Things seemed to be heading in a positive direction.
Lu Yunze and Xia Youqing had intended to return to the restaurant to find Jiang Sui, but they both received a message from her at the same time, informing them that she had already gone home.
“Sui went home? Does that mean she paid for dinner tonight?”
Upon hearing the news, Xia Youqing’s expression immediately crumpled.
“Sigh, I didn’t expect to let Sui spend her money tonight. She’s probably still angry with me.”
“Don’t be so pessimistic, Madam.”
Lu Yunze was not as worried as she was, nor was he concerned about Jiang Sui spending money.
This was because, along with the message, Jiang Sui had attached a screenshot of the bill. The intent for reimbursement was practically written on her face.
After transferring the money for the meal to Jiang Sui, Lu Yunze put down his mobile phone and asked Xia Youqing if she wanted to take a car back.
“No, let’s walk. I’ll buy some things to take back along the way, otherwise, I won’t feel right about it.”
Xia Youqing sighed.
“I hope she understands that I’m doing all this for her own good.”
“Don’t worry, Madam. Jiang Sui isn’t the type of person to make a scene without reason. Even if she says she won’t forgive you, she definitely won’t hold a real grudge in her heart.”
“That’s good, then.”
Without realizing it, the two of them were already able to communicate like ordinary friends.
Lu Yunze suddenly felt a sense of relief.
It seemed that he wouldn’t have to be so nervous about coming to Jiang Sui’s house in the future.
‘Wait… why would I think about the “future”?’
Lu Yunze began to think seriously again.
Previously, he only knew that Jiang Sui’s father owed the Luo family a lot of money, and he thought the matter was a simple monetary dispute.
But judging from tonight’s situation, the man’s enemies clearly went beyond just the Luo family.
What exactly did that man do to incur so many grudges?
Lu Yunze felt it was necessary to investigate this irresponsible man and his relationship with the Luo family.
If the Luo family truly forced Jiang Sui and her mother…
Then he would stand up and help them no matter what.
The worst-case result would probably be never seeing each other again.
Considering that both he and Jiang Sui were no longer children, Lu Yunze planned to speak clearly once they got back, and then try his best to return to the Luo family before the night grew too late.
The two of them bought some fruit that Jiang Sui liked on the street.
Xia Youqing walked in front while Lu Yunze followed behind. Together, they returned to the apartment complex, walked up the stairs, and arrived at the front door.
“The keys… where are the keys? Strange, where are my keys?”
Xia Youqing rummaged through her bag.
Just then, Lu Yunze’s gaze suddenly shifted toward the end of the corridor.
A dark shadow quickly retracted into the stairwell, as if trying to avoid his gaze.
Lu Yunze frowned.
Right then, Xia Youqing found her keys, opened the door, and gestured for him to come in.
“Sui, come out quickly! Look at the good things Mom brought for you!”
“Sui?”
“Are you in your room?”
Xia Youqing placed the fruit on the table. Seeing no response, she walked toward the bedroom.
Lu Yunze looked at the shoes on the shoe rack, and his heart tightened.
Jiang Sui’s slippers were still placed there neatly.
‘Something is wrong!’
“Aaaah—!!”
Xia Youqing’s scream suddenly erupted from the bedroom.
A chill instantly climbed up Lu Yunze’s spine.
At almost the same time, an enemy hidden behind the door suddenly appeared, raising a metal pipe to smash it down hard toward the back of his head.
*Bang!*
The metal pipe did not hit Lu Yunze. Instead, it slammed heavily against the shoe rack, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Lu Yunze ducked to the side, grabbed the opponent’s wrist with a backhand, and snatched the metal pipe away.
*Thud!*
He struck the opponent’s face with the pipe, knocking him unconscious on the spot.
Immediately following that, an enemy hiding behind the sofa jumped out, raising a handgun equipped with a silencer and firing several shots at Lu Yunze.
In the urgent situation, Lu Yunze could only roll and hide behind the sofa as bullets continuously struck the furniture.
When the opponent ran out of ammunition and prepared to reload, Lu Yunze lunged out and grabbed a chair, hurling it forward.
The chair shattered, and the enemy fell to the ground, unable to get back up.
Lu Yunze did not stop. He immediately rushed toward Jiang Sui’s bedroom.
But just as he reached the corridor entrance, he stopped.
Xia Youqing was being held hostage.
A thug was pressing a gun against her temple, his expression even appearing somewhat twisted.
“Are you… here to settle the score for her husband?” Lu Yunze asked in a cold voice.
“We are acting on the Boss’s orders.”
“The Boss?”
That word had appeared again.
It seemed this matter could not be left to the police; it had to be resolved tonight.
“Who is your Boss?”
“We are acting on the Boss’s orders.”
The man repeated himself like a recording.
His eyes were dull, as if he had lost his sanity.
Lu Yunze’s brow furrowed tightly.
‘This guy is not right.’
Furthermore, the weapon in his hand was a gun. He couldn’t solve this as easily as before.
Lu Yunze summoned his Heavy Sword, the tip of the blade hitting the floor with a heavy thud.
Xia Youqing’s eyes widened, but she did not dare to make a sound.
However, the Heavy Sword could only intimidate.
Whether in terms of speed or distance, it could not be faster than the gun pressed against her head.
‘What should I do?’
‘How can I get the muzzle to move away?’
While Lu Yunze was thinking, Xia Youqing suddenly moved.
She abruptly lifted her foot backward, kicking with all her might between the thug’s legs.
The man’s expression twisted instantly, and the gun in his hand shifted.
‘A chance!’
Lu Yunze exploded into motion, charging forward.
Before the opponent could react to the agonizing pain, the Heavy Sword slammed into his face, flipping him over onto the floor.
The crisis was resolved.
Lu Yunze breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Xia Youqing.
“Where is Jiang Sui?”
“I… I don’t know…”
She was so terrified that her voice was trembling.
Lu Yunze knelt down and looked at the thug on the ground.
The man’s face was swollen, his nose was crooked, and blood flowed incessantly, yet he was still conscious.
Lu Yunze drove the Heavy Sword into the floor and asked coldly, “Where is Jiang Sui?”
“We are acting on the Boss’s orders…”
Still repeating it.
Lu Yunze slowly turned the blade, aiming it at his neck.
“I will ask one more time. Where is Jiang Sui?”
“W-we…”
The thug’s expression was confused.
“We took her to the Boss…”
“What?!”
Xia Youqing rushed forward, grabbing his collar and shaking him desperately.
“You sent Sui to the Dilong Gang?! You bastard!”
However, the man was soon shaken into a daze and lost consciousness completely.
“The Dilong Gang…” Lu Yunze muttered. “Sounds like a criminal organization.”
He was just considering his next move when Xia Youqing rushed in front of him, nearly on the verge of a breakdown.
“Lu Yunze, I beg of you, go save Sui!”
“Do you know where they are?”
“I know… and I know very well.”
At this point, she was no longer hiding anything.
The Dilong Gang hadn’t targeted her for the first time.
When she said she was going on a business trip before, she had actually been in hiding.
But the other party had never let them go.
Since they couldn’t find the husband, they vented their anger on the mother and daughter.
“It doesn’t matter what happens to me, but Sui can’t…”
Xia Youqing finally burst into tears.
“Her life has only just begun. She’s my only daughter…”
“Lu Yunze, you are her friend, and a Secret Arts Practitioner… Please save her…”
Her voice was so choked with sobs that it was almost unintelligible.
What a truly unfortunate pair of mother and daughter.
Lu Yunze took a deep breath and shouldered the Heavy Sword.
“Madam, didn’t I say it before?”
“I will definitely protect Jiang Sui.”
“Really?”
“Tell me where they are.”
His tone was very calm.
But the fire of rage in his eyes was almost ready to erupt.
If anything happened to Jiang Sui—
He would never forgive them.
She trained him good 👀