Chapter 183 - 183 The Distress of Three
183 The Distress of Three
Guan Lei looked like the cat that got the canary. He lay on his side, facing Shen Xi with a gentle yet predatory smile.
The guards under his employ had reported that Zheng Huai entered with Shen Xi.
When Shen Xi faced trouble from the Liu family, Guan Lei discovered it was Zheng Huai helping her from the shadows.
Regardless of Zheng Huai’s motive, be it an opportunity to study his illness or out of feelings for Shen Xi, Guan Lei vowed he would not allow him to do as he wished, more so if it was the latter.
Although he had not officially brought Shen Xi under his wing, he would not allow any other man to lay a finger on her. Not Xiang Cheng, Lu Lin or even Zheng Huai, who was hiding under the bed eavesdropping.
His mood took a nosedive. Who would have thought Shen Xi would be so good at attracting attention to herself? Three men, and all three were not good people in his eyes.
He could not help but wonder how Zheng Huai must have felt when he heard Shen Xi taking the initiative. Would he feel disappointed? Distraught? Would it be enough to force him to give up?
Then again, what if it was not enough and Zheng Huai pursued Shen Xi more aggressively?
As his thoughts bubbled in the cauldron of his mind, simmering with a barely contained jealousy, he grew increasingly unhappy. Guan Lei propped himself up with his feet, trying to get up but failed, falling back and hitting the headboard.
The force generated was so strong that the reverberations reached Shen Xi, startling her. Zheng Huai, who hid beneath Guan Lei’s bed, had his heart in his throat.
Shen Xi peeked out from under her blanket and asked anxiously, “Are you alright?”
“It’s nothing. I slipped,” Guan Lei responded gloomily.
“Oh. Then it would be best if you slept early. Good night…” Shen Xi buried her head under the covers as soon as she urged Guan Lei to rest.
Hearing Shen Xi bid him goodnight helped calm him. So what if those rotten men gathered around her?
Shen Xi was here with him; he was the closest to her.
As for the miscreant under the bed? Well, Guan Lei did not even see him as human.
–
Later that night…
In the quiet Observation Room 201, a faint sound broke the silence. The door to the room slowly opened, and a shadowy figure entered, treading lightly.
The intruder approached Shen Xi and raised their knives as if in unison, ready to plunge their bladed weapon into her skin.
In the blink of an eye, another figure rushed to her side, standing between Shen Xi and the hooded intruders. That person took the knife meant to scar Shen Xi’s appearance with his body.
Guan Lei only felt his back flare in pain as he stumbled forward. Even then, he subconsciously braced himself against the sides of the bed to stop himself from crushing Shen Xi beneath his weight.
Roused by the commotion, Shen Xi blinked, quickly coming to her senses as she came face to face with the individual hovering over her. The sudden intrusion of someone in her personal space frightened her, and she reacted by pushing him away. However, as she did so, she heard a muffled groan from a voice she recognised. “Shen Xi, it’s me.”
She paused for a mere second, acting on instinct by rolling to the side as another knife shot toward her, aimed at her face.
That was enough to drive whatever sleep lingered in her frame.
Was someone trying to kill her? No, she did not think so. Her assailant was aiming for her face.
Guan Lei grit his teeth, enduring the searing pain in his back. He had to protect Shen Xi. Meanwhile, Shen Xi managed to turn on the lights and picked up the table lamp next to her bed, doing what she could to cover for Guan Lei. As they fought, she managed to grab her phone, looking for an opportunity to call for help.
The nearest police post was far from the school, so it was unrealistic to call them and expect immediate assistance. The other option was to dial campus security for help. While the school employed many security guards to patrol the grounds at night, she did not know the emergency contact number to get their attention.
With no other options available, Shen Xi took a gamble and called Zhao Yuan. She knew her dormmate did not mute her phone at night because it was a point of contention which often resulted in her arguing with Su Ni.
Shen Xi scrolled down her contacts and eventually arrived at Zhao Yuan’s number.
Guan Lei kicked his assailant in the chest. That person crumpled to the ground, coming face to face with Zheng Huai, who had just awoken.
Zheng Huai had no time to react and shrieked in alarm, hitting his head against the bedframe with a resounding ‘Bang!’, the force of which sent stars flying in his vision.
“Doctor Zheng, please get up! We need your help. A villain with a knife is trying to kill us!” Shen Xi shouted.
Zhao Yuan answered her phone, still trapped in the haze between sleep and wakefulness. However, when she heard Shen Xi’s desperate cry for help, she snapped to attention.
“Shen Xi? Are you guys in the observation room now? What happened?” Zhao Yuan asked anxiously, waking up the other two people sharing her dorm room.