The living room fell silent in an instant.
Gong Zhijing's anxiety was no less than Ling Yucheng's, but the more critical the moment, the calmer she had to be, lest she add to the chaos.
So, when Ling Junye made the call and Ling Yucheng left, she remained silent.
"How could this happen? What if the old madam doesn't remember her way back and gets into danger!"
Qiao Xinyue's voice choked, her eyes welling up with tears. Thinking of the elderly Madam Ling, who was so old, having to suffer, she felt immense pain in her heart.
Moreover, people with Alzheimer's acted like children when their condition flared up.
What if she got into trouble all alone outside this late at night?
"Grandma will be fine," Gong Zhijing said weakly.
But now, there was nothing she could do. She couldn't even go out to search because she had to look after her daughter. All she could do was wait.
...
The Ling family was in utter disarray.
Old Master Ling stood at the entrance of the front courtyard, his expression grim and terrifying.
Outside the threshold, the courtyard lights were dim, and the darkness seemed to swallow everything. Inside, the lights were bright, yet it felt as if a pall hung over the place.
Ling Yucheng was the first to rush back. The first thing he saw upon entering the courtyard was the old man standing by the door, leaning on his cane.
Though he stood tall, his back couldn't straighten. His aging white hair and wrinkled face made him appear exceptionally lonely.
"Grandfather."
Ling Yucheng called out and then hurried closer.
Old Master Ling took a trembling step forward and reached out his hand to the approaching figure. His aged voice had become much hoarser.
"Yucheng, you're back. Your grandmother is missing."
Ling Yucheng grasped his hand, his voice steady and powerful.
"Don't worry, I will definitely find Grandma."
Old Master Ling sighed heavily, his hunched back bending even further.
"You must find her, you must..."
Ling Yucheng supported him as they walked inside, saying, "Yes, I've already asked people to check the surveillance footage along the route. We'll find her soon."
Old Master Ling rambled on, "When your grandmother's condition acts up, she's like a child. She insisted on finding a silk scarf I bought for her long ago.
No one else knows where it is, only I do, so I went to get it for her.
I asked the nanny to keep an eye on her. The nanny said she wanted grapes, so she went to the kitchen to wash them. When she returned, the person was gone.
It's so dark outside, and she doesn't remember anything. She must be so scared right now."
Ling Yucheng listened to his account quietly. On the surface, he appeared calm, but inside, his emotions were in turmoil.
Since Grandma couldn't be found immediately, his priority now was to take care of Grandfather.
Old Master Ling was also a rational person.
He sat quietly on the sofa, trying his best not to be a burden.
Yet, his very quietness made Ling Yucheng even more worried and uneasy.
But any comfort now would be futile. All he could do was be present.
Soon, Zhu Yunfei returned.
Her eyes were red, clearly having been crying.
"I'll stay here with your grandfather. You go help your father," she said to Ling Yucheng.
Ling Yucheng looked at Old Master Ling with concern.
Old Master Ling said, "Don't worry about me. I'll be fine, I'll be fine waiting for your grandmother to return.
Until she is back, nothing will happen to me."
Ling Yucheng understood the implied meaning in his words.
If his grandmother returned safely, then he would be fine. If something happened to his grandmother, then he would surely not want to live.
Time ticked by, and the night grew deeper.
The Ling residence was still brightly lit, with bodyguards in black suits moving in and out, their expressions serious, the atmosphere increasingly tense.
Reviewing the surveillance footage of the Ling residence and its surroundings, they could only see Madam Ling leaving alone.
However, she didn't take the main road but instead went into a narrow alley, disappearing into a blind spot of the cameras.
The alleys were intricate, leading in all directions, with very few areas covered by surveillance.
Therefore, finding her trace proved difficult.
This night was destined to be sleepless.
A shadow of gloom hung over the entire Ling family.
And the Gong family was equally unsettled.
Gong Zhijing and Qiao Xinyue had barely slept.
They shared a bed, sitting stiffly at the head, dark circles under their eyes, their complexions far from good.
There had been no news from the old residence for a long time, indicating that the person had still not been found.
The later it got, the greater the danger for an elderly person.
Fortunately, the weather was good; it was hot during the day but remarkably cool at night.
If it were winter, they feared the person would be frozen by the time they were found.
"I wonder where the old madam is now. Is she hungry? Is she too hot? Will she suffer from heatstroke?"
Qiao Xinyue was full of worry. She sat in the air-conditioned room, unable to bear the heat outside when she stepped out.
How could such an elderly person endure being outside alone so late at night?
Her words made Gong Zhijing even more uneasy and agitated.
When people are too happy, they are prone to misfortune.
Today had been so joyful, such a celebratory day.
And then, this happened in the evening.
If anything were to happen to Madam Ling, she feared she would never be able to hold her wedding with peace of mind.
It was because Ling Junye, Zhu Yunfei, and Ling Yucheng had all come to the Gong family to propose.
With no one at home to look after the ailing elder, this incident had occurred.
And yet, with just this momentary lapse in vigilance, such a significant event had transpired.
"It's all my fault. If only..."
At this moment, there seemed to be nothing to do but blame herself.
Qiao Xinyue sensed her negative emotions and quickly comforted her, "Don't think like that, or the old madam will be so sad and blame herself when she returns.
If anyone is to blame, it's those bodyguards. They're hired to do nothing but guard the door, and they can't even do that!"
When people are in low spirits, they tend to get stuck in a rut.
Qiao Xinyue's comfort made Gong Zhijing feel much better.
"I hope Grandma returns safely. She must be safe!" Gong Zhijing suppressed the urge to cry, trying hard to clear her mind of those chaotic thoughts.
The room fell silent again, the faint sighs of the two women occasionally breaking the quiet.
This night felt exceptionally long. Gong Zhijing felt as if a century had passed, but looking at the time, it was only past midnight.
It had been several hours since Madam Ling went missing.
After confirming that she couldn't be found in the vicinity, the Ling family reported the matter to the police, hoping to enlist their assistance in the search.
Gong Zhijing was unaware of the unfolding events at the Ling residence.
She dared not call Ling Yucheng to inquire. All she could do was wait.
"Knock, knock, knock."
Just then, a knock came from outside the room.
Gong Ye asked from outside the door, "Zhijing, are you not asleep yet?"
With no news from the Ling family, Gong Ye also couldn't sleep.
He got up in the middle of the night to use the restroom and saw that the light in Gong Zhijing's room was still on, knowing she hadn't slept either.
"No!"
Gong Zhijing replied and then put on her shoes, getting out of bed to open the door.