Those Classmates who Suddenly Disappeared
Chapter 433: Delaying Time

Chapter 433: Chapter 433: Delaying Time

Currently, Lin Xi is being held captive in the VIP room on the first floor. Two guards were stationed outside, while two others guarded her from within.

On the rooftop of the second floor, Qian Ying was meditating on a couch, engrossed in casting a spell. She is safeguarded by three guards as well.

The rest of the folks, whom Qian Ying had bewitched, were positioned at the front and rear entrances of the dining area. They had been keeping an eye on Du Jun and his companions, without any respite.

Gu Ling was hiding in the surveillance room, observing everything in detail. She was sure that Lin Xi had run into trouble and that Du Jun’s group was here to the rescue. Given all this, Gu Ling decided to lend a hand.

Thus, she sent a message to Lu Yi: "Brother Lu, there’s an odd lady upstairs who is being guarded by three men. Could you devise something to divert them away?"

At this very moment, Lu Yi was crouched atop a toilet bowl. Seeing the message, he jolted: "What do you mean, Xiaoling? Are you also here?"

"Yes, I am. I also have information on where Sister Lin Xi has been held captive. You must listen to my advice if you are going to save her." Having sent the message, Gu Ling realized that it was about time to spring into action. Her heart was surging with a boiling mix of excitement and trepidation.

"Alright, I will do my best." After replying to the message, Lu Yi updated everyone else too.

Upon acknowledging, both Du Jun and Jie were taken aback. They hadn’t anticipated Gu Ling’s involvement, especially under such circumstances when none were the wiser.

Then, Gu Fan noticed the message and raised a brow, wondering how Gu Ling had managed to entangle herself in the situation. His mind harked back to the restaurant episode from the past.

As per Lin Xi’s plan, they simply needed to disrupt Qian Ying’s spell-casting to awaken everyone under her control. This would render her completely defenseless, leaving them free to deal with her as they deemed fit.

Previously, it was Gu Ling’s unforeseen slap that had rescued Lin Xi from Qian Ying’s clutches once. Turns out she’d had to rely on Gu Ling this time too.

Gu Fan was slightly nervous. He dreaded any possible mistakes from his sister during her course of action. However, he couldn’t abandon his post, as he was in charge of holding off Ning Qi.

With no means to drive, Qian Ying was unable to control someone else to do it. She had to bank on Ning Qi. When Ning Qi didn’t show up eventually, Qian Ying grew increasingly suspicious.

On several occasions, Qian Ying, in an attempt to control a person, had hurriedly messaged them. On receiving the messages, Ning Qi realized she couldn’t keep Qian Ying waiting. Hence, she said to Gu Fan: "Alright, Gu Fan, I need to rush somewhere urgently now. We can discuss old times later. Don’t worry, I am not mad at you."

"So, are things between us..." Emboldened, Gu Fan seized Ning Qi’s hand, his countenance relaying an I-can’t-let-you-go vibe.

Done with Gu Fan’s clingy antics, Ning Qi feigned shyness and nodded, thinking to herself that all men were the same breed. Soon as their girlfriends left, they revved up their adulterous engines.

Feigning elation, Gu Fan leaned in to steal a kiss. Albeit reluctantly, Ning Qi accepted, hoping Gu Fan would get the hint and get out of her car quickly after his moment of contentment.

However, Gu Fan exceeded Ning Qi’s expectations. He wanted to prolong their contact, which left her seething. "Enough, Gu Fan, would you please stop this. If you don’t, I’ll call the cops."

Gu Fan wore a baffled expression, "What do you mean? You’re going to call the police just because I touched you a little? Hey, we’ve been far more intimate than this back at Yuxueyun Mountain. Go ahead, dial them up. Let’s lay everything out in the open."

Gu Fan, you..." Ning Qi didn’t know how to proceed. Judging by his posture, he might actually divulge that Ning Qi had shot Hu Bo, something she wouldn’t like to happen.

Ning Qi began to plead: "Gu Fan, don’t you have a conscience? Remember, I saved you once."

All righteous, Gu Fan replied: "I did owe you one then and I am eternally grateful. But since you’re intending to have me arrested now, I need to take measures accordingly."

Enraged beyond measure at his words, yet feeling helpless, Ning Qi gritted her teeth in frustration: "Alright, I won’t call. Gu Fan, what do you really want? Speak up."

"Honestly, I don’t find Lin Xi to be the right match for me. So, I am considering a breakup. Ning Qi, I am genuinely hoping to have you as my girlfriend. After all, our bonding had been pretty good at Yuxueyun Mountain, and you saved my life once." As he said these words, Gu Fan maintained a serious demeanor. At wit’s end, Ning Qi eventually nodded: "Okay, now I’m your girlfriend. Rest assured. Let’s start dating from tomorrow. But tonight, I really have important stuff to deal with. Please be considerate of your girlfriend, deal?"

"Agreed, no problem. But let me have five more minutes with you, fair enough?" As soon as he finished his sentence, Gu Fan flung himself onto Ning Qi without waiting for her reaction.

"Alright, I’ll give you five more minutes, Gu Fan. I’ll endure." Whispered Ning Qi.

"Everyone, hurry up." Gu Fan had come up with this as his best bet. He realised how keen Ning Qi was to leave. Hence, no matter what Gu Fan said, she wouldn’t lend an ear. He had to resort to practical actions to restrict her. If he decided to idle around her car aimlessly, it would only arouse her suspicion and reveal his intentions of buying time purposefully.

Accordingly, Gu Fan had to somehow make Ning Qi believe that his advances were a mere result of his infatuation with her beauty. A pursuit he was passionate about.

No, not yet. Even so, when Gu Fan started taking physical initiative, Ning Qi was bound to get suspicious. In Ning Qi’s perception after all, Gu Fan was not the hasty or impulsive type. His activities seemed quite unusual to her.

But at this point, Gu Fan had successfully hindered Ning Qi’s course of action, leaving her helpless. She wanted to scream, but there was nary a soul in sight. That was her own failing for deliberately choosing a less-trafficked road to elude pedestrians.

"Is something off? Is Gu Fan deliberately trying to buy time, suspecting Lin Xi to be in our clutches..." The moment this possibility occurred to Ning Qi, she became surer than ever that she couldn’t alert the police or yell for help as that might blow their cover.

But upon rethinking, things didn’t add up for Ning Qi. How did Gu Fan figure it out? She was sure she hadn’t given herself away. Perhaps Ning Qi was overthinking. It could be that during their time at Yuxueyun Mountain, due to high risks, Gu Fan had stayed on guard, especially in the presence of too many people around. Maybe, this was indeed Gu Fan’s true persona.

Ning Qi glanced at the time and noted that more than five minutes had passed and Gu Fan showed no signs of stopping, which was downright maddening.

After exactly fifteen long minutes, Gu Fan looked at his cell phone, chuckled at a new message, and then said to Ning Qi, "I am sorry for having taken up so much of your time. I am leaving now, sorry for the inconvenience."

"What happened?" Asked Ning Qi, dumbfounded. Since when did Gu Fan become so decisive about leaving without an ounce of reluctance?