Chapter 971: Lao Qi Returns

Shi Youxuan: "If complaining could solve problems, we wouldn't need to work hard; we could just sit here staring at each other and complain all day."

"Lao Qi is coming back tomorrow. Once he returns, we can sit down calmly and discuss a better plan."

Ji Yingjie widened her eyes: "Lao Qi is coming back?"

"What is he coming back for?"

Nianyin was happy, but Ji Yingjie was displeased.

But displeased or not, Lao Qi was coming back anyway.

The reason he was returning was that Shi Youxuan had told Sheng Hanyu about the situation here, and Sheng Hanyu had ordered him to return.

It wasn't just that it was all women here and they were short-handed; additionally, Nianyin was injured, so both reasonably and emotionally, Lao Qi should return!

Under normal circumstances, Shi Youxuan wouldn't have said anything, not wanting her husband to worry about the situation at home while he was in L Country.

But later, she sorted through the sequence of events, and the more she thought about it, the more something felt wrong.

There were two Zhu brothers, yet only one had appeared from start to finish; where had the other one gone?

She thought back to the beginning, when the "Fairy" used her father-in-law to try to get Sheng Hanyu to return.

Why was it so important for him to return?

Would his return be disadvantageous to him?

At first glance, there was a plausible reason for it.

But she always felt there was something else to it.

Later, she figured it out—it must be that the other Zhu brother was at the Diamond Mine, and only when Sheng Hanyu left could the other one make a move.

This meant she had to tell her husband so he could be on guard.

Shi Youxuan explained the sequence of events to her husband and also mentioned Nianyin's injury; her husband decided to send Lao Qi back to help them, and he would arrive the next day.

The next day.

Jiangzhou Airport.

After getting off the plane, the first thing Lao Qi did, despite his travel fatigue, was rush to the hospital to see his wife.

"Nianyin."

"You're back?"

The couple had been separated for quite a while, and they were very happy to see each other, with so much to say.

They should have had intimate words to share, but Ji Yingjie sat on the sofa like a Buddha, completely motionless.

Shi Youxuan: "Aunt, let's go out for a walk."

"Not going."

Shi Youxuan: "Let's go out for some fresh air."

She gave her aunt a look, implying that the couple had just reunited and it was awkward for the two of them to be here like lightbulbs.

But Ji Yingjie didn't pick up on it at all, or if she did, she didn't want to move.

"Didn't you say you'd let him go catch people as soon as he got back? Why are you still being all lovey-dovey here? Go catch Zhu Qingxiang, or kill him; if it weren't for him, Nianyin wouldn't have been injured," she commanded.

Shi Youxuan:...

He had just arrived, hadn't even had a drink of water, and was already being sent out to catch someone?

There wasn't even a target; where were they supposed to catch him?

Without another word, she forcibly dragged her aunt out of the Hospital Ward.

"What are you doing? Let go," Ji Yingjie said, displeased.

Shi Youxuan didn't care whether she was happy or not and instructed the bodyguards: "Take Mrs. Shi home and protect her safety; do not let her leave her room."

Ji Yingjie raged: "Shi Youxuan, you have some nerve! You actually want to put me under house arrest? Are you trying to rebel?"

Shi Youxuan smiled brightly: "That's right, I am rebelling; what can you do about it? Don't forget, this is Jiangzhou, not your Ji Family, and not a place where you can do whatever you want."

If her aunt hadn't been so excessive, she wouldn't have done this.

Times change, and whoever's territory it is, that person calls the shots!

Ji Yingjie was furious, but there was nothing she could do; she knew her niece's personality well enough to know that if pushed too far, she was capable of anything.

Shi Youxuan did not have the same sense of deference toward her that Nianyin did.

Hospital Ward.

The couple sat cheek to cheek, holding hands, and Lao Qi heart-achingly touched the area wrapped in gauze: "Does it hurt?"

"It doesn't hurt, not at all."

"You're lying, how could it not hurt? If I catch that brat, I'll definitely chop him into pieces to avenge you."

The way Lao Qi gritted his teeth was very similar to Ji Yingjie.

Daring to hurt his woman—he must be tired of living.

The two of them whispered sweet nothings in the Hospital Ward.

Nianyin looked like she had something she wanted to say but was holding back.

"What's wrong? If you want to say something, just say it."

"Mother wants me to go back to the Ji Family with her."

"No, I don't agree."

Lao Qi refused flatly; of course he couldn't agree. He had finally managed to get her out of the Ji Family, and if they went back, neither of them would have a good time.

Nianyin told him: "Don't be anxious, my sister said that after we catch Zhu Qingxiang, we should send him to Prison and not tell Mother."

"That way, Mother will think he is still on the run and will let me stay in Jiangzhou, but I can't do this myself; only you can."

Lao Qi's anger turned to joy: "Good, that's a good idea, let's do that."

Shi Youxuan analyzed that, based on what Zhu Qingxiang had done during this time, he wouldn't have gone too far; he might even be hiding near the Shi Family.

It is always like this; he can always find a place no one would think of to hide, and I believe this time is no different.

Before the real investigation began, Lao Qi went to the Gu Family to see the children.

Gu Zhihao was in the courtyard cleaning fish, and he was very happy to see him arrive.

"When did you get back?"

"I only arrived home at noon, I came over to see the children."

"Come in quickly, the children are next door playing with Xiaotian, you sit for a while, I'll go next door and bring them back."

He washed his hands at the faucet in the courtyard, wiped them carelessly on his clothes, and prepared to go next door.

His wife has been prone to sleepiness these past two days, as if she can never get enough sleep, but the children have boundless energy, so since the neighbor happens to like children, they are always taken over there to play.

"What kind of person lives next door?" Lao Qi asked, alert.

"A big boy, a rich second-generation, he got angry with his family and ran out, renting a place to live here."

"I'll go get them."

Lao Qi's expression was serious as he ran quickly toward the house next door.

If that Xiaotian was Zhu Qingxiang, and the children were in his hands... he now very much hoped he was overthinking it.

However, he was not.

Pushing open the door, he saw Zhu Qingxiang holding one child in each arm, his expression very calm.

Lao Qi had seen his photo, captured from surveillance footage, and it was exactly the same as the face of the big boy in front of him!

His heart was already in a state of turbulent waves, but his face showed nothing.

"Xiaotian, right? Thank you for helping me watch my children, I've come to take them home."

"Daddy."

"Daddy."

The two children struggled, wanting to get down, but they did not succeed.

"Baobao, don't be anxious, Daddy is here to take you back, I brought you gifts..."

He had just taken two steps forward when he was coldly stopped: "Stop, don't take another step forward."

Zhu Qingxiang held both children with one arm, his fair, slender fingers pinching Yulong's neck: "I don't want to hurt him, you let me go, and I guarantee they will be completely unharmed."

From the moment Lao Qi walked over, Zhu Qingxiang had a bad premonition, a premonition that he had been discovered.

Although he had disguised himself well, he had still been found out.

Zhu Qingxiang could feel a dangerous aura emanating from him.

"In your dreams. Let go of my son, and I guarantee I won't hand you over to Ji Yingjie." Seeing that his identity was exposed, Lao Qi no longer played along with him.

"Why should I trust you? You are all in the same gang, not one of you is a good person."

"Move aside, or I'll strangle him." His fierce nature was fully revealed.

"It's uncomfortable, Brother Xiaotian, take your hand away."

Yulong was still too young to sense the danger, but he was uncomfortable with his neck being gripped, so he used his little hands to try and push away Brother Xiaotian's hand.

"Don't make a fuss, I'm playing a game with your daddy."