"Target spotted."
"No hostage found."
On the ground, Li Daqiang and One-eyed were running into the woods, with a helicopter quickly descending and several people coming down from above. "Capture the target, search for the hostage."
"Yes, sir!"
Soon, Li Daqiang and One-eyed were kneeling on the ground with guns pointed at them. "Where's the hostage?"
One-eyed was so frightened that he was almost in tears. "I don't know, I really don't know. She escaped on her own."
On the other side, the police had also searched the abandoned building, only finding the untied ropes.
"Hurry up and find her!"
When Chi Yu arrived, he heard that Song Luokui had gone missing, and the kidnappers had been captured alive, but they didn't know where she was either.
Chi Yu immediately headed towards the woods to search for her. Meanwhile, when Song Luosheng received the news, he also rushed into the woods to look for her.
"Luokui!"
"Luokui!"
Chi Yu was observing the surroundings when he suddenly noticed a shiny hairpin in the bushes. He picked it up and shouted, "Song Luokui!"
Song Luokui vaguely heard someone calling her name, but her head was aching, and her body felt freezing cold. The rain had drenched her, her face covered in droplets that washed away the bloodstains on her arms. She moved her lips slightly, whispering, "I... I'm here."
Her voice was faint, and with the heavy rain, no one could hear her.
Chen Nan followed beside Chi Yu with an umbrella. "Boss, the police are searching. The rain is too heavy here. Shall we head back first?"
Chi Yu gestured for him to be quiet. "Did you hear anything?"
Chen Nan: "No... no, I didn't." All he could hear was the pitter-patter of rain.
Chi Yu called out again, "Song Luokui!"
Song Luokui raised her hand. "I... I'm here."
The surroundings were muddy, with dense bushes, trees, and occasional tombstones, creating an eerie scene. Chen Nan cautiously followed Chi Yu, then something white flashed in the corner of his eye on the left.
Chen Nan fixated on it and was nearly scared to death. "Holy sh*t!"
Chi Yu immediately stopped. "What's wrong?"
Chen Nan pointed to where he had seen the movement. "I think I saw a pale white hand over there. Boss, this place..." Could it be haunted?
Before he could finish, Chi Yu had already rushed over. In the bushes, Song Luokui was completely drenched, with blood seeping from her forehead, and she seemed to have lost consciousness. She moved her lips, and when Chi Yu leaned closer, he heard her whisper, "I'm here."
Chi Yu immediately picked her up. "Contact someone, tell them we found her."
Chen Nan: "Oh, okay, got it."
Song Luokui caught a glimpse of Chi Yu in her daze before passing out again.
On the other side, Song Luosheng was still searching when one of the officials accompanying him said they had found her.
"Young Master Song, she has been found. Let's go back."
Song Luosheng: "Good, let's go."
Then, Song Moqian took his daughter from Chi Yu's arms. He looked at Chi Yu and, although unsure why he was there, patted his shoulder gratefully. "Thank you."
Chi Yu: "She and I are friends."
Song Moqian didn't say anything further and left with the ambulance.
As for Chi Yu rescuing Song Luokui, Song Luosheng was unaware of it at the moment.
Song Luokui's injuries weren't severe, just a mild concussion from hitting her head and a fever from being drenched in the rain. After treatment, her condition stabilized quickly.
Everyone felt pained seeing Song Luokui's pale face, fearing a repeat of her childhood struggles. They had raised her with such difficulty, never expecting such an incident to occur.
In the Song family study
Song Luosheng knelt on the ground, shirtless, as Song Moqian wielded a cane, striking his shoulders with "crack, crack, crack" sounds, a total of twenty lashes, each leaving a red mark on his body.
Song Luosheng gritted his teeth silently, as this incident was his fault.
After the beating, Song Moqian placed the ointment on the table. "Next time, you must be more cautious and prevent such an occurrence!"
"I understand."
Song Luosheng put on his clothes but didn't apply the ointment. He straightened himself up and went to the hospital to see Song Luokui. Although his back was in pain, seeing Song Luokui sitting on the bed, smiling and chatting with Sheng Rong, made the pain more bearable.
Song Luokui stayed in the hospital for two weeks. The school was unaware of what had happened to her; they only knew her family had requested leave.
During one of Song Luosheng's shifts watching over her, he went to buy her food, and Chi Yu came to visit her, bringing flowers.
Recalling the figure she had seen before losing consciousness, Song Luokui asked, "Was it you who found me? I think I saw you."
Chi Yu sat by the bed. "Yes, it was me."
Song Luokui handed him an apple. "Thank you. When I'm discharged, I'll treat you to a meal or buy you a gift."
Chi Yu accepted the apple. "Okay."
"How did you know I was there?" Song Luokui was puzzled. Moreover, why was it Chi Yu who came to her rescue? And what about the kidnapping? Why did those people abduct her?
As Chi Yu began peeling the apple with a small knife, a voice came through his earpiece: "Boss, he's back."
Chi Yu continued peeling leisurely. "Your brother is back. I'll come see you again when I have time."
Song Luokui immediately sat up. "Okay, you should go now."
Chi Yu raised an eyebrow, looking at her. "...So eager for me to leave?"
Song Luokui became flustered. "Ah, you should go, hurry, before my brother finds out."
Chi Yu handed her the peeled apple. "Rest well."
Then, with long strides, he left. Soon after, Song Luosheng returned with food, noticing the new bouquet of flowers. "Who just came by?"
Song Luokui, pretending to play with her phone, felt her heart racing upon hearing the question. "Huh? Flowers? What flowers?"
Song Luosheng pointed to the vase with the flowers. "Weren't those carnations earlier? How did they become tulips?"
Song Luokui: "Oh, a friend visited me earlier."
Song Luosheng: "Where did they go?" That was quick; he had only been gone for about ten minutes.
Song Luokui: "They had an urgent matter and left first."
Song Luosheng: "Okay, get up. I bought your favorites."
"Thank you, brother."
After being discharged, Song Luokui finally learned about the incident. Apparently, Song Luosheng had invested in a project to redevelop a certain area. The demolition and relocation compensation had been settled, and the residents had moved out. The site was already being cleared for reconstruction.
However, some families who had received substantial compensation squandered it on gambling and other indulgences. Li Daqiang and One-eyed were among those families. After losing all the money, they were left with massive debts, with their parents falling ill, wives leaving them, and children suffering from terminal illnesses.
Li Daqiang pleaded with Song Luosheng for additional compensation, even considering breaching the contract they had signed earlier. However, Song Luosheng refused, even when Li Daqiang begged and kowtowed until his head was bleeding.
This fueled Li Daqiang's resentment towards Song Luosheng. Originally, he had intended to do something to Song Luosheng, but when he witnessed Song Luosheng picking up Song Luokui from school, he shifted his focus to her.
One-eyed also wanted the money, so the two conspired and carried out the kidnapping.
