It was about time for the company to start work, so Xu Yanxia found it a bit strange. "Aren't you busy?"
Lu Jingming gave a noncommittal hum. "I just finished eating anyway. A little walk would do me good."
Xu Yanxia uttered an "oh" and had no choice but to get into the car with him.
Ten minutes later, the car arrived at the parking lot of The Mixc mall.
The two got out of the car, walked around the first, second, and third floors of the mall, and then entered a well-known wooden goods store.
Xu Yanxia thought that since Butler Zhang had been with the Lu family for so long and had such a good relationship with Mrs. Lu, she probably wasn't lacking in brand-name clothes or bags. Moreover, if she suddenly gave something too expensive, the other party might not accept it.
It would be better to buy some useful small items, so Butler Zhang could accept them without feeling burdened.
After a while, Xu Yanxia took a liking to a small gift set containing a comb and mirror. She specifically asked Lu Jingming, "Do you think Auntie Zhang would like this?"
Lu Jingming said, "The design is quite elegant. It should suit her taste."
Xu Yanxia nodded. "Then I'll buy this one."
With that, she went to the cashier to pay.
Just after she finished paying, her phone suddenly rang.
She looked at it, answered, and called out, "Uncle Li, you're looking for me?"
Uncle Li's voice on the other end of the line was urgent. "Xiao Xia, where are you? I just got a call from an acquaintance saying they've found your uncle!"
What?
Xu Yanxia was stunned and immediately asked, "Where is he?"
Not far away, Lu Jingming heard the urgency in her voice and immediately looked over.
He saw Xu Yanxia rushing up to him and saying, "I'm sorry, Mr. Lu. Uncle Li just called and said they've found my uncle. I need to get over there right now. You can head back to the company yourself later."
With that, she was about to leave.
But Lu Jingming quickly asked her, "Is it far? Are you going by yourself? Shouldn't you notify other family members?"
Xu Yanxia said, "Uncle Li said it's in a village within the city over in Songyan. He sent the address to my WeChat. I'll forward it to my brother right now. We'll set off separately and meet directly there."
"Songyan?"
Lu Jingming said, "That's not close. I'll drive you."
As he spoke, he started walking out.
Xu Yanxia was still a bit hesitant. "I can just take a taxi. You should go back to work."
"My car is faster," he said.
"..."
That was certainly true. After all, what ride-hailing car could compare to a Maybach?
Xu Yanxia quickly followed him.
...
About twenty minutes later, they arrived at the location.
It was an urban village. The not-so-wide street was hung with all sorts of signs, and the buildings were packed very close together.
According to the information Uncle Li provided, that scoundrel of an uncle, Yuan Jincai, was in a small motel up ahead.
"Thank you, Mr. Lu," Xu Yanxia said urgently as she got out of the car, bidding him farewell. "It's getting late. You should head back to work now."
Lu Jingming looked out the window and said, "Your brother and the others aren't here yet, are they? Do you want to wait for them?"
"No need," Xu Yanxia said. "Uncle Li confirmed that the man is in room 304. My brother and the others should be here soon. If I wait any longer, I'm afraid he might run off again."
With that, she opened the car door and got out.
Lu Jingming called out "Hey," but seeing she didn't look back, he thought for a moment, then turned off the engine, unbuckled his seatbelt, and got out as well.
He followed her into the small motel. Before even going upstairs, he could already hear voices coming from above.
"That account of yours has been frozen. The only way out now is for you to go back and settle what needs to be settled. How much longer are you going to keep hiding?"
That was unmistakably Xu Yanxia's voice.
Immediately after, a man's voice, thick with irritation, was heard. "What's there to settle! I haven't killed anyone or set any fires! Since when do you get to lecture your elders?"
"Hey, don't you dare run!"
Xu Yanxia's voice suddenly turned fierce. Lu Jingming's heart sank, and he quickened his pace, rushing forward.
When he found room 304, he saw Xu Yanxia gripping the back collar of a middle-aged man's shirt with all her might.
Despite her slender frame, her strength was surprising. The man struggled several times but couldn't break free.
Seeing escape was impossible, the man turned, ready to lay hands on Xu Yanxia.
"Don't you dare!"
Lu Jingming immediately stepped forward and pulled the man away. At the same moment, a sharp, shocked cry rang out behind him. "Yuan Jincai!"
Immediately after, one man and two women rushed over and pinned the middle-aged man down.
"Aunt! Brother! Sister Jiajia!"
Xu Yanxia called out breathlessly. Lu Jingming now got a clear look: the young man who had rushed over wasn't old, his eyes and brows bearing some resemblance to Xu Yanxia's. The other two women, one appeared middle-aged, the other younger.
The older woman was now kicking and hitting Yuan Jincai, her emotions running high as she shouted angrily, "You heartless wretch, why didn't you just die out there! Is this how a decent person acts? How are our whole family supposed to live!"
The younger woman ran over to Xu Yanxia. "Xiao Xia, are you okay? Did he hurt you just now?"
"No,"
Xu Yanxia simply shook the wrist she had used to hold onto Yuan Jincai and said, "Mr. Lu stopped him."
She then quickly thanked him. "Thank you, Mr. Lu. It's too chaotic here. Perhaps you should head back first."
Indeed, looking past them into the room, the floor was littered with beer bottles and leftover takeout containers. On the bed was a pile of used tissues, and... condoms.
"It's no trouble for me."
Lu Jingming averted his gaze to look at Xu Yanxia. "How are you going to handle this now? Beating him up isn't a solution."
Right.
Xu Yanxia nodded, walked over to her brother and aunt, and said, "Let's take him home and hand him over to the police station. Pursue accountability where it's due, and file for divorce where it's due."
Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, Yuan Jincai pointed at her aunt, Xu Xuemei, and started cursing. "You, Xu Xuemei! I've been your family's beast of burden for over twenty years, what's wrong with taking some money from your parents? And now these two ungrateful brats, your niece and nephew, dare to call the police? If you have me arrested, just watch, Xiaoyue won't be able to get a government job in the future!"
"Who are you calling a brat!"
Xu Zhanpeng was so angry he nearly hit him.
Xu Yanxia stopped him, stepped forward, and said to Yuan Jincai, "So you do remember Xiaoyue is your child? You know your actions could ruin her future?"
"It's only for Xiaoyue's sake that we've shown you any mercy. Otherwise, based on the amount you stole from my grandparents, you'd have already met the threshold for a criminal case!"
"My aunt married you despite your family's poverty, and for twenty years, because Xiaoyue was a girl, your family looked down on her, and she still had to find ways to earn money to support all of you! And you turn around, take my grandparents' money, and go off to have fun with another woman? You're the one without a conscience!"
"You don't need to threaten us. The choice is in your hands now. If you go back, cooperate properly with the police station and repay the money you spent to my grandparents, Xiaoyue's civil service exam will definitely not be affected."
"But if you dare to keep reneging, then we will directly file a criminal lawsuit, and you'll spend at least ten years in prison. When that happens, we can change Xiaoyue's surname and register her under our family's household. At worst, she just won't be able to work in the public security, procuratorate, or court systems—there are plenty of other good jobs out there! But as for your nephews, I guarantee none of them will ever find a wife!"
As the words fell, Yuan Jincai paused, his arrogance finally diminishing.
Beside him, Lu Jingming gave a slight, silent nod.
Good. She was still prepared.
