Chapter Twenty-Nine: He Must Find Zhouzhou

Jiang Yunzhu laughed and said, "You probably don’t know yet, Shen Ruizhang despises me. The person he truly cares about isn’t me, so he won’t come. You won’t get your money."

The man was stunned by her words, then anger flared in his eyes. He raised his hand as if to slap Jiang Yunzhu.

"But I can give you the money," Jiang Yunzhu said, halting his movement with a single sentence.

The man looked her up and down, suspicious, then sneered, "You’re just a lowly agent—how are you going to pay me?"

"Since Shen Ruizhang won’t come, your plan to get money from him is doomed. Why not try your luck?" Jiang Yunzhu raised her eyes, calm and composed. "Take a chance—who knows, maybe you’ll strike it rich. If you kill me, you’ll get nothing, and you’ll be saddled with a murder charge."

The man was indeed tempted; rationally, he knew Jiang Yunzhu was right.

He tossed her a phone. "Fine. Call your friends right now—tell them to bring the money and ransom you."

Jiang Yunzhu took the phone. "A message will suffice."

She quickly typed and sent a message. The man watched her intently, checked the message himself, then put the phone away.

What he didn’t know was that the message had been encrypted upon sending, and the local police would receive an alert.

Meanwhile, Shen Tingxiao also received an unusual message.

About half an hour later, Jiang Yunzhu heard the wail of police sirens. She knew she was safe at last, and her strained nerves finally gave way.

"Damn it! Your friend called the police! I’ll kill you!" the man cursed, grabbing a stick from the ground and rushing at Jiang Yunzhu.

As her consciousness faded, she saw a tall figure step in front of her.

Then, she lost consciousness completely.

...

Hospital.

Shen Ruizhang brought Zhou Qingfei to the hospital. As soon as she was placed on the stretcher, he turned to leave to rescue Jiang Yunzhu.

Zhou Qingfei grabbed his wrist.

"Ruizhang, I’m so scared. Will you stay with me?"

Shen Ruizhang’s brows furrowed, but when he met Zhou Qingfei’s fearful gaze, his tone remained gentle.

"Be good. I need to find Yunzhu—she’s still in the hands of the kidnappers."

"But when I was locked up, I saw Yunzhu being treated like a guest. They seem to treat her differently. And when we left, Yunzhu was unharmed. Ruizhang, I’m scared. Will you stay with me?"

The lines in Shen Ruizhang’s brow deepened.

He remembered the look Jiang Yunzhu gave him as he left.

There was not a hint of expectation.

His heart ached.

He gently released Zhou Qingfei’s hand and comforted her, "I’ll have someone stay with you. I have to go back right now."

Zhou Qingfei reluctantly let go.

She raised her head, her eyes full of panic, staring at him.

"Ruizhang, promise you’ll come back right away. I really can’t bear it. I’m too frightened."

"I will," Shen Ruizhang hugged her, then took his assistant Li and strode out.

Half an hour later, Shen Ruizhang returned to the scene.

He stood before the empty, abandoned building, a wave of unprecedented anxiety washing over him.

Where is she?

Noticing Shen Ruizhang’s unusual state, Assistant Li spoke up, "Perhaps Miss Jiang left on her own. Maybe the whole kidnapping was staged by her."

"Left on her own?" Shen Ruizhang pointed at the bloodstains on the floor, his face grim as he looked at Li. "Are you saying she fought these people and then left by herself?"

There was blood, and signs of a struggle. It was likely Yunzhu had clashed with them. Was that blood...

"Impossible!" Shen Ruizhang suddenly declared.

Assistant Li looked at him, puzzled. "Sir?"

Shen Ruizhang’s eyes hardened.

He ordered sharply, "Mobilize everyone to find Yunzhu. I want results before midnight tonight."

With that, Shen Ruizhang strode out.

He must find Yunzhu!

Assistant Li stood stunned, confusion clouding his gaze.

Wasn’t Shen Ruizhang supposed to be indifferent to Jiang Yunzhu?

Not far away, in a convalescent home.

Jiang Yunzhu’s lashes quivered lightly, and soon she opened her eyes.

She looked around in confusion, then toward the door.

A man stood with his back to her, talking on the phone.

"Yes, she’s been found."

"The doctor has checked her—she’s fine."

It was Ge Xingjing.

Who was he reporting to?

Suddenly, Ge Xingjing seemed to sense something and quickly ended the call.

He turned around, smiling warmly at Jiang Yunzhu.

"Miss Jiang, you’re awake?"

She nodded lightly, scanning the room. "Where am I?"

"I came back after buying breakfast and found you missing. I searched everywhere, and finally heard you’d been kidnapped."

Listening to Ge Xingjing’s explanation, Jiang Yunzhu was briefly stunned, then smiled.

"Mr. Ge, you’ve saved me again."

"Not me..." Remembering his boss’s instructions, Ge Xingjing immediately changed the subject, "Miss Jiang, I’ve sent all your kidnappers to the police. What do you intend to do?"

She closed her eyes. "Leave it all to the law."

Thinking of their faces, she couldn’t help but recall Shen Ruizhang.

Suddenly, she seemed to understand why Shen Ruizhang had flaunted his affection for her so publicly.

If not for the scandal, no one would have known about his feelings for Zhou Qingfei. She had become the perfect target.

Jiang Yunzhu quickly opened her eyes again.

She smiled at Ge Xingjing. "Mr. Ge, could I trouble you to send me home? I can’t stay here forever."

"But your injuries..." Ge Xingjing hesitated.

His reminder made her recall she’d been splashed with sulfuric acid.

Perfect—no need for an excuse.

Jiang Yunzhu explained, "My family made its fortune in herbal medicine. We have special remedies for these scars. I’ll be fine once I treat them at home."

Seeing her insistence, Ge Xingjing didn’t press her further.

After taking her home, he left his contact information.

Watching Ge Xingjing leave, Jiang Yunzhu finally turned and entered the villa.

She returned to her room, found the medicine in her drawer, and went to the bathroom.

No sooner had she stepped into the villa than Shen Ruizhang received word and hurried back.

Just as Jiang Yunzhu finished washing and applying the medicine, she stepped out of the bathroom.

Her dark hair clung to her skin, making her pale complexion appear even more flawless.

Droplets of water traced down her body, finally pooling in the hollow at her chest.

Shen Ruizhang was transfixed by the sight.

Heat rose within him, unbidden.

Jiang Yunzhu looked up, meeting his burning gaze.

The next moment...

"Yunzhu..."

Shen Ruizhang rushed over and embraced her tightly.

As if, by not holding her close enough, she might vanish before his eyes.

Soon, she pushed him away.

She stepped back. "Why aren’t you at the hospital with Miss Zhou? Why come back?"

Noticing her cold tone, Shen Ruizhang felt uneasy.

He deliberately ignored the discomfort in his heart and replied seriously, "Qingfei is a celebrity. Her face can’t be injured."

A bitter laugh escaped Jiang Yunzhu.

"So it’s fine for me to be disfigured by acid?"

"But you..." your face seems unharmed? He caught the self-mockery in her eyes and the words died in his throat.

Still a child, so quick to anger?

He coaxed her gently, "Alright, I know I was wrong. Next time, I’ll consider your feelings. Will that do?"

He reached out to take her hand.

Jiang Yunzhu frowned.

Her wrist, burned by acid, still hurt terribly.

But Shen Ruizhang didn’t notice her expression.

"Yunzhu, I was wrong this time. Tell me what you want—anything, I’ll grant it, alright?"

She met his anxious gaze and suddenly smiled.

"Will you agree to one condition?"

He answered without hesitation, "Say it."

"Tomorrow is the tenth anniversary of our meeting. Stay tonight, and spend the day with me tomorrow. Will you?"

Shen Ruizhang agreed again, "That’s easy. I’ll stay by your side—not just for ten years, but twenty, thirty..."

"Just this one thing. I have a gift for you," Jiang Yunzhu interrupted him.

Her resignation letter. Surely, it would be a relief for Shen Ruizhang.