Chapter 287: Haunted Building (23)

  Ruan Qing stared blankly at the notebook in his arms, instinctively glancing at Zhou Jinchen, seemingly unsure of his intentions.  

Ruan Qing genuinely didn’t understand what this man was trying to do.  

This man had gone as far as to investigate his call records and text messages, clearly aware of his intentions. He might even know that Ruan Qing had used the electrical wiring to attract attention and attempt an escape.  

But he didn’t seem to want to pursue the matter?  

Zhou Jinchen offered no explanation. After tossing the notebook, he simply sent a text message with his phone and patiently waited in place.  

It wasn’t until the workers outside began their tasks that Zhou Jinchen sent Ruan Qing back to the basement.  

The basement was still the same basement, but the slightly overweight worker who had been lying on the ground was gone. The bloodstains had also disappeared, and even the misaligned electrical wiring had been restored to normal.  

It was as if nothing had ever happened.  

But Ruan Qing knew that this matter wouldn’t simply blow over. Looking at the people around him emanating hostility and coldness, his delicate face showed a hint of fear and helplessness. Clutching the notebook, he hid behind Xu He.  

Seeing this, Zhou Jinchen’s gaze turned even colder. He let out a sneer and glanced at Ruan Qing hiding behind Xu He without saying a word.  

Xu He, too, radiated hostility. But when Ruan Qing took refuge behind him, the oppressive aura around him lessened somewhat. Gently pulling the boy into his arms, Xu He comforted him softly, “Don’t be afraid. The bad guy has already been driven away.”  

Ruan Qing froze at his words and immediately realized something.  

...These people seemed to think that someone had accidentally discovered him and tried to harm him, which was why he had tried to run away in fear?  

Judging by the scene, it really did look like he had been forced to flee.  

Ruan Qing discreetly glanced at Zhou Jinchen, who had brought him back. The next second, he buried his head into Xu He’s embrace, his slender body trembling slightly.  

Xu He tenderly patted Ruan Qing’s head, his eyes filled with a chilling gloom. However, his voice grew even softer as he said, “Don’t worry. No one will hurt you anymore.”  

Ruan Qing responded with a soft, pitiful “mm,” his trembling, tear-choked voice making him seem utterly terrified.  

Even for a pampered young master, encountering something like this would frighten anyone, let alone an ordinary person. Xu He couldn’t bear to imagine what would’ve happened if the boy hadn’t managed to knock out that scumbag.  

Just the thought of it made him want to tear that man apart.  

Xu He held Ruan Qing a little tighter, suppressing the fear and anger in his heart. Forcing down the violent emotions roiling inside him, he lowered his gaze to conceal the ferocity in his eyes and gently comforted the boy in his arms. “It’s okay now. Don’t be scared.”  

Although Xu He had tried his best to hide it, the coldness in his eyes betrayed his emotions.

The others were no different. Even the always rational and stern Yan Lulin had a trace of unreadable complexity in his gaze.

Only Zhou Jinchen stood to the side, his eyes filled with mockery as he watched Ruan Qing mislead the others. Yet, he didn’t reveal the truth.

The group, seeing that Ruan Qing was unharmed, gradually calmed down and finally noticed the notebook in Ruan Qing’s hands.

The notebook was new, entirely different from the one the boy had before.

Xu He frowned slightly. “Your notebook...”

Ruan Qing carefully glanced at Zhou Jinchen, clutching the notebook tightly, and spoke softly, “It’s… that person who gave it to me.”

Hearing this, the others all turned to look at Zhou Jinchen. Seeing that he didn’t deny it, they realized the boy was telling the truth.

Zhou Jinchen had always had a bad temper and a sharp tongue. The idea of him buying a notebook for someone was as unbelievable as the sun rising from the west.

But when it came to this delicate young master, it didn’t seem strange at all.

It was probably some form of compensation for forcing the boy to take medicine earlier in the day.

In the past, the group would never have agreed to let the boy keep a notebook. After all, with it, he could jot down many things, which could be disadvantageous to them.

However, as they watched Ruan Qing trembling with fear, no one could bring themselves to object. In the end, they tacitly allowed him to keep the notebook.

Perhaps to distract Ruan Qing from his lingering fear, Xu He immediately changed the subject. Smiling gently, he said to him, “I brought you some wallpaper. See if you like any of them, and I’ll put it up for you.”

This tactic clearly worked. After Xu He finished speaking, Ruan Qing lifted his head and looked at the rolls of wallpaper placed on the floor.

He pressed his lips together slightly and eventually chose a green wallpaper featuring flowers and trees.

The basement wasn’t particularly large, but it wasn’t exactly small either. Covering the walls with wallpaper would take some time, so everyone pitched in to help.

Even Zhou Jinchen joined in.

Ruan Qing wanted to help as well, but the group refused to let him. In the end, he obediently sat to the side, holding his notebook and writing something in it. As he wrote, his delicate little face scrunched up, as if he had encountered a difficult problem, and his pen hovered motionless.

He looked a bit dazed.

The warm light from the lamp illuminated him, making him appear especially gentle and endearing.

As they continued to put up the wallpaper, the group’s attention unconsciously drifted to the boy. Their gazes softened instinctively as they looked at him.

However, no one disturbed Ruan Qing, who quietly stuck wallpaper on the walls.  

If someone were to barge in, they would never guess that this was a hideout for a kidnapping. They would also never guess that the obedient boy sitting there was the hostage.  

And they certainly wouldn’t imagine that the people busily pasting wallpaper were the vicious kidnappers.  

The group worked efficiently, finishing the wallpapering in less than an hour.  

Bare walls tend to absorb light, so even when illuminated, they can appear somewhat dull. However, with the wallpaper in place, this problem disappeared.  

Now, the basement no longer looked like a basement. The walls were covered in beautiful wallpaper, reflecting vibrant colors under the lights, creating the illusion of having stepped into a fantastical, flowery otherworld.  

Only the simple bed and the concrete floor seemed out of place.  

Once the wallpaper was done, the group approached Ruan Qing. As they walked over, they instinctively softened their footsteps, seemingly curious about what he was writing.  

They moved with such silence that they resembled thieves—no sounds, not even the rustle of clothing.  

Unexpectedly, just as they got close, Ruan Qing closed his notebook and held it tightly against his chest. He turned his head to look at them with a wary expression.  

It was clear he had caught on to their intentions.  

The group, who had never engaged in petty theft before, were unsettled by his defensive posture, as if he feared they might snatch the notebook from him. They awkwardly avoided eye contact, looking off to the sides.  

It was Xu He who reacted first. He showed no signs of guilt and smiled gently as he spoke. “The wallpaper is done. Do you like it?”  

“If you don’t, I can replace it for you.”  

Ruan Qing hugged the notebook and glanced around. After a moment, he gave a small nod.  

***  

After this incident, no one dared to leave Ruan Qing alone anymore. Even if something came up, someone had to stay behind to keep an eye on the basement.  

However, they didn’t actually stay in the basement but instead watched from a room on the first floor that faced the basement stairs.  

After finishing the wallpaper, the five of them returned to the first-floor room. They each sat in a corner, saying nothing. The atmosphere was heavy and stifling.  

Luo Haodong lit a cigarette, took a puff without expression, and said, “What do we do next?”  

Yan Lulin furrowed his brows and replied seriously, “Let’s find the person first. Then we’ll talk.”  

The reason they came back so quickly this time was that the two people in that neighborhood had already disappeared, leaving no trace behind. Naturally, the kidnapping attempt had failed.  

It was fortunate that those two weren’t there. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have been able to return at this time.  

None of them dared to imagine what would have happened if they hadn’t returned.  

This young master was simply too captivating, to the point of being almost criminally attractive. No one who saw him could remain calm, and no one could avoid having dark thoughts upon seeing him.  

And this was a construction site filled entirely with men. If any worker had spotted him, the consequences would have been unimaginable.  

None of them dared to think any further and continued discussing their next steps.  

The woman and the male high school student had disappeared from the neighborhood, and they needed to track them down again. But when they would find the two of them was hard to say.  

Moreover, Ren Yanqing was clearly on guard now. Successfully kidnapping the two would undoubtedly be much harder. They had better start preparing for alternative plans.  

Although they discussed the situation, none of them suggested letting the person in the basement go, even though they were already aware that the person in the basement no longer posed a threat to Ren Yanqing.  

***  

“Beep!”  

“You have received a voicemail. Please check it.”  

In the office building, a sweet female voice sounded from the phone on the desk, catching the attention of the man who was reading some documents.  

The man didn’t put down the documents. Instead, he picked up the phone and casually glanced at it. Upon seeing the note attached to the voicemail that read “Son,” he indifferently looked away and put the phone back down, continuing to read the documents.  

He showed no intention of opening the voicemail.  

The man wasn’t interested in checking it at all. Those people were truly persistent. Even after he had blocked so many numbers, they still tried to contact him, even going as far as to use his “son’s” phone to reach him.  

He thought he had made his stance clear enough, but apparently, they naively believed he didn’t trust them.  

Hah, what a bunch of fools.  

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