Kidnapping

"No way!"

Long Yejue was the first to oppose.

Long Zhenfei raised an eyebrow, glanced at Long Yejue's stern expression, and nodded slightly. "Mianmian is indeed a suitable candidate. After all, no one knows she's the eldest daughter-in-law of the Long family."

"Grandfather." Long Yejue spoke impatiently, clearly unwilling to let Tang Mianmian take the risk.

An Yi offered, "How about I go instead?"

Long Zhenfei snorted coldly. "You've been by his side all this time. Do you think the kidnappers wouldn't know you're one of his people? The only reason they've done this is to give themselves peace of mind. How would they feel reassured seeing you?"

That was true.

Although An Yi's skills and resourcefulness weren't as decisive as Long Yejue's, he had been influenced by him long enough to be highly capable. If the kidnappers were as familiar with the Long family as they seemed, they would undoubtedly recognize An Yi.

"I'll go," Tang Mianmian said earnestly, looking at Long Yejue's icy expression.

She genuinely wanted to share his burden.

"Let her go. The money is ready, and there won't be any danger," Long Fengteng advised.

"Exactly. I'll protect myself," Tang Mianmian assured him.

But the man was unwilling to relent.

Zhu Wenyi began crying again, muttering a litany of worries that made everyone's heads throb.

The tense atmosphere left everyone on edge.

Finally, Long Zhenfei gave his verdict. "Let Mianmian go. Now isn't the time to—"

It felt like an eternity had passed before Long Yejue finally relented under Tang Mianmian's persistent pleas. "Fine, you can go, but you must promise to stay safe."

If he could, he would have gone himself.

But now wasn't the time to argue about who was better suited for the task. He knew no one else wanted to be the one to deliver the ransom.

To ensure her safety, he had the staff fit her with a tracker.

Tang Mianmian smiled softly and reassured him again. "I will. Besides, escaping is my specialty."

Her playful tone lightened the atmosphere slightly.

Long Yejue looked at her, wanting to say something, but in the end, he said nothing.

All the words he wanted to say were distilled into a single statement.

He stood up and gave instructions for everyone to stay on alert, also asking Mo Chengyu for help.

Mo Chengyu, a member of the Mo family, one of the four major families, was from a clan even more mysterious than the Longs. Rumor had it the Mo family had ties to the underworld, which made many wary of them.

Mo Chengyu, being a close friend of Long Yejue, readily agreed to help and had already arranged for additional personnel to monitor the situation.

Two large suitcases of cash were brought in, their weight as oppressive as the heavy mood.

Everyone was busy giving Tang Mianmian advice on what to watch out for.

Only Long Yejue remained silent, his gaze fixed on her amidst the crowd.

The crystal chandelier in the living room cast its light on his face, illuminating his bone-chillingly handsome features, exuding an aura of cold intensity.

Despite the advice being thrown at her, Tang Mianmian could feel his piercing gaze.

She knew he was still reluctant to let her go.

Or perhaps, he wished he could take her place.

But circumstances weren't ideal. No matter how capable a person was, the smallest misstep could lead to irreparable consequences.

After everyone had finished their instructions, Tang Mianmian walked to Long Yejue's side, took his hand, and said gently, "Don't worry, I'll be careful."

The onlookers couldn't hide their shock at the sight.

Long Yejue had always been someone who kept others at arm's length. This level of intimacy was unprecedented.

They expected him to pull away, but he naturally accepted her touch.

The icy expression on his face softened slightly. "I'm going with you," he said.

"What? That's not possible! Didn't the kidnappers say no one from the Long family should show up?" Tang Mianmian exclaimed in surprise.

His expression remained unchanged, his tone firm and unwavering. "I'll figure it out."

"That's too dangerous, Jue. You shouldn't go," Zhu Wenyi pleaded in fear.

Long Fengteng agreed. "We should send someone else."

Mo Chengyu, however, didn't try to dissuade him. He understood Long Yejue's determination to go.

What surprised him was the extent of Long Yejue's concern for this woman.

While Zhu Wenyi continued her protests, Long Zhenfei made the final decision. "Let him go."

After all, when Long Yejue decided on something, no one could stop him.

Tang Mianmian wanted to dissuade him further, but he was already dragging the suitcases of cash toward the door.

With no other choice, she sighed and followed him out.

Outside, a vehicle arranged by Mo Chengyu awaited them. The spacious van offered both ample room and privacy.

Inside, several of Mo Chengyu's subordinates were waiting. The tinted windows provided concealment, ensuring no one could see inside.

As soon as they got in, Mo Chengyu tossed something to Long Yejue, who caught it and naturally loaded it.

The sound of the gun cocking startled Tang Mianmian, who sat stunned.

Was that... a gun?!

The kind of thing you'd only see in movies was now right before her eyes.

She felt a wave of fear.

Did they really need this much firepower?

And wasn't private gun ownership illegal?

"It's just for self-defense. Don't worry," Long Yejue reassured her when he noticed her shock.

Tang Mianmian stiffly nodded, glancing at the others. She realized all of them were armed.

Was she about to walk into a gang war?

She wanted to cry. It felt like she and Long Yejue were worlds apart.

But he pulled her into his arms, as if to calm her shaken nerves.

The ride to Qinghe Road was silent.

Only Mo Chengyu occasionally broke the quiet to communicate with his subordinates.

The agreed meeting place was an abandoned factory.

Tang Mianmian struggled to drag the two heavy suitcases, clutching the phone tied to the kidnappers' number.

The weather was gloomy, but she didn't feel afraid.

Before they left, Long Yejue had promised her he wouldn't be more than 50 meters away.

The weight of the suitcases made her struggle, and just as she stopped to adjust them, the phone rang. She answered it, slightly breathless. "I'm here. Where are you?"

"Leave the money where it is and go to the third floor of the factory in Zone C."

The altered voice over the phone delivered the command.

Tang Mianmian felt suspicious and couldn't help asking, "I'll bring the money, and you can release the hostage. Why do I need to go into the factory?"

"Stop asking so many damn questions! Just do as you're told!" the kidnapper snapped impatiently.

She hesitated, but Long Yejue's low voice came through her earpiece. "Don't go."

"Jue, keeping the kidnappers calm is the priority," Mo Chengyu chimed in.

Tang Mianmian made her decision to go, despite Long Yejue's objection.

"Tang Mianmian!" His angry voice echoed in her ear. "Come back!"

But the woman kept walking toward Zone C. Left with no choice, Long Yejue moved from his hidden position and headed toward the area himself.

The factory in Zone C was extremely secluded, making it difficult for anyone to observe from the outside. Moreover, it was a blind spot in Mo Chengyu's surveillance setup.

Unaware of this, Tang Mianmian focused only on reaching her destination.

When Mo Chengyu realized the situation, he quickly alerted Long Yejue. "Zone C is a blind spot. Be careful."

A sense of unease struck Long Yejue. "I've lost contact with Mianmian."

Mo Chengyu immediately checked on his computer. A moment later, his tone turned grave. "Signal interference. We can't reach her."

"Damn it!" Long Yejue cursed angrily and abandoned any thought of staying hidden. He rushed straight for the factory in Zone C.

Tang Mianmian followed the instructions, dragging the heavy suitcases to the third floor. As soon as she entered, the door slammed shut behind her. A sharp, acrid odor filled the air, and before she could react, she collapsed to the ground.

Two figures in black appeared beside her.

"Hurry and move her. I saw Long Yejue coming," a soft voice instructed.

A rough, gruff voice responded. The man violently hoisted Tang Mianmian onto his shoulder and descended from Zone C via a zip line, where a car was already waiting for them.

On the now-empty third floor lay Su Wanru, unconscious.

When Long Yejue arrived, he found Su Wanru. He crouched beside her, patting her cheeks until she slowly regained consciousness. The moment she saw him, she threw herself into his arms, trembling and sobbing.

"Brother Long, you're finally here. You're finally here."

Long Yejue, however, had his mind on another woman. He forcibly peeled Su Wanru off him, frowning. "Where's Mianmian?"

Su Wanru's tear-streaked face showed panic, and her stammered response only heightened his worry. "I-I don't know. I didn't see her. Where's Ruoshui? Where did she go?"

Ignoring her, Long Yejue stood and scanned the area for any trace of Tang Mianmian. Finding none, his anxiety grew. He pulled out his phone to call her, but the cold, mechanical response was all he got: The phone is powered off.

He had never felt such desperation. Just as he prepared to search further, Su Wanru clung to him, refusing to let him go. "Don't leave, Brother Long. I'm scared. Don't leave me alone."

"Stay here. Someone will come to get you," Long Yejue said coldly, his tone laced with impatience.

But Su Wanru refused to let go. She clutched him tightly, her voice trembling. "I'm scared, Brother Long. Please, hold me. I'm so scared."

His concern for Tang Mianmian, combined with Su Wanru's persistence, tested his patience. He pried her hands off him, his voice turning icy. "I told you to wait here. Don't get in my way."

Su Wanru looked heartbroken, her tearful gaze following him. But he didn't spare her a glance, focused solely on finding the woman who mattered most to him.

Her tear-filled eyes darkened with resentment.

Even her pitiful begging couldn't make him turn around.

Clenching her fists tightly, she stood up, tears no longer falling. She had stopped crying.

Long Yejue was still searching for Tang Mianmian when his phone rang. It was Mo Chengyu.

"Long Ruoshui has already returned home," Mo Chengyu informed him.

"Mianmian is missing," Long Yejue replied, his voice heavy and distant, as if emerging from the shadows.

Mo Chengyu's heart sank. He speculated cautiously, "Could this be aimed at you?"

"Most likely."

"But only a handful of people know her identity. Who could be behind this?" Mo Chengyu's tone was grim.