A tense atmosphere hung over the Bai Family.
The Bai Family all knew that Bai Ruanruan was going to attend the party, but since only one invitation was sent, Bai Yanxiu felt too embarrassed to go along.
Qin Mubai, the eldest brother, also received an invitation, but since the other party was traveling from the company and it wasn't on the same route as Bai Ruanruan, Qin Mubai naturally wouldn't take him along.
Unfortunately, by the next morning, long after the banquet had ended, Bai Ruanruan had not returned.
The Bai Family was in a frenzy, searching every possible method. Fortunately, the Gu Family generously provided surveillance footage after hearing the news. Unfortunately, the video showed Bai Ruanruan leaving the gate and then disappearing from sight.
Bai's father sighed repeatedly, Qin Jingzhu cried until her eyes were blurred with tears.
Bai Yanxiu was extremely busy, but couldn't find a single clue.
When Qin Mubai walked out of the villa shrouded in night, it had been 24 hours since Bai Ruanruan disappeared.
The Bai Family of three sat around the dining table, sighing deeply. Qin Mubai, without changing his expression, asked the housekeeper to make him a bowl of noodles. His slender fingers held the chopsticks, his cold and hard face devoid of any extra emotion.
Wrapped in a blanket, Qin Jingzhu wiped away her tears and looked at Qin Mubai.
" Xiao Mu, your brother is missing, aren't you worried?"
Qin Mubai, who had remained aloof, lifted his thin eyelids. His dark eyes, when fixed on someone, were devoid of warmth, and even his voice carried an inhuman coldness.
Why the rush?
Qin Jingzhu's breathing quickened. He looked at his composed eldest son as if he were looking at a cold-blooded monster.
"Why the rush? You're asking me why I'm in a rush?"
" Ruanruan is your own brother! He's been wandering around for so many years, suffering so much, and has never enjoyed the care of his biological parents—"
"Mother, he just didn't experience the care and love of you and Father, not that he never experienced the care and love of his parents. As far as I know, his adoptive parents loved him very much."
"Besides, even if he and Qingqing hadn't been switched at birth, given how busy his father and mother are, they probably wouldn't have had time to take care of him."
Qin Jingzhu's breathing became erratic for a moment; she felt somewhat guilty.
"Of course I have to focus on work. Which young parent doesn't strive and work hard to accumulate wealth for their family?"
"You're not married yet, so of course you can't understand what it's like to be a parent. You'll understand when you get married and have children. Your father and I just didn't spend enough time with you before, it doesn't mean we don't love you."
Qin Mubai twitched the corners of his lips, but there was no smile in his eyes.
Qin Jingzhu, however, remained relentless.
" Xiao Mu, you have many friends, why don't you ask around for the family? You only have these two younger brothers, Ruanruan has had a very difficult life. I really don't know who would be so cruel as to try to harm him!"
Bai Yanxiu, who had been stirring his rice bowl with a spoon, sat there grumbling.
"Who else? It must be that ill-intentioned Nan Qing. He's always been at odds with Ruanruan, he—"
With a "clatter," Qin Mubai slammed his chopsticks down on his rice bowl, interrupting Bai Yanxiu.
A cold gaze fell upon him, Bai Yanxiu a chill run down his spine, quickly shutting his mouth.
Come to my room.
Qin Mubai wiped his mouth with a tissue and suddenly stood up.
His tall figure stretched out in the bright lights, casting a thick, dark shadow on the pale white dining table.
There was a moment of silence in the room. A few moments later, Bai Yanxiu obediently got up and followed Qin Mubai out of the restaurant.
Qin Mubai's bedroom and study were originally on the third floor, but later Nan Qing fell off the balcony while catching a kitten and almost broke her leg.
From then on, Qin Mubai's bedroom and workplace were both moved to the second floor.
Bai Yanxiu felt uneasy. He repeatedly checked his conscience to see if he had made a mistake. When he looked up again, he found that Qin Mubai had already followed him into the study.
The door clicked shut, and bright lights filled every corner of the room. Large swathes of cold, grayish-white gave a feeling of oppression.
Bai Yanxiu's unease intensified, and he stammered out, "Brother."
Qin Mubai ignored him, sat down on the dark sofa, and his eyes turned cold.
Kneel down.
Bai Yanxiu's heart skipped a beat, but he steeled himself and...
"Brother, let's talk this out. What did I do wrong?"
Qin Mubai stared at him with a gloomy expression. His already fierce appearance, with his brows furrowed and eyes lowered, made him seem even more aggressive.
Bai Yanxiu a chill run down his spine and obediently knelt down, still muttering to himself.
"I refuse to accept this."
" Bai Yanxiu, what happened to the things I gave you before I went abroad?"
An unnatural look flashed across Bai Yanxiu's face.
"Of course... of course it's for Nan Qing!"
"They're both brothers, but he's an outsider. You're always so biased, brother. All that money is too good for him!"
Qin Mubai asked coldly, "When was it given to you?"
Bai Yanxiu even more guilty.
He was the second child in his family. As the saying goes, the eldest child is spoiled and the youngest is pampered, but the second child never gets any credit. This was perfectly exemplified in him.
Qin Mubai was the eldest son on whom all hopes were placed, the future heir of both families, and received the most rigorous education.
Nan Qing, that bastard, was born too late. Although he didn't have parents to love him, his older brother spoiled him rotten.
I'm the only one who, despite lacking nothing, is always the one who goes unnoticed at home.
His studies were only occasionally checked on by his older brother; no one helped him with his university major; he talked about art at home, and Nan Qing said he was eccentric.
Nobody in this family understands him at all.
So he learned to deceive his superiors and subordinates, fooling everyone around him, as long as he could get by.
Bai Yanxiu touched his nose. "I already gave it to him."
What is the date?
Bai Yanxiu's expression was somewhat unnatural. "I don't remember..."
Qin Mubai scoffed coldly.
"If you have a bad memory, stay home and reflect on it. Go out when your mind is clear."
"Your art gallery has also been closed during this time. If you continue to be mentally unstable, I'll consider selling it to pay for your medical treatment."
Bai Yanxiu cried out in a panic, "Big brother! No!"
"I'll talk, I'll talk, okay?"
Bai Yanxiu hesitated for a moment, then, under that chilling gaze that could almost freeze someone to death, he forced himself to speak.
"Those things... I didn't give them to him in the first place..."
"This is our family's money! Besides, you've always been so biased towards him, giving him so much money, both openly and secretly. He's always had more pocket money than I have since we were kids. What does he have to lack for money?"
"And ever since you left, he's bullied Ruanruan even more! He splashed his dried clothes with water, poured mudfish on him, and even pushed him down the stairs. He did such terrible things that it made Mom and Dad furious—"
Bai Yanxiu secretly glanced at Qin Mubai's expression.
"So... so I didn't give it to him during that time."
"Besides, he eats at the Bai Family, lives at the Bai Family, Bai Family's money. Where does he have any money to spend? I'm just saving it up for him."
"But I actually gave it to him in the end, I swear!"
Bai Yanxiu raised his hand, his attitude firm.
"We agreed to kick him out, but I figured I'd probably never see him again, so I just gave him the things you left him."
Seeing the dark clouds gathering between Qin Mubai's brows grow even heavier, Bai Yanxiu quickened his pace.
I really did give it to him!
"I had Nan Qing's nanny, Auntie Chen, hand it to him personally. If you don't believe me, you can check the security footage. I'm not lying to you, I really did give it to him!"