Mo Xiuchen's dark, deep eyes were fixed on the screen of his laptop. He answered in a low voice, "That's exactly why I need to go. If someone is trying to harm Wen Ran in F City, they might use other methods since they failed last night."
"When are you coming back? You're not planning to stay in F City for a few days, right? What about the project? I can't handle it on my own!"
Qin Mu, seeing Mo Xiuchen's unwavering gaze, felt a chill run down his spine. He shook his head in panic.
"I'll try to be back by tomorrow."
Mo Xiuchen paused thoughtfully for a moment, then made his decision. He needed to go to F City to put his mind at ease. Based on what he knew of Wen Ran over the past few days, she probably hadn't told Wen Jin about last night's events.
With no results from the investigation yet, he couldn't shake the feeling of unease unless he went to F City himself.
"Alright, then. I'll work late tonight."
Qin Mu reluctantly accepted. He knew that once Mo Xiuchen made a decision, no one could change it. His obsession with Wen Ran was truly beyond reason.
Just based on his gut feeling, he was convinced Wen Ran was the girl from years ago. Not only had he denied finding someone named 'Cheng Jia,' but he was also going to great lengths to prove his instincts were correct. Qin Mu felt Mo Xiuchen had become almost possessed by this belief.
"Book me a ticket for the 6:30 PM flight," Mo Xiuchen said as he picked up a pair of chopsticks and began eating, his long fingers moving quickly over the keyboard.
"Got it."
Qin Mu gave him a quick glance, then grabbed a plate of shrimp, roughly peeling them before shoving them into his mouth, his irritation clearly directed at the shrimp.
Luo Haofeng acted as a responsible bodyguard for the day.
Because of that unexpected kiss in the morning, Bai Xiaoxiao had been giving him the cold shoulder all day. Luo Haofeng didn't mind at all and continued with his playful demeanor. Although he claimed that kiss was also his first, to him, it was just a normal occurrence.
After work that evening, the event organizer invited them all to dinner, with a few other vendors present. Luo Haofeng was also invited, so Wen Ran was accompanied by Li Qian and Bai Xiaoxiao.
During the meal, Wen Ran's phone rang—it was Mo Xiuchen's number.
The private room was noisy, and after hesitating for a moment, she excused herself and stepped outside to take the call.
"I'll come with you," Bai Xiaoxiao, who was sitting next to Wen Ran, saw the caller ID and, remembering what happened the night before, followed her with concern.
"Alright."
Wen Ran smiled, understanding her worry, and they both left the room. As Wen Ran picked up the call, it was indeed Mo Xiuchen.
Bai Xiaoxiao, knowing when to give space, quietly excused herself with, "I'll go to the bathroom."
Wen Ran waved her off, signaling her to go ahead, and then answered the call, which was filled with background noise, almost like the sound of an airport.
"Where are you now?"
Mo Xiuchen's deep, magnetic voice came through the phone.
Wen Ran quickly told him where she was, then her mind raced and she blurted out, "Did you come to F City?"
"Are you happy to hear that?"
Mo Xiuchen's voice carried a teasing note, making it sound as though he was speaking right next to her.
Wen Ran's heart skipped a beat.
Her eyes widened in shock. She had only guessed earlier, but now she realized he had actually come to F City. After the initial surprise, a warm, tender feeling washed over her—something between gratitude and joy.
The commercial building project had just started, and he had mentioned how busy he would be, yet here he was, in F City, for her. He must have arrived after work hours.
"Why aren't you answering? You really don't want me here?"
Mo Xiuchen's voice came again, this time as he walked outside the airport, unable to hear her reply. He asked with playful teasing.
"Of course I welcome you! Have you eaten dinner yet?"
Wen Ran's voice was clearly filled with joy.
"I went straight to the airport after work, and the food on the plane was awful. F City is your hometown, right? You can take me out for a meal!"
"Okay, no problem!"
Wen Ran, though not very familiar with her hometown, had been in F City for a few days now, and she was confident she could find a place to eat.
"I'll be there in half an hour, wait for me."
Mo Xiuchen had already spotted the person coming to pick him up. After giving her the instructions, he ended the call.
Meanwhile, Wen Ran, holding the phone, turned to head toward the bathroom, her mind preoccupied with what to take Mo Xiuchen for dinner. She didn't put the phone back in her bag and didn't notice anything unusual as she passed by the security corridor. But just as she walked past, two men suddenly emerged from behind the security door, covering her mouth and nose from behind.
Wen Ran struggled in fear, muffling a few sounds before her vision blurred and her body grew limp, sliding down toward the ground.
Her grip on the phone loosened, and it fell to the floor.
"Move quickly!"
One of the men urged, dragging Wen Ran toward the security door.
In the bathroom, Bai Xiaoxiao had just finished a call with her father, who mentioned that Mo Xiuchen had agreed to collaborate with their company and asked when she would be returning.
After a few minutes, she guessed Wen Ran and Mo Xiuchen were still talking on the phone, so she lingered in the bathroom a little longer before finally stepping out.
The hallway was dimly lit, but Bai Xiaoxiao immediately noticed the phone lying on the floor. She picked it up and was shocked to see a family photo of Wen Ran as the screensaver.
"Ranran!"
She quickly scanned the area, her heart suddenly sinking with an ominous feeling. Realizing the possibility of something being wrong, her face turned pale as she rushed toward the private room.
She pushed the door open and saw that the room was full of people talking, but both Wen Ran and her seat were empty. Her heart dropped into her stomach.
"Bai Xiaoxiao, what's wrong?"
Luo Haofeng, holding a glass of wine, was about to take a sip when he noticed her distressed face. He furrowed his brows and asked.
"Luo Haofeng, something's happened to Ranran!"
Bai Xiaoxiao ran, breathless, not even taking a moment to calm down, and shouted at Luo Haofeng.
"What happened? You were with her just now, right?"
Luo Haofeng's handsome face changed at once. He put down his glass and swiftly stood up. The chair crashed into the wall with a loud bang.
"She was on the phone with Mo Xiuchen, then I went to the bathroom. When I came back, I found her phone outside the bathroom, but she's gone."
Bai Xiaoxiao's eyes were red, on the verge of tears.
Luo Haofeng was already in front of her, grabbing the phone from her hand. He shoved past her and ran out of the room.
Bai Xiaoxiao staggered back, barely catching herself. The next second, Li Qian grabbed her arm and anxiously asked, "What happened?"