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The people in the conference room were taken aback. Wasn't Jin Chengyan supposed to be recovering in the hospital?
The first to react was Jin Mengli. She stepped in front of Xiao Jianguo and reached out to support Jin Chengyan, who had just had his wounds stitched up the night before.
Jin Chengyan, however, was not convinced. With the old director Xiao Jianguo present, it was clear that the conference room was filled with trained police officers. Although they were dressed in plain clothes, they were using an internal network, which Jin Chengyan immediately recognized.
Seeing that she couldn't hide the situation any longer, Jin Mengli turned to Xiao Jianguo and said, "Xiao Bo Bo, you keep an eye on things here. I'll take A Yan back to the hospital."
"Go ahead. I'll let you know if there's any news!"
"What’s so urgent that it can’t be said here?" Jin Chengyan's temper flared up, and he couldn't hold back.
Jin Mengli was already irritated because of Qiao Nuo's kidnapping. With Jin Chengyan being so disobedient, she rubbed her temples and said directly, "Qiao Nuo has been kidnapped. They’re asking for two hundred million. I'm trying to gather the money right now."
"Qiao Nuo has been kidnapped?" Jin Chengyan's brows furrowed deeply, and as he moved, pain shot through his abdomen from his injury, making him grimace even more.
"Don't panic! I’m here watching over things, and Xiao Bo Bo is helping too. Just go back to the hospital for now; if you collapse before we find Qiao Nuo, it won't do anyone any good!" Jin Mengli signaled to the nurse who had come to assist Jin Chengyan, urging her to help get him back.
She really didn’t want to see him suffer another serious injury; her mother would be heartbroken!
Unexpectedly, Jin Chengyan brushed off the nurse's hand immediately. "Why are you only telling me this now?"
"Would it have made a difference if I told you earlier? You’re lying on a hospital bed because of this situation. You know better than I do what’s going on here!"
Jin Mengli’s words hit a sore spot for Jin Chengyan, and his face darkened further, losing even more color.
"But two hundred million is not a small amount..."
Jin Mengli looked at him in surprise and responded with an unusual tone, "Qiao Nuo is our Jin Family's daughter-in-law. No matter what reason you have for marrying her, if she's in danger, we will do everything we can to save her. Whether it's two hundred million or two billion, if you're worried about not having enough money, Dad will take care of it!" At that moment, Jin Mengli was furious.
She knew that her brother always had a place in his heart for Ruan Shengyu, and she thought he was concerned about the two billion, unwilling to save Qiao Nuo for the sake of money. That was why she hadn’t told Jin Chengyan that Ruan Shengyu had also been kidnapped along with Qiao Nuo.
Jin Chengyan was momentarily taken aback by his sister's words.
“Sis…” Jin Chengyan wanted to explain, “Forget it, saving people is the priority!”
He felt there wasn’t enough time to elaborate now.
“Who are you saving? How long can you even stand? Doesn’t your wound hurt?”
“It’s nothing.”
This time, Jin Mengli noticed a different expression in Jin Chengyan's eyes—concern, perhaps even urgency.
Was he worried about Qiao Nuo?
Of course, if Qiao Nuo could replace Ruan Shengyu in Jin Chengyan’s heart, Jin Mengli would feel quite relieved.
“It’s not nothing! Sit down on that chair and don’t move! If anything happens to you, Mom will never let me off!” Jin Mengli insisted, forcing Jin Chengyan to sit down before she went over to discuss Qiao Nuo’s kidnapping with Xiao Jianguo.
Sitting in the chair, for the first time, Jin Chengyan felt utterly powerless. He wanted to strategize, but even standing for a long time made him uncomfortable; the pain from his wound was pulling at him.
What had driven him to recklessly stab himself last night?
He knew that six years ago it was because of Yan Beiting that he only ended up with a minor injury on his calf. What if Yan Beiting hadn’t saved him? Would there be no Jin Chengyan in this world anymore?
Was he trying to sever ties with Yan Beiting or break the connection between Yan Beiting and Ruan Shengyu?
He couldn’t figure it out!
But now, he regretted even more why he had been so impulsive yesterday. Now that Qiao Nuo had been kidnapped, he felt utterly helpless!
What was happening to Qiao Nuo? Where was she? Was she scared? Would those who had kidnapped her do something despicable?
With a sudden movement, Jin Chengyan stood up from his chair!
His mind was flooded with memories of six years ago when he rushed to the old classroom and found Ruan Shengyu lying on the ground, barely clothed, her bruises and tears glaringly piercing Jin Chengyan's eyes!
He could not bear for such a thing to happen again!
He could not tolerate that Qiao Nuo, who was already his, would be humiliated by others!
Everyone in the conference room turned their heads at Jin Chengyan's sudden rise, their gazes falling on him.
"Tell me, who are the people that kidnapped Qiao Nuo?" The pallor of Jin Chengyan's face was overshadowed by a fierce intensity, as if he wanted to devour someone alive.
"Jin Chengyan, don't make things worse! Just take care of yourself!"
"Jin Mengli, the person who has been kidnapped is my wife! Are you asking me to watch her being bullied without doing anything?" Jin Chengyan shouted back at Jin Mengli!
This outburst made Jin Mengli look at Jin Chengyan in a new light.
Was Qiao Nuo truly of such significant importance in Jin Chengyan's heart?
"The kidnappers want us to deliver the ransom at West City Dam in two hours. Xiao Bo Bo said they probably plan to leave by water after getting the money! If you want to save Qiao Nuo, are you coming with us?" Jin Mengli raised an eyebrow and asked.
"Yes!" Without a second thought, Jin Chengyan agreed!
Xiao Jianguo felt uneasy. "Mengmeng, how can A Yan go with you when he's injured? What if something happens along the way? How will you explain it to your parents?"
Everyone knows that Jin Chengyan is the heir to Jin Zhongshu's legacy. Such a vast family business awaits Jin Chengyan's stewardship, and the survival of hundreds of thousands of people hinges on the Jin family's fate.
If something were to happen to Jin Chengyan, who would take charge?
"Xiao Bo Bo, just let A Yan go! We can't stop him! Only he knows how much his wife means to him!" Jin Mengli said, a slight smile playing at the corners of her mouth.
Perhaps this kidnapping was also an opportunity for Jin Chengyan to discover his true feelings deep within.
But… Ruan Shengyu…
Jin Mengli looked at Jin Chengyan's determined gaze. If he were to find out that Ruan Shengyu was among those involved in the kidnapping, what choice would he make?
…
Inside the dilapidated factory, Zhang Long and his group had gone off to do something, leaving only a young man behind to guard the place.
It seemed that this young man had played too hard during the day; now he was slumped over in a chair, fast asleep, snoring louder with each breath!
Qiao Nuo glanced at the young man who was completely out cold and felt relieved!
Her hands were tied behind the chair, with the knot secured tightly around her wrists.
Since Qiao Nuo often enjoyed activities like rock climbing, she was quite adept at knots and her hands were unusually nimble.
However, this knot was tied far too tightly! It was a deadlock!
But she couldn't just sit here and wait for doom to descend upon her!
Although Jin Mengli had promised two hundred million to rescue her, she knew she wasn't recognized as Jin Chengyan's wife. In the end, it would still be Qiao Nuo who had to repay that two hundred million!
Moreover, the key point is, if they pay the money, will Zhang Long and the others really release them? Qiao Nuo was very skeptical about this! They were making a big show of it, not hiding their faces from Qiao Nuo and the others, and they weren't wearing masks. They clearly recognized their faces; either they were truly bold and fearless, or...
They planned to take the money and then go back on their word!
Qiao Nuo certainly did not wish for such an outcome, so she could only hope for the best!
The rough ropes chafed against Qiao Nuo's delicate skin, and in just a few moments, her wrists were already red! Those tiny fibers rubbed against her skin repeatedly until her wrists bled!
But she couldn't stop; if she did, it would mean surrendering herself to them!
Qiao Nuo's movements caught Ruan Shengyu's attention. She looked at Qiao Nuo, but since her mouth was stuffed with rags, she couldn't say a word! All she could do was make muffled sounds!
Qiao Nuo couldn't help but lament that Ruan Shengyu was a teammate as useless as a pig. If that sleeping person heard her voice and woke up, neither of them would escape!
"Stop calling out!" Qiao Nuo whispered urgently; she wasn't gagged. "If we're discovered, neither of us will survive!"
Ruan Shengyu was genuinely afraid of Zhang Long. Upon hearing Qiao Nuo's words, she immediately fell silent and began struggling desperately to break free!
Jin Mengli wasn't coming to her rescue, nor was Yan Beiting. If Qiao Nuo managed to free herself first, would she save Ruan Shengyu?
No, because it was Ruan Shengyu who had set up Qiao Nuo, causing her to be misunderstood by Jin Chengyan and suffer unjustly! If she were in Qiao Nuo's position, she'd wish for Ruan Shengyu to die!
Moreover, Ruan Shengyu didn't want Qiao Nuo to escape. If she revealed the conspiracy between her and Ni Yue to Jin Chengyan, the consequences would be dire. It was precisely because she feared Ni Yue would spill everything that she had come to this place!
Just as Ruan Shengyu was struggling, Qiao Nuo had already managed to untie her ropes! With her hands free, Qiao Nuo quickly loosened the ropes binding her body and feet!
This was fantastic; all she needed to do was find a hidden place to escape! No matter where it was, if she ran with all her might, she'd surely encounter people and find a way to be rescued!
Qiao Nuo felt an overwhelming sense of joy!
Of course, she hadn't forgotten about Ruan Shengyu, who was still tied to the chair.
She walked in front of Ruan Shengyu, looking down at her from above.
Ruan Shengyu's eyes were filled with pleading and unwillingness... The complex emotions swirling within her could almost dye a whole dye house! She wanted Qiao Nuo to save her! After all, the ropes binding her were tied so tightly!
"Ruan Shengyu, you want me to save you, right?" To be honest, Qiao Nuo really didn't want to untie Ruan Shengyu, and she wasn't going to do it—at least not now.
Ruan Shengyu nodded desperately; her frail self was no match for the stubborn ropes.
"But I really don't want to save you! When you teamed up with Ni Yue to frame me, did you ever consider that I had no grievances with you? What was your purpose in trapping me like this?" Although it wasn't a good time for a conversation, she continued, "Oh, it was for Jin Chengyan, right? Because I married him?"
Tears welled up in Ruan Shengyu's eyes as she realized the truth in Qiao Nuo's words. The embarrassment of being at a disadvantage made her abandon her dignity.
"I actually warned you early on to choose between career and love. As long as you chose Jin Chengyan, he would be yours—he would definitely be yours, regardless of whether I married him or not! I believe you know that the one Jin Chengyan loves has always been you alone."
For Qiao Nuo to admit that the person Jin Chengyan loved was Ruan Shengyu all along and to say it out loud made her heart ache painfully.
But this was also the best way to force Qiao Nuo to acknowledge that Jin Chengyan was not her beloved.
However, when Qiao Nuo said this, Ruan Shengyu seemed somewhat confused. What did her words mean? Did it imply that even if Jin Chengyan married Qiao Nuo, he was only waiting for her?
Yet deep within Ruan Shengyu's heart lay a sense of inferiority. The humiliation she endured six years ago was a hurdle she could never overcome.
Even if she had changed her name and background, even if Jin Chengyan had cleaned up her past as if it were a blank sheet of paper, it couldn't change the fact that she was no longer pure!
There would always be something separating her from Jin Chengyan.
"I really don't want to save you. I won't deny that I like Jin Chengyan. If you just disappeared like this, there would only be me by his side. I believe that one day he will forget you and be with me; we would be the happiest and most joyful couple."
Thinking about it this way, it really is beautiful.
Ruan Shengyu listened to Qiao Nuo and truly believed her!
This was her plan: once Qiao Nuo disappeared, there would be no one standing between her and Jin Chengyan. As long as she eliminated Qiao Nuo, she and Jin Chengyan would return to the way they were!
So she had no doubt about what Qiao Nuo said.
However, to Ruan Shengyu's surprise, Qiao Nuo actually moved behind her and began to untie her ropes!
Why?
What was the reason?
Qiao Nuo was also questioning herself: why save someone who had betrayed her?
It was like being bitten by a dog—would you bite it back? The truth was that doing so would only make her like the dog!
Qiao Nuo didn’t want to be a dog; she didn’t want to be a saint either.
Just like that time in the banquet hall when she saw Ruan Shengyu and Yan Beiting together, her first thought was whether Jin Chengyan would feel hurt seeing them together!
She understood that enduring prolonged pain was worse than a brief one, but she didn’t want to see Jin Chengyan suffer.
If something happened to Ruan Shengyu, he would surely be devastated!
And he would definitely blame Qiao Nuo for being with him—why could she escape while Ruan Shengyu couldn’t come along?
So, Qiao Nuo moved behind Ruan Shengyu and untied her ropes.
“However, Ruan Shengyu, I saved you. When I see Jin Chengyan, I will tell him about the scheme you and Ni Yue plotted. I believe he has the right to know the truth.”
Ruan Shengyu quickly removed the ropes binding her and tore the cloth from her mouth!
Once freed from her restraints, she seemed like a different person, her eyes filled only with hatred as she looked at Qiao Nuo.
“If it weren't for you, would I have ended up in this hellhole?”
Qiao Nuo sighed, “…” She really didn’t want to deal with this person. Spotting a small window behind her to the right, she ignored Ruan Shengyu and walked straight toward it.
But just as she reached for the window, there was a loud bang as something struck the back of her head!
She turned around to see Ruan Shengyu holding a brick.
“You forced me!”
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