Liu Yangjun explained the situation and the tasks, and finally heard a unified "Roger."
As the small meeting ended, He Xiuyuan raised his hand. "Can I go to the east exit of the city's western mountain? I think that location has the highest probability. I want to verify if I'm right."
Liu Yangjun was taken aback, then nodded. He knew this kid was no ordinary child. He was a key contributor to this case.
But Bo Xin stepped forward with a smile and stopped Liu Yangjun. "This is too dangerous for a child. I'll go."
He Xiuyuan's eyes widened. He didn't understand, but when he saw Bo Xin's smile, a thought struck him. So his guess was correct?
—
The police team had already set out. Bo Xin sat in the back seat. Thanks to He Xiuyuan's endorsement, no one doubted the master's abilities. Bo Xin naturally enjoyed their preferential treatment, planning to express her gratitude at the end. She sipped some tea and smiled lightly.
Liu Yangjun was also in this car, feeling very grateful to Bo Xin. "That kid looks completely different now."
Bo Xin flattered him. "That's all thanks to national policies and your magnanimity, Chief."
Liu Yangjun felt uncomfortable with the praise. He remembered Bo Xin as someone who would randomly make sarcastic remarks. When had she ever been so fake? It meant something else was occupying her mind. And her reaction was strange—did Bo Xin know the kid who kidnapped Tao Lejie? Liu Yangjun snorted, then dismissed his own guess. He must have been watching too many Hong Kong crime dramas lately, letting his imagination run wild.
He turned his head and found two cars tightly following the police car. One was worried about Tao Lejie, the other about Bo Xin. So Bo Xin's attempt to stop He Xiuyuan from coming seemed to have no effect. Liu Yangjun's cheek twitched.
He Xiuyuan was in Ji Xingzhi's car. Ji Yanyi stood beside him, leaning forward on the back of the front seat, unable to sit still. "Dad, drive faster! The police car is already ahead."
Ji Xingzhi clicked his tongue, annoyed. He first reassured, "Waiting for the traffic light. We can follow." Then he threatened, "Do you want our whole family to get hit by a car?" He pulled Ji Yanyi's hands off and forced him to sit down. Ji Yanyi stopped sticking his butt out but now pouted his lips. He was just worried about his mom.
Bo Yuxu also sighed helplessly. "I told her not to do dangerous things."
He Xiuyuan was more rational. "Master is with the police now, fully protected by them. That should be safer than us."
Bo Yuxu: "..."
Ji Yanyi: "..."
The car fell into a heavy silence. Finally, Ji Yanyi broke it, urgent. "The traffic light is green now! Dad, why aren't you following?!"
Ji Xingzhi irritably opened and closed the door. "We've arrived at the destination. Xiuyuan is right—we're safer staying here." Unlike childish stubbornness, he was an adult, especially since the other adult wasn't around. He had to bear the responsibility of protecting the children. Ji Xingzhi stayed put, pressed the car key, and locked the kids inside.
Ji Yanyi pounded the window. "Then didn't we come for nothing?"
Ji Xingzhi shook his head. "How is it for nothing? We can find out early whether the kidnapper is someone I know." The name Sui Dongsheng had been appearing around him constantly ever since Bo Xin mentioned she was writing a novel. Could it be that ghost?
—
Bo Xin was close enough to clearly hear the sirens surrounding her. They said it could deter crime, but it also greatly increased the chances of the criminal fleeing. Would she miss meeting him again?
When they reached the location, the police told her to stay in the car. They spotted the vehicle the criminal used to escape, confirmed they had the right place, and began to advance. Inside, they found only the victim.
Tao Lejie was covered in wounds and in bad condition. He was barely conscious and groaned painfully. When he heard the kidnapper's name, he forced his eyes open. "He took all my money—about fifty thousand. Don't let him get away!"
Tao Wanchun got out of the car. His son was found, but his face didn't show happiness—it was too complex and unreadable. In the shadows, he even looked gloomy.
Tao Lejie was so scared he didn't dare cry or complain. He sobbed miserably, then convulsed. "...Dad."
Tao Wanchun confirmed that the event hadn't affected their father-son bond too much; Tao Lejie was still as timid, fearful, and in awe of his father. So he put on a caring smile. "Are you okay, Lejie? I was really worried about you at home."
Tao Lejie neither nodded nor shook his head. He clenched his fists, unable to forget what Sui Dongsheng had said. He used crying and the pain to mask his strange expression. He remembered again how Sui Dongsheng had told him about the huge gap between him and Tao Lehua—how Tao Wanchun cared most about Tao Lehua, willing to spend any amount on him, but wouldn't even pay fifty thousand for him. Killing the soul was not more than this.
Tao Lejie wiped his tears, a flash of resentment in his eyes. He pushed away Tao Lehua, who had been trying to help him. "I don't need your fake kindness! If you had agreed to Sui Dongsheng, he wouldn't have targeted me! It's all your fault! All your fault!"
He pushed hard. Tao Lehua, who rarely saw sunlight and rarely exercised, was so weak that he fell to the ground. It seemed he had hit a bone—he cried out in pain.
Wen Ni immediately pushed Tao Lejie away. Since Tao Lejie was covered in injuries, he felt even more pain.
Criminal police officers dreaded dealing with domestic disputes the most. They coughed a couple of times and quickly arranged for both to be sent to the hospital for a thorough check-up.
On the stretcher, a police officer took notes. "So, when were you alone? When did Sui Dongsheng leave, and why?"
Tao Lejie replied angrily, "He left less than half an hour ago to buy food. If you stake out, you might still catch him."
So the guy hadn't fled? The police quickly deployed and arranged for people to hide in various places.
Ji Xingzhi stood by the car, using mint candies as a substitute for the cigarettes he couldn't smoke. One candy was enough to refresh him. He scanned the area, then fixed his gaze on a certain spot. That face—it looked just like the grown-up version of that ghost, Sui Dongsheng.
Seeing the man turn around and ride a bicycle away, Ji Xingzhi cursed under his breath. He got into the car, turned the key, and looked at the three kids in the back. He stopped. This wasn't a time for him to act on impulse.
Finally, he found a familiar police officer and asked him to drive the police car to chase the suspect. Damn it, it really was that kid. Where had his mother sent the letter from? He was so young and already committing kidnapping—what would he do when he grew up? If he killed his mother out of hatred... then wouldn't Ji Xingzhi be an indirect murderer?