CHAPTER 96 — Pulled From the Darkness
The rope strained under Mu Lingchen's weight as he descended into the ravine, rain blurring his vision and soaking through his clothes until the cold bit into his skin. But he didn't feel any of it. His focus was singular, sharpened to a blade's edge:
Rui.
His small boy, lost somewhere in the shadows below.
Above him, Yunxi remained on her knees at the cliff's edge, gripping the rope with white-knuckled desperation. She was breathing too fast, trembling too hard, but she refused to look away from Lingchen's silhouette.
"Lingchen," her voice cracked through the rain, "please—be careful."
He looked up once, meeting her tear-filled gaze.
"For our son," he said firmly. "I'll bring him back."
Then he disappeared under the ledge.
⸻
The quarry was deeper than it looked from above. Sharp rocks jutted out at odd angles, and rusted machinery lay half-submerged in muddy water. The entire slope smelled of wet earth and old metal.
Halfway down, Lingchen saw movement — a small white shape curled beside a broken conveyor beam.
His heart lurched.
"Rui…" he whispered.
The boy lay on his side, arms wrapped around himself, tiny body shuddering with soft, terrified sobs. His sweater was torn, mud streaked along his cheek, and his little shoe dangled loosely from one foot.
But he was alive.
That alone made Lingchen's knees weak.
He dropped the last meter and landed beside him, steadying himself on the rocks.
"Rui," he said softly, "Daddy is here."
The child flinched, then slowly lifted his head. His eyes were swollen, tears mixed with rainwater.
"D-Daddy?" Rui's voice shook.
Lingchen's throat tightened. "Yes, baby. It's me."
Rui blinked once—then sobbed, throwing himself into Lingchen's chest.
Lingchen caught him instantly, arms wrapping around the small body that fit perfectly against him. Rui's fingers clutched at his shirt as though afraid he might vanish if he let go.
"I was scared," Rui whimpered. "Mommy wasn't here. It was dark. I fell… I hurt my knee…"
Lingchen swallowed hard and pressed a kiss to his wet hair.
"I know," he whispered. "Daddy's here now. I've got you."
Rui trembled. "Don't go… don't leave…"
Lingchen held him even tighter. "Never. I'm never leaving you."
Above them, Yunxi's voice rang out, thick with panic and relief.
"Lingchen?! Do you have him?!"
Lingchen angled his head upward. "Yes! He's alive!"
A choked sob echoed from above. Yunxi collapsed forward, forehead pressing into the mud as every ounce of tension left her body. Tears streamed down her face, lost in the rain.
"My baby… thank God…"
Lingchen carefully secured Rui in his arms and fastened the child-sized harness the officers had lowered. Rui clung to him silently, tiny fingers curled into his father's collar.
"Rui," Lingchen murmured, "we're going back up to Mommy. Can you hold on for me?"
Rui nodded weakly, wiping his nose with the back of his hand.
"Okay… I'll be good…"
Lightning cracked in the sky above them.
Lingchen steadied the line. "Pull us up!"
The rope tightened, lifting them inch by inch.
Rui buried his face in Lingchen's chest, whimpering as the ground dropped away beneath them.
"Daddy, don't let me fall…"
"I won't," Lingchen whispered. "I promise."
He held Rui firmly with one arm, gripping the rope with the other. Every shift of the wind, every loosened pebble, made Yunxi gasp above them.
Her eyes were locked on Rui's small form—
Still crying.
Still scared.
Still alive.
"Please," she begged the officers, "pull faster—Faster!"
The men strained against the rope, muscles flexing as they worked to lift father and child from the ravine.
Halfway up, the slope shifted.
The ground trembled.
A section of the cliff broke loose, sliding dangerously close to the rope.
"LINGCHEN!" Yunxi screamed. "MOVE—!"
He twisted, shielding Rui as rocks tumbled past them, bouncing violently off the cliff walls. One shattered against Lingchen's shoulder, making him grit his teeth, but he stayed locked on the rope, refusing to loosen his hold.
Finally—finally—their heads reached the edge.
Yunxi lunged forward without waiting for permission.
She grabbed Rui first.
Her arms wrapped around him like a lifeline, pulling him against her chest with such force she nearly toppled backwards.
"My baby—my baby—" Yunxi sobbed, kissing his face over and over. "Mommy's here. Mommy's here. You're safe. You're safe…"
Rui burst into tears again, tiny hands fisting in her hair.
"Mommy… it was dark… and she was yelling… and I wanted you so much…"
"I'm here," she whispered fiercely, holding him tighter. "I'm here now. Nothing will take you from me again."
Lingchen climbed over the ledge with help from two officers. His shirt was torn, his shoulder bleeding where the rock struck him, but he barely noticed.
Because Yunxi was holding their son.
And Rui was breathing.
That was all that mattered.
Yunxi turned to Lingchen then, tears streaming, voice breaking apart.
"You saved him."
Lingchen shook his head. "You found him."
She reached out with a trembling hand.
He caught it immediately.
Their fingers locked together.
A silent vow passed between them—
Never again.
Never separated.
Never letting anyone hurt their children.
Rui pressed his cheek to Yunxi's neck, hiccupping softly.
"Mommy… Daddy…"
Lingchen touched Rui's back gently. "We're here."
For the first time in three years, they felt whole.
Bruised.
Terrified.
Shaking.
But whole.
⸻
Behind them, Roulan was being dragged away in handcuffs, cursing, screaming, mud smeared across her face.
"You'll regret this!" she shrieked. "All of you will regret it! The Shi family is finished! I'll drag them all down with me!"
Yunxi didn't look at her.
Not once.
All her focus was on the trembling child in her arms and the man who had risked his life to bring him back.
Lingchen exhaled shakily.
"Let's go home," he whispered.
Yunxi nodded, kissing Rui's forehead.
"Yes," she breathed.
"Home."