"Will Mom be alright?"

Ye Qingqing dared not voice her suspicions. She feared that the criminals had taken Lin Shufang's body, a possibility that made her heart ache and her breath catch in her throat.

Lu Mo shook his head and said with certainty, "She's fine for now. There are no signs of a struggle or any other bloodstains. Mom wasn't injured when she left, and none of the valuables in the house were touched, which means the thugs weren't after money."

"I suspect it's that bastard Lu Qingquan. Mom would never let a stranger into the house, and there's no reason for anyone else to be in a wheelchair. It must be that beast Lu Qingquan. He's lost all humanity." Ye Qingqing gritted her teeth.

She shouldn't let her guard down. A snake that has had its fangs pulled is still a snake; it can't change its venomous nature. But what was Lu Qingquan's purpose in taking Lin Shufang away?

"Eldest son, Tsinghua..." came the old man's voice from the courtyard, along with the sound of hurried footsteps.

The old man and Lu Jianfeng rushed in. The old man was still tightly gripping his cane. When they saw Lu Mo and Ye Qingqing, they breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that nothing had happened. But soon they discovered Lu Qinghua lying in a pool of blood, and their faces turned pale.

"What happened at Tsinghua? Who did it? Where's your mother? How is she?"

The old man asked a series of questions, but he didn't dare ask if Lu Qinghua was alright, for fear of hearing a bad answer.

The older he got, the softer his heart became. His greatest fear was that an elderly person would bury their child. The old man hoped that he would bear all the bad things and that his children and grandchildren would be safe and sound. He didn't ask for great wealth or status; a modest life was the greatest happiness for him.

"Qinghua is not in any danger. I've given her a life-saving pill. The ambulance will be here soon. She'll be alright," Ye Qingqing reassured her.

The old man felt a little relieved and then asked about Lin Shufang.

Lu Mo dared not hide the truth, "He was taken away by thugs. Qingqing and I both think it was Lu Qingquan."

The old man and Lu Jianfeng's expressions changed drastically; they couldn't believe it.

"No, no matter how bad Qingquan is, he wouldn't do anything to Qinghua, let alone have any ill intentions towards my sister-in-law..." Lu Jianfeng's voice grew weaker and weaker; he himself had lost confidence.

The old man, however, calmed down and asked Lu Jianfeng to call the hospital to inquire about Lu Qingquan's current condition.

“Grandpa, I already called him. Lu Qingquan left the hospital without permission two hours ago. When Qinghua went to deliver the chicken soup, he found that he was missing, so he came to my house.” Lu Mo’s tone was very serious.

It is now almost certain that the perpetrator is Lu Qingquan.

Lu Qinghua must have realized something was wrong, which is why she called back to the compound and then rushed over to check on the situation. However, she hadn't truly recognized Lu Qingquan's ruthless heart and was attacked, but fortunately, she survived.

"You beast, you unfilial son! Call the police! This time I will show no mercy!" The old man was both angry and remorseful.

He was angry at himself for being like Mr. Dongguo, who saved a poisonous snake but now harmed his granddaughter and eldest daughter-in-law—it was all his fault!

Ye Qingqing's phone suddenly rang. The abrupt ringtone was quite jarring, and the caller ID showed Lin Shufang.

"It's Mom on the phone!" Ye Qingqing exclaimed in surprise.

"It must have been Lu Qingquan who made the call, trying to stall for time. Just agree to whatever he asks," Lu Mo reminded him.

Ye Qingqing took a deep breath and pressed the call button. Sure enough, it was Lu Qingquan's disgusting voice, tinged with a hint of coldness. "Ye Qingqing, I'm not going to waste my breath on you. Lin Shufang is in my hands now. If you want her to live, she'd better treat me properly. If I live, she lives; if I die, she dies!"