Yiren's words made Yixiong jump out of the car instantly. His eyes widen. "When did it happen?" Yixiong's hand swung and landed right on Yiren's shoulder.

Yiren straightened his back before opening his mouth again. "About an hour after Xinxiu and Zhengyi left the house, someone called me."

"Let's go inside first. It's not nice to shout in front of the house like this. Our neighbors will think we're fighting." Shanquan, who also got out of the car, said firmly. Although their dage tried to appear calm, Yiren could see that Shanquan's facial muscles were tightening, and his voice was shaking a bit.

"Dage is right," Yixiong said. His face was full of anxiety.

After Yingyue also got out of the car, Shanquan immediately said to the car driver. "Thank you, Sir! You'd better go back to the exhibition site."

The driver said nothing. But, his face was tense. He started the car right away and drove from there. Without waiting for the car to disappear from their sight, the four of them went straight into the house. Arriving in the living room, they all instantly sat on the couch, which had been a silent witness to all their conversations.

"Now tell me slowly and steadily about what happened." Shanquan's voice sounded slightly trembling. Yiren knew that their dage was trying hard to control his emotion.

Dage must have felt that everyone here is his responsibility.

Yiren gulped. He began to say in a slightly shaky voice. "An hour after Xinxiu and Zhengyi left, I received a call. The caller said that Xinxiu was in their hands."

"Did they allow Xinxiu to talk to you on the phone?" Shanquan rubbed his chin with the palm of his right hand. Maybe it was a way to calm him down.

"They said that Xinxiu was unconscious, so he couldn't speak."

"So what's the proof that they've kidnapped Xinxiu?" Yixiong asked.

"They'll call again tonight when Xinxiu wakes up."

"What time will they call again?" Yixiong asked.

"Hmm, hmm, maybe around ten o'clock!" Yiren stuttered while trying to remember the conversation on the phone between him and the kidnapper.

"They said it was a possibility, or surely they would call at that time?" Shanquan's voice was a little softer but still firm.

"They said they'd call at ten," Yiren said in a tone of voice that he tried to be full of confidence.

Shanquan and Yixiong looked at each other. Their eyes looked so weird.

Do they doubt what I just said?

"I remember now. They actually said they'd call back tonight at ten. They even said your name." Yiren added the information he had conveyed. "They want to talk to Duanmuh Shanquan."

Shanquan's face changed slightly when he heard Yiren's last words.

Does Dage think those people had anything to do with him?

"Did they say why they wanted to talk to me?" Shanquan's eyebrows rose.

Yiren just shook his head.

"What about Zhengyi? Didn't he go with Xinxiu earlier?" Shanquan leaned forward.

"Yige called here. He called not long after the kidnappers contacted me. So I told him the news right away."

"How did Zhengyi react when he heard this?" Yixiong rubbed his palms together.

What a strange question, Xiongge!

"Of course he was surprised, too. I told him to come home straight away. But just like yesterday, it seems he has something else on his mind."

"What other things?" Shanquan asked.

"He said he would find a way to solve this problem."

"Zhengyi said so?" Shanquan asked.

"Right! So maybe Yige won't be home soon," answered Yiren.

"This is a serious matter. I think we should call the police!" Yixiong stared at Shanquan intently.

"They said they would know if we called the police," said Yiren.

"All kidnappers say that," Yixiong said. "It could just be a bluff!"

"But maybe they are serious about it," said Yiren.

"Did they say anything else that made you think that way?" Yixiong asked.

"I only use logic," said Yiren. "In fact, they've been watching us since yesterday." He turned his gaze towards Shanquan. "What do you think of, Dage?"

"I have to admit that there is a possibility that they are still watching our house right now!" Shanquan lifted his head. "So indeed, we have to be very careful if we want to report to the police."

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"Have you told anyone else about this matter?" Yixiong asked. "Take our neighbors, for example."

Yiren shook his head. He didn't go anywhere at all.

I can't possibly leave this house before someone comes home.

"Earlier, after you received the call, did you have time to see how things were outside the house?" Shanquan asked.

"About ten minutes after receiving the call, I did went outside. But I was not going anywhere. I was just standing on the fence. Just like when I greeted you a moment ago."

"Back then, did you see any suspicious people outside the house?" Yixiong asked.

"I just saw a boxcar from an electronics shop stop at the house next door," said Yiren. 'They came to deliver the television to this neighbor to the left of our house.'

"Did you say something to them? I mean, not telling them about this kidnapping, but sort of saying hello, or just making small talk to them," Shanquan said.

"Absolutely not. Earlier, I was very confused and panicked, so it didn't even occur to me to be friendly with our neighbors. Especially with the people who deliver television to our neighbors."

"How did you know those people were delivering television?" Yingyue, who had been silent, suddenly spoke up.

"Because we already knew that our neighbor was waiting for the electronics shop to deliver the television to his house. So, four days ago, he bought a new television. Then the next day, the television had no picture and sound. He reported it with no delay. But, he had to wait until yesterday when a technician from an electronics shop finally came to check. Our neighbor demanded that the television be replaced with a new one, not just repaired. So when I saw a truck bearing the auto electronics shop logo, I instantly thought they were delivering a new television. Besides, the big cardboard to wrap the television in, the writing is pretty clear." Yiren waved his hands while explaining that.

Yingyue looked deep in thought. "Let's just tell Brother Caihong. Maybe he has a better way out."

"Earlier, the driver had also heard what Yiren said. So he must have reported this to Caihong in a flash after he got there," said Yixiong. "I think Caihong will be here soon."

"Let's wait for Zhengyi and Caihong to come before we decide to report this to the police. Maybe they will bring a little surprise," said Shanquan.

"What surprise?" Yiren asked.

"You'll see," said Shanquan.

"Dage isn't worried about Xinxiu?" Yiren asked.

"Of course I'm anxious. But I don't think they will hurt him. At least for the time being. They want some of the things we currently have in exchange for Xinxiu," Shanquan said. He then patted Yiren's shoulder. "Have you had lunch yet?"

"In this situation, will I still have an appetite?"

"Eating is an important activity and you must do it. We won't be able to think clearly when we are hungry," said Shanquan.

Yiren looked at his friends. "What about you guys?"

"We've all had lunch. Caihong treated us to lunch earlier. Here we brought some food." Yixiong pointed to the two plastic packages still lying on the living room table.

"Please, bring these foods to the kitchen first." Shanquan smiled at Yingyue.

The girl nodded. She swiftly carried the package of food into the kitchen.

Yiren still doubted. He really didn't know what their priorities should be.

"Now, you're panicking like this. I don't think it's any good," Shanquan said.

Yiren understood that Shanquan was trying hard to be calm, to keep his friends and also Yingyue from panicking. If he panicked now, it would be the same as sabotaging Shanquan's efforts. Therefore, Yiren would follow what Shanquan said. He walked to the kitchen. There, Yingyue had already unwrapped the food and transferred it to several plates. Yiren brought the plates containing the dishes to the dining room and started eating there.

Several kinds of food were all delicious. At first, Yiren thought a situation like this would eliminate his appetite. But it didn't. He could eat voraciously. However, because there was so much food, it took Yiren quite a while to finish it all.

Before Yiren finished eating, it turned out that someone had come to their house. Exactly as Yixiong said, Caihong was already in front of the gate. Yixiong came out to open the gate and let Caihong in.

"How did it happen?" When he came into the house, not yet sitting down, Caihong had already asked them about it.

"We don't know for sure either. You sit down first," Shanquan replied.

Yiren quickly tried to finish his lunch. He waved his hand at Caihong.

"Why don't you eat slowly? Don't be in a hurry." Yixiong shouted from the living room. "Didn't you say the thugs would be calling us tonight, not soon after?"

"I'm almost done eating." Yiren pointed at his plate. Between the living room and the dining room, there was another room. But there was no partition between each of those rooms. So, Yiren could clearly see what they did, and hear all their conversations.

Yingyue came out of the kitchen with a tray of tea for them all. She put the teacups on the table in the living room.

"Brother Caihong, please have some tea," Yingyue said.

"Thank you." Caihong nodded.

They all then drank the tea.

"Eh?" Yixiong let out a short exclamation after taking a sip of the tea.

"What's wrong, Uncle?" Caihong asked.

"It's okay. I think this tea is specially made for someone," Yixiong said. He looked at Yingyue with a small smile.

"This tea is just so sweet!" Shanquan gave a thumbs up.

Unlike the people in this city, the people from Yuandong usually add sugar to the tea so that it tastes sweet. However, Shanquan was different from the ordinary Yuandong people. He didn't really like sweet tea. So, usually, he only drank plain tea at home. Apparently, the tea that Yingyue made this time wasn't sweet tea, but it wasn't plain tea either. Yiren guessed she had added a bit of sugar to the tea. Shanquan sometimes drank tea like that, which was tea to which very little sugar was added. It turned out that Yingyue had learned Shanquan's taste in tea. Shanquan hardly ever told anyone about his drink preferences. Maybe Zhengyi or Xinxiu told the girl about Shanquan's habits.

"Where's your driver?" Shanquan asked.

"I told him to wait in the car."

"Why don't you take him into the house?" Yixiong asked.

"He's used to it. He's waiting for me in the car. So if I have to leave again, he's ready."

"Please, give a glass of water to the driver outside. He must be thirsty." Shanquan looked at Yingyue.

"No need, Uncle! In the car there is a supply of drinks," said Caihong.

Yingyue looked at Shanquan. The girl seemed to be asking for consideration from their dage.

"You just sit here, please." Shanquan patted the girl's shoulder gently.

Yingyue nodded. "I'll return this to the kitchen first."

Yingyue returned to the kitchen to return the tray. Afterward, she walked into the dining room and sat down on one chair in front of the dining table. She looked at Yiren, who was busy finishing his food.

"Isn't it delicious?" Yingyue's voice was so slow. Almost like a whisper.

"Of course, it's delicious," replied Yiren. Also, at a low volume.

"There's still a lot in the kitchen if you still want to add more portions."

"The other portion is for Yige. He'll be angry if I eat his portion." Yiren smiled.

"Don't worry. There are two plastic packages. The first one contained food for you, while the second one was for Uncle Zhengyi. What I have opened is only the first plastic bag. The second one, I put it in the fridge at once. So the food that's still in the kitchen isn't food for Uncle Zhengyi."

"Well then, I'll just eat again later. Right now, there are much more important things to do." Yiren tried to be as firm as possible.