"Watch your tone, Mr. Huo. We have hostages. If you dare make a move, we'll kill them immediately!"
"Kill them?" Huo Tingyun's eyes turned cold as he stared at the two kidnappers. "Kill one, and you'll accompany them to the grave. Kill two, and your families will follow. Kill three, and your ancestors for eighteen generations will be buried with you!"
Su Qi couldn't see the kidnappers' expressions, but she clearly heard the sharp intake of breath from both of them.
Whether out of fear or forced composure, one of the kidnappers laughed heartily, "Huo Tingyun, your tactics won't work on us. We're hired guns. We've long since cast aside life and death. Do you think people like us, who lick blood off the edge of a blade, fear death?"
"Master Huo, is it? Seeing as you're a straightforward man, we'll be blunt. You want the people, and it's not impossible. It's just that the money you brought today isn't enough. You can only save one of these two women!"
After speaking, the kidnapper laughed even more brazenly towards the sky. In the empty factory, the echo of his laughter could be heard.
Hearing the kidnapper's words, Li Caiyi's face changed. Her already pale and bruised face turned even whiter. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she stared intently at Su Qi's five-month pregnant belly. The belly was larger than that of a typical five-month pregnancy, making Su Qi appear even more slender and frail.
"Sister Su Qi, Sister Su Qi, I don't want to die. I'm still young, I don't want to die. I have a man I love. I don't want to die like this. But I don't want to harm you, I don't want your child to die either. I want us all to live well..."
Overwhelmed by fear, Li Caiyi was on the verge of fainting.
Su Qi held Li Caiyi's hand. "Don't worry."
Don't worry, Huo Tingyun will choose you.
After all, you are Huo Tingyun's white moonlight.
You are Huo Tingyun's youthful joy.
You are Huo Tingyun's emotional solace, his soulmate, the destination of all his love.
Su Qi had never imagined that Huo Tingyun loved her. But after Li Caiyi appeared, Su Qi finally understood what it meant for a man to fall in love with a woman.
Huo Tingyun was a germaphobe. He had never held hands with another woman, let alone brought another woman to his residence, much less spent the night together, embracing each other in sleep.
After Li Caiyi appeared, all these impossibilities became possibilities.
It turned out it wasn't impossible, just not loved enough.
True love could break all rules.
How ironic.
Not long ago, she even had the illusion that Huo Tingyun loved her.
But illusions were, after all, just illusions.
Su Qi raised her hand and gently wiped away Li Caiyi's tears with her fingertips. "Don't cry, he'll be heartbroken."
Li Caiyi was still weeping. Before Su Qi could offer further comfort, she heard the man's cold, magnetic voice again.
"I'll bring more money. I want to take both of them!"
"Hahahaha—As expected of Deep City's Master Huo. It's a pity, but it's impossible! No matter how much money you give, ten billion, a hundred billion, you can only take one of these two women! No bargaining, no room for negotiation. Do you understand, Mr. Huo!"
The kidnapper stared at Huo Tingyun with a perverted smile, seemingly enjoying himself, as if his sole purpose was to torment Huo Tingyun, not to extort money. "What do you want—"
Whatever it was, he could satisfy it!
As long as they let these two go!
"What do we want? Mr. Huo, you are ruthless, bloodthirsty, and merciless. How many people have begged you? Have you softened? Have you felt pity? Have you shown mercy? And now you're negotiating with me? Master Huo, hurry and choose. You only have one chance. Today, you can only take one! The other is destined to die here!"
The kidnapper pulled out a shotgun and pulled the trigger.
Su Qi couldn't help but gasp inwardly.
A shotgun, this was the most lethal weapon among small arms.
At close range, one shot was enough to kill.
She hadn't expected these kidnappers to be so well-prepared.
They had clearly planned for a long time, traveling from north to south solely to exact revenge on Huo Tingyun.
Huo Tingyun, Huo Tingyun, you never thought you'd see this day.
This man, who stood at the pinnacle of power, wielded immense authority, and could command the wind and rain, now found himself threatened face-to-face.
Su Qi truly wanted to laugh. A faint curve unconsciously formed on her lips.
If she hadn't been kidnapped at this moment, she feared she would have burst out laughing.
At this moment, the expression on the man's handsome face was as grim as it could possibly be. His hands, hanging by his sides, were clenched into fists, making cracking sounds. Veins bulged on the back of his hands, as if his blood vessels were about to burst.
"I want both of them. Name your price!"
"Master Huo, stop wasting time. We don't want any price. Choose one immediately, or you won't save either of them!"
Another kidnapper grabbed Li Caiyi by the hair and yanked hard. Li Caiyi cried out in pain, tears streaming down her face as she looked at Huo Tingyun. "Brother Tingyun, I don't want to die, I don't want to die..."
Li Caiyi shook her head frantically, begging for help, driven by instinct.
Su Qi watched it all with cold eyes.
This dramatic display of affection was even more captivating than any television drama.
"How interesting. You, the original wife, aren't crying or making a scene. What is it, you're so sure your husband will save you? Tsk tsk tsk, then you're truly unfortunate. You're just a concubine to Huo Tingyun. How can you compare to Huo Tingyun's wife? I think you should stop crying so pitifully and accept your fate. Hahahaha—"
The kidnapper threw his head back and laughed maniacally.
If her hands and feet weren't bound, Su Qi would have truly wanted to reach up and clean her ears.
So noisy.
The moment the man's gaze landed on her, Su Qi felt it instantly. She looked up and met his eyes from a distance. Huo Tingyun's eyes, in the darkness, were pure black. In the light, they held a hint of amber, like a transparent glass bead. They were narrow phoenix eyes. His eyes weren't large, but they were bright, and their shape was beautiful.
When the man had just woken up, his eyes were tender and filled with morning grumpiness, a hint of soft restraint, completely different from his usual demeanor.
Now, at the kidnapping scene, his eyes held a mixture of fatigue, indifference, and anger...
And some other emotions that Su Qi couldn't decipher.
But the moment her eyes met his, Su Qi's heart skipped a beat.
After a long pause, she saw the man slowly raise his hand and point in a direction.
"I choose—her!"
As the man's voice fell, the vast, silent abandoned factory was plunged into a deathly stillness.
The kidnappers exchanged shocked glances, unable to believe it.
How could this be?!
Huo Tingyun?!
Not saving his wife, who was five months pregnant?!
But saving a mere concubine with no official title?!