Chapter 19: It's okay now, Everything is fine.

“How did we end up with two of them?”

“They went out to play together and both got in the car on the way back.”

“Who’s this? Looks really good, much better than those effeminate pretty boys.”

“Heh, the young master of the Yin family.”

“The Yin family?” The rough-voiced man cursed, “Damn, the Yin family from the East City?”

“That’s right.”

“Are you trying to get me killed? Kidnapping a Yin family child too!”

The man kicked Cai Li, who grunted in pain. Cai Li replied, “They got in the car together, what could I do? Everything was already prepared in the car. How could I send them back?”

“Then don’t bring me someone from the Yin family! Qi Dashan’s got no real background; borrowing some of his dirty money is no big deal. But do you know the power behind the Yin family? Do you want to lose your son?”

Cai Li’s voice noticeably weakened. He said softly, “Don’t worry, this Yin Xiuzhu is not Yin Zhenggong’s son, just a cover. If you really tear him apart, Yin Zhenggong might even thank you.”

“Not his biological son?”

“No, he was born to Yu Daiyun and some other man.”

“Damn, not his biological son, and Yin Zhenggong still raises him?”

“Who knows what kind of dirty dealings are involved.”

The rough-voiced man looked at Yin Xiuzhu, his Adam’s apple bobbing nervously. “Are you sure the Yin family won’t care?”

“Don’t worry, he’s known Qi Mu for seven or eight years. What kind of life he’s had in the Yin family, our Young Master doesn’t know, but I’m well aware.”

Curious, the man asked, “What kind of life?”

Cai Li sneered, “Worse than pigs and dogs.”

Yin Xiuzhu, who had been awake for a while, clenched his teeth upon hearing those words. He had a strong resistance to drugs, especially this type. Although he had been unconscious due to the previous sedative, he woke up when someone touched him upon exiting the car.

However, in the current situation, he couldn’t get up, so he continued to pretend to be asleep.

He and Qi Mu had been kidnapped by an unknown man and Qi’s driver, Cai Li.

Recalling their conversation, he had basically figured out the reason behind it.

The unnamed man had initially kidnapped Cai Li’s son to coerce him into harming Qi Mu.

It was truly unpredictable. Cai Li had been with the Qiu family for four or five years, watching Qi Mu grow up. How could such a close person be guarded against?

Now was not the time to think about these things. Yin Xiuzhu was very worried about Qi Mu. The anxiety in his heart was burning, but strangely, he maintained absolute calm.

In such a crisis, after hearing that conversation, he wasn’t nervous, sad, or panicking. His mind was only focused on one clear thought—protecting Qi Mu.

No matter what, at any cost, he must protect Qi Mu.

The man with the rough voice asked, “Should we call Qi Dashan?”

Cai Li replied, “It’s not time yet.”

“When will it be time? When they find out about this?”

“They won’t find us here!” Cai Li shouted, then lowered his voice, “Let’s wait a bit longer. Let them search for a while, and when they start to panic, that’s when we strike.”

“Don’t try any tricks,” the man warned.

Cai Li glared fiercely, “What tricks could I possibly play? My son is still in your hands!”

“Just make sure you understand!”

Yin Xiuzhu waited for a full hour until finally, an opportunity presented itself.

The man went out to use the restroom, leaving Cai Li alone in the room.

Yin Xiuzhu opened his eyes and assessed the situation. They were in an abandoned warehouse surrounded by garbage and several dilapidated wooden crates. Cai Li was across from him, and they had cleared a small area that was relatively clean.

Cai Li didn’t have a gun visibly on him, and he weren’t sure if the other man had any weapons.

As soon as Yin Xiuzhu opened his eyes, Cai Li noticed and looked over.

Yin Xiuzhu spoke immediately, “Qi Dashan won’t let you off.”

Cai Li lunged forward and slapped him hard across the face, “Shut up, you bastard!”

The slap was hard, and Yin Xiuzhu’s delicate skin immediately swelled up. The intense pain spread through his nerves, throbbing painfully in his head.

But Yin Xiuzhu continued speaking, “Qi Dashan only has this one son. If you kidnap him, he will hunt you down to the ends of the earth and kill you.”

His tone was calm yet cutting, each word hitting Cai Li where it hurt.
Cai Li feared Qi Dashan. Qin Hu, that useless guy, only knew that Qi Dashan had no foundation. But he never thought about how someone without roots managed to rise to his current position!

Seeing Cai Li’s silence, Yin Xiuzhu added, “If he wants money, just kidnap me.”

Cai Li slapped him again, “What kind of trash are you!”

Yin Xiuzhu swallowed the blood in his mouth and said, “If Yin Zhenggong really wanted me dead, I would have died countless times already. So, my life still holds value.”

These words were not what one would expect from a thirteen-year-old, but coming from Yin Xiuzhu’s mouth, they carried a chilling sense of inevitability.

Cai Li’s expression darkened, “It’s too late for these words now!”

Yin Xiuzhu quickly added, “Qi Mu has been unconscious all this time. He knows nothing. If you quietly release him, he won’t know where you are.”

Cai Li replied, “Qi Mu already knows it’s me!”

“So what if he knows? Release him alive or claim you were forced to kidnap him for money. Which is worse? Which will earn more hatred? Later, you can pretend you were coerced into tying him up and quietly release Qi Mu. By doing so, you can try to make up for your mistake. Would Qi Dashan still hate you enough to want to kill you?”

Cai Li was shaken.

Yin Xiuzhu lowered his voice again, “That man acts recklessly. Do you really think this plan will work out? Think again…”

“What are you two talking about!” Qin Hu returned.

Cai Li glanced at Yin Xiuzhu, feeling deeply unsettled. Qin Hu was nothing but scum, lacking in intelligence. He spent his days drinking and gambling away money, and now he dared to come up with a kidnapping scheme.

Cai Li had met Qin Hu while enjoying himself at various places. Upon hearing Cai Li was a driver for Qi Dashan, Qin Hu immediately tried to get on his good side. Such people were common, and Cai Li hadn’t taken him seriously. He never expected Qin Hu would go so far as to kidnap his son and threaten him into harming Qi Mu.

Cai Li feared for his child’s safety with this desperate criminal. That fear had driven him to carry out the kidnapping. Now, however, he was filled with panic. Qi Dashan was not someone to be trifled with. Could this plan succeed? Qin Hu’s reckless actions were foolish. How could this possibly end well?

At this moment, although stopping now would still likely lead to prison time, better late than never…

Qin Hu glanced at Yin Xiuzhu and remarked, “Why hit him? You’ve ruined that pretty face.”

He moved closer to Yin Xiuzhu, grabbing his chin and inspecting the other side of his face. “So delicate, this pampered young master. Skin as smooth as tofu.”

Cai Li’s heart skipped a beat. He stood up abruptly and said, “Enough, they’re just kids.”

“Haha,” Qin Hu smirked with a sinister glint in his eyes, “It’s because they’re kids that they’re so pitiful.”

Yin Xiuzhu remained expressionless, observing him calmly.

Qin Hu chuckled disdainfully, released Yin Xiuzhu, and said to Cai Li, “It’s a shame you messed up his face. Half-swollen like that isn’t much fun.” With that, he stood up, but his eyes glanced toward the still unconscious Qi Mu.

Yin Xiuzhu’s heart tightened suddenly.

Cai Li noticed too and quickly said, “Qin Hu, come here. I have an idea…”

Before he could finish, Qin Hu interjected, “I’ve already sent a message to Qi Dashan, telling him to prepare the money.”

Cai Li’s pupils contracted sharply. “You…”

“With your indecisive nature, what can you accomplish?” Qin Hu interrupted. “Just wait. In a little while, I’ll send him a video so he can see his precious son. As for the money, we’ll get as much as we need.”

Qin Hu glanced at Qi Mu again.

At twelve or thirteen, still amid adolescence, these pampered young masters had never faced hardship or rough conditions. Their delicate skin and soft flesh couldn’t even compare to older girls.

While previously focused on Yin Xiuzhu, Qin Hu now noticed how well Qi Mu was also bred. Not at all resembling his father, his features were as delicate as a doll’s, especially in his current sleeping state, both fragile and adorable…

So perfect. Qin Hu swallowed, “Shouldn’t we do something? Presenting him like this to Qi Dashan, would it make him not too worried? You were right earlier; they need to feel the pressure. I can’t bear to cut off his fingers, so why not…”

Cai Li cut in urgently, “What… what are you planning to do?” Qi Dashan was not a forgiving man. If he found out his only son had been humiliated…

Ignoring Cai Li’s protests, Qin Hu picked up Qi Mu and started walking deeper into the warehouse. “You keep an eye on that kid.”

Yin Xiuzhu clenched his lower lip tightly, blood trickling down unnoticed. He stared intensely at Cai Li, his gaze unwavering. “Untie me.”

Cai Li was already in a state of panic and confusion. He never expected Qin Hu to act so recklessly. Thinking about his son in Qin Hu’s hands sent shivers down his spine.

Yin Xiuzhu demanded sharply, “Untie the ropes!”

“O-okay…” Cai Li’s mind was blank. He had no idea what untying Yin Xiuzhu would achieve. After all, Yin Xiuzhu was just a thirteen-year-old boy. What could he possibly do?

As soon as the ropes were loosened, Yin Xiuzhu stood up. His face was swollen, his posture awkward, but his dark eyes seemed like the depths of hell, revealing a hint of crimson rage lurking within.

He grabbed the long knife Qin Hu had discarded and marched straight into the shadows.

Blind to everything, unable to think or judge, there was only one thing lingering in his mind.

—He was a bastard, a bastard without parents. A bastard who didn’t deserve to be born into this world.

But now, he had found his worth.

That worth was given to him by Qi Mu.

Nobody could harm Qi Mu.

As the long knife fell, Yin Xiuzhu heard Qin Hu’s piercing scream of agony, saw the thick, viscous blood gushing out, and smelled the scent of despair and death.

It was overwhelming like the heavy earth falling on a coffin.

When Cai Li rushed in, he saw Qin Hu lying on the ground, drenched in blood, resembling a demon straight out of hell.

Yin Xiuzhu tightly gripped the long knife and said to Cai Li, “Give me your phone.”

Cai Li, already terrified by the scene, handed over his phone tremblingly.

Yin Xiuzhu dialed Qi Dashan’s number and disclosed their location.

Throughout it all, he remained calm and indifferent, as if there were no thick blood around him, no nauseating stench.

He even carefully cradled Qi Mu in his arms, while his other hand still clenched the long knife, veins bulging with tension.

Qi Mu continued to sleep deeply, peacefully nestled against Yin Xiuzhu, just like every other night before, in a place without nightmares.

It wasn’t until Qi Dashan arrived that the tension in Yin Xiuzhu’s mind finally snapped.

Qi Dashan, trembling, hugged him tightly, his voice filled with a panic he’d never shown in his life: “It’s okay now, child. Don’t worry, everything is fine.”