Zou Family’s Father, "Don’t talk nonsense, not to mention Xiao Jun isn’t necessarily in trouble, even if... it’s not someone else’s fault. He wouldn’t have... if he hadn’t come home for dinner that day."
Zou Family’s Mother, "Yes, we can’t blame them. Shen Ci, please take your partner and leave quickly."
Zou Xiaojun’s fifteen-year-old brother, "Don’t talk nonsense. My brother won’t meet with any misfortune."
Zou Xiaojun’s eight-year-old sister, "Don’t blame Brother Ci. Brother Ci is a good person..."
Originally, Shen Ci had wanted to teach those people a lesson, but seeing how upset Zou Xiaojun’s close relatives were, he said gently, "Rest assured, we will do our utmost to find Xiao Jun. In case... I will compensate."
Seeing him say this, the other members of the Zou family stopped making a commotion.
Zou’s parents hesitated to speak and eventually said nothing.
Those who truly cared about Zou Xiaojun indeed wouldn’t say anything at this point because finding him was the most important thing.
As Shen Ci and Meng Chuyue had just stepped out of the Zou family’s gate, Zou Xiaohua, Xiao Jun’s younger brother, quickly caught up, "Brother Ci, can I come with you to look for my brother?"
Shen Ci hesitated for a moment, then nodded, "Yes, but first go and tell your parents. We’ll wait for you in the car."
"Okay, I’ll do that now."
The young boy sniffled and ran off quickly.
Before long, Zou Family’s Father and Zou Xiaohua came out together.
Zou Family’s Father said apologetically to Shen Ci, "Please take care of Xiaohua for me."
"You needn’t be so polite, uncle. Xiaohua is always clever. He will help me rather than cause any trouble."
"Alright, Xiaohua, you must listen to Brother Ci."
Zou Family’s Father understood why Zou Xiaohua wanted to follow Shen Ci; it wasn’t just out of urgency to find Zou Xiaojun but also because the atmosphere at home was bad.
Ever since Zou Xiaojun disappeared, his mother had brought a bunch of people to stay in their house. They claimed to be concerned about Zou Xiaojun and wanted to help look for him, yet they only went out for an hour or two each day. When they came back, they demanded living expenses and expected to be served three meals a day.
He felt these people were not there to help him find his child, but to kick him while he was down or to take advantage of the crisis.
After Zou Family’s Father returned home, he whispered to his wife, "Send Niuniu to your mother’s place, then let’s go look for Xiao Jun together."
Zou Family’s Mother gently nodded, went back to the room to pack some clothes for her daughter, and seized the opportunity to take the family’s jewelry and cash. They were about to leave the house.
She hadn’t planned to lock the door, but just as she was leaving, Old Madam Zou shouted loudly, "Leave the keys to the room before you go out. I want to stay in that room later."
Zou Family’s Mother burst into tears on the spot, but she said nothing. She didn’t go back for her own clothes and left the house directly with her daughter.
Old Madam Zou, delighted to see the room key left in the door, entered and started searching haphazardly.
Zou Family’s Father, enraged, followed her in. "What are you trying to do, Mom?"
"What am I trying to do? I didn’t bring any clothes with me. I’m looking for something to wear for a bath. What else could it be?"
Zou Family’s Father clenched his fists, grabbed a large bag, and stuffed the better clothes from the house into it before leaving.
Old Madam Zou was busy looking for things and didn’t notice what kind of clothes Zou Family’s Father had taken.
She thought he was preparing things for Zou Xiaohua and Zou Family’s Mother, so she didn’t stop him.
After Zou Family’s Father left, those people became even more audacious.
Soon, they all entered Zou’s parents’ bedroom and began rummaging around.
After a while, when there was only one man and one woman left in the bedroom, the man said sinisterly to the heavily made-up woman, "We can’t let Zou Xiaojun live. We have to make sure he dies. That way, that person will pay Zou Silin, and we can make a fortune."
The woman glanced sideways, "You mean Zou Xiaojun isn’t dead?"
"No, what I mean is, it’s better if he’s dead. If he’s not, we’ll find a way to make him die."