Yu Mengzhi understood.
She felt a touch of emotion. If Chen Jin-chao hadn't told her, she might never have known about this. It also showed that Chen Jin-chao was open and honest, not doing anything shady behind her back.
"Mm, hurry and go. If you're late, the trouble will be immense," Yu Mengzhi said.
"Thank you!" Chen Jin-chao said earnestly.
Yu Mengzhi smiled, "What's our relationship? Saying thank you now, aren't we being too distant?"
Chen Jin-chao said no more, took the car keys from Yu Mengzhi, and left home.
As he started the car engine, Chen Jin-chao deliberately called Xu Nian-qing, but no one answered, causing his heart to sink.
Out of options, he called Shangguan Yu-an instead. "Where are you now? Are you far from Xu Ming-zhi's house? Xu Nian-qing might be in trouble. Go to his house immediately."
"Understood!" Shangguan Yu-an asked nothing and said he would arrive within five minutes.
He hung up the phone.
Chen Jin-chao breathed a slight sigh of relief. Five minutes should be enough time to prevent anything from happening.
He hoped she was okay.
If anything truly dire happened, he would definitely not let Ning Fei or Xu Ming-zhi, who sold his daughter for personal gain, get away with it.
*Roar!*
The roaring engine of the sports car, like a beast's growl, carried Chen Jin-chao away into the night.
At this moment.
Xu Nian-qing's head was swimming, completely unaware that her father had taken her phone and turned it off. Thus, she hadn't noticed any incoming calls.
"Dad, is this wine strong? I'm feeling so dizzy after only a few sips?" Xu Nian-qing asked, rubbing her head. Xu Ming-zhi naturally denied it.
"I really can't take it anymore. I need to go back to my room to rest for a bit. Dad, you drink a little more yourself." As Xu Nian-qing stood up, she was already swaying. Xu Ming-zhi looked as though he had something to say but ultimately remained silent.
Just then.
Ning Fei suddenly appeared, blocking Xu Nian-qing's path.
The moment she saw Ning Fei, Xu Nian-qing's mind cleared up considerably. Her face changed instantly. As if she understood something, she abruptly turned to look at her father.
"Dad!"
"How did he get here? I get it now. This was all your and Ning Fei's idea, wasn't it!"
Faced with her daughter's questioning, Xu Ming-zhi did not offer any defense but chose silence. More precisely, he lacked the courage to explain anything to his daughter.
Xu Nian-qing was deeply disappointed!
She had thought her father had reformed, only to discover he was still the same old scoundrel!
She suppressed her anger and said, "Do you know that violating a woman's will is illegal and criminal? I'm leaving now, and I ask that you don't stop me!"
Ning Fei blocked her path again, preventing her from leaving.
He smiled, "Nian-qing, don't rush off! Can we sit down and talk about the future? Chen Jin-chao is already lost in a world of bliss, he has no place for you in his heart anymore. Your unrequited feelings can't bring him back."
Xu Nian-qing took a deep breath and said to the two of them, "Who I like and whether he likes me is a matter of mutual consent, and it has nothing to do with you. Do you understand? Especially you, Ning Fei, I would be blind to ever have feelings for you! Having said this, I hope you both will take care of yourselves!"
Ning Fei's anger began to simmer.
Xu Ming-zhi quickly tried to ease the tension, "You both calm down. Can't we sit and talk things through properly? Nian-qing, you say less! Ning Fei cares about you so much, everyone can see it. I wouldn't possibly push you into a fire pit!"
Xu Nian-qing was so angry she almost laughed!
What kind of twisted logic was that?
"Enough!"
"I can't accept your kindness, we should go our separate ways."
Ning Fei made a move without a word.
Xu Nian-qing wanted to evade, but she found herself weak all over, completely unable to escape Ning Fei's grasp. She saw Xu Ming-zhi, who remained indifferent, and shouted in despair, "Xu Ming-zhi, is this how you treat your daughter?! If you go to hell in the future, how will you face my mother!"
Xu Ming-zhi's hands trembled slightly, but in the end, he remained silent.
Even more despairing for Xu Nian-qing, her phone had been confiscated by Xu Ming-zhi, making it impossible for her to contact the outside world!
Was she really going to be humiliated by Ning Fei?
Ning Fei sneered, "It's okay. You might be nervous and unfamiliar at first, but you'll get used to it. From tonight onwards, you are my woman!"
Unable to break free, Xu Nian-qing could only weep uncontrollably.
Seeing this, Xu Ming-zhi quickly said, "Xiao Fei, finish things up quickly, so as not to attract attention."
Ning Fei quickly thanked Xu Ming-zhi.
Then, he dragged the now weakened Xu Nian-qing into the room. Xu Ming-zhi did not stop him at all. Instead, he muttered, "It will get better. Ning Fei loves you more than Chen Jin-chao does. Dad is doing this for your own good."
*Bang!*
The room door closed!
Xu Ming-zhi's heart pounded again!
It was at this moment that urgent knocking suddenly came from outside the door, accompanied by a loud male voice. "Is Professor Xu in? Please open the door. We are ordered to check on Professor Xu's safety!"
Xu Ming-zhi's face changed drastically. Why were those plainclothes officers here?
He knew Xu Nian-qing was under state protection, which was why he had Ning Fei arrive early to avoid attracting their attention!
For a moment, Xu Ming-zhi panicked, pretending not to hear the shouts outside and not opening the door.
He hoped to deceive them.
However—
The plainclothes officers sent to protect Xu Nian-qing were all combat veterans who had been on the battlefield. They immediately realized something was wrong and shouted into the house again, "I'll count to ten. If you don't open the door, we will take necessary measures. Please cooperate!"
"Ten!"
"Nine!"
"..."
"Three!"
"Two!"
"One!"
Xu Ming-zhi continued to bury his head in the sand, ignoring what was happening outside. But the soldiers outside were not to be trifled with. After counting to ten, they kicked the door open, startling Xu Ming-zhi greatly!
He stammered, "Who are you people? Get out of my house immediately, or I'll accuse you of trespassing, which is illegal and criminal!"
Two soldiers stared intently at Xu Ming-zhi like wrathful guardians, exerting immense pressure on him.
One soldier demanded, "Tell me, where is Professor Xu?"
Xu Ming-zhi was so scared he couldn't utter a word. The soldier, enraged, said, "If it weren't for the fact that you're Professor Xu's father, I would tear you apart! Just wait, if she suffers any harm, you, as her father, will also face the fury of the nation!"
"A Heng, let's split up and search. We must find Professor Xu as quickly as possible!"
The two immediately rushed into different rooms!
Professor Xu had always treated them well, letting them into the air conditioning when they were tired from guarding, and buying them water and cold drinks. Therefore, they didn't want anything to happen to Xu Nian-qing!
*Bang!*
The soldier named A Heng kicked open the locked bedroom door, startling Ning Fei, who hadn't had time to act, greatly!
"Who are you?!"
"What stray dog are you? Get out of here immediately!"