He tried desperately to call out "Daddy" and "Auntie," but he couldn't even utter a complete sound.

Tears streamed down his face, his heart filled with despair, and no one could hear his cries for help.

On the other side, Xiaoping, the little boy clinging to Shen Qingtang's leg, heard Shen Qingtang ask, "I am an exiled criminal, are you willing to come with me?"

Without a second thought, he nodded vigorously, his voice filled with dependence: "I want to stay with Mother! Wherever Mother is, I will be! It doesn't matter if I don't have a father, I only want Mother!"

Shen Qingtang replied, "Okay."

They arranged for Xiaoping to have the best room in the inn booked. Xiaoping skipped and hopped along with the waiter.

They chattered happily about the little things that had happened over the years.

But after exchanging only a few words, Shen Qingtang suddenly felt a void in her heart and abruptly realized: "Where's Nian'an?"

She instinctively looked around, but couldn't see the small figure at all.

Pei Wuwang snapped back to his senses instantly. He hadn't noticed before because he was in a daze, but now that he realized his son was missing, his face turned deathly pale. He forgot all about the pain in his wound and frantically searched everywhere.

After searching for a long time without finding a trace, Pei Wuwang suddenly grabbed Pei Yurou by the collar.

His eyes were bloodshot as he grabbed her by the neck.

His voice was filled with boundless rage: "Was it your Pei family who did this? Where did you hide Nian'an?!"

Pei Yurou was being choked and struggled desperately, unable to breathe.

Pei Wuwang's old wound on his back reopened due to his emotional excitement and excessive movements, and blood kept seeping out, staining his clothes red. But he didn't care at all; all he could see was his obsession with finding his son.

The pressure on his hands increased: "Tell me! Where is Nian'an?!"

Seeing Pei Wuwang's out-of-control state, Old Madam Pei rushed over to stop him, her voice shrill: "Pei Wuwang! Have you gone mad? She's your own sister, Pei Yurou! How could you kill her? You're so heartless!"

Pei Wuwang sneered.

His grip didn't loosen, his eyes as cold as ice: "My own sister? If anything happens to my son, I won't let her off the hook, no matter if she's my own sister!"

He stared intently at Pei Yurou's face.

Observing her expression closely, there was only pure fear in her eyes, without a trace of guilt, clearly indicating that she really did not know Pei Nian'an's whereabouts.

Pei Wuwang then released his grip, and Pei Yurou collapsed to the ground, clutching her neck and coughing violently.

Immediately afterwards, Pei Wuwang turned to look at his father, second uncle, and the eldest and youngest Qin families, his gaze sweeping over them like a knife: "If Nian'an is not found, or if she is even slightly injured, all of you will be suspects. I will personally execute you all, and none of you will escape!"

Pei's father was so angry that he trembled all over.

Pointing at Pei Wuwang, he cursed, "You ungrateful wretch! I'm your father, how dare you speak to me like that?!"

"Father?" Pei Wuwang sneered, his eyes full of mockery. "What kindness or loyalty have you ever shown me? I risked my life on the battlefield, and you stole the credit for it. Do you even deserve to be my father?"

These words struck Pei's father like a heavy hammer, leaving him speechless. His face turned pale and then red, and he couldn't utter a single word for a long time.

Everyone around fell silent; no one dared to defend the Pei family anymore—everyone knew that.

Pei Wuwang has indeed suffered too many grievances in the Pei family over the years. At this moment, Pei Wuwang and Shen Qingtang are filled with thoughts of Pei Nian'an.

My only thought was to find him as soon as possible.

Shen Qingtang didn't sit still either. She went straight to Lu Jin and Lin Peirou, and grabbed Lin Peirou's wrist.

He then held the dagger to Lu's mother's neck, his eyes icy: "Did you kidnap Nian'an? Speak!"

Lu Jin shook his head repeatedly in fright, his voice trembling: "It wasn't us! We didn't touch him at all!" Lin Peirou was even more trembling, unable to speak properly, her eyes filled with fear.

Seeing that they didn't seem to be lying, Shen Qingtang had no choice but to let them go for the time being.

At this moment, Xiaoping tugged at Shen Qingtang's sleeve and whispered, "Mother, I'm hungry..."