Ye Chenhan picked up an apple from the fruit basket and took a bite.
Having followed Di Mingjue around all day, his stomach had grown accustomed to hunger and no longer protested.
Ye Shaoting glanced outside, a hint of confusion on his face. "In the car?"
"Mhm." Ye Chenhan quickly chewed and swallowed the apple in his mouth. "We just returned from the police station, and we're not in a good mood. He probably wants some time alone."
Listening to his recount, Ye Shaoting stared at Ye Chenhan. "You were with him at the police station all day?"
After a moment's thought, Ye Chenhan shook his head. "We also went to the Gu residence."
"The Gu residence?"
"Yes. Elder Brother, do you know? I actually found Gu Xiukai in the warehouse when I went to the Gu residence. He doesn't know what conflict he had with Gu Xiuyu, but Gu Xiuyu actually tied him up in the warehouse and starved him for days. From the looks of it, he intended to let him die there."
Ye Shaoting looked at Ye Chenhan's sigh and felt a knot of tension tighten in his chest. He had learned something about the conflict between Gu Xiuyu and Gu Xiukai from Gu Xiuyu himself. Moreover, Gu Xiukai had secretly managed to find some leverage against Gu Xiuyu for this particular action.
Now, Di Mingjue was in league with Gu Xiukai. Did that mean he knew Gu Xiuyu's whereabouts?
Ye Shaoting suddenly stood up from the sofa, interrupting Ye Chenhan's continuous narration.
"Elder Brother?" Ye Chenhan looked up at Ye Shaoting, who was heading upstairs without a word.
"It's getting late, you should rest early." Ye Shaoting glanced back at Ye Chenhan before continuing upstairs.
Ye Chenhan withdrew his gaze, quickly finished the remaining half of the apple, and went upstairs as well.
Unbeknownst to them, Xingxing had been standing in the kitchen throughout their conversation.
After all sound from outside had disappeared, Xingxing finally emerged from the kitchen.
So the reason Ye Ziyu and Di Mingjue hadn't been home for a long time was because something had happened to her?
Xingxing walked out of the living room and stood on the balcony, looking at Di Mingjue in the car. This made him detest Di Mingjue even more. It was as if everyone who came into contact with him ultimately suffered.
If he had persuaded Ye Ziyu to leave him a while ago, would the current accident have been avoided?
Sensing the car door open and the person inside walking towards him, Xingxing quickly turned and disappeared into the darkness.
Di Mingjue glanced in the direction of the back garden, rubbed his tired eyes, and stepped into the living room.
The next day.
As dawn broke, Ye Chenhan was awakened by an urgent ringing.
"Hello."
"I'm already at the police station. Before you go to the police station, go to the Gu residence and see what Gu Xiukai has done."
Ye Chenhan, still half-asleep, casually agreed and then tossed his phone onto the pillow. After dozing off for a while longer, he suddenly remembered something and his eyes snapped open.
Checking the phone's call record and recalling what Di Mingjue had instructed during the call, he sprang out of bed with a mighty heave.
He haphazardly grabbed his clothes and put them on, pulling his sleeves on as he walked out.
"Uncle?" Qianqian, who had just come out of her room, encountered Ye Chenhan. Her small face immediately lit up with excitement, and she ran towards him. "Uncle, why aren't Mommy and Daddy back yet?"
"Hmm..." Ye Chenhan paused, then patted his forehead. "Look at my brain, I have something urgent to attend to."
"Uncle, you haven't answered my question yet." Qianqian called out to Ye Chenhan.
Her calls didn't stop Ye Chenhan, but they did prompt Yuze and Xiao Ran from the room to come out.
Seeing Qianqian pouting unhappily, they quickly stepped forward to comfort her. "Why the long face? Did Uncle tease you again?"
"I asked Uncle why Daddy and Mommy aren't back yet."