Chapter 321 Kidnapping
Shang Wu rubbed her temples, feeling a headache coming on. This child, who usually seemed lively and cheerful, was actually sensitive and stubborn when it came to emotions.
"Xiaowu, when it comes to matters of the heart, sometimes you need a little opportunity and a little excitement."
Shang Wu put down the fruit, held her daughter's hand, and patiently comforted her, "Perhaps Luo Jun's appearance made him see clearly what he was really afraid of losing, which catalyzed his actions."
But this doesn't negate the sincerity of his actions. He was willing to completely sever ties with relatives he'd known for years for your sake; that resolve is genuine.
Lu Yuwu pursed her lips and didn't speak, but her eyes flickered slightly, clearly indicating that she had taken her mother's words to heart.
Seeing her conflicted expression, Shang Wu felt secretly anxious.
She desperately wanted to tell her daughter that she only had three days.
But she couldn't.
She promised the old man she wouldn't tell her daughter in advance, because she was afraid that her daughter would rush into reconciliation with Fu Yan to avoid an arranged marriage, without fully understanding her own feelings. That would be unfair to both of them and would pose greater risks in the future.
She could only suppress her anxiety and gently pat her daughter's hand: "Mom knows you have something on your mind and need time to process it, but some opportunities, once missed, may never come again. Think it over carefully and follow your heart. Whatever decision you make, Mom and Dad will support you."
After comforting her daughter, Shang Wu returned to the master bedroom with a heavy heart.
Lu Rang was leaning against the headboard reading a book when he saw her come in. He put down the book and asked, "Did you talk to Xiao Wu?"
Shang Wu sighed, sat down on the edge of the bed, and expressed her daughter's concerns and her own worries. "Tomorrow is the deadline, and these two are still so awkward together. I'm really afraid..."
Lu Rang remained calm after listening.
He put his arm around Shang Wu's shoulder, letting her lean against him, and said in a steady voice, "Feelings can't be forced. We've done what we could; the rest is up to them."
He paused, then continued, "If in the end they still can't overcome that hurdle in their hearts and can't be together, and if Xiaowu, after careful consideration, is ultimately willing to accept the marriage arranged by the old man, then it can only mean that they are not destined to be together. As parents, we should respect her choice."
Shang Wu leaned against him, listening to his steady heartbeat, and her anxious mood calmed down a little.
Yes, no matter how anxious she is, she can't take her daughter's feelings or make the choices for her.
Perhaps, we can only let nature take its course.
The third day, evening.
Lu Zheng arrived on time and sat in the main seat of the living room with a serious expression. Luo Jun still quietly accompanied him, but this time, there was a hint of expectation in his eyes.
Shang Wu and Lu Rang sat beside her, their hearts heavy. A day had passed, and there was still no word from their daughter; their phone was switched off and they couldn't reach her.
This made them feel uneasy.
"Where is Xiaowu?" Lu Zheng asked in a deep voice, his tone carrying an unquestionable authority. "Three days have passed. What is her answer?"
“Dad, Xiaowu’s phone might be dead, or she might be busy…” Shang Wu tried to explain, but her unease grew stronger. This wasn’t like Xiaowu; even if she wanted to refuse, she wouldn’t do it by disappearing.
Just then, the landline in the living room rang shrilly.
Lu Rang, who was closest to the phone, stood up and answered: "Hello?"
After a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone, a cold and eerie electronic voice came through: "Mr. Lu Rang?"
Lu Rang frowned: "I am. Who are you?"
"Listen, your daughter Lu Yuwu is in our hands," the electronic voice stated emotionlessly. "If you want her safe and sound, prepare 500 million in cash, old bills, not consecutive serial numbers. Tomorrow at noon, wait for our next instructions. If you call the police or try anything funny, you can expect to be collecting her corpse."
"Click." The phone was abruptly disconnected, leaving only a busy tone.
Lu Rang's hand gripping the microphone tightened abruptly, his knuckles turning white, and his face instantly turned ashen.
"What's wrong, A-Rang?" Shang Wu noticed her husband's unusual behavior and immediately stood up, her heart in her throat.
Lu Rang slowly put down the microphone, turned to the people in the living room, his voice trembling slightly as he tried to suppress his shock and anger: "Xiao Wu... has been kidnapped. The other party is demanding a ransom of 500 million."
"What?!" Shang Wu's vision went black and she almost fainted, but Lu Rang caught her in time.
Lu Zheng suddenly stood up from the sofa, his usually composed face showing a look of horror. Luo Jun was even more shocked, his face turning pale.
The living room instantly descended into chaos, filled with an atmosphere of panic and disbelief.
Shang Wu forced herself to stand firm and immediately took out her phone to dial her daughter's number again, but it was still switched off. Undeterred, she dialed Luo Luo's number.
"Auntie?" Luo Luo's voice came from outside.
"Luo Luo, is Xiao Wu with you?" Shang Wu asked anxiously.
"No, Auntie, Xiaowu said she wasn't feeling well this afternoon and went back to her dorm to rest early. I messaged her later but she didn't reply, so I thought she was asleep!"
The bad premonition came true. Shang Wu's hands and feet were ice-cold, and she could barely stand.
Just then, the doorbell rang urgently.
As soon as the maid opened the door, a figure rushed in like a whirlwind—it was Fu Yan. He was pale, breathing rapidly, and even had sweat on his forehead, clearly having run there in a frenzy.
Upon receiving news that Lu Yuwu might be in trouble, he rushed over immediately.
"Aunt Shang, Uncle Lu! Where's Xiaowu? Has something happened to her?" Fu Yan's voice was filled with undisguised panic as he anxiously scanned the living room, searching for that familiar figure.
When his gaze met Shang Wu's red-rimmed eyes and Lu Rang's ashen face, his heart sank to the bottom.
"Xiaowu... has been kidnapped." Shang Wu choked up as she said this cruel truth.
Fu Yan's body swayed almost imperceptibly. He clenched his fists tightly, his eyes instantly filled with terrifying bloodshot veins, like a wild beast on the verge of losing control. "What do the kidnappers want?" His voice was terribly hoarse.
“Five hundred million in cash, to be traded tomorrow at noon,” Lu Rang replied in a deep voice. At this moment, he had forced himself to calm down and think of a solution.
"I'll pay for it!" Fu Yan roared almost immediately, his eyes filled with a desperate madness. "I'll go prepare it right now! Tell me the location of the transaction, and I'll go ransom her!"
He was about to rush out when he said that, and he really seemed to be planning to go into the lion's den all by himself.
"Fu Yan! Stop right there!" Lu Rang shouted sternly to stop him. "Calm down! They are desperate criminals. If you go alone, you won't be able to save Xiao Wu. You might even provoke them and cause them to kill her! We can't risk Xiao Wu's life!"
Shang Wu quickly pulled him back: "Yan Yan, don't be impulsive! We're already preparing to call the police and let the professionals handle this!"
"Call the police? No way!" Fu Yan turned around abruptly, his eyes bloodshot. "What if they find out? Xiao Wu will be in danger! I can't let her take any risks! I have to go!"
He had completely lost his usual calm and rationality, and only one thought remained in his mind—to save Lu Yuwu, at any cost.
Lu Zheng looked at the young man before him, who was almost out of control for his granddaughter, his eyes filled with complex emotions. He spoke in a deep voice, with the authority of the head of the family: "Young man of the Fu family, we understand your feelings. But now is not the time for reckless courage! The kidnappers are extremely vicious, and we must plan carefully to ensure that nothing goes wrong!"
With everyone's strong persuasion and calm analysis, Fu Yan's manic emotions were barely suppressed, but his clenched fists and tense body still showed his inner anxiety and the power that could explode at any moment.
The operation to rescue Lu Yuwu began tensely under the sudden shadow of a kidnapping. The original dispute over the arranged marriage seemed insignificant at this moment. Everyone's heart was focused on the young girl whose fate remained unknown.
The abandoned factory was empty and gloomy, filled with the smell of rust and dust. Only a few pale rays of moonlight shone through the broken windows, barely illuminating a small area in the center.
Lu Yuwu had her hands tied behind her back and her mouth taped shut as she curled up on the cold cement floor.
Her face was streaked with tears, but her eyes held a stubborn anger as she stared intently at the figure in the distance, dressed in a white dress, who looked somewhat eerie in the dim light.
Jin Ting.
The factory gate creaked heavily as it was pushed open from the outside.
A tall, slender figure walked in against the faint light of the day outside the door.
Fu Yan carried a heavy black leather suitcase, his gaze sharp as a hawk's, quickly sweeping across the entire space before finally settling on Lu Yuwu.
Seeing that she was disheveled but seemingly unharmed, his tense nerves relaxed slightly, but the coldness in his eyes intensified.
"I brought the money. Release them." Fu Yan's voice echoed in the empty factory, cold and devoid of any warmth.
Jin Ting looked at him with a twisted and obsessive smile on her face. She slowly walked over, her eyes crazed: "Brother Yan, you've finally come. I knew it. You would do anything for her."
She didn't even glance at the suitcase, but stared intently at Fu Yan's face: "But I don't want money. What's the use of money? I want you... I want you to marry me."
Fu Yan's pupils contracted, and his jawline tightened: "Are you crazy?"
"I've gone mad!" Jin Ting's voice suddenly rose, trembling with hysterical sobs. "You've driven me mad! I've liked you since I was little, and I tried so hard to be good enough for you, to become sensible! But what about you? You only have eyes for Lu Yuwu! What's so great about her? Why does she deserve all your love! Even Aunt Fu doesn't want me anymore because of you! I have nothing left!"
She pointed at Lu Yuwu on the ground, her eyes filled with venom: "If you agree to marry me and swear to my face that you will only love me from now on, I will let her go. Otherwise..." A cruel smile appeared on her face, "I will have my men slash her face! Tell me, if she becomes an ugly monster, will you still like her?"
Two men dressed in a sleazy style emerged from the shadows, holding gleaming daggers and looking at Lu Yuwu with ill intent.
Lu Yuwu stared wide-eyed in terror, her body involuntarily shrinking back, making a "woo-woo" sound.
Fu Yan stared at the blade approaching Lu Yuwu, his heart nearly stopping. He forced himself to calm down, his gaze fixed on the emotionally unstable Jin Ting, his mind racing.
“Okay.” Fu Yan suddenly spoke, his voice unexpectedly calm, even carrying a hint of weary compromise. “I agree.”
Jin Ting was stunned, seemingly not expecting him to agree so readily. A look of wild joy flashed across her face: "Really? You swear!"
"I swear." Fu Yan looked at her with deep eyes and slowly walked towards her step by step. "As long as you release her, I, Fu Yan, will marry you, Jin Ting, and will only be good to you from now on."
His tone was so earnest, his eyes so "focused," as if he had truly made up his mind. Jin Ting was captivated by his sudden "deep affection," watching him approach with a dazed look, her guard gradually crumbling in her ecstasy.
Just as Fu Yan was only a step away from Jin Ting, his eyes suddenly turned fierce. Like a cheetah pouncing on its prey, he slammed the suitcase in his hand hard against a man holding a knife next to him. At the same time, his body rushed towards Jin Ting like an arrow. Before she could react, he tackled her to the ground and tightly restrained her wrists with both hands!
"Attack!" The man who had been hit on the arm by the suitcase and staggered back in pain roared, and together with another accomplice, they charged at Fu Yan with knives!
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