If there had been any lingering doubt in Simo Yan and Si Jingyi's minds about the credibility of Wen Yan's inner thoughts before, after the incident with Si Yanli, they were now utterly convinced.
If she said Fourth Brother was about to face a great calamity, then it was highly likely—
Back when Si Luochen was kidnapped, Simo Yan hadn't been able to rescue him completely unharmed, and he had carried a sense of guilt towards him ever since.
Among the siblings at home, he didn't want anything to happen to any of them.
Wen Yan was currently engrossed in enjoying the drama (lit. 'eating melon') and didn't notice the heavy, complex expressions on Simo Yan and Si Jingyi's faces.
Si Jingyi had a fiery temper. Seeing Wen Yan remain silent for a long while, he grew extremely anxious.
What exactly is going to happen to Fourth Brother? Sister-in-law, hurry up and tell us!
[Si Luochen went on a trip with his good friend, but he doesn't know that this so-called good friend is actually part of a criminal organization.]
[Although Si Luochen has a slight limp, his looks are truly undeniable—fair skin, handsome, delicate, and somewhat feminine features, a sharp jawline. In a danmei (Boys' Love) novel, he'd be the perfect bottom (lit. 'little shou').]
[That criminal organization runs an underground auction house. Shortly after Si Luochen is locked up there, he's going to be put up for auction.]
[Oh my, he's going to become a plaything for the big shots.]
[The scene is really both perverse and bloody.]
[By the time the Si family rescues him, he'll be completely broken.]
[Damn, he turns out to be the earliest one among the Si family's cannon fodders to kick the bucket.]
Hearing this, the expressions of Simo Yan and Si Jingyi changed drastically simultaneously.
Simo Yan, his features darkening, walked onto the balcony and took out his phone to call Si Luochen.
He had just left the group chat. If he could stop him from going on the trip now, it should still be in time.
When Simo Yan dialed the number, it was switched off.
Over the years, Si Luochen didn't like staying with the Si family and had been studying abroad in Country M.
Usually, if family members didn't contact him, he never initiated contact either.
Simo Yan knew there was a distance between him and them in Si Luochen's heart.
Not having the number of Si Luochen's friend there, Simo Yan called Si Luochen's academic advisor.
Soon, the advisor replied that Si Luochen had indeed gone traveling with his closest friend from the dorm.
Simo Yan's face instantly turned as cold as frost.
He walked back into the hospital room, wanting to ask Wen Yan where Si Luochen had gone, but the words stuck in his throat, impossible to utter.
It wasn't that he didn't want to ask, but he seemed to be affected by some kind of magnetic field that prevented him from asking directly.
Simo Yan realized that unless Wen Yan volunteered the information, they couldn't directly make her spoil the plot.
"Husband, I'm a bit tired from walking around all day. I'm going to take a shower first."
After Wen Yan went into the bathroom, Simo Yan immediately booked a flight to Country M for the next day.
"Big Brother, should we ask Sister-in-law to go with you?"
If Sister-in-law were there, she might be able to help find Fourth Brother and also help resolve the distance between him and the family.
Simo Yan's sword-like eyebrows furrowed tightly. "Didn't you hear her say it's a criminal organization? What if she, a weak woman, encounters danger?"
Si Jingyi, "..."
If Sister-in-law is a weak woman, then there probably aren't any weak women left in this world.
Si Jingyi suddenly realized that his formerly icy, woman-averse big brother seemed to be undergoing some subtle changes now!
But then, Sister-in-law is beautiful and interesting. It was only a matter of time before Big Brother developed feelings for her!
"Then I'll go with you tomorrow, Big Brother."
Simo Yan shook his head. "I'll go alone. If you come, you'll only hold me back."
Si Jingyi, "..."
By the time Wen Yan finished her shower and came out, Si Jingyi had already left the room.
Simo Yan stood by the window, smoking a cigarette with a heavy heart.
Wen Yan looked at his tall, lonely back and raised an eyebrow.
[Could it be that he found out Su Jingya went on a blind date today after being hurt by him?]
Simo Yan's hand holding the cigarette paused slightly.
Why would she think of Su Jingya?
Even if Su Jingya got married today, it had nothing to do with him.
[Smoke away, smoke away. Not taking care of your body when your injuries aren't even healed yet, lung cancer will come knocking sooner or later.]
Simo Yan frowned and stubbed out the cigarette butt.
He took a shower in the bathroom. After lying down on the hospital bed, he glanced at the woman curled up on the sofa.
"Wen Yan, come here."
Wen Yan blinked her beautiful fox-like eyes. "Husband, you're not thinking of finishing what we started earlier, are you?"
"Come here." Right now, Simo Yan's mind was entirely on Si Luochen. He wondered if he could coax out a bit more of Wen Yan's inner thoughts.
At the very least, he wanted to know where Fourth Brother went traveling and what the criminal organization was called.
Simo Yan was in a VIP room; the bed was 1.8 meters wide, more than enough for two people.
Wen Yan stood by the bedside, a look of confusion in her fox-like eyes. "Husband, what do you want me for?"
"Get on the bed."
Wen Yan, "..."
"Do you need me to carry you up?"
Wen Yan quickly shook her head. She lifted the blanket and lay down on the bed.
[Wow, his bed is so soft and comfortable. I've been taking care of him recently, and he only let me sleep on the sofa. What a malicious man.]
Wen Yan lay her head on the pillow and glanced back at the man.
Seeing his deep, dark, narrow eyes that seemed like they could swallow her whole, her heart couldn't help but skip a beat.
[What's that look in his eyes? It's as if he heard me cursing him in my heart.]
Wen Yan extended a slender, pale finger and poked the man's hard, solid chest. "Husband, any activities planned for tonight?"
Simo Yan, "What kind of activities do you want?"
"For example, negative-distance contact?"
Simo Yan, "..."
"Hahaha, just kidding. Thank you, husband, for letting your humble consort onto the bed. I promise to behave properly tonight and not keep my husband awake all night."
Simo Yan pressed his thin, rosy lips together.
Thinking of Fourth Brother's predicament, he knew he would indeed be sleepless tonight.
"Wen Yan, earlier when Fourth Brother left the group, it wasn't targeted at you. Don't take it to heart."
Wen Yan yawned. "Husband, I'm not that petty."
[Anyway, his cannon fodder Fourth Brother is the earliest among the Si family to kick the bucket. Why should I bother with someone who's about to die?]
Simo Yan, "..."
"Wen Yan, I haven't seen Fourth Brother for several months. I want to go see him in Country M tomorrow."
Wen Yan, "Okay, husband. Go and come back early. There are plenty of female and male scoundrels out there. Not everyone is like me, wanting nothing but you as a person."
[Go ahead, go ahead. Go and get sold into the criminal organization too, be a '0' with your Fourth Brother.]
Wen Yan was extremely sleepy. Before Simo Yan could say anything more, she had already fallen asleep.
Simo Yan looked down at the woman beside him. When asleep, her eyelashes seemed even longer and darker, drooping like two small cattail leaf fans. Her bare face, free of makeup, was a mix of allure and innocence.
He picked up his phone and looked up online what '0' meant. After reading, his face turned completely dark.
...
The next day.
Wen Yan eagerly got up to go to the contract signing event to enjoy the major drama (lit. 'eat the big melon').
Si Jingyi also came early.
After speaking a few words privately with Simo Yan, Si Jingyi followed Wen Yan to Shao Ning's hospital room.
After this period of rest and the medication Wen Yan had given her, Shao Ning's physical condition had improved considerably.
But her legs were still injured, and she couldn't walk.
By the time Wen Yan arrived, Shao Ning was already dressed up, looking pure and beautiful.
Seeing Wen Yan, Shao Ning's fair little face flushed uncontrollably. "Sister Yan."
Wen Yan reached out her arm and lifted Shao Ning from the hospital bed onto the wheelchair.
The rims of Shao Ning's ears instantly turned crimson, as if steaming.
Si Jingyi, "..."
Was this little girl really falling for his sister-in-law? Was she about to become a love rival to his elder brother?
