What is the relationship between the four guarantors who helped with the guarantee? Should I go ask? Xu Tianyi propped up his chin, his eyes sparkling with sharpness.
"After the guarantor, there are several layers of cover-up, and because each layer is paid a lot of money, they would not reveal anything," Ke Ji continued.
Luo Qianqian closed her eyes. The South?
Luo Qianqian’s phone suddenly vibrated. It was an unknown number. Hesitating for a moment, she still answered the call.
"Hello, who is this?"
Luo Shufan’s voice came through the receiver, hoarse and weathered.
"Brother! What’s wrong? Where are you? Are you hurt? Who captured you? When will you come back?"
"I am fine, I’m not coming back for now, you take good care of yourself and Mom." The weary voice struck at Luo Qianqian’s heart.
"Brother, you can’t not come back, if you dare not to return, I’ll die for you to see!"
The phone seemed to be snatched away, and then an even more weathered, hoarse voice came through: "Is this Luo Qianqian?"
"Yes, it’s me, what do you want to do to my brother? If you have any issues, come at me. My brother is the pillar of our family, can you let him go? I’m a girl, easier to control. My brother has to carry on the family line, please let my brother go!" Luo Qianqian rambled on.
There seemed to be a light chuckle on the other end of the line: "I can give you a chance to prove that you’re stronger than your brother, then I’ll release your brother and take you instead."
"Just say it! I have good grades, I’m cute, a thousand times better than that wooden stick Luo Shufan! Whatever you say, I’ll definitely do it!" Luo Qianqian said resolutely, ignoring Xu Tianyi’s flustered attempt to stop her.
"Hehe..." Luo Qianqian clearly heard the laughter on the other end. After a moment, the voice said, "Do you know about the Dragon Group? The group where Luo Xiying belongs. Whenever you become a member there, you can save your brother."
"How can I contact you? How should I explain it to my mom? Can I talk to my brother again? Can I go see my brother? You have to treat my brother well. If my brother is missing even a single hair, I will never rest!"
"Every Wednesday at five o’clock in the afternoon, this number will turn on, and at nine o’clock in the evening, it will turn off. As for the other matters, that’s up to you." After these words, a beeping sound came from the receiver.
"Have you located it?" Wild Wolf looked at Ke Ji, who was still fiddling with the computer, and asked anxiously.
"The signal source changes every minute, one minute it’s at the Greek Temple, and the next minute in Canada, we’ve encountered a master." Ke Ji shook his head.
"Brother..." Luo Qianqian cradled the phone, her eyes filled with tears.
"Qianqian..." Xu Tianyi embraced Luo Qianqian, gently comforting her.
But Luo Qianqian suddenly raised her head: "Do me a favor, arrange for my brother’s leave of absence, tell Mom that brother is going abroad for further studies, and then help me transfer and take a leave of absence."
"So shouldn’t you start by explaining things to me first?" Xu Tianyi dabbed the tears from Luo Qianqian’s face. "Everything you said is fine, but you have to give me a reason first, right?"
"I want to join the Dragon Group." Luo Qianqian stated firmly.
Bo Mei, who was eating a bun, choked directly: "Cough cough, little sister, do you know what you are saying? Cough cough cough..."
"This is the demand from the other side? You join the Dragon Group then release your brother?" Wild Wolf furrowed his brows.
"Yes," Luo Qianqian didn’t mention the part about joining the Dragon Group to make an exchange.
"Little sister, the Dragon Clan is a special forces unit. Can you, someone who avoids even military training, endure the army? Let alone the Dragon Group with the highest physical demands? As far as I know, out of the twenty members of the Dragon Group, not a single woman has joined to date," Bo Mei shook her head.
No women? Luo Qianqian clenched her fist, but she couldn’t neglect her own brother. If it were Lin Jiayou, perhaps she would consider it carefully, but it was Luo Shufan; there was no need to think about it. Just on the merit that he married that kind of woman in his previous life for her and for money, it was worth sacrificing her life to repay him.
"Does the Luo Family have a way in?" Luo Xiying surely did, but he was currently in the hospital, and Luo Qianqian didn’t want to add to the chaos. However, it seemed like the Luo Family wouldn’t agree either. How exactly could she get in?
"I have a way," Wild Wolf suddenly spoke up, "I can also help you get an identity. But I want to know, what is it that makes you willing to give up your own comfortable life and bright future to help your brother?" Ke Ji’s investigation made it clear to them that among all the girls, her and her brother’s aptitude in academics, both becoming Top Scholars, was not impossible.
"Because his name is Luo Shufan, he is my brother, and that makes him worth it."
Xu Tianyi gently hugged the girl in front of him, clenching his teeth, "I will make your hopes come true, you’ll be... alright."
"My sister’s name is Ye Meng, from now on, you are Ye Meng," Wild Wolf said with a smile.
Ke Ji and Bo Mei both looked at him in surprise.
"After all, keeping her identity is just a sentiment; better to put it to use where it counts. I too would like to have a sister like that," Wild Wolf chuckled. "My sister was fourteen when she went missing last year in the tropical jungle. Never thought it would come in handy." Though he spoke lightly, Ke Ji was very aware of how tough it had been for Wild Wolf at that time, even taking on two S-rank missions alone and coming back safely.
"Then why not find her?" Luo Qianqian didn’t understand, a disappearance wasn’t the same as death.
"Because, venturing deep into that jungle, there is little chance of survival."
She was stunned, facing a family member’s, a close kin’s calamity with such calmness... Luo Qianqian started shedding tears again and then turned to Xu Tianyi, "Tianyi, study hard for my sake too, protect Xiao Yu, protect Chu Ci and my mother."
Xu Tianyi was taken aback by Luo Qianqian’s words, momentarily dumbstruck.
"Once I find my brother, I will come after you," Luo Qianqian said through a teary smile.
"Stop smiling, it looks terrible," Bo Mei wiped the corner of her eyes, "Let’s eat quickly."
Luo Qianqian looked at the pie that had fallen to the ground and been ignored for a long time, tugged at the corner of her mouth, and picked it up, the pie having gone cold.
She stared at her cell phone, still the same, its screen not lighting up.
Xu Tianyi snatched the pie and said softly, "I will make it happen, just as you hope. I will be your support."
Luo Qianqian’s eyes curved slightly but they were filled with a coldness, devoid of any warmth.
Wild Wolf made a call, and after getting a response on the other end, he slowly said, "Shall we go get your identity card this afternoon? Good thing you’re thin."
Luo Qianqian nodded and took hold of Xu Tianyi, "You’re very important to me too, don’t let anything happen to you."
Her tone was cold, and Xu Tianyi, feeling pained, hugged her tight, recalling that they had known each other for six years now, he had never seen her so forlorn and lonely, always lively and cute. It was unforeseen for her to have changed . Clenching his fists tightly, the rage flickering in his eyes, he held the girl in his heart even closer.