The moment the police surrounded Song Qiang and his wife, both their faces turned ashen, knowing their scheme was exposed.
Brought back to the station, they remained tight-lipped, refusing to confess.
It was only when the police invoked the law, emphasizing the prison sentences they faced, that Qian Xiaoyu broke down.
Trembling, she recounted the events and described the bald man.
When asked if they were acting under someone's orders, Qian Xiaoyu paused, bit her lip, and tearfully squeezed out two words.
"No!"
Song Qiang gave the same answer.
They wanted to protect their son.
It was nearly three in the morning. Lou Yuming, his eyes cold and stern, stared at the interrogation room before finally turning away.
"Where are you going? I'm coming with you!" Shao Cheng hurried after him. "Don't worry, I've already spoken to Officer Guo. He'll notify me immediately if there's any news!"
Once in the car, Shao Cheng opened his phone's navigation. "Don't worry, Song Xi will be fine. They have these few roads out of Yun Town. Which one should we take?"
Before he could finish speaking, Lou Yuming slammed on the accelerator, his knuckles white as he gripped the steering wheel.
"The shortest one, of course!"
...
Song Xi had miscalculated.
The bald man, afraid of losing time, drove non-stop.
He even used the car as a restroom.
The girls grew increasingly anxious, their emotions frayed by the long night.
Finally, they couldn't hold back and began to cry.
Song Xi didn't know how to comfort them; breaking down after enduring so much was understandable.
She too was struggling, forcing herself to hold on.
What surprised her was Lingling.
Despite her young age, she had remarkable endurance.
She remembered Song Xi's words, staying silent, holding back her tears, and being exceptionally brave.
Their stir eventually drew the bald man's attention.
The car screeched to a halt.
Song Xi quickly told everyone to tape their mouths and tie themselves up.
With a "swish," the car door opened a crack.
"Crying? Your mom's crying!"
The bald man cursed and scanned the interior of the car, then suddenly noticed something. "Where are your eye masks!" he snarled.
Never mind, they were already out of the city.
The bald man said, "Behave, or if I get angry, I'll rape and kill you first!"
The girls turned deathly pale.
Seizing the opportunity, Song Xi feigned difficulty and managed to squeeze out a single word from her mouth: "Hungry..."
The bald man glanced at her, thinking that if they were all emaciated when he reached his destination, their value would be greatly reduced.
So, despite the risk, he tossed a few bottles of mineral water and some bread into the car.
He then looked around the interior and finally walked up to Lingling, untying her ropes.
"Feed them. Behave, or I'll twist your head off!"
Lingling's face was contorted with fear, her whole body trembling.
The bald man patted her cheek and was about to leave when her bracelet flashed and caught his eye.
He snatched it. "Ah, you brought treasures on you! Why didn't I search you thoroughly before!"
Tears streamed down Lingling's face, falling to the ground. "No... no, that was from my mommy..."
The bald man sneered, "Now it belongs to your daddy."
"No!"
Lingling suddenly hugged the bald man's leg, preventing him from leaving.
It seemed the bracelet was very important to her.
The bald man, without a hint of mercy, kicked her away. "Damn it, a little brat dares to defy me! If you babble again, I'll kill you!" With that, he got out of the car.
The car door was shut again.
Song Xi clenched her fist and rushed to embrace Lingling. "It's okay, Lingling, don't worry. When we're rescued, I'll definitely help you get your bracelet back."
Lingling sobbed pitifully on Song Xi's shoulder.
Seeing this, the other girls came over to comfort her.
They also vowed to beat the bald man into a pig's head.
Lingling was amused. Sniffling, she picked up the bread from the floor and said softly, "Sister, eat bread."
Song Xi's heart melted. She ruffled Lingling's hair.