When Shen Yi landed at the airport, it was already past seven in the evening of the next day back home.
He collected his luggage and quickly exited the airport terminal; Assistant Chen had surely arranged for someone to pick him up.
However, as Shen Yi exited the airport, he saw Uncle Zhang at the pickup point.
Upon seeing Uncle Zhang standing there, Shen Yi almost subconsciously thought Ye Wanwan had come too, his eyes uncontrollably scanning the surroundings.
But it seemed he was overthinking, as the people around Uncle Zhang were all strangers to him.
As Shen Yi walked, his gaze fell on Uncle Zhang’s face once again and he suddenly realized that Uncle Zhang’s expression was far too solemn as if something had happened.
An ominous premonition surged in Shen Yi’s heart.
"Where’s Wanwan?" Shen Yi walked up and asked in a deep voice.
Uncle Zhang bowed slightly in apology, "I’m sorry, sir. The madam is in danger."
"Ye Mingrui took the initiative to call Chairman Ye, saying he only wanted money. He told the chairman not to alert the police, and that everything was negotiable if the police weren’t involved."
"Chairman Ye said that as long as the madam is safely returned, he can give any amount of money, and Ye Mingrui had already let his guard down."
"But someone tipped off Ye Mingrui, saying that Chairman Ye had already called the police and that they were tracking him using communication signals, right beside Chairman Ye."
"Afraid of getting caught, Ye Mingrui fled with the madam."
"Previously, the police had pinned down an approximate location, but by the time they gave chase, Ye Mingrui and the madam were already gone without a trace."
"The police have started a large-scale search, and an hour ago they found them. However, it seems something happened en route that caused Ye Mingrui to become extremely agitated."
"Ye Mingrui is now desperate, refusing to let go of the madam no matter what, and negotiation specialists have already been called in, but the standoff continues."
The car kept moving, having left the city center and now heading towards the suburbs. The once clear sky seemed to mirror Shen Yi’s mood, growing overcast as well.
Shen Yi asked Uncle Zhang, "Why didn’t you tell me yesterday!"
According to the timeline Uncle Zhang provided, Wanwan was taken away around six o’clock the previous evening, when he hadn’t yet boarded the plane.
They could have informed him at that time!
"At the time the situation was very urgent, everyone was in a panic, so we couldn’t notify you in time," Uncle Zhang explained.
But some things went unsaid, and Shen Yi understood well enough in his heart.
He wasn’t in the country at the time; even if he had known, what could he have done?
Thinking that even after being informed he seemed powerless to do anything, Shen Yi felt a surge of frustration. He always seemed unable to protect Wanwan properly.
Now, more than twenty hours had passed since Wanwan was taken away, twenty hours of her being alone, facing a desperate Ye Mingrui.
Shen Yi clenched his teeth, his expression becoming terrifyingly grim.
By the time Uncle Zhang drove to the scene, the mountain villa was already surrounded by numerous police cars and officers.
Members of both the Ye and Shen families were among the crowd, all wearing looks of panic as they stared at the villa’s rooftop, speaking in kind words in an attempt to stabilize Ye Mingrui’s mood.
At that very moment, Ye Mingrui was standing with Ye Wan on the fourth-floor terrace, holding a fruit knife to her neck, looking as if he might slit her throat at any second.