The Tycoon's Mysterious Darling Wife
Chapter 239. Accident

Chapter 239: 239. Accident

Remembering that period of the past, Shen Qinglan felt momentarily dazed.

"Qinglan, let’s go back. The more I wander around, the more melancholic I feel," Yu Xiaoxuan sniffled, her mood turning somewhat downcast.

Fang Tong patted her shoulder. "We’re all in Beijing. We can come back any time to visit—how convenient is that? There’s no need to feel so sentimental."

Yu Xiaoxuan rolled her eyes. "How could it be the same? Once we return, we won’t be students anymore."

"Maybe next time during the school anniversary, you’ll come back as the representative of the most distinguished graduates, even more glorious," Fang Tong consoled her. Yu Xiaoxuan broke into a smile. "Right, that could happen, haha."

The three chatted and laughed their way back to the dormitory, only to find that someone was already there—a middle-aged woman with slightly gray hair, deep wrinkles on her face, and dark skin, clearly weathered by exposure to sun and rain. She was standing in front of Wu Qian’s space, organizing things.

"That’s Wu Qian’s mom," Fang Tong whispered to the two of them.

"You must be Wu Qian’s roommates. I’m her mother. I came to pack her things. I hope I’m not bothering you," Wu Qian’s mother said with a weary smile as she saw the three come in.

Fang Tong returned the smile, "Not at all, aunty. Take your time. We’re also here to pack our things."

When Wu Qian’s mother smiled, all her wrinkles seemed to squeeze together, but her expression was warm and kind. "Wu Qian often mentioned you girls, saying how caring you’ve been to her. I wanted to thank you on her behalf. It’s just that my child... she hasn’t done well..." She trailed off as her eyes reddened, hastily wiping her tears and stuffing items into a bag with a quick zip. "I’ve almost finished packing, so I’m going to go now."

"Goodbye, aunty," the three called out, watching her leave. Shen Qinglan then turned to Fang Tong, "What happened to Wu Qian?"

Fang Tong pressed her lips together, "Wu Qian borrowed money from a campus loan service and couldn’t pay it back. Those people came looking for her at school, and they also said she’d been hostessing at clubs. After talking with her and verifying the situation, the school expelled her."

"Why would her mother show up here?" Yu Xiaoxuan asked, puzzled.

"After Wu Qian was expelled, she disappeared. Those people couldn’t find her and somehow got her family’s contact information. Her mother came a few days ago, apparently borrowing quite a bit of money from relatives to cover the debts Wu Qian left behind. She has been looking for Wu Qian for days without success, and today she came to pack her things. It looks like she’s headed back home," Fang Tong explained.

She had heard all of this when she arrived at school that day from the girls in the neighboring dorm. When Wu Qian’s mother arrived, it was too much for her to bear seeing her like that, making her heart ache, so she went to wait for Shen Qinglan and Yu Xiaoxuan at the school gate.

Yu Xiaoxuan, who had been busy with her career and had no time to keep up with these matters, sighed upon hearing this. "I never expected Wu Qian to end up like this. If she hadn’t met that guy, maybe she could have graduated smoothly. Even if she couldn’t lead a great life, at least she could have found a job to support herself. Getting married would be better than her current situation. She might have run away, but she left a mess for her parents to clean up. Wu Qian is so selfish."

Fang Tong deeply agreed, nodding, "The real victims are her parents. It took so much effort to get their daughter into a prestigious university, and just as graduation was in sight—and with it, the end of their hardships—Wu Qian did something like this. Her parents must be heartbroken."

Shen Qinglan thought back to when Wu Qian had asked to borrow two hundred thousand from her, likely the reason for borrowing money. Shaking her head, she said, "We all choose our paths. Though we may not choose our starting points, we do control the journey. She made her choice and must face the consequences."

Fang Tong and Yu Xiaoxuan fell silent, then nodded in agreement.

Shen Qinglan didn’t have many belongings and quickly finished packing. Fang Tong, on the other hand, had the most stuff; she was still not done after packing three suitcases. Observing the astonishing number of boxes, Yu Xiaoxuan clicked her tongue, "Fang Tong, it’s like you moved your entire house here. Now I’m curious about how you managed to fit all these massive boxes into this tiny space initially."

Fang Tong was half-kneeling on the suitcase, struggling to zip it up, "What do you know? This is called enjoying life."

"Sure, sure, Miss Fang. Have you finished packing? We should be going. I have an appointment to catch this afternoon."

"I’ll be done soon, come and help me instead of just standing there."

Yu Xiaoxuan squatted down and together with Shen Qinglan, helped Fang Tong pack her things. Fortunately, Shen Qinglan had also brought her car, otherwise, with just one car, Fang Tong’s luggage wouldn’t have fit. At the school gate, they happened to run into their academic advisor and department head, Zhang Lin.

"You’re packing up today?" Zhang Lin saw them and stopped to greet them.

Perfect timing, Shen Qinglan invited Zhang Lin to join them for lunch, and considering they were about to graduate, he didn’t refuse.

After lunch, Shen Qinglan and Yu Xiaoxuan had just sent Fang Tong home when the phone rang. She glanced at it, it was Jin Enxi calling. She picked up and with only a few words exchanged, her eyes shifted slightly, and after hanging up, she said, "Xiao Xuan, I have something to take care of and need to go. Can you get home on your own?"

Yu Xiaoxuan nodded, "Sure, go ahead if you have things to do. I’ll move my stuff home and then head to the company. Sister Linda is waiting for me."

Hearing this, Shen Qinglan waved her hand and drove off.

**

"Why did you bring her here?" Walking into the villa, Shen Qinglan saw Xu Nuo bound and thrown on the living room floor and asked.

Jin Enxi had called her earlier, saying they’d found Xu Nuo and had brought her back.

Xu Nuo had her eyes closed, still unconscious. Shen Qinglan gave her a look over and saw the wounds on her face. She looked at Jin Enxi, who gestured dismissively, "That wasn’t my doing, I’m still not fully healed." She pointed, "The real culprit is over there."

Cissily was nonchalantly eating a pear, feigning innocence, "I thought this person carefully groomed by Allen would be rather formidable. Naturally, I put in all my effort, who knew she’d conk out so easily?"

Jin Enxi was speechless, big sister, your combat skills are the best around here, second only to An’s. How many could withstand your ’all-out effort’?

"An, let me tell you, this woman tried to kill me last time. I must take my revenge, and you can’t stop me." Jin Enxi made it clear beforehand.

"Do as you wish." Shen Qinglan had no intention of stopping her; she had disliked Xu Nuo for a long time as well.

"Heh, An, I knew you wouldn’t stop me. I’m telling you, I’ve prepared some special treats for this lady that will make her remember for life. Even better if she spills about Allen."

"It’s unlikely," Shen Qinglan uttered two words, knowing that anyone graduating from that organization would be tight-lipped to the core.

Jin Enxi was just saying it offhand without any real hope. She grabbed the collar of Xu Nuo’s clothes and lifted it to find that the woman, although slim in appearance, was unexpectedly heavy. "Cissily, give me a hand here. I don’t know if this woman was raised on stones. She’s as heavy as dead weight."

Cissily tossed her leftover pear core into the trash can, dusted off her hands, stood up, and helped Jin Enxi carry Xu Nuo into a room on the first floor. Shen Qinglan led the way, lightly pressing a spot on the wall of the room. The intact wall instantly split apart, revealing a doorway with stairs leading down into a large secret chamber divided into two areas, one filled with all sorts of medical equipment and bottles, and another with an assortment of torture devices.

The chamber had initially been modified by Eden for research convenience, originally dedicated to medical studies only. The torture room was something Jin Enxi had set up specifically for Xu Nuo over the past few days, and she and Cissily had prepared many "little darlings" for her.

"An, what do you think, nice place, right? I’ve been spending a lot of time with Cissily these past few days to get all this stuff. I read about the ten gruesome tortures of the Qing Dynasty and went looking for them. Found they were unsuitable, only one with needles sounded somewhat bearable, so I thought I might try it on her."

Jin Enxi sounded enthusiastic. Shen Qinglan glanced at the tools Jin Enxi had prepared, "Just don’t kill her." Xu Nuo had her uses alive.

"Don’t worry, don’t worry, she might have wanted to kill me, but I’m kind-hearted, certainly not as cruel as her, taking lives at a whim."

Cissily was also visibly excited, orchestrating with Jin Enxi to tie Xu Nuo to a chair before dousing her with a bucket of water. The ice-cold water stimulated the nerves, and Xu Nuo finally woke up.

There was a moment of bewilderment in Xu Nuo’s gaze. She recognized the three people before her, and her expression remained unchanged.

Jin Enxi touched her chin, looking at Xu Nuo’s composed demeanor, and chuckled, "Hey there, Miss Xu, we meet again. This is the second time you’ve fallen into my hands. Wouldn’t you say we’re particularly fated?"

Xu Nuo hammered her gaze elsewhere, refusing to look at her. She only instinctively glanced around when she first opened her eyes; after that, she fell silent.

She knew she had been careless this time. After hearing that woman’s words that day, Xu Nuo thought for two days and finally decided to take that woman’s suggestion.

But when she went to the school to find Wu Qian, she discovered that Wu Qian had disappeared. Only today had she managed to find her, clearly explained the matter to Wu Qian, and after bidding goodbye to Wu Qian, she ran into Jin Enxi and Cissily.

"Did Allen, that freak, tell you to try and kill me last time?" Jin Enxi raised her chin, forcing her to lift her head.

Xu Nuo coldly glanced at her, remaining silent.

Jin Enxi maintained her smile, seemingly uncaring, and pointed at the things laid out around her, speaking in a gentle tone, "It doesn’t matter if you don’t talk. I’ve prepared a little welcoming gift for you. You’ll like it."

At her words, Xu Nuo’s face remained unchanged. Jin Enxi didn’t care, thinking if such words could change Xu Nuo’s expression, then she’d truly suspect whether Xu Nuo was trained by Allen.

Cissily held a whip in her hand, and with a flick of her wrist, it struck Xu Nuo’s body. The whip crackled against the flesh with a "smack," and although Xu Nuo frowned slightly, she didn’t cry out. Cissily huffed and increased the force.

"Xu Nuo, tell us Allen’s plan, and we might consider letting you go," Shen Qinglan said indifferently, but Xu Nuo remained silent.

Shen Qinglan waited a bit, but seeing that Xu Nuo refused to cooperate, she left when Fu Hengyi called at that moment.

Jin Enxi and Cissily exchanged a glance and smiled.

Shen Qinglan didn’t like to torture others, so Jin Enxi and Cissily hadn’t struck hard a moment ago, but now that Shen Qinglan was gone, they were naturally ready to properly "serve" Miss Xu Nuo.

Xu Nuo saw the smile on their faces and her gaze shifted slightly, yet she didn’t speak to beg for mercy. It wasn’t long before Xu Nuo’s anguished screams echoed in the chamber.

When Eden returned, Xu Nuo had been tortured to the point where she was gasping for breath.

Jin Enxi squatted in front of Xu Nuo, "Why do you protect Allen? He’s just a pervert, a lunatic, deserving of destruction. And that person is cold-blooded and ruthless. He treats his subordinates like animals. Look, you’ve been captured for a day and a night, but he hasn’t come to rescue you. Even if you died, he wouldn’t blink an eye. Why do you protect him?"

"Who exactly are you?" Xu Nuo finally spoke, uttering her first sentence since she arrived.

Jin Enxi smiled warmly, "We’re Allen’s enemies, sworn enemies. A freak like him deserves to be struck down by everyone. You must have suffered a lot under his hands too. Do you want to join us and help wipe him out?"

"Too?" Xu Nuo sharply grasped a particular word. "Were you trained by Allen?"

A flicker of annoyance passed through Jin Enxi’s eyes. Cissily stepped forward and kicked Xu Nuo, "Quit your damn blabbering. I’m asking you, what is Allen planning?"

A glint flashed in Xu Nuo’s eyes, then she clammed up, not uttering another word.

"Stubborn, aren’t you? I always enjoy a tough spirit," Cissily said with a seductive laugh.

Meanwhile, Peter, who hadn’t seen Xu Nuo for the last two days, found it odd, "Allen, where’s Xu Nuo?"

Allen didn’t answer; he was currently brooding. His mood had been terrible these past two days because Shen Qinglan had gone to the Beijing Military Region.

Peter had asked casually and, seeing no response, he didn’t pursue the question.

**

After three days of college entrance exams, Ya Xi finally felt liberated. The dark life of a senior had passed, and she felt instantly rejuvenated. She first called Shen Qinglan, but the call didn’t go through.

Thinking it over, Ya Xi then called Yu Xiao Xuan, who happened to be resting at home that day. Upon receiving Ya Xi’s call, Yu Xiao Xuan sprang up from bed, "Alright, I know a great snack bar. It’s in Yonghe Lane in the Northern City. The taste is really good."

Ya Xi beamed, "Great, Sister Xiao Xuan, let’s meet on Xinhua Road."

Yu Xiao Xuan responded with a "Good," quickly got dressed, freshened up with a light makeup in the shortest time possible, and then left the house.

When Yu Xiao Xuan arrived at the agreed spot, Ya Xi was already there, wearing a backpack and gazing down at her phone on the roadside.

Yu Xiao Xuan parked her car, "Ya Xi."

Ya Xi looked up, saw Yu Xiao Xuan, and hopped into the car, "Sister Xiao Xuan, is the shop far?"

"Not very, just that it’s in an alley, and the car can’t go in."

After driving for about ten minutes, the car stopped in front of a little alley, and Yu Xiao Xuan got out, leading Ya Xi into it.

This was an old district in the Northern City of Beijing, unlike the old courtyard districts in the south. Most of the residents here were low-income families, and the area was a jumble of people.

Following Yu Xiao Xuan, she led Ya Xi into a snack bar, truly a small shop, its area barely thirty square meters including the kitchen. There were fewer than ten tables in the shop.

Since it wasn’t mealtime, there weren’t many customers—just three tables including theirs. The proprietress was cleaning, but warmly beckoned them to sit when they entered.

The occupants of the other two tables glanced at them, simply because their attire seemed out of place in this shop. Yu Xiao Xuan ignored their looks and plopped down at a table.

"Proprietress, two bowls of stewed liver stick, a serving of fried liver, and one of exploded stomach," Yu Xiao Xuan ordered with familiarity.

"Got it, just a moment," the proprietress replied and headed into the kitchen.

Ya Xi had never been to such a place and felt a bit uncomfortable for a time. She glanced at the greasy table with some difficulty.

Yu Xiao Xuan handed her a piece of paper napkin.

"Sister Xiaoxuan, how did you find such a place?" Ya Xi was wiping the oil stains on the table with a napkin and asked quietly.

"Once, when I was filming nearby, a member of the crew told me. You might not think much of this little shop, but their braised wheat gluten is second to none, and the taste is absolutely delicious. It’s something you can’t get anywhere else in Beijing."

"What’s braised wheat gluten?" Ya Xi was clueless; she had tasted many delicacies, but the food she usually ate was from luxury hotels or high-end restaurants, which obviously wouldn’t serve something like braised wheat gluten.

"It’s a traditional Beijing snack, you’ve never tried it, have you?" Yu Xiaoxuan had a hint of pride on her face; the braised wheat gluten from this shop was the tastiest she had found in all of Beijing.

Ya Xi shook her head. She really hadn’t tried it, and even the name was new to her. Although she had gone to school in Beijing, that was only for high school. She grew up in Nancheng, and with affluent family conditions combined with her own health reasons, her family didn’t allow her to eat from street stalls for fear of poor hygiene and the risk of harming her health.

When the food arrived, Ya Xi looked at the large bowl in front of her and smelled it—it was quite fragrant, but she was skeptical about the meat-like items on top, "Sister Xiaoxuan, what is this?"

"Pork lung and pork intestines. Don’t worry, they’ve cleaned them thoroughly," Yu Xiaoxuan assured her.

Ya Xi’s face stiffened, and she widened her eyes, "Pork intestines..." Was it what she was thinking?

Yu Xiaoxuan nodded affirmatively, already eagerly started eating with her chopsticks with a satisfied look. Seeing Ya Xi hesitate, she urged, "Ya Xi, it really does taste good, try it. Hey, it’s just pig innards. Think about it, the foie gras you eat from France, isn’t that also an organ?"

Convinced, Ya Xi took a chopstick full and cautiously placed a small piece in her mouth, chewing carefully. Her eyes lit up, "This is really tasty."

"Told you, my recommendations are always spot on," Yu Xiaoxuan said with a beaming smile, just as the stir-fried liver and burst stomach (a type of dish) were served, "Try these two as well. Although the flavors here can’t compare to those at Huguo Temple, they’re still much tastier than the average shop."

This time, Ya Xi didn’t hesitate. She grabbed a mouthful and nodded repeatedly, "Definitely delicious. Sister Xiaoxuan, from now on, I’m sticking with you."

By the time the two left the small eatery, they were so full their stomachs were round. Ya Xi patted her stomach and burped contentedly, "Burp, I’m so full. I never thought these things would taste so good and be so cheap."

"Next time I’ll take you to Huguo Temple. There’s a street full of snacks there with even more to eat; I guarantee you’ll want to go back after the first visit."

"That sounds great. Once I enter B University, I’ll have plenty of time. I definitely want to try all kinds of snacks in Beijing," Ya Xi said with a smile. After the college entrance exam ended, she had cross-checked her answers and found her scores were pretty good. Getting into B University shouldn’t be a problem, so Ya Xi was in a very good mood these days.

Zhao Jiaqing had already returned from abroad, having spent a few months abroad to clear her mind. When she came back, her temperament had become much more gentle, and she seemed softer. Seeing her daughter had finished her exams, she suggested that she should go out and hang out with friends.

"It’s not just about these snacks, Beijing has a lot of cuisines. When I have time, I’ll organize a guide for you. You can go try them with your classmates or friends during your free time. These are all places I’ve discovered and recorded from childhood. I don’t usually share them with just anyone."

Talking about food, the two food lovers clearly had a lot to share and were chatting happily.

"Wu Qian?" As they reached the entrance of the alley and saw a familiar figure ahead, Yu Xiaoxuan hesitated before calling out.

The figure in front paused and turned around—it was Wu Qian, who they hadn’t seen for a long time. But she looked somewhat disheveled; her clothes were old and stained in places; her hair messy and greasy, as if it hadn’t been washed in a long time, with yellowish skin and heavy dark circles under her eyes.

Yu Xiaoxuan did a double take, hardly able to recognize her. The Wu Qian standing before her had always been neat and tidy, even when times were tough and before she was with Chen Qingtian. But the woman before her now, her state went beyond just messy.

"Wu Qian, is it really you? What are you doing here?" Yu Xiaoxuan asked.

Wu Qian was surprised to see Yu Xiaoxuan, a gleam of shrewdness flashing in her eyes, but it vanished in an instant. Her face was expressionless, her demeanor numb, "It’s none of your business." With that, she tried to leave.

Yu Xiaoxuan remembered seeing Wu Qian’s mother that day, the way her eyes filled with tears when she mentioned her daughter Wu Qian, "Wu Qian, do you know your mother has been looking for you?"

Wu Qian paused in her steps.

Yu Xiaoxuan continued, "Your mother borrowed a lot of money to help you pay off the usurious loans. She’s been looking for you many days and never found you. She just left the day before yesterday."

Wu Qian stood with her back to Yu Xiaoxuan, her body rigid. She knew she was selfish, but she was also forced into it. If she hadn’t run, those people would have beaten her to death or forced her into prostitution, so she had to flee.

Her life during these past days hadn’t been easy either, constantly hiding. Since the money on her was almost gone, she couldn’t afford to stay in nice hotels and had to opt for underground rooms that cost ten yuan a night, surviving each day on instant noodles. She couldn’t risk finding work outside for fear of being recognized by those people.

To survive, she had sold anything of value she carried for money. Aside from a few paper bills and without a phone, she naturally hadn’t known her mother had come to Beijing, searching the world over for her.

If Xu Nuo hadn’t found her a few days ago, she might still be hiding in an underground room, too scared to come out. Today, she had intended to go out to buy some clothes and take a bath, before finding Yu Xiaoxuan or Fang Tong, not expecting to run into Yu Xiaoxuan the moment she walked out.

"Yu Xiaoxuan, just pretend you never saw me, okay? My life is already over. If you see my mother again, please pass a message for me. Tell her to consider me dead, as if I never existed. This life, I was the one who failed her, I’ll repay her in the next life."

Wu Qian said in a low voice, her tone hoarse, with a slight choke.

"Wu Qian, you’re still young. As long as you realize your mistake and correct it, there’s still time. Your family is waiting for you to come back." Yu Xiaoxuan walked over and stood beside Wu Qian, urging her.

She was unaware that Wu Qian had borrowed money from Shen Qinglan. She didn’t like Wu Qian either, not at all really, always feeling there was something off about her mentality. But seeing Wu Qian’s current state, she still felt a pang of sympathy.

"Do I still have a chance?" Wu Qian asked, looking at Yu Xiaoxuan, her voice laced with self-mockery.

"Yes, as long as you don’t give up, there is."

A glimmer of hope flashed in Wu Qian’s eyes, but it quickly faded, "Those words are just lies, you’re just trying to comfort me. I’ve been expelled from school, I don’t even have a diploma. Even if I go out to look for work, who would hire me without any certificate?"

"Wu Qian, you can’t think like that. If you give up on yourself, then your life really is over. Think about your parents."

When her parents were mentioned, Wu Qian’s eyes reddened, and her tears fell, "I let them down."

"Wu Qian, pull yourself together. Even without a diploma, finding a job to support yourself isn’t that hard. Those usurious loan sharks are gone; they won’t come after you anymore. As long as you work hard in the future, your life will get better."

Wu Qian shook her head, "I can’t turn things around anymore. I’m broke, without even a place to stay. I can’t go on."

Hearing this, Yu Xiaoxuan took out a few paper bills from her bag and handed them to Wu Qian, "I didn’t bring much cash with me today, just this. Take it for now. If you find lodging and a job in the meantime, it should be enough."

The money wasn’t much, probably just around one thousand yuan. Wu Qian refused, "I don’t want it."

Yu Xiaoxuan pressed the money into Wu Qian’s chest, "Stop being stubborn. Surviving is the most important thing."

Wu Qian held the money tightly in her hand, her head lowered, and she spoke softly, "Yu Xiaoxuan, thank you."

Yu Xiaoxuan smiled, "You must pull yourself together and live well. We’re going to leave now."

"Wait," Wu Qian stopped her, "Yu Xiaoxuan, I have something else, could you please pass it on to Shen Qinglan? I stole it."

Yu Xiaoxuan turned around and looked at her, "What is it?"

"A small thing, but Shen Qinglan seemed to treasure it greatly, so it must be very important to her. I took it secretly because I was resentful about her hiding her real identity. Now, can you give it to her for me, and also say sorry to her?"

Yu Xiaoxuan didn’t get suspicious and nodded her head, "Alright, hand over the item to me."

"It’s at my place, just nearby. Can you come with me to get it?"

Yu Xiaoxuan thought about it and agreed, then turned to Ya Xi, "Will you wait for me in the car?"

Ya Xi shook her head, "I’d rather go with you."

Wu Qian opened her mouth as though she wanted to object but ended up not saying anything, and led the two deeper into the alley.

"Is this where you live?" Yu Xiaoxuan asked, looking at the dirty, dim, damp basement that also smelled odd, her eyebrows knitting tightly together.

The room was very small, only fitting a bed, and now with three people inside, it quickly felt cramped.

Wu Qian rubbed her hands nervously and nodded, "Yeah, I don’t have money and can’t afford a better place. It’s cheap here."

She didn’t immediately look for the item but poured two glasses of water for Yu Xiaoxuan and Ya Xi first, "I don’t have anything else here, just make do with this water. Don’t worry, the cups are clean; they’re not dirty."

Yu Xiaoxuan and Ya Xi didn’t take the water. Wu Qian looked down, her expression growing sad, "Never mind, just wait for me a moment. I’ll find the item for you straight away."

Seeing this, the two took the water and drank a small sip. The water tasted odd, and after one sip they didn’t drink any more, just held the cups in their hands.

Wu Qian saw them drink and smiled, "Wait here for a while, I’ll look for the item."

She turned around and started rummaging through her belongings, "My place is quite messy, I don’t remember where I put things."

"No problem, take your time finding it, we’re not in a hurry," Yu Xiaoxuan said.

After searching for five or six minutes, Wu Qian still hadn’t found it and was looking anxious, "I clearly remember putting it here, how come it’s gone now? Yu Xiaoxuan, wait for me a bit longer, I am sure I can find it."

Yu Xiaoxuan showed no impatience, but the oppressive air in the place was making her head spin. She was just thinking about this when she saw Ya Xi collapse to the ground. Shocked, Yu Xiaoxuan rushed over to help her and then her vision went black, and she knew no more.

Wu Qian stopped looking for the item, stood up, and looked down at the two on the ground, "Don’t blame me for this, if you have to blame someone, it’s because you are friends with Shen Qinglan and you’ve been caught in her troubles."

She touched the one thousand yuan in her pocket from Yu Xiaoxuan and looked at her with complex emotions, "Yu Xiaoxuan, I’m sorry."

She locked the door and then went out with a piece of paper in her hand to look for a public phone.

She had put a little drug in the water, given to her by Xu Nuo a couple of days ago along with 50,000 dollars. He had one condition: kidnap a friend of Shen Qinglan, either Yu Xiaoxuan or Fang Tong, it didn’t matter which.

Then she was to hand over the person to a man who’s contact information was on the piece of paper she now held.

She made the call following the instructions on the paper and after explaining the situation, the other end simply told her to keep the people secure and that someone would come to pick them up that evening before hanging up.

She returned to the basement where Yu Xiaoxuan and Ya Xi were still unconscious. She went through their pockets, taking all their money. Yu Xiaoxuan had already given her all her cash, but from Ya Xi she found 500 yuan.

Wu Qian also took out the two mobile phones, turned them off, and threw them into the trash can outside.

She didn’t know how long the drug’s effect would last, so she picked up the cups from the shelf and poured a large amount of water down their throats.

As the sky gradually darkened, the man who was supposed to contact her still hadn’t arrived, and Wu Qian increasingly felt uneasy. She paced back and forth in the room, glancing at Ya Xi and Yu Xiaoxuan, who were still passed out from time to time.

Just when she was getting restless, there was a knock at the door. Delighted, she opened it to see two men standing there, "But they weren’t the familiar faces she expected."

"Who are you?" Wu Qian asked warily.

Another man came out from behind the two, an Eastern face, who glanced at the people on the floor and took out a photo from his pocket for comparison, then smiled, "You’ve done a fine job."

Hearing the familiar voice, Wu Qian’s guard dropped, and the three men entered. The two Westerners lifted Yu Xiaoxuan and Ya Xi, planning to carry them out.

"Wait," Wu Qian stopped them, "Can you tell me where you’re taking them, what you’ll do with them?" A surge of intense unease rose from within her. Xu Nuo had only told her that he wanted to teach Shen Qinglan a lesson, but since Shen Qinglan was skilled, catching her was not easy, so he planned to use her friends as bait—which led to today’s scenario.

But now seeing these three men, Wu Qian had an instinct that if these two were taken away by them, nothing good would happen. She was starting to regret her actions.

The short Eastern man glanced at Wu Qian, threw a stack of money on the ground, and said coldly, "This isn’t something for you to worry about, take your money and leave."

Wu Qian didn’t reach for the money but stood in their way, "I’ve changed my mind, I won’t do this deal. You can’t take them with you, just leave."

The man sneered cruelly, "Whether we take them or not isn’t up to you, get out of the way."

Wu Qian didn’t budge, and, facing the man’s eyes full of murderous intent, she shivered but persisted in blocking the doorway, "Put them down or I’ll call for help."

She glanced at the still unconscious Yu Xiaoxuan, Yu Xiaoxuan, consider this me repaying the kindness for that one thousand yuan.

A flash of ruthlessness appeared in the man’s eyes, and he pulled out something from his waist. Wu Qian gasped, turned to run, but before she could get far, her body went limp, and she fell to the ground.

"Move out," the man barked lowly, and the three men quickly left.

In the sealed basement, Wu Qian lay on the ground with wide open eyes, her face still showing panic and fear, and underneath her was a spreading pool of blood.