Chapter 152: It’s You

“You’re playing me.”

Lu Nan forced out an unsightly smile, suddenly understanding everything.

“Don’t tell me you deliberately lured those two over here.” Lu Nan pushed the empty bowl aside.

Mo Zhiting cleared his throat lightly.

The door was pushed open, and bodyguards quickly cleared the bowls from the table before closing the door behind them.

“Yes, I sent a message to Song Wenwei. I also knew Li Erning would follow.” Mo Zhiting propped himself up on the table; the sound of engines could now be heard approaching from not far away. “It was crucial to get them here.”

“Only if you were kidnapped would Song Wenwei and Li Erning panic enough to convince Xia Yubing this was real. How could a kidnapping have a hostage but no frantic family?”

“The act has to look authentic. I’m sorry for dragging them into this too.”

Only then would outsiders see it as a genuine kidnapping, prompting Xia Yubing to rush over without hesitation.

Lu Nan nodded. No wonder Mo Zhiting hadn’t wanted to give her his phone earlier. But none of that mattered anymore—everything had changed.

“This is your third apology to me today, but it’s fine.” Lu Nan suddenly smiled, her lips curving into a bright, radiant grin.

Kid, now that my backup’s here, you’re done for. You even dragged Second Sis into it—good luck to you.

Mo Zhiting looked at her in surprise. Given Lu Nan’s personality, she was lucky not to curse him out, let alone smile so cheerfully.

“You knew Li Erning would follow, but do you know what kind of person she is?”

“What are you trying to say?” Mo Zhiting asked her.

“Someone’s in for it—good luck to him.”

—

The mountain road twisted and turned. Night had fallen, leaving only the beams of the headlights piercing the pitch black. Trees flashed by outside the window like inverted shadows.

The car kicked up gravel from the ground, leaving six streaks of tire marks at the bends as it howled past like the wind.

Song Wenwei felt the jolts from the rough path, but the car’s speed didn’t slow at all.

The road reached its end, and the car slowed to a stop before a massive iron gate.

Through the windshield, Song Wenwei saw the building hidden in the darkness. Strings of bulbs hung from the structure behind the gate—the only sources of light—stretching back into endless blackness.

This was where Lu Nan had been brought…

“Second Sis, the gate’s closed.”

The driver beside her reminded her. Li Erning narrowed her slender eyes, eyeing the rundown building ahead.

Reinforced, my ass. Hope it doesn’t collapse on Lu Nan. What’s wrong with Xia Corporation, dragging her all the way out here?

She picked up the walkie-talkie from the dashboard and pressed the button. It crackled to life as Li Erning ordered, “Huzi, overtake and ram the gate.”

The car behind surged past the others and pulled up beside them. Almost simultaneously, both vehicles revved their engines and charged at the iron gate.

“Bang bang bang—”

The two cars slammed straight into the closing gate, which rattled but held firm. They backed up a few meters in unison, then floored the accelerators for another brutal impact.

In mere seconds, a deafening boom echoed as the gate toppled, kicking up a cloud of sand.

The guards at the gate barely reacted to the noise before the headlights blinded them. They shielded their eyes from the sudden glare.

“Quick! They’re here—tell the boss!” The men on the roof snapped to attention and shouted back.

The vehicles below screeched to a halt, carving tracks in the sand.

Dozens of burly men piled out, their fierce faces scanning the surroundings.

“This isn’t right—why so many people?”

“Go tell the boss quick!”

The two on the roof stumbled down.

“Didn’t the boss say only two were coming?”

“…”

Li Erning eyed the guards at the gate. As time passed, more people gathered in front of the cars—a dense crowd.

She cracked her knuckles. “Yin Hua, let’s get out and handle this.”

Her team swarmed out of the vehicles, and the two groups collided.

Yin Hua at the front swung her baton, cursing, “You bastards, daring to kidnap our little Nan Nan? You’re dead meat!”

“Poor little Nan Nan—we don’t even know what they’ve done to her.” A lackey beside her glared furiously.

Li Erning glanced at the pair and drawled, “Quit yapping. Send a group to find where Lu Nan’s being held. We’ll deal with these guys first.”

“This…”

Song Wenwei had just reached for the door handle, cracking it open a sliver to join them, when Li Erning circled around to her side.

Li Erning shut the door for her. “Kidnappers are ruthless. With your skinny arms and legs, stay put. Rest if you’re tired—when you wake up, Lu Nan will be right there.”

“Okay.”

Song Wenwei sat primly in the car, nodding repeatedly.

Chaos erupted outside—only shadows toppling could be seen. Even if she wanted to help, she couldn’t fight; standing there would just make her a target. Better not to get in the way.

—

“That was a huge racket. Shouldn’t we go check it out?” Lu Nan yawned, leaning back in her wheelchair as she suggested.

Mo Zhiting nodded; he had the same idea.

“Excuse me.”

Lu Nan watched him leave.

He pushed open the door and stepped out. Could Xia Yubing already be here, starting the commotion?

But when he got outside, he froze, rooted to the spot. Before him lay a field of downed bodyguards.

To guard against any tricks from Xia Yubing, Mo Zhiting had brought dozens of private special forces from the corporation. Yet now they were all sprawled on the ground, groaning amid a sea of shadows.

Xia Yubing only struck from the shadows, never openly where she could be caught. So who…

In a blink, a figure charged at him. Before Mo Zhiting could react, the person floored him in an instant, slamming his body to the ground and pinning him viciously.

Li Erning pressed him down hard. “You’re the one who kidnapped her?”

“No, you…”

“Save your breath.”

Before Mo Zhiting could get a few words out, he felt the pressure on his back intensify, like his bones were being crushed. Pinned flat to the ground, the tiny stones dug into him painfully; he couldn’t even speak.

“Second Sis, ease up—he’s about to crack under you.” Yin Hua shouted anxiously from the side, “Rule of law, rule of law!”

Li Erning instantly released him, then irritably kicked the man on the ground. “Hey, you look like their boss. Where’s the girl? No money, but your life—one life. Let her go, and I’ll spare you.”

Song Wenwei stepped out of the car and watched the scene, her heart pounding. So Second Sis hadn’t brought ransom at all—of course, why would she need to with her capabilities?

“Cough cough cough…”

The man on the ground struggled up from the sand, coughing. His glasses were nowhere to be seen—good thing they were just for show.

Seeing who it was, Song Wenwei frowned deeply.

“Mo Zhiting?”

Only then did Li Erning give him a proper look. The face was familiar; she recalled from memory, “From the Mo Family… Mo Tinglin’s brother.”

Mo Tinglin was a male actor in Song Wenwei’s agency, a young master of Mo Corporation. She just hadn’t expected Lu Nan’s kidnapper to be him, not Xia Yubing.

“Misunderstanding, total misunderstanding.” Mo Zhiting brushed sand from his clothes, tugging at his collar as grains trickled down. “I didn’t do anything to Lu Nan.”

“Where’s Lu Nan?” Song Wenwei’s mind was a mess. Why would Mo Zhiting kidnap her? What grudge did they have? She had no idea how Lu Nan was faring now.

“She’s fine, don’t worry.” Mo Zhiting pointed to a nearby room. “She’s in there. I’ll go with you and…”

“Go with us? Think one word clears you?” Li Erning grabbed his collar with one massive hand as her burly men closed in.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

Mo Zhiting raised his hands above his head. “I’m not going anywhere. Let me explain…”

No wonder Lu Nan had said good luck to him. Fine, he’d borrow her auspicious words.

Li Erning turned to those nearby. “Yin Hua, you and Wenwei go check if Lu Nan’s missing any limbs. If she is, no loss—we can make this Mo guy make it up to her.”

“Got it.”

Yin Hua pulled Song Wenwei toward the room, walking ahead while shielding the woman behind her.

“Stick close. If anyone jumps out, you run first.”

Song Wenwei nodded as she was led along. “Okay.”

The two proceeded one after the other.

Outside, amid the clamor of questions, the faint clink of bells mixed with boot steps could be heard.

Lu Nan’s ears twitched. She recognized the familiar boots and bells—that was Yin Hua, Li Erning’s right-hand woman. Beside her was probably Song Wenwei.

She scanned the room, then quickly stood.

Lu Nan flipped the table with both hands. After a moment’s thought, she upended the wheelchair too and lay motionless on the floor.

What was that saying? The weak evoke pity… or something like that. Close enough.

Lu Nan closed her eyes, no longer dwelling on it.

She smeared some dust from the floor across her face. Her pale skin instantly turned grimy, as if she’d been rolling on the ground.