.

Xia Wenwen's gaze was fixed on Qin Yan's face for a long time before she slowly looked away.

She was so angry with Qin Yan that she almost ground her teeth to powder. That beast! How dare he kick her to the wolves!

But then she thought about it again. Her hand was crippled, her face was ruined, and she hadn't even managed to get the space she had been longing for. If she offended Qin Yan again, her life would be over!

Various thoughts churned in her mind, but in the end, they turned into a barely audible sigh.

"Dad..." Xia Wenwen opened her mouth, only to find that her voice was so hoarse it sounded like it had been sanded, and it was extremely unpleasant to hear.

But at this moment, no one cared whether her voice was good or not. The production team leader and the villagers held their breath, staring intently at her, waiting for her to tell the truth about the "encounter with wolves".