Wu Xiufang broke the silence, saying, "I wanted to stall them for a bit longer, but this person was very alert, and their voice sounded altered. It shouldn't be their real voice."
"That's right," a police officer said. "The kidnappers used a voice changer. But since they mentioned the ransom amount, they'll call you again. Make sure to stall them as much as possible then."
"Yes, yes, they'll call again," Huangfu Sisong continued to stare at his phone, thinking that the kidnappers would either call Wu Xiufang's phone or his.
Everyone continued to wait, expecting the kidnappers to call again.
However, a whole night passed, and the kidnappers did not call their phones again.
Mengqi, unable to stay awake, fell asleep in a chair near dawn.
In a daze, she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket and saw it was Song Jiaping calling.
She saw her parents dozing on the sofa in the hall, several police officers sleeping in front of the monitoring equipment, and Yao Feili also asleep in another chair.
Everyone was exhausted from staying up all night, and no one could predict when the kidnappers would make another ransom call.
Mengqi took her phone and went outside the hall to answer it.
"Song Jiaping, you haven't been answering my calls, why are you calling me now?"
"Mengqi, I won't beat around the bush with you. Did your family receive a call from the kidnappers? Is Mengyao safe? Have the police you deployed at your home investigated the origin of these kidnappers..."
"No, right now we're as clueless as you are," Mengqi said anxiously. "The kidnappers called my mom once yesterday, the call was very short, they demanded fifty million yuan for ransom, and then they never called again."
She told Song Jiaping the truth, believing that he was also worried about Mengyao and wouldn't abandon her.
After all, one more person helping was always good, and she hoped Mengyao could be rescued safely as soon as possible.
Song Jiaping asked, "Since the kidnappers demanded ransom, did they mention the method or location of the exchange?"
"Precisely because they didn't mention it in the first call, we all assumed the kidnappers would call again, and we stayed up all night waiting."
Song Jiaping paused and said, "If the kidnappers call again, and you get any news about Mengyao, can you tell me immediately?"
"Yes," Mengqi couldn't help but ask him, "Are you... are you already carrying out your plan for revenge against my parents?"
Song Jiaping didn't answer her and said, "Our positions are different on this matter, and I don't want to make things difficult for you, so I didn't answer your calls. If you were me, wouldn't you do something for your family?"
"I understand. I would also defend my family and my company with my life." Mengqi knew they could no longer be friends, and they would likely be on opposing sides if they met again.
"I know," Song Jiaping hung up.
As Mengqi put away her phone and was about to return to the hall, she saw Yao Feili also coming out.
"You're awake."
Yao Feili walked closer to her and asked, "Who were you just talking to on the phone?"
"It was a friend calling me," Mengqi said, taking his hand. "I'll go to the kitchen and ask the maid to make something to eat."
Yao Feili pulled her back and said, "I'm not hungry yet. I want to stand outside and get some fresh air."
"Okay, I'll accompany you," Mengqi smiled at him and said, "You worked hard last night."
Yao Feili hugged her and said, "Why are you being so formal with me? Mengyao is in trouble, of course, I should help. Your family is my family."
"Lao Yao," Mengqi didn't know what to say; everything was understood without words.
At first, she had given herself to Yao Feili somewhat reluctantly, thinking they could just make do.
But she hadn't expected that Yao Feili, with his maturity and tolerance, would make her feel like a princess after marriage, and she experienced what it was like to be pampered.
Whether in terms of emotion or career, Yao Feili had given her so much, and she had been moved by him without realizing it.
"Don't you think your mother seems less worried about Mengyao than your father? She appears calmer." Yao Feili walked with her, hand in hand.
Mengqi didn't find it strange and said, "That's how it is. Don't underestimate my mother just because she's been a full-time housewife. In times of crisis, my mother is very decisive. She's different from ordinary housewives; otherwise, how could she have kept a big shot like my father in check for so many years?"
Yao Feili nodded and said, "Yes, you should inherit these qualities from your mother. A woman of outstanding ability."
"Perhaps," Mengqi sighed, feeling that recently, bad things had been happening one after another, and there was never a moment of peace.
Yao Feili had noticed her constant worry lately and asked, "Besides Mengyao's situation, what else are you afraid of?"
"Lao Yao, I have a feeling our family might face a major storm soon. Huangfu Group... Huangfu Group might collapse... it might be doomed..."
"Why do you think that? How could such a large group like Huangfu Group collapse? You're just overthinking," Yao Feili comforted her.
Mengqi looked at him and said, "I hope I'm just overthinking it too."
"Don't worry, no matter what happens, I'm still here. I will fully support Huangfu Group," Yao Feili squeezed her hand.
Mengqi hugged him proactively, "Lao Yao, it's so good to have you by my side."
Yao Feili smiled and said, "I fell in love with you at first sight. Back then, I thought how wonderful it would be if I could marry you, and I never expected my dream to actually come true."
"What's so good about me?" Mengqi asked, her throat feeling sore.
"In my eyes, you are simply the best."
They walked around the fountain outside before returning to the hall. Huangfu Sisong, Wu Xiufang, and several police officers had woken up.
Mengqi quickly asked, "Mom, Dad, did the kidnappers call?"
Both Huangfu Sisong and Wu Xiufang shook their heads simultaneously. One police officer said, "In typical ransom kidnapping cases, the kidnappers would call frequently before receiving the ransom. At most, they would keep changing phone numbers and locations. It's very rare for them to make one call, state the ransom amount, and then not call again all night."
Mengqi asked fearfully, "They're not in a hurry for the money, or has my sister already... already..."
"No, Mengyao will be fine!" Wu Xiufang interrupted her, saying with certainty.
Mengqi quickly said, "Yes, yes," knowing that saying such things would be unbearable for her parents.
Wu Xiufang looked at the officer in charge and said, "If the kidnappers don't call again proactively, can we post a reward online? Anyone who provides clues about the kidnappers or helps us rescue our daughter will receive a million yuan reward."
"No, that's too risky," the officer disagreed. "Doing so might provoke the kidnappers and put the hostage in danger. Let's wait a few more days, at least three days before considering it."
Huangfu Sisong said, "Yes, we'll listen to the police. Posting a reward online would blow things out of proportion and be detrimental to Mengyao."
Wu Xiufang had no choice but to nod, appearing a bit drained of energy.
Mengqi said to them, "Mom, Dad, you should go back to your room to rest. Feili and I will watch the phone here. We'll call you as soon as the kidnappers call."