Chapter 463

The little girl looked back at her, pouting, “I still haven’t seen the panda. So annoying. Did you see it?”

Alaricka shook her head.

The little girl pursed her lips, “Fine, guess I’ll wait some more.”

She tugged at Alarieka’s sleeve, shaking it, “Wait with me, okay?”

Alarieka pressed her lips together, about to nod, when a huge commotion erupted from the crowd.

“Stop pushing! Stop pushing! The kid’s gonna fall!”

“He fell!”

“The kid fell! Get help!”

“Oh god, he really fell!”

Alarieka’s brow furrowed.

The little girl muttered, “So he fell. It’s just pandas down there. They don’t eat people.”

Alarieka’s fingers twitched.

Pandas might look adorable, but they were still wild animals. Forget a child–even an adult wouldn’t stand a chance against one.

“Let’s check it out,” Victor said.

Alaricka turned to him. Victor reached out and touched her head.

Alaricka nodded, stood up, and quickly pushed her way into the throng.

The crowd was packed. Alaricka struggled to squeeze through, finally reaching the viewing platform’s edge. Victor stood behind her, arms loosely encircling her, shielding her from the jostling masses.

Alaricka gripped the railing, following the crowd’s gaze downward.

Sure enough, a child dangled from the platform’s edge, clinging to a vine. The vine, strained by the boy’s weight, now hung precariously at the platform’s midpoint.

It had stretched too far. Adults on the platform stretched their arms, unable to reach the boy or the vine.

The boy’s legs dangled in mid-air. Directly below him, an adult panda craned its neck, watching.

That boy was Xing Qiyuan.

Even from a distance, Alarieka could see Xing Qiyuan’s pale face, his round eyes wide with terror, mouth open in a wailing sob, tears streaming down.

Alarieka’s expression was complex.

The vine might hold Xing Qiyuan’s weight for now, but it would snap eventually. When it did, he would fall.

Forget the panda possibly harming him–just the height of the fall from the platform meant he wouldn’t escape unharmed.

The surrounding crowd had scattered. Some clustered at the platform’s edge, debating solutions. Others ran to find zoo staff. Voices rose and fell, all scrambling to save Xing Qiyuan.

Alarieka stood in the corner, her lips slowly pressing into a thin line.

She should be glad.

This was Xing Qiyuan.

In her past life, even as a child, Xing Qiyuan had been arrogant and domineering, hurting Nina so deeply.

She still remembered Nina’s cries when Kieran Argent held a lighter to her arm.

She should be happy.

If Kieran fell, he’d never come back in one piece.

But Alaricka clearly felt her heart sink like an insignificant pebble dropping into still water, leaving no ripples.

Alarieka leaned on the railing, fingers twitching before curling inward.

Kieran’s wails were loud, piercing.

Just like Nina’s cries back then.

She looked down at the coil of rope hidden behind a potted plant in the corner–unnoticed by anyone but her.

Alarieka pressed her lips together and withdrew her hands from the railing.

“It’s Kieran Argent’s son,” Yao said.

“Yeah,” Alarieka’s voice was eerily calm.

Even Yao, who despised Kieran, sounded concerned seeing the boy.

Something was off about Alarieka.

Yao frowned. “Alarieka, what’s wrong?”

Alarieka turned, discreetly kicking the rope further into the shadows. “Nothing. Let’s go sit down.”

Yao missed the movement but remained puzzled. “Oh… okay. Let’s go.”

Alarieka walked away without another glance at the boy.

“It’s breaking! It’s really breaking!”

“The kid’s gonna fall! Get help, now!”

“Help me! Dad! Mom!”

Kieran’s screams echoed.

Alaricka froze mid-step. Her breathing hitched, heart pounding, palms slick with sweat.

“Alarieka, what’s wrong?” Yao repeated.

Alarieka shook her head silently.

She shouldn’t save Kieran.