Chapter 61

Shen Xingzhou and Qin Yao didn’t get along, but when Wen Jiu failed to return for a long time, both of them sensed something was wrong. In an instant, they were in sync, no longer at odds.
One was the sole heir of a wealthy family, the other a treasured darling of one. Both had experienced kidnappings and other unpleasant incidents in childhood.
That ominous feeling rose immediately. They summoned bodyguards and rushed out.
They didn’t know what had happened to Wen Jiu, nor could they confirm it was a kidnapping, but they couldn’t rule out that the danger extended beyond Wen Jiu alone.
Among the actors present, only Xie Junyu attracted much envy. The rest were relatively safe.
Su Yaoyao, however, was also from a prominent Haicheng family. Leaving her alone wouldn’t be safe.
Before leaving, Qin Yao ordered Xie Junyu to stay glued to Su Yaoyao and assigned two of her own bodyguards to protect both of them.
Thinking of how much Wen Jiu cared about Su Yaoyao, Shen Xingzhou also left two bodyguards behind.
The two hurried out and, at the elevator entrance on that floor, spotted a crushed airplane keychain on the ground.
It was the one Qin Yao had just given Wen Jiu.
“This hotel belongs to the Chu family,” Shen Xingzhou said, his gaze turning icy.
The Young Lady glanced at him, still finding him unpleasant.
With her little follower Wen Jiu gone, Young Master Shen wasn’t even pretending anymore. Just moments ago he’d looked pitiful, now his eyes were cold.
But Wen Jiu’s disappearance was far more urgent, so the Young Lady didn’t comment.
She immediately took out her phone. “I’ll have someone check the surveillance.”
Assistant Li happened to be at a business dinner with Chu Yan. The moment he received the call, he contacted the hotel’s management.
Lowering his voice, he told Chu Yan, “Madam called. Wen Jiu is missing.”
Chu Yan remembered Wen Jiu, Qin Yao mentioned her name daily at home.
“Where did she go missing?”
“Jun Ting Haiyue Hotel,” Li Xuan replied, scrolling through information.
Hotels weren’t part of the Chu Group’s core business. Even though it was a five-star hotel, all reports stayed within subsidiaries and were rarely escalated.
After checking, his heart sank. “President Chu… Jun Ting Haiyue used to be managed by the Vice President.”
That Vice President, one of the tumors Chu Yan had cut out, was Chu Yan’s own second uncle, a member of the old family estate.
He was also the mastermind previously exposed through Chu Yan’s staged ‘fall into the sea’ scheme.
Chu Yan stood up immediately. “Contact the police. I’ll head to Jun Ting Haiyue.”
Both Shen Xingzhou and the Young Lady soon received Assistant Li’s message.
As Chu Yan’s wife, the Young Lady knew about these family matters.
The elite circle in Nancheng was small. The Shen, Chu, and Qin families were all on the same level, outsiders knew bits and pieces too.
Shen Xingzhou immediately mobilized his connections to find Wen Jiu. Not a second could be wasted.
In Nancheng, the fastest way to find someone was through the Yue family. Especially since the Shen family’s focus had shifted overseas in recent years, they weren’t as efficient locally as the Chu or Qin families.
Coincidentally, the Yue family’s younger generation had only one daughter, and the older generation included a relative who’d left the family to start a business. Both had ties with them.
When Yue Ling learned Wen Jiu was missing and that she needed to contact her family for help, she agreed without hesitation.
With Yue Ling involved, there was no need to separately contact the older generation.
As expected, the hotel’s internal surveillance was inaccessible, but the cameras outside were fully intact.
When Second Uncle Chu planned everything, he only knew Wen Jiu was close to Qin Yao. He didn’t know she also had ties to the Yue family.
And not just superficial ones.
Yue Ling’s friend going missing wasn’t a big deal. But when it came to turning Nancheng upside down to search, the elders initially objected.
“Wen Jiu was kidnapped,” Yue Ling said calmly. “Grandma, she’s been to our house. You liked her. Aunt, I remember you liked her too.”
Grandma Yue recalled her at once and tapped her cane against her two rigid sons. “That girl is one of the few I genuinely like. What are you waiting for? Go help find her.”
Aunt Yue also remembered. “I’ll do my best to find her.”
Even so, despite the speed, Wen Jiu was still taken out of Nancheng.
“Big brother, if you’re kidnapping someone, then kidnap them, but why did you step on my keychain?” Wen Jiu muttered, still thinking about the one crushed near the elevator.
She’d deliberately dropped it there, hoping the Young Lady would find it.
The kidnappers had originally planned to clean everything up and take it with them, leaving no trace. But Wen Jiu kept nagging about it, annoying them and making it seem trivial, so one of them kicked it away instead of picking it up and destroying it.
“Big brother, why exactly did you kidnap me? Even kidnapping needs a reason, right? I’m not from a wealthy family, and I’m not rolling in money either, ”
“You’re a hostage. Can you recognize your position and shut up?!” The kidnapper regretted most not taping Wen Jiu’s mouth shut earlier.
Just as another kidnapper finally found duct tape in the van, Wen Jiu spoke again. “You two look so full of resentment, I really empathize.
So even kidnappers get cranky from work.”
That single sentence made the kidnapper holding the tape tremble. The roll slipped from his hand and rolled under the seat.
The driver: ?
“Lao Wu, you idiot! If Lao San hadn’t had diarrhea, would I have brought you along?!”
Lao Wu, the one who dropped the tape, scratched his head helplessly and fished around under the seat.
“Enough. Stop rummaging. You want the cameras to catch us? If anyone gets close later, just cover her mouth.”
“Oh… okay.” After a moment, Lao Wu still hadn’t recovered. “Lao Er… what she said was kind of heartbreaking.
Being a working kidnapper is really miserable.” He wiped at his eyes.
“You idiot, what are you getting sentimental over?!” The driver, Lao Er, had an upright, righteous-looking face. He snapped, “Once we finish this job, you think we’ll be short on money?!”
“I’m just worried we’ll end up on the run again,” Lao Wu said quietly. “Lao Er, did you forget Big Brother still hasn’t gotten out?”
Lao Er focused on driving, refusing to engage further.
If this continued, they’d end up spilling their entire background to the hostage.
“Ding ding ding”
Suddenly, Wen Jiu’s phone rang in the empty space.
The business van screeched to a stop and pulled over into a temporary parking area.
Through the window, Wen Jiu saw the parking sign and couldn’t help commenting, “You’re actually pretty law-abiding.”
Lao Wu puffed up with pride. “Of course! Other than kidnapping, we’re law-abiding citizens.”
He continued spilling secrets. “Look, most kidnappers use junk cars or vans. Lao Er had foresight, got a high-end business vehicle.”
“He looks proper too, like a professional driver. When he passes cameras, no one would ever think he’s a kidnapper.”
“Besides, what kind of kidnapper drives such a flashy business van?”
Wen Jiu: “……”
That really was unconventional.
“Hehe,” Lao Wu scratched his head again and casually added, “Actually, this car’s stolen too. The owner came with a driver, we knocked the driver out and took the car. Even if they check the plates, it won’t trace back to us.”
“Once we’re out of Nancheng, we’ll switch cars.”
Wen Jiu couldn’t tell whether he was genuinely stupid or deliberately telling her all this.
She only knew that Lao Er shot Lao Wu a vicious glare. “Lao Wu, I should’ve given you a whole pack of mute pills!”
“Throw her phone out. Now!”
“Wait!” Wen Jiu shouted, quickly snatching her phone back. “At least let me format it before you throw it away, okay?”
“By the way, can I take out the SIM card?”
“Get this straight, you’re a hostage! Who do you think you are, negotiating terms with us?!” The second kidnapper, stuck dealing with the two people in the back seat, was so angry his face was about to turn red.
What made him even angrier was that Lao Wu actually backed Wen Jiu up. “Lao Er, formatting the phone is still important. And after that, we can sell it as a second-hand phone. That’s another bit of cash.”
Lao Er finally snapped. He couldn’t hit Wen Jiu, they needed an unharmed hostage, so he reached out and smacked Lao Wu hard instead.
If it weren’t for the seatbelt restraining him, that slap would’ve been even heavier.
“Are you stupid? Rich people from elite families all install tracking software on their phones. If we don’t wipe it clean, they’ll track us straight away. Not only will we get no money, we’ll end up in prison.”
“Got it,” Lao Wu said, though his eyes still lingered on Wen Jiu’s phone.
He didn’t argue back.
Once the van started moving again, Wen Jiu finished formatting the phone, pulled out the SIM card, and even changed the lock screen.
Lao Wu didn’t even look, he tossed it straight into the roadside greenery.
The phone bounced once, slid off the dirt, and landed on the sidewalk.
This happened to be right outside a high school. Boarding students were heading home after evening self-study, and one of them accidentally stepped on the phone.
The busy third-year student didn’t even consider selling it for money. He couldn’t be bothered to unlock it, all he wanted was to go home and lie down for a bit.
On the way back, yawning nonstop from exhaustion, his finger tapped the screen and opened the password-free lock screen.
A single line of large text filled the screen:
I have been kidnapped. Please help me call this number: 1xxxxxx0111. Reward: 20,000 yuan.
The student glanced at the phone. Since he still had some distance to walk home, he pulled out his own phone from his backpack and dialed the number.
He had no money anyway, so he wasn’t afraid of being scammed.
Besides, he didn’t have time to meet anyone in person, so there was no risk of being trafficked. If something really happened, his parents could go straight to the police. Helping someone and getting money, why not?
Meanwhile, far away in the speeding van, Wen Jiu tucked the SIM card into a hidden inner pocket. She’d still need it once she got a new phone.
After watching her finish everything, Lao Wu pulled out a strap he’d just picked up from under the seat. “I’m going to tie your hands. Don’t move.”
Wen Jiu fell silent.
This kidnapper was oddly polite.
Her hands were tied, but her mouth was still free.
She asked calmly, “You kidnapped me for ransom, right?”
Lao Er was driving and didn’t even turn around. “What else, for the prison experience?”
“Then… how much ransom do you want?”
“One hundred million,” Lao Wu answered eagerly.
Wen Jiu thought about her savings. Judging by how completely un-ferocious these two kidnappers were, she felt that if she paid the money herself, they might just drop her off before even leaving Nancheng.
But she didn’t dare gamble.
Who knew if they’d seem nice now, only to suddenly turn vicious later, demanding her hundred million and another ransom on top of that?
Seeing that they still weren’t guarding against her, Wen Jiu continued, “But do you really think I’m worth one hundred million? Who are you planning to collect the money from?”
“Of course the Chu family.”
Wen Jiu had considered a few young ladyes, or even Shen Xingzhou, but she never expected the Chu family.
Was she close to the Chu family? Why would they pay one hundred million for her?
“But I have nothing to do with the Chu family. Did you kidnap the wrong person?”
Lao Er and Lao Wu: ???
“Aren’t you Chu Yan’s wife?”
Silence wasn’t enough to express Wen Jiu’s feelings at that moment.
She took a deep breath. “I’m his wife’s attendant.”
Lao Wu clutched his chest. “We’re done for, Lao Er. Just a follower, no way they’d pay one hundred million. They probably wouldn’t even pay ten thousand.”
“But we’re almost out of the city. What do we do now? Let her go?”
Lao Er didn’t want to talk, but Lao Wu was too noisy.
He cut him off. “We’ve already grabbed her, so we’ll go through with it. We’re just doing a job anyway. Worst case, we only take the payment for the job.”
“The boss doesn’t even know we wanted a hundred million ransom. Since that’s off the table now, keep your mouth shut later. We’ll take the ten million he promised and run. Don’t let him find out we brought back the wrong person.”
“But isn’t that… kind of unprofessional?” Lao Wu muttered.
“Professional my ass. With ten million, who the hell still wants to be a kidnapper? We go back to the village, buy three villas, eat well, live well, and marry wives.” Lao Er wore a righteous face while committing a kidnapping and cursing irritably.
Lao Wu folded under both softness and force. He mimed zipping his mouth shut and finally stopped talking.
Wen Jiu didn’t interrupt. She pricked up her ears and listened quietly.
So there was someone behind all this, a hired kidnapping. Just that this employer hadn’t expected his kidnappers to be so utterly unprofessional.
Lao Er and Lao Wu suddenly felt that Wen Jiu being this quiet meant she was plotting something. They both turned sharply and met her eyes as she was secretly listening in.
Lao Er: …
Lao Wu: …
Wen Jiu: …
The van fell into dead silence, broken only by the ticking sound of the turn signal.
“Uh…” Wen Jiu cleared her throat. “Who told you to kidnap Qin Yao? Since you grabbed the wrong person, collecting money will be inconvenient. But I can put on a hood and cooperate with you.
But once it’s discovered, they’ll definitely come after you for the ten million. I suggest you turn back now, rescue me, then pretend to chase me. One slip, knock over the person behind you, make it look like you couldn’t catch up.
That way, the person who hired you won’t even realize they paid to kidnap the wrong person, and they’ll help clean things up. You get the money and don’t have to live in fear. Isn’t that perfect?”
Lao Er was skeptical of Wen Jiu’s words. Lao Wu, on the other hand, believed every single one and was already itching to try.
After Wen Jiu stopped talking, Lao Wu took over, looking not very bright but putting on a painfully earnest expression. “Lao Er, that’s ten million. Look at Boss, he took the fall and went to prison, didn’t get a single cent, and still has to come out before he can spend anything.
He’s been in there for over ten years now. Who knows if he’ll even get out? They said ten years for five million, other people get sentence reductions, but he got extra time instead.
And money keeps depreciating. With today’s prices, five million should be twenty million.
She’s already willing to cooperate with us. Let’s just do it and trick Second Master Chu.”
Wen Jiu caught the key name: Second Master Chu.
The same Chu family second uncle who had tried to push Chu Yan into the sea, only to be outplayed and kicked out of the Chu Group by Chu Yan himself?
Sounds like he’d even been involved in a kidnapping over a decade ago…
But Wen Jiu had never heard of Chu Yan being kidnapped as a child, so it probably wasn’t him.
“Actually,” Wen Jiu added, “even though I’m Miss Qin Yao’s attendant, I’m also Miss Su’s, Miss Yue’s, and Miss Lin’s attendant.”
Lao Er & Lao Wu: ???
“You’re a hostage, what are you bragging about? Aren’t you still just a worker? What’s so great about being an attendant?”
“What I mean is, asking one hundred million to ransom an attendant isn’t realistic. But if you safely send me back, one million per person is still possible.”
Lao Er had already been led astray by Lao Wu. After thinking for a moment, he said, “Fine. We’ll send you back, but you have to cooperate and pretend to be Qin Yao first.”
So they were planning to eat from both sides.
For her own safety, Wen Jiu thoughtfully reminded them, “Qin Yao is free outside, while Second Master Chu still stays at the Chu residence and could meet her anytime. You’d better stage my ‘escape’ tonight.”
“And don’t tell a fourth person about this plan. You never know what’s in someone’s heart. If you get sold out, you won’t just lose the money, you might end up in prison with your boss.”
Lao Wu said blankly, “Lao Er, she even knows our boss.”
Wen Jiu: “…”
Didn’t you guys just say that yourselves?
Lao Er’s brain finally came back online. He didn’t want to hear Lao Wu’s useless chatter anymore.
He didn’t reject Wen Jiu’s plan either.
Whether her promised money could be collected didn’t really matter. They’d take Second Master Chu’s ten million and flee with Lao San.
Second Master Chu wasn’t a good person anyway. Scamming him out of ten million counted as doing good deeds.
Halfway through, Wen Jiu cooperated fully and switched to an ordinary black sedan.
Seeing the roadside signs, she realized they’d already entered a neighboring city.
They arrived at the kidnappers’ base. The place was a mixed bag of people. When Lao Er and Lao Wu entered, they looked so honest and simple, like local villagers.
While still in the car, Wen Jiu had already observed the surrounding buildings.
Luckily, the base was inside a village. The buildings weren’t tall but were neatly laid out. As long as Lao Er and Lao Wu were willing to guide her, she could still shake off the others and escape.
Much better than open wasteland. Out there, any movement would be too obvious, no way two legs could outrun everyone.
She cooperated as they put a hood over her head, muffled sounds coming from her mouth, hands pulled behind her back, pretending to struggle.
Lao Wu even changed the knot to a slipknot and hid the loop between Wen Jiu’s palms.
That way, it’d be easier for her to act later when escaping.
“Are you sure this isn’t the wrong person? This is Qin Yao?” Second Master Chu’s man asked the moment they arrived, reaching out to grab Wen Jiu’s hood.
Wen Jiu felt the hand gripping her arm suddenly go limp. Her heart sank.
Kidnapper, can you at least act like a kidnapper? Getting scared by one sentence?!
Lao Wu was unreliable. Wen Jiu could only struggle on her own, leaning toward Lao Er, shaking her head nonstop.
Lao Er was a bit smarter, and steadier, than Lao Wu. He quickly pressed Wen Jiu down.
Even though this was supposed to be an act, the sudden force was very real. Wen Jiu felt like her bones were about to be crushed.
Lao Er held her firmly and said, “There’s no way we’d mess up a ten-million job. I’ll tie her up inside. When Second Master arrives, he can confirm it himself. There won’t be any problem.”
“Oh, and we’re just small-time operators. We don’t want her seeing our faces. If you really want to remove the hood, do it after we leave.
Most importantly, we’ve delivered the person. When do we get the money?
We’re honest people, just like our boss. Once we take the money, we forget everything. Even if we’re caught, we’ll never sell you out. Our boss kept his mouth shut about you all those years ago, didn’t he? He’s been in there over a decade without a word of complaint.”
Wen Jiu could clearly tell that Lao Er was nervous.
Because he was talking far too much.
Some people, once they get nervous, start rambling, one sentence here, one there. It all sounds logical, but it’s really just stitched together nonsense. He probably didn’t even know what he was saying anymore.
Wen Jiu was afraid he’d talk himself into a slip.
Luckily, Second Master Chu’s man cut him off. “Tie her up properly. I’ll get the money. I’ll give you five million first. Once Second Master arrives and the ransom is settled, you’ll get the remaining five million.”
The house was an ordinary village home. Walking in, she could clearly feel the tiled floor under her feet.
It seemed fairly large, but it was very quiet, as if no one else was there.
When Lao Er tied Wen Jiu to the chair, he didn’t even make a knot.
Even though the remaining five million hadn’t been paid yet, if Wen Jiu was discovered, they’d have to return the first five million as well.
He deliberately raised his voice and shouted, “Hey, brother, will Second Master be coming back tonight? We want to get the remaining five million as soon as possible. With our boss’s history, we’re scared too. Dragging things out isn’t good, long nights breed trouble. We won’t be able to sleep.”
Second Master Chu’s man strode in. “Did you gag her properly? Why are you yelling so loud? Second Master will be here in twenty minutes. Wait outside.”
Kidnapper Lao Er: !!!
Wen Jiu: !!!
Twenty minutes?!
Wen Jiu hadn’t expected things to be this urgent.
Lao Er’s mind raced. He waved to Second Master Chu’s man and led him outside. “Brother, call a few of your guys. Lao Wu and I will treat you to a drink.
We just got five million, everyone’s brothers here. Not drinking would be rude. Just twenty minutes. We’ll go to the village entrance; it won’t delay anything.”
Wen Jiu’s heart clenched.
Please, please let Second Master Chu’s people be just a little dumb and fall for it, just go already!!
“What can you even do in twenty minutes? Stay put. Once Second Master comes and confirms things, you’ll still have work to do.
If you really want to treat us, later won’t make a difference.”
Lao Er hissed softly and kept walking. “I really want to treat you. How about I go buy something myself? Just wait for me, brother.”
He kept chanting twenty minutes, twenty minutes in his head, his steps quick and light.
With the hood on, Wen Jiu couldn’t see anything. She didn’t know whether Second Master Chu’s men were still around and didn’t dare make a move.
She’d miscalculated, she’d gotten herself into a real den of thieves.