He Qi

Of course Cen Xia couldn't produce an invitation, and he cursed the World Will under his breath for being no help at all.

No sooner had he finished cursing it in his heart than a strange wind suddenly whipped up around him, blowing so hard that no one could open their eyes.

"Why did the wind suddenly pick up?" a bodyguard asked in puzzlement.

The strange wind vanished after only four or five seconds.

Cen Xia held his hand behind his back and raised his middle finger.

You're unhappy just because I cursed you a couple of times!

"I didn't bring my invitation, but this really is a serious matter. I have to tell Chief Wen right now."

"I won't go in. Just let him know, and I'll wait for him outside."

The two bodyguards exchanged glances, then shook their heads. "Sorry, the honored guests in the main courtyard must not be disturbed."

"How is that disturbing him? I..." Cen Xia was about to say more when a woman's voice suddenly came from behind him.

"What's going on here?"

Cen Xia turned and saw a young woman in a qipao.

She wore a white shawl over her shoulders, and her long hair was arranged in a bun secured at the back of her head with a hairpin. Her features were delicate and beautiful.

The moment their eyes met, Cen Xia noticed her pupils contract slightly for an instant, as though she recognized him.

Strange. He had never met her before.

The two bodyguards greeted her at once. "Miss Lu."

One of them explained, "This young student wants to see Chief Wen, but we've been instructed not to disturb the honored guests in the main courtyard. Besides, he doesn't have any identification to prove who he is..."

He didn't finish, but Lu Qianyu already understood what he meant.

"I'll take him in," she said in a gentle, pleasant voice.

Cen Xia's eyes shot up. Beyond the dark willows and bright flowers, another village?

Once they were inside the main courtyard, Lu Qianyu pointed him in a direction. "Xingzhou should be over there. If anyone asks you on the way, just say you came with me. You probably heard them just now-my surname is Lu."

Cen Xia felt as though he had met a fairy and hurriedly thanked her. "Thank you, big sister!"

The corners of Lu Qianyu's lips lifted slightly. Being called big sister put her at ease, and she said softly, "Go on."

As soon as Cen Xia left, the expression on Lu Qianyu's face faded. She took her phone from her little pearl-white bag and held down the voice-message button, bringing it close to her lips.

"Baby, where are you playing? Who are you with?"

Her tone was as gentle as ever, but a trace of killing intent flickered in her eyes.

Cen Xia searched in the direction Lu Qianyu had pointed. As time passed, he grew increasingly anxious. There was no telling which wardrobe Lu Mian was lying in now. If they wasted any more time, they might really end up dying together.

Cen Xia had yet to see Wen Xingzhou when he ran into Shen Zhong first.

Shen Zhong was following someone with his arms folded. He looked a little impatient, but he was somehow holding himself back from losing his temper.

The person walking ahead was a pampered young master. He wasn't tall, probably under 1.75 meters, and the difference was especially obvious next to the 1.9-meter-tall Shen Zhong.

The young master wore a white suit, and his face, still plump with baby fat, was set tight. He had round eyes and thick eyelashes.

Because of where they were standing, neither of them saw Cen Xia.

"Where did you put him?" Shen Zhong asked, his brows drawn low and his tone extremely impatient.

He Qi's round eyes widened. "What do you mean?" he demanded haughtily. "What does his disappearance have to do with me?!"

Shen Zhong knew better than anyone what kind of person he was, and he also knew how much He Qi hated the second brother who had suddenly appeared. He curled his lips and shot back, "If it wasn't you, who else could it have been?"

The question made He Qi a little angry. "Yes! It was me, so what? Are you going to report me?"

Shen Zhong let out a long breath, his patience nearly exhausted. "Do you know what the consequences will be if this blows up? Do you know how many people came today? If Lu Mian still doesn't show up, it'll be your He Family that loses face!"

He Qi panicked at that, but forced himself to say, "He's the one who doesn't want to come out. What does that have to do with me?"

Shen Zhong was so angry his head hurt. "Do you take everyone else for a fool?!"

He Qi felt a little aggrieved at being shouted at. "Why are you yelling at me? I only wanted to teach him a lesson!"

Shen Zhong was unwilling to waste any more breath on him. He Qi had been spoiled since childhood and had no sense of restraint. He had no idea how serious the situation was.

In the current circumstances, they could only go to He Wangsheng.

The two left one after the other, and Cen Xia stepped out of the shadows.

So He Qi really did have something to do with it...

While he was lost in thought, a figure silently approached from behind, a heavy presence pressing down on him.

"What are you looking at?"

Cen Xia turned sharply and saw the face he had been longing to find.

Wen Xingzhou!

Delighted, Cen Xia hurriedly reached out and grabbed Wen Xingzhou's arm, afraid he would run off.

"I finally found you!"

Wen Xingzhou raised an eyebrow. "What do you want with me?"

"Are you looking for Lu Mian?"

The careless expression vanished from Wen Xingzhou's face, and his gaze darkened. "Do you know where he is?"

Cen Xia knew public officials like him tended to be meticulous, so he hurriedly showed him the call on his phone, which was still connected.

"He called me."

Wen Xingzhou glanced at the call record at the top. The call had lasted nearly fifty minutes.

Cen Xia watched his expression. Seeing that he believed him, he said anxiously, "He's in a very bad state right now. We have to find him quickly."

"His exact location?"

"In a wardrobe."

"?"

Wen Xingzhou lowered his eyes to look at him. "Do you know how many rooms and wardrobes the He Family has?"

Cen Xia opened his mouth, at a loss for words. He began cursing the World Will in his heart again. Can't you be a little useful? You can't help with anything. You can't even give me Lu Mian's exact location. How are we supposed to find him?

The wind rose again, sweeping up the fallen leaves in the courtyard. They drifted in a circle through the air before settling back down.

"Lu Mian is in a room in the western side courtyard. There is a water jar outside the door, with withered lotus plants in it."

Hearing the emotionless voice beside his ear, Cen Xia felt relieved. It's at least a little useful.

"I know where that is. Follow me."

After hearing what Shen Zhong had to say, He Wangsheng's brush paused. A blot of ink appeared on the green bamboo he was painting on the xuan paper. He straightened up, looked at the ruined ink painting on his desk, and sighed softly before setting the brush on the brush rest beside him.

He Qi stood to one side, his head lowered, not daring to speak in his own defense.

For as long as he could remember, the person he feared most had been his eldest brother. Their parents might indulge him, but his eldest brother would not.

His eldest brother had grown up at their grandfather's side, and the two brothers had never been close. If He Qi made a mistake, he really would be beaten, and even their parents wouldn't dare interfere.

"Where is he now?"

He Wangsheng's tone was no different from usual, but it still made He Qi's heart tremble with fear.

"I... I don't know."

Hearing that, Shen Zhong looked up at him. He can just turn around and forget what he did himself?

Without even looking up, He Wangsheng crumpled the xuan paper on the desk into a ball. "You don't remember, or you don't know?"

He Qi felt as though he were that crumpled ball of paper. He stood there awkwardly, his heart full of dread.

"I don't remember..."

He Wangsheng tossed the wastepaper into the basket and said calmly, "Then think carefully."

He Qi swallowed nervously and spoke in a trembling voice. "I think... I think he's in the west courtyard."

Shen Zhong looked away, thinking to himself, One evildoer will always find another to grind him down.