Chapter 97: The Abduction

After finishing the call, Fu Juxing turned around. Lin Wanbai was still focused on watering the plants. When he approached, she stopped and straightened up to look at him.

“I have to go out. I can’t have dinner with you.”

Lin Wanbai nodded. “Work comes first.”

She put the watering can back among the tools and accompanied him upstairs to change clothes. At the door, she saw him off. “Be careful on the road.”

Watching him get into the car and drive away, Lin Yao scoffed beside her. “I’m starting to think you’re deliberately provoking me. You two are even more affectionate than before.”

Lin Wanbai kept smiling, her gaze fixed on the departing vehicle. “No wonder you were so willing to play along with him back then. Even if it was all fake, you enjoyed it thoroughly.”

“You—” Lin Yao turned away, making a shushing gesture before walking inside.

That evening, Lin Wanbai didn’t have Aunt Rong cook noodles; she made wontons herself. After dinner, she went to her room early, assigning Lin Yao the task of sweeping the courtyard before she could come inside. The courtyard was vast, and with early autumn’s falling leaves, the wind swept the ground into a thick carpet of foliage.

Wasn’t this just tormenting her?

Lin Yao gave her a glare, unwilling at heart, but after eating, she grabbed a broom and started sweeping.

Lin Wanbai returned to her room, sitting by the floor-to-ceiling window, lost in thought as she stared out into the pitch-black night.

Time passed, moment by moment, the days stretching endlessly. Each moment felt unbearably long.

...

The restaurant was at 23 Anfu Road.

When Fu Juxing arrived, Liang Yusheng and the others had already been seated in the private room for some time.

Liang Xi waited by the door. Seeing Fu Juxing’s car pull up, she messaged Liang Yusheng in advance.

Liang Yusheng poured tea for Liang Yukang. “He’s here.”

Upon hearing this, Liang Yusheng tensed up involuntarily, his heart pounding fiercely. He barely remembered Fu Juxing; when they parted, Fu Juxing was just a child. Over the years, he had deliberately avoided him, hoping to forget.

He had resolved never to return to meet him.

He stared at the private room door, anxiety gnawing at him. His hands clenched his pants, pinching the flesh, yet it brought no relief.

After a moment, the door handle turned, and the door opened. Liang Xi entered first, followed by Fu Juxing.

Liang Yukang was still unprepared. The sudden reunion left a lump in his chest, and he stared blankly, speechless.

The atmosphere stiffened, frozen for a few seconds. Liang Yusheng stood and waved Fu Juxing in. “Why stand at the door? Come in.”

Fu Juxing obeyed, taking a seat opposite them.

“Sit over here,” Liang Yusheng invited with a smile. “There are only a few of us; why sit so far?”

He waved his hand with warmth, but Fu Juxing remained unmoved, stubbornly sitting where he was despite the invitations.

Liang Yusheng nearly lost his temper but was stopped by Liang Yukang. “It’s fine, he can do as he pleases.”

Seeing this, Liang Yusheng swallowed his anger. Liang Xi sat cautiously beside Fu Juxing, glanced at him carefully, and poured him some water.

Liang Yukang glanced at Fu Juxing, then quickly lowered his head, unwilling to look again.

The tension lingered. Liang Xi tugged Fu Juxing’s sleeve quietly. “Don’t you remember? That’s your father.”

Liang Yusheng nodded. “Right. After all these years, you probably don’t even remember what your father looks like. We found him. Luckily, he’s still alive, though not living well.”

Fu Juxing glanced at him coldly, then slowly uttered four words: “Barely surviving.”

His tone was indifferent, emotionless, like an outsider commenting on the matter.

Those words struck deeply into Liang Yukang’s heart. His back curved even more, his head nearly touching the table.

Liang Yusheng pursed his lips, face darkening. After a moment of silence, he forced a smile. “No matter what, living is what matters. Under Jiang Shuzhi’s oppression, surviving is no small feat. Ah Xing, no matter what, father and son reuniting should be a happy thing. You don’t want your parents dead, do you?”

“I know Fu Xian’s death hit you hard, but we tried our best. It just wasn’t the right timing. If we’d been earlier, maybe we could have saved her. But sometimes things just don’t go as hoped. We have to accept it calmly.”

Fu Juxing’s lips twitched slightly but said nothing.

Liang Yusheng nudged Liang Yukang. “Big brother, say something! You’ve wanted to see Ah Xing all this time. Now you’re seeing him, why are you so stunned you can’t speak?”

“You’ve had it rough all these years, enduring it all just to see this kid, right?”

Liang Yukang trembled as he wiped tears from his eyes. He shakily stood and went to Fu Juxing’s side, looking carefully at his face. So close, he studied it thoroughly.

Fu Juxing resembled his mother greatly; he had inherited the best features of both parents. His face was even more striking.

He hunched his back slowly, bent one knee, and knelt.

Liang Yusheng was startled and immediately rose to pull him up. “A father kneeling — that would bring thunderbolts from heaven!”

Liang Yukang gripped his wrist, shaking his head to signal him not to interfere.

Fu Juxing remained silent, uninterested in this scene.

Father and son reunion? Ridiculous. His parents had long been dead.

In his heart, they had died a long time ago.

Liang Yukang knelt, looking up at him. “I know I have no right to see you again. It’s only natural you don’t recognize me. I’m useless — I couldn’t even protect my wife and child. I barely survived all these years and started a new family with someone else. I had chances to come back but ran away instead, afraid. I tried to forget everything. I’m no good! I betrayed your mother’s love and your hopes. Yusheng’s right. No matter what, I had to come to see you, to say sorry. I have to spend the rest of my life making up for it.”

“Sorry, sorry, truly sorry.” He lay flat on the ground, his voice breaking with tears. “You can reject me, refuse to forgive me — I deserve it all. Punish me however you want, just so you’re happy!”

Liang Yusheng was moved and bent down to help him up, but Liang Yukang stayed on the floor, refusing to move. Liang Yusheng looked helplessly at Fu Juxing.

His expression remained unchanged — cold and detached, even more so than before.

Regardless, this man was still his biological father. What grudge could there be between them? And it wasn’t all Liang Yukang’s fault. How many could escape others’ deliberate schemes and betrayals?

To be reunited now was already rare enough. What was there to hate?

He tugged Fu Juxing. “Help your father up. There’s no grudge between you two. Even if he had come back earlier, he couldn’t have saved you. It would have been like a lamb entering a tiger’s den. All Jiang Shuzhi’s doing. It’s useless to talk now. Luckily, she got her comeuppance, and you two are finally reunited. Live well from now on.”

“Come, help your father up.” He tugged him twice more.

Fu Juxing didn’t move, only glanced sideways. “He can stand up on his own. I didn’t tell him to kneel, nor did I blame him. He just blurted out a bunch of nonsense on his own. Actually, with him lying there, I hardly heard a thing.”

He smiled faintly and looked down at the patch of white hair at the nape of Liang Yukang’s neck. “Get up. I can’t hear you well with you lying there.”

What should have been a warm reunion was shattered by Fu Juxing’s cold words.

Liang Yusheng’s barely contained anger finally erupted. Slamming the table, he shouted, “Fu Juxing, what’s your attitude?! We finally found him, and you act like this? Do you want to find your father’s corpse instead? He did wrong by not coming back sooner, but even if he had, what good would it have done? Would it have saved you from Jiang Shuzhi? Or brought your mother back? If he’d come back then, he’d have ended up like your mother—locked away and tortured night and day by that old witch! One is dead already, do you want to cause another death?”

Liang Xi tugged Liang Yusheng’s sleeve, whispering, “Dad, calm down. I think Ah Xing just can’t handle it right now. After all, Auntie’s death was tragic. Compared side by side…”

“Yes, Fu Xian’s death was tragic, but what can we do? What does it have to do with his father? We all know Jiang Shuzhi is the real culprit. If he’s angry enough, he should get her locked in that room and give her a taste of her own medicine.”

Liang Xi humored him while coaxing Liang Yukang to rise. She glanced at Fu Juxing and crouched beside him. “Ah Xing, I know you’re upset, but look at Uncle. It’s not easy for him either…”

Fu Juxing interrupted, “I said I don’t blame him. Never have. So he doesn’t need to apologize, or ask for forgiveness, or try to make amends.” He lifted his eyes to Liang Yukang. “You’ve rebuilt your family. Go live your life as before. Just pretend I’m not your son.”

Tears welled in Liang Yukang’s eyes. He grabbed his clothes and bowed his head, feeling unbearable guilt. He forced a small smile. “Yes, I shouldn’t have come back then, and I shouldn’t come back now.”

He slowly raised his eyes to Fu Juxing’s cold face, then quickly lowered them again, ashamed to face him.

The next moment, Liang Yusheng raised his hand and slapped him hard. “Are you speaking like a human?!”

The slap startled Liang Xi and Liang Yukang.

Liang Yusheng’s blow was heavy. Soon Fu Juxing’s cheek flushed red. He clenched his jaw. His face tingled, ears buzzing.

After a moment, Liang Yukang pulled him away, scolding, “Why did you hit him?”

“He’s unfilial! Of course I had to!”

“Children’s unfilialness is the father’s fault! I never raised him properly, never cared for him, so why should he be filial?”

Liang Yusheng snapped back, “You didn’t want to raise him! The blame lies where it belongs. He knows exactly who’s at fault! Big brother, you’re a victim too! You’re alive, but are you happy? Are you at peace? That woman was Jiang Shuzhi’s tool to torment you!”

“I’ll say something harsh: if you hadn’t met Fu Xian, you wouldn’t be like this today. Maybe you’d have a happy family now! Seeing my big brother like this, I hate it. I hate Fu Xian! She ruined you! It was a cursed fate! Marrying is like reincarnation: marry right and you’re in heaven; marry wrong and you’re in hell! Big brother, you’re in the eighteenth level of hell!”

Liang Yukang grew flustered but was tongue-tied. “No, Fu Xian was a good woman, very good. Meeting her was my fortune…”

Liang Yusheng sneered, “What a fortune.”

Fu Juxing found an opening and scoffed, “I think my uncle’s right. No need for pretenses. We’re all living in hell. Why deceive ourselves?”

He stood and walked to Liang Yukang, still calm, looking at the strange face before him.

“Don’t come back. So we won’t hate each other.”

He turned to leave, but Liang Xi blocked him. “Since we’re here, let’s have a meal together. The food’s already made.”

Liang Yusheng sighed and sat down. “Xiao Xi is right. Since you came, and we met, no matter what you think, let’s eat together.”

Liang Yukang said nothing, not daring to hope.

Fu Juxing stood a while, glanced at Liang Xi, then sat back down. “Let’s eat.”

Hearing this, Liang Yukang closed his eyes, his chin trembling before calming down. He returned to his seat and smiled weakly. “Eat.”

...

At eight o’clock, Aunt Rong brought up a late-night snack.

Lin Wanbai was not in her room. After searching, they found her in the third-floor screening room, working on the computer, which was locked with a password she didn’t know.

Aunt Rong entered; Lin Wanbai remained composed. “I wanted to watch a movie.”

Aunt Rong walked over, glanced at her. “What do you want to watch? Tell me.”

Lin Wanbai replied, “Is there anything? Can I choose myself?”

Aunt Rong stared at the keyboard but didn’t immediately input the password.

“Xiao Bai, don’t make it hard for me.”

“Alright,” she smiled and avoided the issue.

Aunt Rong opened the computer, showing all the movies stored, letting her pick.

Lin Wanbai chose one casually. Aunt Rong clicked to play, switched on the equipment, and the movie’s opening music filled the room.

“Go ahead. I’ll bring your snack up.”

Lin Wanbai nodded and obediently sat down.

After Aunt Rong left, Lin Wanbai didn’t get up immediately. She ate slowly when the snack arrived and then sat quietly watching the movie.

Halfway through, the screen suddenly went black, and darkness enveloped the room.

Aunt Rong was startled. “What’s happening?”

Lin Wanbai said, “Go check. Is it a power outage?”

“I’ll go see. Stay here and don’t move around. Be careful.”

“Okay,” Lin Wanbai replied.

Aunt Rong groped her way to the door and paused upon opening it. She glanced back at Lin Wanbai, now invisible in the dark screening room, swallowed by shadows.

She hesitated, then said, “Xiao Bai, stay put.”

“Got it. I won’t wander off.”

Then Aunt Rong left.

Lin Wanbai listened carefully to the fading footsteps, then rose and moved into the screening room, guided by the faint light.

The laptop still had plenty of battery, and the movie played on. She approached and pulled a small USB drive from her waistband but found she lacked a connector to plug it in.

She frowned and searched the drawers, surprisingly finding a connector.

Just as she was about to insert it, a sudden noise came from outside. The screening room door was kicked open with a bang, and a beam of light shone inside.

Lin Wanbai quickly closed the laptop, crouched, and hid in a corner of the cabinet.

Footsteps followed—light, swift, and urgent, unlike those of the household staff.

After a moment, the screening room door opened. A flashlight beam swept the room.

Lin Wanbai instinctively curled up, hugging her legs tightly to make herself smaller.

But this tiny space couldn’t conceal her.

She was easily spotted; the blinding light shone directly on her face.

She closed her eyes, shielding them with her hand, squinting to see several men dressed in black with masks.

“Who are you?”

“Miss Lin, cooperate and we’ll take you out now. If not, we’ll have to knock you out and carry you.”

Her mind raced. “I won’t go. Why are you taking me? Who are you?”

Without a word, a man dragged her from under the table. Another covered her mouth. They hoisted her up and quickly left the screening room.

They had only ten minutes. After that, everything would return to normal.

Lin Wanbai’s hands and feet were bound, her mouth taped shut, unable to call out.

They rushed through the villa and met at the north side.

They tied ropes around Lin Wanbai; someone on the other side caught her as they pulled her over the wall. She fell but was quickly caught.

In a blink, she was shoved into a car.

Looking up, she saw Lin Yao sitting inside. The car started and sped away from Yunqi.

Lin Yao tugged her upright and tore off the tape from her mouth. “Why did they tie you up like this? Didn’t you cooperate?”

Lin Wanbai glanced at the two others—one in the front passenger seat, another following behind.

“Who are they?”

Lin Yao shook her head. “Who knows? Anyway, better to get out first. They didn’t hurt me. You should thank me—I asked them to rescue you.”

“Who asked you to save me? Put me back!” Lin Wanbai frowned.

“You really don’t know what’s good for you.”

Lin Wanbai turned to the man in black beside her. “Put me back!”

He ignored her, as if not hearing.

“Where are you taking me?”

Lin Yao remained calm. “Calm down. I think this is a good thing.”

The car raced through half the city, entering the side gate of Xiyu Hotel. Two men waited at the entrance. The car stopped, the door opened, and Lin Wanbai was pushed out. One grabbed her roughly. “Don’t resist. Be good, and you’ll suffer less.”

Lin Wanbai clenched the USB drive in her palm, glancing at him silently, choosing not to resist.

They treated Lin Yao politely, but froze upon seeing her face.

Several people entered the elevator, cramped with seven or eight inside. Lin Wanbai and Lin Yao stood in the middle.

The elevator stopped on the twentieth floor, opening into the presidential suite.

“President Li, we have the person,” someone reported.

Li Ting sat on the sofa, a cigarette between his fingers. His eyes flicked over the two women, lingering longer on Lin Yao, then he smiled.

In these years, how had she ended up like this?

The three stood steady. Lin Wanbai’s hands were still bound with clear tape. The three exchanged glances. Lin Yao glanced at the man, instinctively hiding behind Lin Wanbai, asking, “Who is he?”

Lin Wanbai looked at her. “Shouldn’t you be asking?”

“What do you mean? Didn’t he save you?”

She laughed softly. “Look at the way we’re treated. Can’t you tell if he saved you or me?”

Lin Yao looked again at Li Ting, pursing her lips, trying to recall. He seemed slightly familiar. But wasn’t the spotlight supposed to be on Lin Wanbai? How had it shifted to her?

“Maybe because I didn’t resist.”

“You just said you wanted them to save me?”

“I was just saying.”

They whispered.

The room was quiet. Though their voices were low, everything registered in Li Ting’s ears. He chuckled, crushing the cigarette in the ashtray.

“Don’t be modest. Lin Yao, you really forgot me.”

Lin Yao was stunned. Scratching her head, she edged away from Lin Wanbai. “You... you saved me?” Then she looked at Lin Wanbai. “And took her too?”

Li Ting nodded, then shook his head. “I did come for you. As for her, I planned to take her too.”

Lin Wanbai stayed calm, looking straight at him. “Why take me?”

Li Ting raised an eyebrow, smiling. “I just wanted to see what the wife of that brat Fu Juxing looks like. Also, I want to teach him a lesson. Young and reckless, he needs a harsh reminder.”

Neither spoke. Lin Yao kept staring at Li Ting, trying hard to remember. Finally, she recalled who he was.

A faint expression flitted across her face, and Li Ting noticed everything. With her head shaved clean, every subtle change was clear.

Not bad — this look was interesting.

A shaved head really tested one’s looks.

Despite the many scars on her face, her original beauty still shone through.

Li Ting waved gently, his tone softening. “Come here.”

Lin Yao hesitated, glanced at Lin Wanbai, frightened.

Lin Wanbai didn’t look at her. With her own situation uncertain, she kept silent.

Finally, Lin Yao walked over and sat beside him, swallowing nervously. “Li... Li President.”

Li Ting handed her warm water. “Remember now?”

She nodded. “Did my parents find you?”

He said nothing, only pinched her chin and examined her face. “Fu Juxing’s doing?”

Lin Yao paused, looked at Lin Wanbai, then quietly said, “Yes.”

“Go to the room. The doctor’s inside. Tell her if you feel unwell.”

Lin Yao looked at him timidly, fingers intertwined, lips pressed together. She said nothing further and went to the room as instructed.

There was no need to ask — Li Ting’s attitude was clear. He wanted her. Also, Zhou Lin and Chen Songyuan likely agreed. She felt cold inside. To her parents, wealth and power mattered more than her.

Without Li Ting, she didn’t know what fate awaited her.

Before entering the room, Lin Yao glanced back at Lin Wanbai, then returned respectfully to bow. “Thank you, President Li, for rescuing me. She’s my sister and treats me well. Please let her go.”

Li Ting smiled and patted her on the rear. “Go in.”

Feeling she had done her part for Lin Wanbai, Lin Yao said no more and entered.

Lin Wanbai stood straight and calm, looking composed.

Li Ting appraised her, stroking his chin. “She’s pretty, pale, but too thin, looks withered.”

She smiled. “Thank you for the compliment, President Li. I just had a baby, that’s why.”

Hearing “had a baby,” Li Ting’s face twisted with disgust. He disliked women who’d given birth. Once they had children, he wouldn’t touch them, even if they bore his child.

To him, women who’d given birth had lost their appeal.

Lin Wanbai caught that look and quietly breathed a sigh of relief. At least he wouldn’t have strange ideas about her.

He didn’t look at her again, ordering his men to throw her into the room.

...

At eight-thirty, Fu Juxing received a call from Aunt Rong, who reported that Lin Wanbai and Lin Yao had been kidnapped.

Shortly after, he received a message.

His expression darkened. He glanced at Liang Xi, who was sitting beside him, serving him food.

Liang Xi felt his gaze and forced calm, placing food into his bowl. “This is pretty good.”

Before she finished, he suddenly grabbed her by the neck.

His strength startled those nearby. Liang Yusheng dropped his chopsticks and shouted, “What are you doing?!”

Fu Juxing seemed oblivious, staring only at Liang Xi. “Where are they?”

His grip tightened. Liang Xi opened her mouth but couldn’t speak. Her face flushed dark red. She clawed at his hand, feeling as if her neck might snap at any moment.