"I'm merely stating the facts," Lu Yanming said in a calm tone.
But to Qing Kangyu, Lu Yanming's attitude felt like sarcasm, tinged with contempt, further fueling his annoyance. "Don't think for a moment that a few words from you will change my stance. Beep beep beep…"
After he finished speaking, the call ended with a dial tone.
Qing Kangyu had ruthlessly hung up the phone.
Lu Yanming held his phone, tilting his head to look out the window. The dark mountain road was dotted with sparse streetlights, shimmering like stars in the boundless darkness, yet unable to penetrate his heart.
Just as he was lost in thought, his phone suddenly rang. It was Shen Liannuo. "What's up?"
Surrounded by enemies and seeing danger in every bush, even a call from Shen Liannuo made his heartstrings tighten, fearing that something else had happened.
"Lu Yanming, there's something I'm not sure if I should tell you…" Shen Liannuo sounded conflicted on the phone.
"Go ahead."
"I suspect that the people who came to Xishanju today were two separate groups." Shen Liannuo then emphasized, "I just suspect it, I don't have concrete evidence yet."
"Why do you say that?"
"After you left, there were three survivors at the scene. I questioned them briefly. Although they remained tight-lipped, I just felt they weren't from the same faction."
Shen Liannuo clicked her tongue and added, "It's just a hunch, a very strong hunch."
"Two groups…" Lu Yanming frowned, pondering, and murmured, "Besides Tang Nian, who else could it be? Qing Sihai definitely not. Could it be… Franck Street?"
"I thought so too," Shen Liannuo also felt it was the Antina family's doing. "But if that's the case, things become even more difficult, don't they?"
"Understood," Lu Yanming said, seeing that he had already reached the foot of the mountain. "I've already come down. You protect Jingwei's parents and the child. I'll handle the rest."
"Mm."
Shen Liannuo responded, and just as she was about to hang up, Lu Yanming added from the other end, "You be careful too."
"Nonsense, what could happen to me?" Shen Liannuo scoffed and ended the call.
For the next while, Shen Liannuo stayed at Xishanju, facing a long and agonizing wait.
…
The events returned to yesterday.
Hospital.
Tang Si spent more than half the day accompanying Shi Ran at the hospital, then received a call from his mother. "Xiao Si, where is Wuyan? Wuyan went out yesterday and still can't be found. I also asked your father-in-law's family. They said Wuyan left after returning, and they don't know where she went after that."
On the phone, Tang Si's mother sounded anxious, her voice faintly trembling. "Wuyan she… something might have happened to that girl."
"I don't know."
Tang Si glanced at Shi Ran lying in the hospital bed, got up, and walked out of the ward while on the phone.
"Oh, you don't know? Wuyan is your wife, your wife is lost, and you're not worried at all!" Tang Si's mother's voice grew increasingly sharp, finally unable to contain her anger, she yelled at Tang Si.
Worried?
The coldness in Tang Si's eyes could no longer be concealed. The corners of his lips curved into an arc, and he said coldly, "I'm very busy."
"Busy with what? Where are you now? Come back immediately. If you don't come back now, I'll have your father find you himself!"
In utter helplessness, Tang Si's mother resorted to threats and intimidation, forcing Tang Si to return home immediately.