Yu Qianyin stared at Song Yu’s phone and let out a loud cry. Song Donglin quickly wrapped her in his arms. He clenched his jaw and stayed strong—he needed to support Yu Qianyin.
“Where did Song Yu go? Why is her phone battered? She’s carrying a child now! What happened to her?” Yu Qianyin uttered between sobs. “I’m so sorry. Stupid tantrums. If I just forgave Qi Chengzhi, Song Yu wouldn’t have to visit home alone all the time. If she came with Qi Chengzhi, this wouldn’t have happened. Lao Song, it’s my fault, my fault. Song Yu… Song Yu, she…”
“Let’s stay calm.” Song Donglin suppressed the worry in his heart and consoled Yu Qianyin with a reassuring tone. “It’s just a phone. It may not even be Song Yu’s. And even if it is, it doesn’t mean that something bad had happened to her. There may be an explanation.”
“Xiao Fan, go get a clean plastic bag to put the phone in. Refrain from touching it with your bare hands,” Qi Chengzhi ordered through the phone.
Xiao Fan nodded and went to ask Song Donglin, who kept his wits about him. “Sir, do you have a clean plastic bag?”
“Yes.” Song Donglin released Yu Qianyin and went to the kitchen. He took out a roll of plastic bag and tore one off to contain the phone.
Xiao Fan switched on the phone. Upon checking the call log, he told Qi Chengzhi, “Young Master Cheng, it is the missus’s phone.”
Qi Chengzhi felt his leg became jelly-like and his body shook. He clutched the backrest of his office chair for support.
From the phone, he could hear the sobs coming from Yu Qianyin. He gritted his teeth.
“Bring the phone to the police,” Qi Chengzhi spoke through his clenched jaw.
“Yes, sir.” Xiao Fan nodded and turned to Song Donglin and Yu Qianyin. “I’m going to the police station.”
“We’ll follow!” Yu Qianyin said through her tears. Her eyes were bloodshot.
“That…” Xiao Fan was uncertain if that was the best course of action.
Song Donglin stepped in. “Qianyin, you stay at home. There might have been a misunderstanding. If Song Yu comes back, there should be someone home to open the door for her. I’ll go with Xiao Fan.”
Yu Qianyin knew the possibility was slim but she wanted to hold onto whatever sliver of hope there was, so she agreed. “Call me if there’s any information. I want to be kept updated.”
“Stay home and don’t think too much. Don’t worry,” assured Song Donglin.
Once Song Donglin was out of the house, tears sprang from his eyes. He could no longer keep a lid on his emotions.
In the office, Qi Chengzhi took his car keys and was ready to leave. He took a step and found his legs shaking. The fear in his heart made him choke back a sob. This would be the first time in his thirty-five years on Earth that he felt true fear. He thought that his worst fear would be the revelation about the truth behind the Song family’s bankruptcy—he was proven wrong.
At that point, even if Song Yu did not forgive him, she would still be healthy and safe. Now, Qi Chengzhi had no clue about her status or whereabouts.
He was shaking so badly that breathing was becoming difficult.
He willed himself to walk out of his office. He placed his keys on Cheng Dongge’s desk and said, “Drive me to the police station.”
A bewildered look appeared on Cheng Dongge’s face as he looked at the pale-faced Qi Chengzhi. Despite not knowing the context, he took the car keys wordlessly.
“Xiao Fan, tell me again. Exactly what happened when you dropped Song Yu off,” Qi Chengzhi spoke into the phone. While Qi Chengzhi was still on the line, Xiao Fan did not dare put down the phone.
“There were a lot of cars around the apartment block so I couldn’t find a parking spot. The missus got off at the main entrance and I watched as she walked into the building. I only drove off to find parking after she was inside.” Xiao Fan realized where the gap was. “I should have accompanied her up the stairs. It must have been then, the missus…”
The blood drained from Xiao Fan’s face. He blamed himself for the incident. “Young Master Cheng, I’m sorry. It was my negligence…”
“Go to the police first,” Qi Chengzhi said. He was at wits’ end with the situation and hung up the phone. He and Cheng Dongge strode out of the office building.
Once in the car, Qi Chengzhi sat motionless in the backseat. His hands were clenched tight and his body grew cold as his thoughts drifted to Song Yu.
Qi Chengzhi shut his eyes. His jaw muscles were strained. After a while, he moved his thumb to wipe his eyes. He rested his thumb and forefinger on his eyes.
Cheng Dongge watched him from the rearview mirror but did not know what to say.
There was a long silence before Qi Chengzhi’s hoarse voice spoke from behind, “Song Yu’s missing.”
Cheng Dongge’s eyes widened in shock. “What happened?”
He had never heard of Qi Chengzhi’s voice crack so badly. Although Qi Chengzhi was not crying, he could hear the occasional choked-back sob.
Qi Chengzhi felt that he needed to talk to someone about this. To crumble at such a critical time point, he had never felt this weak and useless before.
He breathed in with his nose. With a tremble in his voice, Qi Chengzhi spoke, “Song Yu went back to her parents’ house today. Xiao Fan saw with his own eyes, Song Yu entering the apartment building but her parents said she didn’t come home. No one saw her and Xiao Fan found her phone shattered in the apartment stairwell.”
After hearing the news, Cheng Dongge picked up speed and they drove in silence.
…
…
As Xiao Fan was driving, Grandmother Qi called. He hesitated but fear made him answer the call.
“Xiao Fan, where are you guys? Why can’t I get to Song Yu’s phone?” Grandmother Qi’s voice blared through the phone. “How’s the situation at her place? I thought about giving her mother a call.”
Grandmother Qi thought that if Song Yu could not move Yu Qianyin, she would personally talk to Yu Qianyin. She figured Yu Qianyin would not outright reject a request from an old lady of nobility.
“This…” Xiao Fan struggled to answer her question.
Song Yu’s disappearance was so sudden and Xiao Fan’s mind was scrambled. He had no time to think through how he should tell the family. He also forgot to ask Qi Chengzhi about informing the family.
The stutters from Xiao Fan immediately aroused suspicion. Grandmother Qi sat up straight and adjusted her prescription glasses. She spoke with a stern tone, “Xiao Fan, be honest with me—did something happen?”
“Ma’am…” Xiao Fan’s face turned pale. He was almost in tears as he replied, “It’s my fault… I lost the missus…”
“What happened?” Grandmother Qi’s heart jumped to her throat. Her hands gripped the arms of her chair. “What do you mean you lost Song Yu?”
“Let me talk to her.” Song Donglin realized that Xiao Fan was too anxious to speak, so he volunteered to deliver the news. He did not want Xiao Fan to be distracted from driving. “Grandmother Qi, it’s me, Song Donglin.”
“Xiao Song, what happened? Xiao Fan’s story didn’t make sense. Is Song Yu with you?” Grandmother Qi asked hurriedly.
“Song Yu is missing. Xiao Fan saw her walked upstairs but we were home the whole time and she didn’t appear. It’s been two hours and no one has seen her. Then, Xiao Fan found her shattered phone in the stairwell while he was walking up. Now we’re heading to the police station.” As Song Donglin finished, tears streamed down his eyes. He quickly rubbed them away and continued, “You don’t worry too much. It might be a misunderstanding. We’ll talk to the police first and update you as soon as we know what’s going on.”
“Okay… Okay…” Grandmother Qi placed the phone back into its cradle absentmindedly. She started to feel light in the head and darkness descended over her as her vision blurred.
“What happened?” Grandfather Qi was listening on the side but could not make out the whole story.
“Song Yu… Song Yu’s gone missing…” Grandmother Qi told Grandfather Qi what Song Donglin had said on the phone. She was in low spirits—it felt like the end of the world. “Everything was going so well. Why did this happen?”
The news took Grandfather Qi by surprise. He sat there, not knowing what to do. There were some tea cups on the side table so he tried to calm his mind by making tea but his hands were trembling feverishly. He resigned himself to clasping his hands together to stop the trembling.
A sudden realization dawned on Grandmother Qi. “Do you think this is happening because of the fortune lot Song Yu drew that day? It was foretold that something bad will happen”
“Nonsense! We don’t even know if something actually happened. It might be a misunderstanding. Don’t curse the child,” Grandfather Qi grumbled. His tone was more serious than usual.
Grandmother Qi knew that he did not believe his own words. Why else would his temper be so bad.
The cries escaped from her frail body. “Old man, what if… what if… Aish! What’s happening? Everything was fine this morning, why…”
“Pei! Don’t even say that. That’s like—” Grandfather Qi stopped mid-sentence. Blood rushed to his face as he yelled, “Stop crying! Cry if it’s confirmed that something’s happened! There’s no actual evidence yet, right?”
Grandmother Qi rubbed her aching chest and clasped her hands in prayer. She cried to the heavens. “Bless us Buddha. Please protect Song Yu and guide her to safety! Bless us Buddha!”
Grandfather Qi left her to her mumblings and shouted at the kitchen’s direction, “Xiao Liu, come here!”
Aunt Liu was unaware of the situation when she ran into the room. All she saw was Grandmother Qi crying.
“Ring up all the children, tell them to come home,” Grandfather Qi said. “Zhongliang, Zhongxun, Chenglin, and Chengyue. Tell them to come home regardless of where they’re at or what they’re doing.”
“Yes, sir.” Aunt Liu quickly took out her phone and dialed for the mentioned people.
“Oh, you can keep Chengzhi out of this,” Grandfather Qi said. He reckoned Qi Chengzhi was currently busy with the situation at hand.
Aunt Liu went to start her task. Grandmother Qi stood up and walked to the door. She pulled her hands together and prayed to the sky. “Buddha, our family has never done any evil deeds. I’ve already lost a grandchild. Please don’t let anything happen to my child. I beg you, great Buddha. Protect her. We’ve done no wrong to deserve this.”
…
…
Qi Chengzhi and Xiao Fan met in front of the police stations. Once Xiao Fan saw Qi Chengzhi, he immediately apologized and blamed himself for the incident.
“Where’s Song Yu’s phone?” Qi Chengzhi ignored Xiao Fan’s apology. Xiao Fan quickly brought out the phone that was bundled inside a bag.
Qi Chengzhi’s tensed when he saw the phone. It was broken beyond repair. The phone screen was shattered and the body was bent. His stomach spasmed in response to the stress and he clenched his teeth.
He turned around and went into the police station. Xiao Fan and Song Donglin followed suit.
Qi Chengzhi filed for a missing person’s report. Although the case filed was on a hunch, Qi Chengzhi’s name made the police act quickly.
The cellphone was the most important evidence and was sent to the lab for analysis. Qi Chengzhi stood in the middle of the lab, unmoving like a solid pillar. His presence made the atmosphere in the room heavy. He was not budging until the lab results came out.
A police officer tried to convince him to sit down but Qi Chengzhi ignored him. He stood there in silence but the pressure was undoubtedly felt by every person in the room.
Seeing the forlorn faces of his underlings, the lab manager personally came over to speak to Qi Chengzhi, “Chengzhi, why don’t you have a seat?”
“My wife’s condition is unknown, how could I rest?” Qi Chengzhi spoke coldly with a dark expression.
Since he did not sit down, the lab manager could only stand upright with him. The analysts were under pressure and thought, ‘Is this lab manager here to help or to stress us out?’ The two figures looming over them made it difficult for them to do their job.
“Brother.” Qi Chenglin came in with Qi Chengyue in tow.
Qi Chengzhi was surprised. “Why are you here?”
“Grandpa and Grandma already know of the situation. Uncle and Auntie and my parents are all at the family house. Chengji has asked for a leave of absence from the army and is making his way back,” Qi Chenglin explained in a sincere tone.
“Brother, why didn’t you tell the family about such an urgent issue?” Qi Chengyue said. Cheng Dongge walked over and wrapped his arms around her shoulder.
“I didn’t want them to worry,” Qi Chengzhi said tiredly, all his energy was focused on finding Song Yu. “How did our grandparents know?”
“It was me…” Xiao Fan said meekly. He stood up anxiously, wondering if he did another thing wrong. “Your grandmother called me as she was looking for the missus, so—”
“I was the one who told her the specifics,” Song Donglin stood up and said. He was worried that in a moment of anger, Qi Chengzhi would put all the blame on Xiao Fan and take it out on the poor guy.
Qi Chengzhi did not say anything. He turned to Qi Chenglin. “How are Grandpa and Grandma taking the news?”
“They’re both worried. Grandma’s been crying and praying to Buddha.” Qi Chenglin thought of the summons he got to return to the family house. On the phone, Aunt Liu did not say much other than it was an urgent matter.
When Qi Chenglin walked into the front yard, he saw his grandmother standing by the front door, crying to the sky. He only got to know about the situation when he met Grandfather Qi.
“The results are out.” The police officer, Xiao Chen, came over with the bagged phone. “We found a high concentration of triazolam and sevoflurane. They are highly potent sedatives. Also, we lifted prints from the phone that matches that of Mrs. Qi.”
The mood in the room quickly changed. Qi Chengzhi locked his jaw.
Qi Chengyue covered her mouth with her hand and sank into Cheng Dongge’s embrace.
“Everyone.” Liu Dui stood up and summoned. “Xiao Chen, Xiao Zhang, you two go check the primary scene. See if there’s any surveillance cameras. Xiang Dong, Jiang Ying, Fang Zi, you guys check the neighborhood. Ask around if anyone saw anything suspicious during the incident time.”
The police officers took their orders and left. Liu Dui remained and spoke to Qi Chengzhi, “Mr. Qi, please ensure your phone is always within reach. Try to keep your line open. If this is a kidnapping case, the kidnapper will definitely contact you. While we’re looking for the suspect, you need to wait for the kidnapper’s call. In all the past kidnapping cases that I’ve been assigned to, the kidnapper always initiates contact with the family.”
Qi Chengzhi nodded his head. The people who knew his number were few and far between. There was only Yan Beicheng and his friends and they would not call him without reason. In terms of work calls, people would get in touch with Cheng Dongge first instead of contacting him directly.
“Jiadi, standby. Once the kidnapper calls in, immediately run a trace,” Liu Dui told one of the officers who stayed back.
Dong Jiadi nodded. In front of him, there were three computers ready.
Qi Chengzhi was finally willing to sit down. He rested his arms on his thighs and buried his face in his hands, his eyes bloodshot. Song Donglin and Qi Chenglin flanked him. Qi Chenglin said nothing and kept his distance, a silent company.
Qi Chengzhi heard Lui Dui talking to his colleagues about strategy. “Kidnapping cases are eighty to ninety percent premeditated. From the sedatives, we know that the kidnapper planned this. The kidnapper was also able to move Mrs. Qi without anyone noticing.”
Once Liu Dui was done, he walked over to Qi Chengzhi. “Mr. Qi, do you have any enemies? Anyone who hates you that may try to take it out on your wife as revenge?”
Qi Chengzhi’s competitors were many but enemies, he had few, After so many years in the business, he had ruined many competitors but could not think of any who would resort to such dirty tactics.
Qi Chengzhi’s brows furrowed. He spoke in an icy tone, “I can only think of one person.”
Everyone turned to look at Qi Chengzhi. Song Donglin’s face darkened. Was Song Yu just a collateral in Qi Chengzhi’s feud?
“Jian Yi.” Qi Chengzhi said the name with icily. “The thing with Jian Yi is a private affair but the more I think about it, the more likely it is.”
Hearing Jian Yi’s name, Song Donglin no longer blamed Qi Chengzhi. If it was really Jian Yi, Song Yu was not collateral.
Everything started with Jian Yi. He was the one who lied to Song Yu. Once she found out about the truth and got together with Qi Chengzhi, Jian Yi could not let go. Even when Song Yu got married, Jian Yi still did not give up. All the while Jian Yi was married to Qi Chengyue, he was still harassing Song Yu and it had hurt Qi Chengyue.
He was the one who cheated first but he plotted to gain half of the company shares under Qi Chengyue’s name. Song Donglin did not know about the car accident that happened the night before Qi Chengzhi and Song Yu’s wedding. Jian Yi tried to kill Qi Chengzhi with his car.
Once Liu Dui heard the name, he immediately understood. “The Jian Yi that you’re talking about, it’s the same one who was helping the anti-smuggling squad on the investigation into the car-smuggling ring? The one who Wang Qing wanted to exact revenge on if he ever got his hands on him?”
Qi Chengzhi gritted his teeth and nodded. “I hear that he’s gone into hiding. He’s no longer going to the office, and even his colleagues have no idea where he is.”
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Yu Qianyin stared at Song Yu’s phone and let out a loud cry. Song Donglin quickly wrapped her in his arms. He clenched his jaw and stayed strong—he needed to support Yu Qianyin.
“Where did Song Yu go? Why is her phone battered? She’s carrying a child now! What happened to her?” Yu Qianyin uttered between sobs. “I’m so sorry. Stupid tantrums. If I just forgave Qi Chengzhi, Song Yu wouldn’t have to visit home alone all the time. If she came with Qi Chengzhi, this wouldn’t have happened. Lao Song, it’s my fault, my fault. Song Yu… Song Yu, she…”
“Let’s stay calm.” Song Donglin suppressed the worry in his heart and consoled Yu Qianyin with a reassuring tone. “It’s just a phone. It may not even be Song Yu’s. And even if it is, it doesn’t mean that something bad had happened to her. There may be an explanation.”
“Xiao Fan, go get a clean plastic bag to put the phone in. Refrain from touching it with your bare hands,” Qi Chengzhi ordered through the phone.
Xiao Fan nodded and went to ask Song Donglin, who kept his wits about him. “Sir, do you have a clean plastic bag?”
“Yes.” Song Donglin released Yu Qianyin and went to the kitchen. He took out a roll of plastic bag and tore one off to contain the phone.
Xiao Fan switched on the phone. Upon checking the call log, he told Qi Chengzhi, “Young Master Cheng, it is the missus’s phone.”
Qi Chengzhi felt his leg became jelly-like and his body shook. He clutched the backrest of his office chair for support.
From the phone, he could hear the sobs coming from Yu Qianyin. He gritted his teeth.
“Bring the phone to the police,” Qi Chengzhi spoke through his clenched jaw.
“Yes, sir.” Xiao Fan nodded and turned to Song Donglin and Yu Qianyin. “I’m going to the police station.”
“We’ll follow!” Yu Qianyin said through her tears. Her eyes were bloodshot.
“That…” Xiao Fan was uncertain if that was the best course of action.
Song Donglin stepped in. “Qianyin, you stay at home. There might have been a misunderstanding. If Song Yu comes back, there should be someone home to open the door for her. I’ll go with Xiao Fan.”
Yu Qianyin knew the possibility was slim but she wanted to hold onto whatever sliver of hope there was, so she agreed. “Call me if there’s any information. I want to be kept updated.”
“Stay home and don’t think too much. Don’t worry,” assured Song Donglin.
Once Song Donglin was out of the house, tears sprang from his eyes. He could no longer keep a lid on his emotions.
In the office, Qi Chengzhi took his car keys and was ready to leave. He took a step and found his legs shaking. The fear in his heart made him choke back a sob. This would be the first time in his thirty-five years on Earth that he felt true fear. He thought that his worst fear would be the revelation about the truth behind the Song family’s bankruptcy—he was proven wrong.
At that point, even if Song Yu did not forgive him, she would still be healthy and safe. Now, Qi Chengzhi had no clue about her status or whereabouts.
He was shaking so badly that breathing was becoming difficult.
He willed himself to walk out of his office. He placed his keys on Cheng Dongge’s desk and said, “Drive me to the police station.”
A bewildered look appeared on Cheng Dongge’s face as he looked at the pale-faced Qi Chengzhi. Despite not knowing the context, he took the car keys wordlessly.
“Xiao Fan, tell me again. Exactly what happened when you dropped Song Yu off,” Qi Chengzhi spoke into the phone. While Qi Chengzhi was still on the line, Xiao Fan did not dare put down the phone.
“There were a lot of cars around the apartment block so I couldn’t find a parking spot. The missus got off at the main entrance and I watched as she walked into the building. I only drove off to find parking after she was inside.” Xiao Fan realized where the gap was. “I should have accompanied her up the stairs. It must have been then, the missus…”
The blood drained from Xiao Fan’s face. He blamed himself for the incident. “Young Master Cheng, I’m sorry. It was my negligence…”
“Go to the police first,” Qi Chengzhi said. He was at wits’ end with the situation and hung up the phone. He and Cheng Dongge strode out of the office building.
Once in the car, Qi Chengzhi sat motionless in the backseat. His hands were clenched tight and his body grew cold as his thoughts drifted to Song Yu.
Qi Chengzhi shut his eyes. His jaw muscles were strained. After a while, he moved his thumb to wipe his eyes. He rested his thumb and forefinger on his eyes.
Cheng Dongge watched him from the rearview mirror but did not know what to say.
There was a long silence before Qi Chengzhi’s hoarse voice spoke from behind, “Song Yu’s missing.”
Cheng Dongge’s eyes widened in shock. “What happened?”
He had never heard of Qi Chengzhi’s voice crack so badly. Although Qi Chengzhi was not crying, he could hear the occasional choked-back sob.
Qi Chengzhi felt that he needed to talk to someone about this. To crumble at such a critical time point, he had never felt this weak and useless before.
He breathed in with his nose. With a tremble in his voice, Qi Chengzhi spoke, “Song Yu went back to her parents’ house today. Xiao Fan saw with his own eyes, Song Yu entering the apartment building but her parents said she didn’t come home. No one saw her and Xiao Fan found her phone shattered in the apartment stairwell.”
After hearing the news, Cheng Dongge picked up speed and they drove in silence.
…
…
As Xiao Fan was driving, Grandmother Qi called. He hesitated but fear made him answer the call.
“Xiao Fan, where are you guys? Why can’t I get to Song Yu’s phone?” Grandmother Qi’s voice blared through the phone. “How’s the situation at her place? I thought about giving her mother a call.”
Grandmother Qi thought that if Song Yu could not move Yu Qianyin, she would personally talk to Yu Qianyin. She figured Yu Qianyin would not outright reject a request from an old lady of nobility.
“This…” Xiao Fan struggled to answer her question.
Song Yu’s disappearance was so sudden and Xiao Fan’s mind was scrambled. He had no time to think through how he should tell the family. He also forgot to ask Qi Chengzhi about informing the family.
The stutters from Xiao Fan immediately aroused suspicion. Grandmother Qi sat up straight and adjusted her prescription glasses. She spoke with a stern tone, “Xiao Fan, be honest with me—did something happen?”
“Ma’am…” Xiao Fan’s face turned pale. He was almost in tears as he replied, “It’s my fault… I lost the missus…”
“What happened?” Grandmother Qi’s heart jumped to her throat. Her hands gripped the arms of her chair. “What do you mean you lost Song Yu?”
“Let me talk to her.” Song Donglin realized that Xiao Fan was too anxious to speak, so he volunteered to deliver the news. He did not want Xiao Fan to be distracted from driving. “Grandmother Qi, it’s me, Song Donglin.”
“Xiao Song, what happened? Xiao Fan’s story didn’t make sense. Is Song Yu with you?” Grandmother Qi asked hurriedly.
“Song Yu is missing. Xiao Fan saw her walked upstairs but we were home the whole time and she didn’t appear. It’s been two hours and no one has seen her. Then, Xiao Fan found her shattered phone in the stairwell while he was walking up. Now we’re heading to the police station.” As Song Donglin finished, tears streamed down his eyes. He quickly rubbed them away and continued, “You don’t worry too much. It might be a misunderstanding. We’ll talk to the police first and update you as soon as we know what’s going on.”
“Okay… Okay…” Grandmother Qi placed the phone back into its cradle absentmindedly. She started to feel light in the head and darkness descended over her as her vision blurred.
“What happened?” Grandfather Qi was listening on the side but could not make out the whole story.
“Song Yu… Song Yu’s gone missing…” Grandmother Qi told Grandfather Qi what Song Donglin had said on the phone. She was in low spirits—it felt like the end of the world. “Everything was going so well. Why did this happen?”
The news took Grandfather Qi by surprise. He sat there, not knowing what to do. There were some tea cups on the side table so he tried to calm his mind by making tea but his hands were trembling feverishly. He resigned himself to clasping his hands together to stop the trembling.
A sudden realization dawned on Grandmother Qi. “Do you think this is happening because of the fortune lot Song Yu drew that day? It was foretold that something bad will happen”
“Nonsense! We don’t even know if something actually happened. It might be a misunderstanding. Don’t curse the child,” Grandfather Qi grumbled. His tone was more serious than usual.
Grandmother Qi knew that he did not believe his own words. Why else would his temper be so bad.
The cries escaped from her frail body. “Old man, what if… what if… Aish! What’s happening? Everything was fine this morning, why…”
“Pei! Don’t even say that. That’s like—” Grandfather Qi stopped mid-sentence. Blood rushed to his face as he yelled, “Stop crying! Cry if it’s confirmed that something’s happened! There’s no actual evidence yet, right?”
Grandmother Qi rubbed her aching chest and clasped her hands in prayer. She cried to the heavens. “Bless us Buddha. Please protect Song Yu and guide her to safety! Bless us Buddha!”
Grandfather Qi left her to her mumblings and shouted at the kitchen’s direction, “Xiao Liu, come here!”
Aunt Liu was unaware of the situation when she ran into the room. All she saw was Grandmother Qi crying.
“Ring up all the children, tell them to come home,” Grandfather Qi said. “Zhongliang, Zhongxun, Chenglin, and Chengyue. Tell them to come home regardless of where they’re at or what they’re doing.”
“Yes, sir.” Aunt Liu quickly took out her phone and dialed for the mentioned people.
“Oh, you can keep Chengzhi out of this,” Grandfather Qi said. He reckoned Qi Chengzhi was currently busy with the situation at hand.
Aunt Liu went to start her task. Grandmother Qi stood up and walked to the door. She pulled her hands together and prayed to the sky. “Buddha, our family has never done any evil deeds. I’ve already lost a grandchild. Please don’t let anything happen to my child. I beg you, great Buddha. Protect her. We’ve done no wrong to deserve this.”
…
…
Qi Chengzhi and Xiao Fan met in front of the police stations. Once Xiao Fan saw Qi Chengzhi, he immediately apologized and blamed himself for the incident.
“Where’s Song Yu’s phone?” Qi Chengzhi ignored Xiao Fan’s apology. Xiao Fan quickly brought out the phone that was bundled inside a bag.
Qi Chengzhi’s tensed when he saw the phone. It was broken beyond repair. The phone screen was shattered and the body was bent. His stomach spasmed in response to the stress and he clenched his teeth.
He turned around and went into the police station. Xiao Fan and Song Donglin followed suit.
Qi Chengzhi filed for a missing person’s report. Although the case filed was on a hunch, Qi Chengzhi’s name made the police act quickly.
The cellphone was the most important evidence and was sent to the lab for analysis. Qi Chengzhi stood in the middle of the lab, unmoving like a solid pillar. His presence made the atmosphere in the room heavy. He was not budging until the lab results came out.
A police officer tried to convince him to sit down but Qi Chengzhi ignored him. He stood there in silence but the pressure was undoubtedly felt by every person in the room.
Seeing the forlorn faces of his underlings, the lab manager personally came over to speak to Qi Chengzhi, “Chengzhi, why don’t you have a seat?”
“My wife’s condition is unknown, how could I rest?” Qi Chengzhi spoke coldly with a dark expression.
Since he did not sit down, the lab manager could only stand upright with him. The analysts were under pressure and thought, ‘Is this lab manager here to help or to stress us out?’ The two figures looming over them made it difficult for them to do their job.
“Brother.” Qi Chenglin came in with Qi Chengyue in tow.
Qi Chengzhi was surprised. “Why are you here?”
“Grandpa and Grandma already know of the situation. Uncle and Auntie and my parents are all at the family house. Chengji has asked for a leave of absence from the army and is making his way back,” Qi Chenglin explained in a sincere tone.
“Brother, why didn’t you tell the family about such an urgent issue?” Qi Chengyue said. Cheng Dongge walked over and wrapped his arms around her shoulder.
“I didn’t want them to worry,” Qi Chengzhi said tiredly, all his energy was focused on finding Song Yu. “How did our grandparents know?”
“It was me…” Xiao Fan said meekly. He stood up anxiously, wondering if he did another thing wrong. “Your grandmother called me as she was looking for the missus, so—”
“I was the one who told her the specifics,” Song Donglin stood up and said. He was worried that in a moment of anger, Qi Chengzhi would put all the blame on Xiao Fan and take it out on the poor guy.
Qi Chengzhi did not say anything. He turned to Qi Chenglin. “How are Grandpa and Grandma taking the news?”
“They’re both worried. Grandma’s been crying and praying to Buddha.” Qi Chenglin thought of the summons he got to return to the family house. On the phone, Aunt Liu did not say much other than it was an urgent matter.
When Qi Chenglin walked into the front yard, he saw his grandmother standing by the front door, crying to the sky. He only got to know about the situation when he met Grandfather Qi.
“The results are out.” The police officer, Xiao Chen, came over with the bagged phone. “We found a high concentration of triazolam and sevoflurane. They are highly potent sedatives. Also, we lifted prints from the phone that matches that of Mrs. Qi.”
The mood in the room quickly changed. Qi Chengzhi locked his jaw.
Qi Chengyue covered her mouth with her hand and sank into Cheng Dongge’s embrace.
“Everyone.” Liu Dui stood up and summoned. “Xiao Chen, Xiao Zhang, you two go check the primary scene. See if there’s any surveillance cameras. Xiang Dong, Jiang Ying, Fang Zi, you guys check the neighborhood. Ask around if anyone saw anything suspicious during the incident time.”
The police officers took their orders and left. Liu Dui remained and spoke to Qi Chengzhi, “Mr. Qi, please ensure your phone is always within reach. Try to keep your line open. If this is a kidnapping case, the kidnapper will definitely contact you. While we’re looking for the suspect, you need to wait for the kidnapper’s call. In all the past kidnapping cases that I’ve been assigned to, the kidnapper always initiates contact with the family.”
Qi Chengzhi nodded his head. The people who knew his number were few and far between. There was only Yan Beicheng and his friends and they would not call him without reason. In terms of work calls, people would get in touch with Cheng Dongge first instead of contacting him directly.
“Jiadi, standby. Once the kidnapper calls in, immediately run a trace,” Liu Dui told one of the officers who stayed back.
Dong Jiadi nodded. In front of him, there were three computers ready.
Qi Chengzhi was finally willing to sit down. He rested his arms on his thighs and buried his face in his hands, his eyes bloodshot. Song Donglin and Qi Chenglin flanked him. Qi Chenglin said nothing and kept his distance, a silent company.
Qi Chengzhi heard Lui Dui talking to his colleagues about strategy. “Kidnapping cases are eighty to ninety percent premeditated. From the sedatives, we know that the kidnapper planned this. The kidnapper was also able to move Mrs. Qi without anyone noticing.”
Once Liu Dui was done, he walked over to Qi Chengzhi. “Mr. Qi, do you have any enemies? Anyone who hates you that may try to take it out on your wife as revenge?”
Qi Chengzhi’s competitors were many but enemies, he had few, After so many years in the business, he had ruined many competitors but could not think of any who would resort to such dirty tactics.
Qi Chengzhi’s brows furrowed. He spoke in an icy tone, “I can only think of one person.”
Everyone turned to look at Qi Chengzhi. Song Donglin’s face darkened. Was Song Yu just a collateral in Qi Chengzhi’s feud?
“Jian Yi.” Qi Chengzhi said the name with icily. “The thing with Jian Yi is a private affair but the more I think about it, the more likely it is.”
Hearing Jian Yi’s name, Song Donglin no longer blamed Qi Chengzhi. If it was really Jian Yi, Song Yu was not collateral.
Everything started with Jian Yi. He was the one who lied to Song Yu. Once she found out about the truth and got together with Qi Chengzhi, Jian Yi could not let go. Even when Song Yu got married, Jian Yi still did not give up. All the while Jian Yi was married to Qi Chengyue, he was still harassing Song Yu and it had hurt Qi Chengyue.
He was the one who cheated first but he plotted to gain half of the company shares under Qi Chengyue’s name. Song Donglin did not know about the car accident that happened the night before Qi Chengzhi and Song Yu’s wedding. Jian Yi tried to kill Qi Chengzhi with his car.
Once Liu Dui heard the name, he immediately understood. “The Jian Yi that you’re talking about, it’s the same one who was helping the anti-smuggling squad on the investigation into the car-smuggling ring? The one who Wang Qing wanted to exact revenge on if he ever got his hands on him?”
Qi Chengzhi gritted his teeth and nodded. “I hear that he’s gone into hiding. He’s no longer going to the office, and even his colleagues have no idea where he is.”
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